Yesterday I went to IKEA... No don't pity me just yet.

When I was at University for the second time (Well the first was a Polytechic back then, but you know what I mean) in the early to mid nineties IKEA was all we ever wanted to decorate our rooms, even after we left it seemed that everyones house or flat was filled with strangely named Swedish furniture. I used to enjoy looking round the rooms in the store, planning what I would buy when I could afjord (Scandinavian joke - yes I know it doesn't work) a home.

I have had a flat for about 12 years (Housewarming was the day of Dianas funeral), and you know what? There is no IKEA furniture here. My chopping board, table lamps and room lamp are plus scissors and various bits and bobs, but nothing major. I have two units from Argos (Note for non-UK readers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argos_(retailer) Yes it is as bad as it sounds) so it isn't because I am buying from more expensive shops (Although I do have a fantastic John Lewis Bedstead which cost more than I made in a month at the time, but still brings me pleasure, and a fantastic trunk come coffee table http://www.johnlewis.com/783/Product.aspx well near enough)

So I only have four bookcases at the moment, which means that I have a lot of books sitting abround the place and I need at least two more.

Which brings me to my visit yesterday, I am in dire need of bookcases, so I went to IKEA, on the way there I went to Hoo Hing to get some Dim-Sum and Thai spice pastes, as always I wished that my freezer had more room in it so I could purchase more, realised when I arrived home that I have only 4 Demae Ramen left and had purchased 24 Won Ton and 24 Sui Gow, still I am sure I will work it out.

Where was I? Ah yes, IKEA, for some reason I did not set off until 09:30, and so was too late for breakfast there (I am dieting, however for a fried breakfast I would fall of the wagon, even though I missed this I seem to have only lost 1 lb this week :-( ) rewind... Go! Walking through the upstairs with the rooms set out in it everything seemed a little, tatty, nothing really leapt out at me. I want bookcases for paperbacks, and all of the bookcases could take two paperbacks easily depthwise, I know that we need the bookcase secure, however if one screws it to the wall (as is suggested) do we really need them that deep? To be honest with you I was most disappointed with the products on show.

Quick cup of tea and croissant later (Actually if the croissant had been fresh it would have been great, as it was it was still better than any I have had in the UK for a long while, which sadly tells you more about UK croissants than IKEAs bakery) I went to the "Marketplace" this is still quite good, if I were setting up a house it would have been wonderful, as it was I purchased a thermos, and a picture frame.

Having ambled through the warehouse and paid for these delights I went to the food shop, where I proceded to spend more on lumpfish roe, rosti and sausages than I had in the store proper.

So, after all that verbal diarrhea , the question is, has IKEA stopped producing desireable furniture, did I grow up and discover that they never did, or have our tastes diverged?