Anyone know what this is?  I know, it looks a little bit like a hairless bear wearing a t-shirt holding a hammer (actually it’s my Pops). Was helping him the other day in his garage and asked him to hand me a hammer and this is what he gives me. “Whoa!?!  What the heck  is this?” “I don’t know?” he says.  “It was my Grandfathers.” (Notice on the right side, there is a moveable razorblade attached). I looked at him, “What did he use it for? It must have had a specific purpose?” He thought maybe to cut the twine on hay bails. Makes sense. Maybe just a handy utility tool for around the farm.  Looks like you had to be a tough ol’ boy to wield hammer like that.

Speaking of tough ol’ boys, the hairless bear turned 76 this weekend.  Happy Birthday Pop. Keep rollin!

BTW; took the picture because I was sure I would be able to match one on google images and find out more about it.  No luck.  If anyone does know something, be much obliged if you gave me a shout.

Switching gears. It’s getting to be late March and many of our seasonal residents will be flying north for the summer.  Those that are leaving a vacant home for any duration of time; just a reminder how important it is to have someone to check on the place every week or two.  Part of my residential service business is managing seasonal residents homes.  Have heard more than once, “Just make sure there are no wild animals roaming inside.” Kind of a naïve statement.

In the eight or so years I’ve been doing this, seems if it can go wrong, it will.  Have walked into; flooded homes where a pipe has burst, leaky roofs,  pools being neglected, termite activity, irrigation systems flooding the yard and yes a critter or two. The landscaper will fix that broken irrigation valve, but he may not be scheduled to be back for 3 weeks.  And pool guys, god bless em, hard to find a good one, but they are pretty aware the resident has left for the season when all the cushions outside have been put away. Seems that weekly service turns into every other week.  Just sayin, got to have a guy to make sure the other guys are keeping up.   Like I tell my friend Josh in the 032, “Just helping one homeowner at a time.”