Smells

I saw a thing online today about smells and how they can trigger memories, etc. I think they were trying to sell perfume. Anyway, that reminded me of a very odd thing that happened about three years ago.
My Aunt Sallie wore White Shoulders and smoked cigarettes - therefore in my growing up years I always associated White Shoulders and cigarette smoke with her.
About three years ago Kristen and I were in San Francisco in a jewelry store perusing the goodies. A woman came in who smelled like White Shoulders and cigarettes. I had an immediate flashback and thought "Wow, Aunt Sallie", but didn't say anything out loud. (Mind you, she has been gone for about six years now).
Kristen's head popped up and she said, out the blue, "Aunt Sallie". I asked Kristen if I had said anything out loud. She said no. The last time Kristen was around Aunt Sallie when she still smoked was probably when she was three years old. Is it just me, or is that weird?

An Historic Day

Today was truly a day in history. I could not tear myself away from the TV. I made the mistake of turning it on around 6:15 and couldn't stop watching. This was true history. I had goosebumps and tears.

The last thing I watched on TV of this magnitude was when we first landed on the moon. It was a beautiful summer day and I was almost eight. All I wanted to do was go outside and play. Mom made us watch it on TV and I am forever grateful to her for that, although I remember being annoyed at the time. I remember sitting on that hideous turquoise naugahyde couch we had. My little legs sweating on the plastic in my shorts. But I watched it and I'm glad I did. Thanks Mom, for making me watch it. I will always remember watching Neil Armstrong take the first steps on the moon. Wow.

I didn't have to be forced today. I couldn't stop - well, briefly, for a quick shower. But other than the shower, I was glued to the tube for about six hours.

You couldn't have paid me to be in DC today - I don't do crowds well. I was just fine watching it here in my living room. I had the company of Susan, who was watching the same channel and we were chatting online. Just stuff like "Ted Kennedy looks good" "sheesh, this prayer sounds more like a sermon" and so on. It was nice to have company. Even if it was chatting online.

After I finally tore myself away from the TV and got to work, I was amazed. Everyone I met today, from the office to the grocery store seemed to have a lively step. Everyone I met was happy and optimistic. It was refreshing.

Mr. Obama has inherited a big crap burger and I don't expect him to turn things around soon. But I have confidence in him and hope for the future. As he said today "God bless the United States of America".

Ah California

I am blogging from the airport, as our fair airport, as beat up as it is, has free wifi now. This place has been under construction for years. In fact, I picked a friend up here last summer who said he'd been to airports in third world countries that looked better than SJC.
Anyway - I am waiting to go to San Diego to install the officers of three lodges. I'll be gone less than 24 hours. I am traveling light - one carry on with my bunad, one small checked bag with the rest of my stuff. I am wearing shorts and didn't even bring a jacket. It was about 50 when I got here, but I only had to stand in line for about 10 minutes outside. Not bad.

my craigslist experience

Click on the pic to enlarge so you can see the graph I created.

She said what?

My sister and I sort of collect malaprops - when someone uses the wrong word. We find it very amusing. In fact, there have been times when we've heard the same one when we were together and had to turn our backs to each other. If we had made eye contact we would no doubt be laughing uncontrollably. If it's particularly funny, we snort.
One example of this was when we were camping at Camp Norge and visiting with our Aunt and Uncle and some of their friends. The woman said "I don't think divorced people should be osterized". It was a "don't look at me" moment, because we were both visualizing a divorcee in a blender.
Another fave was when we were going through one of those big home tours. You know the ones.... someone lends their big house to some charity or another. Various interior designers take a room and do it up. They charge the public to go through and the proceeds go to the charity. Mom, Beans, infant Kristen and I are going through and this docent says "please note the faux pas wall". I almost split my gut trying not to laugh out loud.
Beans, put on your seatbelt. I heard a good one today, from an attorney, of all people. I am working with this attorney who is representing the estate on a listing of mine. I was on the phone with her this morning and she said "she got her shackles up". Interesting visual, huh? I then met with her for a bit when I picked up keys and she said it AGAIN. Good thing I was alone.

Record breaking temps

We have had record breaking temps here for two days in a row. 77 yesterday and 75 today. I know that's not super hot, but it's JANUARY! I had to do some driving around yesterday and our beautiful valley was crystal clear and gorgeous.
Yet.... we need rain. Desperately. Some cities in the east bay already have mandatory water rationing - we're probably next. We went through this about 16 years or so ago. Not too much fun. No rain in the forecast for the foreseeable future.
I talked with a friend in Minneapolis today and she told me it was 17 below and snowing. I said "I thought it didn't snow when it got that cold". She said "Yeah, that's what we thought, too."
Too bad we can't take some of that white stuff off their hands and even things out a bit.

