Yeow! This cold wind has been quite a reminder of a month or two past. I was kiddingly telling one of my customers how if while wearing my long black overcoat today, had I spread my arms wide, I’d likely of started sailing off like a bat. Speaking of bats. I was in the basement of a vacant building most recently and had my breath nearly taken away while inspecting it. Just after I walked down the steps and turned the lights on, I thought I’d seen movement just at the edge of the darkness beyond. I walked forward and turned another light on and suddenly there was a whoosh past me. The biggest bat I’d ever seen in my life just flew past me and nearly dropped me to my knees by that quick and unexpected frightful fly-by. I do understand how bats are all part of nature and have their reasons for being here, but those lightening quick fly-bys make me all the more anxious. I’d rather deal with a handful of mice before I’d endure a bat. While growing up on the farm we always had our late Fall house mouse problems due to the outside mice trying to take up warm and cozy winter residences. There would always be about three or four of the little critters that would get in and unfortunately they’d have to be trapped with those old fashioned mouse traps which always made that loud and awakening “snap” in the middle of the night. The next morning, yours truly would have to go and find which trap contained another wide-eyed carcass.
Once while doing homework I was interrupted by having noticed movement at my peripheral. I looked, and to my dis-belief was a mouse in the kitchen doorway sitting on its haunches and looking at me as though it was sort of a table-turn of who is whom. After getting over the shock of that mouse being so bold to stare at me in such a fashion, I went to get up and it scurried off. Unfortunately the poor brave soul gave up its life reaching too far for some cheese. Having watched the movie The Green Mile several times, I’d say the mouse in that movie reminded me of that overly bold mouse sitting on its haunches and staring at me while doing my homework decades ago. One thing I’ll suggest to everyone while looking for a mouse is to never get down to mouse level with flashlight in hand. I’ll never forget watching someone nearly on the floor looking under a cabinet for an elusive mouse with flashlight in hand. All I can say was I’d never laughed so hard seeing a grown person springboard off the floor and run from a mouse that started running towards the light. After viewing that comedy, I fully understood why they depict elephants going nuts when a mouse is scurrying under them.
This afternoon I went out and previewed a home that I’ll soon be listing which has been in a family since the early 1970’s. I was very impressed with its quality of design and construction. There are cosmetic updates to be made but the home is built like a fortress. I mentioned to the seller how whenever on that street, I would admire its design and certainly never considered being called to sell it some day. It’s funny how you can take for granted a family living in a given home forever until one day they call you and say, “I think it’s time to sell.” For some strange and wonderful reason, the district in which that home is located, is one which I’ve sold the most over these many years. It has always been my bread and butter market district.
