Moving from the hotel to the apartment was not as easy as I thought it would be. Don and I drove to Hartford, quickly packed up the rest of my stuff, loaded up the car and drove to the apartment building. So far so good.
Went up the elevator to the apartment. The sun was pouring through the windows. Very nice. After several trips up and down the elevator, we finally managed to move everything. Don had to leave. I went back downstairs to see him off. Then I tackled unpacking clothes, food, sewing machine, books, scripts, laptop, camera, etc. I liked the apartment and the mattress looked rather new.
I decided to take my shoes off.
That’s when I noticed that the carpet near the door was completely soaked with water. Uh oh. I called the Company Manager who said to check the hot water heater which was in a closet adjacent to the wet carpet. Sure enough: a leaky hot water heater. There were also water stains on the outside walls and some mold on the wall next to the heater. Not good. I’m allergic to mold.
The company manager said to hang in there, someone would come to look at it and I would have to move. Turns out I could move into the apartment next door. After I got the key, I moved everything over. It took a long time. I also switched out some of the lamps because the ones in the apartment I was now moving into were hideous – those cheap black modern floor lamps that are always just about to fall over. And one floor lamp had 5 or 6 extending goosenecks – it looked like an octopus.
So what should have taken about an hour ended up taking up several hours.
Fast forward to bed time. I got into bed and quickly realized that this was the hardest mattress I have ever encountered in my life. I am not kidding. I might as well have been sleeping on a piece of cement. I tried everything. I even dragged out some spare pillows and tried to sleep on them. It wasn’t working.
Now, you know that I’m used to a bad mattress. Our mattress at home needs replacing – both Don and I wake up sore every morning. So it’s not as if I’m the title character in The Princess and the Pea. Or in Once Upon a Mattress, though I actually did play that character many years ago. I’m not pampered by any means. But let me tell you, after 4+ hours of trying to sleep, I gave up. In the middle of the night, I went to the apartment I was supposed to be in and dragged the mattress top to this apartment. Imagine that picture: me in my flannel pajamas trying to quietly move a mattress down the hall. I battled with the cement mattress top and managed to stand it up against the wall. I remade the bed (for the third time) and finally fell asleep.
After about 4 hours of sleep, I’m hanging in there, but just barely. Meanwhile, I’ve emailed the Company Manager to update her on all of this.
Oh, and I was in such an exhausted haze that I filled the dishwasher with dish soap instead of dishwasher detergent and I had to bail the sucker out when I noticed some bubbles appearing where they shouldn’t be. But that’s all fixed.
Don said I’m living in an episode of I Love Lucy.
Here’s some pictures of this apartment. The ceilings are unbelievably high, which makes the apartment look quite spacious.
The hallway. I moved this piece over from the other apartment with the help of the Company Management Intern.
Living room. The coffee table was truly hideous, so I covered it up with my quilt. The sofa looks to be an Ikea Ektorp loveseat, but it’s been covered up with this slipcover that does not fit. Believe me, I’ve tried. I was told the actor who just vacated this apartment had his dog here and he kindly washed the slipcover.
I think it shrunk.
The little dining area which has become my sewing table.
My favorite area – the kitchen. Love those industrial looking hanging lamps.
And the bedroom in its current state:
I’m predicting a new decorating trend: Refresh your wall by propping a mattress against it. Instant wallpaper.
I am one tired woman. I suppose if I were a twenty something I could put up with this mattress – heck, I lived in dorms, slept on cots, even on floors when I was younger. But I’m not that resilient anymore. I need a softer mattress. Remember, I’m the oldest person working on this show.
Have to take a shower and get ready for a day of rehearsal.
Over and out.
I’m glad you had an option and were able to move apartments. Quite the adventure! You deserve a comfortable sleep and moving mattresses was brilliant though tiring. Hope you get a better rest tonight.
Brilliant and ridiculous at the same time.
Wow..You’ll really need to catch up on your rest……You’ve had quite an ordeal
Hopefully, a good night’s sleep tonight.
The mattress in my sister’s guest room is very hard. I call the bed “The Buckboard”. Your new place looks nice, hope it works out well.
