I am Only Dreaming of a White Christmas

There is a unusual aspect to what I do that never ceases to amaze me. I meet some interesting people by being a landlord 1,700 miles from my properties. I have met all sorts of folks from all sorts of backgrounds and all walks of life.

Most of those I have encountered have left me with nice warm fuzzy feelings that resonate after all this time. I have made some good friends. And, I have encountered a few whom I will just chalk up to learning experiences. But mostly, I have enjoyed those I have met--including a reader or two--on this wild landlord journey.

There is one woman I am currently in contact with who lives in Virginia. She and I came involved this summer because we had a mutual tenant in common. Some day, when the dust settles, the judge's gavel bangs down on the bench and the guilty are punished for their crimes, I will write about her and the tragic and bizarre circumstances that brought us to this point. But for now, I won't. There is an ongoing criminal investigation.

At any rate, this Virginia woman and I have been corresponding for about seven months. When she calls, it is always business. She has questions about this and that. Could I clarify something in an e-mail my tenant sent? Could I look at a picture of my rental home and identify which bedroom? Do I remember a certain date when a rent check came in? Do I happen to know where the tenants were working in December 2005? That kind of thing.

Saturday, however, she got personal. Out of the blue, I got this text: "20 inches and counting."



I sent her back this: "73 degrees today." and attached the following:



She responded with:



So I sent her a current picture of a portion of my garden: