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SEPTEMBER 2023
Appreciating Where You Are and What You Have I NEED A VACATION AFTER MY VACATION
A client recently shared a quote from Elbert Hubbard with me: “No man needs a vacation so much as the man who has just had one.” Those words are truer today than when he wrote them in the late 1800s. And after this summer, I need a vacation! Not only is property management busier in late spring and summer than at any other time of the year, but because of school-aged kids, we pack all of our trips in during summer. Our first family trip this summer, and my first time off since Christmas break, was for a family reunion for my wife’s family in West Virginia. Every other summer, the family descends on Pipestem State Park from Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and little ol’ Connecticut. Hiking trails, biking for the kids, campfires, and nature are the major elements of fun here — punctuated by danger and laughs at the “adventure lake.” Speaking of adventure, William, my youngest, begged me to launch him on The Blob. After trying and failing to convince him that someone lighter than me should be the one launching him, I agreed. With me jumping off a 10-foot platform and William sitting on the opposite end, I watched with eyes half closed as he did a backward somersault reaching 30 feet or more in the air. He landed in the water pretty hard. When I got to him, he explained his tears were because he “had so much fun!” Poor Willie.
As I write this, I am preparing for trip two of the summer, a week with my side of the family at an old CT resort on the Salmon River. Think “Dirty Dancing,” but smaller, just as old, and a bit more run down. I am one of five boys, and we all ended up having kids at the same time. There will be 12 adults and 18 kids ages 6 to 16 living together for a week and (generally) getting along. This trip, which we do annually, bends more to the dangerous and wild side. Items on the docket include “hospital slip and slide,” where kids keep sliding down a hill on a heavy plastic sheet with water and soap until someone goes to the hospital, “safety third ziplining,” which more or less sums up the setup, and a “too tall pallet bonfire” which commercial planes would be able to see if they were flying overhead. Safer activities on this trip include bridge jumping, 10 kids on a trampoline at once, and jet skiing at the lake. When we make it to the end of the week, and no one is seriously injured, we say a prayer of thanks and give a sigh of relief. Add to those two trips normal summer stuff like a few weekends visiting family and friends, a couple of family weddings this year, and preparing for the school year stuff to kick off; it sometimes amazes me that I’m still standing after Labor Day weekend. So, what is the moral of this story? I guess it has to do with appreciating everything you have and where you are.
What day is it again?
I appreciate my family as crazy as they are (the in-laws too). I appreciate the team at RCW, who show up for me when I’m away and model what “Work Together, Win Together” is all about. I appreciate my clients who give me more grace when I can’t respond as quickly as usual. And I appreciate coming back tired and knowing things will slow down in the future. I hope you had a safe and happy summer. Thank you for your trust.
PS: I didn’t know it, but my wife recorded William’s “Launch” from the beach. If you want to see it, reach out to me, and I will send it your way. I’m not exaggerating when I say he went 30 feet in the air. PPS: Another good Elbert Hubbard quote — “The greatest mistake you can make in life is continually fearing you’ll make one.” Ain’t that the truth?
I appreciate my kids and the ages they are at.
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Victory Against All Odds: 2 Unlikely Battles That Shaped History
When you sit down and research historical events, you quickly realize that countries, civilizations, and other human settlements have repeatedly been at war with one another. Military leaders sometimes devised wartime strategies that seemed foolish or impossible, but more often than not, their efforts proved fruitful, allowing them to claim victory over their enemies. Here are the true stories behind two of the most bizarre wartime battle victories you likely haven’t heard about. The Siege of Tyre Alexander the Great is one of the most famous leaders in human history. As King of Macedonia, he led a lengthy military campaign to conquer significant areas in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Before Alexander led his army to Egypt, he announced he wanted to make a sacrifice to Heracles in Tyre (present-day Lebanon). The Tyrians believed Alexander was planning to occupy their city and refused, which Alexander took as a declaration of war. The problem with conquering Tyre was that it was half a mile offshore and protected by tall walls and a sizeable navy. To reach the city, Alexander directed his men to build a causeway connecting Tyre to the mainland, but the Tyrians wouldn’t just let this happen. They countered by setting the causeway ablaze, making Alexander realize he needed naval forces of his own. Soon after the causeway fire, he returned to Tyre with 220 ships. The Tyrians were shocked to see the size of Alexander’s navy but maintained their defenses. Unfortunately for them, Alexander’s military continued to build the causeway while his ships laid siege to the city. After six months, Alexander finally crossed the city walls and conquered Tyre. He made his sacrifice to Heracles before hosting a torch race and triumphal procession in the streets of Tyre, then left to resume his military campaign in Egypt. The Beginning of the End of the Inca Empire In the early 1530s, Francisco Pizarro led a Spanish expedition of less than 200 men to conquer the Inca Empire and capture their gold
