A/N: Sorry this has taken so long!
Ch 26: Questions, Touring
Rob watched his brother pacing the length of the room, not sure if Tim was worried about the flight or the overall situation. The flight from Phoenix was in the air although it wouldn't arrive for another hour and while Rob knew Tim would always worry when separated from his wife and children, he decided the pacing had more to do with his case.
"Tim, want to talk about it?"
"Yes but I'm not sure with whom."
"How about me for starters or is it classified?"
His brother shook his head, "No, it's not classified, it's a matter of procedure, routine procedure and I don't understand why it's not being followed."
"Would Dad or Leon be able to help?"
Again shaking his head, Tim took a deep breath, "I don't think so, Robbie. I think I need to speak with someone not involved in my case." He frowned, "I can't decide who that should be."
"You said it's procedural, is it a law?"
Halfway across the room, Tim turned to look at his brother. "No. Although it's so routinely used, deviating from the norm is something I don't understand. And," Tim crossed the floor to give his brother a hug, "thank you! That gives me an idea for who to contact."
Checking his contact list, he took another deep breath before making the call.
Rob smiled at his brother when the call was answered, seeing Tim's shoulders relax. Whoever this was, it was someone he trusted. Deciding his brother needed privacy, Rob left the room.
Tim smiled at the greeting, "Timothy McGee, how are you? What's up?"
"Sir, it's good to hear your voice. I've got questions about a situation I'm in and I believe I need your expertise. Actually, I want to hire you."
"To answer questions? And the name is AJ, Tim, I left 'sir' behind with my uniforms. How about you ask me first, then we'll see."
Sitting, Tim explained the overall situation as succinctly as possible, the retired admiral asking a few questions. As Tim got to the crux of his worries, the man stopped him. "They what?"
Reiterating what he'd said, Tim felt some of his anxiety slip away as the man exclaimed, "You're right to ask and I'm glad you called. Yes, I'll take this on, you should have been advised to hire counsel from the start. Here's what I see happening."
Briefly, he outlined his initial plans, knowing those plans might evolve as he delved deeper into the matters Tim was questioning. After checking Tim's schedule, including his transatlantic flight on Monday, retired Admiral Chegwidden and his new client disconnected.
Tim sat, taking several deep breaths, relaxing even more when Rob returned and gave his shoulders a deep rub. "Feel better?"
"Yes, thanks and it helps to be told that I'm right to inquire." Tim turned his head slightly to talk to his brother, "I've always been on the other side of it and with all our experiences on the MCRT and since then, I've never experienced or heard of the way things are being handled."
Rob took a wild guess, "Is this about you being ordered not to speak or be with the other NCIS employees or their spouses, our family?"
"Yes. Maybe for a day or a week, even a month but for two to three years?" He twisted around to look at his brother. "The man I spoke with is a retired Admiral, he was the Judge Advocate General for several years. After he retired, he handled a case for Gibbs. Now he's representing me."
"Good, I'm relieved someone is doing something."
"Dad offered but I, well, I wanted some control over things, I just couldn't figure out who to contact."
"You've had a lot going on."
Tim let out an amused huff, "You could say that, yes." He smiled as Rob moved around him, pulling up a chair and taking his brother's blood pressure. "Your shoulders are always a tell, they've been pretty rigid. Now, they're not quite relaxed but significantly less rigid." He chuckled, "After twelve years of schooling and hands-on work, that's my professional opinion. All kidding aside, your blood pressure is better than it has been although it's still higher than I'd like. You can't ignore that, Tim, especially when everything that's happening isn't going to be done anytime soon. Cut back on the caffeine and sodium and increase your water intake, just plain water, that will help. Find ways to reduce your stress, I'll send you a list of calming exercises. You've also lost too much weight, you're now at the low range for your height and build. You need to eat, Timpa and make it worthwhile food, not just anything that will make your stomach stop growling. We have jobs and money now, we need to take care of ourselves."
Tim nodded, pulling his brother to him for a hug, "Thanks, Dr. Robbie."
"You going to tell Artie? Or Dad?"
His brother nodded, "Yes to Artie. I think I'll let Dad figure it out. He'll also notice my 'less rigid shoulders'."
"Does this mean we're not going to do the property tour tomorrow?"
