Tearful talk with cleaning lady

On Friday I had the unpleasant task of telling my cleaning lady about her previous week's blunder. It was hard because I had to be nice and make my point at the same time. As I said previously I really like my cleaning lady and she's going through a rough time. I watched her walk up the driveway and I could tell she was already having a bad day.

I was very gentle with her. I explained I wasn't mad at her, but at the event. Her first reaction was "Why didn't you call me up, I would have come to pick up the mess". I know she lives far away and works nights, which means at the time I found the mess, she was probably sleeping. Told her while it really upset me because I'd had a rough week, that hubby picked up the mess. That all I wanted was for her not to balance kitty litter on top of something again. Poor woman was so fragile she broke into tears.

I spent about 10 minutes holding her because she was just crying. I know she's worried about her immediate future and she's really stressed. I felt so bad.  While I was holding her I told her how much I cared for her and appreciated her, and that I understood she's spacey lately because she's preoccupied.

I still feel guilty I told her about the accident. I didn't need to add to her stresses and problems.