For many reasons, today felt very much like a Monday, where more than once I had to correct myself when thinking it was. As always, whenever we have a holiday thrown in the middle of a week, our brains make us think, that when having to go to work after a day off, it’s automatically a Monday. I certainly didn’t have to work very hard at finding something to do today, because from the time I arrived at my office, I was on the go.
My first appointment was to get signatures on a lease from the new tenants of one of my clients. As much as I made sure to be readied for it so early, they ended up being a little late, and from the looks of them, they must’ve been up half the night packing. It’s a good thing for them that the weather has been holding out, because at this time of year, it’s a crap shoot when planning for a good day to move.
Another appointment I had, was to go over to 1 Briarstone Court and take new interior and exterior photos. Now that the owners have moved out, the new photos give a better presentation of the home’s size. Even the owner sent a message saying how much better it now looks. Since we’re past the 1st of the year, there should be some solid interest in it, and for whatever reason, the price range of that home sells best between January and June.
I had an appointment to show a home this afternoon up on the north end of our City, and while driving back towards my office on N. Federal, I was shocked to see someone had added some language to that big billboard next to the North End Liquor Store. It really creeped me out when seeing what was written, and not long after I returned to my office, a client asked if I’d seen on Facebook what was posted about that very same billboard. Evidently the social medias got hold of it and are now running with it. I found it all quite disturbing, because every time someone mentions something about Jodi, I get the chills when wondering why that case has yet to be solved.
Another errand I had, was to check on the home that had its furnace go out the day before yesterday. Since I’d not heard back from the HVAC person, I questioned if there was still a problem, but when I walked thru the door, I was relieved to find the heat on and the house warmed, which took one more worry off my plate.
While walking thru that home, a few memories were resurrected about a widow lady I worked for when I was in high school. The reason for those flash-backs, was because that home has much the same look on the outside, as well as the floor plan on the inside of hers. She lived well into her 90’s, and even though I’d worked summers and weekends for her on her small farm, she decided to keep me as her “right hand” after she moved to town.
There were times when I believed she purposely found things for me to do, just so she’d have a half, and sometimes a full day’s company, and of course she would always have to have a worker’s lunch prepared for me to eat, and if there’d ever be a person who worked very hard at preparing every morsel of food from scratch, she would’ve received the grand prize if ever placed in competition. She wouldn’t even buy canned vegetables because she always said they “tasted” like the can they were in, but instead, she’d raise all of her own vegetables in her near-perfect garden, and instead of freezing them, she would pressure can. I was humbled whenever having to go down into her basement for something and seeing those very long and tall shelves that were neatly arranged with colorful jars of fruits and vegetables. In today’s world, the sight of those shelves creating a calico canvas of color and textures, would’ve been worthy of the front page of a “Life in Iowa” calendar.
When looking back thru my reels of memory, I’d say I must’ve worked for her for ten years or longer. And to think she’d made her way in life as young war widow as an employee in a hospital, and working in a low-paying housekeeping position, while maintaining that small acreage where she raised chickens, tended a big garden, and cared for her various fruit-bearing trees and bushes. If she were living in these times, people would say she was making a very light environmental footprint. Even after so many years, I’ll continue remembering her with the kindest of thoughts.
Speaking of thoughts, while at the grocery store late this afternoon, I walked past a gentleman whom I’d done a great deal of good real estate work for over the years, and for some reason, and likely because of a huge misunderstanding on his and his 2nd wife’s part, jumped ship and decided to list their home with a competitor, and then purchase a large ranch thru that very same agent. Before I realized they’d drawn the wrong conclusions over standard Realtor protocol, I’d called them numerous times, but no answer or return of my voice messages, but when another agent’s sign got planted in their yard, my attempts at contacting them went to a screeching halt.
When I turned around about half way down the aisle to get another look, he’d already bolted because I knew he also saw me, and I’m sure he’d finally realized some time ago that what he and his wife had so wrongly done to me, was not deserve. For sure, there’ll never be a note sent or a call made by him, because he knows it’s been too long to make any sort of justification. One thing that surprised me, was seeing how much older he now looks. You can be sure I hold no grudge towards them because I learned long ago that it’s not worth the extra fruitless efforts, but without a doubt, at the time it happened, I was deeply hurt. I’m of the belief that we must all learn to forgive, but oh how difficult it can be to forget, because those memories have a way of lurking in the shadows of our minds.
Tonight’s one-liner is: The vulgar crowd values friends according to their usefulness.
