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Fairytales for a Practical Princess - 2008-11-30
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3:41 p.m. - 2003-05-01
What IS it with companies that for the third time recently I've innocently stumbled upon a perfect match or something that was just right only to have the company in question go, "Nyah, nyah! You can't have it!" First it was the stain. Then it was the slates for the foyer floor. Unlike poor Trinity who was sold one thing, sent another and told she had to lump it, Mudgeville Bluestone just flat out TOLD me I couldn't have the slate I picked out. Ha Ha on me, they kept the sample around just to frustrate people. "Here's the perfect slate for your floor! APRIL FOOL! We're just kidding. You can't buy THIS style of slate! Sucker. Wanna try again?" The current asschap is with Pier 1. Rather than blowing the rest of my furniture allotment on a single item, I resolutely turned my back on the leather chair at Basset and set off in search of other, hopefully multiple things to fall in love with. High ho, I went to Pier 1 yesterday to browse. Found some yummy squishy pillows that go with the couch fabric really well. A few other things snagged my attention momentarily and then I saw the chairs. GORGEOUS chairs. The most UN-patio-like rattan chairs I've ever seen. Heavy and densely woven with bentwood arms and a wood seat beneath the cushion. No sagging in less than a year, with care these chairs will last forever. They are stained a glossy dark walnut and are just lovely. Relatively inexpensive too. The very helpful saleswoman tells me I can get the cushions (which you have to buy separately anyhow) in a bunch of different fabrics. Would I care to look at the swatch book? Sure I would. So what to my wondering eyes does appear, but a terrific one color brocade in a vine and leaf pattern in the EXACT color green in the couch material! Wheeeeee! I'm doing the happy dance. The saleswoman is pretty perky too. It's a substantial purchase, two chairs, two cushions, and several throw pillows. The store's daily quota in one fell swoop. So she's ringing all my stuff up and the register keeps spitting the sku back on the cushion fabric. Hmmmn. Call the office. No answer. Call again. Nada. Call the regional office. No answer there either. Every muckety-muck in the Pier 1 hierarchy is taking a potty break at the same time. Many apologies. She'll hold the chairs for me and call when she finds out what the deal is with the fabric. Okey-doke. I pay for the throw pillows and go on my merry way. I got home and found a message on the machine from the saleswoman saying that she was VERY sorry, but the material I wanted wasn't available. BUGGER!!!! Why the hell was the swatch still in the book? If they've discontinued it don't you think somebody would take it out? The swatch plates are in a 3-ring binder dealie. It's not all that hard to remove the discontinued stuff. But nooooo! Pier 1 has to let ME fall in love with it first and THEN they can take it out. Probably having a good laugh with the guys at Minwax and Mudgeville Bluestone too. Upon reflection I realized that I could probably find some decent material and recover the cushions myself. Goodness knows I'm no Betsy Ross when it comes to stitchery, but I can probably manage some cushion covers. Plus my MIL (known in sewing circles as Bad Mama Needles) will be here in a few weeks. I’m sure she can help me if I need it. So today I went back to Pier 1 and bought the chairs. They’re in the back of the Bronco awaiting transport to the new house. I saw some terrific curtains for my bedroom in the Bed, Bath & Beyond flyer. Wanna bet when I get there they’ll tell me the curtains are discontinued? Sigh.... Apropos of nothing, Today’s Pick: “Waffle Stomp” by Joe Walsh
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