elfa kicks our a** and other news from the homefront

We attempted to install the ridiculously overpriced, though highly functional elfa shelving from the Container Store. We picked out the shelves on Sat. am, went to the store and almost ordered them, but decided go home first to double check the measurements (a good thing because the ceiling was much shorter than we thought), and then went back to the store only to find that the bad thunderstorms had knocked the power out and ALL the stores in that area were closed. So we drove to the other Container Store (not very close) and got them. One weekend day spent getting shelving. Check.

Sunday, we woke up with delusions of hanging the shelves in about two hours. The sales people made it sound so easy, which it is if don't have a little hidden enemy known as concrete behind one of the walls. Well concrete fought hard, but we won after yet another trip to the CS, two trips to the hardware store, a broken drill bit and the purchasing of various screws and anchors. Finally, at about 6:00 p.m. all shelves were hung and we finally could start putting things away that had been living in boxes since we moved. The shelves are pretty incredible if you ever care to invest, but really, for what you pay they should install themselves...