Real quick like -- I have ONE tip for busy parents..

Often I wake up thinking about inspections or listing presentations.. and -God forbid- DINNER..

..I do NOT wake up planning the making of

"My Girls:  The Documentary" 

But...

It can be done.. It's not as hard as we make it in our minds. 

After you read this grab your phone or your video camera and make a 30 second or 1 minute video of your kids.

What are they doing?

Nothing?

Well-then discreetly tape them for 30 seconds doing their sweet version of "nothing."

Take close ups of their hands, their feet, the tops of their heads..

Matt and I watched a video from only 4 years ago -- and we were sucked in like it was the moon landing.

Tiny moments are the best.  Birthday parties are often snoozers..  Grab some tiny moments of genuine "nothing."  You'll be so interested in every little detail down the road.

 





 



Well -- it finally happened!

A buyer called the other day concerned that the house I helped them buy was ... HAUNTED.



Actually, they wanted to know if the seller had ever mentioned being "frightened" in the house.  Had TVs ever turned on by themselves or doors locked themselves?

My first thought was "What???" and "This is not covered in the purchase agreement" and "Please don't make me ask the seller this!"  I mean if the house is haunted there is no clause that would allow you to get your money back. 

In fact, a seller does not have to disclose that they believe their house IS haunted.. beyond that they don't have to disclose a death in the house or any other psychological issue that may be attached to the property.

In my spookiest of voices I am telling you -- this area is truely "BUYER BEWARE..."

I have had clients ask if someone ever died in the house they're considering.  I usually have no idea..but I'll ask.  If the question is asked the seller should fess up, don't you think?

As for my buyer (nice people -- I hope this doesn't turn them off of their new place)  I suggested that maybe it was interference in their speakers -- possibly a quirky knob that will occassionally lock itself.  'Has to be something like that because I do NOT believe in ghost.

Actual picture of Proton Pack in my listing!
 

(Funny side note.. I sold a house this summer with a Proton Pack in pristine condition hanging in the garage.  Remember that?  From Ghostbusters?  ...What a year this has been!)

Influence.... wedding.. fortune cookies... arguements... kids...

Somewhere in these words I have a blog... a thought thread that is only slightly tangled.. maybe I need to read more -- so my words don't get locked up the way they are.  Turns out too much tv really CAN rot your brain.

We weren't thinking about influencing the world around us, raising kids, domestic diplomacy (?),  building anything more than what we were going to need to get started.

13 years later we were at odds with one another about something -- and the kids knew it too.  I don't even remember what about now.  We all went to bed without reaching common ground or putting an end to it.  (I think it's ok to go to bed angry.. I know I'm wrong.. but a good night's rest often provides clarity.  :)

The next morning I'm up in the kitchen. There's a fortune cookie on the counter.

I walked back into our bedroom, handed Matt the cookie, and said no matter what the cookie says.. we'll put last night behind us and "bide by the fortune."  (Stupid -- but I needed an ice breaker!)

He opened the cookie, read the fortune, and groaned "ooooh.hh... greeatt..

I thought.. Oh no!  The fortune must say "RUN while your legs still can!"

This is what the fortune said:



...I worry that I give off the impression through blogging or social media posts that my life is always ?hunky-dorey?.. because my posts might tend to be positive. For the most part I could get away with saying it IS .. but NOT without having to maually push that "start over button" once-in-a-while or get it back on the rails from time to time. And NOT by doing it alone.. Matt and I have totally acknowledge that God is in the center of this -- or we're sunk.

That being said ...we must annoy God alot.

(But that's ok..)

Alabama couple moving to Terre Haute.. Closing Tues.. What gift?

I'VE GOT SOME GREAT IDEAS from FB friends...

I will incorporate some of what they suggested..  THEN print off the entire thread and hand it to my clients.  I think it will be great fun for them to take these suggestions and seek out the things I didn't give them.  How nice to know a bunch of people were putting a little thought into their move here this week!  -- I know some great -- creative people!

There are nuances to my job that I get tickled about.. 

One of which is buying the closing gift.  It's fun to walk through the gift bag isle at the store and have a reason to buy a cute one. 

