Karen's Blog

November Novel Writing Month: An Exerpt

2008-11-08T16:25:25Z

November Novel Writing Month has been taking place for years. Run by www.nanowrimo.org, you may go to that website for more information. It's a little late to sign up now, but there's always next year. The point is to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. I decided to try it this year. I write in different places, at home, at the library, at a coffee place on Estero Blvd., here on Fort Myers Beach, but write I must if I hope to complete this project. The first week ends tonight. I am up nearly 11,000 words. Three weeks and another 39,000 words to go.

An Exerpt from my novel: (Did I mention that my main characater is a Realtor and that the setting is Fort Myers Beach, Florida)

When introduced to Patti Harrison at the first Happy Hour convention by their broker, Sal, Patti shook Jan's hand warmly. Her bouncy brown eyes indicated a lighthearted, unreserved nature. By the way, I never slept with Eric, though I am married to George. Jan got the joke but didn't know quite how to react.

Too bad about Eric, she finally blurted out and the office crowd cracked up, as did the bartender who hovered over them as if he was one of them. In fact, Sal was so amused that he bought everyone another round of beers. Jan, who didn't think her response particularly clever, would have preferred a glass of wine, but kept quiet about it in an effort to fit in with these crazy Florida Realtors.

As it happened, Patti Harrison had been born Patti DelMarco. She married a young real estate lawyer named George Harrison. She was, indeed, Patti Harrison. The next week, just three days before her real state license exam, Jan received a call from Patti and an invitation to lunch. They met upstairs at the Beached Whale. Their table overlooked Estero Boulevard and beyond, the greenish waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Sylvia Plath

Quotes from The President

2008-10-29T09:56:40Z

On a cold morning here on Fort Myers Beach, with the election right around the corner, I'd like to share some quotes, not from Obama or McCain,but from a great past American President, John F. Kennedy.

On Democrats Vs. Republicans
We have all made mistakes. But Dante tells us that divine
justice weighs the sins of the cold-blooded and the sins
of the warm-hearted on different scales. Better the
occasional faults of a party living in the spirit of
charity than the consistent omissions of a party
frozen in the ice of its own indifference.

On the Economy
Economic growth without social progress lets
the great majority of the people remain in
poverty, while a privleged few reap the benefits
of rising abundance.

On Education
A child miseducated is a child lost.

Education...is the mainspring of our economic and
social progress...It is the hightest expression
of achievement in our society, ennobling and
enriching human life.

On the Environment
It is our task in our time and in our generation to
hand down undiminished to those who come after us,
as was handed down to us by those who went before,
the natural wealth and beauty which is ours.
John F. Kennedy, March 1961

Never before has man had such capacity to control
his own environment, to end thrist and hunger, to
conguer poverty and disease, to banish illiteracy
and massive human misery. We have the power to make
this the best generation of mankind in the history
of the world--or to make it the last.

On Equality
This nation was founded by men of many nations and
backgrounds. It was founded on the principle that
all men are created equal and that the rights of
every man are diminished when the rights of one man
are threatened.
John F. Kennedy 6-11-1963

On the Future
"I look forward to a great future for America,
a future in which our country will match its
military strength with our moral restraint,
its wealth with our wisdom, its power with our
purpose. . . . And I look forward to an America
which commands respect throughout the world not
only for its strength but for its
civilization as well."

The Last Rock Stars

2008-10-26T21:16:24Z

This poem was inspired by the fact that I no longer know or care that I don't know the latest music.

The Last Rock Stars

Firstly, there was Bob

a folk artist going astray

Neil from the north country

strumming and strunged out

Eric making love to his guitar

and George's alluring wife

Jethro hypnotizing his flute

no longer too young to die

Brazen belting Bruce

and his Jersey beach town

Freddie being positive

Kurt taking his own life

due to Georgia's son, Michael

Lars riding that freight train.

Lastly, Steven Patrick Smiths

And Paul David Hewson

The voices of these two

Remaining with me in tune,

No other appears

Over these many years.

