One size doesn't fit all

Yesterday I went to IKEA to buy a few plant stands for my plants which are currently living on my dining room table and would like a home of their own -- not to mention, I'd like my table back. I never did find the plant stands, but I did find a nice ironing board with a green and white plaid cover that I liked. I need an ironing board because I used to use my dining room table for ironing purposes, but now that my plants living on my table, something had to change. So, I got the ironing board.

I got the ironing board to fit into my car after a brief struggle. Mind you, it was pouring out -- have I mentioned this is the soggiest city on the planet? And so anyway, I got the ironing board in, and drove blithely on with the rest of my day. The interesting thing happened when I got home and 'undressed' the ironing board; I was briefly motivated to iron last night and so I hauled out the two loads of laundry I'd done on Saturday, stared at it, and then at the unassembled ironing board. Finally, I set up the board (after about 20 minutes of contemplating and watching "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition". I love me my reality television). And that's when I realized...

IKEA designs its products for tall, Swedish people.

No, the ironing board is not hip level, or waist level, but comes somewhere up against my chest! Woe! As someone built low to the ground, I will need an apple crate a la Gillian Anderson to use the board. I suppose if you're a tall, Swedish person, it'd be the right height, but me not being a tall, Swedish person, it's very high and possibly may cause me injury since I'm no good at the ironing thing. In a way now, I'm glad I didn't get the plant stands -- what if those too were made for tall, Swedish people? And then I couldn't reach to water my plants?

I do have to say, in my defense of not being a tall Swedish person, I'm just the right height -- my legs do reach all the way to the ground. Eh, when I'm standing. Not sitting. So, if any of you have an apple crate you're willing to get rid of, please send to me, thankyouverymuch.

And no, I didn't actually end up ironing yesterday, though I did fold laundry. One thing at time, folks, one thing at a time.