We made a trek to ikea yesterday, it was training cats and dogs all the way there. Funny thing about THAT MUCH rain, it really beats down your morale. Hands clutched onto the steering wheel in a pale knuckle death grip,heart pounding, eyes wide with fear, shallow breathing, scared passengers. It was a hell of a trip up to charlotte from spartanburg-felt like several damn hours. And then, just when we all felt beat down, it arrived. Like a shining city on the hill, lighting up all around it. In the haze of rain and fog, ikea charlotte was a sight for sore eyes. As we crested the hill we got a quick glimpse of the parking lot.

Wow. Just. Wow. All of charlotte had the same hankering for meatballs and lingonberry soda as we did.

After dropping duchess & sugarmouse up front, I had to park the car near the interstate and hike in-the parking lot was fuller than it is at christmas. But that nutty place, even when packed tight, was still a delight. A leisurely late lunch filled with laughs. Cart races. Rat diving. Chair and sofa testing. Early dinner. Bags of swedish gummy fish. And we were there about four hours, only to find we had to drive home through a wall of impenetrable fog. But when the fog finally broke it was a great thing to realize. The gift of the day, to have all of us together-healthy,happy, fed, playful. Thx for that, ikea. And thanks for all the fish.