Tim made a face before sighing. "No, I think we should go ahead with that. My case isn't the only reason Vance wants me over here. Although, that gives me an idea. I need to make another phone call. Still, we'll need to see this place."
Rob nodded, "I need a snack, be back in a few minutes."
Waiting until his brother left the room, Tim made his phone call, asking a question and nodding at the answer. Three minutes later his phone chirped with a text, a question from the person he'd just contacted. Smiling, he replied.
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While it had been a long day with the flights to and from Arizona for everyone attending the service, especially for the children, their 'banquet room' dinner was delicious and Tim appreciated being able to relax with everyone.
Although most people were curious about the property tour Sunday morning, several wanted to rest and have some leisure time before they started their trip home later that day while others wanted time to themselves. As that included all four of Tim and Artie's children, they would stay at the hotel where they could play and swim with their aunts, uncles, cousins and great-grandparents.
Bill thought about going with the 'tour group' but realizing he and Nikki wouldn't, couldn't live there, decided against it.
In the end, Athena and Ducky, Jack, Mac, Sophia and Dick, Tony and Maggie, Rob, Geo, Bec, Jose, Tommy and Freddie went with the group while Grampy Ben would hang out with Geo and Bec's new foster kids Brian and Mia, who thought it was funny and a bit strange, that they were back in the US again. The DiNozzo girls were happy to stay with their cousin Jasper and Uncle Bill, especially knowing all the other cousins except Tommy would also be around.
The group piled into rental SUVs and vans, following Rob in the lead. The drive from the hotel in San Diego to the smaller town of Playa Vieja was an easy one and everyone was interested in the sights, grinning as they drove past turn offs to an ocean beach or two.
Once in town, they quickly found the real estate agency with their realtor waiting for them. With the realtor now in the lead, the caravan set off again, driving about 3 miles southwest, smiling as they passed signs for a beach. The realtor and the caravan slowed as they entered a mostly wooded area with fewer homes, although they were far apart, nothing like a neighborhood. The area had plenty of trees and the adults immediately made mental notes to ask about wildfires in the general area. That had been one of their concerns in Greece and now this property.
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Tim's eyes opened wide at the first sight of the property and he glanced at Artie who was having the same reaction. A large building, presumably the hotel itself, rose from the southern end of the property, surrounded by a wrought iron fence. The realtor had been slowing down and now pulled to a stop outside the gate.
Across from the large building, on the northern side, was a long building. The multiple garage doors, Tim counted 8, included one larger door he thought was big enough for a recreational vehicle.
Before they exited their vehicles, Tim, Artie, Freddie and Jose attached small cameras to their clothing or hats and turned them on, little Tommy giggling at his daddy, aunt and uncles.
At the hotel in San Diego, in several homes on the US East Coast, in Jaxton, London and Varkiza, friends and family smiled as they saw the first views of the possible new, albeit temporary, home for their family. On their flight from Phoenix to San Diego, Barry and his daughters missed the viewing, although Barry knew it was happening and felt sad. In Jaxton, Sarah blinked back tears, thinking she'd never get to see it. In London, Jimmy felt the same as Sarah and Barry. Ned and his grandmother had decided not to watch and kept themselves busy.
As she watched her clients exit the SUVs and vans when they rolled onto the property that morning, the real estate agent chuckled to herself. She quickly identified the two former service members, although she thought there were more than the two, she spotted what she thought of as military postures in at least one of the older men.
She smiled, "Welcome and thank you for joining our tour this morning! My name is Steph. Before we look at the hotel, since we've parked where we have, I'll tell you a bit about the garage before we move on.
"The garage has 15 parking spaces, all but one the same size, built to accommodate larger vehicles such as vans, SUVs, etc. At the far end, the last parking area is substantially longer, built to accommodate two of the larger recreational vehicles. The garage was built when the original house was built and has been renovated a few times since then, increasing the size and number of parking spaces, adding power doors, interior lights and other improvements.
"All right, we'll visit the interior of the garage toward the end of our tour as there are some surprises inside. Follow me as we head to the hotel itself!"
Smiling, she turned, leading them across the driveway toward the hotel, which was set back from the road.
Lu smiled when she saw that Artie looked pleased. She understood that, she also liked what she was seeing. She wasn't sure what the expression on her son's face meant, it was pleasant enough although somewhat, she finally settled on detached.
