What Can Really Make Me Happy

I like to do housework.

Not everything.  I hate putting dishes away and I'm not particularly fond of washing floors.

I actually like cleaning toilets, and when I was taking part in a rehab program for people with mental illness a couple of years ago, I always volunteered to clean the bathroom when it came time to divvy up chores.  I also love washing dishes - when I was in grad school and having to do volunteer jobs on campus (the school required students to do some form of volunteer work in school departments), one of the things I did was wash dishes in the kitchen.  Loved it.  Especially using the power washer on particularly yucky pots.

Just don't ask me to put them away.  

When I moved to this complex in 2011, one of the things I loved about the place is that it has 2 laundry rooms.  I spent most of my life carting laundry down 3 flights of stairs to take it to the laundromat, most of those years using a cart to bring the laundry there - I don't drive, you see.  In rain, snow, and cold I toddled along, pushing that cart and cursing under my breath.

And I hated the laundromats usually.  Most of them had filthy floors, not so clean folding tables, and half the time many machines didn't work properly.  You weren't always sure that you wouldn't lose your quarters.  If there was an attendant, he or she was usually crabby.  But they were a necessity since I never seemed to live in places where there was a laundry room.  Until now.

Over the past few weeks, though, I've been accumulating items that I just can't wash in our laundry room.  Blankets, for example.  They're bulky things and our washers aren't that big, nor are the dryers.  So I knew I'd eventually have to head to the local laundromat and I dreaded it.

But Thursday became laundry day and off I went with my cart with two bags stuffed with my own clothes and the blankets.  Stopped at the bank to get 2 rolls of quarters, and got to the laundromat and looked around in amazement.

First, it was clean.

And there were tables and chairs for people to sit down. And two lovely couches.

Even playpens, arcade games and a jukebox playing the latest CDs.

I didn't get to take photos of the washers and dryers but trust me - they were amazing.  Huge, clean, didn't smell mildewy like so many do in public laundromats.

I even loved the attendant.  She very nicely showed me how to use the equipment - quite honestly, it was complicated - these are probably very new to the scene.  Certainly, they were quite efficient.  The attendant also showed me the best way to clean my stuff - the best temperature and such.  She told me it was because the management liked to help people save money.  No sense in wasting money on what you didn't need to use.  And she was right.

And I didn't need to get quarters - they use a cash card system.  But the attendant was glad to take my quarters.

Normally you need to put tons of quarters in a public dryer because it usually isn't hot enough to get the clothes dry quickly.  At this place, my clothes were dry in 20 minutes, even the towels and blankets.

I know, I'm crazy to be rhapsodizing over a laundromat.  But those of you familiar with laundromats will understand.

Trust me - this place is gorgeous.  And I'm even thinking about abandoning our laundry room until winter.

later,

lin