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APRIL 2023 April Starts With Pranks and Ends With Honesty FROM APRIL FOOLS’ DAY TO HONESTY DAY 860.613.6290 WWW.ROBERTCWHITE.COM
I have some pranksters in my house.
I’d made. In most situations, it was a small, unimportant thing, but nonetheless, it is something that I have had to reconcile, deal with, and work to break. As a property manager, we are in the trust business. And nothing erodes trust like lies and/or covering something up. We work tirelessly to keep your hard- earned trust, and we talk about it on a regular basis. We make mistakes, and we will continue to (as unpleasant as that is for me). Not because we are not careful. Not because we have bad processes. But because we are in a people business, and in people businesses, people make mistakes. The important thing for us is to own our mistake, work to make it right, then work to minimize the chances that the mistake could happen again. It is better to apologize than to make excuses. And lies are deadly. We continue to work to make your experience better through improvements to the process and communication. And we work tirelessly to continue to deserve your trust. Our very first value is “Be Incredibly Credible.” It’s the foundation of what we do.
Frankly, they aren’t very good pranksters yet. But there are real signs they are on their way to being truly great! April Fools’ Day is fun for them. They think about it for a couple of weeks in advance and try to pull off overly elaborate pranks against me (primarily) and their siblings. Typically, my wife is spared. The funny thing is that they do much better when they keep it simple. They once offered me a Coke, which I graciously accepted. It was a Pepsi in a Coke can. Treason! They all got a laugh. Another time I had to put an end to an in-process prank that involved a cup full of water teetering above a brother’s head. I could see that it was not going to finish well on many levels. I learned recently that April 30 is National Honesty Day. I didn’t even know that was a thing. It was made a holiday in 1991 by M. Hirsch Goldberg, a former press secretary for the state of Maryland. He wanted a day that contrasted April Fools’ Day and would be an opportunity for people to communicate honestly with each other. On that day, people are encouraged to ask questions and be brutally honest when answering.
Luke and a few of his pranksters
It has morphed into a campaign to encourage honesty in politics, business, and education. There are even awards given out annually for companies, groups, and organizations that have “kept true to themselves and upheld honesty in their practices.” I am an “honesty is the best policy” guy. But I guess I didn’t start there. Embarrassingly, I have memories from when I was a kid up through college (including junior year in London) where I instinctively told a lie to cover up a mistake
Thank you for the trust you give us daily and for the patience you grant when we
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Bring on the Birds! The DIY Birdhouse That Blends Into Your Garden
A JAPANESE HOME TREND COULD SAVE YOUR GUTTERS
Learn About Rain Chains
Lately, you may have seen a line of tiny buckets or bowls hanging from the roofs of some of your neighbors’ homes. While these could be mistaken for windchimes or simple decorations, they actually serve a much more important purpose. Homeowners know water is one of their home’s biggest enemies, and an efficient drainage system is vital to protecting any structure from damage. So, that’s exactly what those tiny buckets do, and they’re called rain chains. What is a rain chain? While most American homes direct water with a metal downspout, the Japanese have used rain chains for decades. Originally called kusari-doi, or “chain gutter,” these additions guide rainwater safely to the ground and are a great way to save your gutters. Unfortunately, it’s far too easy for water to build up and become so heavy that it can tear rain gutters from your roof. Even if you have a downspout, the hole can become clogged, stopping water from being successfully redirected, and this can result in costly repairs. A rain chain is fixed through a small hole in the gutter, where the water will leak through and travel down the chain into the buckets, then gently to the ground or into a water-harvesting receptacle. This smooth transition moves water through your gutter system and doesn’t create a giant water spout that can damage landscaping or the ground from high water pressure. If your home doesn’t have rain gutters, you can still attach a rain chain to your roof. Find the spot where water seems to accumulate on your roof, and attach an S-hook to the underside of the eave. Then, hang your rain chain from that hook to help move the water away from your house.
Springtime is filled with flowers, baby animals, and colorful birds flitting through the sky. And while many people love to watch our fine feathered friends, not everyone wants to put a colorful birdhouse in their yard that clashes with their decor or attracts unwanted visitors like squirrels. Luckily, there is a style of birdhouse that will blend into your yard, keep pests away, and is incredibly easy to make — it’s a flowerpot birdhouse! To make a flowerpot birdhouse, you’ll need the following items from your local hardware store: • Drill with a regular drill bit and a 1 1/4-inch hole-boring drill bit • Two 1 1/4-inch fender washers • 1/4 x 2 1/2-inch carriage bolt • 7-inch-diameter flowerpot (preferably terracotta) • 1/4-inch nut • 6-inch-diameter round wooden plaque • Sandpaper • Outdoor acrylic paint • Sponge brush Step 1: Choose your location, and drill! Pick a vertical surface like a fence or wall to mount your birdhouse onto. Try to pick an area where people rarely walk. Then, determine how high you want the birdhouse to be, and use the regular drill bit to make a hole. Step 2: Mount your pot. Take your flower pot and align its drainage hole to the hole you drilled in step 1. Then, slide one of the washers over the carriage bolt before pushing the bolt through the drainage hole and into the drilled hole. Slide a washer over the end of the bolt sticking through the other side of the fence or wall, and twist the nut onto the bolt to hold the pot in place. Step 3: Give the house a door. Use your 1 1/4-inch hole-boring drill bit to create a door in the round wooden plaque, about 1 1/2 inch from the bottom. Use the sandpaper to smooth out the edges of this hole for the birds’ safety, and use your outdoor acrylic paint to coat only the outside of the plaque and let it dry. Once the paint is dry, push the wooden plaque into the pot until it is firmly wedged inside, and you’re done! This birdhouse is an excellent way to attract birds to your yard without the obviousness of a stand-alone house. Also, its lack of a perch stops predators from gaining a foothold that can lead them inside. To make the pot more discreet, hang it in a corner where shrubs or trees block it from view.
Rain chains also upgrade your home’s exterior without a costly investment. Most rain chains in the United States are made from metal, so they blend in nicely against a house and age beautifully, resulting in fewer recurring maintenance costs.
Luckily, these are easy to install and can be a fun project for the whole family. You can find rain chains at many stores, such as Lowe’s, The Home Depot, and Walmart.
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3 Tips for Washing Home’s Outside Walls GIVE YOUR SIDING A SPRING SCRUB!
You might not have noticed it, but winter conditions or general wear and tear have built up on your home’s siding. From layers of dirt to clumps of pollen, dirty siding not only ruins your home’s curb appeal, but it can also ruin your home.
So, as the weather begins to warm and you have more time in your days, give that siding a good wash with the following tips in mind.
Pre-spray and spray often.
Leave the powerwasher in the garage.
Before cleaning a section, spray it with water to allow dirt or debris to soften and release its hold on your home. Start with small areas at the bottom of the wall. Gently scrub away dirt with solution and a brush. As you clean from the bottom to the top, re-spray each section beneath it because soapy water from the siding above will trail down and may leave a residue. Be sure to thoroughly rinse the wall to avoid streaking. And finally, enjoy your clean house! By scrubbing your siding just once a year, you can increase its longevity and your home’s curb appeal!
A common way for people to clean the siding on their house is to take out the old pressure washer and blast that dirt away. However, experts recommend against this method because, depending on the angle of the spray, water can get behind the siding and cause damage to your home. Not only that, but high water pressure can damage the siding if you’re not careful.
Grab that soft-bristled brush!
Instead of a high-powered blast-off, the best way to wash your siding is with a garden hose and soft brush. Many home improvement stores sell siding cleaning solutions in spray bottles that attach directly to your hose.
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Easy Fruit Dip
do make the inevitable mistake. Robert C. White & Company exists to serve you, our loyal clients.
Here’s to playful pranks and honesty being the best policy!
Inspired by InspiredByCharm.com
Spring is here, which means it’s time to enjoy fresh fruits and refreshing treats! This recipe has only four ingredients and can be made in under five minutes, so it’s great to bring to parties or make before a quick get-together. We recommend serving it with strawberries or cut-up pineapple, mango, and honeydew.
P.S. I’m sad because I won’t be home on April 1 this year. I’ll be in Chicago that weekend, and the kids will be at home. Maybe April Fools’ Day will come early in the Eddinger house in 2023. P.P.S. A topic for another newsletter is “white lies” ... lies of omission. Not “lying” from a traditional definition, but not telling the entire truth. While we never lie to tena nts, unfortunately, it is sometimes deemed “best” to not tell them the entire truth. For example, not telling them all of the reasons their lease was not extended and sticking with the “easiest” reason to hear. I think about that, too, and the right way to deal with it, but I don’t have firm answers.
Ingredients
• 1 7-oz jar marshmallow fluff • 1 8-oz package of cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup vanilla yogurt • Splash of maraschino cherry juice • Fresh-cut fruit of your choice
Directions
1. In a bowl, place all the ingredients except fruit and blend with a hand mixer until smooth. 2. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1–2 hours before serving. 3. Serve with fresh-cut fruit. Dip and enjoy!
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57 DODGE AVE., STE. 107 NORTH HAVEN, CT 06473 860.613.6290
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INSIDE
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April Starts With Pranks and Ends With Honesty
2
The DIY Birdhouse That Blends In
Rain Chains Could Save Your Home
3
How to Wash Your Siding to Keep Your Home Clean
Easy Fruit Dip
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Timeless Furniture Trends
THESE TIMELESS TRENDS ALWAYS IMPRESS Cure Your Decorating Indecision!
Nature Does It Best Natural materials have been used in furniture for decades, not just because they’re sturdy. These classics bring a calm and casual feeling to a space, regardless of period or location.
While it’s always good to refresh your furniture now and again, trends fade fast, and a new piece can fall out of style within a few short years.
So, avoid a dated home with these three timeless furniture trends.
Soft Silhouettes Furniture pieces that curve or flow with the room make a statement and provide a warmer, more comfortable environment that is both functional and flawless.
Timeless Tortoise A furniture piece with a tortoise finish adds more than depth and sophistication; it adds history to a space. This furniture trend has been around for hundreds of years and will undoubtedly last hundreds more.
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