On the days I mobile work from home I often do laundry.  Generally, the first load goes into the washer at six a.m.

We share the machines with the rest of the floor, so it’s important to keep a timer as a reminder to switch out your load just in case a neighbor is waiting for a machine to open up.  In a stroke of luck, our floor is full of considerate neighbors.

Every Tuesday, one of our neighbors has a sweet housekeeper, Caroline, visit her home.  Caroline cleans the apartment and does laundry.

So today, in between conference calls and real estate fires that needed to be put out in Utah, I forgot I had ignored my alarm and when I made it to the laundry room, my neighbor’s laundry was in the machines…and my dryer load was on the counter, folded and neatly stacked.

I felt rewarded for being inconsiderate.

As I collected my clothes and walked back down the hallway, I heard my neighbor’s door open and I turned around to see Caroline making her way to the laundry room.  She is a piece of cardigan-wearing sunshine.

“Did you fold my laundry?!” I smiled.

“Sure did, honey!  And for heaven’s sake, I put in a dryer sheet in for you because, little miss, you could have electrocuted yourself with the amount of static in that machine!”  Caroline has a little drawl that is pleasing as peach pie.

I do declare I’ll have to do laundry again next Tuesday in the hopes of running into her again.

I wonder how C feels about hiring a housekeeper.

I wonder what Caroline does on Wednesdays…

P.S.  Years back, our neighbor shared a housekeeping secret with us.  Caroline has created what Micaela and I know as “Magic Cleaning Solution” for mirrors.  It’s one part rubbing alcohol to one part water.  Your mirrors have never looked better.  Promise.