I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I derive a great deal of pleasure from a high-quality product.  Anyone who has ever experienced high-quality cotton flannel will understand how difficult it is to put up with cheap, pilled flannel.

Three years ago I purchased flannel fitted sheets and pillowcases for our three beds — our queen plus the kids’ twins — from The Company Store.  I was so sick of the cheap flannels I’d purchased several years earlier at Linens ‘N Things that it took a real force of will to bring myself to put them on our beds.  Before buying any new linens, I’d talked to the two people I knew whose opinion I valued and were the most likely to have shelled out big bucks for quality flannel:  my mom and my youngest sister.  One or the other mentioned The Company Store.  As luck would have it, TCS was having a sale just about that time so I took the plunge and ordered a set (fitted sheet and pillow cases) for each bed.  I can’t remember what I spent but it wasn’t much because I hit a great sale.  And those sheets were worth every last penny.  Three years later, those same sheets and cases are as thick and smooth and soft and warm as the day I first put them on our beds.

Since that first purchase, I’ve been watching the TCS website waiting for the right sale on the right linens at the right time for my budget.  I’m a patient woman.  I waited three years.  Three times over this past week I’ve added items to my cart only to start second-guessing myself and abandon the order.  Today, however, I took the plunge.  I’m confident that I’m going to be as pleased with this order as I was the last.

For the sum total of $111.89 (including nearly $15 in shipping — flannel is heavy, after all), I purchased two twin-sized fitted flannel sheets, two sets of 2 standard-sized pillow cases, one standard pillow sham in a cute penguin print, and one twin-sized matching duvet cover.  The full price of the merchandise alone was $174.00.  All items are in their soft 5oz cotton flannel.

I’m very much hoping — fingers crossed — that the color I chose for The Daughter’s room matches with her existing Eddie Bauer Home cotton flannel duvet cover.  This is from the old, original Eddie Bauer Home collection actually sold by EB — not the new, lower quality stuff sold at J.C. Penney.  Anyway, if everything matches and everyone approves of the colors, this will give The Daughter two full sets of flannel linens — two fitted sheets, two duvet covers, and all necessary matching pillow cases.  The Son will be equally set for sheets — two full sets of flannel linens including pillow cases and duvet covers.

Once everything arrives and the colors and prints are officially approved, I intend to forever rid my linen closet of those dreaded Linens ‘N Things flannels.  ARC, get ready for your next pick-up, please.

I’d rather not have to wait another three years before purchasing a TCS flannel duvet cover for our bed (remember, we do have their flannel fitted sheets and pillow cases) but if that’s what it takes to find the right thing at the right price, so be it.  As I said, I’m a patient woman.

[I was shopping on-line and had all my selections made but called The Company Store’s 800 number to ask about matching the penguin print with a solid color.  The customer service rep was more than friendly and helpful and I ended up actually placing the order on-line.  Everything went well until just before that last “enter key” stroke on the rep’s part when she went into a hard-sell bit about a Buyer’s Edge program.  I politely listened to the plug and then politely declined; again and again I declined.  She nearly pushed me too far but did eventually back off and accept my “no” just before I got really PO’d.  The interruption to our transaction was annoying and offensive.  I’d buy from them again and I’d even call their customer service line again but I’ll know better and make all of my final purchases on-line from now on.]

This afternoon, The Son and I had to drive into town for his appointment with our out-of-network alternative-medicine doctor.  He’s a full PhD medical doctor who practices a form of medicine similar to but quite beyond homeopathy.  I’ve felt we were off track with The Son’s remedies and also wanted to see what we could do to strengthen the boy’s liver.  I feel good about the visit and the resulting prescriptions.

The pharmacy is on the east coast so it was too late to call and pay for the remedies today.  I’ll have to make sure I get that done on Monday morning.  This doctor’s last bill for The Daughter’s appointment in spring ‘07 went awry (thanks to our inconsistent mail carrier) so I decided to just write a check to cover today’s $95.00 fee on the spot.  He didn’t complain

At this point I was home and had no further plans for the evening beyond dinner and a movie with The Husband and The Son.  Not to be.  Just before dinner, while The Husband napped, the phone rang.  It was The Daughter.  She was at the Emergency Room of the hospital near the gym where her team was practicing.  She had badly jammed or possibly broken the pinky on her right hand.  She insisted that I was not to come down there — all she needed was to know whether or not she should go ahead and have it x-rayed.  Naturally, I said yes.  That is, after all, why we have health insurance.  I should have gone down there.  I knew better than to listen to her.  After all, she’s just a smart aleck 15 year old.  She finally called back.  It wasn’t broken but the tendons badly torn.  She’ll definitely be out for the rest of the season.  She needs to see a hand specialist on Monday and will most likely have to do some physical therapy.  Of course, she is right-handed.  And has a 20- to 25-page research paper due in three weeks.  I’m glad she’s okay.  But I should have gone down there.  I know the reason she resisted was because she was afraid I’d cancel her weekend sleepover plans with the rest of her team.  I wouldn’t have though.  That would have been unfair to The Husband and The Son who do so look forward to these moments of respite from The Princess.

Anyway, to the monetary consequences of tonight’s emergency.  Our insurance card states a $200 ER co-pay — though I’m thoroughly puzzled because the ER employee I spoke with only took my name, address, and phone number.  No insurance info was exchanged.  I guess we’ll get the entire bill, including the charges for the cool splint, the cute ice bag, and the ibuprofen they gave her and we’ll have to submit to our insurance company ourselves.  Yuck.

Then there will be the hand specialist (our co-pay for specialists is $50) and the physical therapy — I have no idea how that works with the insurance.  It’s certainly looking like January is going to be a bit of a strain on our medical bills budget.   I can’t even imagine the stress that an event like this would cause in a family without health insurance.

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