Monday Musings – Loads of Trouble: A Laundromat Adventure Gone Wrong

 

The best laid plans sometimes go awry…then you pivot. My peaceful Saturday was hijacked by a host of unplanned activities. My pre-planned agenda included hanging around the house – working on a writing project, decluttering an area I’ve been putting off, then leaving the house for outdoor adventures. 

At some point during the day, I knew I wanted to go to the laundromat to wash the blanket I keep across the foot of my bed. It’s one of those thick fleece blankets that keep you warm when your body settles into the coolness of fresh bed sheets.

I planned ahead and placed the blanket in the trunk the night before, so I wouldn’t forget it when I went out to run errands. Before the birds updated their morning playlist, I was up for my morning coffee and meditation. This was followed by my symphony of tasks that included – starting the dishwasher, a load of laundry, working on comedy. All by 8am on a Saturday.

I felt like a Superhero. I called a friend and said, “Hey, what time is that Walk for a Cure? I might be able to make it after all.”

“It’s at 9.”

“I’ll see you there.”

It would take less than 15 minutes to drive to the event location. A 9 am start time would give me time to participate in the walk then get to the bank before they closed at noon. I needed quarters for the laundromat.

As the best laid plans go, there was an interruption; the 5K walk didn’t start until 10am. It was all the pre activities that began at 9. All was not lost, I visited the vendors, got my face painted, got my body moving with the warmup stretches. However, I did have to leave before the walk ended, in order to make it to the bank on time.

My plotted-out plan was redirected because I remembered that I wanted to go by Sam’ Club for a couple cases of water and Skinny Pop popcorn. Sam’s Club was ten minutes from the event location, so I stopped by there before dashing across town to the bank.

Since I had time to spare, I stopped by the laundromat on the way to the bank, to see how much it would cost to wash the comforter. The laundromat was only a couple of miles from the bank.

Proud that I had accomplished this just before noon, I returned to the laundromat ready to wash. I carried the oversized bundle in my arms and stuffed it into one of the front load washers. It’s been a while since I visited the laundromat, so I read the directions.

Insert clothes.

Twist handle.

Add detergent…

I stood like a deer in headlights…I had no detergent.

Although it would have only taken me 10 minutes to go home and retrieve my detergent, I didn’t want to. I had been home once to drop off the cases of water and a couple of unplanned refrigerated items I’d purchased.

I left the comforter in the washer, got back in my car and drove up the street to Kroger (across from the bank). I purchased the smallest container of laundry detergent that I could find. In less than fifteen minutes, I was back at the laundromat, adding detergent, and feeding quarters to the washer like a slot machine.

My advice (although you didn’t ask), don’t overload your schedule. However, if your best laid plans go awry…go with the flow.