Wednesday, May 25, 2011

The Most Comfortable Bed in the World

by Kate Carlisle

Please don’t think I’m bragging when I tell you this. I’ve traveled a lot, and through my travels I have discovered that The Most Comfortable Bed in the World is at my house. In my bedroom. I don’t mean to rub it in or make you jealous. I’m simply stating proven, scientific fact.

As you all know, I was on book tour recently, promoting MURDER UNDER COVER. I traveled to Maryland, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and North Carolina, and I had an amazing time. I even got some face-to-face with a couple of Banditas and Buddies. (*waving wildly at Caren and Nancy and Deb*)

I’m a social person and an adventurer, so I love getting out of the house, hitting the road, going places I’ve never been and meeting people I’ve never met. It’s fun, frantic, and exhausting. When the tour is done, I’m thrilled to come home to The Most Comfortable Bed in the World.

You probably wouldn’t recognize it as such if you saw it. It’s not a massive sleigh bed with mattresses you’d need a ladder to climb into. It’s not a four-poster draped with a luxurious canopy of fabrics. It’s just a bed… but it’s my bed. Well, mine and my husband’s, but the fact that he’s in it is part of what makes it The Most Comfortable Bed in the World.

It has exactly the right number of blankets. It’s firm but not too firm, and if there are any lumps, they’re me-shaped lumps. The lamp on my nightstand is precisely an arm-length away, as measured by my arm. And I always have a stack of books waiting to be read.



The sheets – oh, the sheets! Sighhhhhhhhhhhh. Climbing into those sheets instantly releases the tension of the day. If you take only one thing away from this post, let it be this: indulge yourself in the best sheets you can afford. You can get great deals on quality sheets when stores have sales. It makes such a difference to lay your cheek against a soft, tightly woven pillowcase. And my pillow? Oh, my. That’s a whole ‘nuther blog post altogether.



I’ve stayed in some really wonderful hotels while on tour, but no hotel can hope to compete with The Most Comfortable Bed in the World.

It’s good to be home.




Do you think your bed could compete with mine for the title of Most Comfortable Bed in the World? What do you do to make your bedroom comfortable? What do you miss the most when you’re away from home?

40 comments:

lindsey hutchison @ United By Books said...

no my bed cant compete ive had the same bed since i was 14 which now has springs popping out. you work with the funds you have lol and i tend to want to pay my debt off before buying a bed. so i just have bout 5 blankets down and it feels okies though you can still hear the spring pop up. to make my room comfy i have my books every where lol and lil knick knacks. love dolphins.

Pissenlit said...

Well, my bed probably wouldn't win the title of The Most Comfortable Bed in the World but it's pretty darn nice most of the time. What do I do to make my bedroom comfortable? Keep a bookcase on hand filled with my favourite books and hang a small set of tinkly wind chimes near the window. I miss my duvet the most when I'm away from home.

lindsey hutchison @ United By Books said...

i forgot to say i miss my animals sleeping with me when im away lol

Anna Campbell said...

Lindsey, sounds like you and the chook should go bed shopping!

Kate, what a fun post! I know what you mean. When I do that big American trip every year (taking a break this year which makes me sad I won't see the Banditas but glad I don't have to deal with that horror flight), I sleep in hotels all over the place. And by the time I get home, all I want is a night in my own bed!

lindsey hutchison @ United By Books said...

only if the chook is willing to pay Anna maybe then ill make it worth his wild lol

Jane said...

I wish I had the most comfortable bed in the world. I hear people raving about the Sleep Number bed and I want to try it out.

Mary Preston said...

I LOVE my bed. I think more than my comfortable bed I miss my pillow when traveling. My pillow is not too soft or hard or high or low, it's JUST right. My bedroom is clean & cosy & that's perfect by me.

Kim in Baltimore said...

I miss my cats, who sleep with me, when I travel!

hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna said...

I am not a great traveler so it is seldom I leave my bed. My girlfriend (the only place I have spent the night in years) has a great bed. I think hers is more comfortable than mine......LOL
My books are in my bedroom as is my Kindle and a ceiling fan. I sleep best in a cold room, even in the winter.

