The Frog Prince - 12/30/08 10:03 AM
 
Once upon a time in a kingdom far away, there lived a Fairy Princess.  She worked hard and forgot how to play, but she never forgot how to dream.  No-one knew she was really a princess in disguise.  She dreamed of living in a cottage by the sea, working hard but playing often.  In her dreams she shared her fortunes and fun with a handsome Prince Charming who never forgot that she was his princess.
Prince Charmings were very rare in her kingdom and almost impossible to find while working very hard.  But every now and then she met a … (4 comments)

Keep the MAIN THING, THE MAIN THING. - 12/30/08 08:51 AM
I love Christmas.  I love pulling out all the decorations and dusting off the creche.  Where's baby Jesus?  Oh, there he is wrapped in tissue paper to keep him safe.  Check all the lights and throw away the strings that don't work.  Don't put them back in the box to check again next year.  Go ahead and start a list because you can replace them for almost nothing the day after Christmas.  I love the gaudy Santa's.  I turn the one that's broken around so nobody ever knows the hole is there.  I wouldn't think of throwing it out.  Meredith made it for me … (0 comments)

Happy Birthday Mama! - 12/26/08 06:08 PM
Today is her birthday.  Mary Jean Mason Ralph.  Born December 26, 1939.  She would be 79 years old today, but she died when she was only 48 years old. I was 27. 
My mother was not a saint but we, her ten children, thought she was.  She really could not walk on water or heal boo boos with a kiss or know what we were thinking, but we were sure she could.  She was a tennessee hillbilly, orphaned herself at age eleven and married way too young (13).  Of course, that was not as scandalous then as it seems now.
… (8 comments)

My LINK to relaxation! - 12/22/08 10:22 AM
I love golf.  This year I decided I would really work on my game, playing more often and actually taking an occasional lesson.  When my friend Dell asked me to play with the CRYSTAL COAST GOLF ASSOCIATION I was delighted.  She explained that they play 6 different courses, the fee is very reasonable and it is challenging to play on other links.  140 women play so you have the opportunity of gtting to know golfers from around the area.  What fun! 
In September we traveled to River Bend.  I started off with a 10 on a par 3 hole but improved … (7 comments)

Lighten up! Have Some Fun! - 12/19/08 02:17 PM
Meet Moby and Henry.  Moby is my new company fish and Henry is my monkey. 
I don't know about you but we struggle around here lately with lots of negative comments and bad news.  I need new things to brighten up my day.  One day I was out running errands and I spent a few minutes at the bank sitting across the desk from one of my good banker friends.  She had a fish sitting on her desk and I found it brightened up my day to see the bright colorful fish swimming around.  I asked her a few questions about … (4 comments)

When Pigs Fly! - 12/19/08 07:46 AM
This year I decided to forego bonuses, production awards and gifts in my office.  (I'm the owner, BIC.)  It's been a really hard year for all of us and funds and production are way down.  But I wanted to do something for my wonderful team of agents.  So...I bought little piggy banks at our local dollar store, pink for the women and blue for the men.  I printed angel wings I found on google and laminated them so they would be sturdy then I hot glued them to the pigs.
I wrote a poem and wrapped each pig with lots of … (13 comments)

Cedar Island, North Carolina - 12/18/08 08:37 AM
 
 About 1 hour drive from the island of Bogue Banks where I live, is a tiny little community called Cedar Island, North Carolina.  That's where we go to catch the ferry for the 2hour 15 minute ride over to Ocracoke, another wonderful little North Carolina island. (But that's another blog.)  Cedar Island is a nosebleed height of 3 feet above sea level.
Cedar Island is about as far east as you can go without a boat and continues to be small and quaint.  Just before you get to the ferry stop there are stables where you can rent a horse … (1 comments)

Come Home to the Beach! - 12/17/08 09:56 AM
I live in Paradise! 
If you're looking for a community that has it all, check out Beacon's Reach.  We are a neighborhood of about 460 units consisting of single family homes, condos and a few vacant lots still waiting for the perfect house to be built.  I live in Westport Woods, which is one street that ends in a cul-de-sac and has five houses and 1 vacant lot.  We are just about half a block from one of the three pools on our side of the street, the marina, a playground for the children, the ocean and the sound.  A little … (3 comments)

Practice Outrageous Giving! - 12/17/08 08:40 AM
I want to challenge each of you to find 1/2 day between now and New Year's and volunteer at a local charity.  You may serve food at the soup kitchen, read to the children at the battered women's shelter, ring the bell for Salvation Army, or serve after school snacks at the Boys and Girls club.  Hurry.  Right now, make the call.  Call your local charity, the one that tugs most at your own heart.  Tell them you want to help and you'll do whatever they need most.  Then just do it.  Maybe it will feel right enough that you'll want … (3 comments)

No News That's Fit to Print - 12/16/08 11:55 AM
 
I've been working on my Christmas letter for days and I just can't make it work.  I really don't want to tell everybody where we've gone this year and what cute things the grandchildren have done.  I'm not sure anybody really wants to hear about the myriad of health issues that we've each experienced this year and I for one am sick of answering "How's the real estate market these days?"  Don't these people watch TV or read papers?
Should I write about the renovation from Hell (another blog) or perhaps my family and friends would like to know that … (3 comments)

Do This Or DIE!? - 12/13/08 06:42 AM


OK, stop! 
Please don't send me anymore emails that say, do this in the next ___minutes or terrible things will happen to you.  If I could figure out how to eliminate those without reading them I would, but they're coming from good friends and family members as well as strangers.  Many of the ones I get are from a dear sweet little old lady from church.  They start out innocuous enough and I don't know until I've already wasted my time what they are.  If you really think about it, these emails are threatening.  Please everybody, think about … (17 comments)

