Thursday evening just as Nat and I are rummaging around to make a frozen fish supper (yuk!!) our son-in-law rang the front door bell. This good man had decided to actually deliver the new kitchen faucet we ordered. The St. Catharines Rona didn’t have the one we wanted, but the Grimsby store did. As he would be going to the Grimsby store later that afternoon, he picked it up and delivered it after his work. We told him we would pick it up from St. Catharines, but Tom really likes to help out as much as he can. Plus, I think his curiosity had gotten the better of him and he was looking for an advance peek at the new kitchen and how far it had come.
This morning before Simon was to arrive at 8:30, I could hear Nat still out in the garage. He still had it in his mind that the side panels were wrong and was still going by the measurements. I grabbed the Purchase Order, turned to the page showing the side panels, read out the purchase order numbers, and as he grabbed each box I put them aside all on their own. All was accounted for. There was then a big discussion about going to the Ikea Burlington Store in the morning (Saturday) to pick up whatever else was needed. I couldn’t have agreed more. This was now getting ridiculous and I wanted Nat’s mind to be re-assured that all parts, thing-a-ma-jigs and whatnots would be actually in our house for Monday morning and Simon’s arrival.
This poor man’s head was spinning and I couldn’t calm him down. I even yelled at him to calm down but he turns around, looks right in my eyes and tells me to calm down!! As I take a deep breadth I realize it’s 9:00 AM and pill time and meanwhile Simon is now getting his stuff in order, avoiding us in the garage at all cost and wondering what in Hell happened after he left last night. As Nat is getting so frustrated and upset about mistakes being made, I re-iterated this was not Ikea’s fault. He even had Simon believing that Ikea was not treating us right. I pulled both aside and told them they had it wrong – most of the screw-ups were ours:
-the one drawer front that slipped out of Nat’s hands, dropping on a cement floor during assembly and creating such a corner dent it had to be replaced – (already re-ordered and received);
-one more drawer front that was dinged but only noticed by Simon once that cabinet was installed. This was a bit of a surprise to me, but I bit my tongue. This was the first cabinet assembled and for some reason became an experiment in Ikea cabinetry assembly.;
-the so-called missing side panels (neither of which man could see them on the purchase order;
-an extra side panel to go between the oven and dishwasher (only because of the original screw-up of kitchen measurements)
-the Deco Strips (for hiding under cabinet lighting) were never ordered because we didn’t think they were needed.
In order to cool off, I sat in the office getting next weeks’ pills ready while Nat sat in the dining room doing his crossword puzzle. Simon and Dale worked away as if nothing had happened, but what I wouldn’t have given to read their minds. Those poor lads must think we’re Edith and Archie Bunker or The Jeffersons. I soon returned and told Nat (not suggested but told) we were going to The Mandarin for lunch in order to get out of the house, take some really deep breadths and relax somewhat. As we’ve done in the past, our lunch at The Mandarin is usually big enough to last us until the next day. We’re usually too full to think about a supper and only grab a drink and a small snack when needed. By doing this we’d be taking care of lunch and supper all in one swoop. Things are too discombobulated in this house right now to even think about meal preparation.
Our lunch was very nice and yes, relaxing, and when we returned home we were again surprised at the progress being made. The base cabinets were now going in, Simon was making the insert for the upper cabinet above the fridge and Dale was working away at putting up door hinges, etc. Finally everyone had settled in for the afternoon, the boys did their work, we sat around and all was good on Dominion Road again. We even had quite a few laughs with Simon and Dale whenever some topic came up and we all joined in. What a difference a good laugh can do. Thanks boys!!
Filed under: Family News