- written by Karen Nichols, Fort Myers Beach, Florida

The Long Hot Summer

2008-10-23T15:42:23Z

The Long Hot Florida Summer is finally over. As I sit in the office at the computer here on this little island, Fort Myers Beach, windows open, I feel the longed for cool breeze on my shoulders(to northerners, this would, most likely, feel like a warm, summer breeze). Below are memories from Summer, 2008, from June at doggie beach with Mimi through Fourth of July to my husband's birthday in September.

10 Years on Fort Myers Beach

2008-10-09T19:55:54Z

It will be coming upon 10 years since we purchased our home on Fort Myers Beach. That seems like a long time to me. People think of island communities as being filled with tourists and transients. But, in fact, there are many long time residents here among the approximate 6500 full time residents. Across the street, there is Susan, who has lived in her house for over 40 years. Her disabled son lives with her. Her brother, Jack, owned and ran shrimp boats. He was an unusual man(an attorney who turned to the sea for his living) and was known far and wide. When he died, Susan had to sell the shrimp boats. A couple of houses down, there is Bonnie. She brought up her children at her place. Her oldest son is now 40, married, living in Seattle. Soon, the tourists and snowbirds will begin their trek down to us and our population will swell and there will be traffic. They will enjoy the magic of our island for a week or two or a few months, and then come spring, they will all leave, and Bonnie and Susan and the rest of us will enjoy the quiet and relaxing joy of island living.

Real Estate News by Carl Sandburg

2008-10-02T20:30:58Z

From Fort Myers Beach to Chicago, Realtors, for your dining pleasure:

Real Estate News

ARMOUR AVENUE was the name of this street and door signs on empty houses read "The Silver Dollar," "Swede Annie" and the Christian names of madams such as "Myrtle" and "Jenny."
Scrap iron, rags and bottles fill the front rooms hither and yon and signs in Yiddish say Abe Kaplan & Co. are running junk shops in whore houses of former times.
The segregated district, the Tenderloin, is here no more; the red-lights are gone; the ring of shovels handling scrap iron replaces the banging of pianos and the bawling songs of pimps. Chicago, 1915.

-by Carl Sandburg

Feng Shui and Decorating with Flowers

2008-09-29T11:59:36Z

Whether contemplating an Open House or making your own home a place you want to be, remember that decorating with certain Flowers bring about positive chi, such as the Sunflower for its stability and endurance. The color yellow brings light and life into a room, much like the rising sun in the morning. Yellow brightens any space and is welcoming. It's an excellent choice for children's rooms as well as the family and living room and kitchen. Yellow brings the feng shui energy of fire in a gentler way than Red and also is thought to increase self-estem. For Feng Shui purposes, use hot Yellow in moderation in the feng shui areas of East and South East areas of yoiur home. For Open Houses, placing a large vase of yellow sunflowers on that granite counter in the kitchen will be both eyecatching and welcoming. In my garden on Fort Myers Beach, Florida, my beach sunflowers grow all year round. For most residents of these United States, sunflowers may be purchased at the florist most of the year.

Cape Coral Art Studio

2008-09-23T20:45:11Z

For those of you who will be in the Fort Myers/Cape Coral area this season and for residents who may not be aware of it, Cape Coral has an absolutely wonderful Art Studio located on Coronado, not from from the Parkway, featuring two find art galleries that display work from top local and Florida artists. Year round classes in a variety of mediims are offered, including oil, acrylic, watercolor, sketching and drawing, photography and jewelry making. Summer camp is also offered for children.

Cape Coral Arts Studio
4533 Cornado Pkwy.
Cape Coral, FL 33904
239-574-0802

Open House Flowers

2008-09-18T15:43:50Z

I've given different ideas about how to put on a successful Open House. I had a great response and many emails from agents who read my blog about holding an art exhibit freaturing the works of local artists at Open Houses.

