Granted, I've been gone a while, focusing on personal stuff (summer=sunshine=camping and boating=gone every weekend!) but it's raining this weekend so what's a blogger to do? BLOG!

I thought I would check in and see what's new and it's looking good around here! I'm looking forward to posting more dog photos.

BLOGGON!

These silly boys! I walked into the living room and saw them actually SLEEPING in this position!

Apparently, there wasn't enough sun shining on that end of the couch to sleep side by side! The little guy certainly isn't shy about picking out his own real estate...perhaps he should get his Broker's License!  LOL

It's not about barbeques, or an extra day off, or going camping.

It's about giving credit where credit is due.

I watched the Annual National Memorial Day Concert last night on PBS. I was moved to tears (who wouldn't be?) at the presentations and words spoken. I was humbled.

I, too, am a Veteran. I served 13 years in the Oregon Air National Guard, including during Desert Shield/Desert Storm. I served stateside, but I still served my country and am full of pride for this endeavor. It is an experience like none other, which no one can ever take away.

Looking back, I cannot believe I did it. Looking forward, I cannot believe we are still at war and all the lives lost - brave men and women who sacrificed the ultimate for my freedom.

So today, in their honor and their memory, I stand tall, offer a salute, swallow hard and blink back a tear.

Won't you join me?

I got gas today over the border in nearby Rathdrum, Idaho, rather than here locally. Since I was over there visiting family, and the price there was 12 cents lower than here at home (approx 20 miles away), I paid only $3.77 a gallon for regular.

Today it is $3.89 near my house in Liberty Lake.

I will come back and post updated prices as they go up. It should be interesting to see the change a few months from now. 

What's the price where you live?

Gas prices keeping you home?

I am curious how many of  you have revised your travel or vacation plans, or how your business is effected (driving around buyers and lookey-loo's) due to gas prices, not to mention the ridiculous fees being imposed on airline travelers.

Voice your opinion about gas prices on the rise - let's hear how it's effecting you, if at all!

The story of the "One-Eyebrow-Coned Baby":

Hi. My name is "I pick fights with larger dogs."

My neighbor is a normally-docile black lab. Monday evening, I saw her wandering around below my new terraced rock wall that is really steep, and decided to see if I can fly. I can. Unfortunately, the black lab wanted to do more than play, and we tangled in the dirt for about 10 seconds or so. My mama said there was a lot of blood. 

Since it was after hours at my vet's office, Mama had to take me to emergency. They put me out for an hour or so, and when I woke up I was missing my eyebrow as you can see. I have 5 stitches on my eyebrow, three stitches inside my ear. and 2 minor punctures on the bridge of my swollen nose. And what is with this funky plastic cone around my neck? Sheesh.

I will be fine - they gave me Rimadyl. :-)

I really need to read up on the points awarded here on AR.

While I can admit I am addicted to the points adding up, I also enjoy the mystery in posting, commenting and linking, and then checking my points summary to see what I got.  It's more adventurous than spoiling the surprise by reading up on what actions give you points.

So, I was a blogging fool last week and to my surprise, this annotation showed up in my points summary: "Over 10 posts in a week - no automatic 200 points" - DRAT!

Didn't know that...'til now!

She was my business partner and shared "got House?" (got Tracy? got Mt House? got Livermore? got Pleasanton? ...etc). I signed up one day to do an open house with a "new agent" in a neighboring city, in an effort to think outside the box and expand my knowledge of the area. It was Susan's first listing.

From the first time I met her, I knew her bubbly personality would take her far in this business! As a new agent, she picked my brain the entire time we were at that open house. We became good friends after that. She always called and asked me questions about the business - she made me feel like I knew the answers! lol

Today she has grown her business, in leaps and bounds, during a downturned market. KUDOS girlfriend! Or should I say, THEMTHEM!

An Active Rain poster asked me to post photos of these guys cuddled up - aren't they adorable? I'm such a proud mama!

Sorry about the quality of the photos, these were cell phone photos.

I always have my camera handy and snap a photo when I can. I hope you don't mind my sharing!

At open houses, I would engage potential clients in discussions about the importance of having a home warranty. I believe in them so strongly, I've had them myself and faithfully renew them each year. I have seen first hand what can happen if you don't have one, and the blessing that they are when you do have one.

During a listing appointment, I would inquire if the customer owns any rental property. Alot of them did. I would ask if they had a home warranty on the property. I explained the beauty in having the renter of that property have an 800 number to call, 24-7, in the case of something breaking in the rental. For about $40 per house call, the problem gets fixed, the renter is happy, and the property owner didn't have to take time off work to go fix a broken water heater, furnace, AC unit, etc.

It's a beautiful thing, how that piece of paper brings such peace of mind!

Of course, they make a great closing gift for your buyer, or an incentive for potential buyers of a property; although it's pretty common these days for listing agents to just throw it in as a negotiable item.