Police Blotter

I started reading the police blotter in the newspaper a few months ago. I find it highly entertaining - certain areas have police calls that are absurd and it amuses me. Atherton is a very affluent town up the peninsula from here. I don't even know if they have their own PD or if they use the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. These folks call the police for the dumbest things. One such call was that someone called because someone had stuck gum to their mailbox. I am not kidding.
Down here in Campbell/San Jose there are the "normal" kind of police calls - arrest for shoplifting, outstanding warrant, public intoxication, etc.
I was appalled by this morning's police blotter.
Nora Way, 8:34 p.m. Tuesday Someone "suspicious" reported to be laying in a driveway and blowing a whistle was contacted and determined to be an elderly person who needed medical attention. Good lord, are the people of Atherton so callous that they can't look in on or help a neighbor. They call the police when they are annoyed by their neighbor's plea for help?
Down here people pull their elderly neighbors out of burning homes, as some Campbell residents did last fall. Yeah, maybe we don't have as much money down here, but I'd rather live in a neighborhood where people look out for one another. Any day.

What's in a name?

I lived through my first two decades and then some never having to spell my last name. Okay, maybe once in a while, but hardly ever. Face it, Harris is an easy one.
When I married my first husband I thought Hulberg was an easy name and didn't think twice about taking his name. I really had no idea that spelling one's name day after day would become so tiresome. No, it's not a language thing, because I even had to spell it in Norway - yeah, I can spell in Norwegian.
I first became licensed as a Realtor about a year before Pat and I got married. Being self employed in a business where name recognition is everything is brutal when you have a "difficult" name. Unless, as in the case of a former colleague - his last name is Tornincasa, which he has turned into a plus, as casa = house in Spanish.
I couldn't wait to be a Kelly and quit spelling my name. It is true the only thing people ask is "ey or y?". Easy, huh?
Well, now I realize I have two first names. People call me Kelly all the time and it bugs me. Not "Kelly" as you would say "hey Smith, come on over here". I think they really think my first name is Kelly. I just got off the phone with my gardener. He says "Hi Kelly, this is Raul, the gardener". Argh Maybe next time I should say "Hey Valenzuela, what's up?"
Maybe I'll go back to Harris some day. I have told Kristen and Laura to think long and hard about changing their names when they get married. They think I'm nuts. Maybe by that time they'll be sick of spelling Hulberg, anyway.

Sorry, another rant

Yeah, I know I said I wasn't going to rant anymore, but I can't help it, so bear with me.
I love my business as a Property Manager - in fact, starting Viking Property Management a few years ago was probably one of the smartest things I've done. I had lots of experience working for other property managers and learned from them what to do and what NOT to do. With the real estate market in the tank I'm picking up new clients and in addition to loving the job, I have to say I'm good at it.
One would think the griping about this job would be the tenants. Nope, my tenants are all very reasonable, sane people. It's the owners who drive me nuts.
Case in point - I had an owner complain about a charge on his January statement that he didn't authorize.
Me: "Oh, that's odd, I thought you okayed it. Don't you remember last month the pool was purple and the pool guy said he had to put some sort of chemical in it to take out the metal?"
Owner: "Yeah, I remember that"
Me: "Didn't you tell him to go ahead and do it?"
Owner" "Well, yeah, but I didn't think he'd charge me for it."

Sheesh - this is where I do the head slap. Are business people in the habit of giving away goods and services for free. Um, no.

My other big gripe is when they don't follow my advice. I manage a house that was undergoing a complete rehab. Paint, appliances, carpet, landscaping, the whole nine yards. The owner kept bugging me about getting the carpet in. I told her the carpet goes in last. We can't have new carpet with a front yard of mud. I can show the house with crummy carpet, I'll just tell prospective tenants that we are putting in new carpet and it's going to look like "this".
She kept pushing, I wouldn't order the carpet. She waited until I was on vacation to get it done. My friend Susan was watching my business while I was gone. Susan went out to the house to pay a vendor for me and told me they were laying carpet. Um, is the front sod in? No. Another head slap.
Okay, no more ranting this week.

Purge!

I am a notorious pack rat. I have a really hard time getting rid of stuff, especially if it has some real or perceived sentimental value.
I must say, I am so proud of myself!
On New Year's Eve Pat and I de-Christmased our house. We had all of our decorations in file boxes. He went the store and got three big plastic bins - red and green.
While he was packing the ornaments from the tree I was ruthless. I tossed out SO much stuff.
I won't bore both of you with all I tossed out, but it was crap and needed to go. We consolidated and got rid of EIGHT boxes.
That felt so good. Maybe I'll hit the office next.

Back on the Wagon

No, not THAT wagon, the exercise one. Sheesh, it's been so long since I've been to the gym. It was a very good habit I had that somehow slipped by the wayside. I did an hour on the bike today, and was it ever painful - seemed like three hours. One of the daily regulars, Joann, told me she was surprised my membership card was still valid. Ouch. Totally deserved, but ouch.