Journal to a Muse

Snugging up the family ties.

I have now had 4 lovely days with DS and his GF.
North Texas has been welcoming. Hot as usual, T-storms every afternoon but today. They've let me: help them with a nearly impossible jigsaw puzzle, make breakfast several days in a row, and generally hang out. I think they are having a nice change of pace from their master's degree work before returning up North. Yesterday they visited the Dallas Aquarium. I didn't know the Aquarium had monkeys, rabbits and felines. I better get down there myself. Today they went to Six Flags over Texas. NO LINES! The fact that slender GF blacked out 5 times apparently doesn't bother either of them. Her mother read her the riot act by telephone... and I tried to stay out of it. Tomorrow they may head for the Mesquite rodeo. I hope they don't try bull riding.















DH and I finally made it to the new Ikea in Frisco. Wowie!

When we first walked in we were almost overpowered with the delicious aroma of cinnamon rolls... but soon, the happy ska music and serenely Scandinavian sensibility had our sugar cravings calmed down. The prices were as low as I'd heard, and the design... well, the design is going to be a huge improvement for most people who don't have the luxury of a less-than-manic interior designer.





There have been some ill advised articles in the Dallas Morning News saying that Ikea is just a "foreign" Wal-mart. Indulging in Xenophobia is not smart... and besides that I think that what the Swedes are managing to export is sensible. Good use of space. Renewable resources. Requiring some "input" (i.e. assembly) by the purchaser seems like a good thing. And for those (unlike me) who do NOT wish to return to mid-century modern everything, there were some rather traditional styles.

Once thing Ikea didn't have, though, was pitchers. (At least that we could find). So after I sketched a few people at the Stonebriar food court, DH and I went to Pottery Barn, where we got the large and small pitchers. DH didn't think I should be serving my Crystal lite lemonade from a flower vase. HE has standards!

DS and GF and DH and I all sat down to a family dinner... It happens rarely in THIS house... but it was nice. No in-depth conversations... (DH and I had several as we walked around the shops and drank our bottled water....)... but a nice time.

Tomorrow I promise some sketch scans and maybe another "turned heel" on the #1 pair of Socketta socks.