Another, more basic way to dress up an empty house would be to place a vase filled with gorgeous flowers on a prominent counter. In summer, let me suggest large sunflowers. If the house is a little musty and stuffy from being vacant, choose a more fragrant flower flower arrangement such as gardenia and with Autumn coming on down the road, a great choice may be a mixed bouquet containing the amazing colors of fall.

As for the expense of the flowers, when the Open House is over, you will have gorgeous flowers to bring home or a great gift for your wife or girlfriend. For a great local florist in the Fort Myers and Fort Myers beach area, to: ftmyersflowerdelivery.com

A variance on this theme would be to fill up a box with flowers, place them on the counter, and give one to each person who attends.

Florida Women

2008-09-16T17:43:00Z

Florida Women . . . . .

Make angels in the pure white sand

Pink low tide bikinis

Challenged by a bombardment

Of ivory seashells and blue-black rocks

After the storm

The sand disappears

Everything is flat at the Florida beach

Except the Florida women

Their sun strewn hair

Blowing in the winds

Of just after

Their green eyes as wise and experienced

As the sea

While the winter minds of Northern women

Wander far and wide from home.

Memory of A PBS Docudrama/Korean Real Estate

2008-09-10T16:24:21Z

My niece recently wrote me an email, asking me if I had any stories about her Grandmother, my Mom, who left us several years ago. I wrote her back, relating several memorable tales. One in particular:

When I was in my late teens, I moved into my own apartment. I came over to my parent's home one evening to do some laundry. My Dad was out, at his health club, playing cards. My mom was lying in bed, doing her nails, watching TV. I went to do my laundry, was talking on the phone at bit, then I turned on the TV in the living room while waiting for my clothes to dry. There was a documentary on, must have been PBS, that I started to get into. It was about a man flying over Korea during the Korean war. He was either a Congressman or a Reporter. I don't remember which. Anyway, they ran into enemy fire and the plane was shot down. The pilot was dead. The man(either a pilot or congressman) got fragments in his eye and was blind. He couldn't see and the plane had been shot down in enemy territory, in North Korea. The man wandered about a bit in darkness. Then, a little girl came over to him. She was an orphan. Her parents had died from all of the bombings. She had survived but had no one. Somehow, she understood that he was an American and needed to get to the American lines in South Korea. She took his hand and led him there. It took several days and they had to hide at times from the North Korean soldiers, but she got him to an American troop in South Korea, just over the line. The doctors immediately took him to operate to remove the metal from his eyes. The operation was successful and he could see again. He looked for the little girl who had saved him but couldn't find her. Then, he was leaving to go home to the United States and just as he was stepping into the airplane, he saw her in the field. He ran to her, grabbed her and took her with him into the plane. He brought her back to America and adopted her. When the documentary stated at the end, that he adopted her, I began to cry and went to tell my mom about this story that I was watching. I went into my Mom's room and found her crying, too. She had been watching the same show.

I never saw that show aired again. I always wanted to know who it was about. Are there any Realtors out there who were watching PBS 20 or so years ago?

Memory of a Memory of a Memory/Built-In Bookcases

2008-09-03T20:03:07Z

I was attempting this morning in a slow, sultry Florida September way those once in awhile cleaning chores, dusting the books in the bookshelves. I have a few bookshelves, both built in and standing, and I realized when I saw the amount of dust that it had been awhile. As I picked up another dusty volume, I happened to note its identity, one of my favorite novels, Just Above My Head, by James Baldwin. I dusted the book and then brought it with me to the sofa and sat down and opened it. I have read it 10 times at least, but my mind wasn't on the James Baldwin's words, but rather on his death, several years ago.

When I learned of Baldwin's death, I was sitting at a bar in Peabody, Massachusetts. I was in my mid-20's and had just left the office. I decided to stop at Brody's to visit with my friend, T.J., the bartender and grill cook. I often made a little detour in order to have a drink and chat with him after work. We were the same age. He had just been dumped by his wife and I had just left my fiance. We were both from Peabody, though I was now living in Marblehead. We had met at Brody's and had become friends. I advised him of legal matters regarding his wife and daughter. He advised me to move on from my fiance. We were chatting about the usual when he left me momentarily to serve customers. I picked up the newspaper, the Peabody Times, that was laying upon the bar. I idly leafed through the pages when a headline on the Obit Page drew my attention. Author, James Baldwin, had died.

