It Is What It Is: This Is Why I Pre-Shop

Colin's Room Renovation Project is coming right along.Yesterday was painting day. Mad props to my girl, Cara who did most of the 1st coat while I peeled off the green paint from the smallest wall. Who expected that disaster? No me...thought I could paint right over it until it started peeling like a '70's sunburn. Oooohhh, it hurt so good.

Today we go to Ikea. Last night EVERYONE wanted to go. Noon today? Not so much. Colin and Cara were still asleep and changed their minds. So its just me and Scott. WoW! A date to Ikea.

Me: Have you been to Ikea before?
Scott: I don't think so...
Me: Here's how it works. You go upstairs, follow the maze to what you want, look on the card for the aisle number, go downstairs, get the box, go pay...
Scott: What do you mean, get the box, don't they just put it in the truck???
Me: Its Ikea, you have to put it together...
Scott: Can't I just pay the $5 and they will load the put together one in the truck?
Me: No...
Scott: I bet they will if I ask.
Me: Ok, you can try that...

At Ikea we have to park pretty far away because it is Labor Day Sunday and there is a Lowes, Costco and Ikea in the same center as well as some smaller shops. I show him where he will have to pull the truck up to pick up the purchases. I think he wants to just park there but he also wants to go in and see the couch.

We go the stairs. Fear is in his eyes. We start the maze. I direct him to follow the arrows. Everyone is going in the same direction following the arrows.

Scott: What if you want to go back the way we came in.
Me: You can't.
Scott: Why not?
Me: Its the Ikea way.
Scott: Why did you get that yellow bag?
Me: In case I want to pick up something along the way. He looks at me like I'm crazy.

Me: Here's the couch. (Scott just looks blankly.) Do you want to try it? (He sits.)
Scott: Its good. How do we get it?
Me: Find someone to print out a ticket for pick up?
Scott: Are we done?
Me: I want to get a comforter or duvet cover?
Scott: Duvet?
Me: Never mind, its a cover for a comforter. It will match the couch.

We get the ticket and keep going forward. I can see he is done with the looky loos. We get down stairs and pick up a cart. Follow the arrows on the downstairs floor through the Marketplace.

The cart is the BOMB! Suddenly Scott is in NASCAR mode. He weaves in and out of people. Comes within inches of a family with a cart full of babies. "Wide load on the right!", he says after a woman with a lot of junk in the trunk. He changes lanes like a pro.

Scott: I see the finish! (checkout) I'll go get the truck, while you pay.
Checkered Flag! Winner, Winner, Meatball Dinner! (gotta get those Ikea Swedish meatballs)

He finished like a pro. Gotta try everything once. No way is he ever going back to Ikea.

I'll put together the couch, I say. I'm pretty good at Ikea stuff. So he took everything out of the boxes and illegally dumped them at the baseball field while handy girl Cara and I built the couch with a little help from Colin.