Problem is ...I get closing gift BLOCK on occassion. Can't think of anything "cool" and default to the Walmart Card or Lowes/Menards.. depending on which side of town the house is on.

Just as in the case of my Alabama couple there are times when I really want to step out of the generic box and do something special.



Only ONCE did I screw up big time and go a little more "special" than I intended... I mean "special" like I was afraid to tell Matt exactly HOW MUCH special....

(Que the walk down memory lane music...)

Young couple with a newborn buying a house on the east side.  The seller had lost his wife and was moving into an apartment.  Great family home about to start over with a new family.



There was a tandem bike in the garage that the wife wanted to purchase from the seller.  I told her that we couldn't put it on the purchase agreement.  (That's true the lender does not want personal property on the purchase agreement -- other than the major appliances, attached fixtures, window treatments etc.)



Back to the story....

I told my clients that we would ask the seller about the bike after we negotiated the purchase price. (Again, great idea.  You never want the purchase of some personal property to affect the price of the real estate.)

Problem was by the time I asked the seller about the tandem bike... he told me he had sold it to the plumber who had recently made a repair for him.  He said he sold it for $100.

OH NO!

 

It's my fault.. we didn't mention it at the time of purchase.. She wanted that bike so bad!!... DANG!

Later that night I called the plumber... "Hi, this is Debbie Hill.  I heard you bought a tandem bike today from Mr. Seller. Would you sell it to me for $150 CASH?"



He thinks about it ... calls me back ...  YES!  He WILL sell the bike to me for $150.  Problem solved.

Later that week the seller shows up at the office to sign a misc paper.. "Well hello Mr. Seller!  You'll never believe this but I got the plumber to sell me that bike!  'Cost me $150!!"

His jaw drops...

"You DID say you sold it to him for $100?  Didn't you?"

The short of it... He had actually just traded the bike to the plumber for a new faucet on the front of the house....



Yes.. that stung a little bit. 

(Que back to present day music..)

So anyway... It is fun to hand someone a gift...

...but I have to admit -- it's hard to keep on top of.  Sometimes a closing sneaks up on me and I make a mental note to send a thank you gift to my client..

I still have a couple outstanding.  BUT I WILL GET TO THEM. 

Don't I have a year??? (Or is that just for the wedding gift I still owe someone?)



The Burger Cookoff --

(or) Things that might push you over the edge..

 

Wow.. it's a busy fall and we're only a week into it.

 



 

 

Last week was full .. you know how it goes.. a trip with Mom and Dad,

 

there's the kids, the hubby,

 

dare I say several things going on at work,

 

can't forget (even tho I almost did) PTO stuff, 

 

the constantly chirping cell phone,

 

some necessary "connect" time with friends :),

 

a couple big events our office was involved in,

 

and (da da da dAAAA...) the BURGER COOKOFF -- United Way fundraiser that our entire Real Estate community and affiliates work on together.

 

Each company chooses a theme and all burgers and booths are judged...

 



 

"Imagine" a to-do list with 'Find George Harrison' at the top of it. 

 

Last week if you heard me say "I need more cowbell" -- I actually meant it -- I needed a bigger cowbell.  The one Paul Lockhart loaned me was too small.

 



 

Fortunately I was only involved in getting the Beatles together..  somebody else had the burger (which I thought was awesome...won second place), the booth (won first place!), and the go-go dancers... Wowza!

 

It is GOOD to be generous.. as I was reminded this morning.  It is good to be generous with your TIME as well as your other resources...

 

But right now.. with a good show on tv, Matt and I hanging out in the living room.. I'm wrapped in a blanket the girls left on the couch.. I'm feeling VERY grateful that no one needs me until 10am tomorrow..

 



 

 

(I can't resist one last picture.. incase you've ever wandered what the view was like for the Beatles..)

 



 

 



Now I need YOU to help ME find a house!

Today I got a call from a PRODUCER of an HGTV show...

(Wow.. that's fun to say...)

Have you seen "You Live in What?"

Well.. they want to find something HERE to showcase on that show! 

I asked her why Terre Haute.. she said they want to focus on the Midwest.. "Plus Terre Haute is know as..  known as.. " 

I'm just waiting b/c I have NO idea what she's gonna say..