Unknown said...

my bed is the most comfortable bed LOL..... I like going away but like getting back to my own bed....I also have a touch lamp just in the right position for reading and on my side of the bed

Deb Marlowe said...

Waving back at you, Kate! It was great to see you right here in NC!

I feel the same way you do about coming home to my bed. As the baby bear says, This one is JUUUUSST right. And that is largely because my dh is there, pumping out the btu's and being the best body pillow in the world!

Helen said...

Well done Lindsey have fun with him

Kate

I have the most confortable bed in the world LOL I totally agree with you I don't go away much but my bed is what I miss most and my pure wool doona and my pillow wondeful cotton sheets and a hubby who keeps me warm.
I too have a light at arms reach books on the bedside table and special little knick knacks that I have collected over the years.
Actually it won't be long and I will be in my bed reading LOL

Have Fun
Helen

Kate Carlisle said...

Good morning, everyone! I just woke up from a lovely night of sleep in... yep, The Most Comfortable Bed in the World.

Snort!!!!

Look at me, early morning and I'm cracking myself up.

Lindsey, even with an old bed, I bet you sleep well knowing that you're working toward paying off your debt. That's very smart! Congrats on bringing home the Golden Rooster. Hope he loves all your dolphins, and that they love him.

Kate Carlisle said...

Pissenlit, how lovely to hear wind chimes tinkling as you fall asleep! That's so nice.

Anna, so sad you're not coming to the States this year, but that flight must be a monster. For me, just getting from California to North Carolina was a trek. A fun one, but tiring nonetheless.

Jane, I'm intrigued by the Sleep Number claims, too. But I worry about having a bed that could have an operational malfunction. With just a mattress and a box spring, you have less potential for a breakdown. What do they do, give you a loaner bed if yours needs repair?????

Kate Carlisle said...

Marybelle, ah yes, the highly sought-after perfect pillow. Stuff of legends. When you find the right pillow, you hang onto it for dear life.

Kim, that's so sweet! You and Lindsey both.

Dianna, I like my bedroom to be cool enough that I need at least one blanket because the weight of the blanket is comforting to me.

Kate Carlisle said...

Barb, ooh, okay, you've made me a tiny bit jealous. I do think having a touch lamp would be nice. I have to grope for the switch.

Deb, sounds like you have what we all write about - a hot man! LOL!!!!! Do love those manly BTUs... most of the time.

Helen, a contender for the title!!! I guess the only way we'd know for sure is to sleep in each other's beds and somehow I don't think that's going to happen.

Hellie Sinclair said...

Yes, it could. Mostly for the reasons you've outlined about yours. The only thing mine is missing is a husband, but frankly when I've had sleepovers, I find having someone there to be distracting (no pun intended). I sleep like a starfish (or the family dog), splaying out in as much space as physically possible. Anyone who sleeps with me does so at his own risk.

But I completely agree about the sheets. I have a couple different sets of sheets, but there is one pair that I prefer. Both are high count Egyptian cotton but one feels silky and cool, and everytime I slide into bed with them, it's like having an instant full body massage. Tension just seeps out of my body.

I love my bed.

Unknown said...

How cute :0)
I always missed my bed when I was travelling....it sucked...then I started to take my pillow with me...but I was gone for 8 months one year so I thought it was ok...
I would have to say my bed does rate up there with your bed....atleast for me....my hubby is there (taking his usual 3/4's) I have my fave lamb fur blanky...the best pillow ever!!! And of course my fave sleeping socks...with some great books and a reading light so I'm great ( atleast until june and july when I go on a two trips to VA and NC).

Kate Carlisle said...

Ms. H, Yes, getting used to someone in your bed takes time. Once you do, being without him is a distraction, which is part of what makes it so nice to come home. :)

The sheet thread count is interesting. I've found that the "high thread count" isn't the only thing to look at. You also need to FEEL the sheets to find out whether the thread they use is soft enough for you. Not all cotton is created equal.

