.JPG)
Today I was a 'greeter' at a model home in one of the developments of a prominent central Pennsylvania builder."What does a greeter do?" you ask.
Well, most of the time it is quite simple. When the development sales manager is not able to be present, he or she hires a greeter from a temp service. The greeter comes and opens the house so that potential buyers can look it over. As a greeter, I pass out literature, collect names, and just use my charm and good looks to make the visit a pleasant one.
Today I enjoyed greeting in a $300,000 single-family home in suburban Harrisburg. I warmed up the Box and zipped over there (about 10 minutes) in time to get settled before the crowd started to gather out front, demanding admission.
I always check out the powder room in case a guest asks to use it. Then I walk through the house, straightening pictures, smoothing out the bed covers, and checking that there are no spiders in the bathtubs.
Sometimes, the instructions left for me include blowing up helium balloons and affixing them to various posts and signs at the model and at the entrance to the development. There is nothing I hate more than balloons, so I was always horrified when doing it. Fortunately for me, I have developed a latex allergy (heh heh) and can no longer do that job.
My day started at 11:00 a.m. By 11:10, I sat waiting for the first visitor. At 6:00 p.m., I was still waiting.
"What," you are now asking, "did you do all day!?"
Well, believe it or not, I was able to fill the time. Here are some of the things I did:
I arrived around 10:50 a.m. and peeked in to see that there were no monsters in there!
I knocked to scare them off. You know, like turning on the lights to get rid of cock roaches.
I checked out the house to make sure all was ready. Here are the living room and kitchen.
Upstairs, I checked out the bathroom for spiders.
Then I looked into the master bedroom. I saw the Box waiting patiently for me outside.
I built a fire in the fireplace. Well, ok, I flipped a switch. The result was the same!
The solarium is quite pleasant, but there is no remote for the TV.
Boo hoo.
Then I listened to public radio on my snazzy new transistor radio. I have not had one -- or seen one -- since I was a kid. I got it for ten bucks on Amazon.com. I think it goes nicely with the Box.
I made cookies for the potential buyers. The Keurig on the counter stood at the ready.
I read at the dining room table.
From the solarium windows, I watched the cars go by.
I had tea in the little princess room.
I took a bath.
I napped on the divan in the master bedroom.
I read TIME magazine by the fire.
