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Musings from another Laundromat: Guest Writer Edition
A couple of Sunday’s ago I visited a local Laundromat to wash a quilt I had just finished.
It was a project I had been working on for nearly three years, which was destined to have a new home with my mother.
I love quilting. It’s a tradition deeply rooted in the past that can have immeasurable effects on the future, for generations, when people admire its beauty and enjoy its warmth.
While at the Laundromat, I passed the time by exchanging instant messages with my friend Amanda. We chatted mostly about feeling under the weather and the unpleasant midlife change we’re approaching. We started talking about a guest spot on her blog – musings from another Laundromat. During the conversation I made this comment…
Then I got to thinking, “do I really?” And that led to “do I spend too much time in the past?” When I think of the most interesting parts of my life, they almost always involve my 20’s. I toured North America performing at air shows in order to show citizens the capabilities of the Air Force’s F-16. I served in a war (which is associated with a long list of “interesting” moments).
Then I saw this post….
I mulled it over for days.
While I drove 14 hours to deliver my quilt I mulled it over some more. While I drove 14 hours home I mulled it to death. I came to the conclusion that I should really ignore the past, make some life changes, and have an interesting future.
When I got home a funny thing happened. You see, I have a Facebook page dedicated to the squadron I served in during Desert Shield/Storm.
For years it’s had about 30 members and doesn’t get much activity. A friend suggested that I expand it to include all our bases squadrons that served (we were all commingled during the war).
I did and something amazing happened. Membership doubled within hours.
Old friends were reminiscing and sharing stories, some that I had never heard before. I was flooded with THE PAST!
For days I reunited with people, heard about their new lives, and shared mine. It was great!
So great that I’ve decided I shouldn’t ignore the past at all. I should embrace it. I can’t be the only person who think their 20’s were the greatest years, right?
However, I do need to make some changes so I that I’ll have some good stories from this decade.
I’ve joined a gym. I’m shedding some pounds. My goal is to take a 17 mile hike to the top of mountain this summer. Sounds like a good story. Another piece of my “life quilt.”
And what is life? A crazy quilt;
Sorrow and joy, and grace and guilt,
With here and there a square of blue
For some old happiness we knew;
And so the hand of time will take
The fragments of our lives and make,
Out of life’s remnants, as they fall,
A thing of beauty, after all.
-Douglas Malloch. From The Romance of the Patchwork Quilt in America
Musings from the Laundromat: Brave bras, pink panties and a safe heart
There are three bras slung over the rail of a laundry cart … just out there for all to see. And no one is looking at them. Untrue, I can’t stop looking at them. I keep glancing up.
Here I am, the one who turns 50 shades of red when I drop a pair of panties on the ground whilst removing my dry load from the depths of an industrial dryer, gawking at the sheer bravery of these bras.
And I’m reminded … not everyone is interested in looking at your stuff.
I’m at a strange table again. And painfully aware that there are people behind me.
I hate having my back to people.
Anxiety girl!
I just glanced and saw a free table in the back … I’m moving!
AH! Much better.
When I walked in Of Monsters and Mens’ Little Talks was playing on the radio – and I smiled.
While driving here – Take me to Church was on in my car.
Like most everything else, I read too much into music. Today was no different, but in a good way. Felt like two good omens.
I wonder do we block out the songs that aren’t relevant to our current state of mind? Do our little ears perk up when one comes on that fits the soundtrack of our lives?
I’m sure there’s a very scientific explanation. Probably much like the phenomenon of hearing a new word for the first time, and then hearing it multiple times that day. Or getting a new car, and noticing the same car everywhere you go.
In tune to something you never paid much attention to before.
I’m in tune to lots of things about myself that I didn’t pay much attention to before. Feeling things I haven’t felt before. Cringing at some of my cat lady posts and all my ‘no one will ever complete me’ exclamations.
I feel like I found that last piece of a jigsaw puzzle. The piece that would make my beautiful little life a complete picture.
And I’m so hopeful. And very, very fortunate to have found someone who will temper my anxiety with a laid back attitude and a funny and creative view of things.
I’m also very, very fortunate to have found someone who will be so good for my such loved son.
An example of so many things. Patience. Persistency. Humor. Self acceptance. And love.
I’m the luckiest girl on the planet right now as far as I’m concerned.
My heart feels Home. And Safe. And, I just dropped a pair of pink panties from the washer onto the ground and only turned 25 shades of red.
See – progress!
Musings from the Laundromat: Fuzzy, hot and mean pink edition
I do not want to be here.
I’m tired, fuzzy, hot …
I’m late – super late. It’s after 10:30 and there is a strange vibe in the laundromat. A group in which no one is smiling.
Creepy.
AND all the washers I like to use were taken. I thought there were two, but a little old lady in pink said “These four are taken!”
She scared me a little. lol.
I stood in the middle of the tiled floor feeling all hot and fuzzy and lost.
Managed to cram my two loads into the “Triple Load Washers”. What a bunch of crap. I don’t know what they consider a ‘load’, but I know I was retrieving items from the floor and putting them back in at least 4 times. Everything just kept spilling out from the stupid front load machine and wouldn’t stay put.
Yesterday I was tired and out of sorts and put it down to a long Friday night chat – I stayed up way past my bedtime, but was very okay with that.
But today when Butters stood over me at 6 in the flipping morning, I still felt out of sorts and knew I had plenty of rest Saturday. Then I remembered I didn’t feel 100% on Friday.
