Monday's the day we wash the clothes

April 30, 2007 Monday

The cleaning lady came again. Considering that we have been in the apartment less than 2 weeks and I only do breakfast, lunch and a few dinners, it is remarkable that she finds enough to do to occupy her for 3 hours.

She brought 2 long bamboo poles, so that laundry can be hung outside. I had to go down the stairwell to help her get them up. They are really long. The way she did it was: She put a sheet on the pole while it was still inside.

She balanced the pole across two windows. Then she held the sheet up while moving the pole through the window.

She had to put the other end of the pole through a side window, so that she could maneuver it.

It was a very windy day, so she put two small clothes pins under the pole to hold it on. I am to buy the large clothes pins that are the diameter of the pole. She also tied the pole to the frame. I kept checking it during the day and with the way that the sheet was blowing around, the sheet and the pole would have been somewhere in the trees below. It did dry really fast. Actually, the things that are hung inside dry quickly, too. (In France, they used to take 3 days, and since they were hung over the bathtub, we all had to take a bath when the clothes dried and before the next batch went up.) They are all dry the next morning. (4 flights)

In the afternoon, I went to the supermarket across the street. I needed to buy some things to make for dinner. The pickled cucumbers required a clerk to scoop them out. I waited behind the person that she was helping and then she walked out from behind the counter and past me. I got her attention and made motions that I wanted something, too. She announced something (in a loud voice) and swaggered away. There was a collective gasp from all of the customers and the other staff, and then a hush. She stopped in mid-stride. Another clerk spoke very sharply and gestured toward me. . I just stood there, nonplussed. She turned and came back. Everybody started breathing and returned to what they were doing. She waited on me without any other problem.

I was shocked and astonished by all of this. I don’t think that I have ever had anyone, especially a shop person, in any country be as rude. I have seen them almost draw straws and have the loser be the one who came over, but this was unbelievable. (4 flights)

I made leftovers, with more vegetables and dumplings for dinner. I still haven’t found a dumpling steamer, but following Heidi’s husband’s directions, I made one with a bowl and a plate. It worked fine and the dumplings were quite tasty.

Chuck went off to teach his class. I watched 24 while he was gone.

(Only 8 flights today.)