The first time that I read James Baldwin was in College. I remember the Professor to this day, a southern middle-aged man who fancied himself extremely amusing and smoked cigarettes in the classroom. It was a class in Modernist writers, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Faulkner and Baldwin. Towards the end of the semester, we came to our novel by Baldwin, called Giovanni's Room. This was a short novel and I read in easily in one seating. After finishing the book, I recall that I just sat there for a long spell, digesting it.

At that time, I was 19, and considered myself sophisticated and worldly. After all, I read the Rolling Stone and the Boston Phoenix. I laugh now of how I thought of myself, when in truth, I was immature and unworldly. I had never before read a book about homosexuals. Yes, I had heard comics on TV joke, etc. I was shocked actually by the novel. The story concerned an American man who went for an extended vacation in Europe after finishing college. In spite of his father's pleas to come home, he continued to travel about and became engaged to a Swedish, or Danish woman, but while she was visiting her family, he became involved with an Italian man named Givoanni. Through the narration of the story, it came out that he had had these desires since adolescence. Giovanni's Room is, as I stated above, a short novel, but compelling. Something else compelling: When the professor was discussing the novel with his students, he asked us if the characters were black or white. In this novel, Baldwin had written his characters in a race neutral manner, meaning that most people would assume that they were white, though Baldwin himself was black. It had never occurred to me that Baldwin was black from reading this novel. His other novels are another matter. The semester ended. I received a good grade. In the months that followed, I read every novel that James Baldwin wrote. Most of his other novels concerned obviously "black" characters. That was the point, in fact, to depict black people.

What's so Interesting, T.J asked me. He had finished with his customers and had brought me another drink. James Baldwin died, I answered him. Who's he? A writer, I said. T.J. didn't say anything. Just stood there behind the bar smiling at me. So, James Baldwin is dead. Whoopi doo, said Mary Ellen. I had been so engrossed in my thought that I didn't notice that she had slid into the bar stool beside me. Mary Ellen was T.J.'s twin sister. She didn't like me much. She was jealous of me, to be sure. She was jealous because I was T.J.'s "friend and confidant," not his girlfriend. This had been her role for a long time and she wasn't happy about sharing him. If I had been his girlfriend, she would have more tolerant of me.

Just Above My Head was Baldwin's last novel, his greatest in my opinion. This lengthly story centers upon Harlem in the 1950's and 1960's and a gospel singer and his brother. I was considering reading it yet again, but the day was burning outside of my protective air conditioning. The rest of the books would wait for another day to be dusted. I decided to go to The Lighthouse for a swim and a drink. My husband was working on the computer. I tell him to meet me when he is through with his work.

In this day of Internet and IPOD's, a built in bookcase is still a wonderful thing.

The Unspoken Factor in a Client's Decision/Future Memories

2008-09-02T18:12:21Z

Houses are filled with memories, the reason why Mrs. Closson lived in her mansion until the day that she died. Mrs. Closson was our landlord when my husband and I first married. She owned an estate in Manchester-By-Sea, Massachusetts near Singing Beach in the exclusive section of exclusive Manchester known as Smith's Point. On her grounds was a guest house. Long ago, the house was probably the servant's quarters. When I met Mrs. Closson, she was in her 80's. My husband had known her from just living in Manchester. When he told her of his upcoming marriage, she asked him if we would like to rent her guest house. The couple that was living there had put a deposit on a house in Beverly. Lloyd brought me to see the house and to meet Mrs. Closson. We had tea in the main mansion. Mrs. Closson was an old-fashioned type lady, but yet she was extremely vibrant. She drove to Rockport to paint most days. As for moving into the guest house, I was excited. It was a two story, two bedroom home with views of the beautiful gardens and fields and it was a short walk to Singing Beach. I remember a girlfriend visiting me and commenting that I must feel like a princess living there.

