The Furious Bean: Daffy does IKEA

The new Ikea opened today in Canton, Michigan. I timed it - it's only 22 minutes from my door to its, and I couldn't be happier. The doors opened at 9am today, with lines switchbacked and wrapped almost all the way around the store.

There was live music, Mrs. Michigan...

...and a balloon artist.

I sidled up to him, waited very politely behind the tiny children, and tentatively began: "Mr. Loony?"
"Mr. B. Loony," he corrected me, but agreed to make me something after I told him I wanted to hold it, not wear it. I gave him free reign to do his favorite. Thus began a complicated, four balloon concoction of black and orange. At the end of the twisting, squeaking, and rubbing, he handed me this rather large thing. Others in the crowd oohed and aahed, and I held it aloft (I think backwards) and said, "Oh thank you so much. I love it." I had no idea what it was.

It was Daffy Duck (my very least favorite cartoon character)...and then there were the two of us, making our first forays into the lobby of our very own Ikea. Just inside the doors were thirty or forty staff people cheering and whooping and banging together these inflatable tubes created (I think) specifically for the purpose of making noise during openings. It was lovely. I cried real tears, and during a momentary lull, I yelled out: "I'm happy to see you too!"

Together, Daffy and I explored the kitchen section - we've basically waited until this opening to remodel the kitchen. Ikea is the only way we can really afford to do it...