Ikea

Ikea! The store where, if you don't get lost in it, you can find just about everything! I remember people telling me about it years ago and they were shocked that I had never heard of it. My first real memory is of Sid Leiberman, a professional story teller, relating a story about helping his son set up a new apartment when he went to college. Everyone told them to "Go to Ikea!!" I had had a great laugh during that story but never thought I'd see the day when it would become a guilty pleasure. In the mail two days ago comes an add for just this weekend. Glance at it, throw in purse(more commonly refered to as the great unknown), and say look later. That night look and discover down pillows on sale Friday only for $9.99! Some of you may understand the magnitude of this deal. If you travel with the Gambles, you know we come with all our own pillows because there are never enough, even in hotels, to sleep comfortably. Tom had back surgery 12 years(has it really been that long?) ago and needs multiple pillows to sleep with. School gets out and I drag three girls to Ikea(a 20 minute drive) to purchase pillows. They are sold out!! But I said they have everything didn't I?! Find down alternative pillows in bigger size for the same price! Girls now complaining loudly that they need a new pillow too. Leave store with 5 new pillows, 1 package of pillow cases, 2 fitted(oops!) king size sheets, and 4 packages of Swedish cookies( I blame Aunt Solveig for this!) that I can only get at Ikea. After I help clean the ward building at 8 AM this morning it's back to Ikea for a new down comforter cover with matching shams for $19.99. Did I mention that yesterday was payday?! While out that way I'll probably stop at Fry's Electronics to see if my dream cordless phone system is on sale since we may have 5 phones but only 2 will let you talk for more that 2 minutes and I've spent more money replacing batteries now than the cost of new phones. Fry's is the electronic equivilent to Ikea - if they don't have it, it doesn't yet exist. When I get home I hope to finish putting away Christmas since it is Febuary 1st tomorrow and clean all the tile floors with my steamer I got from Christmas. Moving away from family stinks 'cause then you have to get all the things you borrow from everyone.