Eureka!

There’s this little joke that I like to tease Tyler about. I am certain that one day we will be refinishing the floors or stairs and I’ll tear up a loose board and find an old dusty canvas bag filled with lots and lots of money. Enough  money for us to run away and live like kings in Fiji for the rest of our lives. There are many uneven, loose floor boards in the house and whenever I step on one I lose myself in this fantasy of flipping up that board and discovering some kind of treasure from years past. I know it’s a bit silly, but I also think it’s hilarious.

Well I didn’t find a casket of jewels or come across a small fortune, but I did manage to find a tenant last week. And let me tell you, I am so relieved. It’s a major stress and a delicate balance. I’m a rather nice person, and so having to tell someone who wants to rent your suite that YOU don’t want them to is difficult for me. We’re picky and we want nice, quiet, normal people to rent a part of our house. We want someone who will respect the space. We have put a lot of energy and time (and money) into the suite to make sure we would attract those types of people. And we did, but not all were perfect for us.

The first lady to look was very nice and had lots of good energy. I was a little leery about her 20-something son who was living with her “only for six months”. Because you know how that story goes. But really the clincher was the fact that she has three cats AND a dog. She said they don’t make a mess, but if my experience is any indication, animals most certainly DO make a mess. And I’m having beige carpet installed. I want it to stay clean for at least a little while. Besides, Tyler and I are not so sure having three cats in the house is a good idea, what with his insane allergies and all. Our ad said “small pets considered,” and so we considered them and decided NO. She didn’t seem none too pleased with me. “Oh, I understand.”

Second was a very sweet young woman and her nine-year-old son. I liked them both, so I offered her the suite. The same day, she found another place to rent that suited her better. Boo! I was kind of bummed. Because the other potential tenants were an older couple who seemed really nice and I thought they would be perfect, but the husband was a bit loud and sometimes cheeky and I just knew in a few months it would start to get on my nerves. Hey, I’m sensitive! Thankfully, they never called back when they said they would.

I answered lots of e-mails and sent photos. The only other person who came to look at the suite was the person we’ve rented to. Her and her husband are relocating from northern BC back to the Island. The husband is still there, packing up and getting everything ready for the move. So Sharon has been staying with her parents and looking for accommodations. I liked her immediately when I met her: soft-spoken, sweet, well-mannered. Her mom came too, and I just wanted to hug her she’s so nice! And Piper LOVED both of them. (That was a good sign. Piper barked at the brash old man.) They have two Pomeranians, and they hardly go outside or bark too much (hopefully!). Thing is, Piper goes crazy for a minute or so when someone comes to the door or when we torture her by making her jump and dance for her treats, so it’s just a part of life with a dog. So not long after they left, Tyler and I talked, and I sent Sharon an e-mail to tell her that we would be happy to offer them the suite. She came yesterday to sign the rental agreement and give us a security deposit.

The relief and tension has melted away. I have a good feeling about Sharon and I just know they will be great tenants. I’ve been feeling my intuition is a lot stronger lately, and this instance is no exception.

Now I just have to finish the renos! Their move-in date was set to be March 15, which was lots of time for me. But now there’s a possibility of it being earlier, and I still have a ton of work to do. Thing is, I’m working on articles this week and next, and I’m already behind on those. I can’t even describe to you how happy I felt when I flipped the calendar over from January to February, but February is turning out to be a super busy month. Sigh, that’s okay, it’ll just make spring come that much faster. I’m already noticing some bushes and trees with new shoots coming forth, and with that I feel the deep clouds of winter lifting slowly away.

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