and silver. Atahualpa, the recently named Incan emperor, was aware of the Spanish forces but allowed them to progress further into his land. Historical records differ regarding who invited whom, but the two groups met for the first time in November 1532 in Cajamarca. Atahualpa traveled with 80,000 warriors but only brought his immediate guard of 7,000–9,000 unarmed individuals into Cajamarca. Spanish records indicate that negotiations quickly broke down, thus starting the battle, but the Incan account differs. It claims the Spaniards poured out a ceremonial cup offered to them, which caused Atahualpa to announce, “If you disrespect me, I will also disrespect you.” Pizarro responded by ordering his men to attack. The Spanish fired their muskets and cannons, shocking the Incas — they had never encountered firearms before. The Spaniards took advantage of the situation, capturing Atahualpa and slaughtering many of his guards. When the battle ended, the Spanish lost only one or two men, while 2,000–7,000 Incas died. Although the Spaniards were outnumbered nearly 45 to 1, they came away victorious. This battle started the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, and within 40 years, they successfully took over every Incan state.
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WHY LOSE WEEKENDS CLEANING? Implement These Hacks for a Tidier Home!
Nobody wants to live in a messy home, but staying organized is often easier said than done, especially when you have kids. Spending weekend after weekend cleaning up messes made throughout the week can get exhausting. Thankfully, you can implement some quick organizational hacks that will help you reduce your cleaning time.
If you have a standing paper towel holder, another helpful Command Strip hack is to place the strips on the bottom so it doesn’t slide away when you use it. It only takes a couple of seconds to fix. Create a welcoming entryway. When people walk into your house, they need somewhere to hang their coats. After you walk your dog, you need a place
to put their leash. Having an area by your door to hang things will help reduce clutter and make your house look nicer. And you can easily create a space for this. Buy a 12–24-inch picture ledge and a handful of hooks. Drill holes, affix the ledge to your wall, and screw the hooks into the bottom of the shelf. Now you have somewhere to hang things and display pictures or art to spruce up your entryway. Free up your kitchen cabinets. If you keep your bowls, plates, and other dishes in a cabinet, how do you have them organized? If you want to make the most of your space, invest in a plate organizer. Placing it in your cabinet will allow you to stack your different types of dishes in one area, freeing up space for other items.
Make use of Command Strips.
Many areas in our homes could better utilize space. Command Strips, or double-sided tape, can add more space and reduce clutter in closets and pantries. Place Command Strips on a desktop file holder and stick it to the inside of your closet and pantry doors. This will give you a new area where you can store just about anything that will fit.
TAKE A BREAK
Honey-Pecan Chicken Breasts
Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
Ingredients
• 2 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast halves • 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper • 1 tbsp butter • 3 tbsp honey • 2 tbsp finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder • 1/8 tsp black pepper
Directions
1. Pound chicken with a meat mallet to 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. 2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium heat; brown chicken on both sides. Cook covered until chicken is no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes, turning once. 3. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with pecans. Cook covered until chicken is glazed, about 2–3 minutes.
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INSIDE
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Appreciating Where You Are and What You Have
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Oddities of War — Discover Stories of Unlikely Victories!
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Wave Goodbye to Weekend Cleaning Marathons — Your Solution Inside!
Honey-Pecan Chicken Breasts
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Unlock a Unique Look for Your Home in 4 Steps
4 Easy Ways to Make Your Home Stand Out in the Neighborhood
Have you ever walked into a home in your neighborhood and been surprised at how similar it looks to your house? Usually, the same contractor will build every house in a subdivision, so the homes end up having the exact same layouts and features. Here are four ways
to get rid of that “cookie- cutter” feel in your home.
Replace kitchen hardware. Adding new cabinet handles — or just replacing the cabinets entirely — will breathe new life into your kitchen. Make the bathroom pop. Replace the toilet paper holder and towel bars with a design that matches your style, then add a colorful shower curtain, towels, and other decor.
Install new light fixtures. New light fixtures can transform a room and make it seem bigger, especially if they blend well with other aesthetic changes you’ve made. Paint all interior doors. The difference that a fresh coat of paint can make to your home is unbelievable. Pick out the color you like and apply it to your doors.
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