We stayed there about a year, until we left for Florida, and eventually ended up on Fort Myers Beach. While there, we met Mrs. Closson's son, who lived in Essex, another charming New England town, the next town over, and her daughter, who lived in New York. They both tried to convince their Mom to sell the mansion and and purchase a smaller home in town. But, she was stubborn to the end, Isabel Closson. She protected her home and memories until the end.

When Realtors are showing homes to clients who intend to live there, as opposed to an investors, they should remember that the client's are thinking of making future memories and that is an unspoken factor in their decision to buy or not buy a certain property.

As for Mrs. Closson, she died a few years ago, well into her 90's. We heard that her kids sold the Estate soon after she died. Not only did Mrs. Closson's Estate provide beautiful memories for her, but also for me.

Biking to the Showing

2008-08-30T19:06:20Z

With gas prices high and the environment precious, to be able to bike to work is more than fun and a great way to stay fit. Of course, this isn't often possible with Realtors. There is often several houses miles from each other that the clients wishes to see. The weather may be problem, espcially for those Realtors outside the great State of Florida. But, I live on a small Island, Fort Myers Beach, seven miles long. For Realtors living on this Island or in a simialr situation, one beautfiul day, try biking to that Open House. Instead of showing off your stylish car, try showing off your stylish (or rusty old) bike. Your clients may even be impressed, and jealous that you ride to work on your bike. If so, next showing, tell them to bring their bikes.

For Florida People Particularly: When it's THIS HOT, an Open House?

2008-08-27T11:32:23Z

This past weekend, I was driving down Estero Blvd on Fort Myers Beach on my way to Publix and noticed a couple of Open House signs. The official temp was about 95 but with humidity, it felt like 110. I wondered who would be tempted to leave their comfortable air conditioning to see a home for sale, and what, if anything, could tempt people to come to an Open House. Cold water just won't be sufficient and there's too much liability involved in serving cold beer. Then, I thought, with temps in the 90's and humidty through the roof, what would temp people more than a swim in the pool. The agent would need his assistant (or friend) to act a lifeguard, of course, but adveristing a dip in the pool just may make a summer Open House a success.

And, if your Open House home doesn't have a pool, you may want to wait a a few weeks until the humidity dips.

The Strange Journey of the Armoire(Conclusion)

2008-08-19T22:01:26Z

So, where was I? Oh, yes, the woman was sloshing down pills with her vodka. By this time, I am a little taken aback and my husband has come into the room and has taken in the scene, also. She then smiles and asks us if we want to smoke some pot. I say no, we don't smoke pot. She shrugs and asks us if we minds if she indulges. I say yes, I do mind, that I don't want it in my house. She then stands and says she'll smoke it in the yard. I tell her that I don't want it on my property. She then says that she'll go to her car and smoke it. I don't say anything to this and she goes. My husband and I then quickly confer and agree that we'll have to stay up all night to make sure she doesn't try to burn down the house or something else of that nature.

I make it an early night, as you can imagine, but I did fall asleep and when I awoke, she was gone, but her car was still in the yard. She came in a few minutes later, saying that she had been for a walk on the beach. I tell her that she'll have to hurry, as I have to get to work. (At the time, I worked as a Paralegal for a Cape Coral law firm). It's Monday. Anyway, I'm all ready to go, and grab an apple for the road. She's sitting on the sofa very comfortably. I tell her that it's time to go. She says: Oh, that's okay. You go to work. I'll hang around for awhile. I was polite to that point. At that point, I said: No, you won't hang around. It's time for you to go. She got it and left. My husband and I watched her drive off. I left for work. My husband double locked the door.

The armoire is gorgeous.

