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Yesterday, Mat and I went mattress shopping.

The bed we have now is, well, old...

I bought it 6 years ago when i was going into my second year of university.

I still remember shopping for it. I really wanted a double-sized mattress because i knew buying a mattress is somewhat of an investment (it's expensive, and you own it for several years at least), but also because i had a long-term boyfriend and there was no way we were going to try to squeeze ourselves into a single-sized mattress when he came to visit.

Even though i was purchasing this mattress with my own money, my dad came with me when i went shopping. I don't really remember why my dad came shopping with me, because back then i usually shopped with my mom. But now that i think about it, my mom had just decided to divorce my dad and so i was probably a) not on speaking terms with my mom, which happened often when i was that age (not just because of the divorce) and b) felt sorry for my dad and wanted to spend some time with him.

So dad and i went shopping for mattresses. Dad likes a "deal" and wanted to take me to the mattress warehouses around town. I like a deal every once in a while, but getting a "deal" on a mattress just felt kind of weird. I wanted a nice, new, clean and comfy mattress. So that was our first obstacle - Dad kept wanting to take me to all of these warehouses, and i kept wanting to go to sleep country and sears.

We both gave into each other eventually - i let dad take me to the discount mattress warehouses, and dad quietly accompanied me to the pretty and bright clean stores. I think he was starting to learn that i knew what i wanted, and although i would listen to him and his ideas, i was still going to do what i wanted in the end. It was my money afterall.

Even though i felt weird shopping in the warehouses for mattresses, the most awkward part was trying to explain to my dad exactly why i needed a double mattress and not a single mattress. I couldn't tell him the most obvious reason (boyfriend) because what daughter wants to discuss her sex life with her dad??! The only answers i could come up with were that i was used to sleeping in a queen size bed at home (which is true because i took over the guest room as my own when i couldn't share a room with my sister anymore), and that this mattress wasn't just for university, but for later years as well and i didn't want to have a single-sized mattress when i'm 25 (which is also true).

But dad still couldn't comprehend. A double is more expensive than a single and my university room was almost too small for a double bed (which it was...it barely fit). Why couldn't i just buy a single bed - for now?

Now, i don't know if dad was playing dumb and trying to convince me to get a single bed because he KNEW i had a longterm boyfriend who would be visiting on occasion and knew that sleeping together in a single bed would be uncomfortable. I have to give my dad the benefit of the doubt and say that he probably did know, but didn't want to say for the same reason that i didn't want to say it either. My dad is a smart guy, you know.

So that was my first experience at buying a mattress. I did end up buying a double mattress for a whopping $700 (frame and box spring included). That almost broke the bank for me that summer.

Now buying a mattress is less awkward, but not necessarily easier. Now i have to fight discuss with Mat about what type, softness and price point we'll go with.

Stay tuned for the end result...