In the ninety degree heat we had staked out a shady spot with a good vantage point.
As the wind provided a temperature break, we watched our grandson make a spectacular run.
As he ran something tripped him up. He fell hard and rolled. Somewhere in the process he hit his head. It was a substantial whack!
So much for low contact sports.
The time he was down seemed like an eternity. Eventually his Dad went to the sideline, got a bottle of … (2 comments)
cypress: The Lurking Roach of Tomball!
- 06/21/11 05:29 PM
About a week ago while watering the plants in my kitchen window, a large roach hopped off the saucer under a violet and disappeared behind the garlic container on the counter.
One of my core values is having a clean home with NO roaches... So after the mandatory scream, I moved the garlic container to look for him. No sign of the dastardly critter. I called Ralph for assistance because as I indicated above, I do NOT do roaches. Ralph dutifully moved everything in the vicinity. No roach was found. This meant that that bug was lurking somewhere...
These 10x10 and up units represent a prime use of Real Estate where they used to be somewhat rare. They come in climate controlled, gated, and two story units.
There are lots of uses for them too. From time to time one will have a time when there is more stuff than space in their lives. They are handy for storing stuff for house staging, interim moves, and even for the college child who is only going to be home for … (3 comments)
Use a rectangular casserole pan Serves about 12 people generously
Ingredients: 2 large yellow squash 3 large zucchini 1 medium eggplant One and a half cups crumbled feta cheese 1 cup Parmesan cheese 1 and a half cups marinara. 2 tablespoons of Jeanne's cajun spice (patterned after Emeril's Bayou Blast)
Cut the squash lengthwise very thinly. (preferably on a mandolin) The squash should look like lasagna noodles.... The egglant should be peeled and sliced in pretty little circles as thin as you can get them. Place a … (5 comments)
cypress: Major Publications Saying That Now Is The Time To Buy A Home
- 06/18/11 05:08 AM
Hey folks, here's what the media and national publications have to say about homebuying. Yes the economy is a little tenuous but there has never been a better time to wade into the market. Read, learn and call.
We all know the economy and the real estate market have been experiencing a tough time over the past several years. But some light is beginning to appear at the end of what some have thought of as a dark tunnel. In recent weeks major publications including The Wall Street Journal, CBSMoneyWatch.com, Forbes, and NPR.org have published articles that talk about … (1 comments)
cypress: Understanding Credit Scoring & Credit Repair
- 06/18/11 04:52 AM
Unfortunately there are some among us who have experienced the little (or maybe big) bumps and glitches of life that impact credit. Information here just might be helpful in your quest to get things straightened out and get your life back on track.
Credit remediation is a subject consumers often face with fear and trepidation, and for good reason. With the exception of recognizing that the best score wins, the average home shopper knows very little about the whole credit scoring process. Sub-prime borrowers who are eager to move into A-Paper territory often find themselves at a loss … (0 comments)
I am more and more aware that we have little or no control over how we are treated in the cell phone realm. We have become slaves to those electronic leashes. In most cases we are dependent upon these things being reliable.
Today we spent several hours sitting in one phone place or another (ATT store and service center.) The repair center was our final destination, and it is not on our way to anything. This is the fourth time in six weeks … (4 comments)
cypress: A Father's Tribute
- 06/16/11 04:04 PM
Since fathers day is coming up quickly I thought you might want to give dad some thought. Or perhaps a phone call or card might be in order just to let him know you're thinking of him. After all he's part of the reason you're here and why you are who you are.
What is a Father's Tribute? "It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was." - Anne Sexton What do you remember about your father? Was he someone who was always there or was he never there? Did he spend time teaching … (0 comments)
cypress: Evictions are NO Fun and not for the faint of heart.
- 06/15/11 04:15 PM
One of the most heart rending experiences we have ever been through involved making some folks leave their home. We worked for many banks and savings and loan establishments at the time, doing BPOs and REOs for distressed properties.
It was just a matter of time before we got a request to drive out into the country and visit with some people who were very delinquent with their payments. We were told to offer them a coupe of thousand dollars in exchange for their moving their stuff off the property.
We went out, no one was home. We left … (2 comments)
cypress: Today is Flag Day!
- 06/14/11 03:22 PM
Flag day rolls around every year at this time. It appears to be being observed less and less. Sort of like the National Day of Prayer was basically ignored a few days ago. Does anyone see a pattern here? I did not hear anything to remind us about the day. Wonder why?
As we were out driving around two counties today, I was making a special effort to see how many flags were being displayed. They were out at all the usual places, banks, municipal buildings and cemeteries. It seems that we once saw many more homeowners displaying the flag … (1 comments)
cypress: KALE!
- 06/13/11 05:05 PM
Do you know about Kale? In spite of the fact that I was raised in the restaurant business, up until a few weeks ago, Kale was a plate decoration similar to parsley.
