Another bitterly cold day happened again, but hopefully after this weekend, we’ll be back to more tolerable temperatures. The yo-yoing will return again tomorrow when finding it 10+ degrees blow zero at daybreak, and then springing up to the 30 degree mark by afternoon. That’s going to be a good 40 degree temperature swing in likely less than an eight hour time period which is the makings for more potholes come Spring.
It was another zoom-zoom day with appointments, along with working on three files which I’m readying for their upcoming closings. Not long after I sent a completed pre-closing statement to a Des Moines law firm, I got an email back from the processor asking where my figures were for the real estate tax pro-ration. I internally bristled for a moment or two, and then emailed her back saying I already had it listed on the closing statement. Wow, they sure do their real estate transactions much differently in the Des Moines metro area than here in North Iowa. That wasn’t the first time I was questioned by an out of town closer on something already contained, and most certainly not the last.
In spite of the strong wind and bitter cold, I had to make a trip far out on the east side of our City, and then way out on the west-side two different times, just to make sure a door was unlocked for an appraiser, along with picking up an earnest check from yesterday’s purchase. Unfortunately there were drivers who weren’t being careful about those greasy-slick streets because I came upon two accidents while out, which is why it’s best to drive defensively during weather like today’s.
I’m still on the look-out for a 20″ older gas range which I’m in need of as a replacement for the “burn-out” created by that now exited tenant. Since it’s unlikely I’ll find one, I decided to order some parts which will hopefully get it back into an acceptable appearance. This weekend I’m going to take my oven thermometer and check to make sure it keeps the right temperature, and if it does, then I’ll have a long row to hoe in getting that oven cleaned. I will likely never understand how people can shamelessly continue to use stoves they’ve gunked-up with burnt-on grease and grime. I personally believe our school systems need to have required courses in personal hygiene because there seems to be all the more of our younger generation who’re ignorant to the benefits gained by putting it into practice on a daily basis. It comes as no surprise why so many get sick after seeing how they live.
By the end of the day, I had everything accomplished with my pre-closing files, so I went back to work on my first of the month accounting and bill paying until it was time to call it quits for the day. In spite of the many side-tracks I had to make this week, it ended up being a very good first week of February for me.
I’m desperately hoping I’ll be getting more activity on 1125 W. State and 201 S. Vermont once our temps begin to rise because they should’ve been sold weeks ago. It’s not that I’ve not promoted them enough, because unfortunately I’m now finding today’s buyers opting for ranch homes. I understand our older crowd wanting ranches, but not the young because when having young children, it’s always good to have that extra separation. We’ll see what next week brings.
While on the westside of town this afternoon, I spied two sun dogs in the western sky, so I stopped and took a photo of one of them which I’m sharing with you tonight. Whenever seeing them, you can be sure it’s darned cold outdoors.
I’ve been paying close attention to the news regarding this growing problem with Putin wanting to re-draw the face of Eastern Europe’s map to where it would be similar to the satellite countries prior to the fall of the Soviet Union.
Each day’s events in that arena are causing me to wonder if history is about to repeat itself once more because there are too many similarities with what took place prior to the Second World War.
If you remember your history lessons, it was Hilter’s “working” of Chamberlin by allowing Czechoslovakia to be annexed by Germany, just to “free” the Sudeten Germans. Sounds just like Putin now wanting to “free” the Russians living in Ukraine. Well, that agreement didn’t last long because shortly afterwards, Hitler and Stalin made an secret agreement to invade Poland from two fronts. You know the rest of the story.
Another interesting point, is seeing Xi of China who’s nothing less than a modern-day emperor, now aligning himself more closely with Putin because he has his eye on taking over Taiwan and the South China Sea, which will only be the beginning of his expansionist policies. Once again, we’re seeing historical similarities that can’t be ignored. Isn’t it now looking more like an Axis Alliance?
One thing we all know for certain, once totalitarians get a taste of victory, they’re like dogs that’ve tasted blood and there’s no stopping them. Yes, humans are more like animals than we want to admit to where their brains revert back to barbarism. I reminded several today the fact that the primitive areas of our brains control more than we realize which is why we must continue to remind ourselves that we’re civilized. Let’s hope and pray Putin and his cronies back down, because if he doesn’t, I can already see something happening that’ll create a Third World War. There’s no question in my mind that neither the average citizens of China nor Russia want to go to war. When now thinking about it, there are two despots in control of well over a billion people. Wow.
Tonight’s One-liner is: “Be yourself”, is about the worst advice you can give to some people.
