2003-11-30 - 4:55 p.m. turkey day, soup, and laundry abusers This afternoon, I finally got the chance to do a couple loads of laundry. In fact, I ran off from my "nurse" duty early to ensure I'd have time to do it. My laundry room has exactly 2 washers and 2 dryers. When I started my 2 loads, there was 1 dryer going already, with no other laundry in sight. I set my laundry a churning, and went back upstairs. I returned just as the final spin was happening. The dryer was still going. A little old man (much shorter than me) toddled in, and stared at the dryer. He asked me if it was still going, as though I appeared to be some sort of laundry monitor. I told him it did appear to still be going (uh, that's the rumbly noise), but, perhaps, his laundry might actually be done. Perhaps he could check it? Of course, his laundry was good and dry. As my 1st washer quit its cycle, I watched him fish his arm into the dryer and pull out one of his wife's garishly colored floral-patterned house dresses. He proceeded to slowly (and poorly) fold it, then stick it in his laundry basket. For good measure, just as my 2nd washer kicked off, he gave his basket a little kick so it wedged itself against the lower dryer (which was empty and ready to be used.) He methodically pulled out a piece of clothing (or one of the tea-pot adorned tablecloths or stripey kitchen towels, etc.), turned his back to me, shook it out, folded it, then placed it in the basket, then started over, repeating this cycle until, a good 5-10 minutes later, he had folded all the items. I am not sure how I contained my irritation, especially given my lack of sleep over the past 2 weeks. His arrogance at making me wait while he folded his laundry -- despite not needing to use the free dryer and there being a folding surface he could have used if he was afraid his elevator trip up 1 story might result in his laundry getting wrinkly -- was amazing. Yesterday was spent roasting organic parsnips and carrots, plus russet potatoes, then adding them to some roasted chicken I'd shredded and some vegatable stock to make a hearty winter soup to take to the boy and his friends. I pureed a large portion for the boy, in case he was not yet up to devouring solid foods, then brought the stew for everyone else. Of course, he had to show off his recovery progress by demanding some of my 3-salami and fresh mozarella sandwhich, then, later, some of the non-pureed stew. Honestly, he is getting better by the day, though he still wakes up in the middle of the night feeling hopeless and miserable due to the pain and the frustration of not being able to do everything he wants to for himself. Being cooped up in the house doesn't help matters either. But he is getting better, which makes me happy. I was also there the day before Thanksgiving/Thanksgiving morning, which was his 1st day home from the hospital. That was horrible. We couldn't get the pain pills to kick in, he couldn't get comfortable to sleep lying down or even sitting up, and had that whole "please kill me now because I feel so awful" attitude. I stayed up with him all night, trying to do what I could to make him feel better. I got no more than an hour of sleep, then a half hour nap at my Thanksgiving hostess' place before her guest arrived. Exhausted, I cut out before dessert to go home and sleep. The next few days, which are my last at my current place of employment, should be crazy hectic. I can't wait to be done there, even though I know short-term my new job will be so much more all-encompassing. I am so happy about and ready for this change though. Wish me luck! xo almost gold P.S. 11/25 was my 2-year diaryland anniversary! any comments? (0 so far) previous - next recently on almostgoldsf... in defense of an email box I came to do battle with SPAM - 2008-05-17 hello 2006 - 2005-12-31 Happy Thanksgiving - 2005-11-14 bon voyage - 2005-11-05 October already? - 2005-10-09