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Sunday, January 11, 2015

Blankets

no pictures again


As soon as the temperature rose above the teens and into the upper 30s, I found my blankets. I have lots of blankets, most of which are raggedy and/or not warm. Some bother my allergies. I keep one ugly one to put up over a door for drafts. Several I keep for moving furniture but the could be pressed into service over doors. I am not looking for those since I found a box full of good and warm blankets and throws.


I have one of the really plush blankets, hot pink. I found these for $10 marked down from $40. They are really nice. However, I dare not get it against my skin because I am a sweaty mess if I do. Over a sheet and blanket with another blanket on top, the hot pink plush blanket keeps me toasty warm, almost too warm. This blanket is really thicker and longer plushy fibers.


Another time, I found plush throws for $8, I think. Light pink is what I bought for myself.  They are the largest throws I have ever seen--60"x70". I bought one for my daughter in NY and each of her children. The other two children live in South Texas, so they would never use them. Exbf got one for Christmas that year, too. I asked him how he liked it. He said it was good because it was so wide and long that it covered his elbows when he sat in his recliner. He said it kept his feet covered and warm when he pulled it up to his neck.


I thought these throws were a cheap gift and lots of bang for the buck. The postage to send the ones to daughter was free, reimbursed from a mystery shop, besides being paid. .


Then, I found the small throws that are less than $3 at WM and marked down to $1. I sent those to NY to keep in the car. Who knows what they did with them???? I keep two in the den, one for my shoulders and one for exbf when he is here enduring the chill. One of those small throws went to the old soldier in the nursing home. I still have several more for gifts--a $1 gift. Each gift was 2 throws.


The reduced cost for really good quality throws make each gift $9.


Last night, I slept better with blankets. I took the coat and bedspread from my bed, along with the two still-folded, never washed sheets. I also found the green king blanket my mother gave me, "because you said you are cold."  Oh, I was married, but ex did not care how cold we were because he was not.


I still am sleeping between the fold of a king bedspread. I put the wool blanket so it was next to my skin and put the king blanket mama gave me, folded in half on top. Then, I put the plush throw and the plush blanket on me, and pulled the king spread over all the blankets. I was warm within seconds. I take one of the thin, cheap, small throws and put it over my head except for mouth and nose.  This morning I awoke in a sweat. But, I slept well all night.


When I went out to feed the chickens today, their water was thawed. So, for the moment, we in AL are warm. Of course, when it was 5 degrees F last week, we were cold, very cold. We will have these cold snaps for a while.


Back to gifts. So, that made each gift $9. Remember, this was about 3 years ago. Some people might not think a blanket or throw was a fitting gift. My daughter had never said she or her children needed throws. But, all three were thrilled with them, or so she said. She also never gives a thought to what would happen if she lost electricity and her heat. She assures me that will never happens and then I worry more, especially since I am so far away and feel she is not prepared for really cold weather or no heat in her home. .


Mamas don't want their adult children to be cold. (or the grandchildren)  We never lose the caring and providing for their health.


Your turn
Do you keep extra blankets, "just in case?" Or, do you keep "just enough" like my daughter? Would you or have you ever given plush throws as a Christmas gift? If you live in the tropics, never mind...lol. ...and we all hate you. just kidding.

19 comments:

  1. We have lots if blankets. We use them if we are chilly. On the rare occasion we lise power, i like having them.

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    Replies
    1. Michelle,
      You like being prepared, too. I don't think my daughter gives extra blankets a thought. Thanks.

      Delete
  2. We have lots of extra blankets. Most I've received as gifts. I just never get rid of the old ones when we get new ones. Since we have been trying to keep the thermostat down to around 60 at night, we've been using lots of the blankets.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. M Ripples,
      The blanket from my mother is the only one I have received as a gift. But, I have never gotten rid of a blanket. Oh, when my neighbor died, her daughter gave me several blankets still in the packaging. They were the kind that is not woven, just sort of pressed and still very fuzzy in places. I breathe in those tiny fibers and choke, eventually having lung problems. I still have those three but cannot use them as blankets. They would make good insulation! just kidding.

