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Borrego Springs, CA

Sunday, September 29, 2013

The battle of the sheets

Before I talk about the neat things I saw today, I want to vent a bit about my personal battle with bed sheets.  Changing the sheets on a queen sized bed has always been a struggle for me, but the skinny passageway around my bed in the rig enhances the battle.  I’ve generally had to be frugal in my life, and sometimes that has been my downfall.  I’ve always purchased on sale sheets in the twenty to thirty dollar range.  I choose only those sheets with deep pockets since I have a foam topper on my mattress.  Well, deep pockets in a cheap set of sheets doesn’t really mean deep in my opinion, hence the battle to stretch them to fit.

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine suggested I buy a set of sheets that were more than 500 count threading (whatever that means).  So I did, and paid somewhere around $100 for them.  They turned out to have sufficiently deep pockets and were very silky to sleep on.  I’ve had my cheap sheets for over seven years.  Then the other night as I was asleep and rolling over, I heard a loud rrrrip!!  My foot had gone through the bottom sheet.  It wasn’t a huge tear, so I tried to ignore it.  Then last night my foot got stuck in the tear, got entangled in some threads, and was a bear to extract. 

So today, I put the other sheets on, and the battle returned.  With fitted bottom sheets I know you’re supposed to pick a corner to put on and then put on the corner diagonal from it.  Why is it I always pick the wrong first corner, get to the diagonal, and figure out I have to rotate the sheet around?  I didn’t have that problem with the expensive sheets because it was more obvious which way the sheet was supposed to go.  I finally got it done, but it took me over a half hour to make the dang bed.  So now my dilemma is, do I buy another set of expensive sheets that don’t last very long, or go with a set of cheap sheets and continue the battle?  This is probably more than anyone ever wanted to read about bed sheets, but that’s how it is while I wait for the fridge to get fixed.

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Maybe some of you remember when I took this picture of one of the ponds on the refuge back in early August.

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Well this is what it looks like six weeks later.  The grasses have done their thing, and the deciduous trees are starting to come into color.

Co. Rd 26

I headed out this morning for Detroit Lakes for a couple of errands, but took some time on the refuge first to enjoy the blue skies and colorful foliage.  I started out driving along county road 26 that bisects the refuge.  The speed limit is 40 mph, but I drove much slower to soak up the beauty.  Yesterday’s rain meant that the gravel road wasn’t dusty at all.

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       As I got to the Chippewa Picnic Area, I stopped to have a look at the waterfowl in the Otter Tail River.

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                            Among the Canada geese was an adult trumpeter swan with its two young.

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                    Being inquisitive youngsters, they made their way toward me to see what was up.

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They only approached so far, and mom was starting to get a little nervous in the background so I moved on.

My main reason for going to Detroit Lakes was to purchase some more bird seed since I’ll be here at least another week or so.  The little birds had been letting my know their displeasure with the empty bird feeders.  Embarrassed smile  After that, and picking up some ice, you know I had to stop at Mr. Smith’s for some more home grown tomatoes.  Last week I had stopped along the way to Fargo at a vegetable stand, but their tomatoes just can’t compare in taste with Mr. Smith’s.  As usual, he was shirtless and wearing the same velour sweatpants and Crocs.  I was in long pants with a sweatshirt on.  Makes me wonder if he ever changes his clothes.  Disappointed smile  Maybe he puts on socks for winter…

Pine Lake

I liked this view of Pine Lake this morning.  While I was out and about, I got to thinking what I would do if I was incredibly rich.  I decided I’d probably continue to volunteer at National Wildlife Refuges, but I’d hire someone to drive my rig and change my sheets!

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

47 comments:

  1. Sheets...I've had expensive that would pull up, and I've had mid priced (Kohls) that would pull up. My favorite bottom sheet comes from Walmart. They sell them separately so you can just buy the bottom sheet. The array of colors would amaze you. Not much to invest to give it a try!!

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  2. I buy high thread count sheets because I love the way they feel. I buy them at Overstock.com, where I can afford them.

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  3. Howdy Judy & Emma,
    JUDY, JUDY, JUDY, calm yourself down, please.... They're only pieces of cloth, although irregularly shaped and hard to work with... What I would do is figure out the FIRST CORNER to put on, on each sheet, and SEW A COLORED THREAD in that pocket... I forget who, but one of the bloggers, NOT CHIEF PAUL, got TWO PAIR of suspenders/galluses (the unsewn kind) AT WALMART, took them apart, slid them UNDER the mattress, CLAMPED them to the sheet on each side, in TWO places, ACROSS THE BED & HEAD TO FOOT... It holds the sheets tightly to the mattress, corners & all.... ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS REACH UNDER THE MATTRESS AND PULL IT TO YOU... EAZY PEAZY!!!!!!!!
    Hope you and Emma see lots of avians on their way South, making for a HAPPY DAY!!!!!!!!!!