The hotel was three stories tall and nearly as wide as it was tall, with a pitched roof. Two oversized doors, the entrance to the building, stood in the middle of a wide, shaded porch that ran the length of the front of the building.
Jethro kept a professional eye on everything, although truthfully, if the interior was anywhere near as great as the exterior, he was ready to move in. He made a mental note to have the building professionally inspected, that is to recommend that his son and daughter-in-law have the building professionally inspected before they signed any lease or rental agreement. Then he mentally rolled his eyes at himself, there was no way Artemis the engineer and Tim the investigator would not do that!
Once everyone was inside, they gathered around the realtor. She smiled, "Again, welcome! This is the lobby, which was designed to be welcoming and as this started out as a hotel where a family gathered, it has been designed to be warm, with touches of home, without being too 'folksy', operating as a commercial business. You also won't find any glitz or stark modernity in here, although it is up to date, spacious and comfortable.
"This, the main building, started life over a century ago as a large residence for a family with a dozen children. When the children were grown and had families of their own, the original owners enlarged it and eventually it was given new life as a hotel, still mostly for the ever expanding family. As the original parents, aunts, uncles and then the original children aged, more renovations were made, adding accessible suites and family suites, double and single rooms downstairs, elevators, three sets of stairs, including one constructed with fire walls and a separate exit as a fire/emergency exit, a lobby with a large fireplace, front desk, a large space that was once the family's dining room and then became part of the dining room for the hotel's commercial restaurant, the large farmhouse kitchen became a large commercial kitchen, there are private offices and more storage rooms and closets.
"Over the years, the family and there are still descendants of the original family within the ownership group, wanted comfort and space where they could rest, relax and enjoy each other's company or for those guests who weren't family, to enjoy the amenities offered.
"We'll take a look at the kitchen, dining area, game room, lounge, some of the guest quarters and a few of the storage spaces here on the main floor. Then we'll tour upstairs, at least the first floor. The power is on, the elevators are fully functional and have been recently inspected. They each hold four people with luggage, six people without luggage or one person with more luggage," she smiled at the nods there," and works like other elevators. The weight restrictions are posted on the doors."
Hearing some chuckles and seeing some smiles, she sent an inquiring look to Tim, who grinned, "We have an elevator in the house where several of us live in the UK."
"Good, then a residential elevator isn't a new thing for you."
She smiled as most of the group nodded. When she added that there was also a stair lift, they laughed out loud and she asked if the UK house also had one of those. When the entire group nodded, she had to make an effort not to let her smile get away from her.
Before they got started, the realtor told them some facts about the building. The commercial heating and air conditioning system was in good shape and the realtor had the maintenance details for all of that system, including the duct work. All the windows had been upgraded shortly before the recession, with double panes to help reduce the heat build-up. Along with the many suites and rooms downstairs, there were another 110 rooms of varying sizes upstairs.
Leading them through the lobby, which had a large fireplace and large picture windows with thermal drapes, Tim noticed the flooring was an engineered wood that ran throughout the common areas. The realtor took them all the way to the western side of the building, where they looked inside several rooms, mostly empty although there were a couple of rooms with metal cabinets attached to the walls, storage rooms.
Moving back through the corridor, they peeked into a few storage spaces and then the realtor had to hold back a laugh at the happy noises when she showed them the room that had once been the family's and then the hotel's library. There were many bookcases and shelves along the walls as well as several freestanding bookcases of varying sizes within the room. Tables, large, medium and small, were scattered throughout the space and there were more happy noises when Tim flipped the overhead lights on.
Continuing their trek from the west-facing side of the building back toward the lobby, they spent several happy minutes in the large kitchen. Lu looked at her fellow cooks, "This is wonderful, it looks to me to be about the same size as our kitchen at home, with enough cupboards and plenty of counter space." She grinned, "Love the island!"
Looking around, Jethro asked about the appliances and the realtor nodded,
"They're in storage, have been since everything was closed in 2010. They were fairly new, only two years old and yes, they'll be cleaned, installed and tested before anyone moves in. There is a commercial grade, six-burner range with large double ovens and two warming ovens, a stand-alone freezer, an equally large refrigerator as well as a commercial grade dish washer." She paused, "I believe they purchased the freezer last and originally planned to have a walk-in freezer installed. However, by the time they were ready to buy the walk-in, their restaurant business had decreased so much that they purchased the large stand-alone. Have you heard about the restaurant here?"
