This & That

Yesterday, after running at 5:00am and doing some work at home on the computer for the U, my wife and I and a couple of our kids climbed into my wife's vehicle and took an hour and a half drive to spend a good part of the day at the closest IKEA to our home.  

IKEA is an interesting store, and it is really a bit of an adventure.  My wife and I have been trying to go there once each year (typically Summer) because it has so many interesting items and also because one floor of the store has various mock rooms of homes displaying their wares, it is also a bit inspirational for us as well, as we imagine possibilities for our future retirement.  We are still thinking about the potential, if we can afford it, for moving out of the snow belt and into somewhere warm year round.  Our most common "dream" idea is to find a two bedroom condominium hopefully an upper story (at least third floor but not the top floor) with a balcony.  Whether it comes to pass is anyone's guess, but it is what she and I often talk about and consider.  If it could be in a pleasant city-ish area with walk-able places (restaurants, move house, library, etc) that would be my ideal.  

At IKEA, the rooms on the second floor are a delight to see how they can have rooms with modest space serve many purposes well, and with a bit of panache.  But, the first floor is where we tend to spend a greater amount of time looking at various do-dads that are fun, helpful, and ascetically pleasing in most every case.  The image on this post is of one of the lamps that both I and my wife found quite attractive.  We are considering it (we did not get it yesterday, as we were not 100% sure, but we can order it on-line if we take the plunge).  I like its rather mid-century modern look.   If we get it, we would like it to be in our living room (which for all intents and purposes is a living room but ALSO really a music room (we have my mother's piano there, and my wife and I have our acoustic guitars out on stands, and I have stands with my clarinet, alto clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone out as well).  What we did buy, though were a few fun odds and ends.... a few very nice wooden spoons for cooking (our prior ones have seen better days), a fun, multi-tool for slicing hard boiled eggs into a variety of shapes, some new spatulas, and a pair of small, glass baking dishes that should be fun for cakes and casseroles (6 inch x 6 inch ; ~15cm x ~15 cm).  We also looked at some potential curtains for replacing the old ones in our family room and our bedroom.  We did not splurge on those yet as we (probably mostly me) had to think about it.  The two kids who came with us bought a variety of things for their own environs as well.

But, one other fun thing about IKEA is their restaurant, where they have rather interesting menu items.  I ended up having a lunch plate with salmon in a red, bell-pepper sauce, vegetables, quinoa, and pickled beets.  My wife was not as hungry, so she had a Ceasar salad.  Both of the kids with us decided to have the "classic" meatballs and mashed potatoes lunch that is perhaps the most well known of the IKEA menu items.  

It was an enjoyable day.  

Today, if I am able to get enough done, I am hoping to possibly journey to the "Retiree's Cigar Group".  I am keeping my fingers crossed I get enough done to warrant me doing so.   

PipeTobacco