The Magnificent Light Switch

The switch

On any given summer day, you can expect it to be a little warm when you walk outside in the morning.  Inside, however, should maintain a slightly cooler and more comfortable temperature thanks to the big square box that resides in most of our back yards.  

This morning, that was not the case.  I awoke this morning to thick warm air.  Stale air.  Air that was not moving. 

My first thought was to refer to the thermostat on the wall.  It confirmed my suspicions—it was indeed a sweltering 82 degrees. 

I began flipping switches.  Heat.  Cool.  Auto.  On.  Slide to the left.  Slide to the right.  Nothing worked. My stomach dropped!  In my mind, the thermostat smiled a wicked smile.  The switches became hands.  I could see it shoveling my money into its mouth as if it were Freon. 

I decided to check the furnace closet.  Maybe if I stared at the furnace it would start to work.  That’s when I saw the light switch. There wasn’t a light in the closet, so what was it for?  Interestingly enough, it was in the off position. 

The furnace closet is where I store our mop and broom.  Last night I mopped the kitchen floor.  When I was finished, I put the mop back and called it a night. 

I flipped the switch to the on position.  The air was back on!  Oh, the magnificent light switch!  Apparently, I accidentally turned it off with the mop. 

Lesson learned:  I need to plan for home repairs. I will definitely be opening an additional savings account for future problems that can’t be solved with light switches. 

Houses houses houses

Today Bobby and I talked to Mary and Denise of the mortgage department.  In the news, I’m sure you’ve heard just a little bit about the mortgage crisis in the United States.

But strangely enough, we aren’t having problems with our mortgages.  At the same time, more auto loans are coming to us, despite no one buying cars. Where are these people from?  An alternate universe where gas is cheap, they own a house (or three), and drink champagne?

Nope. Nothing like that. Apparently these are the same kinds of people who always came to Park. People who need a loan with a rate that won’t cause them to lose their house, and people just looking for some respect.  Wild idea right? If you come to Park, we’ll actually treat you like a human being, not a human cash box. 

Denise and Mary were telling us that they have done some amazing things for people to make sure they got the mortgage closed or made a mortgage happen for an un-loan-to-able person. These are the reasons homebuyers (and realtors with buyers) come to them. It’s also the same reason many people come to Park to borrow or save: to be a human.