Diary - My mother finally decided to buy a new washing machine

[Maybo]

This is an entry from my diary. Please check it and correct any mistakes.

My mother finally decided to buy a new washing machine because no one wanted to wash clothes by hand anymore. Yesterday, I went to an electrical equipment store with my mother. The staff member said she remembered me, and she asked me if I remembered her too. I'd never seen her before, and I hadn't been to the store for a year. After finishing buying the machine, she said she used to work at the restaurant opposite, and noticed that I only bought takeaways and never dined in. I was amazed by her skill of recognising people because during the pandemic, I've been wearing a mask and I haven't been to the restaurant for a year but she still remembers me.

 

[emsr2d2]

This is an entry from my diary. Please check it and correct any mistakes.

My mother finally decided to buy a new washing machine because no one wanted to wash clothes by hand anymore. Yesterday, I went to an electrical equipment store with my mother. The staff member said she remembered me, and she asked me if I remembered her too. I'd never seen her before, and I hadn't been to the store for a year. After finishing buying we had bought the machine, she said she used to work at the restaurant opposite, and noticed that I only bought takeaways and never dined in. I was amazed by her skill of recognising people because during the pandemic, I've been wearing a mask and I haven't been to the restaurant for a year but she still remembers me.

That's good. Note my one main correction above.

When you say "a new washing machine", do you mean a replacement for a machine that had broken down, or that she had never had a washing machine before? If it's the former, your sentence is OK. If it's the latter, just say "My mother finally decided to buy a washing machine ...".

 

[Tarheel]

This is an entry from my diary. Please check it and correct any mistakes.

My mother finally decided to buy a new washing machine because no one wanted to wash clothes by hand anymore. Yesterday, I went to an electrical equipment store with my mother. An employee said she remembered me, and she asked me if I remembered her too. I didn't recognize her, and I hadn't been to the store in a year. After finishing buying the machine, she said she used to work at the restaurant opposite, and noticed that I only bought takeaways and never dined in. I was amazed at her skill of recognising people because during the pandemic, I've been wearing a mask and I haven't been to the restaurant in a year, but she still remembers me.

I understand that you're referring to the pandemic in the present tense.

 

[Tarheel]

@emsr2d2 The one they had broke down.

 

[emsr2d2]

@emsr2d2 The one they had broke down.

How do you know that? If it had been clear from the original post, I wouldn't have asked the question.

 

[emsr2d2]

"I hadn't been to the restaurant for a year" is absolutely fine in BrE.

 

[Tarheel]

@emsr2d2 She mentioned it before (in a previous thread).

 

[Amigos4]

After finishing buying the machine, she said she used to work at the restaurant opposite, and noticed that I only bought takeaways and never dined in.

In AmE we would say she used to work at the restaurant across the street.

 

[Maybo]

In AmE we would say she used to work at the restaurant across the street.

The store and the restaurant are in the same shopping mall.

 

[emsr2d2]

The store and the restaurant are in the same shopping mall.

In that case, "the restaurant opposite" is correct.