Our mattress at home is hard, but it’s a feather bed compared to this one.
My grandsons can sleep on tile floors in their family room! I couldn’t believe it. BUT…sometimes when we get “OLDER” even a good mattress doesn’t help a whole lot. Trust me, sugar! I think the apartment is better than some we’ve lived in though.
xoxo,
Connie
The apartments are very nice for artist housing. No problem with the apartment, just the bed.
You probably don’t want to hear this, but switching mattresses in the middle of the night is pretty funny to read– not so much for you. Sounds like my usual luck. Those are really high ceilings!! Hope things iron out!
Oh, I know it’s funny. Yet another of my adventures.
Oh Claudia my friend, You are EXTREMELY resourceful! and resilient, just in different ways than when we were younger.I hope you have an easy day with no more problems! and a goodnight sleep tonight! -Judy A-
I told someone (young) working on the show that being my age means you can say ‘No’ when you mean it and not make any excuses or apologies. No to the hard mattress!
Where’s Ethyl when you need her! Not so much fun for you, to say the least, but it sure makes hilarious blog fodder ~ xo
My life is nothing if not funny, Susy.
Claudia – This sounds like the day from hell…!! That was pretty ingenious to think to change the mattresses and then to go ahead and do it yourself!! I chuckled about the thoughts of it, but as I am around your age I know I would be “feeling it” in the morning..!! You deserve a nice day today and I am wishing you a sweet peaceful night tonight!! Francine
Let’s cross our fingers for a much more restful night.
Hope your day got better … and the softer mattress wasn’t anywhere near the leak was it?
No, it was in the bedroom. The leak was right by the front door.
Claudia, you poor thing! I can’t believe all of that hub-bub you had to endure. It should be a requirement that people “test drive” mattresses before making others sleep on them. Yikes!
I’m glad you were able to move and glad you finally got some sleep. I hope you get a good rest tonight. I love how high the ceilings are, and the industrial lights in the kitchen are really cool. Maybe you could find a trunk or something to replace that table that wouldn’t cost too much, and then you could put the table in the closet. or hide it somewhere. Then you could have the new trunk for storage.
That slipcover is like majorly shrunk. I know because the dry cleaners did this to my slipcovers.
XO,
Sheila
I already have a trunk at home, Sheila and one in storage! No room for another trunk. I’ll get used to the quilt-covered table.
Yes, I have a feeling that this slipcover was not meant to be machine washed.
I’m so sorry…I giggled through the entire post! What an adventure indeed! But, gotta hand it to you…you are resourceful! ;)
I considered it for about 10 minutes and then got up, put on my shoes and grabbed that mattress!
Oh my! This was definitely a memorable day. We must have had that same hard mattress recently. We were groaning in the morning.
A hard mattress really is a no-no at my age!
Sorry for all the troubles. We need a new mattress too…so I am sure it would be the same for me. Hope today goes better!
Thank you, Ann!
We’ve definitely stayed places with the same sort of mattress problem. Brilliant of you to think of switching them out, but exhausting. I would have loved to see you dragging the “new” mattress down the hall. I can imagine some grumbling going on!
Blessings,
Betsy
Grumbling and groaning and breathing hard as I tried to get that damn mattress down the carpeted hallway.
Ugh…what a nightmare with all this! I hope you’ll fall asleep early tonight and sleep long and hard! (Well, not hard as in hard mattress…you know what I mean.)
I know what you mean, Melanie.
I have to admit… I did chuckle at your early A.M. antics…and thanks to your P.J. party…I CAN picture you in your flannels , schlepping a mattress down the hall!
Sorry for all your troubles my friend. I hope you get some rest…and whip that little apartment into shape in no time!
Pat
It’s very nice – and I love the high ceilings!
Oh my … some days it just doesn’t pay to get out of bed. Hopefully today is a better day!
It’s been a good day, but I’m pooped. Early to bed tonight.
I would see if you can bill them for a mattress topper? Or you need one at home anyway, so it could go home with you. I know money is tight but maybe? A topper saved DD from a horrible mattress in a rental.
