Barbara Duncan's blog

Only the older ones of you will know what this is. Check it out.

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:58:45 -0600

Advertising was big when this thing was published just as it is today. We might even pass these things out as ad gifts if times hadn't changed.

Hotels were featured here. In Little Rock, Arkansas check out the Grady Manning, The Marion, The Albert Pike and The Lafayette.

You youngsters give up? I found this in a stack of old stuff and it brought back memories. On the back of this advertisement, which is slick and attractive on the front, there is a very porous paper which was used to blot ink!!

I hate to admit that I can remember when ball point pens were "discovered." Before that you either used a pencil or an ink pen. The ink pen could be the kind you dipped in an ink bottle or it could be a fountain pen. Either way it had to be blotted. These little conveniences were found everywhere. Not too many are found today so perhaps this is a collectible!

This house is NOT for sale in Searcy Arkansas.

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:26:26 -0600

Pioneer Village, a part of the White County Historical Society, held an open house today. I attended. It was delightful and brought back so many memories. Here's the main house that is NOT for sale.

And here are few shots of the rooms inside it.

An amazing thing about this house was how many bed spaces it found. There must have been enough bedspaces (can't call them rooms) for 5 or more kids to have a sleeping spot. Here's a picture of one of the least favorable things from yesteryear....the out-house. But who ever heard of a log out-house?

Pioneer Village is located on Higginson Street in Searcy Arkansas. It contains a post office, general store, school house, blacksmith shop, a depot, smokehouse, barn and an old jailhouse in addition to this period house that is called the Gordon House. It is an on-going project with members of the Master Gardeners taking care of the grounds.

Today costumed members were greeting visitors and demonstrating crafts, arts, and everyday life from the past. One lady had a fire going with a pot of stew cooking. Walking through it, entering the buildings and visiting with the hosts made for a very enjoyable afternoon outing.

For those who long for the "good ole days" here's the way it was....

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:06:33 -0600

Sobering old photos! These pictures are sorta continuing the story we started a few days ago regarding the house on Arch Street in Searcy Arkansas that has been changed so much.

These are what we need when we are feeling as if times are awfully tough. Blogging buddy Anita supplied these photos of possibly some of her relatives, definitely at her home on Arch Street in Searcy.

The question is whether this man is absolutely worn out from working, whether the car hit the tree, or whether he is just doing what he usually does everyday. If he'd had air-conditioning and TVs as we have today, he'd not be doing the nap at this place!

Another question here. Is she exasperated because of the man's behavior under the tree? Is she just showing off her legs?

I can remember hanging clothes on a clothes line. If you had children and diapers it took a lot of hanging. Once we got a clothes dryer and my husband made the observation that he sure missed the smell of sheets hung outside to dry and perhaps it would be nice to use a clothes line again I didn't speak to him for days! And I said dirty words under my breath.

New restaurant in Searcy Arkansas. The Whistlestop Barbeque is like a museum...

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:04:24 -0600

A new restaurant has opened at 2315 W Beebe Capps Expressway on the West side of Searcy Arkansas. Lots of vehicles have been parked around it saying that Searcy is trying it out. Searcy is great about going to a new restaurant and giving it a try. Usually ONE try! If the food is not excellent, that's it! It's not going to be around very long.

I gave it a try the other day. Here's what I liked best of all. The decor will bowl you over when you walk in the door. There are boats hanging from the ceiling, bicycles perched on dividers, old uniforms hanging from the ceiling. It is like visiting a museum and stepping back in time. You can feast your eyes on all the old stuff.

And the one who provided the old stuff, free of charge and doing the work himself, is our very loved builder Steve Ghent who moves old houses and restores them, who respects and loves history. He has collected these items throughout the years and used them to give atmosphere to this restaurant.

My friend and I had a very pleasant meal so the food is good at this new restaurant. I hope it is here for a long time. And if you see Steve Ghent tell him how much you enjoy his decorating this building.

Letona Arkansas depot with our favorite Corrine Hart waiting there.

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:41:13 -0600

The White County Historical Society has a collection of pictures on its website and they've said we can share them. Here's a great one of the train depot in Letona, Arkansas.

