NBC Sports has just announced that Ken Griffey Jr. is staying for one more year with the Mariners.  This really makes me happy.  I is what got me started following the Mariners.  Can't you still see his smiling face on the front page of the local papers as many of the team members piled on top of him!

What a good role model for young baseball fans!

And I want to say a very big thank you to his family for sharing him with us.

For your real estate needs in Seattle/Eastside and Kent www.LuvSeattle.com

I love to travel and get emails weekly notifying me what discounted airfares, hotels, cruises and entertainment are available. TravelZoo just sent me their this week's "top 20" travel deals. Here are some:

$45-$105 -- Virgin Cuts Fares on All Routes; Fly into March http://www.travelzoo.com/top20/78637188-687463/ Source: Virgin America

$697 -- Hong Kong from Seattle (Roundtrip), incl. Taxes http://www.travelzoo.com/top20/78637188-688978/ Source: Fly.com

$1299 -- Israel 8-Night Escorted Package w/Air http://www.travelzoo.com/top20/78637188-687784/ Source: Gate 1 Travel

For thos of us that love to go to Whistler:

+ Top Ski Destination in Peak Winter Season -

Beyond the Slopes: 2010 Olympics, Bungee Jumps & Apres-Ski

+ Four Seasons Whistler; 3rd Night FREE ... $255

+ Snowmobile and Dinner Package (Reg. $210) ... $169

+ Fly to Vancouver ... $100 & up and more...

Visit http://www.travelzoo.com/destinations/whistler

I do have an interesting story. There once was a company called "Moment's Notice" that would book charter flights for all inclusive trips all over the world at very low cost. Through them my Mother and Dad took a trip to Egypt and cruised up the Nile and another time cruised to Alaska (their all-time favorite cruise).

The most adventuresome trip was when they went to Germany. The plane was supposed to land in Frankfort but because the company had not paid their landing fees the plane landed in Berlin, East Germany. This was in 1972 when being in Berlin could be a scary time. The passenger’s passports were collected and there was a count of the people. And then there was another count and another. It turned out that Mom and Dad and a dual passport and both of their pictures was on one passport. After it got straightened out the passengers were bused to Frankfort. The wheels were actually taken off the plane so there was no getting back through Moment’s Notice.

Mom and Dad did have a great time visiting relatives they had never seen and site-seeing a beautiful country. But they did spend a fare amount of time figuring out how to get back. They ended up telegramming my Dad’s work to get money sent to them from their credit union account. Pan America did fly many people back for free but my folk’s didn’t know about that.

The lady that owned the Moment's Notice company actually went to jail.

I do not want to dissuade you from traveling--it is one of my very favorite things to do!

For your real estate needs in Seattle/Eastside and Kent www.LuvSeattle.com

I was over to help babysit one of my grandsons yesterday while the other was being taken to the doctor by his Dad.

I noticed his voter's ballot on the window sill and asked if it was ready to go. He said "no he hadn't really studied the issues or the people." I have been busy telephoning for both the King County Executive and Mayoral campaigns, and found this disapointing. I will talk to him today--not to persuade but to encourage him to become part of the process.

We in this State have had first hand experience of how important each vote can be. I often think of countries that are dealing with voter fraud and the people that they cannot get elected because of it. Maybe another thing that drives me harder in this is that it took so long for women to get the vote.

On the Washington Women’s History Consortium’s website it says In 1867 the Washington Territorial Legislature passed a law giving the right to vote 'to all white citizens above the age of 21." This law became the rallying point for early women's suffrage advocates who cited the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in conjunction with the law which defined "citizen" as being "all persons born or naturalized in the United States."

This election will be determined by you. You must return your ballot before 8pm to any King County Elections Drop Box across King County or, with postage, mail by the last drop at the Post Office.

You can get a copy of your voter's guide.

Please ask your family members, friends and neighbors to return their ballot. And forward this message to remind others to vote!

P.S.  My son-in-law took his ballot to work with him.

