Seventh-Day Ironing

Two years ago, a friend who I’ve complained bitterly to about my back (Remember, I only got my diagnosis this year) came to take care of me after surgery. I asked her to watch over my children at home while I convalesced in an AirBnB which she slept in too. She remarked one day, “Sisi, I see even more that you need a helper. Your floor!! I started sweeping and wow, even MY healthy back started complaining. There’s no way you can do the entire floor and mop and do all the other chores. It’s too much.”

Very true. Even healthy moms homeschooling six crazy children would find it hard if they have my standards of cleanliness. (Quite a few have said they wouldn’t clean as thoroughly as I do.😅)

I have a three half days a week lady who comes. But ironing is not her forte, to put it mildly. But she’s awesome with the children. My ‘I don’t like strangers. I don’t talk’ twin even told her big sister to “Open” a door leading to where our helper was sitting and eating, and even said “Climb” to ask her to help her climb onto the dining room chair. My angel sat with her for a whole five minutes!🥹So she will stay even if her ironing is bad. But that leaves us with that bit done. I try and my back complains. I try, and I get scared I’m causing my back to fuse bending forward. Maybe I’m paranoid. But with uncontrolled AS, who knows? I think I would prefer to be fused totally straight. IF I were to fuse at all. Given I’ve lost so much mobility that my rheumatologist is amazed just can’t still turn my neck when changing lane, imagining myself being fused isn’t a step too far

So yes, here we are with a husband who wears formal shirts to work, children who play a lot and get very dirty, mainly from food they spill on themselves! And we are left with way too much ironing for me.

Enter a third ‘helper.’ The Iron Lady, located a few blocks away. Their prices are very competitive given you can take as much laundry to them as you want. As often as you need. And they do the job really well. And they want to know how you want it, which for an OCD man is great. (He wants the hanger to face the left with shirt facing you, the holder. And no lines on shirt sleeves – I forgot to tell them that one- and no lines on pants either. And of course, no ironing if black work pants on the outside. Which the Iron Lady people make sure to tell you they do not do.)

The owner is a wonderful lady. I told her how yes, it’s a paid service, but for me, it’s a blessing because I WANT to iron our clothes but my health stops me. She said that she’d never heard of AS, doesn’t know what it does even now, but she has two other clients who also have it. And that she would pray for me and when they iron things I wear, they’d pray over me. 🥹

Thursday afternoon, when I went to collect some ironing, she told me that it’s quite busy, so I might need to collect the stuff on Saturday. So I told her, “I’ll do it Monday then.” She reminded me that they do open for half of Saturday and I explained that I’m Seventh-Day Adventist. As soon as I said that, she said, “Ahh! I know! No work on the Sabbath!”❤️

And I got my washing yesterday (Friday). Which reminds me to thank her and her staff because I was really ok with collecting on Monday!

Those are the things that make life easier. More expensive, but MUCH easier!🙏🏾