Laundromats and Lost Bees

Every time anyone moves, there are glitches in getting a new household set up. One of the glitches for THIS time around involved the movers not knowing what they were doing when trying to unhook a dryer and f–king up some wiring, resulting in a dangerous short. WELL–! We got the breaker turned off and unplugged the old dryer (which Cat is replacing with hers eventually.) Only problem is that means we have no washer and dryer service in the house.

To the laundromat!

I haven’t been in one in a few years, but I know the basics, so I gave Cat some instructions. I told her Sundays were often crowded, but laundromat machines go through their cycles pretty quickly. There were only 3 smaller washers left (and she and I had 2 loads each. So I grabbed one, and Cat grabbed one, but another guy came in and grabbed the third. I sort of shrugged, but Cat got pissed he honed in on the machine she wanted, and she made an offended statement and huffed back out to the car, taking her clothes with her. So I took the machine she vacated and sat down awkwardly.

The morning rush was almost over, and several machines opened up as mine were running, so I went outside to the car where Cat was playing a game on her iPpad and asked if she didn’t want to give it another go? She sighed and apologized, she was out of her comfort zone and PMSing. She came back in and did her laundry and all was well once more.

Except it was Mother’s Day.

I rather dread it, since I’m not on good terms with my mother. I stopped being on bad terms with her, and that’s about the best I can do. Cat, meanwhile, has just lost her mother, and she cried a little talking about what a bad daughter she was– she never got her mother anything for Mother’s Day. I had always noticed that Cat and Sharn just never seemed to do ANY holidays, really. It was their family culture. I didn’t think her mother cared too much about it.

We went to a crowded seafood restaurant in Cedar Cove, which was silly because everyone was out with their moms. But we got a free table, next to a window and an opening to their outdoor seating. The only thing wrong with it was a couple of bees who were trapped trying to get out that huge window. It made for a very awkward dining experience until we managed to capture the bees with a shot glass and the desert menu!

Meanwhile, I was absorbing the atmosphere. It was a beautiful day around 80 degrees, with families out everywhere. We were next to the sound and seagulls and kingfishers and herons were in abundance. The wind was blowing a fresh breeze over the town, and tourists were out and about. It still doesn’t seem quite real that I am in such a place. Cedar Cove to one side, and Charming to the other… It may take a while to fully understand that this is my new life.