Now to talk about something other than pet foods, for the moment, anyway.

We finally went to IKEA yesterday. Two hours and forty-five minutes later, we emerged into the sunlight again, and that was with me moving us along quickly during the last half of the store, because I was getting really tired of walking. Wow. Double wow. We saw all sorts of great things and got a whole bunch of ideas for decorating. Both of us were really excited about the kitchen cabinets. Now that I have seen them in person, I am so ready to rip my kitchen apart and put in some IKEA stuff. Yes, it’s not the highest quality out there, but it’s not at all bad. Beggars can’t really be choosers anyway. I need more and better cabinets, and we aren’t made of money. We also saw some well-priced bed frames we liked, and the lighting department had all sorts of things that gave us great ideas for getting more lighting into our house. Of course, getting the two of us to agree on anything is still going to be a task, but we did find some things we are both willing to negotiate on.

It’s a good thing we ate breakfast and had an energy drink before going. By the time we got to the cafeteria at the heart of the store, we were both hungry and thirsty again … and needed some more energy to make it to the exit. Lin and I split a large plate of Swedish meatballs and mac-n-cheese. I had a great Lingonberry soda. Before I got it, I didn’t know what a Lingonberry was, but having never met a berry I didn’t like, I got it anyway. It’s like a cranberry. Very tasty and refreshing.

The funniest thing was as after walking, walking, walking, for what seemed like forever after we ate, I stopped, pointed ahead, and asked Lin “Is that actual natural sunlight I see up ahead?” The answer was “yes” … and my little outburst made a bunch of people around me laugh. We all commiserated about how cool the store was but what a long walk!

We didn’t buy anything, though I had a few things I had trouble putting down. One was this set of dishes. I’d seen them in the catalog, and I like the style and colors. I liked them even more when I saw them in person, and the price was so right. Unfortunately, we hadn’t gotten a cart, not having planned on buying anything, and there was no way we were going to carry heavy dishes through the then remaining 3/4 of the store. I wasn’t sure we’d make it carrying nothing but ourselves! I also fell in love with some silly plastic utensils (yes, I am a small child), several stuffed animals (yes, Lin had to drag me out of the kiddie section), and some totally awesome light chains that looked like leaves and flowers with bright little LEDs in them (did I mention I am a magpie too). If I had been there alone, I have no doubt I would have walked out with a few things. There were so many cool boxes, lamps, ice cube trays and other assorted nifty things I just wanted to own! I guess it was a good thing for the bank account that Lin was there to get me to put things down and grab my hand and pull me along. I had to do it for him a few times too. Like kids in a candy store, that’s what we were. :lol:

Even better than finally getting into the IKEA store and seeing all the cool things I have been drooling on in the catalog, was how many different languages and cultures I ran across while shopping. The customers themselves were as interesting as the goods on sale! I don’t know if it is the way the store is laid out or what, but everyone was so happy and nice, and I had a few great little conversations with people from all over the world. How cool is that?! The very best was when I had toddled away from Lin for a moment to stand in one of the room set-ups that was very India inspired, and a whole family from India walked in … the women wearing the most beautiful saris I’d ever seen in person. I smiled when I saw them, because they looked so lovely. They smiled and greeted me with the customary bow and “namaste” … and I managed to respond in kind. It wasn’t until I had moved further along that I remembered I was wearing my Ganesh/Om t-shirt. Maybe that’s why they smiled so broadly when they saw me, and even more-so when I reacted appropriately to their greeting. Though they didn’t speak English, and I certainly didn’t speak their language, the whole exchange left me with such a warm feeling inside.

I also got to have a conversation in German, and boy is my German getting rusty. I need to start working on that again. Use it or lose it, you know.

As to the toilet seats … none of the ones at IKEA met with Lin’s standards for toilet seats (whatever those standards are), so we didn’t get one. We also didn’t go to Home Depot, because after all that walking, we were both ready for a nap and had no desire to ruin a pleasant day of window shopping by even stepping foot in the insanity that is our local HD. So I guess we survive a little longer with a duct-tape repaired toilet seat. :D

Now that I have actually seen the stuff at IKEA, I can make some decisions about some of the furniture we were thinking of getting from them. Lots of ideas in my head! That means a lot of measuring, drawing up room plans, and seeing what will fit where. The best thing about all of it is it isn’t going to break the bank, and we might be able to finally get some new furniture to replace the really old and mostly broken stuff we have now. Not all at once, of course, but a piece here and there. Eventually, I hope to be rid of all this horrible stuff we have!

So even though I was still stressed out and cranky from personal drama yesterday, I had a good day. Today should end up being a good day too, since we are going to that concert at the AMOA tonight. I think I’ll go pick out what I am going to wear, call my mom to check on her dog, and then go back to bed a while. I had a very tiring weekend, and I want to be totally rested up for tonight so I can really enjoy myself. :yawn: