took

Pickles out to a long lunch at an Irish Pub

then

.....30-min ARC Trainer.......

Tet, with you having been a lawyer and my experiences with lawyers and mechanical aptitude, I'd be glad to fly out and assemble that Ikea stuff for you if you can't figure it out. 

Doug, Doug, Doug! - I hate you, . . . again.

Your IKEA comment out-of-the-blue is so right on point that it makes as mad as I get when I'm in Japan and get mad at the Japanese for being so darn nice that nobody in the world would be expect anyone to be, e.g. running after you down the street to return the tips some foreigners think they should leave for such extraordinarily good meal service compared to anything they have ever had before even though Japan is a no tip nation. 

After we got (1) through IKEA checkout we hadn't been though for over ten years (and finding out our old IKEA Family 5% Discount Card had been discontinued so we needed to start a new internet account but they gave us the discount anyway since it was a $1,000+ purchase) and (2) arranged deliver for tomorrow morning for only $79, since they don't assemble furniture out there and, though I've done their bookcases, etc. in the distant past, even a dresser, I'm too busy with purging out the double car length of our island rental for it to be worth it now for me to try to assemble anything, plus DW wants it perfect without any problems (so that rules me out), we were referred to some independent contractors whose web pages show that, while they do assemble beds, sofas, etc., none specify experience with IKEA furniture with all their nonstandard Swedish parts but do give assembly rates ranging up to $149/hour for what might be a three hour job that they can't be sure of until they get out and start on it so it might be more than covering flying you our here to help.  Huh? IKEA can't give us a list of taskers, fixers, handy people, etc. who have had experience with the items they sell that we purchased and give us an exact quote for each item?

Oh, after delivery and before assembly, the buyer has to open each of the nine boxes of the two and determine if anything is missing or broken or, if so, the assembler will charge a minimum out call fee and go home without doing anything.  I told them I won't do it.

In fact, DW got so frustrated she vowed she would never go shopping with me again but, when we got back and I washed the morning's left-over dishes and said that last night's left over tonkatsu plus some smoked sardines I hadn't finished off would be fine for dinner so there wouldn't be any need for the prepared meals she likes to cook to perfection every day, she retracted what she said and welcomed me shopping again anytime, actually all the time.  Rats. 

Oh well, it finally got up into the 80's today so it can't be all bad, especially with none of the East Coasters' smoke. 

Leslie -  whew.  I was thinking you had to drive all the way back by yourself.

What you both experienced up on the Peachstone should make her

a good running buddy you deserve.  Have fun. 

Very nice.  A lot of us know what it feels like,

even the 39-hour part but, in my case, 

volunteers like you were doing

all the work.  Thanks!

Checking in.

DW and I are camping with 3/4 of our kids and 7/9 of our grandkids.