Category Archives: Musings from the laundromat
Easter Musings from the Laundromat
Was running a little late today – took time to take a shower, have a cup of coffee. Then had to run to the store for the Easter goodies I have been putting off.
Glaucoma man was still here when I arrived. The place is practically empty.
He did something he’s never done before. Sat down at my table. We talked for quite a while about a wide range of topics.
He wondered if I had children. We spoke of medical marijuana, about his sister. About the passing of his mother. We spoke of not wanting to drive out-of-town. Of funerals.
He said his sisters may be coming into town and he’s excited, but doesn’t want to get his hopes up.
I’m just glad he sat down. It’s like we shared a little bit of Easter together.
I love listening to people sharing their lives.
And I really try to hear. Hear the wisdom, the lessons – hear what worked for them, what didn’t.
Someone with 80 years has a lot to share. But, that doesn’t automatically mean they have all the answers. That they’ve lived in a way in which they’re proud.
He shared some of his defects of character with me too. And I just listened.
And now he’s gone to do his shopping. And I’m sat wondering if he has children. What he’ll put in his cart. How he’ll spend the rest of his day.
Today though, was for listening and not asking questions.
Musings from the Laundromat: Long and Winding Road
While routine soothes me – it’s beginning to become glaucoma groundhog day each Sunday.
Bless my little glaucoma man, but for 5 minutes I stood holding an empty canister of laundry sprinkles, listening to him share the latest about his eyes.
My little pocket man is apparently in the hospital – remember him? The one I gave a band-aid to? I just overheard that exchange between his wife and glaucoma man.
That makes me sad.
I just ventured over to the coffee pot in hopes there was some caffeine awaiting. There was.
Laundry lady: I made it just for YOU
Me: You’re a lamb – that’s what you are.
You get connected to people you know?
Just said good-bye to glaucoma man … I’m missing little pocket man. And staring at an ’emotional support’ dog sniffing around the place. Wishing it would come close enough to take a photo of.
I could use some ’emotional support’ right now.
Spent Friday night going through my worldly possessions – and some of them HAVE in fact possessed me. Going through my closet was akin to Mr. Toads Wild Ride.
I looked at old photos – old cards – old diaries and letters. Old ways of thinking, old mistakes … ended up burning a book hoping for some sense of closure.
The book would not burn! I started outside, dug a hole in the dirt (emotional or not, I am a sensible fire starter) and struck match, after match, after match – to no avail. Ended up coming inside and just doing it in the kitchen sink. Only the cover ended up catching fire – but it was enough. I soaked the fire out and put the book in the trash.
Done.
There’s more that must go.
I have this visceral need to remove toxic memories from a home that will be filled with new and amazing ones.
Ever mindful of course, not to forget the lessons I’ve accumulated along my crazy path.
I then got nostalgic – as you do when you’ve just poured through photos. And sat listening to songs (when I should have been cleaning) and stayed up way too late.
Posting stupid things on Facebook – okay, let’s be fair to myself for once, I posted honest and immediate feelings I was having – then deleted them the next morning. I am so very bad at editing myself. I give too much of myself away. Then remember, not everyone wants to know what’s going through my head. If they do … probably they’ll come here. lol.
Anyway – the songs calmed me, songs always do, and with my room in shambles – memories strewn about the place – I found sleep.
This song reminded me of life’s twists, turns and arriving back to my honey.
Musings from the Laundromat: Gerber Daisies & Marijuana Edition
I decided this morning I wanted to surprise my laundry lady with something bright and unexpected. So I stopped off at Safeway before venturing across our little highway to the laundromat.
That building behind the flower is the laundromat area
I continued on and balanced my two baskets, my to-go coffee and the flower.
I approached the counter.
Me: These are for you – thank you for smiling every time I see you.
Her: Oh, thank you! Are you going to need coffee today?
And that was that. And I adore her.
Standing by ‘my’ (preferred) machines was cataract man. “There you are!” he said.
He revealed a secret machine that was closed. “You can use this one!”
The irony in that offer was that for once, all the machines that I covet were available. I politely declined the ‘secret’ machine and stuffed two next to it.
Then cataract man discussed his desire to perhaps ask his doctor for a marijuana prescription, as he still has uncomfortable pressure on his eyes, and in spite of multiple people who have told him to the contrary, he is certain his cataract surgery gave him glaucoma.
Him: I might put it in food
Me: Well, make sure you heat it up – you can’t just sprinkle it on a salad – has to be heated to release the THC
Him: Yeah – I definitely don’t want to smoke it.
Cataract man in action
I claimed a table and opened up my ipad.
In came some more familiar faces.
“There’s band-aid lady!” My little old man had arrived. (For those of you new to the blog, this stems from a day I watched him sitting trying to continually wipe blood from his arm – I went and got him a band-aid.)
“Hi!” I said.
(It dawns on me – for all the names I’ve given people – have I become ‘band-aid lady’??)
Then a rare sighting. Cataract man was having technical difficulties – here is laundry lady with him, helping him out.
And here is the little old man I wanted to put in my pocket. He’s so flipping small and sweet. I still get the Elmer Fudd vibe when I look at him.
This place has become a second home.
A friendly tradition. A little laundry family.
And as I put my clothes in the dryer, of course, a pair of panties fell to the floor. This morning it was the peach colored pair. And no one cared. Because by now, we’ve seen all of one another’s laundry.
