All In An Investor's Week

Ted had to replace another set of front steps!  This time he chose to do wooden.  He has gotten to perfect his methods this year.  Each time nothing goes as expected or hoped!  Nothing is level or consistent.

We found another contractor to try out.  The dryer vent job was something to test him.  Check.

I had to go check in with our Detroit tenant and found these notices to be ironic.  What is not shown is all the garbage in the lots blowing all over that indicates evictions.  Makes me mad and then sad for those neighbors who try to take care of their property.  If everyone did a small part by cleaning up after themselves, our cities would not look so dumpy!  

A gathering of investors to go over helpful things to know when working with tenants and housing commissions.

Another beautiful summer date night!

 

Goals!

I went to Costco to pick up some meat to make jerky for Ted.  I walked around and found a couple favorites and yummy looking peaches.  As I rounded the corner, this gal was stopped arranging her box and then zoomed away.  I had to laugh as I decided that was what I am going to do when I am much older too!  A goal for keeping myself out and about in public settings.  She used the store's motorized scooter and had a box in the basket with several paper cups from the sample carts.  Tuesdays don't have as many, but she had an impressive variety.  She had finished the different samples and was on her way over to the trash can.  I don't know if she did any other shopping, as I did not follow her, because that is just weird!  But I made a mental note for future goals when I am old.  Costco often stresses me out with the sheer number of people wandering aimlessly amid other people on a mission.  But it is an outing that meets all the needs in one area...food, clothing, home decor, health and beauty, car, snack food, and gas!  It is very peopley all the time and I always spend more than I planned on...so that is another goal to work on too.
 

Spending some extra time reading...

and studying in God's Word so I am ready to give answers that I have been called on repeatedly to do lately.  If our heart is not right...NOTHING IN LIFE WILL BE RIGHT!  As I read and study, I am seeing what a daily fight it is to choose to follow God's way and not my own.  We want to control all the things so we can be happy!  God's goal for us is not our happiness...it is His glory.  When I hang on and try to manipulate everything to work out how I think it should and it doesn't...then I am not happy...and "Look Out!" to the people around me.  I was asked, "Will I ever get it right?"  And I was honest and said, "No, not always...not while we are on earth!  But we confess and continue to try to do right and follow His ways...singing and making melody unto the Lord with a heart of thankfulness for all He has done for us!  Life is hard.  Life is messy.  But God!"

When we choose to be honest and deal with the hard and messy...God sends people our way to encourage both of us!  So this week, we know satan is throwing the fiery darts.  We know God is our ever present help in trouble...so we release our tight-fisted hands of control and trust Him for the wisdom, guidance, and protection.  "It is like I just had a huge weight lifted off my shoulders!"  Yes...that is exactly how we should feel...He is bigger than all our problems!
 

Summer time treats

Fresh squeezed lemonade for my love.

Strawberries in a pot that the critters like to get first.

Keeping electrolytes in balance.

Facebook memories that bring a smile and a little tear!

 

There is always something on the "to do" list

We found an issue at one of our rentals on a visit.  "Oh yeah, someone backed up on the lawn and this happened."  I love it when tenants don't let us know of issues.  This is a problem!  It is a sinkhole...and now we have the city on it...took a couple days.  They investigated and added a cone for safety...we will see how they fix it.

When front steps crumble, they have to be fixed!  Every three years we have city inspections.  Homeowners that live in the residence do not have these inspections.

This is how the city gets funds...from landlords with tenants.

So we pay inspection fees and property upkeep and damage fixes and city fines and mortgage payments and property taxes and more inspection fees...while other homes on the block are in disrepair or vacant or burned out or filled with garbage.  The whole time biting our tongue not to retort to the city's claim of "wanting to keep our city beautiful and safe for all".  Requiring a certificate of occupancy is a way for the city to track who owns the home and who lives there...and we happen to follow the city's requirements...and we pay...to keep our properties looking nice and in good repair for our tenants...and the city inspectors.

We will have had three housing commission inspections and three city inspections by the time summer is over.

 

Some fun things to remember

A continued funny for our family from an episode about a can opener and tuna.  I bought tuna from Costco and the cans have the flip lid top.  I made lunch for Ted and I and had to laugh when I opened the can and the "tuna juice" got all over my hand as I took the lid off.

The dogs are enjoying the treats from Eastern Market.

What would you do for a Klondike bar?  Just about anything...ha, ha, ha!

A crafting day was successful...and how do I know?  Because the mess that was left behind.

Coffee always tastes better from a favorite cup.

A little outing to celebrate Mari's birthday.

A trip through the carwash so I could use the vacuums!

 

Little flowers make me happy!

 

Another memory of our chair fillers...12 years ago!

The time Papa and Grandma came to visit and then took the kids on an adventure!  This was our first summer in Michigan 12 years ago.  I cannot believe we have lived here 13 years in September. WOW!  
 