Letona is about 15 miles from Searcy and has 215 residents at this time.

We're exploring how the trains went to every little town and below is a picture of the Letona depot. But first we we found this picture of a young woman named Corrine Harrison Hart at about 1924 sitting at the depot. Corrine is Anita's mother. Anita is a contributor to this blog. Anita, do you think the man in the background is ogling your mother?

I love the depot picture because of the houses in the background. Letona, if you visit, still has a lot of houses with large lots. I'd have to go back to see if any of these are still standing.

One very interesting thing I discovered about Letona this year is that if you live in city limits you have to go to the post office to get your mail. I sold a house in Letona and the people were surprised, as was I, that the mail didn't run to the houses in the city. That would be good exercise if you walked to the post office each day.

The butler probably did it.......Halloween fun in Searcy Arkansas......

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:34:36 -0600

Halloween parties are fun! The elaborate costumes that some folks buy or rent are amazing to see. We attended one last night and the star of the show could be this butler. He talks, he growls, his eyes shift and he makes you feels as if he is alive!! Or could come alive!! Or may be alive! After all, it was Halloween when spooks run free. Those eyes followed me all night long.

The guy on the left owns this spook and that guy on the right is the owner's twin!

And the couple on the right************************

*******************we were underdressed!

Formal gardens in Searcy Arkansas? It's a treat to drive by and see this yard.

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:52:49 -0500

Formal gardens still exist in parts of the world, I'm sure. But in Searcy Arkansas I see only one example of what I think of as formal. This house is on the Historic Register and has a vast history. One of the stories that I heard was that the lovely wood shades which show on the windows here had been thrown away once. The neighbors hauled them out of the trash and saved them until a person bought the house who would appreciate them and then they gave them back.

The yard, let's say garden, is always perfectly maintained just as you see in these pictures. This is not new landscaping. The little shrubs have been small for years. I assume that they are a type plant that does not grow large. The owner seems to maintain the garden himself because I see him out in the garden a lot. I hope he does not mind that I'm featuring his historic home and garden on this blog.

This house also was featured in a book published in 1993 called "Millicent, the Millicent Collinsworth Story" by Millicent Collinsworth and Jan Winebrenner. I looked on Amazon.com and didn't find it available so perhaps my copy is a collectible!!

A depot found in New Augusta, Arkansas. Is that Augusta Arkansas?

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:50:47 -0500

My blog on West Point Arkansas aroused a little interest in old depots in the tiniest towns. I found a couple more photos of trains and depots.

Here's the Augusta depot, or so it was labeled. It looks as if it is saying New Augusta. Now was that a name for Augusta? Augusta is actually in Woodruff County and was once a thriving town. Was it called New Augusta.

I did a Google search for New Augusta AR and it pulled up what we know as Augusta. We may have another mystery here. I have never ever heard Augusta called that. Maybe it's a name similar to Little Rock and North Little Rock?

And while speaking of depots, here's a view of a train that reportedly traveled Doniphan Kensett and Searcy Railroad.

Sometimes I just can't keep my big mouth shut.....especially if there is danger involved.

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:30:08 -0500

Today was tour day, or caravan day, or get-in-your-car-and-fill-it-with-your-friends-and-go-see-houses day.

I feel that touring is a must when you are a beginning agent. Not only do you get to know the inventory but you get to learn the streets. After 30 years I still feel guilty if I don't tour.

Today, while leaving one of the houses, I noticed there was an all-glass storm door right there on that front door. The main door was open so it was so hard to see the storm. No, I didn't walk into it but I very well could have. Or a client could have. And a client might! It is very simple to stick one of those little papers up about eye height for safety.

The listing agent was there being nice and acting as hostess. I yelled out to her that I'd advise her to put a sticky note on that storm door. I like her a whole lot and wouldn't want her to have an injured party on the premises. I hope she appreciated it instead of thinking that old Barbara Duncan was being bossy again. But sometimes I do think I should keep my mouth shut.

Arguments are just no fun but some of my readers are SO stubborn!!

