After a hectic morning and noon at ProFa, I made a lovely little trip to Ikea, and am now the proud owner of plastis, solljus, sälöm, ängsö, solljus and something whose name escapes me at the moment.

Oh, how I love Ikea. The colours. The illusion that life can be colourful and tidy. The illusion of being unique. The cute little model flats that have swedish books on the shelves. *sigh*
I grew up with Ikea and have loved it ever since. Even though my rents never let me play in the colourful playland that had that ball pool, going to Ikea was always an event. At the least, I would nick a few of these blue and yellow pencils that you get so that you can jot down where you find the product of your choice in the warehouse. I always hoped I'd get that green snake that is still in their program. I never did. But it was still fun, every time, looking at things I thought were dead cool.
I remember buying my first sofa there, back when Fabian moved out of his big room and into the basement. A lovely sofa, that is still in my old room. I bought it because my friend Jane had it; I slept on it for the time our exchange student Mary was there, I had tons of sex on it (that thing saw a fair share of occupants, actually), I still love it to shreds.

Most of my furniture here at my flat and actually an incredible amount of stuff that I own is from there and had cute little swedish names when I first met the.
My desk (self assembled), my lamp, the magnet noteboard, my shelves, my closet, my chest of drawers, my sheets, my carpet, my table, my extra chairs, my glasses, my cuttlery, my plates. Almost everything, indeed. My bed isn't from there, though, the only bigger piece of furniture bought somewhere else, even though it fits perfectly into the Ikea scheme.

So I went to Ikea today. I made my way through there this afternoon, the place was as empty as I've never seen it before, and everyone seemed relaxed and happy being surrounded by Ivar, Billy and Biallit. Apart from me, most customers where young couples with young kids trying out sofas and being happy, pregnant women with non-pregnant friends shopping for baby furniture, french women buying plants, young couples, with compulsory bod mod shopping for closets.

So I walked through there, at first avoiding to use a yellow bag, because once I have that yellow bag over my shoulder, everything I want goes in there. I stared longingly at yellow and orange rubber CD holders that would look so much better than the boring black ones I have now (Ikea would be replaced by better, newer, more colourful Ikea). I stared longingly at some sheets. I stared longingly at some kitchen stuff.
Once I had made my way through the exhibition part, I had to get a bag though. First thing that went in there was "plastis" a pair of 1.90DM plastic gloves in red and orange with cute little decoration. I resisted a yellow plastis washing up brush that looked like a snake. Next one to join plastis in the yellow bag were two solljus sets, both made of adorable plastic in yellow, red, pink and orange, adorable 1950's weave. *sigh* Both just 3DM each.
I fought with myself to not purchase any replacements for my Rondo plates, just not that important at the moment. Stared at the vase whose name I have forgotten. Put it up, put it down, put it up, put it down. went off. Looked at things that didn't tempt me at all (lamps). Stared at some cute computer accessories. Resisted. Stared at picture frames. (and resisted). And then came to the outdoor/gardening section, which was the real reason why I came. Looked at sunshades...and while the one I had wanted was only there in an icky shade of baby blue, I chose sälöm, which sure has an odd colour combo (very 50ish blue, yellow, green, orange with white - look okay on my balcony though). And it was the cheapest, too - 19DM. Who's to complain there? And then I saw the solljus kite bag. Fabian has it. It's orange and yellow and red and pink (do you seen a pattern here?) and 1,20m long and lovely. And I looked at it. And looked at it. And decided that I wanted it. And that 10Dm sure was okay for something that serves no purpose other than being decorative.
Now that I had sälöm, I needed something to hold sälöm in place. On the scene for ängsö. Made of plastic and concrete, weighing about 20kg, 25DM. I thought, hey, I can get that home somehow.

Standing at the checkout, I saw the 3DM vase I had resisted earlier again and decided that I needed it after all. - What if Evan's birthday flowers did in fact arrive after all?

*sigh*

The pleasure of buying at Ikea. You know if you've resisted once on your way through the store, doesn't mean it's over yet. They have whatever you want right at the checkout again, those clever swedes.

I did make my way home somehow, too, ängsö in a hastily bought blue Ikea bag. Arrived all high on purchases and lack of food. Assembled my sunshade. Put up my solljum kite bag that is swinging in the breeze happily. Washed the 3DM vase without a name. And feel damn good.
Can't wait to get up tomorrow, open my sunshade and sit in the shade and feel good. About buying cheapo things that make me feel at home at my home and that bring colour into my everyday life.

Oh, Ikea makes me happy. Very very happy.

*sigh*