I Moved

When my husband and I were younger and visited his older Aunt and Uncle, we noticed that they slept in separate bedrooms so in order for us to sleep in a bedroom, additional juggling was required. I thought it was odd that they slept apart and wondered why a couple would do that.

Now that we're older but not quite as old as they were, I understand. Just Sunday in the paper was an article about couples that do what they can to get a good night's sleep. Devices were suggested for snorers. Two twin mattresses were suggested for those that wiggle around too much in their sleep. Softer alarm clocks can be used for those that get up so much earlier than their spouse. One couple had a very unique solution to their problem. He likes a firm surface to sleep on so he sleeps on the floor and this wife and kids sleep in the bed. That way they can all be together but still get what each of them needs; sleep.

I guess I just said to heck with all of that and moved myself to the basement. I like sleep, always have, and  get very annoyed when it gets disturbed. It's either dogs barking, bright yard lights, snoring, wiggling, kicking, or any other annoyance that seeps into my sleepy brain. When my husband and I first got together I loved a dark room. I used to close the door and get up and adjust the curtains so no amount of light would come in (then I would sleep on my back with my arms crossed. He would wake me up just to make sure I wasn't dead). I still do that in hotel rooms while on vacation and it drives him nuts because he wants to keep the bathroom light on in case he needs to get up during the night. So you see, we are total opposite as far as what we want for sleeping quarters.

We got the spare room all cleaned out, bought a bed frame and a new mattress set. It's a strange little room, not legally a bedroom. In one closet you have your water heater which whooshes occasionally during the night. And then through a small door lies the noisy oil furnace. This comes on with a BANG and then loud whooshing noises as the oil is pumped from the outside tank inside to the burner. Then the fan comes on to blow heat throughout the house. As Saturday night was the first night in my new room, I heard it all. The mattress is also a little more firm than I would like it, even with a memory foam pad but hopefully I'll get used to it.

I put a blanket on the floor just in case my dog feels the need to follow me downstairs. She usually sleeps at the end of our bed but my husband's shift has changed a bit and he won't get home until midnight, which might just make her seek me out. Our daughter on the other hand would never sleep down there. She thinks the room is haunted. About three years ago, she had some friends who were amateur ghost hunters. They had the equipment and we let them come over for fun to see what they would find. They took a picture in the furnace room and a figure in back of the room showed up. Plus they picked up some voices on their EVP. I seriously try not to think of these things when I'm in bed.

Last night was not much better. The winds blew all night and one window is right under the patio where my husband has hung about 10, or 110 wind chimes, I'm not quite sure. So in go the earplugs after the first BANG of the furnace and I fitfully sleep until my alarm wakes me at 5:ugh15. Whose idea was this anyway?