When we passed each other while walking, neighbor Julie asked if I had a busy Saturday coming up. She would be working. I replied, “No! I have nothing planned. Wait. I’m going to blow leaves off the deck, but that won’t take long.”

That much was true. It took less than five minutes to get those leaves onto the grass below. I quickly planned one other task, changing the duvet from the summer one to the winter one. Little did I know that I would reach out for help!

I began by stripping the bed and putting on a fresh, fitted sheet. I couldn’t remember how to remove the duvet from its cover with the burrito method, so I just pulled it out. I started a wash load of bedding and looked up a video for the reverse procedure. Yes, I did remember how to do it. I put the fresh cover out, laid the duvet on top, secured the corners, and rolled it up. It should have been easy to turn it inside out and unroll it. I couldn’t do it! I looked at the pertinent part of the video and still couldn’t succeed. Another set of instructions, words only, seemed even simpler. That didn’t work, either. I realized I couldn’t think like a left-handed person. Backwards/inside-out things baffle me. The bedding was terribly thick and hard to handle. This was as far as I got.

I gave up and texted grandson David. He had helped me before and could probably do it blindfolded.

David came, as he said he would, and he wrestled that duvet into submission. I was really grateful. I offered to fix a meal, so we had a thrown-together tuna casserole and green beans. Here is David about to finish turning the duvet right side out.

At the end of the day, I couldn’t believe laundry and an obstinate duvet had taken up most of the day. That’s OK, though, because I will sleep warmly under the winter bedding.