Thank goodness the wind stopped blowing so hard and the temps got above freezing today. When it started snowing at mid-morning, I held my breath in hopes it was just flurries, and to my delight that’s all it was.
Seemed most of my day was consumed with rental stuff. A new tenant stopped by today to drop off her updated rental application and pay her deposit. I’ve got a good feeling about her because I could see from a previous application, she’s a hard working person who knows the value of a dollar. I only wish everyone possessed a work ethic such as hers. I’m not the least bit concerned she’ll have misgivings about moving into her new digs.
Any time I get a call about plumbing leaks, I’m immediately on the phone with a plumber. With the exception of fire, nothing can create greater damage more quickly than water. The plumber was able to get there today, and luckily it wasn’t near being the problem the tenant led me to believe. At least he called as soon as he discovered the leak. I’ve heard enough horror stories about tenants paying no attention to chronic plumbing issues until they’ve become really big and terribly expensive.
There was a combination of annoyance and disappointment entering me later this afternoon with a prospective tenant who gave me every impression she wanted to rent a client’s home. When offering it to her earlier than what was posted, she hesitated because I couldn’t allow her to move in any sooner. There was every reason she couldn’t because there were carpets to be cleaned and a few more repairs to be made. She left it that, if the homes she’s going to be looking at next week aren’t to her liking, she’d be calling me back. I thought to myself, “Hmm. Looks like you may be creating your own missed opportunity.” We’ll see how many more prospective tenants will be calling over the weekend. There may be a future tenant who’ll be a better fit for that home surfacing these next days.
Oh my goodness! There was quite the brigade of firemen at Luke’s auto repair shop in our Downtown today. With that fire having started just after noontime, there were still firemen on site after 6:00 pm this evening. I fear there’ll be more damage to that structure than imagined. From what was reported, a small canister of gasoline is what ignited and spread the fire quickly. Thank goodness no one was hurt. It’s just another reminder to us all how most times it’s not the contact of flammables with an open flame, but rather the fumes that get raging fires started. Highly insulated buildings that are near air tight, along with little or no ventilation are prime candidates for a fire–especially if there are flammable liquids being used or stored.
As the sun was beginning to set this afternoon, I was reminded how when temps go from colder to warmer, the chill is naturally driven indoors–especially if it’s colder to warmer. As I was walking towards my back door, I could feel a radiating cold coming from those stone walls. It again made me wonder what those poor devils living in the Middle Ages had to endure while living in their stone structures during wintertime with absolutely no protective insulation. And we think we have it so bad here in North Iowa?
