From Sweden to My Patio

I'm not all that much of a shopping person. I'll enter a store with an idea of what I'm looking for, pick something out, and buy it (assuming they have what I want at a price I'm willing to pay, that is). Or I'll wander up and down the aisles in the grocery store looking for sales or anything else that catches my eye. Even places that sell electronics or movies I usually only spend a relatively short amount of time in. But for some reason, I really like shopping at Ikea.

I'll usually spend a couple hours there, including taking time to get something to eat. It's like a law that I can't leave without getting one of their cinnamon buns. And usually I'll get breakfast or lunch too, or at least some sort of “half-way through the store” snack from the cafeteria. I take my time wandering through the store looking at all the stuff they have, even if I've seen that particular chair 20 times before. I find it very relaxing looking at everything there. Even though lots of things, particularly the small household items they have downstairs, are the same sort of things I could find anywhere else, I've never thought of going to Home Outfitters and The Brick as a fun way to spend an afternoon yet an Ikea trip is.

So, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the vast majority of my furniture comes from Ikea. In fact, every piece of furniture outside my bedroom is from those Friendly Swedes. The only non-Ikea furniture I currently possess is a desk, shelf, dresser and bed frame. I've been using that dresser my entire life so a part of me really wants to hang on to it. The desk is probably the next thing to be replaced, as it's not in very good shape. And, of course, if I do actually go ahead and buy a new Mac in a couple weeks I'll definitely have to buy a nice new Ikea desk to put it on. I can't be putting fine Apple products on sub-standard furniture, after all...

On my most recent Ikea trip this past weekend, I picked up some chairs and a table for my patio. They're a whole lot nicer than the lawn chairs I used to have out there. And now that there's something out there aside from a folding chair or two it makes me actually want to do more to make my patio nicer. A plant or two and maybe some flowers for the other corner, perhaps. My mom has already offered some of the outdoor plants that they won't take with them when they move in a month so that'll help.

I like having good reasons to be outdoors, and now that I've bought some nice patio furniture I want to use it as much as possible. For the past three days in a row I've had dinner outside, plus even for something as simple as having a coffee or doing some reading I'll head out onto the patio. I've conveniently located the table near my patio's light which makes it a great place to read after it's dark out. I wouldn't be surprised if even in November I'll put on a warm coat, make myself a latte, and head outside for a bit.

I just have to make sure I sit in one of the chairs facing south. There's a much better view that way. Facing north, there still are a couple trees, but mainly a lovely view of the used car dealership across the street. Perhaps whatever plants I'm able to get from my parents will help obscure the view, or at least serve as a distraction from it. We shall see. Hey, I just remembered that Ikea sells plants too. Sounds like a great excuse to make another trip soon!