Manny Kagan

For years, the area in San Francisco where we live, Monterey Heights, has been known to be covered in fog. Not anymore—due to global warming or some other changes in the weather, the fog burns off quickly and (at least on the weekends), we have days warm enough to have brunch outside on our deck. Our garden is filled with mature trees, bushes, flowers, and weeds. When we wake up in the morning, we hear birds chirping. When we sit outside, we often see hummingbirds suckling nectar from flowers, a couple of beautiful American robins picking up treasures they find on the ground. Squirrels come to play on the huge cypress trees. It is a very calming place, but we also have squatters. Certain flowers in our garden when not controlled, spread and overpower other growth.

Recently on a Sunday, I decided to bring some order to the chaos. I thought I knew what it will take to do the job. But it turns out that I had no idea how much work it would take to do it right. But what was even more interesting, the following Sunday when I thought that I knew what to expect, I was surprised at how slowly I was progressing and how many Sundays it would actually take to get satisfying results.

To sell fast and to get more, clean the carpet.