A funny memory for a then and now picture

A trip to DQ  and a trip to the market...he loves me...really!
 

Monday company

Two families of turkeys are wandering our neighborhood these days.  Thankfully, I saw them before I opened the door for the dogs.  There are teenage turkeys and babies with the mommas.  I was not in the mood to deal with pecked, sassy dogs!

August is for flowers, yummy food, and lots of dates!

Our Saturday morning date down to Eastern Market in Detroit.  We have lived here 13 years...and this is the first time we went on an adventure to this market.  We have been to other parts of the Big D, but not here.

We decided it was a "do again" trip!  It was a beautiful day on Saturday!  And we found a good coffee spot in Shed 5.

Lots of people.  Lots of produce.  Lots of things to see and hear.  Lots of things to consider trying next time.

The old buildings and the variety of things to see...

made us shake our heads or laugh!  My favorite was a couple singing with the Motown flare a song about being crazy.  We stopped and listened/watched.  I cannot say for sure...but I think they were married...the guy was playing the guitar and the gal was singing about "beautiful crazy...".  I should have taken a picture, because I feel that strongly these days!  

OOOO...and we found a project for Teddy!  A sheet metal and ductwork rooster that shouts a great look for a Tennessean who loves 'Merica!!

Ted really did love spending the morning with me!  And the sunflowers were so pretty...I had to have some for our table.

We couldn't waste the whole beautiful day playing!  We cleaned gutters out and did a bunch of trimming.  Ted braved the heights and I was the gopher on the ground who kept getting sprayed "accidentally".

The patio pots are pretty.  Snacks in the sunshine.

And a busy little bee in the purple petunia while we rested.  Thankful for productive slow days.

 

Thoughts as August begins

Today, August 1, has been a day of reflection on the gift that God gave me in Ted 27 years ago this August 18.  As we have made the transition to an empty nest and the changes that come with this new stage of life, we have seen that it is not always easy.  There are struggles in connecting our two perspectives and plans while trying to be flexible. yet accomplish different tasks. Maybe it is just me needing to be more tuned into my husband.  Surely, I cannot be the only one struggling through these life changes.  I question the honesty factor if others say they don't have issues with these type of things.  I know men and women see things from different perspectives and vantage points.  God made us different on purpose for a purpose, and often, we are on opposites sides of those points.

Transitions are challenging. The differences in our stage of life with the stresses of life, seem to pile up.  When the pile gets knocked into or completely over by various circumstances, then those struggles pop up!  

It has not been lost on me that the very thing God has asked me to do in counseling younger women, I am finding my walk as an older woman to be challenging right now.  All of that has me questioning if I am even qualified to speak to anything.  I guess that is the hard and messy part of the theme as I share life with them.  I am doing my best to be honest and point their eyes to God's ways.  

What has been refreshing is that He is prompting friends to speak into me and remind me of Scripture that helps me think right.  And it seems that satan is out of his mind, frustrated, and throws even more fiery darts.  

As I sat going through some material, the song "I Will Be Here" by Steve Green played on my Spotify list. I named this particular playlist "My Role As A Wife", and I have added so many songs over the last couple of years, I forget what is on the list.  I started building the list one day after talking to my Mom about something that I was working through, and she mentioned how important it was to think right.  Oh, some days that is hard...especially when the tornado of crazy thinking takes over...it is impossible to get out of the spiraling storm.

I have shared the playlist with a couple of people, and both commented on the title.  "Without Jesus...I mess up how I do my job as a wife!  I have to play music that helps me think right."  Today's reminder is that of the commitment I made 27 years ago as a naive bride.  I didn't truly know how the dark times would look, how peaceful the quiet times would be, how the "speak your mind" attitudes would strike, how much laughter or crying there would be, how often the seasons and future would change, and how beautiful age would look.  Even if together is hard, I would still choose the promise I made before God and those who came to a Tuesday night wedding in 1998!

Tomorrow morning if you wake up,
And the sun does not appear
I, I will be here

If in the dark we lose sight of love,
Hold my hand, and have no fear
Cause I, I will be here

I will be here when you feel like being quiet
When you need to speak your mind,
I will listen and
I will be here when the laughter turns to cryin'
Through the winning, losing and tryin'
We'll be together 'cause I will be here

Tomorrow morning if you wake up,
And the future is unclear
I I will be here
As sure as seasons are made for change,
Our lifetime's are made for years
So, I I will be here

I will be here and you can cry on my shoulder,
When the mirror tells us we're older,
I will hold you and
I will be here to watch you grow in beauty
And tell you all the things you are to me
I will be here

I will be true to the promise I have made
To you and to the One who gave you to me

I I will be here

And just as sure as seasons are made for change
Our lifetime's are made for years
So, I I will be here we'll be together

I will be here