They shook their heads and she sighed, "It was one of the top 5-rated restaurants in San Diego county for several years. They had a chef who could please anyone and his specialty dishes were wonderful, I still miss his amazing meals. People made reservations weeks ahead of time but they always kept tables available for hotel guests." She chuckled, "I have friends who stayed at the hotel just so they could eat in the restaurant!"
"What happened?"
"The chef moved on. He'd asked for a share of ownership in the restaurant and, sadly, the owners said they'd think about it but apparently didn't. He left two months later for a higher paying position, one that also included a share of the ownership of the restaurant." She shook her head, "From what I've heard, he's still there, owns 50% of the restaurant which is now the top rated restaurant within 150 miles."
Tim made a face, "Good for him but ouch for the owners."
"Yes, they still regret their reluctance to offer any kind of ownership. Business would likely have dipped during the recession but there were plenty of well-heeled restaurant patrons who weren't affected by the economy." She looked at the others, "So, do you like the kitchen?"
Uncle Charlie looked around, "Yes but does the equipment include a microwave and if so is it huge?"
"Yes and while I wouldn't say it's huge, it is commercial grade. But you can add a smaller microwave, that's not a problem, the building's electrical supply is generous." She added that the electrical, heating, air, plumbing and other systems were inspected every year. Looking at the younger people in the tour group she said, "And yes, there has been and will be wi-fi on site."
After they finished ogling the kitchen, they saw the huge room, formerly the restaurant, that would be the dining room and Rob quipped, "Finally, a room large enough for all of us!"
His dad chuckled, "Although we'll still need tables and chairs, I believe you're right."
Jose tilted his head, "Even if we'll only have one of the family carpenters, Freddie and I do all right at carpentry, Dad, especially if you guide us."
Tony, Tim and some of the others also volunteered and Jethro grinned, "Thanks! It'll be great working with you all, especially to determine what configuration we need to seat all of us. Artemis?!"
She grinned, "Yes, Jethro. Lu, Char, Maggie and I will get right on it!" Jose beamed at the mention of his wife's name, he knew she'd love to be included. Bec was relieved, she was great at gardening and other things but designing furniture, especially a table for their huge family, was not something she wanted to do.
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After touring the rest of the common areas, including several offices, the group walked almost all the way back to the entrance, turning right down a brightly lit corridor located across from a point between the lobby and the front desk. As they walked, the realtor told them they were about to take a look at a few suites and hotel rooms on this level. She explained that those who didn't want to continue the tour upstairs could see what the hotel rooms and suites looked like. That made several people happy!
They passed a laundry room, the realtor explaining that although there was a main laundry room in the back of the building, reminding them they'd only looked at half of the back part of the building, each floor also had laundry facilities. That way, guests could choose to do their own laundry or have the staff do it. She also mentioned that the laundry equipment was in storage with the kitchen appliances.
They first toured a suite, which everyone seemed to like. There was one bedroom, one bathroom in this one, other suites had up to five bedrooms, they'd see a larger suite next. Ducky and Athena smiled as they looked around, liking the layout, the bedroom was at the back of the suite with a window that opened, the living space, which they were told would include a microwave, mini-fridge, sink and cabinets along with a table that folded out to seat four and plenty of room for a sofa or two, a TV stand and a few bookcases.
The bedroom was large enough for a Cal King bed, Tim, Tony, Rob and in Varkiza, Ian were happy to see that, two upright dressers with a decent sized walk-in closet. When the realtor saw concern on a few faces, she added that the closets were larger in the larger suites. She was relieved when that seemed to satisfy those concerned.
Next they looked at a two bedroom suite, which satisfied the grandparents in the group, glad they'd still be able to have their grandchildren for sleepovers. It was noticeably larger and the walk-in closets were also larger. Athena wondered if this wouldn't be a better option for them, one or more of the older great-grandchildren, that is those who were toilet trained, occasionally had sleepovers with them. Her younger grandchildren, Cassie, Matthaíos, Katerina and Damaris, also liked to stay with her when they were visiting. If they had a sofa bed, then Matthaíos could sleep on that while his sister and Nik's girls could sleep in the second bedroom.