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  4. Life is short and you spend 1/3 of it in bed. I say go for the best sheets you can find! I used to go with the frugal options - but my first set of Egyptian cotton 500 count sheets changed me forever! I haven't noticed that they wear out any faster than the others.

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    1. Oh I agree..treat yourself to comfort...a good night sleep is the best medicine..or don't make your bed just fall into it. Hahaha I hate making beds any way. LoL. God bless

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  5. I usually buy sheets from one of the discount stores like TJ Maxx, Marshalls or Ross's. They have name brand sheets for more than half off what the department stores want. You are probably nowhere near one of these stores. Now they have something called Microfiber sheets. I don't really care for them. They seem too thin.

    At least you can get around your bed. I had one of the Class C's with a corner bed. I couldn't even put my hand down between the mattress and the wall. It was like wrestling a gorilla to put a bottom sheet on.

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  6. I vote for good sheets. They usually last longer than a couple years and they fit and feel so much better. If you can, I would.

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  7. Looking good there at the refuge! Oh splurge on some good sheets, satiny ones. I just sent you an email...I hope you will reply:)

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  8. I'm cheap so I wont weigh in on which sheets are better, dont think I've ever had the expensive ones. but I know what you mean about wrestling toget any sheet on. we have only a legs width on each side of the bed and no clearance at top because of overhang. it is a real pain in every sense of the word to change the sheets

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  9. For my queen size bed I now buy King size sheets....just makes things so much easier with the pillow tops. I keep two sets only....the two I am using now came from a garage sale....the best ever!! I only buy cotton ...I just don't care if they are winkled. My dad's favorite saying was...."If I was rich I would have clean sheets every day"!....I am almost to that point...it is the little things in life.!

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    1. LOL! That is also one of my favorite sayings and I really would. I love clean sheets!

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  10. HAHAHA... I have the same problem when ever I wash our sheets. I always tell myself to pick the right corner to start with and it never fails, it is always the wrong corner. I have learned that I get what I pay for. I now spend a bit more on the sheets and am a much happier camper.

    Aren't the fall colors just awesome. Love looking at the changing colors.

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  11. One of my least favorite things is changing the sheets and I have Jim to help. But I do like the expensive ones the best. The colors are just gorgeous in the Fall.

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  12. Changing the bed sheets: the bane of my existence!!

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  13. I am so with you on the sheet thing, and my problem is that makers of even cheap sheets are now making the fitted sheet with elastic all around so you absolutely cannot find the corner. Seems like there isn't any corner! So...I finally realized that hubby and I are the only ones going to be changing our bed, so why not use permanent marker on the elastic at the bottom of the bed? We made the mark good and large. Viola! No more problem!

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  14. I say go for the high thread count--they feel so great! I've never had a tear with a sheet of any thread count--that's frustrating! We just flannel sheets on our bed---fall is here in the Northwest. They feel so great!

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  15. We have an "easy peasy" solution to bed sheets. We have a bed sack. The sheet is velcroued (sp) inside to the top nd bottom part of the cover. It looks like a Queen size zippered sleeping bag. We got it at Camping Worldva few years ago.

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  16. Being a man, I suppose I would never have written about sheets, but I sure understand your frustration since I seem to be the one who makes the bed. I think my better half somehow thinks that having been to a military school, I should know how to do this. No idea where she got that idea. Thanks for venting, I feel better:)

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  17. I quit using fitted sheets ... drove me insane... instead? get the flat sheets and flap 'em over the bed.... then sleep with a comforter ... easy peasy.

    I fave up sheets when I was living in y 5vr ... tried to reintroduce them to me when I moved into an apt and so forth ... balderdash.

    "Maybe he puts on socks for winter…" HAHAAaaa

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  18. Emjay, I did the same thing sure makes life easier.
    Fall pictures are beautiful. Colors started changing up at Big Lake but it was to cold there to stay longer.
    Your colors are fantastic.

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  19. I liked seeing the contrast of your two pictures of the pond. Now you only have to be there winter and spring to complete the set ;-)

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  20. I say go with the good sheets! Loved the fall photos and the contrast with the summer one. We have a guy in our neighborhood who you never see in long pants--even if it is minus 20 outside this guy still wears shorts and flip flops.