Musings from the Laundromat: ‘One of Us’ edition
I’ve officially integrated with the herd. I have become an accepted member of the Sunday morning Laundromat gang.
It started out when my face took form of ‘disappointed girl’, upon realizing there were no washers available, in spite of the fact I arrived 10 minutes before the establishment opened.
But there was my glaucoma man. (Who I learned later actually had cataracts.)
I stood chatting with him, asking how his eyes were. He then motioned to the machine he was leaned up against. “This one is empty” Almost a whisper, but he is not capable of ‘whisper’.
I grabbed the machine, then, in the interest of having my laundry finish at the same time, had to use a more expensive ‘triple load’ machine across the aisle from it.
There were two ladies sitting at a table next to it, and another familiar face.
The familiar face was introducing the newbie to the flow of the place.
“Pretty much the same people,” he said, “This lady here, gave me a band-aid one day.”
Band-aid man & Co.
I was the lady.
I don’t know why, but that filled my heart. He remembered.
He went on to explain he takes blood thinners. And as I listened to them chatter, I filled the machine and felt like I belonged.
Here’s cataract man and one of the ladies.
I’ve been coming here for 4 years, it really is quite a victory to be told about secret available machines and to be remembered for a good deed.
My favorite part of this trip though, has to be placing my loves clothes in the washing machine. Knowing he left things behind on purpose.
I’ll be washing for three not long from now. And I couldn’t be happier about that.
My herd has my back, my family is growing – and I’m blessed beyond belief!
Oh, and you’ll be pleased to know, cataract mans eyes are finally feeling a lot better after his surgery. Pretty sure you can see that (no pun intended) from the smile on his face.
Musing from the Laundromat: Marveling
Love is in the air.
Not just because it was Valentines Day yesterday …
I’m sat across from the man of my dreams who is currently and aptly, sporting a Superman t-shirt.
He’s already dropped a pair of his underwear on the floor, on purpose – to honor the tradition. You’ve gotta love a man willing to do that.
He’s also currently chatting to one of the laundromat patrons. Talking about Idaho. Just as chatty as I am with strangers. (I will insist he does not accept the man’s candy though.)
I am the luckiest girl in the world.
We’ve spent our time together doing what we both do best. Nerding out. Countless Marvel movies … Walking Dead (that I saved until he arrived.)
Relaxing and catching up.
This is the man I loved 25 years ago – when he was still a young man. And the things we laughed about then, and the rapport we had then, hasn’t changed.
But it has too – in the best of ways. Because we’re ‘grown-ups’ now (I use that term loosely.)
And because the things we’ve experienced and the growth we’ve both gone through, has enabled us to be complete people sharing ourselves with one another.
REWIND.
Picking him up from the airport:
I was exhausted, having stayed up WAY too late, with the crazy idea I would sleep in the next day. I never can sleep in, so why I thought that night/morning was any different is beyond me. But I felt like a kid on Christmas Eve and sleep was the last thing on my mind.
After picking up the rental car, and since I was so tired, actually purchasing the insanely priced insurance – I was on the road. With Nic next to me.
All went well until we reached actual traffic – and to say I had a panic attack would be putting it mildly. I tried to breathe as Nic tried not to tell me how terrified he was to be in the passenger seat at that moment.
(He would tell me later, in no uncertain terms.)
In the terminal – waiting by the passenger pick up area, with coffee in hand, I was beside myself with anticipation.
After Skyping, over 6,000 IM’s … would I still be someone he would want to be with??
The minute I laid eyes on him, I knew for sure he was who I wanted to be with.
It was still my friend. In the flesh.
That first hug … I have no words. And the butterflies gave way to a peaceful, comfortable ‘home’ feeling.
Home is where we headed, Nic insisting he drive the car the rental company forbids anyone but me to drive.
“Mom, I’m better at this kind of traffic!”
I didn’t want us to die, so I caved.
Long story short, we got home safe.
Next, the ‘Butters’ introduction.
Went very well, TOO well, as she hasn’t left his side since he arrived. And everywhere we are, she wants to be.
Yesterday.
He gave me socks. The best kind. Walking Dead knee highs and Iron Man. This man knows what I love. He also gave me a piece of our past – which I will treasure, always.
We went to breakfast and then watched True Romance – ordered pizza for dinner, relaxed until night came and went on the search for stars.
Probably that could have been planned better. We ended up on Route 66, in a patch of dirt staring up at the sky leaning against my car.
Gave up on that when nature called and headed further up until we reached an old mining town full of history and quaintness.
We found a little bar and I sipped a sprite as he enjoyed a beer while Zeppelin and the Doors filled the patio area.
Best Valentines Day ever.
But we know who I am. ‘Anxiety Girl’ has come out … as the days draw nearer to his departure, I’m filled with dread. You see, I didn’t know.
I didn’t know it could BE like this.
And I’m terrified I will have experienced it and it will go away.
And no amount of faith I have in how true and real this love is seems to be able to assuage that feeling in my stomach. That fear.
I’ve never been this scared to lose something so important before. Nothing has mattered this much.
But I need to stay in the moment, enjoy every second. I’m making lifetime memories and want to be certain he has an amazing time.
And tonight, we will be walking along a river, with music in the air and laughing (as always) and I’ll try, try so hard not to think about him going home.
Debauchery Soup 