The overnight and morning snow was a bit of a surprise, but at least we didn’t get any more than we did, and thankfully I managed to get everything shoveled before the wind changed directions, and our temps started dropping. This climate change that’s due to global warming, sure has mixed up our weather patterns to where we have more extreme cold during those days which used to be the last of December and most of the month of January, which didn’t happen again this year.
There really wasn’t much going on at office this morning, other than my normal routine which encompasses making and taking phone calls, accounting, emailing and more real estate research. I happened to notice while doing some property searches, a home that had recently come on the market, already under contract, and back when I noticed it having come on, I had a bit of a jaw-drop when seeing what it was priced at. In time, there’ll be some unlucky buyer who’ll be harboring a number of regrets. I still believe there are some who’re just wanting to get something bought, just so they can tell their home-owning friends, they’d also pulled their triggers. I’m a firm believer in homeownership, but most have forgotten that buying a home, is usually the biggest investment a person ever makes, along with having likely a 30 year mortgage needing to be serviced on a monthly basis.
During my lunch hour, I made a quick trip over to Hardware Hank to pick up some things I was needing for a project I’ve been working on, and while there, I happened to notice they had those really good stick matches for sale, and in spite of the price, I went ahead and purchased a box. When I was getting checked-out, I teasingly said to the clerk, “Just because I’m buying these matches, I don’t want you to think I’m a firebug.” I also went on to say their store is the only place a person can buy the good stick matches, which he acknowledged.
While visiting with him, I discovered they also sharpen knives for people, which came as a big surprise. From what I gathered, they sharpen kitchen knives, along with hunting knives, and according to him, some of them are big and scary, which didn’t surprise me because we seem to live in an area where people are very much into having big sharp knives in their possession. I did mention a multi-purpose one I have that was gifted to me a number of years ago which is contained in its own leather case. I may have to take it out there to have them sharpen it, should I ever decide to put it to use. For the life of me, I can’t remember the brand name, but I do know they still make them.
When I got back to office, I decided to place a call to an associate I haven’t visited with in weeks, just to find out what’s been happening over on his side of the fence. Somehow we got on the subject of my tit for tat conversation I had at a store yesterday, which brought him to laughter, but what I didn’t know, was how much he was overcome with laughter when I mentioned some months ago about a not so nice person I’ve known for years, likely now circling the drain. I know it sounds terrible to say such a thing, but when you think about it, we all begin circling our drains of life from the moment we come down our chutes, but when young, we’re far out at the edges of our sinks, yet slowly reaching the center where we get sucked-down.
Speaking of circling drains, I just thought of something I either read or heard a very many years ago, and that had to do with the direction draining water flows, and it has to do with what side of the equator we’re on, because if you’re say in Australia, the water would drain in an opposite direction, than if you were living in Minneapolis. If I remember, I’ll have to check to see if it’s true, along with seeing if water going down a sink goes either clockwise, or counter-clockwise in our City. That’d be an interesting little tidbit to investigate further. Leave it to yours truly to bring up such things.
My colleague also agreed that our market is slowing down, but the real test will be when our Spring market arrives. Truth be told, I’d much rather live thru a slow-down, rather than a market crash similar to, or worse than the one that took place back in 2008. Those were some nasty years, and I hope to never have to see or hear about those heart-breaking stories about people being foreclosed on, and later seeing their hard-earned equity vanishing before their eyes. Yes, we had a good chewing of the fat today.
Oh, I forgot to mention my conversation with a customer of mine who stopped by yesterday to check on several homes, and while visiting, I happened to mention my little nut-cracking project with those black walnuts, along with the various recipes they’ve been incorporated in. I could tell he was beginning to salivate when talking about the old-fashioned banana bread I make which has all the good ingredients, including organic bananas and black walnuts. I told him I usually use a small bread pan to bake it in, and after it’s cooled, I cut off slices that would fit in my toaster. When I personally began to salivate, was when I told him after they were toasted, they’d be smothered in real butter, and eaten with a hot cup of tea. For me, that makes for the best light breakfast or mid-afternoon snack. I can blame my grandmother for getting me hooked on toasted banana bread. I did tell my customer that the next time I bake a loaf, I’ll cut a big portion off for him, and only because he said he’s always liked it, but hasn’t had it in years. Why aren’t our young adults baking those good things?
Oh, of course I have to get back up on my soapbox when talking about all these overly-grand kitchens we find in the upper price ranges. I’d wager a small sum when saying they’re rarely used on a daily basis, other than to heat up one of those many pre-cooked meals we’re seeing in those mushrooming frozen food sections of our groceterias. I’m wondering if our society will ever get back to the basics of cooking from scratch.
Tonight’s One-liner is: The only way to achieve failure, is to stop trying.