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:13:37 -0500

Anita grew up in Searcy, Arkansas and I didn't. I've just been here for the past 40 years while she's been gone. She contributes to this blog with photos and comments. She shared this picture and others of old Searcy with me.

I knew I'd seen that house somewhere so I took off to find it, sat in front of several country houses while people honked and stared and I finally had to call her and ask her where the house was. The one with the little kid on the porch, I said.

She said it was this house that you'll below. It was the house below before her mother did a remodel on it in the 50's. And she even had the audacity to say she was the charming little kid on the porch.

Ha! I yelled back that that could not be the same house. It was absolutely not....she was wrong....her memory was bad.....and the kid didn't even look like her!!

She fought back with (she's really stubborn) a definite yes, yes, it is!!

"YES, YES, YES. That is my l008 W. Arch St. house, in it's original state..That precious little child, sitting in a very graceful pose, is ME.....You're going to have to trust me on this one....." that's what she said!

So I parked in front of this blue house again today with the same honks and funny looks as people drove by. I tried to see the front porch, the steps, the little kid. And I can almost see it.

"What she did to the porch is.....she just torn it down and made a little (very little) foyer, with a coat closet....She made a picture window for the living room.....There she would display her "flocked" Christmas trees. Later she added a bedroom on at the back of the house, plus a bathroom.
Originally off the kitchen was a small screened porch, with steps.
I'm telling you, she took a little basic house and made it much larger, more rooms. She also added a screened in porch off the dining room....I have pictures of it. Later, she enclosed this porch with the paneling that I think is still there, and made a fireplace. Also have pictures.
After I was in college, she added the present carport off of my bedroom. Before the carport was added, I would put a couple of pillows in my bed (as if a body was asleep) and crawl out the window and go riding with my girlfriend from Griffithville. Never did get caught." that's what she said!

She how stubborn she is!! How can you argue with her. BUT, Miss Anita, what happened to that giant tree that shows on the right side of the old version?

He loved this woman and this child! A Searcy love story.

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:09:24 -0500

This man lost his mother when he was very young and started supporting himself at the age of 15 or 16. His education was limited but he was gifted with street-smarts.

He fell in love and talked this girl into marrying him. He had to break up a courtship that she already had going on but he was a born salesman.

Here she is with a classic beauty that is timeless. Look at her slim figure and flat tummy. He looks like a gospel singer with natural waves allowed to grow long on the top and plastered with Vitalis.

And look at the baby that they're so proud of. The time is 1939 in Meridian Mississippi.

He has traveled to Mississippi to try to sell magazines door-to-door. He had to put cardboard in the soles of his shoes and paint it with shoe-polish to disguise the holes in the shoe. He couldn't afford more.

The baby got hungry and he had to trade the old spare tire off his vehicle for milk for the baby. From here he went to Pennsylvania, worked on pipe lines, saved his money and came back to Searcy Arkansas.

He started in the car business and built his business from scratch. He was one charming gentleman who could sell with skill and gain trust and repeat business.

The business grew from a used car dealership to a Chrysler-Plymouth-Jeep dealership.

She was thrilled every time he brought home another car for her to drive.

If we all worked as hard in real estate as he did in selling vehicles, we'd prosper too. But most of us are not born salesmen. We just do the best we can. He died a few years back. All of Searcy was sad to see him go.

The baby? He's still hungry and I have to feed him everyday.

The evolution of a charming house into a thriving business in Searcy Arkansas.

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:39:13 -0500

This picture of 916 E Race shows it as it was when Race Street was a quiet little street with residential properties still on it. The builder/draftsman who drew it up had saved pictures and floorplans of some of his creations. His wife was throwing them away and I, being a saver, kept them. I had to do a lot of driving around to find some of them.

The house was added onto and turned into a business by Helen Holder who had a drapery business. Back when folks loved heavy window treatments, she did a fantastic business.

Then it changed hands and became a frame shop. Seems it has changed hands again. Here it is now.

Notice the lovely fence in the front, which is across the street and on land owned by Harding University. Harding bought all the houses in front of this one and took them down.

