Like HGTV, Only Not

Okay, so this week Susie and I dared to go where no man has gone before: 2 different IKEAs, 2 days in a row. It's like Extreme Sports, but with made-up Swedish words.

The BEFORE picture

We had to. You see, for years our family has been living with old Ektorp slipcovers that, frankly, have seen better days. Oh, a couple of years ago I did try to replace them, but that attempt was doomed to failure. So we soldiered on with the orange-red corduroy slipcovers from 2007 on our couch and 2 armchairs AND ottoman, trying to pretend that we liked things that way.

Something pushed me over the edge, though - maybe it was trying to resuscitate those things to look decent when I hosted Bunko last week. Or maybe it was last Sunday, when the friend I hadn't seen in years was coming over and would have to sit herself down on these bedraggled remnants of our once-proud sofa covers. I don't know.

However it came about, Susie and I betook ourselves in search of replacements. We settled - after prolonged discussion - on the Nordvalla dark gray, even though I worried it wouldn't be dark enough to contrast with my beloved Lenox Tan walls. We came home, however, with only one armchair cover and a couch cover, because some things were out of stock, or we couldn't find them, or whatever.

Because IKEA.

Brian put the new armchair cover on and pronounced it satisfactory. This was after he had valiantly taped the backrest pillow back together, as it sort of fell apart when he took it out of the old cover. These chairs, they are ANCIENT. He was about to do the couch, also, when he noticed the picture on the box. It was the cover for the loveseat, instead of the 3-seater. Because, of course Susie and I had grabbed the wrong box, despite having spent 20 minutes looking for the right aisle and the right bin and the right color.

Because IKEA.

So Susie and I went to ANOTHER IKEA the next day, after checking to make sure what we wanted was in stock. We swept in there like Special Forces troops on a mission, made a beeline for Aisle 25, and hit the jackpot: a sofa cover, another armchair cover, AND an ottoman cover. Then Susie made me search in the Marketplace for Fjadrar cushions and their accompanying spiffy designer cases, so our living room "would look nice, like other people's."

Ouch.

We also went through the whole stupid showroom again, checking out bookcases and sofas and what not, because IKEA.

Long story short (too late, I know), MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

Look! Just like other people!

I get a little choked up, just looking at it. Also, the more eagle-eyed (or just plain bored) among you may have noticed that tiny camel sitting on the speaker to the right of the couch. Yes, my house is STILL camel-infested. In case you were wondering...