Ringing in my ears, my teeth hurt and I had one of my spells. And felt hot.
So I’m going out on a limb here and assuming I probably only felt good during my late night chat because of the late night chat and I may very well have a little cold or something.
All I know is after I get home, the most pathetic of ‘cleaning’ will be done and I’m hitting the couch.
Seriously – NO ONE is smiling in here today! I tried smiling and peeking around to see if it was contagious … but no one was even looking. Probably a good thing because if they saw me sitting here alone smiling – they might think me odd.
Which I am.
But they don’t know me well enough to know that’s a good thing.
Mean pink lady just came and sat across from me with her husband. She is hacking and scowling and now apparently fetching her glasses. Doesn’t look like the husband cares what she’s gone to fetch.
Musings from the Laundromat: Frost and Familiar seating edition
You know you slept well when you barely have to make your bed in the morning. (That sounds like a bit of a metaphor, peacefully resting doesn’t mess things up?) I don’t know. Reaching there – I am still super tired and puffy eyed, but here.
I gathered my items, got in the car and … frost! The windshield had a light coating of it. I took the time to look at the intricate webbing (?) um, snowflaking (?) there has to be a proper adjective for the way frost looks. I’m not finding it.
It was looking like this:
Anyway – I got out of the car, scraped the ice off and then proceeded to do my first very blonde thing of 2015. I turned my wipers on with the water to clear the rest.
Was still freezing outside. Water + freezing = newly iced windshield and so back out I went to scrape.
______________________
I’m sipping what has to be the worst cup of coffee I’ve ever made, and eyeballing the coffee pot at the other end of the building.
I’m in my original spot. Haven’t sat here in eons. Feel like I should honor this momentous seating assignment and go ‘Old School’ with today’s musing. But I’m getting old and can’t remember what those were like.
Having a view of the rainbow umbrella is jogging my memory a bit.
But not enough. I’d have to go back and read one.
I believe they were light-hearted and funny. I’ve got nothin’ in the funny department today yet – my eyes still haven’t completely opened. I’m like an Ugg boot wearing, new-born cat or something.
I think I will venture to the coffee … hold on.
Success.
Still have powered ‘creamer’ on my little typing fingers, and as I sip the doctored coffee … yes, it is better. Better than horrible still isn’t great, but it’s warm and has caffeine. 🙂
I just want to be home already.
I don’t know any of these patrons. Feel like the new kid in school at a table by herself. Shouldn’t I know everyone by now?? It seems like after 4 years, I would walk in and there would be a Cheers atmosphere. “Norm!!!!” (Because that’s what I would tell them my name was – in the interest of anonymity lol) But other than a couple faces, the faces change every week. It’s odd.
_____________________
Hurts a little to type. Not because of the powdered creamer specks, but I’ve bitten my nails. I hadn’t bitten my nails in almost 5 years. 2014 did a number on me – and it’s only the 6th and I haven’t made 2015 much better yet.
I did begin my little ‘make a friend smile’ project on Friday night … painted a little. I just wasn’t in the mood. Ended up bawling to a friend on the phone who made the mistake of asking me ‘why was today a sad day?’
Then nibbled my nails some more. Horrible.
But nothing some Oil of Primrose and Echinacea, chocolate and a healthy dose of gratitude and ‘get the fuck overyourself’ can’t help.
Yup.
I think I’m approaching THAT time of my life.
‘THE CHANGE’
I’ll not go further with that – let’s leave Sunday a little light and as I gaze at the rainbow umbrella – I’ll consider how to approach a couple of topics I want to chat with you about.
Another time.
Musings from the Laundromat – chatting about world affairs & putting too much in the machine
Barely had my eyes opened this morning before I leaped into action. This was after a brief ‘wait, it really is Sunday right?’ thought.
I did not want to miss my glaucoma man today.
I threw on some jeans and brushed my teeth – grabbed 3, yes 3 laundry baskets full of items and managed to juggle those, plus my purse, plus my keys PLUS my cup of coffee and get into my car.
I had a fleeting thought of wishing I could balance my laundry on my head.
I waddled in, weighted down with my bags and spotted glaucoma man.
Yay!
He gestured to my two washing machines and I shuffled over to him.
We spoke of his eyes (they’re getting better but he hates the drops he has to use … said they go down his throat (from his eye? eek.)
I shared with him a documentary I saw about a doctor who went to North Korea and performed the surgery on 1000 + N. Koreans. A lot of them young, they’d been blinded by poor nutrition.
Then we spoke of his time in South Korea. How we both think China is going to have a little chat with North Korea soon – about progress and bombs – Russia and how they’re getting so poor he thinks a war is imminent. We spoke of the DMZ and VA health care … and the weather.
I love talking to him. And then he left.
I crammed the washers to the brim today – I’m so hoping that means the items still got clean.
I was down to change again today – so two washing machines it needed to be! Of course, I chose today to wash my quilt and Butters blanket too. Logic is not my strong point … but tenacity is, and miraculously everything fit and now 3 dryers are spinning merrily away with my laundered contents inside.
I plan to de-Christmas my humble abode today. We’ll see how much energy I have left after lugging all that laundry back home and making my bed. lol.
Ooo! And I think I just found a new friend to chat with. I’ll start with brief eye contact and a smile – and we’ll see if she warms to me. Maybe by next week we’ll be exchanging stories.
Debauchery Soup 