The next room they viewed was a basic hotel room and they nodded at that, it looked fine for visitors, it was spacious, with plenty of room to move around and if the visitors were there for Christmas, they speculated there was even room for their own tree. Rob thought he might take one of these, he didn't think he'd need the kitchenette as he was likely to only be here on his days off.
Geo and Bec, Tim and Artie, Tony and Maggie, Freddie and Jose were happy with the next few rooms as they were suites with a varying number of bedrooms and bathrooms. Geo and Bec wanted a four bedroom, 2 ½ bath suite so that Grampy Ben could stay with them when visiting and Jose smiled to himself at that, he and Char hoped they would also need four bedrooms, including one for Grampy.
Freddie and Abby wanted a three bedroom, 2 bath suite if possible and Fred liked the layout of the one they viewed, taking photos with his phone and sending them to Abby.
When Artie saw a 5 bedroom suite that also featured a den, Tim noticed her shoulders relax. They'd do fine with the number of bathrooms, including their own en suite. And the walk-in closets were quite large, Tim thought they were close to what they had now and they could store their winter clothes and shoes elsewhere, they wouldn't be needed here unless they went to the snow somewhere. He was as happy to see the den as Artie, they could make that their family room. The two extra bedrooms would also come in handy. It would be handy if they were allowed to have Jasper or the DiNozzo girls overnight. Or, if one of the children or he or Artie was sick, the sick people could stay in the extra rooms.
One of the differences they realized was that, as a hotel rather than a residence, other than in the lobby area there were no hallway bathrooms here as there were in the Jaxton house. Still, here every room would have a bathroom and there was a half bath near the former restaurant, it was just a funny little difference they'd noticed.
Once they'd looked at the suites and rooms and everyone asked their questions or voiced their concerns, as a whole the group decided they didn't need to look at the rooms on the floors above and instead asked to take a look at the rest of the outdoor property.
Tim, Artie, Fred and Jethro shook their heads, they wanted to view the upper floors to check the general condition. The others took a break while the realtor accompanied the four upstairs. There they found the hallways carpeted and nodded at the coverings over the carpet, to keep the dust to a minimum. The carpeting looked new and their agent nodded, "They had the carpeting replaced in the fall of 2007 although when the 'Great Recession' hit the general public at the end of that year, there weren't many guests, family or otherwise, after that. They decided to cover it."
Other than the comment about the carpeting, everything else, including the plumbing, looked fine although the entire place would need a thorough cleaning before anyone moved in.
Back downstairs, the realtor told them it was time to see the outside of the property, all the 'fun parts' as she said and they all cheered, Tommy and his adults wanting to see what they hoped would be their future playground.
They got a little noisy again when the tour group stepped through the back door of the hotel onto a large patio, shaded by a pergola. The realtor explained that during the life of the hotel there had been tables and chairs out here and a portable bar set up for 'happy hour'. At one point, there had been an outdoor kitchen and with those words, Jethro's smile was so wide it was a little scary.
Jethro was relieved and happy there was plenty of room to grill and for the family to sit comfortably and decided to make a very large table as soon as they moved or sooner if he had time. Everyone was happy with the retractable cover that would keep the patio in the shade in the afternoons and evenings. Tim reminded his dad of their sojourn in New Mexico and that left Jethro thinking of pergolas with attached outdoor ceiling fans, more awnings and other ways to keep the heat of the sun from the patios, apparently there was more than one on the property.
Beyond the patio were several gardens. The closest one had raised beds with wild things growing in it. The agent explained the chefs in the restaurant had insisted on fresh herbs, vegetables and fruit and the raised beds were for the herbs and veggies. The fruit trees and berry bushes were in the same area and still looked good. Lu asked if they could bring some of the fresh fruit home but Jethro frowned, "Does anyone know if we can bring fresh veggies and fruit into Greece or the UK?"
Tony raised his hand, "Texting Nigel with the question."
Within a few minutes they had an answer that read, "Unless you're a citizen of the UK or the EU, you're not allowed to bring in fresh fruit or veggies without a 'plant health' certificate."
