I've Always Lived In A Castle

Another chilly morning arrived, and once the wind started up, it was another Saturday morning where I felt it was just a bit too nippy to be outdoors for any given length of time. I've been noticing more people beginning to mow, but my lawn will likely go another week because when living in the lowlands, the ground temps are slower to rise.

After getting settled-in at office, I did go digging for that wooden Holtz Realty sign, and found it exactly where I thought I'd placed it in storage a number of years ago. I'm not so sure when and where Roger Holtz had it hanging, but it was long before I started working with them, which makes that sign considerably old. I'm now beginning to believe it was possibly one that his father had posted on his office when it was located in the first block east of Federal on 1st NE, which is now a City Parking lot. As chance would have it, that sign will fit almost perfectly above the back door of my office. I went ahead and gave it a good cleaning, and then placed the first of two or three coats of spar varnish on it, which will blend well with the wood that I'll be mounting it on above that tall back door. If it's appealing to me, more than likely, it'll be a permanent fixture. I'm hoping there'll be some good karma coming out of it being hung out in the light of day for all to see.

Since I had some time to kill, I headed over to First Congregational Church to get some practicing done on their fine pipe organ, just so I'll be up to speed for tomorrow's Services. The entrance hymn moves quickly, which is why I wanted to get comfortable with it. It still amazes me how various denominations use familiar melodies, but re-skin them by changing their titles and lyrics. I couldn't begin to count how many of them there are out there.

Once my practicing session was complete, I headed back to office, and while driving, I received an overdue call from an out of State client of mine, and since I help manage their properties, there are always updates to be given. After being brought up to speed with things, the main topic of our conversation, was about that regrettable fire over at the Kirk Apartments. That's going to be another major architectural loss for our community, and definitely for those visitors who've been out taking photos of it on a regular basis. Before hearing the final verdict regarding its fate, I figured it would cost upwards of 30 million dollars to fully restore it, and believe me, unless some multi-millionaire felt the need to invest in its restoration, there'd be no way anyone here in Mason City would take on such a costly project, especially when considering our rising costs of materials and labor. Just remember, our City has upwards of two million dollars invested in that bridge to nowhere which isn't even finished. Gosh, I do hate the sight of that out-of-place arm coming out of the side of The Music Man Square, which was another waste of our precious resources.

I had a little shopping to do before my 12:30 appointment to show 322 - 22nd St. SE this afternoon, so I headed out to the East Hy-Vee, and unfortunately I forgot that it was Saturday which is usually the time most people are doing their grocery shopping. When thinking I'd be there for only about 15 minutes, it ended up being a half hour, and all due to the pile-ups at their cash registers. Thank goodness I did get out of there in time to make it to my showing.

The viewing went well, but unfortunately the buyer hasn't yet been pre-approved, and from what it sounds like, she won't know until Tuesday. With the activity we've been getting on it, I'm hoping it'll still be available when and if she does get approved. I could tell she was very interested in it, so hopefully it won't be sold when her approval comes in. I was glad to find her an owner occupant buyer instead of an investor, because that price range has been popular with all the many who're now wanting invest in real estate.

When I arrive back at office, I busied myself with my end of the month accounting, and while mindlessly making those entries, my thoughts started floating back to the time when I was growing up in a larger than normal household which over time, included my father's father, and my mother's mother. Of course those two weren't living with us at the same time, which would've been a very unusual arrangement.

There were times over these long years where I reflected on my having been very fortunate to have lived with grandparents, and only because they were treasure houses of information regarding the happenings and histories of both sides of my old family. When asked at various times regarding my long-term residency in the home where there were at times, four generations of people living within, I'd kiddingly say, "I've always lived in a castle.", which would always get a few eyebrow raised.

Indeed I've never lived in a castle, but when thinking about it, the concept of castle living takes place around the world where there's multi-generational residents living under one roof, along with there being hard and fast rules, laws which were never to be broken, and daily responsibilities to be performed. Of course there are always those never to be talked about happenings which again, nearly all families have. Yes, there were'd be those invaders who'd be trying to scale the walls, just so they'd have an inside track with one or two of the residents. Yes, in a castle, there's always a pecking order, and if challenged, the perpetrators would be ostracized and sent to the keep.

Believe it or not, I wouldn't trade the world for the many years in which I was a part of it all. Yes, there've been rebellions, broken relationship never to be mended, along with year-over-year illuminations of true character, yet the parapets remain all the sturdier.

Tonight's One-liner is: Every person deserves a castle; doesn't matter how big your is.

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