It must be homemade?

The IKEA Shopping Experience

One of the things we realised we were missing from our fast growing list of "must have's" for our new home was a new bed, wardrobes and a vast list of lighting fixtures.  When we sold up and moved these things were left behind or simply dumped as, not needed anymore.  We have so far trawled the furniture shops of the South of England and purchased much of what we needed aprt from the lighting fixtures!  We have been to every conceivable shop that sells lamps, lampshades or any other sort of lighting and can't find a single item.  So what with a new IKEA opening in Southampton we decided to set off there for a mid week crowd free browse just to see if the elusive light fitting may be lurking there.  OK, so we had forgotten it was half term and it wasn't until we found ourselves in a 5 mile queue of cars  that we realised.  Finding a parking space was not a problem apart from it being about 2 miles from IKEA which was good for our keep fit plan if not our shoe leather.  On arrival we were confronted by the longest queue I have seen since the opening of the London Eye! it trailed, snake like from the street up and down, back and forth for ages upwards (yes upwards to the top floor) to the Main entrance whereupon any thought of shopping went out of the window as once inside the vast emporium that is IKEA there was one solid mass of people shuffling along one behind the others to simply gawp at the range of "must have" IKEA items displayed.  We were trapped in this vast throng shuffling along as everyone else and getting increasingly irritated with each other as well as the often mindless people who rammed large shopping trolleys into you at various intervals. Needless to say, we escaped this madhouse resolving only to return in school time and only when we had some specific item to purchase!  

Can it be True? 

As we made a weary way back from the throngs still milling about in IKEA I noticed a sign in the window of an Indian Take Away proclaiming "Fresh Vegetarian Food Sold here".  This got me to thinking what else could have been on offer in this establishment and how often do you see these proclamations in all sorts of eateries?  Would anyone seriously want to think that the meal they are about to eat is anything but fresh and if it's not, where has it been? How old is the produce? When was it cooked? At this point my stomach has started to twitch a bit I have to confess.

We also see signs in pubs and cafes saying "Homemade" cottage pie or lasagna...... do we want it made at home, did the cook when at home wash their hands? Where at home was it made, the kitchen?  OK, we have "freshly made" and "homemade" so how about "handmade" or "home cooked" all these little phrases can generate a multitude of fears in the average person who wishes to avoid contracting e-coli, botulism or plain old fashioned "food poisoning" 

When I had finished worrying about my next meal out I was silly enough to spot a furniture shop stating in large letters on a sign in the window  "Table and 4 Chairs" all "solid wood" !! What next, hollow wood, plastic wood .... I give up.   

We are still looking for the lights with no luck yet!