Elevation

You know how you occasionally mess up, don't quite think things through? We had a new turret extension put in, and once it was all complete we discovered that our bed would not go up the stairs. I suggesting winching it up the side of the house and in through the window, which our son thought was a great idea and started to dream up pulley mechanisms. We were vetoed, there was apparently a simpler solution. Buy a new bed? No, not in Chateau L, no extravagances like that. Instead we managed to bend the mattress up the stairs and then just slept on the floor. 

It was very refreshing, zen even. We began to feel quite oriental and minimalist, belying our natural tendencies. I even bought a bamboo drinks mat for the bedside table, which looked ridiculous being two feet higher than the mattress. After five months of sleeping on the floor we could not imagine sleeping on a western-style bed, so when we were finally solvent again (turrets don't come cheap) we bought a new bed. But not just any old bed - a Japanese bed. Low to the floor, not quite a futon but close. We much prefer it, without really being able to say why. Affinity for walnut?

It arrived earlier this week and I, Mr. Useless, managed to put it together. Mrs L came home expecting to launch straight into DIY but was confounded by a ready made bed. It only had eight parts, even I could manage that, and they had numbers stamped into them to make it especially easy. She expected it to fall to bits but so far (three nights and counting) my flat-pack assembly skills have not been called into question.

We don't feel quite as puritan or trance-like as before, but it is easier to get up in the morning. The groans are not quite as loud, there is less haul and ever so slightly more grace.