Tony grinned, "Hey, the girls and I are citizens of the UK and Artie and Athena are citizens of the EU! We can bring back all we can stuff into the jet!"
A man walking up to the group now joined them, nodding, "That's wonderful! Help yourselves although not to the citrus, there's a quarantine due to an insect from overseas that's invaded Southern California.
"However, the apples are wonderful, there are still plums and the beds have melons, those are not citrus, as well as pumpkins and various other squashes. And there are still plenty of late summer berries to pick. Please take all you want, I keep everything going but can't eat it all." He chuckled, "With permission from the owners, every growing season the area's Food Banks and other charities send volunteers to help pick and take their 'pickings' with them. I also leave boxes of what I've picked in front of the fence in the shade and it always disappears! I'm sure Ms. Steph will be picking her own after your tour, please don't let it go to waste!"
Smiling, the man disappeared, returning with several bags and three sturdy cardboard boxes. "Here you go. I save these for anyone who comes by to see if I've left fresh fruit or veggies outside the gate."
Their realtor smiled, "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Paul Lewis, the resident caretaker and master gardener of this property. Mr. Lewis, this is part of the family group looking for a temporary home for a few years."
"Wonderful, welcome and I hope you like the place!"
They nodded with smiles, thanking him.
Artie added, "Thank you for the bags and boxes. We'll split it amongst us although Tony, Maggie, Yaya and I will have to claim it all at Passport control."
Athena smiled sweetly, "Only if I get to take some home!"
Happily agreeing, Geo and Bec volunteered to pick and then got busy, picking apples, blackberries, blueberries, plums, melons, grapes and fresh veggies, including several pumpkins and squashes, while the others continued on the tour.
Walking further into the property, they ooh'd and ahh'd at the lovely gardens, nearly drooling over the vegetables and fruit they could see growing in trees and raised beds. When Tim saw a greenhouse, he pointed it out to Artie who shook her head with a laugh, saying she would take a photo and send it to Alan Martin their Greek gardener/caretaker.
Although Mr. Lewis didn't stay with them for very long, he did show them more of the gardens. Tim, Artie, Bec and Geo grinned as everything was planted in raised beds or in the case of the trees, large containers.
When asked how old the trees were, Mr. Lewis had to stop and think, finally saying they were among the first things he planted, so they were close to 20 years old and had been producing fruit of varying sizes for at least 15 years. He added that because they were on bedrock, it took more time to produce fruit as the roots had to work their way around or through the rock.
When Bec told him she was an environmental botanist, his eyes lit up. "That's great! If you move here, I'll have plenty of questions for you!"
Bec laughed, "I look forward to it. You've just confirmed that I'm on the right path as far as shade and fruit trees on our family's property on bedrock overlooking the Mediterranean!"
The man's eyes now widened in surprise, "Wow! Where, in what country?"
"Greece, outside of Athens. We have a caretaker/gardener there as well."
Lewis nodded, "We are indispensable!"
Spotting an incipient problem in one of the raised beds, he excused himself.
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From the gardens, the group moved on to the pool and its equipment. As far as any of them could tell the pool equipment, which was secured and covered, was in good shape. The pool used salt water, which reduced the number of chemicals used and was easier on people's skin and hair.
Tim wondered about covering the pool and smiled when their agent pointed out the cover. She also demonstrated some of the safety features of the pool cover and the alarms on the fence as well as inside the pool area. Those greatly relieved the adults watching. While the real estate agent also pointed out the security cameras, Tim made a note to also install several of his alarms on the gate and fencing.
Several yards from the pool and the surrounding deck, the agent pointed out what she called the 'play area'. First they noticed a large, paved surface with an old basketball hoop still in place at one end. The agent said she remembered roller skating there when she was a child. That made everyone smile!
There was also what had once been a softball diamond, and that also brought smiles. The entire property was fenced from deer intrusions which also helped keep their predators away along with trespassers. Security cameras and alarms on the hotel and the other buildings helped identify and deter any trespassers, human or otherwise.
Lu, Maggie, Artie, Tim and a few of the others smiled at another large garden with a pretty fountain in the middle and another garden with raised planter boxes. The agent said the fountain used 'reclaimed' or 'gray' water, rather than fresh water in perennially drought-stricken California, and the raised planter boxes contained a cutting garden, with flowers originally meant to grace the tables in the restaurant.
