Sunday, March 8, 2009

What’s Swedish for “Stick to the list?”

Todd, Dylan, Sofia, and I are off to Ikea today. The last time we went we entered when it was still bright daylight outside and only realized that the sun had set when we were checking out. That place is like a casino in the sense that it’s all enclosed with no clocks anywhere (except for the boxed ones they’re selling, of course). It’s impossible to know what time it is, and so you end up spending both more time and money than you ever expected. This time, it’s all about a list: shelves, hooks, a file container of some kind. No more impulse purchases, which for me are always about baking materials that I don’t need and don’t use, like the bread pan in which I’ve never made bread and the cake decorating kit, with which I’ve decorated nary a cake. I still have high hopes for both purchases, but until I put them to use I’m cutting myself off from buying more. Except for maybe a rolling pin...I really need a rolling pin....

3 comments:

Rena said...

I'm jealous. I miss Ikea :(

Tina said...

I soooo feel your pain. Every trip to Ikea is like entering a parallel universe where I'm a great cook who needs additional gadgets; a decorating wizard that could totally make that look work in the hallway; super hostess with the mostess in need of a set of 16 whatevers...

And I suppose taking kids along just makes it even more enticing.

How did ya do with that list?

Tori said...

We did ok. We definitely went off list a little bit (some bedding, a couple of picture frames, etc.) but our impulse purchasing was definitely kept to a minimum. The kids were mostly good, but they did find time and ways to drive each other (and us) crazy—like when they both wanted to sit in the cart and get buried with all the stuff we were buying, but then fought like animals when the other one would push too much on them. Apparently there is an optimal level of buried-ness, and just ONE extra thing from the other kid’s side of the cart pushed them over the edge.