For help with your Seattle/Everett/Bellevue/Kent real estate needs: LuvSeattle.com

I just heard it on the radio.  The info. from The Boeing Company:   Get info here

This could mean many things to the Seattle area.  Real Estate may become even more affordable--and houses may be even more difficult to sell.  I worked for The Boeing Company for 23 years and many things are just swirling through my mind.

I have been to Charleston, South Carolina and it is a wonderful place.

For help with your Seattle/Everett/Bellevue/Kent real estate needs:  LuvSeattle.com

Marketing is high on most business owners mind and the following is a very interesting way to do so.

There is a raffle going on to support Community Action Marin. For over 40 years it has served the neediest in the community by “providing a broad range of support services including early childhood education, mental health, employment and job training, food programs, housing assistance, HIV and AIDS services and much more.”

To continue support of their mission, they have partnered with Wells Fargo Bank, The Marin Independent Journal, and Comcast to raffle off a “Dream Home” among other prizes. Their marketing piece says  “you not only stand to win life changing prizes, but you also give life changing opportunities to individuals, families and children in need.”

The 3,000 sq. ft. home is on ¼ acre and has a view of San Francisco Bay from all of the rooms. It is surrounded by open space, shoreline and parkland. It has 3 bedrooms, 3 baths and a private elevator.

The second early bird drawing will be on this Friday, October 30th and another will be on January 8th. There are also “multi-ticket” bonus drawings that has a 2010 Toyota Prius or $25,000 cash for 1st prize.

The price of each ticket is $150. You can enter by mail, fax or telephone. Check out the link and see if you would like to forgo your regular lotto purchases for a while and enter this Dream House Raffle—it is for a good cause.

For your real estate needs in Seattle/Eastside and Kent www.LuvSeattle.com

I just read Bob Stewart's post "Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf - Do the right thing (Or Do Something....and QUICK)."   It was about an employee of Wells Fargo really screwing up and that Bob was advising the CEO to do something soon so that Wells Fargo could keep it's credibility.

As of this writing Bob has received 146 comments.  Well, I have an even bigger story.  I have been reading Culture of Corruption, by Michelle Malkin and it discusses the "tax cheats, crooks and cronies" that are in very high ranking positions of our government.

I will tell you that she is a conservative columnist and she was quite active right here writing in Seattle.  Some of her biography from her website says "Michelle Malkin began her career in newspaper journalism with the Los Angeles Daily News, where she worked as an editorial writer and weekly columnist from 1992-94. In 1995, Michelle Malkin was named Warren Brookes Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C. In 1996, Michelle Malkin joined the editorial board of the Seattle Times, where Michelle Malkin penned editorials and weekly columns for three and a half years. Today, Michelle Malkin's syndicated column appears in over 100 papers nationwide. Michelle Malkin's work has been cited in The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, Reader's Digest and U.S. News and World Report. Michelle Malkin's freelance work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Weekly Standard and Reason magazine. Michelle Malkin has appeared on "The O'Reilly Factor," "Hannity and Colmes," "The McLaughlin Group" and "20/20," and is currently a Fox News commentator."

But before you delete this--take the time to do a little reading and see where the entanglements are.  This is important to all of us.  Some of the book is too heated for me but the threads that weave back and forth that lead to big money and promotions of people that really have done wrong is quite scary.

I am just tired of corruption--where ever it is.  There seem to be several foxes guarding hen houses.  And this too, Mr. Stewart, should have some examination and quickly.

My home scanner was giving me fits and I wanted to send my clients forms from the MLS that I had pre-printed and filled out.  He told me about Cute PDF Writer and walked me through it.  It is FREE and works well. 

I saved my completed mls forms on my computer.  Then I downloaded the writer.  You then go to your printer and make Cute PDF Writer you default printer.  You then go to the pages you have saved and click print and it will open up Cute PDF Writer and you can save it as a PDF.  It will then be an attachment that you can email to your clients.

The copies are so much cleaner than faxes.

