RBOC
- It makes me smile that the saved orders section of the website where I order oligos (pieces of DNA) is called my wish list. It's like they think I've been coveting these primers for ages, dreaming of the day I can afford to treat myself to the fancy phosphorothioate backbone.
- Now that it's been getting down to 11C/52F in my room, what I'm really coveting is a cosy down comforter. I'm tempted by the ones on sale at Overstock.com, but they all seem to have some comments saying they're nowhere near as warm as they claim. Do I have to spend $200 on one? Will I be too warm if I get one of those super-fancy ones? Anyone have any recommendations for me?
- At least someone finally gave in and turned the heat on in my house, although it doesn't seem to make a huge difference in my room.
- I just got an email from the C'landian student I was partnered with for the international student host program here. Her subject line was "It's so cold!!!". I was starting to wonder if I was exaggerating about it already being far colder here than my hometown ever gets, but I guess not.
- Walking to the gym at 7.20 this morning was a lot nicer now that it's not daylight savings time anymore. Unfortunately, walking home after it gets dark at 5pm is going to suck.
- I discovered that I was unknitting my messed up stitches in a far more laborious and painful way than was necessary. Of course, even that method seemed more appealling when faced with actual work as the alternative.
- Luckily, I rechecked the pattern before I started knitting again, as I still had the sequence wrong.
- If I keep thinking of random bullets, can I put off work indefinitely? I guess I'm the one making myself do 3.5 hours of work a day, so that wouldn't help. I'll go and start now.
- Please answer my question about down comforters so I don't freeze all winter out of indecision.
- Can I be a good vegetarian and still get a down comforter? Are down-alternative ones any good?
- Would curtains make my room any warmer, too?
posted by Lucy @ 2:55 PM
15
comments
15 Comments:
Curtains might make your room warmer if your room is losing heat from the windows.
In terms of the comforter... one cheaper option is a feather bed... we sleep under one. Check Bed Bath and Beyond or Linnens and Things for them... A few weeks ago I bought a king-sized one for $39.00... You should buy the largest one you can get... make sure it isn't one that is designed to be a mattress pad.
Yeah, curtains would help.
I got a really nice down blanket (thinner than a comforter) from Overstock...with a sheet (and another throw for really really cold nights) it pretty much worked as a 3-season cover for me on the East Coast. I had a super-duper down comforter, too, that was almost always too hot to actually sleep under. (Actually, I wish I had thought to leave that with you!)
In general, I think Overstock has great deals on the down stuff.
Er, I'm a vegetarian and own a down comforter. I figure the vegetarian points I lose for it are made up for by the lowered-thermostat points I get for sleeping under it.
I think IKEA has relatively cheap ones, too. We could always arrange a field trip...
do you wear leather shoes?
I was just going to suggest Ikea. We got ours there and it is awesome. And was cheap. Their non-down ones are also lovely, if you choose not to get down. Ours is a mix.
Also. Doona. Doona. Remember? We aren't hiding the secrets of linguistic diversity from the Americans any more. It's bad for them.
ItPF, I had no idea what a feather bed even was... Thanks for the suggestion.
Luckybuzz, how warm was your apartment? I think our thermostat will be set to 58F, and my room is generally several degrees colder than the rest of the house.
Phantom, an Ikea field trip sounds great. They have pretty quilt covers, too.
Anastasia, good point. I am wearing my doc martens... Although, they're my only leather shoes.
Styley, argh! I didn't even notice I was saying comforter instead of doona. I guess it infiltrated my brain while reading so many descriptions.
Yes, curtains. They make a big difference. Also, if you're feeling a draft near the windows, at the hardware store you can get plastic sheets which shrink around the window frame and help seal out the cold air. (Seal in the warm, of course, but whatever.)
Aside: if you're looking for Scrabble players still, do you still have my name (which would let you find me on Facebook)?
Have you ever had anything down before - it's pretty easy to be allergic - I have a fake comforter that is lovely that I got for cheap with a coupon at Bed Bath and Beyond
Setting a thermostat at 58 is COLD! (says the woman who probably singlehandedly destroys the environment.) I think down is warmer than the not-down, but the not-down stuff is nice, too. (If you're looking to justify down, you can at least say it's all natural!) I'm like luckybuzz, I have a down blanket and that's warm enough for me most of the time, but then, I'm always hot (poor NLLDH has to suffer through my preferred frigid sleeping temperatures. Though I contend that if he'd cover up his feet he'd stay warmer). Oh, and I've been living in the south! So my sense of temperatures may be a little out of whack. If you get a slightly lighter weight comforter, you can put blankets on top, but if you find it's too hot, it's hard to adjust to make it cooler. (But again, I'm always hot.)
We got our down blanket at Target - I mean yeah, I'd imagine the $700 comforters out there are nicer than the $70 varieties, but I find the cheap stuff works just as well.
I think that if you put the comforter under a blanket (rather than on top) it helps trap the heat. (Actually, an electric blanket over a down comforter - or under one! - is REALLY warm, but the electricity probably forfeits the lowered-thermostat points. But a comforter warmed by a hot-water bottle is truly divine and much more environmentally friendly.)
I love plotting comforter or bed linen purchases - they always feel so decadent. ;-)
pjm, I have some plastic to put up this week. I guess I'll go looking for curtains, too.
Twirly, I have a down sleeping bag, that I've been using as a doona, but it's too slippery to stay on the bed, and also not warm enough sometimes.
New Kid, thanks for the suggestions! I tend to be cold, so I think I might need more than a down blanket. I'll have to try the blanket-over-doona and hot water bottle (especially since I hate getting into a cold bed). Maybe I'll get some flannelette sheets, too. Although, I've survived 3 winters here so far without any of this stuff, I guess...
"Also, if you're feeling a draft near the windows, at the hardware store you can get plastic sheets which shrink around the window frame and help seal out the cold air."
Those really help. Especially if you are sleeping near a window. Good luck with the heat! Down Comforters are warm! I like them. Go for it.
I have one of the midweight down comforters from LL Bean. It's a great comforter and they're not too expensive, kind of midrange. I was lucky enough to get it as a b-day present during the cold college years. We had an apt with only a central heater in the living room, the bedrooms never really got about 58F in the coldest winter times. Good luck staying warm this winter!
Another thing, I always liked sleeping with a warm winter hat during the cold college years. Wool socks helded too.
There's just somthing about a big, fluffy, cozy down comforter that is so wonderful to sleep under every night. I lived in Arizona for the past year, which is when we actually bought ours. My husband insisted on the more expensive one (because he ALWAYS has to have the more expensive one of everything) and of course it's nice, but I also had a down alternative while I was in college and it was just as comfy and cozy. I'm very hot natured, and I never had an issue sleeping under mine. And if your house is going to be at 58F and you're cold natured, I'd say you'd never get too hot with your down comforter.
So, 1) Alternative is just as good and will save you some money, 2) A hot natured girl in Arizona survived the summer sleeping under a down comforter, and 3) They're literally the best thing to sleep under on a cold night.
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