December 1, 2010

Endless Sheets out the Door....



Above: Ensenada tugs one of which brought the Carnival Splendor to San Diego; Below: the Catalina Casino. Christmas trip, 2009.

Oh, I did have other plans. I thought, before I go grab the bags for the middle of the month trip, let me straighten up the sheets.

A full day later, after measuring each sheet against the bed we now use, I have five big bags of sheets lined up on the bedroom bookcase. All measured. Each package marked. Some bags with two sets of sheets each. I’d feel really triumphant but for the fact that there are so many sheets in so many different sizes. I’d even laugh if I were not so appalled or depressed.

And it is really bad.

It’s our fault. We like the top sheet to cover the quilt or blanket that’s on the bed. That’s the bottom line. So we have bottom sheets to fit the double bed we used to have, and we have bottom sheets to fit the queen size bed we now have. For the top sheet we also have sets in king size from which we only use the top sheet. That leaves extra bottoms and pillow cases flying loose like colorful butterflies all around the room.

I thought we would have two sets of flannel for winter and two sets of percale for summer. Nooooooooooo…….the truth is, we have two sets for the old bed, and we have two sets for the new bed for each season plus all the left over, king size extras that make up each set as we use it.

Beyond bad. Beyond embarrassing. I won’t confess how many sets of sheets I ended up sorting out yesterday. How all that ever get into the hall cupboard much less stay in our lives, I do not know. I’m going to be ruthless and give sheets away today. Like butterflies….out the door.

12 comments:

  1. Ah well... Maggie. Somebody will be able to put the sheets to good use. And your closet shelf will be so much neater.

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  2. You would really be confused at my house. I have a double sheet for the bottom and a queen sheet for the top and several sets because I hate to discard anything that might be useful at a later date.

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  3. I used to make up a "crazy bed." Top sheet from one set, bottom from another, two different pillowcases. It was great fun.

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  4. Well I have the opposite problem. After years of living in a ten room home, I too gleefully downsized with too much abandon-and ended up with two Queen sized fitten sheets. That's it. I'll probably be shopping for your sheets at the thrift store soon. Like butterflies.

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  5. I am just lazy. With our new house we finally got a new bed and it is one of those deep mattresses (queen) so I just bought some king size stuff that was on sale...and we have top sheets the right size and fitted mattress sheets that I have to pull tight to tuck in!

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  6. Love the analogies to the butterflies! That explanation is perfectly plausible and you have no reason to be embarrassed. I think you did a real yeoman's job of sorting and measuring. And Kay is right. Someone can really use nice sheets.

    PS I LOVE tugboats -- always have!!!

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  7. nice!! thanks for the tugs pics.

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  8. Good for you, My sis and I had a conversation by phone about this very issue...If you have one Bed and One Guest bed, you have need of only 4 sets of sheets! But...she has way more than that.

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  9. We have gotten down to just one set for our bed, and one set each for the guest beds, with an extra set to roam between. Strip,wash and return to bed.
    Sounds a little kinky!

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  10. With all due respect, dear Maggie, I'd have to say that you're full of sheet! ;)

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  11. Just for the record, not withstanding my laughter, I am now reduced to a paltry two sets of winter sheets and two sets of summer sheets.

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