The Strange Journey of the Armoire

2008-08-19T21:58:24Z

A couple of years ago for Christmas, I wished to give my husband a special present. I was having trouble fitting his clothes in the closets and the bureaus in the bedroom because of my clothes, so I decided to purchase for him an armoire for his office, the old fashioned type where you can hang shirts and also with drawers. We both love art deco so I bid on an original 1930's art deco armoire on ebay and I won it at a great price. Before I bid on it, I had called shippers and they gave me a price of $250.00 for shipping it from New York to me in Florida. The seller lived in Queens. It had belonged to his grandmother. Well, after I won it, the shipper gave me a different story. The price of $250.00 was for shipping business to business. To go pick up something from a residential neighborhood in New York and deliver it to me in Florida would be more like $1,000.00. I considered that a bit much and looked around for other options.

I advertised on Craig's List. It had occurred to me that so many people up north drive to Florida during the winter that I thought someone might want the extra money by picking up and delivering the armoire. I actually had a few responses but I obligated myself to the first person who answered. She was a woman who lived in Pennsylvania. She said that was planning to trip to Florida around Christmas and that she lived about an hour or so from Queens(where the Armoire currently resided) and that she had a van. She wouldn't have to lift anything, as the seller and a friend of his would put it in her van and then upon arrival, my husband would take it out. She would just need to drive it here. She had excellent references and I checked them out, so I said yes.

I drafted a Contract regarding this transaction and emailed to her. She signed it and faxed it back to me. She planned to pick up the armoire in New York on Xmas day, as the traffic would be lighter. She then planned to stop in Virginia to visit a friend for a few days and to be at my house on January 2nd. She kept me well advised of her plans and movements. I will give her that.

I received an email from the Seller on Christmas Day. She did indeed pick up the armoire on Christmas Day. She didn't exactly have a van. She had a mini van, but he and a friend managed to get it in, but he said that it was a tight fit. I then received an email from her on New Years day. She was in Virginia at her friend's house but had slipped on the ice the previous evening and had sprained her arm. She would be laid up there for a couple of days. I received another email from her two days later. Arm still hurting. Would be staying at friend's another couple of days. Two days later, same message. Finally, I received an email that she is on her way. Another email. She stopped at a friend in Tampa and lost her purse. At police station. Four days later, she is on her way again. She arrived at our house on Fort Myers Beach at the end of January on a Sunday, late afternoon. It was a tight fit, and it took Lloyd and three neighbor guys two hours to get it out of her van.

But, It was gorgeous. By this time, it is dark outside. I inquire about her plans. She said in her emails that her final destination was Miami to visit some friends and go down the Keys. But, it is dark outside and I see that she is tired, so I feel obligated to ask her to stay the night. She accepts. I am so happy about how incredible the armoire is that I am in really good sprits. I tell her that I will order Chinese food for dinner. I ask her to take a sit on the sofa and relax. I order the food. She seems a bit stressed, all that driving. I ask her if she would like a glass of wine. She says no and I'm about to offer her tea, when she informs me that she has a bottle of vodka in the car. She runs out to get it. She comes back with the bottle of vodka and a plastic bag full of prescription pills. She pours herself a drink of vodka, straight, and then takes a pill from one of the bottles. I ask her if she wants a glass of water. She says no and puts the pill in her mouth and drinks it down with a gulp of vodka. I cannot help but ask what the pills are for, and she explains that she has back trouble.

Conclusion of Journey of the Armoire in Next Bog.

A New Concept for Open Houses/Realtors Sponsoring Artists

2008-08-19T19:36:37Z

With the real estate market slow and stagnant in many areas of the country, the Jack White Land Co. has recently been using a new marketing tool to create interest in hopes of boosting sales. Instead of usual open houses, which often don't result in sales, Jack, Kelly and Drew White are hosting art shows. One recent show, featuring the work of Lesley Giles, an English-born painter, brought the artist sales and extra buyer leads for the Whites. This concept, of course, will highlight the lcoal town and local artists, which would be interesting to prospective buyers and new residents. An Onen House usually involves an empty house. How about an empty house with paintings displayed throughout the house and the Artist present?

I am an artist. I find the above idea innovative and exciting.