Georgetown, Arkansas. You've gotta be going there because you can't drive by!

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:15:45 -0500

Georgetown Arkansas in White County is the oldest continuously settled area in Arkansas, according to Wikipedia. It was settled in 1789 and overlooks the White River. As of the census in 2000 there were 126 folks who lived there. There were 55 households and 33 families.

Now, more down to earth into.....when I taught school I had a few West Point kids in class and they rode a bus to school. When we had flood weather, the road to Georgetown became completely covered in water. If the kids got to school they had to come on a boat or get outa town before the road was flooded and stay with relatives across the flood waters.

It's a long drive down there, about 21 miles, but right now there is a cat fish place that people rave about and flock down there to visit. The cat fish are fresh out of the river and can't be topped. I can't speak from experience yet.

But look here. Pictures of a depot in Georgetown and a railroad bridge!! Aren't they fantastic. Seems every little town had a depot, including this one.

This is Arkansas. It is a good picture of country enjoyment.

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:12:31 -0500

I used to drive my kids to a place called Slippery Rock Ford and they'd wade in the water on the slippery rocks. This little bridge was a favorite. It gets underwater at times but evidently it holds up pretty darned good. In fact, the water looks a bit high for wading at the time of this picture.

A friend sent me these pictures of his little Volks at the bridge. He and his wife had gone for a drive and ended up here. They are great pictures showing some of the beauty of our state. The Volks, however, shows a little reluctance to get on that bridge!

Ya'all come!

Introducing my selected Heir Apparent (HA) but I'm not gone by a long shot!!

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:07:22 -0500

A few months ago I asked what we should look for if we select an heir apparent. My blog was sorta high-jacked by two friends named Nutsy and Raven but I had some feedback. My requirements were.....

Honesty......this certainly would be a must.
Energy......if I get tired, they shouldn't!
Intelligence......street smarts wouldn't hurt.
Education.....must know proper communication in writing and in person.
Computer literate......know their way around for emailing, scanning and actually be better at this than I am!
Personable.....get along well with people.
Ambitious.....aims for success but not by stepping on people.

After careful thought, I called up this gentleman who'd done lots of work for me as a contractor or handyman while he was working to become a Nutritionist. He already had a degree in Engineering but was not practicing.

I stunned him by saying, "Mark, I think you should become a real estate agent. I've got lots of foreclosure properties and you've helped me with a lot of them by making repairs for me. You could probably serve in two capacities." He even bought one of the foreclosures, fixed it up and flipped it.

Then I gave him the sales talk.

I know that you are honest and anyone who works with me or for me has to be honest.
You have energy that is never-ending and my HA (heir apparent) has to have more energy than I have.
Intelligence is a requirement and you have a university degree plus that nutritionist award.
Computer literacy is a requirement and you understand the computer. (Later on I learned he has a son who is an expert!)
I know you're personable because every time I recommended you for a job, they called you back to do more and more so you have repeat business.
You're wife has a great job that supplies you with the all-important health insurance needed to survive.

He was absolutely surprised. He'd never thought of real estate as a career. He talked it over with his wife and they decided I'd made good points. He then started with all the training that was required. Within weeks he WAS a real estate agent.

I fought to get him an office right across the hall from mine. He bought his computer equipment, traded vehicles, and started working immediately. It has now been about 4 or 5 months since he began and he works diligently and learns so fast! He promptly masters whatever I put out for him.

He has also closed several transactions already. His eagerness and ambition are apparent. For a while he made my work load harder because of working and training at the same time. But I feel confident that he is competent as my backup if I want to go on vacation.

So, drum-roll please!!

HERE HE IS!! Mark Lercher, new RE/MAX Advantage agent from Searcy Arkansas.

P. S. He does have one bad flaw. He does not read my blogs so he may not even know he's here.

And another one bites the dust. International Shoe Factory building in Searcy AR goes down.

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:54:54 -0500

It gets to be shocking. Drive by and notice the building is either gone or half way down. That's the way it was with me on Main Street. The old International Shoe Factory building is a goner. I did another double-take because it was already half gone. I snapped pictures. The International Shoe Factory was one of the first factories in Searcy Arkansas.

