Progress

It seems having the washing machine in my building break has given me the kick up the arse I've needed to do a couple of other little things which will make my life much easier. Like, for instance, calling the real estate agent to get the very, very leaky tap fixed and calling the cleaning guy who was doing the house for Matt and I to get a quote for regular cleaning and some handyman jobs.

The plumber will be here soon, and the cleaner/handyman guy has just left after giving me a quote. He will be back Wednesday morning to do said handyman bits and pieces, which is a relief: the work that needs doing includes getting mold off the roof of the bathroom (there's no vent and opening the window during showers only helps so much), and replacing a light bulb or two.

These small things have felt hugely overwhelming for... well, months now. I don't know why it is that when I get hit with crises I can still do the 'big stuff' reasonably well, it's the little things which stop me dead in my tracks. I'm not a detail oriented person to begin with, and perhaps in times like these I tend to ignore my weaknesses.

I feel a bit guilty about hiring a cleaner on a regular basis, but once a month isn't a huge thing, and I can afford it with the new job. In fact, the new job is one of the justifications I'm using for this. I've already been through a lot of change in the last six months, and the next six aren't going to be a walk in the park either. I'll see how I feel about the cleaning service then. If it's taking away some of the overwhelmed feeling, then it's well worth continuing. I could probably get some of it covered by Home and Community Care for a little less, but frankly I feel like since I can now pay market rates, I should.

As for the washing, that's a pain in arse I will have to deal with straight away. I got my clothes into the machine before realising that (a) the coin slot is jammed and (b) the bottom of the tub had water in it already. I have Miss Maybe coming down to  stay for a week  as of this afternoon, and part of the washing load was the new sheets for the guest couch. Gah.

Those of you who have been in the lovely position of not having a car available AND having to work out lugging shit around with a guide dog or a white cane in one hand will especially appreciate why this a problem I'm not looking forward to solving. None of my friends live close enough that it would be worth visiting them over a laundromat. The washing machine company people said they'd fix it either today or tomorrow; if it weren't for the sheets I'd just hold out until then. It looks like the first thing Miss Maybe will be seeing of Melbourne is the inside of one of our exotic laundromats...

Double-gah. I can't believe I've just written so much about household chores.