Friday, May 4, 2012

The Change

There comes a time in every woman's life when she must yield to the inevitable. For me, that time is now.

I won't deny that I've looked forward to this day for what seems like a very long time, but still my feelings are mixed. It's hard to let go of something that has been both painful and precious. But there it is: after waking up sweaty for three mornings in a row, I've finally faced up to the facts.

A new and better season has begun. It's time to take the flannel sheets off the bed and change them to plain cotton.

(Oh, you thought I meant that other change? I wish.)

If violets are the vanguard of spring in Wisconsin, the rearguard is the removal of flannel sheets. Each year they seem to stay on the bed a bit longer - last spring was so damp and chilly they didn't come off until June. In a drafty old house like ours (and with a thermostat kept as low as ours), there's nothing so cozy on a cold spring night as snuggling down under the fuzzy warmth of flannel - with a fleece blanket above, and a good weighty comforter to top it all off.

When the temperatures hit the 80s in March of this year, I'll admit we wavered. Oh yes, we were tempted. Glamourous daydreams of an early spring caused us to toy with the idea of throwing off the heavy flannel shackles to embrace the smooth lightness of plain cotton. But we knew 'twas an idle dream; the weather would correct itself, and the cold nights would soon return (which they did).

But now the time has come. It's May, and though there's still a chance of frost, the space heater has been put away. Doors are being left open between rooms. The red winter curtains are about to give way to the floating muslin of warmer weather. And the flannel sheets are going into storage, to dream sweet dreams of frosty nights and snow on the windowpane and warm sleepy snugglings.

Goodbye, flannel sheets. (Goodbye, fleece blanket.) See you in October!

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15 comments:

  1. Oh, do be careful for what you wish for!
    I am looking forward to the day when we can shut the wood stove down. We have had probably four days since late Sept. when it hasn't been fired up...from early in the morning until we stumble into bed and let it be.
    Happy warmth and sunshine to you.

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  2. It's a glorious day when you get to slide into crisp cotton sheets again. My favorites are purple. Good thing too since it's the only one's I've got. : /

    Happy cotton sheets day

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  3. Would you believe, we are still on flannels.

    May, for ""pete's sakes." I think it is about time, here!

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  4. This made me giggle! We just began opening the windows during the day this week... And now I have to bring my plants back inside tomorrow night.

    Might be just as well; somebunny ate all my spinach while I was at work yesterday.

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  5. You really had me there, Sue! Naughty lady ;-)

    Yay to cotton sheets although here the weathervane is playing games with us toying with warm sunshine on our backs to torrential downpours and, yes, heating on. Very strange but the birds certainly like to sing whilst we watch the rain through clouded windows.

    Enjoy!

    Stephanie

    ps I am ridiculously excited because I have settled on one of the patterns in the Jane Austen book you offered me. The wool is ready in my project bag. I have a couple of things to finish off first but... I cannot wait!

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  6. Haha, I thought you meant the other change, well done!

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  7. There is always some sort of change in life. I just changed the beddings too. But the doors have to be closed due to the moskitos. They are back together with the warmer weather. Frosty nights are supposed to be over on the 15th of May (die Eisheiligen: Pankraz, Servaz, Bonifaz und die kalte Sophie).

    Today it is rainy so I've made a fire.

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  8. Welcome to spring! I'm busy washing all the afghans and putting them up till next winter, haven't pulled the last blanket off the bed yet, but we've slept all week with it folded back so it's leaving soon.

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  9. I want some flannel sheets! They sound great!

    We do the cold bed dance when we get in.....well, I do....I for some reason suffer with bitterly cold feet at night at first, so I enjoy to scare hubby with them when he least expects them.....it always makes me laugh although he doesn't find it so funny.

    Still not properly warm here, although the sun has shone a bit today, I think we are back to cold and rain tomorrow.

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  10. And I am here in my bed with a fleece blanket over my duvet and my hot-water bottle at my feet...

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  11. Flannel sheets sound very cosy, we don't make a seasonal change like that - just swap a winter downie (duvet) for a summer one. Juliex

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  12. It was 90 here and the next evening 50. How does one plan for that?
    Glad you could pack the flannels away for a while.

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  13. One of these days (years?) you will be able to take the flannels off forever (the other change!). I know you will find a nice recycling project for them. Flannels were so warm and wonderful but not any longer! Hubby must have "changed" too or I'm providing extra heat! All we need year round are cotton sheets and blanket plus an extra throw over our tootsies. 80*+ here in midwest today so barely a sheet at night. Happy cool sleeping. Always enjoy your posts! Thanks so much.

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  14. We had a frost here this morning and I was reminded of the old rhyme, ne'er cast a clout til May be out. Hope it's warmer where you are :D

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  15. G never liked flannels, so I had to give them up when we got married - but I guess trading a set of flannel sheets for a husband wasn't such a bad deal.

    We still have our winter comforter on the bed, though.

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