Hot cold

I like a cool...okay make that cold house. I like to snuggle under a quilt. I like to wear fleece to keep warm. Shirts, jackets, vests, socks, pants....did I forget anything?

From the chemo Rob could just not get warm. So the heat was set up high, there were heaters in every room and we got an electric blanket for the bed. The monthly electric bill includes is a chart of how your energy consumption compares with your neighbors. We were out consuming our neighbors. Our usage was in the stratosphere.

One of the first things I did when I returned home from the hospital the last time was reset the thermostat to just above freezing. Disconnect all the heaters and put them in a closet. Strip the electric blanket with all its wires off the bed.

My cats anxiously watched. They loved the heaters, the hot house, the electric blanket. "What the hell are you doing? We will freeze!" I made a concession to my energy conservation activities and plugged in their heater bed.

They slept with me in the bed without the electric blanket for a while. And then the nights started to get cold and they abandoned me in favor of their heater bed. Hmmm.

I'll admit I was now sleeping in layers of fleece with layers of blankets and it was all getting a bit unmanageable. Decided to go out and buy a high lofting comforter. The bed would be so easy to make—top sheet and comforter.

And herein lies the quandary. While I've put pictures back up on the wall, and put Robert's books back onto the bookshelf, changing the bedding seemed a radical decision. Remember its the little things that catch you. The irrational things. The unexpected common things.

It became "A Mission". Learned that while you used to be able to buy just a comforter now everything is packaged in 6 to 8 piece sets. Shams, decorative pillows, bed skirt, comforter. All I wanted was a comforter!

Went to four stores. Found the Marimekko comforter in store two (just comforter alone, you would think I could take this as a sign). Smiled. It felt so happy. Brought back memories of the 70s and our early years together. And thought, What would Rob think? Could I do this? Why was I so indecisive? How could I feel happy and sad at the same moment?

Remember I said I went to four stores? I left the Marimekko comforter in store two, drove on to stores three and four. Looked a more and more comforter sets. Drove back to store two. There was a couple in the isle eyeing comforters. Mine was still there on the top shelf smiling at me.

Stripped the bed and remade it with the Marimekko comforter. It brought a smile to my face and peace to my heart. And most importantly it passed the cat test. They slept with me!