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  21. I have never really had a problem with fitted sheets. I do use the RV sheets though and the top sheet is also fitted on the bottom part so the bed is really easy to make the next day. Love them. The fall colours are beautiful.

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  22. My favorite all cotton bottom sheet ripped once too. Try an iron-on patch to lengthen the life of the set. And go with Emjay's suggestion, permanent ink marks in the corners of the top (or bottom) corners so you know immediately which two corners to start with. For me, the important feature is 100% cotton. I've found high thread counts on "blend" fabrics, but polyester still itches me, no matter how finely woven it is.

    Love the fall colors! That's one thing we mostly miss out on here in Texas.

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  23. Don't get me started on sheets! Oh, too late! I am particular about sheets. Years ago I just went to Penney's, picked up the color I liked and went home. They were wrinkle free, fit the mattress, and lasted a hundred years.

    Nowadays, they are NOT made to last. I have bought high thread count sheets and ones that were fairly expensive like the $70 range.

    I don't have trouble getting them deep enough to fit our mattress, which is pretty thick also. We have a RV queen mattress so I buy regular queen sheets and they are plenty deep, usually in the 18 inch range I think. I've bought the high end, high thread count sheets at Walmart and Sams Club. I make sure I get ones that say " wrinkle free", otherwise they are a wrinkled mess and I HATE that. I've learned now that when I buy sheets, I take out a pillow case, wash it and if it's all wrinkled, I return the entire set. No wrinkled sheets for me.

    The Walmart and Sams sheets were very nice, no wrinkles, plenty deep enough for the thickest mattresses, but they do not last more than a couple years. Things are made to NOT last. Walmart has changed brands on their better sheets, so I don't know how the new brand is, but it's probably not as good.

    The last sheets I bought have a special bottom that is another piece separate from the other part of the bottom sheet. It makes it easier to put on the fitted sheet, once you get the right corner. It remains to be seen how long they will last.

    The most expensive ones at Sams (around $70 I think) aren't bad, but don't expect them to last more than a few years. Planned obsolescence and all.

    I make Al help me change the sheets. It takes me over a half hour by myself and 5 minutes with his help. If I had a woman to help me, it would take 2 minutes! :)

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  24. Love the fall colors. We have a gorgeous wildflower bloom, but no color in the cypress yet. They burned the HQ savanna and trail area this spring and the toothache grass is everywhere.
    We have found good cotton deep pocket bottom sheets at Target - I think they were about $18, so not bad for the money. Unfortunately, now the top sheet we use most is looking pretty thin. I can't remember if I've had the sheet or Tom longer (just past the anniversary of our first date 18 years ago) :D

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  25. I also buy cheap fitted bottom sheets from Wal*Mart which seem to last. I don't worry about thread count and don't care if they wrinkle. That is the easy part. I read with interest all the trouble that others have in putting the fitted sheets on the mattress but I did not read that anyone was doing it in the cab over of a Class C. That is where I wage my war to put on the sheets which would be great entertainment on America's Funniest Home Videos. I have now cut my wrestling time down to about 15 minutes for bottom and top sheet plus a blanket. I look at it as being some flexibility exercise for this old guy and a good measure of when I need to hang up the keys - can't make my bed anymore, it is time.

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  26. Take it from a nurse - professional sheet changer - it's always easier with two. In couples, both are using the bed, why can't both change the sheets? I've been solo for a long time now and still miss help with linen changes. In the RV it's even harder. On this, my first really long adventure I'm using really expensive queen sheets from home. they're a little too big for the RV-sized queen mattress so I tuck the excess on the rear window side of the bed. It helps that nobody's sleeping there to pull them out. But then, nobody's sleeping there!

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  27. I get our queen sheets at WalMart..the wrinkle free, and they fit fine...Sooooo, Mr. Smith wears velour pants and crocs...hmmmmmm...I have the crocs..Never gave much thought to velour pants for my ensembles...I might just have to try them!

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  28. After years of frustration in changing sheets and half the time having to take the bottom sheet off and start over because we grabbed the wrong corner first, here is what we do. The first time we put on new sheets and we have them in the correct position, we take a Sharpie and mark the lower left corner of the bottom sheet with an X. Now when we change sheets, we look for the X and we know where to start.

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  29. Who knew bed sheets were such a hot topic?

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  30. Sheets with stripes help you get them the right way, north & south instead of sideways. I am kind of OCD about how the bed gets made, so I would rather do it myself, even if it is sometimes a struggle. BUT ... sheets, fridge and all ... you know you are RICH already, if even with millions of dollars, you would still be living the same way you are living just now. Congratulations!!