When Sophia asked what 'reclaimed or gray' water was, Joe explained, "Reclaimed and non-potable water is not drinkable or for use on people, no hand washing, baths, showers or things like washing the dishes that could leave bacteria or viruses on your skin or the dishes.
"Reclaimed generally means any water saved while the hot water faucet, either in a tub, shower or kitchen sink, runs while the water heats, or if you have a leak in a sink, tub or shower faucet and haven't yet called a plumber! You can save that water to use in the garden and it's fine for use on all plants.
"Other examples, and I'd call these non-potable, non-drinkable, would be left over water from a drinking glass or a saucepan, as long as it doesn't have salt in it, or the rinse water from hand washing dishes."
The gardens were lovely, full of blooms and without any dead leaves or stems. Even better, there weren't any weeds, which those on site and those watching knew had to be a herculean task. The realtor smiled when she overheard them, "Mr. Lewis loves to garden, especially this garden. When I called to let him know what time we'd be here this morning, he told me that from mid-spring through the summer and sometimes through October, even into November, he starts his gardening at dawn."
Tim made a note to discuss asking the caretaker to stay on as their gardener, that is, if that was even necessary as they would be tenants here. He shrugged, he'd worry about that if or when.
Last to be seen was the garage and the 'surprises' their realtor mentioned earlier. Gathering at the back of the garage building, everyone smiled when they were told there was a sizeable workshop in the back of the garage. Jethro made a mental note to talk about that with Bill before remembering Bill and Nikki would not be able to live here with them. That made him sad and even more grateful that Rob, Geordie, Bec, their children as well as Tony, Maggie, their girls, Dick, Sophia, Athena and Duck, his dad and godfather, Mac, Charlie, Tricia and probably Richard, at least during the winters, would be here with them.
Their agent smiled, "You can't see it from outside but through there, the garage building, there is room for one or two workshops. It's already set up for power, plumbing, heating and air."
Unlocking a nondescript door, she turned, "Mr. Lewis opened up the building for a few hours earlier this morning so the air in here should be fresh and we'll leave this door open. Follow me to see the work areas."
Entering the building, she turned right into a generous hallway, walking several steps before stopping. Those in front followed but stood to the side until Jethro, the plumbers and Tim joined them. Jethro's face was very happy as he looked at the workbench and the pegboard on the wall. There was overhead lighting as well as a large fan and, he was surprised to see an air conditioning panel, such as one used in zonal air conditioning, that is a system that allows a building to have separate 'zones'.
Their realtor nodded, "This is probably the biggest surprise. As large as this garage is, and we'll see more in a bit, it can get extremely hot in here, especially with our seasonal heat. While our temperatures are milder in the late fall, winter and spring and usually through June, the rest of the summer through mid-fall temperatures are blazing. The garage prevents vehicles from sitting out in the blazing sun. It does not prevent them from heat buildup within the building.
"To combat that and other conditions I'll mention in a minute, in the early years of this century, the owners decided to install zonal air conditioning in the garage, including the workshop. At that time, the business was booming and the workshop was in use by members of the staff to repair tables, chairs, appliances, whatever might need work, the shop badly needed air conditioning to keep the handy people safe from heat exhaustion."
The others nodded and Lu looked at her husband, "No excuses, Jethro!"
He nodded with a smile, "I promise."
Tim looked at his brothers who grinned, each calling out, "Witnessed!"
Their father wanted to give them a look but decided to ignore them as well as the chuckles rolling through the group.
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Inside the workshop, they found another door that took them into not one but two very large rooms, separated only by a doorway with no door. When they saw what was in them, they immediately understood their use.
The first one had rows and stacks of covered furniture, from the hotel rooms, suites, and the lounge area. That filled about half the space, floor to ceiling, and the rest of the available space was full of the kitchen appliances as well as several washers and dryers.
Walking through the doorway to the second room, they saw items that needed fixing, whether it was reattaching a chair or table leg, lamps of all sizes and styles that Tim thought might just need rewiring and assorted other items. There were desks with drawers hanging out, wheeled chairs missing a wheel or two, all manner of items needing repair.
