11.08.2023 My kingdom for a bed? Bingo!

 ~o~

 Friday 11th 15C/59F. Bright but rather cloudy. A much warmer and sunnier day, with reduced winds, is offered. I slept reasonably well but woke with a bad back again. Time to walk it off. My thigh hurts on the stairs. That's a first.

 8.00 Today I plan to go in search of a single, low, wooden, bed base amongst the many charity shops on west Fyn. A nice day. So it would be very tempting to go on the e-bike. I could cover all of them within 80km [60mile] round trip.

9.00 17C/63F. Sunny periods. My back had me walking almost doubled over at first but eventually it relented. I made it to my usual turning place in the lanes. A few large, hay bales were waiting to be removed from a large field. A beam of sunlight lit up the concealed church and a nearby patch of stubble.

 Morning coffee over. I keep thinking of new charity shops to visit. Though well off my planned bee-line for today. There's also Odense, of course. A city with lots of charity shops. Why pay tens times as much at "designer stores" for snob value? When recycled beds cost peanuts.

 At least seven of these charity shops are large enough to sell furniture. Quite remarkably all of them lie almost in a straight line. A ley line for charity shops? There and back by early afternoon? Though I'd take some Corny bars and apple juice  to keep me going.

 Only the shop in the next village north [making an 8th] is limited to afternoon opening. Another two [9&10] are in the opposite direction, to the south. I checked the one in the local village [11] and another [12] on yesterday's ride but they had no suitable beds.

 Taking the car, with the trailer, would be quicker and offer instant gratification. Assuming I can park close enough. That said, I could just as easily pay for any bed I found to reserve it. Then ride home and fetch it later with the car and trailer.   

 11.45 66F. I have just returned with a very smart bed base. I cheated and went in the car. Realizing that I'd be gone all day while trying to ride between shops. With time for searching in each shop. I was also suffering from back and shoulder pain. So thought I'd give myself a rest from cycling today. I reached the fourth charity shop before finding anything remotely useful.

Slightly less hovel-chic? Slightly more shabby-chic? A splash of white paint on that ugly, cement render, window wall would really lift the interior. Lighter too. Though if I do that, I can't render it smooth and flat afterwards. There would be no 'key' for a top coat. White paint on rough render? Suits you Sir?

 

The bed is Danish, 'almost as new' and largely made of light coloured,  solid beech wood. Mind you I had to pay for it! It cost me all of £25 equivalent!! 😄 Against £400 equivalent new in the shops in Denmark. It still has the maker's logo attached. So was very easy to find the exact model online.

 At the charity shop I was helped by a kind, older gentleman. Presumably a volunteer. Who helped me retrieve the bed from behind a lot of others leaning against the wall. Then he helped me load it into the trailer. Each part was remarkably heavy! I was of course profuse with my thanks and shook his hand. He seemed as happy as I was! 😊 I bet only a few customers thank the staff properly. 

Old duvet cover. I am tempted by dark colours for invisibility but that may not be the way to go. Make a modern statement? Rather than trying to hide the bed? It has taken a little while to accept the duvet remaining during the day.

 12.45 I am making lunch, after assembling the bed in the lounge. The corner bolts were a bit fiddly. It probably takes practice, or a knack.

 I lost a whole 10cm/4" in the mattress height with the new bed. Which is useful and I think will look much better. It could be reduced even more with a thinner mattress. Or even sawing the legs a bit shorter. Sacrilege!👎 

The new bed is incredibly heavy. I really struggled to push it into its corner! Moving it before fitting the heavy mattress would have been far more sensible. One learns from one's mistakes. Or die trying.

A slightly more distant view. No attempt has been made to rearrange the furniture yet. Only about half the width of the room is visible here.

 They had stacks of mattresses to choose from at the same charity shop. Which I declined at the time. No doubt there will be memory foam mattresses out there if I search hard enough. My own, pocket sprung mattress is long overdue for retirement. The base will go to the recycling yard. The cloth wrap is too scuffed to offer to a charity shop after being dragged downstairs.

 14.25. 21C/69F. I have been taking photos of the new bed in position. Made up with my usual IKEA over-mattress over the pocket sprung one. I let the maroon valence drop to hide the light beech, side rails. I can explore other options tomorrow. The old bed base was dragged into the kitchen and thence to the entrance hall. Ready to go outside and into the trailer. Tomorrow. They are closed on Fridays. I was in no haste to drive further afield.

 15.00 My afternoon nap on the new bed was without drama. It felt similar. Or slightly better than the old, pocket sprung base. A much more useful height too. It better matches the bedside furniture. Which avoids searching for things in the dark. Like remote, wireless operated, switch fobs. For rechargeable LED table lamps. Why make life more difficult than it needs to be? I have been fumbling at different heights for ages.

20.30 Dinner was an excellent salad. Though I was too mean when I grated the Cheddar cheese. I just finished off what was left in the last pack. Double the amount would have been better. To give every mouthful that special tang. I was too lazy to open a new pack and immediately regretted it. Usually, I cut slices of cheese to taste at intervals. Grated is much better. It covers for the absence of the special bitterness of salad cream. The cheese providing its own, unique sharpness or tang.

~o~