Dancing With my Frog Prince REALTOR - 12/13/08 06:27 AM
Last night was the annual installation and awards banquet for our local Association of REALTORS. It was a wonderful night for me because my best friend, Paula Stadiem, was awarded the REALTOR of the Year award.  Nobody has ever deserved it more and I was so proud of her. 
My husband, Ted, does not enjoy REALTOR functions.  He's pretty much retired and thinks he's had enough of those things.  But when he heard that Paula would be getting the award, he said he wouldn't miss it.  Our daughter, Amy, was with us since she's also an award winning REALTOR and … (9 comments)

'Tis the Season for Messy Offices!@##$!@#$)&& - 12/12/08 03:15 PM
 This morning when I arrived at my office, this is what greeted me.  Who the (bleep) made this mess?!  Oh, that would be me.  All week I've been bringing in gifts and wrapping and shipping supplies to get my holiday gifting done and things just keep getting in the way.  Till now, I'm not sure we could find the phone if it were to ring.  Wait, I think I see it right there between the two boxes and under the bubble wrap.
This was definitely not a cheerful way to start my day.  I don't really enjoy this part.  And Paula … (2 comments)

Trimming the Fat or Designation Overload? - 12/12/08 01:10 PM
I've been a REALTOR for twelve years.  I believe in education so I've accumulated many designations over the years.  My walls are covered with plaques and every month I get so many magazines there's no way I can read them all.  In acquiring those designations I learned much.  I know that the skills I've learned have made me a better REALTOR and increased my income over the years.
Now after three years of a very sluggish market around here, I find myself looking at every expense and determining where I can "trim the fat."  All designations are due for renewal at … (55 comments)

Are you Ready!? - 12/11/08 03:58 PM
Yesterday was an incredibly proud day for me.  As I finished my year as President of the Crystal Coast Chapter of Women's Council of REALTORS I was able to pass the gavel to a young, up and coming REALTOR, Amy Hahn, who happens to be my daughter. 
It was a bittersweet time for me because I have loved being President of our chapter.  The Past Presidents have all been such mentors and inspiration for me and the travel and training I have recieved has been excellent, but it was so good to see the wonderful new team taking over as … (5 comments)

Call your Boss! - 12/11/08 07:29 AM
Did you know that the number one complaint from consumers regarding Real Estate professionals is that we don't communicate enough?  What can we do about that?
Well, for one thing, don't do what I did this week.  The owner of one of my listings called two days ago.  I received the message to call him.  "No rush", he said.  He's one of those dream clients.  Always pleasant and appreciative of my efforts.  But, he's my boss!  When we filled out the listing papers I thanked him for "hiring" me.  It's two days later and I have not returned his call.  Why?  … (10 comments)

Genesis Condo - 12/02/08 01:13 PM
 
… (1 comments)

Commercial Space for Sale - 12/02/08 12:56 PM
320 Salter Path Rd.,  Pine Knoll Shores
$600,000 
Condominium Office space available. Great location next door to the Pine Knoll Shores Public Safety Building and in the same building with Pine Knoll Shores Realty and the public library. Space can be redesigned.  Zoned for office space.  Great neighbors and great working environment.  Buy all or part. Entire top floor is available.  Lease is also an option.
For more information about this or other properties, call MARIAN at 252-727-5000 or visit our web-site at www.pineknollshoresrealty.com.
 

… (1 comments)

Golf Anyone? - 12/02/08 12:33 PM
I live on a little island on the Southern Outerbanks of North Carolina called Bogue Banks.  High rise bridges connect us on each end to the mainland.  My firm and my home are right in the middle of the island in Pine Knoll Shores.  We have no mall, no convention center, no huge food emporium and no airport.  We have things much more valuable.
We have beaches as pristine as any you'll find anywhere.  We have schools of dolphin brave enough to come just feet from the beach.  We have a wonderful aquarium (but that's another blog).  We have maritime forests protected by covenant.  We … (2 comments)

Puppy Love - 12/02/08 07:12 AM
I wrote last week asking for advice regarding my dog Casey.  You may remember Casey had just been diagnosed with heart failure and pancreatitis.  He is getting old (13) but he's a little Jack Russell Terrier who will always be a puppy to me.   His doctor put him on medication and he seemed to be rebounding quite well.  However, doctor also us his time is short.  So...my delimna was - could I leave him in the kennel at my vets while my husband and I went on our planned Thanksgiving visit to Texas to be with one of our daughters and her family?
… (4 comments)

How it feels to be featured! - 12/01/08 10:01 PM
Wow!  When I got the call and then found myself as a featured blogger I was so excited I wanted to call everybody but I contained myself and simply sent out a nice humble email. (Ok, maybe not so humble.)  In any case, for the wonderful person who called and the wonderful genX daughter who talked me through salvaging my pictures, THANK YOU!  Now I can't go to sleep for thinking of all the possible blogs that I should write.
I wish I was more proficient with technology and I wish I knew how to better use the wonderful tools available … (1 comments)

How much is a tree worth? - 12/01/08 08:03 PM
How much is a tree worth?  I guess the answer is like the answer to: "how much is any property worth?"  It's worth what a willing and able buyer will pay.  I pose this question because of a comment my step-daughter made this week-end.  I was saying how much I love the tree in their back yard.  It is a huge old oak with branches sprawling all over the yard.  My two grandsons have swings and windchimes here and there and the deck is built to avoid any harm to the old tree.  A tree specialist has told them the tree … (27 comments)