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Don't let the North Winds blow your house away.....

     Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, there was a little town called Runathemill where the Naunows lived.Run of the Mill

     In Runathemill everything was----how shall I say it?  Well----run of the mill.  Even the local sawmill was run of the mill.  Even the annual Runathemill "fun- run" was----run----of the mill.  No one could muster anything past mediocre----even the color

ochre
prevailed.  Everyone lived in ordinary little houses that had the same problems as everyone else's ordinary little houses.  No one expected----or suspected anything else.  Every once in a while a fierce wind would blow in from the North and take someone's house away---but that was just considered normal----just something that happened every now and then----not a big deal----that is what insurance is for after all.

     Being ordinary in Runathemill did not come about for lack of"trying"to be something different. There were classes and books dedicated to

"different,"
but no one could actually figure out how to actually "DO" anything different.  It always kept coming back to everything ending up looking just like something else already looked.  The huge cost in time that was required to do things differently, or to provide better service, made doing things differently seem "impractical."  After all----the Naunows knew that "time I$ money."

     One day, a stranger came to town, unlike any stranger that had ever wandered into town before.  He was, dare I say it-----not mediocre----or at least what he had to offer was considered exceptional in relation to what Runathemill was used to.  He rode into town on a mighty steed named Bynd th Cll f Dty----difficult to pronounce but easy to see and appreciate.  He even espoused the heresy that "money I$ time."

     Some of Runathemill's townsfolk welcomed "Rome" (that was "more" (or less) his real name) with open arms, while others treated him with suspicion, derision and open hostility.  You see, when you don't know what you are missing, how can you possibly be missing anything? 

     But Rome started to show the good people of Runathemill how they were not really mediocre at all-----and their homes were certainly not ordinary.  He told them wonderful, informative stories about their homes that they had never heard before----stories that did not read at all like "See Spot Run"----but more like "The Little Engine that Could."  He could even tell them why some of their homes blew away in the North winds----heresy to some----enlightenment to others.  Even more threatening was his providing information on what to "DO."  He even made the "fun-run" more fun by making it the "run to the mill."

     Rome could sure tell stories, but the skeptics would only say, "well how come no one has ever told us these stories before if they are true---if they are important?"   

     Rome simply told them that they merely needed to remove their "ordinary" glasses and replace them with the "magic" glasses he offered to them at no cost.  But many of the Naunows refused to stay and listen---being too busy or impatient to try out the magic glasses----preferring instead what they were familiar with----with what "fit."  Some wouldn't even take his cell phone number.

     And so it came to pass that the Town of Runathemill passed an ordinance that said that only "ordinary" glasses would be allowed.  This kept everything running smoothly like always----and occasionally the North winds would blow and another house would disappear----but that was all as it should be----there would always be bailouts.

     Fast forward "100 Days"----to another little town----not so far away, called Yeswecansas. 

     Rome----our ever optimistic Don Quixote----finds greener pastures for his trusty horse Bynd th Cll f Dty.  It is a land of beautiful houses----houses with many entertaining, informative and sometimes important stories to tell.  A land where the North Winds blow the houses away even less often----and the yards are watered with ActiveRain.

Charles Buell

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21 commentsCharles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector • December 29 2008 09:40AM

Comments

What a great post!  And, that picture is priceless!

Posted by Kristin Johnston,Waukesha County Realtor Buyers Agent,Waukesha Cty WI Real Estate (Remax Realty Center 414-254-6647) over 3 years ago

What a fun post.  Definitely entertaining.

Posted by Vickie Slade (Keller Williams Front Range Properties, LLC) over 3 years ago

Kristin, thanks---I had too much fun writing it.  The picture is Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, Massachusetts.

Vickie---glad to entertain.

Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) over 3 years ago

Applause Charles, Very entertaining with a twist. 

Bynd th Cll F Dty were this name come from and how does one pronouce it.

                                                   ~ Life is Good

 

                                                                               

Posted by Roy A. Peterson P.R.E.I. (Domicile Analysis of Texas) over 3 years ago

Roy----what is the problem----they just don't have any vowels where this horse is from:)

Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) over 3 years ago

Charles they must have more than one "Runathemill", or maybe their relatives started another town here in Ohio, Gudenuf.  I've been there recently.  By the way my neighbor has a horse named Hghr Xptns.  Talk about hard to pronounce.

Posted by Jack Gilleland (Home Inspection and Investor Services, Clayton) over 3 years ago

Jack----I have been to Gudenuf too-----I think every state has one.  Perhaps the two horses should get together and they could produce a foal named Dn Rght Th Frst Tm

Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) over 3 years ago

Charlie,

You are becoming the Robert Frost of Active Rain.

Posted by Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector (King of the House Home Inspection, Inc) over 3 years ago

And there ain't no rhyme or reason:)

Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) over 3 years ago

I think you were talking about my south in disguise.  We lose a house or houses occasionally to tornadoes.  We are certainly suspicious of people from the north!  That was a fun blog. 

Posted by Barbara S. Duncan, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) over 3 years ago

 AAHHHHH!!! the illusiveness of metaphors----I like to think I had "Erehwon" (and everywhere) in mind:)

Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) over 3 years ago

Charlie, Was this therapy from having to be so specific most of the time? You are now being extremely vague. For sure in our profession you better be very specific in what you say and write.

There is another town of which I have heard, Itmeetscode. This place is similar to run of the mill. The folks here are very resistant to change. This is because when the mighty ahj has decreed a house to be acceptable, then all is well and no change shall be necessary.

I have heard the great and powerful ahj is sometimes referred to as the village idiot, but that's just a rumor.

Posted by James Quarello - Connecticut Home Inspector (JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC) over 3 years ago

Hey---another great town.  I have been to "Itmeetscode" many times myself.  In my experience it takes many idiots to create a village:)

Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) over 3 years ago

This sounds a lot like the town I am from. But no one ever showed up to tell them something new.

Posted by JL Boney, III Columbia, SC Real Estate (Russell and Jeffcoat) over 3 years ago

JL---awesome----too true that there are some places that seem to have never seen the stranger:)

Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) over 3 years ago

Charles this is VERY VERY Good! Are you sure you don't mind having it re-blogged?  And how come it wasn't featured huh? lol

Posted by Liz Moras ~ Chilliwack Realtor, Garrison Crossing,Chilliwack, Abbotsford (Harrison Hot Springs, Cultus Lake) over 3 years ago

Liz, thanks----why would I mind having it re-blogged?:)  No way to figure what gets featured and what doesn't:)

Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) over 3 years ago

In my experience it takes many idiots to create a village:) Yes and fortunately? there is an abundance.

Posted by James Quarello - Connecticut Home Inspector (JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC) over 3 years ago

Where would we be without job security?

Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) over 3 years ago

what a story teller-  cw

Posted by Cheryl Willis, MO BROKER Mt Vernon, Monett, Aurora, Barry & Lawrence Co. (RE/MAX Solutions- OZARK MISSOURI) over 3 years ago

Thanks Cheryl---but you mean this isn't a "true" story?

Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) over 3 years ago

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