Oh how wonderful it felt to have the sun shining and our temps approaching 30 degrees this afternoon. What a welcome reprieve from Wednesday and Thursday’s deep chill, but wouldn’t you know it, I received a call from a young gentleman saying his water stopped, which meant the main line coming into his home must’ve frozen enough to stop the water.
Unfortunately, it was well over 24 hours before we finally got his water flowing again, and luckily I had a tall ceramic heater in storage which I delivered to his home, along with showing him where to place it, and how to use it. About four hours later he text me saying his water was flowing again. I also did caution him that whenever we have very cold days, and then much warmer temps quickly follow, that’s when the frost is driven all the deeper into the ground, and whenever again that should happen, it best he leave just a trickle of water running in his sink, just so the warmer water coming from the main in the street would keep his line from freezing.
If there be but one natural occurrence that stresses me out the most, that would be anything having to do with water. I’m sure you’ve all had your own nightmares to deal with including the floods our City has endured 10 years apart, the freezing of water pipes in homes because furnaces had stopped running and gone un-noticed, the freezing of water lines which has happened to all the many in our community, an un-shingled roof coming under attack by a an un-predicted rain, and our lists go on.
For generations, it was considered by builders that if you’d dig footings four feet deep, you’d be safely below the frost line, but in recent times, it seems not so safe because of the way this crazy weather has been evolving. I’d say to be all the more on a comfortable side, five foot or more deep footings would be more like it. In my humble opinion, I’m convinced the reason the frost is going deeper, is that our over-winter snow cover isn’t as great as it used to be, along with these severely cold days suddenly switching to abnormally warm, which drives the underground frost all the deeper. We must never under-estimate the strength of freezing water because it can ever so slowly, break away the sides of mountains.
You’ve all had the experience of having a clay flower pot split by frost when having forgotten to take it in before a hard freeze. That’s exactly what frost does in nature where if there’s any amount of water trapped in a tight space, it will cause cracking and breaking to relieve the pressure, and in a struggle of strength like that, it’s the freezing of water that always wins.
My public open house at 415 – 1st St. SE was a great success due to the number of people coming and going. Thank goodness the sun was shining brightly, because nearly every room within was filled with its golden rays. One of the people in attendance, was a woman who just recently discovered she’s pregnant, and all the more on the hunt for a four bedroom home. She fell in love with it, but unfortunately she’ll have to sell hers first before she’ll be able to purchase.
After my open house, I picked up my signs and headed back to the office to get some more paperwork done. I thought about leaving it until tomorrow, but then realized I already have my Sunday’s “dance card” filled. Knowing I had to get it finished today, I dug myself in, and plodded along until the last page was complete.
Before heading home, I stopped at Fareway to pick up a few things, and wouldn’t you know it, my favorite check-out person just got off work and leisurely shopping down an aisle. She is the funniest, and I’m sure if you go there enough, you’d recognize her because of those long braids. After getting to know each other well enough, we always have something clever to say to each other whenever the opportunities present themselves. I think I got the last and best laugh out of today’s volleying. Just giving you a little hint, we somehow ended up on the subject of a certain veterinarian who hosts a program on TV from his clinic which I believe is in the State of Michigan, and explaining the process of castrating animals. Oh did I get her good, along with many around her giggling, and so much so, those boys behind the meat counter were turning pink from trying to fight off some good belly-laughs.
Several days ago, I had an opportunity to show the most charming of little homes, and without a doubt, the gentleman who lives there has exceptionally good taste. I said to the buyer, “I can’t remember ever seeing a small home as this so well decorated.” I believe the reason I was so smitten by it, was that the owner appeared to be a minimalist because everything he owns, is appropriately placed, while lacking excess. I had to laugh when seeing a rustic looking sign on the wall reading, “Welcome to my Mini Man Cave”. Too clever!
Tonight’s one-liner is: The highest form of ignorance, is when you reject something you know absolutely nothing about.
