Peace

A very funny thing happened. I got an e-mail from Mrs. Martin yesterday. Yes, she is moving out. Yes she is cleaning the place. No, I don't know when this is all happening. And, because it is the South, I am sure it will happen in due time--whatever that happens to mean.

Until I got Mrs. Martin's note, I hadn't realized how upset I had been about her. I wasn't looking forward to the expenditures of a vacant home. This includes cleaning out the former tenant's junk, any major repairs and the upcoming mortgage payment I need to make without the assistance of incoming rent.

The house needs a roof--which it will get because homes with holes in the roof tend to fall into the undesirable category when it comes to the whole rental home selection criteria. It will probably need a coat of paint and a few odds and ends. Homes always do.

Mrs. Martin's note was a welcome because I didn't have to employ Legal Eagle (no, this wasn't the case where she recused herself this week). I didn't have to go through he hassle and expense of waiting for Mrs. Martin to leave (assuming "due time" means "pretty soon") and I didn't have to put my imagination through the ringer of what kind of condition this house might be in. There really isn't much worse than the images that dance in my head as I wait for a tenant to be kicked out of a property.

I feel for Mrs. Martin and wish her the best. Through unfortunate circumstances Mrs. Martin ended up raising four children alone. She worked hard, but her paycheck was a slave to her rent payment. She really does need a less expensive alternative.

With any luck, Mrs. Martin will not cause me a lot of grief, and my only major surprise will be the roof, a carpet cleaning bill and maybe a coat or two of paint. At any rate, on to a new tenant who is in a better position to pay rent and all the best to Mrs. Martin.