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NOVEMBER 2022
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I Got a Pig for Punishment AND I THINK IT MADE ME A BETTER PROPERTY MANAGER
In seventh grade, I had to raise a pig as punishment. It lasted over a year, and frankly, it was a terrible punishment (or wonderful, depending on whose perspective you’re taking). My family lived on a hobby farm, and I didn’t like the animals, the farm, or any of it. My dad knew it and engineered an unusual punishment just for me. It didn’t matter that, by all accounts, I was a pretty good kid; he found a reason to dish out the punishment. What did I do to earn the punishment? My grades were too good! When I brought home a glowing report card, my father announced that my grades were too good and I was studying too much. So, he was going to help me out by making me raise a pig. In most families, good grades are a good thing. But my family never has been “most families.” Did I argue? Probably. Did I rebel and just not do it? Nope. You have to remember; I was a good kid. I took my punishment and did what my father told me to do. I took care of the pig. What does taking care of a pig entail? I had to feed and water the pig twice daily, and once a week, I had to clean out its pen. The daily feedings weren’t great. I’d often spill water from a 5-gallon bucket on my school clothes before heading to the bus. But the pen cleaning was the absolute worst. I did it on Saturday mornings. I wore special clothes and boots because I reeked of pig manure by the time I was done. If I could have burned the clothes and boots, I would have.
The ritual continued as I climbed over the top of the wooden pen and took my position with shovel in hand. The pig was in the pen, too, so we did a little dance as I worked around him to remove large scoops from the concrete floor and plop them into the wheelbarrow. I vaguely remember being bitten a few times, but that might be an embellishment of the story as I’ve retold it. Whenever the wheelbarrow was full, I would climb back out, push it up a ramp and out of the barn, navigate it to a manure pile in the back of the barn and return to do it again. It was usually a 5–6 wheelbarrow job. One time, after returning from a weeklong trip to Cape Cod, I checked on the pig and almost cried. The pig was nearly swimming in a mess at least 18 inches deep. The neighbor feeding and watering the pig for me while I was away later explained that the pig kept dumping over its water, so she kept filling it back up. That was the worst cleanup job by far. It took hours and made the usual 5-6 wheelbarrow job seem like child’s play. Trying to keep the liquid mess inside the wheelbarrow while pushing it up the ramp was nearly impossible. Eventually, the pig went away, and my punishment was over. There was no celebration, fanfare, or discussion of what I learned from the punishment. We just continued life without wet pants or my Saturday morning ritual of putting on the “pig clothes.” I thought of the pig today when I was at a property dealing with an unwanted nest behind a dishwasher. While cleaning it up
Luke and some of his pig reminders
was not something I would put high on my list of fun things to do, it definitely wasn’t as bad as shoveling out the pig’s pen every week. A high threshold on the “gross-you- out” scale is quite valuable for property management. You would be surprised by what we see and what we have to dispose of. While I will never punish my kids for getting good grades, I did learn from my adventures with the pig. I realized I have “stick-to-it- ness” in spades, and while there may be better jobs, there are always worse ones. All in all, the counterintuitive wisdom of a father was good for his son. Here’s to endless improvement, even from unusual punishment.
P.S. To give credit to my father, he did give me an out. He told me from the beginning that if I brought home just one “F,” the punishment would be over. I believed him but wouldn’t get the “F.” Actually, my grades went up. P.P.S. If you were wondering, the pig’s name was Pig.
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WINTER IS COMING Don’t Let Those Pipes Freeze!
Why Dryer Balls Win This Season
Depending on where you live, you may already be experiencing freezing temperatures that signal the impending approach of winter. But while you can bundle up and protect yourself from the cold, your home can’t, so you need to find ways to protect it from winter damage. One such area that’s often overlooked is the plumbing system. When water freezes, its volume expands. When this happens inside of a pipe, it’s at risk of bursting. Water will begin to pour out of the busted pipe into your home until the water is shut off somewhere upstream. You’ll have to call a plumber to repair the broken pipes and may even need to replace your floors if they suffered from too much water damage. Thankfully, you can take some preventive measures to avoid the risk of freezing pipes.
Laundry is never fun, and more layers in the fall means more laundry! That translates to more money spent on energy for the washer and drying, especially if you need to clean bulky winter jackets or heavy socks. If you’re dreading the increased bill, try dryer balls! Dryer balls save money. Dryer balls are plastic or wool balls you toss into your dryer before running the load. Due to their shape, dryer balls separate clothing as they roll around in the drum. The added space between items allows more hot air to pass over your clothes, drying them faster. Manufacturers estimate that dryer balls can shave off 25 minutes of dry time, reducing average dryer running costs from $91.20 annually to $54.72! Dryer balls are also great for machine maintenance costs because they won’t clog the dryer’s lint filter screen or chute as dryer sheets do. Dryer vent cleanings typically cost over a hundred dollars but can be even more depending on the state of the vent. Dryer balls help the environment. Dryer balls are eco-friendly because they’re reusable, unlike dryer sheets, which cannot be recycled because of their materials. So, by using dryer balls, you can help keep tons of waste from landfills. The dryer is a home’s third most energy-consuming appliance, resulting in 2,400 pounds of carbon emissions per household yearly. Since you’ll be running your dryer for less time each load with dryer balls, you’ll also be helping the environment by curbing your emissions. Top Dryer Balls for Your Family You can find dryer balls at your supermarket if you’re in a pinch, but if you need a specific type of dryer ball, look no further than these three brands! Smart Sheep: These extra-large wool dryer balls come in a pack of six and cost just over $16. They’re organic and made from New Zealand wool. Whitmor: This spiky plastic dryer ball option is under $10 and naturally helps soften and fluff fabrics, meaning you can save on fabric softener, too. SnugPad: These wool dryer balls are best for bulkier loads or items that take a long time to dry. They’re under $10 and organic! Don’t let piles of laundry cost you this autumn. Swap out your dryer sheets for dryer balls today!
