THE LAUNDRY ROOM…AT NIGHT

I have proof of the story I will tell…I even took pictures. Why, O Why can I not upload them? I am going to pretend I have the pics here, in case a miracle occurs… EDITED TO ADD: I figured it out. But, I still don’t know why it is doing what it is. Such is life.

Try your best, and you can make out that the time on my clock is 1:42…in the morning. I do not know why I am up. I should be in dream land…instead, I’m doing things that are not usually done at this time.

First, I head to the kitchen to get some tea. I hear Alex’s TV, so I go down to visit him. We are starving and decide that Toaster Strudel sounds like a tasty treat…because there is NOTHING else to eat here. They are ‘Wildberry’ flavor. What exactly IS a wildberry? I think it’s probably the leftover blackberries and blueberries and strawberries and raspberries all mixed together…making a new and inventive flavor called…’WILDBERRY’!

Alex went on to bed and I head to the laundry room to see if I left anything in the washing machine. Sometimes I forget that I washed an item. Then it will dry there in the washer…where it should only be washed. It dries all clumped together and with huge, deep wrinkles set in for eternity. Depending on how soon your memory returns…there may be some damp spots deep down in the wrinkle…that probably smell the teensiest bit sour. Then, of course, you have to wash it again. This has only happened to me once…as best I remember!!!

There is nothing there…BUT, there IS something in the dryer. NEW SHEETS! So, I pull them out of the dryer to fold them. Because they need to be folded and there is not alot else to do at this time of day…ummm…night. Do your sheets ever get that little wrinkle just at the verrry top? Right at the spot that you need to fold over the coverlet or duvet or quilt? You can NOT smooth it out with your hands. It seems permanently folded. And, it just makes the bed you spent time trying to make beautiful…not.

So, I decide to iron the creased sheet…but my ironing board is otherwise engaged. It is holding clothes that need to be hung up and dried…not put in the dryer. How on earth could we have built a house with a laundry room the size of a bedroom and NOT HAVE A PLACE TO HANG WET CLOTHES????? Well, we managed to do just that, so I have them hanging on door knobs, and along the edge of the ironing board. Some of them are sorta dragging the ground. This is due to the fact that the ironing board I have is the same ironing board I have had for at least 30 years! I bought new one when we moved…it lasted a week. I have had plans since last December to buy another one, but I just never remember when I am at the store.

ANYWAY…I thought of my Aunt Marie…and her ironing style. I have known her for as long as I have known that there are other people in the world besides me. I have NEVER seen her use anything to iron except a sheet laid on the bar. And, that’s the way she irons…everything. If it’s good enough for her, it’s good enough for me. So, I get a big beach towel and lay it on the cabinet, and proceed-in a very small area-to take care of that dastardly little wrinkle at the top of the sheet. These are the pillowcases in this pic…they were unsightly as well.

This reminds me of my good friend, Monty. As we were preparing to leave for one of our Ladies Mission Trips, she kept holding her stomach. I thought maybe she was just nervous because of a speech she wanted to give. No, it was something much worse. She had a burn on her stomach. I asked her how she managed to get a burn on her stomach. She then explained that she was dressed and ready to go when she realized her shirt needed ironing. It would have taken waaaaay too long to remove the shirt(like most sane people would do) and iron it. So, she just pulled the shirt over the end of the ironing board and proceeded to iron out the wrinkles. But, she got just a little too close to the tummy area of herself…and burned the mess out of her belly!!!! Way to go, Monty! Good friends, good memories! (I guess that would not be considered a ‘good memory’ for her, but it sure was good for lots of laughs for the rest of us!) 🙂

Oh, that big basket in the corner?… that is the HOME FOR LONELY SOX…those that are ‘missing their mates’. We have actually been able to facilitate several reunions. But some are doomed to the single life for the remainder of their lives. Isn’t that one of the great mysteries of life? Where DO those other sox go? Two go into the washer and only one comes out. And you can search, and occasionally find a mate that has fallen to the floor, but for the most part…they are gone forever. This, I think, is called an enigma. So why do I keep a basket for all the singles? I’m just the kind of girl who likes to hope things will eventually turn out for the best. I want all the sox to get back together with the one they were mated with originally. I want all the sox with the ‘gold toes’ to be with their buddies, I want all the tube sox and the ankle sox, and the crew sox to be happy living folded together forever. The eternal optimist…that’s me.

Once, when Ian went to a junk store, he came home with this bottle. It’s an old Dr. Pepper bottle. Dr. Pepper—the second best drink on the planet. What’s first? Sweet tea with lemon, of course! ANYWAY…he also had this little sprinkler top. I remember when Mom used to sprinkle clothes and store them in the refrigerator. Why did folks do that? Do wrinkle fall out better if they are chilled? Or is it that the ironer is so hot from the heat of the iron, the cool clothes lower their temps?

Please notice that there is a mystery object on the refrigerator. This one is new. The old one, which I have had since I married, is in the pantry. I use this can opener everyday for something. And, actually, hardly ever for it’s intended use. You know those aggravating little bands of hard plastic that are put around so many bottle caps now? Just a quick flick of this opener and it pops right off. I also use it to pry lids up when I need to break the seal on on a jar, too. It is handy for me because it has a magnet on it and I can keep it on the refrigerator.

Since I am obviously not going to sleep anytime soon, I decide to put in a load of clothes. These front loading washer and dryers are very quiet, so I’m not worried about waking anyone. Besides, if I do, I can just tell them how hard I am working…”Nigh…even into the dark of night”…to complete my duties as a wife and mother and “see to the needs of my household” even as they are sleeping peacefully. I am sure they will believe me.

Over my washer and dryer are these shelves where I have a few of my favorite things. Nothing of value, but sentimental memories and gifts from treasured friends. I did some of the needle work in the samplers.

And, a little sign that’s helps me remember to ‘go the extra mile’.

That puts me in mind of that line from the famous poem”…and miles to go before I sleep…”. But, sitting here and writing, my eyes are beginning to cross, and I feel the yawns coming. Sleep is near, I feel it. This laundry will keep…I’m heading back to bed! Nite-Nite. Shhhhhhh…….