Further Tales of Ikea

What's the sense in having a blog, where those who care about such things can check up on your comings and goings and then forget to post on it?
Good point.
Oops.
We crossed the border around tea-time Friday afternoon. We knew it could take a while because my visa waiver had run out. The border guard was friendly and just said,
'You know the drill folks.' I liked that. I'm trying to remember not to say 'guys' when I don't mean ...well, guys. I'm not a guy. So I was impressed.

Yesterday, as forecast, it rained, we even had one single roll of thunder. The rain keeps the riff-raff out of the pools, so I had several much more enjoyable swims.

I finished reading 'The Book Thief' by Markus Zusak. As pre-warned by Sleepy, it made me cry, big, sobbing crying.

When we got back around lunchtime today, there was a message from Gail on the answerphone. She would be in Ikea, so having phoned and ascertained that she had already gone, I decided to just schlepp over there and try to find her.
This gave me a whole new perspective. I had to look at the people instead of the lovely Ikea stuff.
First off, I tried to peer surreptitiously into the kiddie play area. That doesn't quite work. You can't peer and be surreptitious. I just felt suspicious.
But then I was able to scan the cafeteria. Or do I mean scrutinise? Yes, I did scrutinise it.

Then I went backwards round the store, well, at least I was walking forwards but going against the flow. There were a couple more opportunities for being creepy, when I saw someone who looked about Gail's height and with Gail-like hair, but with her back to me. Both times I kind of hovered until she turned round.

The potential for people-watching in Ikea on a Sunday is enormous. The way people inspect and prod things, allow their children to throw things around and just generally run around annoying the shoppers - when there is in fact a supervised play area. When a man dropped a glass and it shattered, I was more amused than concerned when some father who had allowed his toddler to just wander around in the glass and china section, suddenly had to stop him running hell for leather towards the broken tumbler. And the child was called Angus. Seriously, toddler called Angus. There are some names children should be sheltered from until they get older.

I never did find Gail, but I was able to get a couple of things we were unable to find last week.
Ikea, so wonderful to come home to.