We went to IKEA

We went to IKEA.  I was a bit stressed about it, as we needed to get the bus into town and then the bus back out again, with little bear and darling father and I wasn't very sure of the stops.  At least darling father waits patiently at bus stops.  However we didn't get the usual bus into town.  Normally we get the bus at the stop closest to us, which is a bus that is run by First Bus.  However if we were getting a bus to IKEA then we would get a bus to there which was run by Arriva, so we went a little way away and went to a bus stop that has buses to town run by Arriva, so that little bear and I could get day tickets.  To be honest, I am not sure I actually saved much, but it made a change.

Little bear was very clear.  He had heard that there was a free creche at IKEA (easier for parents to spend money) and he was determined he was going there, he was going straight there, and he would take no objection.  After the route march from the bus stop to the store itself, we dropped little bear off and then darling father and I had a much needed cuppa and cake.  IKEA do really nice cakes - worth going there for the cake alone. 

To little bear's disappointment, the creche only ran until 5.30, and OH wasn't meeting us until 6.30, so not only did he have to stop playing, but he had to do the shopping bit as well!  This was not fair, and he didn't like it at all.  He enjoyed the creche so much that he turned his charming smile on the lady who was checking him out and told her we would be coming there every Monday.  He is going to be so disappointed.   Fortunately he lost interest in the sulks as we started joking about the sofas and tables that we saw.  We had a really fun time and got the material we need for the cushions to match the waste paper bin, also some lining material to go with it. 

To get to the material we had to get past the children's section.  This actually was easier than I thought it would be.  I managed to pick up a toy for a friend's little girl's birthday and avoid little bear's strong and earnest hints for one for him.  Also little bear was so tired, he is still getting used to being back at school and the poor mite has a really good barking cough.  He didn't have the energy for much persuasion. 

After meeting up with OH we had a lovely meal (subsidised, I believe, to help you spend money in the store) and we picked up the lamp for little bear's room, the new lamp for the living room that suits the waste paper bin and the two huge bookcases that may possibly be big enough to hold little bear's books.  Little bear's enjoyment of the day was crowned when while OH went through a long and tortuous negotiation about delivery, little bear got to go on the out door playground.  As he was exhausted, he speeded up, and he was dashing backwards and forwards with a sort of frantic look as he played on as much of the playground as was not being rained on.  It was as if he was going faster and faster because if he slowed down he would just fall asleep, and where is the fun in that?  We got home, he went to bed, and he went to sleep.  I think he would regard his day as successful.