Then my ever researching Hubby printed an article on this dark green curly vegetable. The health benefits were impressive. We looked for it on our next grocery run. It is cheap! Under a dollar buys a clump large enough for six generous portions.
Cooking it is not unlike other greens. It just takes a little more time. To follow will be the recipe we have been enjoying … (5 comments)
cypress: Quick and Easy FRESH Tuna
- 06/13/11 04:58 PM
In the heated days of summer which came so quickly and became so intense this year, it is never fun to heat up ones kitchen for the evening meal.
We have been on an exhaustive search for healthy food since my illness of a few years ago. Nothing like a little pain and misery to tempt one to make some changes.
One of the frequently prepared meals around the Janisch house is a seared Tuna with Mustard Sauce.
Tuna can be found relatively inexpensively at Cosco and HEB. Huge slabs are not necessary as the meat is so … (1 comments)
cypress: Just Plain Special!
- 06/13/11 04:54 PM
Have you had a special experience with a business? It seems that the majority of the time things are not done with the quality, caring or service of a day gone by. Then all of a sudden, we had a stellar experience.
We had the occasion to become involved with a year old vehicle that one of our sons had purchased for his girlfriend. He had a “Pioneer” sound system put into the car with a GPS system after market.
After driving around in the car for several weeks attempting to figure out how the entire system worked … (1 comments)
cypress: Chloramine!
- 06/12/11 03:56 AM
A few months back Houston and some of its outlying areas started using Chloramine in the water system instead of Chlorine. There were notices up all over the place that if you had this illness or that malady then you should not drink the stuff. You shouldn't put it in aquariums because it would not play well with your fish. Hmmmmm...... doesn't speak well of this junk does it? Now I'm noticing that any plants that I water with it out in the yard are turning yellow and looking a bit puny.... Seems to me that this just might be … (7 comments)
cypress: My Home Inspector Said Aluminum Wiring Will Catch My House On Fire!
- 06/12/11 03:39 AM
Some good information on Aluminum wiring that we find in some homes around Houston. If you have Aluminum wiring you should certainly let a qualified electrician check it out. As long as you keep your awareness up and do the proper maintenance you shouldn't have much trouble.
My Home Inspector Said Aluminum Wiring Will Catch My House On Fire!
Single-strand aluminum wiring was installed in many homes built in the mid 1960's to early 1970's. After a decade of use, inherent weaknesses were discovered with the wiring. Neglected aluminum wiring connections become increasingly dangerous over time and may … (1 comments)
cypress: Priorities!!
- 06/11/11 02:19 PM
A favorite older person once told me that God did not give me extra hours in my days even when I committed to do more than time would allow.
It was a concept that I fought for years but have finally come to accept.
I think fondly of my friend and her wisdom on days like today. When even getting up earlier than is comfortable will not allow me to get everything done that has been scheduled.
We started out with a walk through report on a partially finished home that is under construction. Then we will … (2 comments)
cypress: Debunking the Myth: You Will Not Save Money By Not Using a Buyers Agent
- 06/11/11 02:01 PM
Lot's of misconception out there in the airwaves today about how real estate works. This is a really good piece to help you understand the concepts of how real estate commissions work and where you can and can't save money. So there's plenty of good reason to use a buyers agent and very little downside.
Debunking the Myth: You Will Not Save Money By Not Using a Buyers Agent Over the past couple of weeks, I have seen several blog posts and news reports about home buyers, who seem to think they will save money by not using a … (1 comments)
cypress: Sentimental Value is NO Value
- 06/11/11 01:51 PM
Many of our clients can't seem to get this inside their head so that they can understand it. Sentimental value does not influence market value at all. When you get ready to sell you simply must look at your property as potential buyers will look at it. And...... trust me; they won't be sentimental.
Sentimental Value is NO Value
Your home may have a lot of sentimental value to you. It may be compounded by it's location, close to where you grew up, or maybe because you raised your kids in the home...Kelly took her first steps … (0 comments)
cypress: Tarboosh!! A new Mediterranean Restaurant in Northwest Houston!!
- 06/11/11 06:42 AM
We had a learning experience of the delicious variety last night. On Jones Road not too far from FM 1960 in the Cypress area of Northwest Houston is a new Mediterranean restaurant named “Tarboosh.” It's actually located in a vacated Captain "D's" space. If you do not know what Tarboosh means, it is relating to a piece of headgear worn a lot in that part of the world. Most Americans probably would call it a "Fez"..... those little cone looking hats that Shriners wear. It has nothing to do with the food. I really do not think there is a word that … (2 comments)
Author Bio: Ralph and Jeanne are long time Real Estate BROKERS dedicated to helping good folks buy homes and land in Durango Colorado and the Surrounding area.
;)
;)
;)
