My Brooklyn brother called to inquire how I was surviving the excessive heat we\u2019d been having.<\/p>\n
I told him we\u2019re fine, as we\u2019ve been staying home with the air conditioning. I told him that we expect to be returning to our normal magnificent weather very soon.<\/p>\n
It was an opportunity for him to complain about our climate, even though the typical temperature where he resides tends to range between 100 above and 20 below.<\/p>\n
Not impeded by the heat, I did drive to Scripps Clinic in Carmel Mountain where I had a scheduled doctor\u2019s appointment.<\/p>\n
The good news is that the visit was covered by my health insurance.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the clinic is located across the street from Costco.<\/p>\n
Normally, I would ask our dear friend and neighbor, who regularly shops there, if she wouldn\u2019t mind picking up a few items for us, and she\u2019s always happy to comply.<\/p>\n
Her name is Marguerite, and it turns out, she\u2019s the best asset we found in our search for a home years ago. Better even than that lovely view, the nearby mall, or even our beautiful tree-lined street.<\/p>\n
And we didn\u2019t even pay extra for her presence.<\/p>\n
She\u2019s always happy to pick up a few items for us when she shops at Costco. Typically, it\u2019s just a few necessities we\u2019d request, as opposed to the needless items I tend to purchase when I shop there myself.<\/p>\n
The thing that\u2019s always on my list is one of those delicious rotisserie chickens.<\/p>\n
At a fabulous price of only $4.99.<\/p>\n
I hand her a $5 bill and tell her to keep the change.<\/p>\n
If I\u2019m shopping there myself, I\u2019ll certainly buy that bargain chicken, but wind up spending an added $300.<\/p>\n
Or more!<\/p>\n
That was the case last week when I had that doctor\u2019s appointment.<\/p>\n
The problem is that not only didn\u2019t we need most of the items I purchased, I really can\u2019t recall what I actually bought.<\/p>\n
Except, of course, for that glistening chicken.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the store is located some 20 miles away, so there\u2019s the cost of gas, not to mention the hundreds of dollars spent on items I not only didn\u2019t need, but can\u2019t even recall.<\/p>\n
If it wasn\u2019t for that doctor visit, I\u2019d easily be ahead by at least $300.<\/p>\n
But without that delicious chicken.<\/p>\n
And so, our solution has always been Dear Marguerite.<\/p>\n
She\u2019s always happy to pick up that chicken for us. The bag holding it says that it weighs only 3 pounds, but it\u2019s usually a lot heavier. The one Marguerite picked out, for example, weighed in at well over 4 pounds.<\/p>\n
Who knew, when we bought our home, we\u2019d wind up with such a valued neighbor?<\/p>\n
If we ever sold, we\u2019d be wise to ask for an additional fortune simply because of her presence.<\/p>\n
It might not be an amount we\u2019d actually receive, but she remains a huge and wonderful gift.<\/p>\n
In any case, I\u2019d be wise to mention her in any future promotion.<\/p>\n
The ad would probably read something like this:<\/p>\n
\u201cFor sale: Lovely single-story home on a quiet cul-de-sac, near the mall, with great views, and Dear Marguerite across the street.\u201d<\/p>\n