Adventures in Ironing

Ironing is one of those routine things that I do on Tuesdays, unless it has to be put off until later in the week.  My mom gets through the chore by using that as her TV time for the week.  For myself, I use it as time to contemplate how I'm thankful for my husband, and how I'm glad to help him look spiffier.  In the past, other Cameroonians have remarked on the importance of looking professional as a teacher.  So this time when we came out, we intentionally brought clothes that were a bit more formal for Karl's teaching time.  Little stains and holes continue to eat away at that 'look', but ironing the clothes improves them immeasurably from how they look coming off the clothesline.

I don't normally look on ironing as an adventure.  Today, however, shocked me.  Iron the collar, iron the sleeves, iron the top of the back, iron the shirt button-side around to the holes, and then on to the trousers.  Yes, we call them trousers, because it's a multicultural teaching environment and 'pants' would refer to something unmentionable.  Iron the front-pocket side, iron the back, turn it to the other front pocket, and for some reason, the pocket wasn't laying flat, even when I tried to smooth it.  I reached into the pocket to feel if there was a piece of paper or something that had gotten washed and smushed up.  The pocket MOVED!  I felt a slimy creature scramble up my hand and saw a lizard leap to the floor in terror just as I jumped and yelped.  It was pretty funny, although Esther needed a good 10 minutes to get over her fear and become convinced that everything was right with the world.  Here's to excitement for those who mostly stay at home, and I'm glad I didn't roast him.  Goodness knows we have enough bugs for him to eat.