2007-01-21 - 5:22 p.m.

...the power sofa...

Last week I mentioned that K and I were on a mission to find a replacement sofa. I really love our current sofa - a swedish special that I bought while in Germany. But alas, it is not a sofa BED, and therefore does not help us very much when we are hosting guests. And indeed, we will have several guests this summer and so it will make up for its costs in hotel beds in about one week.

Anyway, we spent all last week sitting down in various places, checking how comfortable our bums were. After copious sitting, we accidentally happened into a design sofa store in Yaletown, run by a lady with a pug dog. That's where we found the sofa named teranika.

Yesterday, after our 18-odd minute run, we walked down to Yaletown to practice sitting again, to ensure that teranika was indeed the design sofa for us. She is.

We hemmed and hawed and hedged...and finally came up with a configuration that will suit our needs. We even splurged for the 'power red' upholstery. I've paid 50% down, and therefore own half a sofa that is about to be constructed. Cool.

Well, it's just a sofa actually, and I'm not all excited about buying a sofa, for some reason. It somehow reminds me of the last time I bought a sofa with a guy. - my partner back in the 90's. He and I bought a futon sofabed (that I just got rid of last Spring, in fact). We paid about one-third the price of Teranika-Sofa. And I remember distinctly that he was rather uncomfortable about it. Somehow buying a sofa together represented a larger commitment than he was ready for.

I do remember saying, "umm, it's just a sofa. you can sell it." But I kind of understand what he is saying now. Not because of the commitment (K and I are WAY past the commitment thing now). But it's more a sense that I am buying and owning more THINGS. And expensive things. And, well, I LIKE my Swedish special - it's been with me in three different countries now. It's comfy. As ridiculous as it sounds, I've grown rather attached to it. I sit on it a lot. So, I'm finding it hard to give it up.

How bleepin' ridiculous is THAT? I've toyed with ways of keeping it - maybe it will fit in my lab....Boys and girls, it is just time to let the sofa go.

Sheesh. I'm glad that these are the worst of my problems. Actually, it isn't the worst of my problems. But I don't want to think about the other ones so I'm sticking to the sofa story.

So tonight, when I lay me down to sleep, I will imagine my burgundy red power sofa with snazzy throw pillows that is on its way. and I will think of how Swede the Sofa will make some other family so very very happy...

Until there's a cat fight in my living room and it sounds like one is peeling the fur off the other. THAT was interesting. Last night, Beauregard, the neighbor's cat, snuck into our house through the attic, walked right past me and K in our snoozing stupors, and went downstairs and starting throwing Mizzy and Lyra's foodbowls onto the floor. repeatedly.

The first time it happened, I manage to integrate the sound into my dream in a rather innovative way that I've now forgotten. The second ker-PLUNG-WALA-wala-wala-wala woke me up and made me ask K what that strange sound was. I think I fell back asleep before he answered. The third noise was the ear-shattering
WEEEEEEAAAAAAARRRRRRRR- rAAAR- RAAAR- ROWW--ARR !!!!!!!

I came down to discover that MIZZY (our house chicken) was defending the kitchen against the Invasion of Beauregard. Fortunately the reinforcements (i.e., ME) arrived in time, and Beauregard scattered up the stairs where K was now standing prepared to scare the wee out of him. We're thinking it worked. (Attic smelled of wee...)

So we were surprised that Mizzy was the great defender - Lyra normally fights the battles but after two sets of altercation scars from Beauregard, Lyra's given up defense.

Following that excitement NONE of us could get back to sleep anytime soon. So K and I read while the girls tried to climb onto K's newspaper. Just a normal night. War was averted. Cat snacks were had by all. Things have returned to normal.

la de da...You know, I REALLY should get some work done. I have to give two talks this week, but I just don't want to arrange the presentations. I've procrastinated so much that I am actually baking a cake. A lovely golden cake with a dark chocolate glaze...that tastes more like a rich dark chocolate fudge. sheesh. I must be desperate not to work, because I NEVER bake.

oh well...now the cake is done. hmph. work? wine? wine and work? if I keep typing here then I won't have to start the presentation...OH OKAY OKAY. off I go.

now.

I mean it, really.

this is me going.....