My New Bed

I spent 5 years bouncing around from living in a friend's home, to spending 5 weeks in a hotel, then 9 months in a tiny home in town.  I moved from there to a home up the lake for a few years.  It was also a small place that was semi-furnished, so most of my stuff was still stored, including my bed.

In June of last year a friend got cancer, so I packed up everything I had, put it all into storage, and moved into town to try to help her out.  I first moved into my friend, Jana's, home for the summer.

Jana was in California when I told her I was moving in.  I just left a message, and without even hearing back from her, I packed up my house hoping and assuming it'd be OK.  (I've known Jana for 20 years.  She really is a spectacularly kind person.)  I lived there with Jana, and her daughter, Maya, for about 6 weeks.

(Bit of a fuzzy photo...)

It wasn't unusual for me to sleep only 1-2 hours a day as I was working full time and doing whatever I could to try to help with some fundraising.  Jana and Maya kept me fed, and tolerated my mess all over the house with fundraising stuff so I could keep going.  

I lived with piles on the bed in my room.  If I wanted to sleep I had to move everything.  More often than not it was too much of a hassle though, so I'd just pass out sitting up in my chair in font of the screen with a keyboard on my lap.

Midway through August I had to leave Jana's place as she had her foreign students coming back for the new school year.  I ended up moving into my friend's mom's place as she was away on the coast helping her daughter out with all the treatments, therapies, and such.  Her place was only steps away from Jana's.  It wasn't a permanent move, but it was great for what I needed at the time and kept me going on the fundraising stuff.

I was living in piles there as well.  I was too focused on more important things to care about the state of the piling mess from all the things I was doing.  I barely slept in a bed at first.  I just slept on the small couch in the living room.  It was the same as at Jana's...if I wanted to sleep, I first had to move piles of stuff off the couch.  I often slept in my chair there as well.

It wasn't too long before her mom returned from the coast, so I moved down to the basement.  She had a bed down there, so I used it.  At that point, my bed was a gnarly moldy mess in the back of my storage unit.  I couldn't get to it even to throw it out, so I just let it sit until it was time for me to make my next move.

The thought of moving was exciting for me because it meant a brand new bed of my own for the first time in many years.  I can't emphasize enough the importance of a good bed when you have a pain filled body as messed up as mine.  I couldn't wait to have that all done and sorted.  I mean...I really wait to have my new bed.

 Sometime in the start of the year I met just the person I needed to:  Jody!  

My part in fundraising had come to an end, so I brought all the remaining items I had to her.  When I dropped them off I saw she had tons of mattresses in her basement.  I was instantly intrigued because I desperately needed one in my not too distant future.  

I inquired right away and didn't hesitate to tell her of my plight.  When she told me she sold them I told her I'd be moving soon and she'd be hearing from me.

Something like the end of March or start of April I saw on a Kootenay Buy & Sell group kinda thing that there was a mattress sale happening.  Not knowing it was Jody's, I messaged her letting her know there was some sale.  (Just wanted her to know of local competition.)  She told me it was her sale.  I giggled and told her I was comin' by to check it out.

(Just unpacked)

Even though it was my day off, I stopped in at work quickly for something.  I saw Brian there and we talked for a moment.  When he asked what I was up to, I told him I was on my way to go to Jody's mattress sale.  That captured his intrigue as quickly as Jody had caught mine, so he decided on the spot to come with me.  Away we went.

Jody's sale was at a storage locker just outside of Nelson.  Of course I drove to the wrong one at first where I had stuff stored when I first moved to the area in 1999.  It wasn't even 1 km off course though, so it was no big deal.  We got there no problem otherwise...two banged-up guys lookin' for comfy beds.  (Brian had broken his back from a fall in December 2016.)

I said hello to Jody and introduced Brian.  There were other people there too.  I wasn't as quick to get right down to business as I enjoyed watching Jody work.  I found it impressive the way she seamlessly talked with and helped everyone who was there.  She definitely had the personal touch down pat and you could tell it was genuine.  Her knowledge of all her inventory was just as impressive.

I was listening to what people were looking for, whether that be size, price, coil-counts, what their lifestyles were in relation to the bed they each needed, and watched Jody just do her thing.  It was excellent.  (I like watchin' people crushing it at whatever it is they do.)

Service is an important thing for me.  I want someone who knows their shit and who really listens to what the needs of their customer are.  You can tell the difference between those who are just doing anything to make a sale, and those who actually give a shit about their customer.  It was easy to tell Jody is the latter.  That got me psyched to get at it.

Brian and I made our way into the depths of Jody's locker checking out all the mattresses in there.  The beds were all factory wrapped in plastic, and leaning up against the walls.  We were all pressing on them to get a feel for their firmness, etc.  While doing that, and talking with her, whenever there was one that stood out to someone, she'd flop it down on the floor so the person could lay down on it; and while they did she talked with them about what they thought.

Brain and I both found the ones we were each interested in, and did the same thing...tried 'em out while Jody gave us the detailed rundown about them.  She gave us a freakin' smokin' deal too.

At the time of the sale I finally knew when I was moving, but it wasn't for a bit, so I asked her if I could just pick it up or get it delivered on my moving day.  Jody was more than happy to accommodate.  Brian also made arrangements for delivery/pick-up of his own too.  We both thanked her, and then took off all psyched with our new purchases.

There were several reasons why I was filled with anticipation for moving.  My new bed was a shining light within all of that.  It had been years since I had my own bed, and my busted up body was really excited to have this kick-ass one to cozy up in for years to come.

Moving day was a looong grind.  That's usually the case though, so it wasn't a big deal.  I was thinking of the bed all day long.  I can say for sure that I don't know if I have looked so forward to something in several years.  

The simplicity of my first night in this new bed was overwhelming for me.  When I finally set it up, put on clean sheets, and crawled into it I was in a state of bliss.  It wrapped me up in its arms and I melted away.  

Moments after I got into bed, my fuzzy doggie curled up with me and we passed right out in no time.  Before I did, I had a picture of Jody in my head with a big thankful smile.  

It has been 6 months since I have had my new bed now, and there is never a time I am not filled with anticipation to lie down and am completely happy with it.

I don't think she realizes what she has done for my pain-filled self.  I don't have any comfort in my life because I am so sore everywhere in my body all the time.  There is no break from it.  I don't sleep too much, but I always look forward to crawling into this thing.  When I initially get settled into my bed, it's the only sense of a comforting moment I get each day

(Fennario diggin' it too.)

I am very grateful for our worlds colliding.  Now, whenever I hear of anyone who needs a new bed, I tell them, "Forget the stores, that's just bein' stupid and senselessly throwing your money away!  Go see Jody, she'll take care of you!"  Then I give them her contact info.

I LOOOVE MY BED!!!  My body really needed it!  It was years in the making, but it was worth it.

Thanks Jody...you ruuule!

Here's a link to her Facebook page, "Kootenay Luxury Mattress Outlet":

https://www.facebook.com/KootenayMattresses/

**I don't sleep too often, and when I do I just lie along the edge, so my doggie pretty much has claimed most of it, but I'm happy to share...she's snugly!