Where do I begin...
This is a post that I have been wanting to write for some time. Thanks to Jackson West for listening to me and encouraging me tell my story. :)
4 months ago today, November 16, 2010, my Mother (aka Granny) Dorothy Novack, passed away peacefully at my home.
When my mother was diagnosed with Advanced Small Cell Lung Cancer a few years ago I was shocked.
Yeah, she was a smoker for a long time. However, she had kicked the nasty habit for more then 15 years.
Then she started to sneak a few here and there like a teenager....laughing that she just likes to have one now and then.
No biggie, right?
So the story begins..............
This is a true story I wanted to share about the power from above and all the wonderful angels watching over us all!!! :)
You see I consider myself a "Helper & Fixer" Thus I stage Homes :)
So when Mom finished her 1st round of chemo in CT in 2008 she came to live with me. 
I was thrilled & honored to be her caregiver. Hello? I am a Helper & Fixer...I can do this! :)
I was up to the challenge!
Well, remember we are dealing with Cancer and CANCER SUCKS!
Everything was going well. Mom was getting use to sunny CA and enjoyed watching me (and trying to stay quiet from afar) deal with two teenager daughters!
Then BOO the cancer returned in July 2010.
That's when Mom decided to not fight the battle any longer and contacted Hospice.
Hey! That wasn't something I signed up for! But Hello? Mom didn't sign up for cancer either!
However, it was not MY decision to make and I had to honor her wishes and support her.
4 months after Mom entered the world of Hospice, our Mother/Granny peacefully passed away. :(
6 days after my daughter's birthday and 3 days before mine.
Look who was helping who then!
You see, Mom never wanted to be a burden and I know she was "staging" her death as to not pass on a holiday (Thanksgiving was right around the corner) Birthday, etc.....
Thanks Mother. :)
OK here is where the phrase "Life goes on" comes in.......
The day after Mom died I was scheduled to stage a home for a client that had already staged 7 homes with me this year.
Well, the show, stage, must go on, right?
Some would think I was crazy, in shock, or just plain emotionless.
Nope! Once a helper, always a helper.
Trust me, Staging this property probably helped me more then the Realtor and Investor.
Here's how.....
If you know me, you know I love to stage my properties with red as the accent color.
So instead, to honor my Mother, I staged this property in her favorite color. Blue...with beige of course! ;)
Mom loved everything in blue! So it was the obvious choice!
Might sound odd...but I actually accessorized with some of her items and items that reminded me of her!
You see, her room use to be the storage area for my accessory inventory before she moved in.
She use to joke to please at least leave her bed in the room! "Take everything else just leave the bed!"
Here's a few pictures of the property.
Sorry I can't show you other rooms....but that's a crazy story for another day!
OK, why do we always say to make a long story short after it's too late? :)
5 days after this property was staged I went in to take some final pictures.
In walks in a Realtor and her husband.
Oh no! The property isn't ready!!
I apologized for some plantation shutters that were still waiting to be hung and also that the missing chandelier would be hung soon.
The Realtor said " I don't think so."
Huh? "Excuse me?" I said with a puzzled look on my face.
"I am meeting a client here now to write up an offer!" She said with a smile.
OMG! Really?! Get the F$&^ out! <------OK, relax! This is just what I was thinking! ;)
"Congratulations!" I said. Woooo HOOO!!
We chit chatted a bit, exchanged cards, talked about the power of staging, mentioned befriending each other on Facebook and said good bye!
Wow that was sooooo cool!
So, I climb into my car a happy staging camper and immediatley pulled out my smart phone to search for her on FaceBook.
Duh, this is when it took a second to put 2 and 2 together. :/
I enter her name...Dorothy Oliver.
Yikes! Her name came up right under my Mother's name.....Dorothy Novack!!!
And then I realize that I have never met a Realtor named Dorothy!
Another look at her card.......all the letters are printed in BLUE! Wow! Mom's favorite color!!
OK, yeah I know, I'm a little superstitious, but come on!!! This is crazy! Right?
While shaking I called my husband and explained what just happened and we both lost it! Bittersweet tears.
You see, my mother, was my biggest home staging fan and supporter. She always talked about how I was going to get busier and busier and to watch what I wish for!
She knew I loved staying busy and helping all and I think she worried more about me then herself. Mothers! :) Gotta love em!
So long, long, long story short!! <-----Trust me I mean it this time! :)
As of today, since my Mother passed away 4 months ago, I have home staged........drum roll please....
13 Vacant Homes! :) How cool is that? Last year I staged a total of 15 Vacant Homes and I thought that was great!!
All properties entering escrow within two months...most within the first month!
I am truly blessed and attribute my Staging Mania Success to my beautiful Angel, Dorothy Olga Novack.
I use to joke to her that she would one day be busy in Heaven knitting "Angel Wing Covers" instead of granny socks to stay busy!!
Looks like she is keeping busy in other ways!
Thank you Mother! We love you from the bottom of our hearts and miss you dearly........................
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