But Will It Fit In The Car?

I went to the shopping Mecca that is IKEA yesterday and I'm still recovering! I've only ever been once before and it's actually quite full-on. There was so much choice that I felt quite overwhelmed, and by the end of it I was mentally exhausted with unfulfilled options.

A friend of mine has just bought a house and needed to get some bits and pieces to furnish it with. At first I felt disappointed that it wasn't my house that we were decorating, but eventually I was relieved - there were so many things there; what if I picked the wrong items - my house could end up a flatpack smorgasbord.

The response I met from others when informing them of my imminent IKEA visit fell firmly into 2 camps - there were those that grimaced as if I had just told them I was going for a root canal; and the others who looked very excited and started to write down their order. The one thing they all agreed on however, was that it was essential to order the meatballs and 'jam' from the cafe. When I got here though, it looked decidedly like vomit so I opted for the fish and chips instead.

By the end of the day I felt shattered; measurements had been involved and it was all quite stressful. Deciphering the names was pretty interesting: Klunsa, Logga and Pyssla to name a few and I came away with the nagging suspicion that IKEA is a purpose-built social experiment designed to separate the Aspviks from the Bjurstas.