Following instructions

Today we started to assemble the new Ikea furniture, starting with the tv unit. I actually read the instructions before we started, counted out all the screws, and little bolts and put them to one side. Unpacked the various pieces and started to assemble, it became apparent after a few minutes that all was not correct. The legs of the unit did not fit correctly into the base. So we packed it all back into the box, loaded it into the car and off we went to Ikea.

The very nice lady at customer services gave us the little card that allows you a replacement, off we went into the warehouse, found the tv unit ailse and loaded a new unit onto the trolley. As a precaution we undid the box to check that the legs would fit onto the unit correctly, and they wouldn't. We called over an assistant and in our best Spanish explained that the unit was faulty. He sent us to see a colleague and we had to explain the situation again. We waited for ages then they told us that all the units had the same fault.

At that point I noticed a damaged unit for sale in the Opportunidades section, again in our best spanish we asked could swap the damaged top and shelves from this one for a new top and shelves and take the unit away, job done. It took us an hour to make them understand what we wanted, it involved much tooing and froing of staff and scratching of heads. Eventually they agreed, told us to go and get a cup of coffee and return in 15 minutes.

When we returned they had taken the unit apart (not what we wanted) and put the whole thing in a box, with a new top and shelves sellotaped it up and sent us on our way.

We had hoped that we would be able to walk out of the shop with an intact unit, so that we wouldn't have the ordeal of assembling it when we got home.

So we have spent the last couple of hours putting the unit together and it looks very good. Tomorrow we have to assemble two cabinets and the shelf section and put the whole lot together, after the men from the second hand shop have been and removed our old display unit.

Off to have a cup of coffee and a home made coconut and oat biscuit.