Portrait of Todd by Karen Nichols (Oil on Canvas)

The Final Out by Karen Nichols (Oil on Canvas)

Man at 50 With Mom by Karen NIchols (Oil on Canvas)

Karen E. Nichols

Fort Myers Beach, Florida

Karenenichols@aol.com

A Poem for a Hurricane

2008-08-18T19:08:47Z

Tonight on Fort Myers Beach, as the pot roast is slowly cooking in the oven and as I look upon my empty yard (The chairs and tables have been put away from Fay's uncertain ways) and as the Weather Channel drones on and on, I remember Hurricane Charlie. A different scenario. Charlie caused us to leave our home. Fay is just promising some much needed rain and perhaps a great find of sea shells tomorrow on the Beach, After Charlie (2004) passed us by, I wrote a poem called in memory of him, called The Unfriendly Tourist. Perhaps Fay will end up being The Friendly Tourist.

The Unfriendly Tourist

Red Carnations thrive in my garden

The sunflowers brushed rudely aside

The bouigainvilleas bush beaten to a pulp

The vileness of an unhappy tourist

Should not be underestimated;

Hemingway punched Wallace Stevens

In the nose down Olde Key West way

Over a brilliant lady singing by the sea

Then went home to kill himself in Idaho,

Stevens returned to Connecticut to die

In a hospital surrounded by priests

Claiming to have won him back in the end,

While Charlie came to his demise in Carolina,

The fate of many of his kind.

My carnations are happy visitors

Reveling in their unexpected feat of survival perhaps,

Adjusting well to the bright hot Florida lime light

And Estero Island night life,

Not so dark drooping Donna

And her even darker grandspawn, Charles;

The coconut does not fall far from the palm tree.

What the Seller should do with the Dog at Showings

2008-08-11T11:50:09Z

Dogs are certainly the pet of choice in my neighborhood on Fort Myers Beach. Every house on my street except three are home to both dogs and people. Some houses have two or three dogs. Dogs can defintely complicate showings. With cats, the confidential showing instruction is usually "don't let the cat out." Dogs are another story. Dogs can be extremely, even dangerously protective of their home and family. Even a small dog that takes kindly to strangers may be distracting during a showing (barking, sniffing, licking, etc.) Many Sellers with dogs will only allow showings when they are present, but if the Seller has a regular day job, then obviously the house will not be shown as often as could be and a propsective buyer may never see the home. Are there other options for Sellers with dogs? Of course.

Drop off the pooch at Doggie Day Care

Arrange with a Neighbor or Friend to take the dog for a couple of hours

Hire a Pet Walker that can be called in a pinch

Take the dog to work with you

The Idea of Order at Key West

2008-08-10T21:58:53Z

I've shared a few of my poems with readers of my blog. I've mentioned before the poet, Wallace Stevens, has been a major inspiration. So, instead of one of my poems, here is one of his. poems.

The Idea of Order at Key West

She sang beyond the genius of the sea.
The water never formed to mind or voice,
Like a body wholly body, fluttering
Its empty sleeves; and yet its mimic motion
Made constant cry, caused constantly a cry,
That was not ours although we understood,
Inhuman, of the veritable ocean.

The sea was not a mask. No more was she.
The song and water were not medleyed sound
Even if what she sang was what she heard.
Since what she sang was uttered word by word.
It may be that in all her phrases stirred
The grinding water and the gasping wind;
But it was she and not the sea we heard.

For she was the maker of the song she sang.
The ever-hooded, tragic-gestured sea
Was merely a place by which she walked to sing.
Whose spirit is this? we said, because we knew
It was the spirit that we sought and knew
That we should ask this often as she sang.

