Graham and Greene Pebble quilt, £195
My husband is travelling a lot at the moment, so we have a rather strange “new normal” where he comes and goes. One week in London, one week in Timbuktu, or Ouagadugu or Johannesburg or Beijing, then back to London.
It’s most discombobulating – for him – we are quite used to it now. But I find myself, on my own in the house, feminising bits of it to possibly an unacceptable degree.
For example, there is pretty much never any food in the house, as I buy a tiny portion of fish and greenery for my dinner each day and lunch is mackerel pate on crackers. The kids eat their set menu of stuff so when Giles storms into the kitchen thinking about possibly … I don’t know… some leftover pork belly and noodles for his lunch he is disappointed.
I also made a potentially marriage-ending purchase of a giant puffy pink velvet quilt for my bed. It’s just that it’s been cold at night recently *whiney voice* and in such times just a duvet won’t cut it. I like sleeping with the window open, under a genuinely heavy pile of bedclothes.
When Giles saw it, having caught a bus, two planes, a dirigible and a canoe back from the Ecuadorian cloud forest, he said: “WHAT is that?! It looks like it’s made from old ladies’ knickers!”
And I said no! It’s from Graham and Greene. It’s terrific. And I do love it. My nightly ritual is a 200 calorie dinner followed by 2 large glasses of sparkling water while watching 1 rationed episode of The Crown, then bed by about 9.30pm with a hot water bottle under my giant blancmange quilt. It’s kind of heaven.
Love the quilt gorgeous colour and love the Crown although I have to watch 2 episodes a night, sadly Ive nearly finished it. Not even keen on the royal family so not really sure why I love it so much!!?
It’s just a great programme!
200 cals and water sounds cold. Perhaps that’s why you need the quilt!
I know! so cold. but I have packed on a few pounds recently and need to say goodbye to them…
you are not alone in this misery!
We both enjoy the bedroom to ourselves, it’s a treat that they don’t tell you about during the run-up to marriage when it’s all about blessed togetherness.
Corny Netflix films and series, velvet cushions, boxes of rose and violet creams and bags of Walkers sensations in balsamic vinegar. Even bed jackets in the style of Bette Davis.
I love the velvet quilt. My husband would hate it though.
I know. I only got it past mine because he’s travelling all the time at the mo and feels guilty
Oh how I need that quilt. Neeeeeeed I tell you. My perfect evening is dinner with the kids, pop them into bed, head into my bed, binge on Nashville and asleep by 9pm. Glorious, unadulterated bliss.
I’m on my own 4 nights most weeks and I do pretty much exactly this for those 4 nights. It’s really quite enjoyable not having to consider his food or tv or sleeping preferences every night. It’s all about making the best of things. Elaine x
Residual guilt is the best type of marriage love glue in my opinion. Velvety duvets for you, and compliments when I cook a frozen ‘COOK’ dinner for me. Bonus!
Love mackerel pate. Occasional treat for me though as so high in fat….Which one do you get? The waitrose one I like is something like 50% fat.
that’s the one. I’m not bothered about fat content. it’s sugar that scares me
Oh dear…. As much as I understand the desire for an open window and heavy bedding I’m afraid I’m with Giles on this one…maybe just the way it’s styled in the photo?? You’ve inspired me to lift my solo dinner game from the current bowl of cereal and cup of tea though. Thank you also for developing my vocabulary – I had no idea what a dirigible was!
I love this – sometimes I fantasise about having my own bedroom or even my own house like Helena Bonham Carter did just so I can hunker down in bed all evening and night with a stack of books, the TV remote and a large pot of tea in a room all lovely and tidy. One of my friends has an invalid mother who does this and when we go and stay I spend all day lolling on the bed with her gossiping and chatting while she writes letters. I’m not even allowed any cushions in my house because Mr W hates any kind of frippery (it’s an army-thing) so I shall just have to be jealous about the gorgeous bedcover xx
Yes to everything you’ve just said. I have three weeks of my partner offshore and five with him home. In those three weeks I cram trashy tv, a repetitive restrictive diet, reading through the night without grumbles of ‘Turn the bloody light off’, and lengthy Minecraft sessions with my seven-year-old. It’s a bloody delight and I don’t half resent when he returns and I can no longer half-heartedly cycle in my bra and pants whilst catching up with mindless drivel on iplayer.
The quilt sounds really comfortable! You can always put a more neutral coloured duvet cover on it or cover it with a spread during the day.
My husband and I (happily) have separate bedrooms. I”ve recently painted mine in F&B calamine (as it sounds on the tin) and procured an Emma Bridgewater patchwork duvet and had a lovely Danish chair clad in fuschia. All very granny. I’m waiting for the similar velvet Cox & Cox quilt to come into the sale. All very ‘old lady knickers’ but I absolutely love it!