The Bittersweet Paradox

I hate to even admit this. But here goes...

Sometime last week, I decided it was time to do my laundry. So, I dutifully started putting my clothes through the washer and dryer. My family's almost 5-month-old golden retriever puppy sleeps in our laundry room. Keep that in mind, it's important. Sadly, I got distracted in the course of doing my laundry, which often happens. So, without me really thinking about it, I had a load of wet laundry sitting in the washer for a good 5 days. Bad enough, you say?...Just wait.

Once I finally realized half of my wet wardrobe was sitting in the washer, I ran to get them, hoping they hadn't mildewed beyond repair. Thankfully, I opened the washer and they seemed OK. I ran them through the dryer, and it seemed as though they were no worse for the wear. It would seem...

When I went to put on a pair of jeans which had been in the load in question, they seemed fine at first. I realized, when I got into my car, however, that I smelled suspiciously like my golden retriever puppy. Thinking I just smelled like that from having just petted her, I forgot about it. But the smell WOULDN'T GO AWAY. It was with horror that I realized that my clothes which had been sitting wet in the washer all week had become permeated with golden-retriever-puppy smell. All of my jeans were in this load. I have seriously had to carry a bottle of Febreeze in my car all this week and had to spray myself down before going anywhere where people might be in close vicinity to me...for their own sake.

Yikes! No good... I have the same problem with our cat... well sort of. If I don't get my clothes put away fast enough, they are covered in cat hair because she loves to snuggle where it is warm.