Cohousing-L Mailing List: Why we like cohousing--anecdotes

[Joaniblank (Joaniblank]

Tonight at our common dinner, I heard the following comments made in a
conversation about things that happen here that are unlikely to happen in
single family housing communities, even those which are relatively close
knit. I thought that those of you who don't yet live in a cohusing community
would enjoy reading these, and maybe others will contribute additional
thoughts:

[From the first-time parent of a five-month old] "How do parents who don't
live in cohousing ever eat dinner?"

"Where else could I get someone to take a splinter out of my finger at 7:30
in the morning?"
 
"No more special trips all the way home for five minutes just to feed the
dog!"

"When I locked myself out today, our joint baby sitter--who sits for two or
three households with preschoolers--let me into my neighbor's house  and
directed me to their key box so I could get the key to the key box in the
common house where my extra key was."

"The other day I left Steven (age 4) by himself for a half- hour watching TV,
and told him that David (an adult who works at home) would be available if he
needed something. I had just called David to let him know, and told Steven he
could reach John by pressing the redial button on the phone. [names changed
to protect the innocent]" 

"I love it that folks on their way to the supermarket who see me on the way
out, ask if I need anything."

"In what other urban place could I leave my apartment door unlocked for half
a day so that a friend/handyman could get in"

"The other night Sandra and Neal's kitchen ceiling light was glaring into the
hot tub, so I got out and walked into their unit--they were in the back--to
turn it out."

Don'tcha just love it?  IMHO it's these precious little reliances on one
another that make all those endless meetings worthwhile.