What was fun was noting the designs of the assorted items. Some of the group picked through a few things, Athena and Lu both exclaiming and then laughing.
"What's funny?"
Athena shook her head, "There's a lamp here that is similar to one we had when I was growing up!"
Lu grinned, "And I found one that dates from my childhood! They put things in here but didn't fix them."
Geordie said, "Or they couldn't bear to throw them away." When the others looked at him, he sighed, "Before we became homeless, my dad kept everything my mom had purchased herself, picked out, made or brought with her from my grandparents' home. Some of it was useful, a cutting board, and others were strictly sentimental, Mom's favorite sweater with a hole in the back, or buttons from a dress Dad bought her."
Lu made a face, "I have my mother's wedding dress."
Athena patted her shoulder, "I have my great-grandmother's wedding dress and I never met the woman!"
Quietly, Jethro said, "I still have my mom's 2nd favorite sweater, my dad has her favorite church hat and Uncle LJ has a pair of gloves that were hers."
Jose nodded, "Malu kept some of my mother's things for me and among them was a tie that was my father's. Char also has a few things that belonged to either her mother or father."
Holding Tony's hand, Maggie said, "We both have things from our mothers. Tony's mother also had a sweater, although, Geo, hers has a large ink stain in the front, not a hole in the back. Tony found an absurdly large pin on our travels, bought it and pinned it over the stain. I have a doll that was my mother's. My grandmother gave it to me after Mom died, shortly before my grandmother herself died. The girls play with it sometime and I love the continuity."
Lu nodded, "Maybe when one of our granddaughters marries, she'll want to wear the wedding dress."
Athena nodded, "That would be lovely, Luella. Perhaps one of ours might want to wear my great-grandmother's."
Tim smiled at Freddie, who smiled back at him. Turning around to all of them, he said, "Tim and I have all of you, your treasures and memories." He tilted his head at his brother, "We should write a book, about our family and all the family histories behind each of our family members, except you, me, Bill, Sarah, Rob and maybe Barry, I don't remember how much he knows."
Lu shook her head, "He's with the five of you, Fred. And you each have a lot to contribute. You may not know or want to remember how you got here but you're founding members of our family!"
Tim needed to tweak the conversation, fast! He added with a smile, "Mom, I think you, Nate and Juanita are the actual founding members!"
That brought nods and Artie quickly asked a question, "Would we be able to use these rooms? And what about the hotel furniture? I hadn't thought about this but if we take our furniture from the common areas in our home in Jaxton, then our family still living there won't have any! Mama, that includes your hutch, Dad, the kitchen and dining table, Tim, all our sofas, chairs and recliners from the lounge, library and the media room!"
Lu made a face, "You're right, I hadn't thought about that either but I don't want to move my hutch. Still…"
Tim sighed, "All right, will someone please write that down and remind us later? My brain's just about all used up today."
Bec nodded, "I've got it, Tim."
The agent smiled, "I can answer your questions about these rooms and the hotel furniture. The answer is yes, for both. However, you may also select furniture from here. If you decide you want to rent or lease this place, you'll need to let the current owners know ahead of time what furniture you want so they can have it in place before you move in."
"Thank you, that helps!"
Bec nodded, "I know we'll want our own beds and probably bureaus."
Tony tilted his head in thought, "Two things: we'll need to select what rooms or suites we want and then have the other rooms furnished for the family when they…oops, no, that won't work." He winced, "Sorry, Tim."
Rolling his lips in, Tim nodded before quickly leaving the room, Artie, Jethro and Ducky following him. Lu sighed, she hated this as much as her son did, although she and Jethro were free to visit the rest of their family, it was only Tim who was barred from speaking with their family members employed by NCIS.
Athena looked up, "Please excuse Timothy, he has so much on his shoulders right now and for the foreseeable future. It's difficult and likely to get worse. Still," she looked at the others, "we're thankful to have found a place here where those of us who are allowed can still be family."
The agent nodded, puzzled and saddened by whatever was happening.
Tony also left, feeling like a total idiot. He'd been so caught up in everything. Finding Tim outside, he excused himself as he wrapped his arms around him and held on tight, apologizing for his slip. Tim nodded, managing to whisper that he understood, he'd been thinking along the same lines as Tony. All he could do was hope that Chegwidden would soon have some answers.