Confession

Yes, it's late (but that's nothing new) and I'm feeling confessional. I have a new love in my life. Not even all that new, to be honest, but I'm only really opening up to my true feelings now. Don't kill me, I'm a slow starter.

And who is this wonder person, I hear you ask?

Oh, wonder indeed. But not a person (or an animal, for those of you with baser instincts) either.

No, the not-so-new love of my life is IKEA. I know lots of people hate the place, even come out in hives just thinking about having to follow that fiendish Scandinavian floor plan.

But not me.

I just LURVE that place!

And, proof that such things are genetic, both C and L LURVE it too (though not (yet) necessarily for the same reasons).

We got there late this evening, past 6.30 pm (bearing in mind the shop closes at 9 pm here), and started by looking at the gorgeous (and CHEAP!) soft toys. L fell in love with a weird-looking yellow camel thing and had a total meltdown until I convinced her that maybe she could ask Father Christmas for it.

Then we had dinner (no, not the meatballs, though I was tempted), which was good (and CHEAP! - can you see a pattern forming here?).

And then we let the girls loose to go and play, first in the restaurant play area, then in the main kids' section.

Oh, what a trap that place is! Every time we go (and we go there quite often, I have to admit) I see more and more STUFF I would like to buy. It's totally addictive.

I know their furniture comes in kit form (but I don't care about that! I love putting it all together!), and I know some of it probably isn't really designed to last. But it's all just so pretty, so fresh, so modern, so Scandinavian, so what-I-want...

So, I'm pretty much smitten, and I'm already planning my next trip (Trofast for the girls' room, plus wrapping paper, and maybe picture frames, or a mirror or new chairs, or maybe just those yummy, yummy double-chocolate oatmeal cookies...).

Plus, I've enrolled the girls for the IKEA Christmas party on 3 December (a show, tea and surprises!), even if I seem to be more excited about it than they are (why? Well, the party lasts 2 hours and AT LEAST ONE PARENT MUST STAY IN THE SHOP FOR THE ENTIRE TIME. Guess who, out of me or D, will volunteer for that!).

Truly, this is a marriage made in heaven!