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  31. WOW the discussion on bed sheets over the last about 13 hours is amazing. What a hot topic! Who knew! I have the very same problem. I think every comment has already been made about them but I'll be interested to see what you do. I love your two pictures of the same pond in "summer" and "fall". So nice to see the same place in two different seasons. I guess I'll have to look up trumpeter swans to see if the three we saw at the TNC refuge were a trumpeter and two signets. I just called them swans.

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  32. Too funny! James kicked through our old flannel ones a week ago. I'm expecting new flannel sheets I ordered from Walmart today! They're cheap, thicker than most and have extra deep pockets. I also mark a corner with an X (you just have to remember which corner that is :-) because you're right, you always and up with the wrong one!

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  33. Sleep on the couch. Problem solved... :cP

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  34. Here's the thing, the sheets normally do last for YEARS, go with the more expensive ones. You sleep on them for hours every night, don't you deserve a luxurious rest? I buy the 440 thread count, JCPenney, and will swear by the flannel Living Quarters sheets from Carsons which are ridiculously cheap this time of your when they have a Doorbuster sale. I have a set on our bed from clearance at Nordstrom that have lasted almost 10 years now. I'd say if yours ripped they were just a defective set, sometimes things happen. I bought the ones in the camper from JCP as well I think and love that they don't hug the camper sized mattress perfectly because it makes it easier to get them on. Always crazy which topic will generate a lot of feedback!

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  35. I have the same sheet problem, and what I finally did was: I put FOOT-LEFT in black indelible ink on the bottom left corner of my fitted lower sheet, and on my duvet cover and my down cover I put a big X. Now the comforter Xd corner slides into the correct Xd corner of the duvet, and the bottom fitted sheet goes onto the lower left corner first and I'm fine from there. Makes things soooo much faster and easier - and no SH*T words flying around. :)

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  36. Now let's discuss bed pillows...who has found the BEST pillow...that is one of my complaints!!!!!

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  37. I wonder if you can find sheets that aren't made in China. I have a set I bought years ago and they are still fairly easy to get on the mattress. The newer ones just can't hold a candle to the old U.S. made brands.

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  38. I purchase my sheets at Tuesday Morning....they have no less than a 500 count, while I prefer 700. Yep, they do give way sooner, but I love the silky, smooth feeling. I have been told by a bargain finder that has found them at Target.

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  39. Okayyyy, let's take it one step further... I always try to buy American. Ever try to buy sheets made in America? Good luck - there ain't any. Two big reasons we sold our Lazy Daze a couple of years ago are 1) we had to climb up over the cab to go to bed, and 2) making that bed was nigh on impossible. I usually ended up in a sweat and cussing. :)

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  40. I quit putting sheets on my mattress years ago when I started having trouble handling the mattress. NOW the sheets go on the topper only and life is wonderful again. No heavy mattress to cause shoulder pain.

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  41. Catherine's method is to put the top corners on first. She says that works best.





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  42. I can't reach the top of my mattress, so I slide the mattress down off the platform so that I can reach the top, put the two top deep corners on and then slide the mattress back and finish putting the bottom sheet on. I then tuck the top sheet way under the bottom of the mattress at least 2 to 3 feet so that it never comes out. It helps that I don't toss and turn a lot, so it is really easy to make the bed as soon as I get out of it. Just flip up the sheet and comforter up to get air under it and it lays flat. Fix the the pillows and DONE!
    I too like the contrasting pictures. I no longer put out bird seed as I'm tired of feeding the local raccoon and I will be leaving here in just over two weeks.
    I hope that you get the fridge fixed soon.

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  43. My wife and I live in a 32 foot RV and have experienced the pain of trying to make a bed in the narrow confines of the "bedroom". We solved it to our satisfaction this way: When we visited Germany this year we noticed that beds there were made up of a fitted down sheet and an upper comforter in a duvet cover, one for each side of the bed. This solved several problems. My wife wasn't constantly pulling the sheet and blanket back to her side as I tossed and turned during the night. More importantly though, making the bed was a breeze in the morning, as all that is required is to fold each comforter/duvet combo lengthwise and lay it on the bed. Takes about a minute. When we got home our first stop was Ikea, where we bought two twin bed comforters and the covers to put them in. It's been marital bliss since then.

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  44. I like the comment about the striped sheets, easier to see which way the sheets go. I have never bought expensive sheets, and at my house my sheets were probably 20 years old. Barney has a good idea about just putting the sheet on the mattress topper only.

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