They came, they saw, they fell fast asleep...

Yesterday, a pile of us went down to IKEA... my father and I had been there before, of course, so we were at least minimally prepared for the sensory onslaught, but my sisters and Emily were lambs to the slaughter, as far as retail overload is concerned.

I drove down, and everyone on the passenger side of the car slept most of the way. Emily stayed awake, as did I. Then we shopped and shopped and shopped, and then my dad agreed to drive home... which allowed everyone else in the car to pass out like someone had dropped a hand grenade of ether into the minivan.

Before we went, I would tell my sisters, "This store is unique. It's amazing. Seriously. Wait till you see it." And they would nod smugly and brush me off as being a little too hausfrau and sheltered. Silly, worldy girls - take THAT.

So now I have an eventually-nice sideboard which is currently in several small pieces on the floor of the minivan because no one had the energy to unpack that puppy last night. And we arrived home to a full lobster dinner cooked by Willem, who announced the night before that he didn't want to "drive four hours to go to a furniture store." Sily, misguided man - IKEA is not a furniture store, it's an event. But it meant he stayed home with Jacob, and there was enough room to bring my new toy home, so I can't complain.

I'll hit him with an IKEA grenade some other time.