Clean clothes and other important chores

New Street does not offer a laundry service to respite residents; this means I have to rely on one of the Support Team to escort me to a nearby laundrette where I can load the clothes into a machine, have the person in charge of the laundrette put the washed clothes through a dryer, fold them and have them waiting for me later in the day.  

La Madeleine came over to New Street to chauffeur me around yesterday and do the heavy haulage; carry the heavy items like the bag of laundry.  We left the laundry tossing around in the wash cycle, crossed the road to Andy’s and had a coffee. Something was seriously wrong with the coffee; it was definitely not up to the standard I am accustomed to drinking at Andy’s.  I did not complain as I have a suspicion the fault lay, not with the coffee, but with me.

Coffee drinking disappointment behind me, we drove to the nearest big shopping centre where I searched for suitable Thank You cards.  I want to deliver these to the hospital before I leave the city for my country convalescence; if I don’t do it now it will never happen.

It was a time consuming exercise; I only needed two cards. I looked at what seems to be every damned card in the shop which might serve as a Thank You card and quite a few that would not serve as Thank You cards but which were wonderfully illustrated and had quirky and amusing captions.

 Eventually I made a decision and away we went, back to the laundry where I made the irritating discovery that the clothes drying had been completely overlooked. 

I was not a happy little Vegemite.  I had to remind myself that worse things have happened at sea and in the larger scheme of things in My New Life, damp clothes are a mere bagatelle.  However it meant going back to collect them today and I was lucky Neighbour Heather came to the rescue.

She was happy to collect the laundry but not enthusiastic when I requested trip to the card shop.  I had considered the cards again last night and changed my mind about one.  It did not reflect accurately enough what I wanted to say.  I stuck to my guns and along the way to the shopping centre discovered NH had played tennis this morning and hadn’t had time for lunch.

We found a café still serving lunch and she ate up and brightened up.

Being on my Support Team can be very demanding.