BJ, so with your pillow and your sleeping socks, you're covered in comfort from head to toe! :) I think we should do whatever we can to indulge ourselves in bed because a good night's sleep makes a big impact on our daily lives.

Donna MacMeans said...

Must admit, I do love the maid service when I'm traveling - but still it's always a relief to come home. Best things about my bed is my dh. I sleep so much better when he's home - must be the soothing sound of snoring (grin). I have flower boxes at my windows and I do love waking up to see the flowers waving their heads at me. I wish I had the room to have a larger bedside table, my books are in a basket on the floor. And I do love my pillows! Gee Kate - now I want to go back to bed! (grin).

catslady said...

I do love my bed too lol. I use to love my first waterbed - like laying on the ocean and when I went away I couldn't sleep. Then it sprung a leak and we got another waterbed but unfortunately they "improved" and I never liked it. Then we got our temperpedic and I fell in love all over again! And definitely a pile of books on my bedstand lol.

Anna Sugden said...

I know what you mean, Kate. Having spent many years travelling on business, I've kind of got used to different beds. They've certainly got better in recent years with hotels upping the ante on beds, thanks to Westin. Have to admit, the Westin Heavenly beds certainly live up to their billing and are the best hotel beds.

But they don't compare to our bed at home - which is a lovely sleigh bed *g* and has a fab pillow-top mattress. Because it's American, we'll have problems getting sheets to fit it, but it's worth it! I love soft sheets too - as long as they're ones that don't need ironing!

The special thing on our bed, other than the moggies, is the hand-made Amish quilt.

Maureen Child said...

Oh, poor Kate. Living a delusional life. It's been documented that MY bed is the most comfortable bed in the world.

Even my husband says so and he's 'never wrong'. Just ask him. He'll tell you. =)

Pat Cochran said...

Can't say that my bed is the most comfortable in the world, but it
certainly feels good at the end of
the day! LOL! Knowing that Honey is
there is definitely an added factor.

Kate Carlisle said...

Donna, it is lovely to have someone come in every day to make the bed. There's something very luxurious about climbing into fresh sheets. I love that you see flowers every morning when you wake up. Jealous!!!

Catslady, waterbeds were so popular there for a while, weren't they? With everyone except the insurance companies, I'm sure.

Anna, I think you're right, that hotels that invest in quality bedding are gaining a reputation for comfort. There are still plenty that get it wrong, of course.

Amish quilts can be absolutely stunning. Some of them take my breath away.

Kate Carlisle said...

Maureen, sorry, I reject your assertion. My bed was written up in Comfortable Beds Quarterly. Fifty-three scientists debated the merits of all the beds in the world, and they determined without a doubt that mine is the most comfortable. Sorry. Tell your husband he's w-w-w-wrong.

Pat, it's good to have a honey in the bed, isn't it?! :)

Jennifer Lyon said...

Glad your home Kate, but it sounds like your trip was a blast! I'm with you, I love coming home to my very own bed. The best thing about my room is that when I get up in the middle of the night (I don't sleep well), I don't bump into things. I know where everything is in my room!

And the second best thing? I've got MURDER UNDER COVER sitting right on my bedside table!

Nancy said...

Lindsey, congrats on the bird!

Kate, we love to travel, but after a couple of weeks, we're ready to sleep in our own bed. As you say, the lamp's switch is exactly within reach, and I have well chosen reading materials nearby.

And we know where everything is and can find our way in the dark.

I would love to have a rice planter bed, with steps up to it, but I doubt we ever will. This would pose problems for the dog in joining us. *g*

Kate Carlisle said...

Jennifer and Nancy, you both made the same point, and it is such a good one - there's something wonderful about knowing your way around a room in the dark. And, of course, if you happen to have insomnia, you can get a midnight snack without having to pay room service prices.

J - thanks for buying MURDER UNDER COVER! I hope you love it!

p226 said...

Yeah. My bed's better. Nyeh!

I have one of those space mattresses. Tempur... tempuhhhhhh.... you know, with the bouncy chick and the wineglass on TV.

