Let me introduce my client and a good man - Bob Leard.

We know each other for good 4 years. He walked into our office and immediately filled it with his personality. He asked how much money he could make if he buys a few units int he condo-hotel and rents them out. I told him "Nothing, none, zero, zilch". He left and I forgot about the whole thing, and then 3 weeks later he called me and asked me whether I still remembered him. Well, forgetting Bob Leard was out of the question, so yes, I remembered him very well.

He told me that he wanted me to help him find an apartment building. Why me? He was out there for 3 weeks talking to agents, so why he came back to me?

In Bob's philosophy it was simple. He said that I was the only one who said "no". He met a few agents, but he did not trust this "everything will work" thing, so he figured that he had a better chance to hear the truth from someone who said "no".

It was few years ago, and somehow our  relationship developed. We are very different in our life experiences, and it is never boring. I enjoy listening to him and I learn a lot.

Linguistically he is on a more equal footing with my wife. She understands only half of what he is saying. Bob graciously listens to her and, I think, understands only half of what she is saying. Makes it fun.

We do not get together as often as we would love to. He lives in Palm Coast, and we are 45 miles south, but we sure enjoy it when we do.

He and his lovely wife Caroline are great cooks, and we, in turn, are exposing them to some Russian food. Here he is with the fruit basket that they brought. That edible beauty was a hit on our table. It looks good, and it tastes great.

Our early Sunday dinner was nothing out of the ordinary, A good time with good friends with food, wine and this edible basket, Simple things in life is what we enjoy the most.