Black Wash

Wake early, stressed and uncomfortable, feel guilty becasuse of things that need to be done, feel annoyance at things that were not done.

And after having gone to the bathroom, and petted the cat, go to the kitchen. The cat's plate is filthy, there are the dried remains of tinned cat food stuck to it. Take it, and go to the sink, fill it with water to let the dried revolting stuff soak. The cat is fawning around, probably looking hopeful under her fur.
Go to the cupboard in the hallway, and find a chipped side plate there, one that will do for the cat, but should really have been thrown out some time ago. Back in the kitchen, open the refrigerator and take out the tin of cat food. The cat, hearing the sound of the tin, and the fork therein clattering, commences to make sounds of excitement. Empty the half-full tin onto the plate, scrape the sticky remains out with a fork. The sound of the fork on the tin drives the cat's excitement. Put the plate down, then there is silence but for the cat slobbering over it's breakfast.

Make a cup of coffee using the small expresso machine. The sound of the coffee grinder wakes up the son, he comes out and hugs his father, a hug only ever exchanged in private, he never allows his friends to see that he has a close relationship with his father. His friends are probably cool that way too, they all want to show off their independence or something.

Finish the coffee, and then take the plastic box full of dirty clothes from it's place beside the bed and carry it into the bathroom to the washing machine. The drum is still full of yesterday's washing, the wife has forgotten to take it out. Go to the corridor, take up the basket of damp washing that has been there since yesterday and add the washing from the machine to it. Then seperate the black dirty clothing from the pale  and coloured things untill the plastic box is empty, two heaps of clothing on the floor. Put the pale things back into the  box, and fill the machine with the black things. Charge the machine with washing powder and press the buttons.
The black wash commences.
Take the basket full of damp clothing upstairs to the attic, the clothes lines there are all full of dried clothing. Fill a basket with dry clothing, then hang the damp clothing over the lines.
And when this is done, take down the remainder of the dried clothing and fill the second basket. It is cold in the attic, take the two baskets down, leave them in the bedroom at the foot of the bed, the one that the wife is still sleeping in.
Breakfast has already been prepared by the son, make yet another cup of coffee and sit down at the table with him and talk. It is a pleasant conversation, only the two, father and son.
Sunday morning, time to catch up.