The saga of the new patio furniture
A few years ago, I bought a wooden patio set. It was beautiful, and I loved it. Only two little problems: 1.) outdoor wooden patio furniture needs maintenance (which I have been woefully derelict in providing), and 2.) I messed up one of the table legs when I was attaching it to the table. As a result, my wooden patio set is in sad condition.
After examining it and trying some repair ideas, hubs and I decided to keep the chairs as incidental seating for the yard and chuck (or perhaps re-imagine?) the table. Thus, the need for a new patio set.
We shopped around a bit, visitng four or five stores to look at what was available. I wasn't too impressed with the tables that I was seeing. I don't like glass-topped tables for outdoors. There are always leaves and junk under them, and I don't like looking at that mess while I eat.
I finally found a table I reallyreally liked at Target. It was metal with a tile top, and it was reasonably priced. But, since we don't have a truck anymore, and since Target doesn't deliver, I was in a quandary. The Target employee told me it was one of the few tables they had left, and that I couldn't leave it at the store for much more than 3 hours after I purchased it (liability issue).
After trying to wrestle it into the CRV for a few minutes, I was getting a bit frustrated. But I am the kind of person that doesn't give up when I want something. So I said to the Target employee, "You know, there is usually alot more box than there is table, know what I mean? What if we took the table out of the box? I bet it would fit then." We went back inside, got some scissors, and removed the table from the box. Voila! Easy as pie.
Brought it home, and hubs put it together. It's sitting on my back patio now, looking gorgeous.
Then for the chairs. The chairs that came with this table had alot of fabric in them, and I didn't like them. Soooo, after buying the table sans chairs, I went looking for some metal chairs, maybe with fabric cushions. Hubs and I had seen some at Lowe's that we thought would be perfect.
My plan was to stop by Lowe's on the way to pool night, pop in to buy the chairs/set up a delivery date, and be on my way. But did things work out that way? No. My life is weird.
I show up, and a store employee quickly approached me to help. As we were looking for a box of the chairs I selected, I told him there was no way I'd be able to haul the stuff home myself, so I'd have to set up delivery. He asked me where I lived and, after I told him, he mentioned that it would be $50-$80 for Lowe's to deliver the chairs out there. I said something to the effect of, "Well, if I have to pay, I'll pay."
He looked at me for a minute and narrowed his eyes. Then, he said, "If you don't mind driving a ratty old truck, I'll let you borrow mine." What?
Seriously. The guy reached in his pocket and pulled out his keys. He asked me not to tell anyone at Lowe's, because he might get in trouble for keeping me from paying that $80. Come again?
Before I know it, I'm driving his truck, loaded with my chairs, back to the house. Within 15 minutes or so more, I had it back in the Lowe's parking lot and was handing him his keys.
Weirdest thing ever. But I bet that, once I put these chairs together, my patio set is going to look terrific. ;)
After examining it and trying some repair ideas, hubs and I decided to keep the chairs as incidental seating for the yard and chuck (or perhaps re-imagine?) the table. Thus, the need for a new patio set.
We shopped around a bit, visitng four or five stores to look at what was available. I wasn't too impressed with the tables that I was seeing. I don't like glass-topped tables for outdoors. There are always leaves and junk under them, and I don't like looking at that mess while I eat.
I finally found a table I reallyreally liked at Target. It was metal with a tile top, and it was reasonably priced. But, since we don't have a truck anymore, and since Target doesn't deliver, I was in a quandary. The Target employee told me it was one of the few tables they had left, and that I couldn't leave it at the store for much more than 3 hours after I purchased it (liability issue).
After trying to wrestle it into the CRV for a few minutes, I was getting a bit frustrated. But I am the kind of person that doesn't give up when I want something. So I said to the Target employee, "You know, there is usually alot more box than there is table, know what I mean? What if we took the table out of the box? I bet it would fit then." We went back inside, got some scissors, and removed the table from the box. Voila! Easy as pie.
Brought it home, and hubs put it together. It's sitting on my back patio now, looking gorgeous.
Then for the chairs. The chairs that came with this table had alot of fabric in them, and I didn't like them. Soooo, after buying the table sans chairs, I went looking for some metal chairs, maybe with fabric cushions. Hubs and I had seen some at Lowe's that we thought would be perfect.
My plan was to stop by Lowe's on the way to pool night, pop in to buy the chairs/set up a delivery date, and be on my way. But did things work out that way? No. My life is weird.
I show up, and a store employee quickly approached me to help. As we were looking for a box of the chairs I selected, I told him there was no way I'd be able to haul the stuff home myself, so I'd have to set up delivery. He asked me where I lived and, after I told him, he mentioned that it would be $50-$80 for Lowe's to deliver the chairs out there. I said something to the effect of, "Well, if I have to pay, I'll pay."
He looked at me for a minute and narrowed his eyes. Then, he said, "If you don't mind driving a ratty old truck, I'll let you borrow mine." What?
Seriously. The guy reached in his pocket and pulled out his keys. He asked me not to tell anyone at Lowe's, because he might get in trouble for keeping me from paying that $80. Come again?
Before I know it, I'm driving his truck, loaded with my chairs, back to the house. Within 15 minutes or so more, I had it back in the Lowe's parking lot and was handing him his keys.
Weirdest thing ever. But I bet that, once I put these chairs together, my patio set is going to look terrific. ;)
Comments
If you ever need a truck, you got my cell. If I'm on this end of town it's not a big deal to help haul stuff for ya'll at all.
Oh, and I put the chairs together and got them out on the back patio. It looks GREAT! Woo to the hoo!
Glad to hear random acts of kindness still exists.