The mattress I'd chosen has a memory foam top, which I'd tried out in a shop while looking around at bed options, and had been extremely impressed by. It responds to heat, fitting itself to the curves of your body as you lie on it, to reduce 'pressure points' while you are sleeping. When I first cut it out of its plastic cover, it smelt kind of acrid and chemically, but ten hours or so in a room with the windows open largely sorted that out, so that it wasn't too noticeable by the time I went to bed. And as for the comfort! It was definitely worth the money. I felt a bit like one of those cute pictures you sometimes see of a tiny animal curled up asleep in a human palm.
Unfortunately, I couldn't enjoy a really good-quality lie-in in it this morning, as I've just finally got around to registering with a doctor's surgery in Headingley, and had to be there at 9:30 for my annual 'flu jab. That was an experience in itself, though. They were doing nothing else that morning, and had a regular conveyor-belt system going on. Before I'd even opened my mouth to explain why I was there, I was greeted with 'Do you want to take your jacket off and go straight through?' (an instruction, not a question), sat down for 30 seconds, *prick*, and out again via another door, while the next patient was ushered in. Meanwhile, out the front there was a chorus of car-doors opening and closing, as a seemingly never-ending stream of senior citizens rolled up to join the queue.
Apparently I will feel a bit achy for the next 48 hours now. But that's OK. I have a pretty quiet weekend planned, and a very comfortable bed.