I would probably have slept on the couch :D
It’s a loveseat so it’s rather small. Anyway, I’m keeping the mattress I dragged over. Company Management moved the hard one out of here, which, it turns out, was just what an actor in the cast wanted. All is well.
You poor thing. I think you should keep the mattress against the wall and use it to piece together a new quilt.
Hugs to you sister,
Meredith
Hugs to you sister.
Oh Claudia..I can only imagine tiny little you tugging a mattress down the hallway in the middle of the night..Bless your sweet heart..Don is right..It sounds like a Lucy comedy routine..I feel so sorry that you had to go through this..go to bed early tonight..I wish you a restful sleep and sweet dreams my friend..Hugs..
Well, thank you, but I don’t think I’m tiny! I’m a tall girl. But I sure don’t have the upper arm strength to drag mattresses around!
Oh my, what a pain. Your hubby is right, totally a scene out of I love Lucy! Hope the nights get better!
They should. The new mattress is staying, thank goodness.
Bless your heart – no, I mean your back! That does sound like an episode of “I Love Lucy”. Too bad Ethyl wasn’t there to help. I had to chuckle thinking about you dragging that mattress in your pjs. I know it wasn’t funny, but, it made me laugh.
Hope you get a good night’s rest tonight,.
Judy
Hey, I’m here to make you all laugh. It’s my mission in life.
WOW!! Bet you’ll sleep great tonight!And just know that it can only get better!!
Good Luck and God Bless!
Thank you, Suzan.
Oh boy. This story would make an episode of I Love Lucy look tame. Poor you. I hope you sleep well tonight.
I plan to, Lorrie.
Claudia, I must agree with Don on this one, you are living an episode of I Love Lucy!! Oh my goodness, but at least you now have a softer mattress (I have old bones also and I know what you mean about hard mattresses) and things to make the apt livable for the time being! Good luck and get some rest!
Hugs,
Linda
I used to love having a hard mattress when I was younger, but no longer!
How long are you supposed to be there? I do love that kitchen. When I’ve been in that predicament, I’ve gone out and gotten a mattress topper that is thick and goes on like a mattress pad/or sheet. I have one on now and it really helps. However, they aren’t cheap. About $150. But sleep is absolutely necessary. So hard to put a price on sleep.
Brenda
No can afford. The theater is letting me keep the mattress that I dragged over. The old, hard mattress is gone!
Just catching up with your posts…I know it must be hard being away from home. Hope you get yourself a cozy place to sleep and get comfortable! Your garden is looking beautiful at home…
Thank you, Linda!
It looks like a pretty cute apartment, even better with your personal touches from home. Glad you were able to fix the awful mattress problem, and I hope you get a better night’s sleep tonight!
It is very nice as artist housing goes. Big tall windows, high ceilings.
Oh girl….sigh.
Hope tomorrow is better.
Jen
Could not help laughing, Don is right, I’m thinking of Lucy. But I ended up saying, “Poor Claudia.” I doubt I would have handled it as gracefully as you did and I seriously doubt whether I’d have been able to move a mattress on my own in the middle of the night! Things can only get better, Claudia. I think.
Poor you! I never could stand hard matresses, I never could sleep on the floor. I even liked it soft when I was 20 years old.
Have a nice day! Regula
Ugh….sounds like you are doing the best to make a bad situation better. I do like the kitchen too and the high ceilings! The older I get my body revolts if it has to break from its routine. Hopefully you will be able to get some good rest soon.~Hugs, Patti
Oh Claudia,
I had to chuckle when I read your “cement mattress” story. Don was right, it does sound like a Lucy episode. So glad you’re somewhat settled in your new apartment and that you had a chance to switch out what you didn’t want with the other apartment…we don’t often get to do that!
Here’s to a good night’s sleep tonight~
Lori
Oh you were truly in an I Love Lucy episode! I laughed out loud at that remark!! I can just picture you in your jammies in the hall moving the mattress! High ceilings, indeed — you could have a double-decker kitchen! Here’s to peaceful nights from now on!