Sunday, December 30th 2012
Saturday
We thought of going for breakfast to Cafe Par, but along the way dropped into the Finsbury Library’s Local History Department. I have been contacted by someone who is writing a book and wanted to use one of my photos. When I reviewed the photo, I had some doubts about it and so Tigger suggested we do some research on the matter and the Local History department seemed a good place to try.
We explained what we were looking for and the assistant brought out books and maps for us to peruse. The sources we were shown contained all sorts interesting information about the history of Islington and, before we knew it, we found ourselves looking up streets, buildings, and other matters that interested us. We left at 1pm when the library closed and realized we had been there an hour and a half. It felt more like 10 minutes.
When we reached Cafe Par, we found it was closed and so we looked around for somewhere else to eat what was no longer breakfast but had become brunch. A lot of places were closed and those that were open didn’t seem very strong on vegetarian fare. In the end we went to Tinsel Town for coffee and cake.
Tinsel Town
An American diner
Tigger had brought me here one evening when I first moved to Islington and on that occasion we had ordered milk shakes, one of Tinsel Town’s specialities. Today we made do with coffee and cake. Yum, delicious!
There were several things we could have done with the rest of Saturday but somehow we never managed to get around to any of them and the day gently passed while we relaxed at home in the warm.
Sunday
In contrast, Sunday came in with a vengeance. We had to do our weekly shopping and then the laundry. To get in the right mood, we went to Pret in St John Street for breakfast. We then surfed the aisles at Sainsbury’s and carted out booty home.
By the time we arrived at the launderette, the place was busy. We had a few extras this month and needed three washing machines. The situation wasn’t helped by the fact that there are selfish folk who fill a washing machine or a dryer, set it going and then go away, returning only hours later. This means fewer machines for the rest of us to use.
We managed to get three washing machines and set them going. I know how long it takes to complete a wash and we can therefore go to a cafe or the pub across the road, and return just as the washing cycle is coming to an end.
When we got back, our machines had a few more minutes to run and while we waited, we took stock of the dryers. We normally use two. Three were available, including a pair side by side. We would grab them when the wash cycle ended in the next few seconds. What could possibly go wrong? Just as we thought that, guess what happened. Someone came in from outside with two bags of washing and took both dryers!
We were able to take the third empty dryer and then had to wait for another to become available. I noticed a young Japanese man taking garments from a dryer, folding them and rolling them up and putting them in a small suitcase. He seemed to be working in slow motion and all I could do was to wait and be ready to pounce as soon as he left. At last he did, and we tossed a towel into the dryer to “reserve” it.
In the end, it all worked out, though people coming in after us had to wait for machines to become free. I must say that it’s a good feeling, walking away from the launderette, knowing that the task is done, and that we now have a few weeks’ grace before we go through it all again.
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I had to do the launderette thing for a number of years, which was a pain, but then I convinced my then landlady who lived on site to let me “rent” her washer and dryer, which were in a separate store room adjacent to their apartment. Since I worked nights, I used them during the night, so there was no conflict of time. Then when I moved to my current digs, I got my own washer and dryer. It’s been wonderful being able to wash a load whenever I need to. Luckily, there is a nice clothes line out in the back yard, too. At least you have a nice launderette near where you live. Good that you’ve gotten the task out of the way again and can concentrate on things you want to do.
It is no doubt handy to be able to do the laundry in small lots “in the comfort of your own home” but for now, we do not have room for a washing machine and, with another flat beneath ours, there would always be the worry of it going wrong and leaking. (I have been on the wrong end of a leaking washing machine and it isn’t fun.)
We have a well polished routine and the launderette we use is a good one in which machines are rarely out of order.