The kitchen, again

After we designed the kitchen at IKEA, and had a car to actually pick up the kitchen, Paul, Jeff and I went back there with the intention of taking home as much as we could fit in the car and then have IKEA deliver the rest. We thought we knew how it worked, based upon how it worked back home.... you pay for the goods then you bring your car over to a pickup area and then give them the sales slip and they bring out your stuff. Well, after we stood in line for about 30 minutes and got to the register, the girl (who spoke very little English) explained to us that we had to collect the stuff from a warehouse area and then bring it all to the register to pay for it. ........ so we found a cart and began to load it.... we found the first item and took it off the shelf, but instead of being about 3 feet long as we expected, we pulled, and pulled, and pulled until about 9 feet of something came out. I didn't think it would fit in the car, and besides, we don't even own a 220 volt power saw. There would be no way to cut the stuff. Well, I had about enough of this and finally said that I refused to build my own kitchen. Paul agreed but insisted that *I* find someone to build it for me. So while he arranged for them to deliver the stuff, I went off and tried to find someone who could recommend a kitchen putter-togetherer person. Of course I had to do this in French. And the person who gave me the recommendation asked if someone would be home who could talk French to this assembly person. I lied and said Bien Sur (of course). So I got a name and a delivery date but I wasn't a happy camper.

Then one day, before the stuff got delivered I got a call from my guardian angel, Madame Helleputte!! When I told her of my kitchen troubles, she said she knew someone who could assemble my kitchen, and on top of that, he spoke English! So she arranged for him to come by. He was a delightful man who indeed spoke English and did a wonderful job putting my kitchen together. I would say that he was a bit slow, but the quality of work was superb. Of course, we won't be here forever, and it is unfortunate that such good work is going to be appreciated for a maximum of 3 years, but, oh well! I'm now happy that I have a kitchen that functions.