The great lengths I will go to for a sectional.

I have been on the search for the perfect sectional for the past year. No joke.  A YEAR.  I have had money saved up to actually purchase it with cash, but have spent that money twice on other things.  I believed my search was going to continue until I stubbled upon ikea's sectional. It was perfect. The problem is, that  its over 2 hours away, and renting a uhaul was a tumultuous task, given that I had not seen the piece in person. I however, was willing to take the journey.  Then I happened to be in Sam's Club buying diapers with my oldest son when this Broyhill sectional caught my eye.  It was chocolate brown, stain resistant and smaller then your average sectional. It was love at first sit. Now I had to get it home. This proved to be just as difficult.  Sam's club does not deliver. Something that I have a great respect for now. After tracking down someone to help me I asked them to direct me to the isle with the boxes in it.  They were huge! Bigger then I thought, but it was destiny and by God I was going to bring that home.  Given strict instructions and bribed with a large blue icee, Parker, (7) even agreed to keep our find on the down low. 
Yes, I did not mention this to my husband. I know that sounds a bit sneaky, but he has a way of not approving of such things as furniture as a wise spending choice when we have a perfectly great sofa at home.  So I knew that a special operation, I'll call "operation sectional" was going to be needed in order to execute my plan.  This was a bit more stressful than I had thought.
First, I needed to take a day off of work.  
Second, I needed to rent a trailer
Third, get a babysitter
Fourth, get the older sofa out of the way.
Fifth, tell Don
The first and third tasks were actually the easiest part. The trailer rental was a new territory for me.  I rented it from a place called Hub Cap Annie's.  Walking into this place was like walking into a world I didn't know existed.  Hub caps and signs are everywhere. Signs like, $10 charge for reading this sign..you get the idea. The two men at the desk were just looking at me, with what appeared to be sympathy as I crossed a threshold of manliness.   Thankfully I convinced my dad to come with me, who knew their language.  
Next thing I knew, I was backing the Expedition up to a trailer and they were hooking it up.  My dad said, are you ready to drive?  
*A note about my dad- he taught me how to drive and has great pride in my vehicular aptitude. 
After it was hooked up we were on our way.  My husband was reluctantly along for the ride, but had no idea what he was in for.  Driving with a trailer is very strange. I have a new appreciation for semi truck drivers who have to make right turns and little cars try to pass or get frustrated. Never again! I couldn't believe that people had the audacity to pass me. Did they not understand that I was driving 25 mph for a reason and second that I was a trailer virgin? 
Arriving at Sam's we backed up to the dock and it was quite easy. They loaded it on to the trailer and we were on our way. Getting in the house wasn't that difficult either, however 2 hours had already elapsed.
We simply just needed to get the existing couch to the basement.   Let me just tell you, that this is where we...ok (I) fell short in preparation. 
I had purchased this couch at Z Gallery in Santa Monica in 2000 while in college.  I actually made payments on it because at the time I was working as a waitress next door. I would take my tips and make small payments over a 6 month period.  By the time I had finally paid it off and had it custom ordered I had moved to a different apartment on a second floor. They had to hoist the couch on top of the moving truck and use ropes pull it over the balcony and into my apartment. But somehow I forgot about this.
This couch has major sentimental value and I was not going to let it go anywhere.  A large overstuffed couch and a 1931 Bungalow really don't get a long and here is why. 

Doorways. People were smaller then and didn't need big door ways, or big couches for that matter. 


With a little creativity and minor surgery involving a saw, and leg amputation we were able to stuff our couch into the basement and there it will forever rest. 


And as I placed the final cushions on the new section I discovered that its manufacturing date was indeed my birthday. Yes. it was destiny after-all.