All I Wanted was Clean Laundry!! Is that Too Much to Ask????

*I just reread this post and I sound really bitter and mean, when in reality I am purely amused. Please read it that way.*

I have not purchased a washer and dryer yet and this obviously has presented some problems.. like how am I going to have clean clothes?? Luckily, I spaced out my trips to the parents' and grandma's pretty well and have only had to laundry here in the ATL twice... both an adventure.

Laundry Adventure #1

The day I moved in was quite a disaster. I ended up looking at about 4 apartment complexes in one day before making a quick decision and picking this one and moving in a couple hours later. I could have swore the laundry facility was by the fitness center. I loaded up all my laundry one Saturday afternoon and drove down to the leasing office. However, I didn't want to carry my laundry by the pool without finding the laundry facility first. So, I walked down to the fitness center and what do you know, I needed my gate key to get in.. I went back to my car, got my gate key, and went back to the fitness center only to find out there was no laundry facility there. Grrr.

So, I turned on my GPS, Laura (My sister Heather's GPS is George, mine is Laura, and dad's is Hillary, the lying hussie), and found a laundromat. I went to said laundromat, payed too much money, and had to watch my unmentionables tumble around in the washer while two guys made me feel uncomfortable. Then this family brought in bags of clothes that smelled soooo bad. Then, the lady checked my clothes to see how much longer they needed to dry (I didn't think she would touch them) and grabbed a handful of above mentioned unmentionables after handling other peoples clothes!! Gross!!!! I was horrified. I got out of there as quickly as possible.


Laundry Adventure #2

After this experience, I swore I would not do that again. I started researching buying a washer and dryer. Then work picked up and I haven't had a chance to do anything more than research.

Inevitably, I needed to do laundry again. I was complaining to Jake, a coworker who is quickly taking on the characteristics of an irritating brother (in a good way..mostly), about the laundry situation. He said "There is no way your apartment complex doesn't have a laundry complex" and proceeded to look up my apartment complex and found where it says "Clothes Care Center" under amenities.. I could of swore I checked that.

So, one evening after work I drove around until I found it tucked away as far away from my apartment as you can get. However, there was lock on the door. One of those locks where you push down the numbers.

I was discussing this with a friend of mine from church, Betsy. Betsy and her husband Jered just moved into a new place that doesn't have a washer or dryer either. She has been going to a laundromat too. After discussing this mutual situation, we decided to do laundry together at my apartment complex. So, Thursday evening I called Betsy when I got off work and made plans for 7. I stopped by the leasing office, something I hate to do..long story, and asked the guy I hate talking to (the long story) how to get in the "Clothes Care Center." He told me, then I went back to my apartment and ate a quick dinner. I then tried to make a quick run to Publix for quarters.

I walk in and stand in line at customer service for five minutes while this woman picks out her lottery tickets. When it is finally my turn, I tell the girl I need to buy a roll of quarters. She gives me a blank stare, so I repeated myself. She says "Oh, I am going to need to quarters." I say "No, I need to buy a roll of quarters." She says "I mean I need the money." I pull out my credit card and she says "Oh, you are going to have to buy something and get cash back, it has to be cash." So, I grab a candy bar and wait in line again. When its my turn, she scans my candy bar, Hershey's with Almonds, and I swipe my card, and sign, but it never asks if I want cash back. Then she says, "Oh, you can't get cash back with a credit card." You can at Walmart so I didn't ask and I thought she saw the card. So, then she has to refund the purchase of my candy bar. I put away my credit card and pull out my debit card, then she says, "I am going to need you to scan your credit card again." So, I get my credit card out again and swipe it, then the little screen thing freezes after I sign. After the few minutes it took to fix that problem, she finally got everything worked out. I got my quarters and at this point a much needed candy bar.

Betsy is waiting for me when I get back and we load our laundry into her car and drive to the laundry place. We haul our laundry inside and see that the machines are card operated.. not quarters. To make things better you have to have a five to get a card from the machine. I don't have any cash and Betsy has two one dollar bills and a twenty.

WHY DIDN'T THE DUMB GUY AT THE LEASING OFFICE TELL ME?!?!?!?!?!

So, we load everything back in the car and go to CVS and get cash back, then finally are able to do our laundry.

While our clothes were washing, we walked to the pool and put our feet in and talked. It was very relaxing after all the stress.

We finished our laundry and I sold my quarters to Betsy.

It was quite an adventure.

I have decided I really want a washer and dryer.....