My kids have a way of making me think about some very complicated things. Today, I had to go into a lovely little shop downtown, and I told my kids, "Now, we have to be quiet when we go in here, and there is a lot of pretty things we cannot touch."
Just before opening the door I bend over and look at them up close and ask, "Are you ready?" I don't know if I am talking them into it. Or myself. I just know I have to go in. And I have to be brave enough to take them in, with me.
Their question echos the one I have been asking myself since I was yae-big:
"But, why?"
Good question.
Boys, there's two things on earth that you better figure out: The difference between the easy dollar bills and the honest ones. And insurance,(which is a fancy word for "most important bill."
True. True. The math for Blondie's Laundry Service, up to the point where I washed another guys' laundry was with pretend numbers. I said before the idea began.
There are a lot of bright orange shirts, jeans, long underwear, double socks, coveralls, sweatshirts, t-shirts, on those working men in town. And they get dirty. Every. Day.
I mean, I do know how to do laundry. Also, I have been educated. I know a bit about business. I am literate and can operate my phone.
So, I was overly confident I would figure it out. And you could say I wanted more control of how much I earn for my effort. It is a shame when a good job won't get you anywhere or ahead.
So, that first $20 was easy to earn. I wanted it. All transactions since have been double, nay triple the effort. When the honest dollar bills came into the picture, I had to tie up loose ends, then make it legal. I had to develop, adopt, abandon, adopt and reinvent some systems...
I had to overcome snow; some water leaks; some bad stain remover; and a naive sense of order and time. Sadly, I now have some extra man drawers-which is and will forever be embarrassing!
Like I said, it is my kids who bring focus to my tumbleweed ways; they add the future to the present, and so I have my purpose. They challenge me to"figure it out" for myself so that I may help if they ever face easy dollar bills and insurance trouble.
Or maybe I will teach them to make an opportunity for themselves if they cannot see where one exists
So, Blondie's Laundry Service is about a month into official operations now and everyone has figured out a thing or two. I have even collected a team of people who help, and have made this heart humble again. If it be through osmosisis, I don't care as long as a lesson is passed along to the two little men that I drag along on the ride that is my life. It sounds like this now:
"Out, out," I said. "Lets go."
"Where are we going?" my oldest asks.
"Laundry..." I answer. My mind is a million miles away.
"Is it time to make money for the babies.?" says the younger.
Talk about the biggest grin you could ever get out of a woman! They already know! If that doesn't motivate, then nothing will!
"Damn Strait." I told him. "We're making money for the babies!"
"Lets Go!" And away we went in our welcome wagon on unofficial business we generated somehow.
While I have a chance I want to thank these magnificent, dirty, working men for their business! You are helping little tumbleweed wishes grow into big fat dreams! Thank You! We hope you stay a long while and that we get to become friends before you return home.
Loves,
HjB
