"Cover Hogging" Makes For A Chilly Marital Bed

Dear Tazi-Kat:


Now that summer is over and the cool, crisp weather is on its way, I am dreading going to bed at night.  “Stan”, my husband of five years, prefers to sleep with the bedroom windows open “to let the fresh air in”, which I would not mind if he did not proceed to hog the covers because he is “too cold” and I absolutely refuse to turn up the heat (and send out heating bill skyrocketing) while the windows remain open.  I have offered to compromise and keep the air conditioner on at night to allow the air to cool and circulate, but Stan insists that it’s the scent of the open air helps him sleep, and only the open air will work for him.  I have tried to leave the bedroom windows open during the day with the bedroom doors closed, to seal in the “fresh air” that Stan craves, but he insists it is not the same.

Tazi, late last Autumn I left a glass of water on my nightstand and by the morning it was halfway to frozen solid!  I showed this to Stan, telling him that I was not exaggerating when I said the room felt as cold as ice.  He just laughed at the fact that it really was cold enough for water to freeze, and told me that I needed to add another layer; but no matter how many layers I add, I am still cold because he steals them all – which tells me he is just as cold as I am.  I do not know how to solve this problem, short of moving into the spare bedroom from October to April.  Do you have any ideas, Tazi?  Or should I start cleaning out the extra bedroom? 

Signed,

Blue in New England

Dear Blue:

I am so glad that you signed off with your geographical location, because I just may have a solution for you that will keep you warm without raising your heating bill: a super-thick down (or down alternative) comforter.  Since you live in New England, a day-trip to the shopping outlets in Kittery and the lesser known neighboring Freeport Shopping Outlets could provide you with what you need for around $300 - $500 (anywhere from 50% - 80% off of retail price!).  Autumn in New England is such a pretty time of year, you could add your trip to a weekend leaf-peeping getaway.

I realize that the cost of such a purchase may sound outrageously pricey for what amounts to nothing more than a bed covering, but an extra-thick down comforter will keep you warm and toasty, even through sub-zero temperatures.  If your husband were to hog this type of comforter, he would find himself kicking it off due to the suffocating heat that it traps within its fibers (something that does not occur with blankets).  Plus, if cared for properly, a down/down-alternative comforter will last you a lifetime, amortizing the cost down to pennies a night – and isn’t that worth the price of being able to share your bed with your husband?

--Tazi-Kat.

P.S.  If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, you will be treated to a picture of me claiming the covers of my Mommie's bed!