Making the bed

A favorite "Link" friend of mind wrote recently about making her bed -- or the lack thereof -- and wanted to know how many of her readers, if they were daring enough, ever left their bed unmade and how many days a week that event -- or non-event -- occurred.

This has really been bugging me and I don't know why. I always made my own bed -- at least I think I did -- except, perhaps when I shared the bed with my sister, who would make her side and leave my side of the bed unmade, and vice versa. My mother always made her bed. And made sure we made ours. Even my brothers had to make their beds.

Alan grew up in boarding school, so he HAD to make his bed AND pass inspection every day. One he got to college, however, that requirement no longer existed, so he didn't do that chore any more.

When we married, I would leave for work before he woke up and would come home to an unmade bed. I really didn't like that, but being the good little housewife I was back then, I made the bed when I got home from work, only to have it messed up again at around 10 p.m. (5 hours later) when I went to bed, while Alan stayed up until early in the a.m. studying.

Then when we got our first home, I was home with the children for a couple of years, and made the beds -- all of them -- every day.

Then back to work, Alan up after me, and the bed got made late in the afternoon. That is, until I realized that it was pointless to make up a bed for such a short period of time. I mean if a robber had visited my home prior to my returning from work, s/he would have seen my unmade bed already, so unless we were expecting guests in the evening, I didn't make the bed except on weekends.

Now, we live in a condo where you can see the bedroom from the living room, so I HAVE to keep the bed made, which is okay, because truly, truly, I prefer a made bed.

I have to admit, when we're on vacation, I don't make the bed, unless we're staying in some one's home. Of course, on a ship, they make up the bed every time there is even an impression in the pillow. If we're in a maidless facility, though, I just let it go. Is that sloth? I hope not. You know what the Bible has to say about slothful people.

Have I become my mother? Or have I become Martha Stewart-ized?