One on the list stood out in my mind - -
"Shovel your neighbor's sidewalk or mow their lawn."
prompting a Real Life Story for you....
Relocating from North Carolina to South Carolina in 1995 to be closer to our daughter in Columbia, and sons in Florida, we decided not to buy another home, but rent, for flexibility purposes.
We lucked into a psychologist who was moving to Augusta, Georgia and wanted a responsible couple to rent her very lovely home on the 95-acre lake, just a half mile from downtown.
It had a large front porch, 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, and a great room with fireplace and wall to wall French doors and windows, and screened porch and deck, overlooking the lake -- for $400 a month!
She was delighted because my husband could do some repairs and painting, etc., and I was a Yard Junkie, the property large, sloping down to the water, and adjacent to a vacant corner lot the City owned.
A riding mower solved that aspect, and I love to wield my trusty weed eater, she not having had the time to care for it all.
I played to my heart's content with flower beds all over - hacked down the weeds and next door kudzu vines - truly in my glory.
Hung a hammock between two trees down by the lake, and watched endless sunrises and sunsets, reflecting on the water, and parades of baby geese and ducks.
A real plus were the neighbors, especially some older ones. Two doors over were Mr. Frank, a retired grocery store manager, and Miss Myrtle, about 17 years my senior.
Miss Myrtle was THE Epitome of Southern Gentlewoman, ever kind and cheerful and very caring. We spent many pleasant hours sitting outside by the lake, mulling over life issues.
Across the street was a widower, 16 years older, who had been in real estate successfully, but honored his modest Upcountry farming roots, still maintaining a small farm by the Country Club.
At times I got carried away, going over to weed eat the overgrowth from the back yard down to the lake for Mr. Frank, who had emphysema. Mr. Walter often played Good Neighbor, Southern Style, bringing me wonderful fresh vegetables. I now and then strayed over there to 'tidy up' his large front yard, since he had someone come to do it only occasionally.
After 2 1/2 years, our landlady had remarried and her husband pressed her to sell the house we were renting, and we were in a predicament trying to find a habitable house (few available at any given time) that was affordable.
To The Rescue charged Miss Myrtle, who daily kept nagging Mr. Walter - "Now, Walter, you just have to find a roof to put over Margaret's head!!"
Laughing, he came over to ask what we could afford, and said for us to look at every property within our range, and if a reasonable price, he'd purchase it to rent to us!!
Mind you, he was 80 years old at the time (6 years ago), with heart attacks, a pacemaker and bleeding ulcer, and certainly did not need to acquire another house.
We found one on a shady corner lot, closer to stores; easier to maintain as our strength declined, and lower cost for utilities and gasoline, etc.
He even told us to give him the bills for painting the entire house (3 coats on some dark walls), any repairs, new water heater, etc. AND the cost of lumber and screening for the carport for our cat to have his room!
It has the laundry room at one end, and with the double concrete drive, we still have that for parking the car.
It truly is a testament to the goodness of the Lord, leading us to just the right places, and persons who practice what they believe.
Indeed, smiles and kindness are the cement of life...