A TALE OF TWO CHAIRS...and other stuff

**Thanks Debbie...from debbiedoo's for highlighting my before and after kitchen wall! You're the best!


So, the last time I was in Michigan...

and right before I was leaving to take the 6 hour drive back home...

I went to pick up a prescription for my dad...

which happened to be in the same little strip mall as Marshall's...

A conversation ensued...

"Sensible Me" says:  "Sharon, You need to get on the road...it's 1pm...it's been raining on and off...it's looking kind of stormy...you have at least a 6 hour drive home....and you have to get up in the morning and go to work...so skip Marshall's!"

The "other me" says:  "But...you might find a jig saw puzzle for mom...it's something she might be able to do...to keep her mind active and occupy her time...Marshall's has a toy section"

"Sensible Me: chirps in: "Their toy section 
is not really a section...but a shelf or two! 

You know, you really just want to go for 
your own selfish self!"

The "Other Me" reasons: "I'll just make a quick run in and out...I'll be on the road in no time...

they just might have a puzzle!"

The "other me" won...

and in I went...

I probably should have listened to "Sensible Me"...

13 hours later...I finally pulled into my driveway!

...it was 2:00 AM!

here's the story...

I spotted two chairs...across the crowded store...
it was love at first site...
like a dream...I was trying to run to them...but it felt like I was getting nowhere...
I had to get to those chairs...

2 matching chairs...

which is unusual for Marshall's 
I loved the fabric...

More conversation ensued:

The "other me" shouts:  "I want these chairs!  Thank you hubby, for needing my Ford Explorer forcing me to drive your big Chevy pickup truck!  Thank you Marshall's for allowing returns on furniture...even in another state...if I should get them home and decide they won't work! 
If you don't get them now...
you'll never find them again!

"Sensible Me" yells:  "You need to get on the road"

"You don't have enough money in your checking account to even pay for them"

You need to get the prescription to dad. It's raining now...and only God knows what kind of weather you'll have to drive through...you have no tarp or anything...you're going to ruin two perfectly... perfect chairs!!

The "Other Me" won...again!

here's how it went down...

called hubby to see if he would transfer some money into my account...

he actually did...

asked store to hold chairs for an hour, so I could drop off prescription to dad, pack up my luggage...so no one in Michigan would be the wiser...they would think me a nutcase to try and get 2 brand new chairs home to Indiana...
in the rain...

get back to Marshall's to pay for chairs...they tell me I will save 10 % if I apply for a
Marshall's credit card...it's a larger purchase...so I decide to take the time to do so...

 go back and get the 2 lamps I saw earlier...
since I will now get them at 10% off

go out to the car and get 
the basket...
the lantern...
the cute bottles...
and the shower curtain, I had purchased earlier...when I asked them to 
hold the chairs for me...
they were going to adjust the price...and give me 10% on those items as well...

While Marshall's is wrapping...

I run down the strip mall to Dunham's Sporting Goods to buy a tarp

ask employee, who has to call up a manager...to find out if someone can help me tarp two chairs...cause I don't know how...
and after all, you owe me...
I'm buying a tarp from ya!

They say "yes"..."if Mike wants to"...he says "ok" but I don't think he's to excited about it...but I don't care...I want those chairs...and I'm a customer...

I bought a tarp...

I go back to Marshall's...to get my saran  
wrapped chairs...

Go back to Dunham's, let them know I have returned...

wait around until reluctant employee comes out...he grabs another employee 
along the way to help...

I know almost immediately that they know less than I do about tarping effectively...

for the next 45 minutes they work on getting the tarp secure...

Against my better judgement I say "Thank you" and give them 20 bucks and told them to "have lunch on me"...

within 3 mins of leaving the parking lot...the tarp is flapping 

what do I do? what do I do?...everyone I can think of who might be able to help...lives at least 20 mins in the wrong direction...

I call my 80 year old inlaws...

they're sorta on the way...and seeing as how they were campers back in the day...I assumed my father in law knew how to tarp...I don't know the connection...but whatever...

he says "I've never tarped...but come on over...I'll see what I can do"

My inlaws come out to the truck and we spend another 30 minutes or so...tightening up ropes...and tucking tarp...

I drive around the block...the tarp is flying!

I go back to my inlaws...

we decide we need to unload...
and start completely over...

My mother in law, bless her heart...knows how to wrap chairs with tarp...must be all of the gift wrapping she has done.

they lend me clamps that will help hold the tarp...along with the ropes...

it begins to rain again...

I love you guys! Thank you!!

get on the interstate...

doing good for about an hour...

start to get a bit more action on the tarp...pull off to check...clamps are sort of working...but tarp is starting to rip...I think some clamps may have been whipped into outer space as tarp had flapped widely...

more clamps are needed...

I pull off in Ann Arbor Michigan on a Sunday night about 7ish...to find clamps

Good Luck...

I stop at a auto store...

Can you believe they're open?...

they don't sell clamps...

but send me to Lowes...

a couple of miles down the road...

Thank God for Lowes!

Thank God the rain has been only 
sprinkles here and sprinkles there!

I buy more clamps...and re secure tarp...

Stop off for ice cream...I'm a stress eater...

Back on the road...

seems to be working...I'm feeling good...

...until dark...

can see shadows moving back there...but can't tell if it's just air puffs...or total tarp flapping...

out of paranoia, I stop every 30-45 minutes...

to check tarp...

slight re adjusting on the clamps each time...

Finally pull into driveway around 2am...

hubby is on a business trip...

I hadn't thought about that...

I now must undo all of these clamps...

and ropes...
in the dark...

and carry two big chairs into my home...
by myself...

as well as luggage...
at 2 am...
when I need to be at work in just a few hours...

I think I still love my chairs...

Have to sit in a sleepy dazed 
state on the couch...
and stare at chairs for a bit...

trying to wind down...have had lots of coffee... 

yes...I love the chairs...

climb into bed at 3:30 am...

Still feels like I'm riding in a car...

next day after stumbling through work...

actually move the chairs from the middle of the room...to the location they will be...

I don't like the chairs...

they won't work there...

they have to be returned...

chairs now sitting in office...
waiting to be returned...

"Sensible Me" whispers..."I tried to tell you"

After a couple of days...Bingo!
...I like them in the office

I'm getting ready to paint in there anyway...

I'm keeping my chairs after all...

What a gal won't do for a couple 
of chairs from Marshall's!...

Where there's a will...there's a way!

Except for dieting...I'm a stress eater!

Was it worth it???

To me...Yes!
would I do it again...
probably...
I have another similar story 
that has happened since...
I'll save that one for another day!

God Bless!

Sharon

french country cottage