30th Jan: Musings from the Launderette

Unlike October and August, January is not one of the months that flies by. It's more like September. Perhaps it's to do with re-starting routine and implementing new life-changes, perhaps it's to do with the shorter days and longer nights, perhaps it's to do with the weather. I don't know. What I do know is that I feel as if I've really DONE January, that I've squeezed as much of it's possibility as was humanly possible. 

For some reason it feels right that I am spending my penultimate January morning in the laundrette washing my life away. I really like launderettes  For one thing, I feel liek my clothes are getting professionally cleaned and for another, I don't have to scuttle down to my bunker-like basement, nor do I have to wait three days for my clothes to dry. No, here they have SUPER tumble-dryers. I am aware that the ultimate laundry experience occurs int eh bosom of your family home, where godo standards of cleanliness and the utmost efficiency can be assured (even if you have to do it yourself - it still feels easier and cleaner) Away from home the launderette feels like the safest place in the world. I've already managed to make friends with an old man and a kooky lady in a puffer jacket, who taught me how to use the machines. It feels so friendly here...

Anyway, back to January. January has been a dirty month full of slushy minus-temperatures, permanent dusk, stressful planning, tough habit-curbing, self-indulgent self-pity (so much self!) and an exploding washing machine. All these factors make it seem more than appropriate to be sitting here in the corner of this bright room, being soothed by the sounds of German efficiency. What I mean, is that I am making a fresh start; a fresh, hard, exciting, super nerve-wracking start and I intend to face it wearing superbly, professionally-cleaned pairs of knickers and socks. Yes, that will be nice won't it. Now I just have to wait here for forty minutes...