The California move, the bed part
Continued from part 1
I searched for bed frames online and, as happens, The Husband and could not agree. :sigh: Finally I found a Shaker style which I knew he’d like and ordered it. We managed to have it delivered on one of the days we were in California (no easy thing,) The Husband put it together and with happy hearts, we flopped our California king-sized mattress on it.
At once we realized what we had was a king-sized frame.
FYI, a California king mattress is longer and narrower than a king-sized mattress. The mattress hung over the foot of the frame, etc.
The Husband called the company, who agreed yes, indeed, we had ordered a California king frame and since it was their mistake, they would send us another in the right size — and we could keep the first one. Wow! A two for one sale! We had a bed for the second bedroom! Of course, we have to buy a king-sized mattress and the room is really too small for that, but…
Oh! Oh! And he had to take the bed apart to move it into the other bedroom, then put it back together again.
Jayne Ann Krentz: “The Husband could get a job at Ikea!”
The Daughter, imitating a Swedish Ikea assemble guy: “Yah, I’m The Husband and I’m here to assemble your snafflezinger with my mighty allen wrench.”
Hahahaha
Seriously, no one’s laughing here. 😕
Because we were flying out of Santa Rosa (I had an appointment in Seattle) The Husband had to change his ticket to stay and accommodate delivery. In fact, he had to change it twice, because they didn’t deliver on the first date they gave us.
While I’m waiting in Seattle for him to return, they deliver the bed and…yes, you guessed it. The Husband measured it (before he unboxed it) and they sent a second wrong bed. (What we’ve learned from this: If it says E. King that means regular (Eastern) king. We need a Ca. King.)
The Husband called the company again. The call center person said, “I’m going to figure this out, hold on, it’ll be awhile.” It was definitely awhile, and when she came back she said, “The SKU number for the California King bed frame is wrong on our website, the website people know this but neglected to tell anyone, they’re fixing it and you can keep this bed while we deliver the correct bed to you.”
The Husband: “We already have an extra bed.”
Her: “Charity?”
Well, sure. We’re going to have to buy a king-sized mattress because if we’re going to donate a bedframe, we need to make sure there’s a possibility for people to sleep on it. Because The Husband and I have been in need of charity in our lives (it’s not always been roses and chirping birds) and that awareness continues forever. As it should.
Right now we have a regular king bed with a California king mattress in the second bedroom, a regular king bed in the living room in boxes, and they’re trying to send the correct bed (theoretically the correct bed) early despite being told no one is at the cottage to accept delivery.
OOF.
Yes, you’re right, first world problems. And no, we won’t use these people again because what we really wanted was the right bed in the first place. Flying back and forth from Seattle to Santa Rosa is not ideal when what we really want to do is plant peas and radishes in our garden at home. If we don’t, whatever will the spring slugs eat?
Yes, The Bed: Ye Olde Saga continues in Part 3.
Warmly,
Christina Dodd
New York Times bestselling author and 2025 King County Library Literary Lion
Moving day is the perfect time to appreciate the little things, like the fact that you can still walk after carrying that couch up the stairs.