Plus... my bed has Mrs. P226 in it. So, it's all space-foam comfort and has a hottie. Who sometimes does stuff that results in great relaxation.

Also, it's hard not to feel secure in my bed. (You know, because security is part of comfort.) Within reach there is a 160 lumen flashlight, a .45 pistol, and a 12ga shotgun. I could fight Armageddon from the comfort of my space-bed.

Also, I have what's referred to in my house as "The Red Menace." No, it's not communism, even though there is a tea pitcher in the refrigerator with the words "COMMIE TEA" printed on them in big block sharpie letters. (Mrs. P226 drinks that heathen sweet southern tea, you see, and is convinced that because I don't put sugar in my tea, I'm clearly a communist.) But I digress....

This particular Red Menace is a huge, HUGE red fuzzy blanket made entirely of magma straight from the earth's core. It could easily cover my house. As such, it's a bit of overkill in my bedroom, as is the 2500 degrees (Fahrenheit) it generates. But there's nothing at all like a warm blanket, next to a well-defended hottie in a space-bed on a freezing cold WV night.

You know it.

I win.

Beth Andrews said...

Kate, we must have the same bed! Mine is so comfortable that I sometimes find my kids napping on it *g*

Of course, I kick them out. They have their own beds, after all :-)

I miss my bed when I'm away from home but I also miss my kitchen and the love seat in the living room which is almost as comfortable as the bed ;-)

Jenn3128 said...

I swear by my Sleep Number. We've had it over 5 years and never had any trouble.

We do have to remember to match #'s though, the hubby & I, when we...you know...that's always entertaining cause one of us will be all lopsided!

Sheets, I totally agree, so important. I stocked up a few years ago when Linens N Things was going out of business. They had crazy deals and I walked away with a ton.

Nancy said...

BTW, Kate, I have read Murder Under Cover, and it was great!

Nancy said...

p226, you definitely win best defended bed. Our first line of defense is the dog, who's a sound sleeper.

My mom didn't put sugar in her tea, but that was because she learned to do without it when she was in the navy during the war. The rest of us drank it sweet, and my dad drank it exTREMEly sweet.

Dtchycat said...

My bed is the most comfortable! I got a sealy extra soft pillow top, then I put a feather mattress on top - like sleeping in a cloud!

Kate Carlisle said...

P226, YOU... CRACK... ME... UP!!! Give your hottie a big kiss to thank her for her part in making your bed The Most Comfortable Bed in the World. Yes, that's right, I admit defeat. What? I'm going to argue with a man who keeps guns at his bedside?!!!!

Kate Carlisle said...

Beth, I didn't miss my kitchen at all when I was traveling. Partly because I don't particularly love cooking, and partly because my kitchen is lately filled with contractors. Nice guys, but I will happily say goodbye to them when the remodel is done.

Jenn, LOL!!!!! Snort! I never thought of the logistical problems a sleep number bed could cause. Too funny!!!!

Louisa Cornell said...

Lindsey, you and the GR are becoming quite the item. People are starting to talk! LOL

Great post, Kate, and I can definitely relate. I've slept in some wonderful beds all over the world and some of the most uncomfortable beds as well. But my bed at home is where I sleep the best. It really is a simple futon like bed, double wide with two mattresses and LOTS of comfortable blankets and pillows. But it is comfy and fits the contours of my body.

And I completely agree about the sheets. Clean sheets in a fine fabric are a great stress reliever. Does anyone else do the "clean sheets squiggle" when the settle into a bed made with just out of the dryer sheets?

Kate Carlisle said...

Thank you, Nancy! I'm so happy to hear that you loved MURDER UNDER COVER! I had so much fun writing that book! All the Bibliophile Mysteries have been fun, but MURDER UNDER COVER had me laughing out loud throughout.

Dtchycat, sleeping on a cloud sounds so nice! Everyone should be so lucky.

Kate Carlisle said...

Louisa, ah yes, the clean sheet squiggle. One of the purest signs of human happiness!