After World War II Searcy leaders got the Searcians to agree to raise $100,000 to erect a building to house the factory. The International Shoe Company would least the building for five years with a 30 year renewal option. Approximately 450 people were to be employed in the factory. Dr. Raymond Muncy's history of Searcy Arkansas, written in 1976 gives the background of the factory, which I'll let you read at your will. I got this bit of information from the book.

Being a real estate agent makes you question things and the second picture above may illustrate something that we agents hear all the time. I call a brick house a brick house. An appraiser will call it "brick veneer." I think the wall above illustrates what a real brick house might have walls like. It is a solid wall of brick with several layers. Our brick veneer houses have a single thin layer of brick. Interesting?

Arkansas had an earthquake! I didn't notice. But I noticed this clever writeup in our state newspaper.

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:36:56 -0500

How does a newspaper cover an earthquake that no one feels? That does pose a challenge. Our state newspaper, the Arkansas Democrat Gazette on October 17, 2009 ran the following editorial. I read it this morning while drinking coffe and loved it. I loved the large letters that got smaller and smaller. The humor was there and the earthquake got plenty of coverage. I hope they don't mind that I scanned it and am letting you read it.

A four-chimney house? That must have been a real luxury in old Searcy Arkansas.

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 07:50:15 -0500

This historic house is barely on the East side of Searcy on a corner lot with huge trees. So many trees, in fact, that pictures are difficult. I believe it is called the Margaret Pope house. Correct me, Searcy readers, if I'm wrong.

I drive by it daily and wonder why it didn't sell a few years back when listed for close to $80,000. It has been through a lot, however, in the years since it exited the Pope estate.

The Pope estate had a big sale. My friends attended even though I was working and couldn't. They bought the mirror that is behind my desk in my office. Lots of people have sat in front of me and looked at themselves in the mirror behind me.

However, I digress.

I marvel at the four chimneys on the house! Here are two of them. The other side of the house has two more.

Having shivered beside a fireplace for heat as a child, I can imagine having four chimneys in a relatively small house was a sign of wealth.

The house is also stucco, I believe. Stucco is not common in our area.

Finally, the house has a neat old building behind it. One of my friends will surely tell about the old car that was in it and never driven and a tree grew up so high that they couldn't get the car out.

I learned a lot about roof coverings from this building. You see tar-paper, I believe, underneath, and then tin on the top of the tar-paper.

Haven't we come all the way back around now with so many houses having metal roofs again.

I hope the wrecking ball doesn't come for this old house for a long time. However, the lot is perfect for apartments.

Now this is a B--I--G tree.....beside an old Searcy Arkansas home.

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:11:46 -0500

Each time I drive by this house and it is almost every day, I drive a little faster thinking that if one of those limbs comes down on me, I'm a goner!

Well, not really. But I always think that the tree is as historic as the house. This house is known, I believe, as the Deener house. I once had it listed and was fascinated by the features that dated back so far. Reportedly it was built in 1912.

The house is on Center Street in Searcy Arkansas, White County. In fact, here's the way it looked before it ever had a tree in the side yard. And before Searcy had paved streets. It's on the Register of Historic Homes and was placed there in 1982. It is so covered in trees now that you can hardly see the details but you can sure see this tree!

Just a quick glimpse of the front? Here you go.

The original fireplace looked like this.

Searcy Arkansas Sanitarium. Where was this and what was it?

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:39:46 -0500

My Searcy readers have said enough of those shoe blogs. Give us another history blog.

They just want a challenge. So here it is. I've had this picture for awhile but have never heard any discussion about it. It says Sanitarium Searcy Ark on the front.

Was this dated back to tuberculosis sanitariums? Searcy had one? If so, where was it and what happened to it.

Another possibility was that it was some sort of relaxing spa? Look at the ladies in fancy duds. Note the tennis net in the front. Bet they had dirt courts for sure! Perhaps they came for the healing waters of Spring Park springs.

I'm listening, Searcy....................................

Revenge will be sweet if I live long enough to see it. Their feet will hurt!!!

