Gekauft

It is purchased.
It took nearly 4 hours of sitting on stools

and figuring things out.

But the first big step is behind us. It will arrive in lots of packages in a little over a week. Providential timing allowed us to get zero percent financing as well as acquiring 300 euro in Ikea gift cards (which will go towards handles, some interior fittings, table/chairs, and a few other things). Considering what we'd seen at other kitchen shops, I'd call this 3,300 purchase a minor miracle in the course of life. We even upgraded our appliances to the upper/mid-grade level.

MAJOR kudos to the Ikea worker who skipped his breaks and ate a late dinner to stick with us until the end. He showed us little tricks to save money and added a few details that will make it a much nicer space to work/live in. We also felt that we had the most competent man for the job as other coworkers kept coming over to ask his advice (and inform him a few times that he was due for a break and they could take over). I'm so glad he stuck with us - so many customers would lose their Ikea worker to a 'break' and then have to re-explain everything to the next person. Stefan insisted on giving him a 10 euro tip- had to shove it in his shirt pocket to make it stay! - and honestly, he deserved it and then some. He went above and beyond and that was the best customer service I've seen in all my nearly 2 years of living in this country. The sad thing is he probably makes peanuts at that job.

Now we just have to figure out how to put this thing together. There seems to be a trick to basic assistance, where you assemble all the cabinets yourself, which would be sufficient except they refuse to help you hang the wall cabinets. They'll just do the lower cabs, countertop, and hook up the sink and appliances. If you want help with the wall cabs you have to do 'full' assistance at a hefty price tag. But then they'll assemble every little thing for you, no matter how long it takes.
Our concern is that Stefan is totally swamped between now and our move-in date with having to juggle homerooming two classes, dealing with parents calling us non-stop, exams, papers, grading, etc. Oh yeah, and he has to take apart all our closets and storage cabinets, move them, and reassemble them at the new place. Most all of this (dis)assembling is 2-person work, otherwise I'd just go at it myself. Stefan's hoping to get the main office of the montage crew to cut him a deal. He'll have to try that tomorrow. He's away on a field trip today.