      I keep a heavy but ruined blanket in the trunk. I figure if it is muddy, I have a better chance of getting a tire changed if someone does not have to get so nasty. I keep a warmer one in the car. I wish I could get my house UP to 60.

      Delete
  3. I love being prepared. I have lots of blankets. I prefer quilts, fleece and wool and I never let one go unless someone has a need for it. Then I give with a happy heart. I buy them at the thrift store when I see them.
    I also have lots of sheets. I started collecting bed linens when we were camping with the travel trailer.
    I rationalize that if the world went sideways my son would bring homes lots of strays. We often have them now and it isn't the apocalypse. Lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Forgot to say...glad you found yours. Patti from ca

      Delete
  4. In cold weather, our bedroom is cold. I don't think we have the best insulation on the back wall. But Hubzam will pile on the blankets. The combination of weight and warmth makes for a good sleep.

    Bundle up, girl!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love having extra blankets and quilts and throws. My mother is in a nursing home and the heating system died on the coldest night of the winter. I got a call from the nursing staff and gathered up all my extras and took them down there. Wrapping everyone up to keep them warm while the repairman fixed the heating system. The residents all started talking about the old days and the drafty old houses and farm houses they used to live in a kids. We all had a great time and in no time at all the heat was back on and I gathered up all my blankets and headed for home.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cindy,
      I am so happy that someone alerted you to the situation instead of trying to handle it themselves. Good for you for acting for others instead of just your mother. People will call it hoarding if a person has two blankets too many.

      The upside was all those stories which I am sure was good for the residents. You are richer for the incident and sharing of their treasured memories. Thumbs up for you! Thanks for sharing that. Your story brought tears to my eyes.

      Delete
  6. The upside of Alabama cold is that is comes in snaps. It is rarely below freezing more than 3 or 4 days in a row. But those few days are seriously cold,damp cold!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anne,
      Right now, it is 51. But, that 3 or 4 days without blankets is brutal. And, it so damp right now for both of us that even 51 is cold. At least the predicted rain for the rest of the week has changed to no rain after today. If things hold true, we should have warm to the end of the month.

      Delete
  7. You mentioned water in a previous post - do you have it back now?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bev,
      I got the line fixed after two months, but now it is off again because of frozen pipes. So, no water now. I will have to figure out how to pay for it to get water back on.

      Delete
    2. Oh that's great news. I wasn't sure since your fundraiser is still open.

      Delete
  8. I don't like the weight of blankets and our cold is fairly short lived. Just the same we do have blankets. Just in case blankets. Which I will keep.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. EC,
      Blankets can be burdensome, but it beats freezing. We are cold all winter, but the frigid, hurtful cold is just three or four days like Anne said. She lives near me. I would always keep just-in-case extra blankets, more than I need. Well, until I could not find them this last week.

      Delete
    2. EC,
      Sometimes, the weight is burdensome. But, not usually. Rarely do I need so many blankets, so some of my cover is just bedspreads which do get very heavy. It is important for keeping just-in-case blankets.

      Delete
  9. I believe in keeping plenty of blankets around. I gave Favorite Young Man a blanket for Christmas because he said he needed one. I gave him two old throws, too, because his dog will probably like them.

    Love,
    Janie

    ReplyDelete
  10. My mother was a quilter so I have many blankets & spreads that she and my grandmothers (and great grandmothers) sewed. As a child I loved the pressure that came from those heavy, cotton filled, quilts. These days I prefer lighter covers.... unfortunately John does not feel the same. LOL..

    I must admit that we have not been using the old hand stitched quilts. Somehow I feel as if they need to be preserved but honestly what sense does that make? I know that these blankets were made with love for the recipients but I hate to use them then have to worry about the laundering. I think I am going to pull a couple out of storage and just go ahead and use them! She said while throwing caution to the wind!

    ReplyDelete

Okay, hoping the annoyances have gone away.