Let’s muse over an afternoon cuppa and a bikkie!

I love the word “cuppa.”  Antoinette, our Aussie Facebook friend introduced me to the word cuppa.  Since her days end when ours begin, she enjoys a nightly cuppa with us, which is usually tea. Antoinette sometimes enjoys a bikkie with her cuppa while she catches up with us, and then it’s time for her to sleep because she is very tired after running around all day like a chook with its head cut off.

While I was writing about the word cuppa, a blogger friend, was busy posting a beautiful picture of  ” A Cuppa, Southern Style”. You really must click over and take a look!

Did I tell you about my roof? Have a bikkie, and I shall begin…

It was a hard, long, cold Chicago winter. The February blizzard of 2011 and several other lesser storms throughout the winter months whipped the shingles right off my old roof. But since the roof wasn’t leaking, and we were not going to drown, I just picked up the shingles and stayed firmly in a state of roof replacement denial.

Then one day, there was a knock on my door. Knock. Knock. It was not a neighbor, a Catholic school student selling candy, or a Jehovah’s Witness. It was not my good friend Mr. Morgenstein, in his red sports coat with his Watkins samples and order pad at the ready. It was a STRANGER.

I was feeling friendly, so I opened the door and stepped out. The stranger introduced himself, said that he was from the XYZ roofing company, and told me my roof was desperately in need of repair. He spoke in an over-exaggerated manner and his breath smelled. He offered to give me an estimate on a new roof. I declined, but said something I would normally never say: “I can’t afford a new roof right now.” I would usually just say, “No thank you and goodbye”. The roofer then looked at me in amazement and said, “But you would give the estimate to your insurance company and they would pay for it.” I still dismissed him, but he planted a seed for something I had never considered. Could my roof damage be covered by my homeowner’s insurance?

Worth a phone call, right? I called my insurance agent, who sent out an adjuster, who agreed that my roof had been damaged and that they would replace the whole thing. Big Happy Dance!!

Now, here is the funny thing… I have told this story to a number of different people, and one of the most common responses is, “I never open my door to THOSE people—it just encourages soliciting.” If I had not opened the door, I would never have thought to contact my insurance company. I am aware of stranger danger and the annoyance of having my house erupt into a barking volcano, but sometimes, opportunity is on the other side of the door, and taking a chance is your best choice.

Over the years I have opened the door and hired inexpensive outside window washers, snow removal guys, and yard men. When Mr. Morgenstein knocks, I am always happy to see him; he always has a gift for the lady of the house and sells some great products that include a salve for burns and everyday injuries that is a staple in our first aid kit, he also sells wonderful bottles of vanilla and tin boxes of cinnamon.  Mr. Morgenstein used to come to call on Joe’s mom, when she was the lady of the house. I have no idea how old he is, but someday, I know I will miss his knock. The kids selling school candy are cute, and I appreciate the young door to door salesmen. They do the work instead of having their parents take it to the office to hawk. I always buy something from them. I do limit my support to the neighborhood kids. Joe always gave the Sunday morning Jehovah’s Witnesses $5.00 when they came to save us and visited with them for awhile. I don’t visit with them, but I have carried on the $5.00 tradition. Witnessing these days is hard work.

I respect the option not to open your front door, and sometimes, it may be the best and safest choice, but for us, answering the knock at our front door has brought us nice surprises and opportunities that would have been missed had the “lady of the house” not been available.

It’s a cool, cloudy day. My campers are snoozing; my kingdom is peaceful. No sighting of the Woozle. I am a little at loose ends… but I suspect those will be tied up soon… let’s just hope it’s not the Woozle on the other end of them.

What are you up to? Odd would love a little company.

♥
Kb