For your real estate needs in Seattle/Eastside and Kent www.LuvSeattle.com

I have a client from out-of-state that is coming here for a home inspection.   The property they are buying is 1 1/2 acres with many trees.  They wanted to have an arborist check on the health of the trees.  This is the first time this has come up for me and I didn't know where to look for one.  I asked some people in the office and they didn't know either.

I had very good luck with a resource because I had taken my youngest grandson to a playfield in Fremont and there were two ladies working in the park gardens.  I mentioned my clients need for an arborist and one of them said to go to "ISA" on the internet and find a ISA certified consultant for the properties.  ISA "The International Society of Arboriculture is a worldwide professional organization dedicated to fostering a greater appreciation for trees and to promoting research, technology, and the professional practice of arboriculture."

ISA has an excellent website.  Their link to "Consumer Education" goes to a site called "Trees Are Good" at http://www.treesaregood.org/  This site has a button "find a tree care service" where you can find a tree care service or check to see if someone has an ISA Certification.  There are also buttons called "Frequently Asked Questions" and "Fun Facts."

You may have wondered why a picture of a buck.  Well, the property is in Issaquah and wild life is often in the area.

For your real estate needs in Seattle/Eastside and Kent www.LuvSeattle.com

It has been at least four years since I have had an eye exam and well over due for new glasses.  A very good thing is that I can see a little better farther away--the doctor says "that sometimes comes with age."

The first thing I told the Optician was that I wanted "to look like Sarah Palin" (no matter what your political leanings are, you have to admit she looks pretty good in those glasses of hers).  Well, I tried her glasses on and there was just no big transformation.  

Next I told him that red is my best color (not thinking the red glasses would be an option).  I did ask what glasses a REALTOR should wear to help them sell more houses.  He pointed out some with quite bold frames that made me look very serious--and many others going for that "professional" look.  I tried on some frames that wrapped around my face that he said were for "skaters and bikers."  I just looked like a big bug!

We then went into green frames--my second favorite color and I was all set to purchase this pair that fit my face quite well...until he showed me the tomato red ones!   Naturally they cost quite a bit more than the other ones but they made me feel spunky and full of fun (which is how I am on the inside).

I also needed a pair of sunglasses--yup, they are red!

The Optician said that people will always remember that I am the REALTOR with the red glasses!  I must say that he did a great job--I liked his help and I would recommend him.  In fact, he is Warren Ruby at Broadway Vision Source and I liked Dr. Riley F. Nakatsu (he conducted the exam).  I went to him last week because I was seeing flashes of light and floaters.  He was able to get me right in the day I called for a medical exam--and was very thorough.  It looks like it is another "age thing" and I have spoken with several friends that have had the same thing--which seems to be insignificant this time.  But, these can be symptoms of something very serious so do get checked if you have the same symptoms.

It will take six to ten days to get the glasses and I will need to get new pictures--maybe I will just get pictures of the glasses--it would be a lot cheaper!

LuvSeattle.com for your Seattle/Bellevue real estate needs.

Well, obviously, I didn't win the Mega in August but tonight's drawing would suffice.  $145 million would go far enough for most people.  I would be quite happy if that winner needed help with this REALTOR!

The Mega MillIons Drawing tomorrow will be worth $325 million.  I just wanted to encourage you to buy a ticket and if you are lucky enough to be a winner I will gladly help you find the "home of your dreams."   While I was buying some tickets today there was a woman waiting in front of me and I asked her if she knew of anyone that needed a REALTOR and that I was one.  She said "no, but I will take one of your cards."  She said she has six kids and if she wins she will be buying several houses.

It would be a REALTOR's dream to help a big lotto winner!  So as my coach always says "I'M HERE FOR YOU!"

It is fun to just dream sometimes. 

Our broker said that if he won he would give all of his agents $20,000.  His name is Ken Bell of Realty Executives BRIO in Bellevue, Washington.

WWW.LuvSeattle.com