Wait a moment, be still...

Smoke filled skies, bike ride along the shore.
Ugh...driving my car to Berkeley for a meeting at 10am. Do I allow 30 minutes? No, that's not enough time. An hour? The 'what if's' are rolling through my mind. I tried to carpool...and asked folks to join me. But they had somewhere else to be after the meeting.

Better leave early. Ugh. Which bridge do I use to get off this island? Cal Trans workers have blocked access while they're trying to improve access off and onto this island. How about using The Tube?

Wait a moment, Marilyn. Stop thinking so much. Be still. 

I decided to go underwater, so The Tube won! I left about 9:15. The lady in my car told me the directions. (It's a game of trust, with the lady..do I believe her, or not?)

Wait! There's a parking space in front of the 6 story building! Yeah for me! Ugh. Meter is only good for 1 hour. Ok, I'll come back and feed the meter just before the hour is up. Went up the elevator and found out there's a valet service, that the hosts pay for! Went back down and moved my car to the valet, thus no worry about a ticket.

This committee meeting was informative, with a lot of smart people surrounding me. We meet once per year (this is my second year)...to review what the attorneys (one of whom leads the discussion) has recommended to us. Much banter. It was over at 11:30. Very productive.

Wait a moment. Be still, Marilyn.

Next, over to the appliance store, a few miles away in Oakland. I've been using them for years. I needed a new dishwasher. The store has wooden floors, boxes stacked everywhere, and it seems very disorganized to me. But not to the owners who have been there for 57 years. It's actually very homey...kind of like Mayberry, Andy Griffeth's town (dating myself).

I chose the dishwasher, paid for it, got hold of the installer who will pick up the machine and do his magic tomorrow. And I know him, as well.

Wait a moment. Be still, Marilyn.

Next, also tomorrow, I have a plumbing company coming over to remove old toilets, and replace with new, water-conserving ones. And to flush out the tankless water heaters, and to install water-conserving gizmos in the faucets and showers.

The guys that delivered the toilets were super nice. But they have instructions to NOT bring them into the house, and not to climb the 6 steps to bring them onto the porch.

Nobody mentioned that small fact to me when I went to Cal Steam, in San Leandro, to order them. I used their phone and talked to the MIC (man-in-charge). "Am I supposed to keep the toilets on the curb overnight? How about I put a note on them saying 'Free! Take me!' " He was hollering "We aren't insured if they bring them onto your property."

I apologized to the delivery guys about my bad mouth. I said I could handle it...I would load my dolly with the tank, then the base, and would place each of them on my front porch or way back on the driveway. They looked at each other. They said they'd bring them up onto the front porch. OMG...I gave them both hugs. Afterthought: I should have given them cash.

Wait a moment. Be still, Marilyn.

Next, my roofer/solar installer came over. He just wanted to check that his crew did a decent job. Oh, that's right...on Monday I had a roof torn off, and replaced with a 40 life-year roof on my carriage house (Carl's workshop). Nobody does better work than Bill.  We spent at least 30 minutes together sitting on chairs talking about our kids, our jobs, why we turn some people down, why we want to do business with others (based on personal referrals...there's no better way to advertise that if you do a great job).

Next..nearly dusk - met a client at a property. She and her husband have made three offers...to no avail. I don't show properties at night but we've seen and been through so much and they are learning so much, so quickly. I showed her the property. The most fun thing about working for/with them....he went to school with my son. Second generation.

Wait a moment. Be still, Marilyn.

Next, I was invited to a casual dinner with three friends: the wife, her husband and her ex-husband. It was special just the four of us catching up on life.

Thinking through today..I have many reasons to be grateful. 

live richly, marilyn


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