Wow, what a temperature change from yesterday! Thank goodness we didn’t get the rain they were predicting which would’ve made driving all the dangerous on those “greasy” streets.
The first item on my agenda was to get the tent signs placed near my public open house so all the more drivers would be reminded that it was being held today. Since the ground is frozen, I had to stick them in snowbanks which worked just as well.
After I got back to the office, the gentleman from yesterday stopped by with a few paint chips he found while out to Menards early this morning. He kept insisting that I shouldn’t buy his paint, but I would hear none of it.
Since I had some time to kill, I stopped at one of my favorite paint stores to check on prices for seven gallons which I figured would be more than enough for his project. As I was looking around, there sat a five gallon bucket of paint with a paint chip attached which was very close to one of the colors I’d been given. I ask the clerk if he’d mixed that for someone’s order, and he said it just so happened to be the wrong type of paint a buyer had asked for, so they put it back out for re-sale.
After getting another two gallons of that same paint and buying that five gallons at a deep discount, I’d say I paid half as much or less for one of their most expensive paints. While driving away I thought, “Isn’t it interesting when someone decides to pay it forward for someone else, all the more grateful things happen, and believe me, I was exceptionally grateful for that very good buy.
I called the gentleman and told him I had his paint and I’d be right over. When I sat them down in his kitchen I said, “Thanks to a paint store’s generous discount, you’ll be painting your walls with their premium paint.” He was a bit speechless before an abundance of thanks came rolling my way. Yesterday’s and today’s experiences were reminders that even the smallest acts of kindness will sometimes continue to snowball.
Later this afternoon I happened to run into a woman at the grocery store whom I’ve known for some years. We happened to get on the subject of people taking advantage of our trusting elderly just so to acquire all the more wealth. I was once again compelled to ask the question, “Why is it that too many companies don’t want to make money the old fashioned way by plain and simply earning it?” She couldn’t have agreed more.
My public open house at 341 S. Carolina was a great success in spite of it being a dark and dreary day. Believe it or not, there were people coming and going the entire two hours I was there. I didn’t hear any negative comments and nearly everyone was surprised that its rear yard was so large. I’d say two of the couples in attendance were showing more than a passing interest in it, so hopefully we’ll be getting at least one call back for a second look.
As I was driving around the Downtown this morning after placing my open house signs, I decided to go and get my camera and take some photos of the brick and stone buildings that were covered in frost. The above photo is of First Baptist Church which appeared as though it had been whitewashed with frost. Let’s all hope this un-usually warm weather doesn’t drive the frost deeper underground and freeze water pipes. That’s always a fear that many City workers never want to talk about.
Tonight’s one-liner is: People become attached to their burdens sometimes more than the burdens are attached to them.
