One Thing

For quite some time, I have been following my "one thing" rule. Every day I clean one thing. Sometimes it is cleaning out a cupboard or cleaning the laundry room. Last week I counted the very act of showering as my daily "one thing." But then again, you home school, sell real estate, run an accidental business 1,700 miles away and do a variety of other undertakings and tell me how much YOU clean in a single day. Not that I am complaining. Last week was just busier than normal.

Before I went to bed last night, I decided my one thing was to clean my office today. It didn't happen. It has to happen soon, because the IRS doesn't really care if I need a clean office to take care of putting together all things tax related.

In the middle of the night, my one thing changed. Mrs. Martin has been weighing heavily on me lately. Mrs. Martin is different than Mr. Richards who returns my calls, keeps me posted on everything from his job to his son's report card (Junior made the honor roll for the first time) and tells me what day to expect his rent. Instead, Mrs. Martin is exhibiting the classic if-I-don't-answer-her-calls-and-e-mails-maybe-my-landlord-will-just-go-away behavior.

I have tolerated Mrs. Martin's antics for purely selfish reasons. Marty Sunshine and I own this home by ourselves without any outside partners. A vacant homes, including repairs (and there are always repairs), generally runs about three month's worth of rent. So, I was waiting to stock some extra cash away before I had to do anything about her.

In the middle of the night, I woke up and started fretting about Mrs. Martin. I knew instantly what my one thing would be. This morning I e-mailed Mrs. Martin and gave her an ultimatum. Pay or move. I told her if she left the home clean and move-in ready for the next paying tenant, and I didn't have to haul my backside to Birmingham to clean out her junk I wouldn't garnish her wages.

Now then, on to tomorrow's one thing--which will be starting the eviction proceedings.