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:32:35 -0500

Clip, clip, clip, klop, kloppety, klop.......here she comes again.....

"She" means all the women in my office who wear "bad" shoes. Dumb shoes is what I call them. There is a pergo floor in the hall and the sounds of those shoes grate on the nerves.

A little filler in the paper today said this. More than 60% of women select damaging shoes. Based on the questioning of 3,378 men and women from Framingham, Mass., the study indicated that only 2% of men choose bad shoes. The questions were based on past and present and the women's answers showed a definite link between foot pain and shoes.

Women who reported they'd worn high heels, pumps, sandles and slippers all their lives were at the greatest risk of foot pain in their older years.

So those women coming up and down the hall who are so annoying in sound will get their's. I'm just waiting. I've always thought we women were as smart as men but in the shoe department we rank way, way below. I've also made the statement that until women choose comfortable shoes they'll never be truly equal to men. Unfortunately, I don't get many to agree with me.

In fact, the choices of shoes for women seem to get wilder and wilder. This one is a Jimmy Choo and is on the internet for $240. It would be a better choice than some because at least it is strapped on the foot.

My feet feel better right now just knowing that I can't affort this shoe!

$110,000,000 waiting to be claimed in Arkansas Treasure Hunt

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 09:07:50 -0500

It's that time of the year again!

TREASURE HUNT! THE GREAT ARKANSAS TREASURE HUNT!

Who can resist looking at it to see if you can claim a prize? I found a Barbara Duncan above but it's not me. That's not where I live.

By going to the website www.artreasurehunt.com you can check to see if your name is on the list. Unclaimed property (not real estate) such as uncashed checks, abandoned bank accounts, utility deposits, and various other things are reported to the Auditor of State Unclaimed Property Division. If you find your name you can file a claim to "claim" the treasure.

Last year the state paid out about 7.3 million in belated claims and this year 56,000 new names were added to the list. Try it. Even if you're not from Arkansas, there may be something for you!!

Well, where'd the Pergo go?

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 07:35:35 -0500

This is the second home that I've had listed as a foreclosure property from which the Pergo flooring has been removed. It was kinda funny on the first one but this second one makes me wonder if it's easily transportable, sorta like a rug, and can be installed in a minute in someone's new house.

The first picture shows how the house looked when it sold for around $80,000.

The second one shows how it looks now as a foreclosure.

There had been lots of work done with replacement windows and siding and updated cabinetry and bath.

Now we're back to the original floor and it's pretty ragged.

The good part of me thinks that the owners probably had a leak which destroyed the flooring and they never replaced the Pergo. The bad side of me wonders if the Pergo is underfoot in another living space. The curious side of me wonders how hard it is to reuse Pergo.

It it just weren't for the first house where they'd definitely jerked up the flooring.....................

Who needs to go outside to see a rainbow?

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:32:17 -0500

Walking through my house I was suddenly blinded by the colors of the rainbow on my furniture and on my carpet and floors. It's sorta like a sign. Lighten up. Be happy. Rainbows are everywhere. I ran to get my camera because after all, blogging about a rainbow could be inspirational if I were talented enough to write an inspirational blog.

Then I noticed something. There's dust in this rainbow on my antique chest........ BUT, the dust has the lovely colors too!

And how often do you find the perfect rainbow colors inside your home?

Soldiers on streets of Searcy Arkansas during World War ll.

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:35:32 -0500

These pictures are like a Norman Rockwell painting. Rockwell could have made a great magazine cover. It would show very deserving small-town soldiers visiting home and posing beside the bank. He'd have put in the weeds growing beside the sidewalk, the car in the background, the wrinkles in the uniforms, and even the cracks in the street.

My dad, at my wedding, wore his tie poked into the shirt like these guys. He never wore a tie but when he put one on for the big night, I was quite frankly mortified. Evidently, according to these guys, it was a fashion during WWII, for which my father was drafted. I'd never seen such a fashion.

Rockwell would have made the sign in the back readable. I'll have to depend on Searcy Arkansas historians to tell me what the sign said. They can also name the guys if they know them.