If it was only the dark voice of the sea
That rose, or even colored by many waves;
If it was only the outer voice of sky
And cloud, of the sunken coral water-walled,
However clear, it would have been deep air,
The heaving speech of air, a summer sound
Repeated in a summer without end
And sound alone. But it was more than that,
More even than her voice, and ours, among
The meaningless plungings of water and the wind,
Theatrical distances, bronze shadows heaped
On high horizons, mountainous atmospheres
Of sky and sea.
It was her voice that made
The sky acutest at its vanishing.
She measured to the hour its solitude.
She was the single artificer of the world
In which she sang. And when she sang, the sea,
Whatever self it had, became the self
That was her song, for she was the maker. Then we,
As we beheld her striding there alone,
Knew that there never was a world for her
Except the one she sang and, singing, made.

Ramon Fernandez, tell me, if you know,
Why, when the singing ended and we turned
Toward the town, tell why the glassy lights,
The lights in the fishing boats at anchor there,
As night descended, tilting in the air,
Mastered the night and portioned out the sea,
Fixing emblazoned zones and fiery poles,
Arranging, deepening, enchanting night.

Oh! Blessed rage for order, pale Ramon,
The maker's rage to order words of the sea,
Words of the fragrant portals, dimly-starred,
And of ourselves and of our origins,
In ghostlier demarcations, keener sounds

To Landscape with Mature Trees or Seedlings

2008-08-09T11:00:26Z

A house, of course, looks nice, more inviting with lush landscaping, but part of the pleasure in a new home may also be to plan some of your own gardens and then watch it grow. When we purchased our home on Fort Myers Beach years ago, we had extensive landscaping in front, but not so in the back. My husband's idea was was buy fully grown tees and bushes for our back border. But, I wanted smaller bushes and trees and flowers. My husband said that these would take forever to grow (he didn't quite realize the power of the rainy season), and and I told him that he was right, that it would take awhile for the landscaping to fill out, but watching it grow year after year would be exciting. My husband doesn't write poems often, but he wrote one to me after our "gardening" conversation.

I have so many dreams

for us

One of them is to live on an island

and build this garden

we make with our own hands

and you said to be patient

and let the earth follow its course

and I can smile

as it is in front of my eyes

when we get younger . . . .

Ln to kn May 2, 2006

Renting a House that is Also for Short Sale

2008-08-07T22:00:10Z

I recently rented a house that is on the market as a "short sale." I was amazed at the responses I received. The house could be sold at any time; yet, there were many people who wished to rent it. The houyse is a 3/2 with a pool in the San Carlos area of Fort Myers. I guess that the thinking of some people was that they would have a pretty pool home through the summer months at a good price ($900.00 per month). This is certainly the case, but the thought of moving twice within a relatively short period would certainly not be on my wish list.

The Concept of Key West

2008-08-06T20:04:03Z

This is my tribute to my favorite poet, Wallace Stevens.

The Concept of Key West

She belted out the Greens

To a tropically challenged

Perfectly respectful crowd

At the Casa Marina

The Pefect tourist town,

But whose mistress is this

The waitress was heard to ask

Again and again

While the Gulf of Mexico tossed and turned

Another Cuban tourist trap aground

The Coast Guard alerted then intoxicated

By the sounds.

Elian Gonzalez, tell me if you dare

Why the sunsets of Key West surpass

All other emblazoned zones

Sweet Elian

Enraged to finally learn

The history and demarcations

Of a ninety mile patch of violent sea

Asleep now

Drugged into a sense of order

By the Creator's words and chords

The Hurricane turned and swam

Towards the Carolinas.

Ft, Myers Beach Vacation Cottage/For Those Planning to Head South in Winter

2008-08-04T13:27:21Z

Private Studio Vacation Cottage Available on Fort Myers Beach, Florida. Tropically decorated.
Glimpses of bay and boats from deck. Walk to seven mile white sand beach as well as shops and stores, restaurants, grocery. Washer and Dryer, Cable TV, full kitchen, tropical gardens. Cottage stocked with linens, dishes, pots, pans, books, lounge chairs. Large yard with tropical gardens.

RATES:

2008 December 14-December December 31
$400/Weekly plus cleaning fee

2009 January through April
$425/Weekly plus cleaning fee or $1,500/Monthly

Respond via E-Mail to: KarenENichols@aol.com or call 239-849-3064.

View From the Cottage