Doing Laundry

I had to do a little bit of laundry today. Being a light traveler makes airport navigation easy, but somewhere before the trip is over I have to do laundry.  Of course, that means a trip to a laundry facility.  I am not totally new to such places--I just haven't had to use them for many years.  I made many trips to the basement of our apartment in S. Weymouth Massachusetts apartment for the purpose of providing clean apparel for our small family.  I carried a baby in the basket of clothes down the stairs while a toddler waited at the top for me to return to get him.  I would put him on my right hip, the detergent and a toy care in my left hand and head back down. 

Neils and Bree have a great little apartment, but no in house washer and dryer. This is the first time I have walked down an alley to reach a laundry facility--not saying that is bad just different.

You exit through the back, down the stairs and into the alley.  Not a bad alley as allies go--no dark corners, or garbage piled high. 

Actually it is a pleasant alley. Other apartments have entrances from there along with employee entrances to the shops facing Girard Street. I think alleys have character simply because they are naked and up front with no pretense--they are what they are.  This alley has a lot going for it.  Two little yellow apartments are hidden there.  Small wooden homes built many years ago, perhaps before their street became an alley.



A gate to --maybe the secret garden

There is no  direct route to this secreted washer and dryer.  Turn left then, turn right and you still haven't a clue.  Just keep walking straight ahead and look for the white door on your right.  Never would you ever guess that in a tiny space behind that door would be a washer and dyer both fully equipped with coin slots.  The sign makes it official---OPEN DAILY 8:00 to 10:00.  Two loads and
we are clean again.  When the last load went into the dryer the next customer was filling the washer with her soon to be clean clothes.  She had tied her dirty clothes in a plastic garbage bag and launched it  from a second story window.  
  
 Had a quick chat with her and found out she had a double knee replacement recently and wishes people would not be so careless with the little laundry room.  Off she went to open the door to one of the little yellow houses in the alley.  An interesting two hours.  One never knows what waits down an alley.

 

 

 

 

Launch site of dirty laundry.  I wonder what really goes on behind that closed door.