The Ikea Slog
Two weeks ago, our frustration with our still-in-progress home reached a critical point where Andrew feared I was going to burn the house down if we didn't fix SOMETHING. We decided to address the room that had become the focus of my weariness, our front living room, which has been a mish-mash of play area, random furniture, and a piano. I was sick of the foam tiles, sick of the mish-mash, sick of our old couch. With heavy hearts, we knew we had to go to Ikea.
We set out in the late afternoon on a Friday, when Andrew was working from home. The Elizabeth, NJ, Ikea is almost impossible to get to. We've been there a few times now, and the only time we haven't gotten lost is when Dad and I went near Christmastime. Every single other time we've gotten lost either going or returning. This time was no different. We got hideously lost and wound up on a highway sort of in the direction of home, and nowhere near Ikea.
Andrew, determined to get there, convinced me we should try again from the town where we'd desperately exited. Fortunately, we made it--after an hour and a half. It was past 6pm by this point, so we had to first get dinner at the cafe, and then it was 6:30pm and we hadn't even started shopping. We took the girls to the toy department and let them each pick out one thing, and then we beelined through our list. The girls did well, though by 8pm--well past bedtime--they were restless and done with Ikea. So were we.
But we were very happy we made the trip, and the room is now lovely and livable--not a formal room by any means, but a comfortable, pretty room we all like to spend time in. And the highlight of the room is one of the card catalogs from the Carnegie Library, a real showpiece. It makes the room.
Here's a pic of happy bribed girls.
We set out in the late afternoon on a Friday, when Andrew was working from home. The Elizabeth, NJ, Ikea is almost impossible to get to. We've been there a few times now, and the only time we haven't gotten lost is when Dad and I went near Christmastime. Every single other time we've gotten lost either going or returning. This time was no different. We got hideously lost and wound up on a highway sort of in the direction of home, and nowhere near Ikea.
Andrew, determined to get there, convinced me we should try again from the town where we'd desperately exited. Fortunately, we made it--after an hour and a half. It was past 6pm by this point, so we had to first get dinner at the cafe, and then it was 6:30pm and we hadn't even started shopping. We took the girls to the toy department and let them each pick out one thing, and then we beelined through our list. The girls did well, though by 8pm--well past bedtime--they were restless and done with Ikea. So were we.
But we were very happy we made the trip, and the room is now lovely and livable--not a formal room by any means, but a comfortable, pretty room we all like to spend time in. And the highlight of the room is one of the card catalogs from the Carnegie Library, a real showpiece. It makes the room.
Here's a pic of happy bribed girls.
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rotation!