We celebrated Graham’s birthday today with a trip to IKEA in Cardiff. It was his idea. I’d have settled for a great deal more but if breakfast in IKEA is his idea of a birthday treat who am I to argue? It’s not as if I’m ever in danger of arguing against an IKEA breakfast and today I had two. Just one didn’t seem likely to make me content with a slow perambulation around the World of IKEA.
The breakfast was a little too much for me and in future I’m likely to settle for just the one platter.
The perambulation was fine, though, and Graham greatly enjoyed it, especially as we managed to pick up all the items on his list. At my suggestion we held off on the purchase of room finishing things like pictures; I suspect that, as we finish each room, we shall find that our stock of prior purchases, both from IKEA and from more elegant and artsy-craftsy sources will find places just made for them, leaving the final result more substantial than can typically be obtained solely from IKEA.
I began to run out of steam towards the end of the three-level cycle, needing to sit down more and more frequently as we proceeded. By the end I was whacked.
The journey home was a bit of a burden. British motorways in poor light and dashing rain are not really the place for elderly motorists and, though I cut a dashing figure at first I was tending to grasp the steering wheel with the grim determination and doggedly upright posture of an old man by the end.
And then when we got home it was to find our driveway blocked by the builders from next door and I had to park further along the road than normal. I think that upset Graham rather more than it upset me so I told him not to let it spoil his day and we came indoors to unpack our goodies and to enjoy tea and mince-pies before a long and well-deserved nap.
I gave Graham new Panasonic digital camera for his main pressie and he’s been snapping away happily ever since, generating some really rather good pictures. I’m really impressed with that, and with his enthusiasm. I’m afraid that my joy in photography seems to have departed from me in recent times and, so far, seems disinclined to return.
So now it’s a glass or three of Graham’s favourite wine and a decent dinner for the two of us, followed by a good disaster movie I have no doubt.
And a good time shall be had by all.