Proper Insulation
Insulation should be installed around the pipes throughout your home. You can use special insulating tape or tube-shaped foam sleeves to protect your pipes in areas vulnerable to the cold. You should also check your attic insulation to ensure it’s helping keep the house warm. Block any gaps in your doors or windows with caulking and weather stripping to keep the cold air out.
Consistent Heating and Running Water
When you leave your home for work or vacation, you need to ensure the temperature does not drop too much in your home. Keep the heat on and leave your thermostat at a minimum of 55 degrees F. Keep one of your faucets open with a slow steady drip, but be sure to choose a tap that’s far from your main water shut-off valve
to help relieve the pressure that an ice blockage could cause. Any cabinets that
have plumbing within them (like under your sinks) should be kept open. Your warm house air will help prevent the pipes from freezing over.
When a pipe bursts, you could be looking at expensive fees to get it repaired, so it’s much better to be proactive than reactive. Follow these tips and you shouldn’t need to worry about your pipes freezing this winter!
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ARE PEEL AND STICK COUNTERTOPS RIGHT FOR YOUR FAMILY?
Changing up your kitchen or bathroom counter design can provide a nice change of atmosphere for you and your family as well as increase the value of your home. But these projects can be costly and time-consuming, so many are turning to peel and stick countertops. Could they be right for your home? Let’s look at a few pros and cons of peel and stick countertops. The Pros Peel and stick countertops always take the win in terms of price. On sites like Wayfair, you can find rolls of adhesive marble or granite-style countertops for under $100! Compared to real granite or marble, which can run you hundreds of dollars for just a few feet, peel and stick countertops can save your family hundreds or even thousands. Peel and stick countertops also save you time on installation. Tearing apart your home to install new countertops can take between 1–3 days. In contrast, you can successfully apply a peel and stick countertop in an hour. The Cons A DIY stick-on countertop’s biggest downfall is that it isn’t permanent. Peel and stick countertops last on average five years in low-traffic home areas, like guest bathrooms or basement kitchens, so it probably isn’t your best option in a kitchen where your family eats and cooks nightly. Constant use and cleaning can drastically shorten the lifespan or appearance of your DIY countertops, and the same goes for your main bathrooms.
Where to Find the Peel and Stick Countertop of Your Dreams If you decide that peel and stick countertops are the best option for you and your family, there are a few places to find high-quality options. Home Depot has a ton of peel and stick counter options, but if you’re shopping online, try Livelynine on Amazon. Livelynine sells plenty of peel and stick counters in various colors and sizes — check it out at Amazon.com/Livelynine.
TAKE A BREAK
Tasty Turkey Triangles for Cats
Inspired by Be.Chewy.com
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup ground turkey (you can use your leftover turkey from Thanksgiving — just make sure to grind it up first)
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour • 1 egg • 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, whole wheat flour, egg, and olive oil until you have a meaty dough. Knead dough into a ball. 3. Flour the work surface and roll dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Place dough on baking sheet. 4. With a knife, score 1/2-inch rows into the dough. Then, score diagonal lines across the rows to create a diamond pattern and score diagonally the other way to score the diamonds in half, creating triangles. 5. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool, break the triangles apart, then give one to your kitty!
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INSIDE
1
I Got a Pig for Punishment
2
2 Reasons You Should Use Dryer Balls
Tips to Prevent Your Home’s Pipes From Freezing
3
Should You Try Peel and Stick Countertops?
Tasty Turkey Triangles for Cats
4
Giving Thanksgiving a Little Pizzazz
A Picture-Perfect Thanksgiving Table
Are you hosting Thanksgiving this year? Wow your guests with a magazine-ready table using these tips.
Bountiful Buffet
Who has room for proper place settings with all that food on the table? If your feast tends to take up a lot of valuable space, consider creating a buffet with your turkey and sides. Guests can fix their plates and return to a beautiful, uncluttered table.
Majestic Monochrome
Do your attempts to coordinate colors tend to clash more than complement? Keep it simple with monochrome. Plates, tablecloths, and centerpieces in the same color will provide a timeless look while giving you room to use different textures and patterns.
Eclectic Elegance
Alternatively, get funky! Pair thrift store candlesticks with your best china and the cute napkin rings you found at a big-box store. Mix colors and oddities to your heart’s content. Thanksgiving only comes once a year, so make it special by trying something new!
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