"The CROSSROADS OF AMERICA!"

Dang Right!!

So.. anybody have an idea?  A crazy building that's been turned into a residence?  Just a downright odd place converted into a house?

The stipulations are:

1.  The family/owner has to have done the conversion themselves.

2.  They must currently live there.

3.  They must be willing to appear on camera.. or have their realtor appear on camera :) (Or maybe I can just sneak in there...)

4.  Be ready for a production crew to come in and work for atleast an entire day.

Let's do it!  I'll be asking around for ideas.. I have to get back to her by this Friday!





I got a call this morning from a woman with an emergency.... 

She sold her house on contract 2 years ago and is now facing foreclosure.. (and a city fine for her grass being too tall.)

I'll call her "Elma."

Elma got a contract from her "buyer" but did not get a downpayment.  She didn't even get a schedule of payments..... (I suppose the contract may have touched on the address of the property but not much else.)

 

The "buyer" was supposed to make payments directly to Elma's bank.

OhForHeavensSakeCouldThereBeAnyIdeaWorseThanThis????

To make a (fairly long) story short:

The bank is now foreclosing on Elma because they have not recieved a payment in a loooong time.

Elma has lost the contract with her buyer.. and her buyer is REFUSING to produce her own copy of the "contract."

Several issues here..

If you have a "special" property that you are having trouble appraising or getting qualified buyers for.. you MIGHT consider a Land Contract.. or selling On Contract (same thing.)  It's not my first option for you.. it has it's dangers.

 

But here's what to do if you go that route:  Consult either a Realtor or an attorney.

 

The buyer should put down a hefty downpayment that you (the seller) will keep regardless if they (the buyer) default on payments.

There should be a designated amount of time for the buyer to pay off the entire balance.. 1 year, 2 years, something you both agree on.  That is -- the buyer will obtain a mortgage at the end of that time and pay the seller the balance due.

A schedule of payments should be established and this should include an agreed upon interest rate.

There are still many more nuiances to be determined in a Land Contract or Contract Sale.. it's definately more than Elma telling her buyer "Send your payments to my bank."  Even if the buyer actually followed through.. that would be "illegal." 

You are not allowed to assume another person's mortgage unless they have a mortgage that specifically allows for that.. and chances are.. they don't.

 

I had another couple once call me ..They had received an eviction letter from our office at Coldwell Banker that handles repos.  They couldn't understand what was going on because they had a piece of paper that a friend of theirs had handed them and that paper clearly stated that they now owned this house.  Infact, they had renters in there!

Questions you might ask yourself if someone ever hands you a note like that:

Do you have a mortgage on the property?

Is the mortgage current?

Who is to pay the taxes?

Who is to pay the insurance?

How do I go about putting the house in my name?


And last but not least... Why are you handing me this note?

Earlier today a friend asked "Are you full time now or have you always been and I didn't realize it?"

I would really like to give myself a confidence booster by saying "I must make this look easy!"  ....But we all know it ain't easy.

Last night I tucked my sweet youngest baby into bed.  We said our prayers, we kissed each other good night, and then put her newly lost tooth under her pillow.  We read a little bit and she and her sis fell asleep.

After that I tied up my own loose ends.  Tried to organize the days emails, caught up on some stuff I needed to talk to Matt about.. and answered some late night client calls.  The evening went fast, I was still working after midnight.

Finally I called it quits and the next thing I know my alarm's going off.

I hear the baby get up; I can tell she's turned on her light, and then I hear "The tooth fairy didn't come."

Aw Heck!

Not a good way for a momma to start her day... Nor a toothless 5 yr old!

I told her it was one of TWO things.. Either the tooth fairy didn't realize she was getting up so early these days ...or the cat ate the tooth fairy.



I always tell myself to watch out for the details in my business.  ....Make sure the buyer/seller get EXACTLY what I've told them they would.  I can tell you without hesitation that I bend over backwards to make sure that happens.

Dang.. if only the tooth fairy took such pains with HER job!

BTW, I answered my friend's question by saying "I have tried to do it all full time and at the same time.. that isn't possible is it? Fortunately Matt and I can tag team.. but momma's got to be the main one. It's a full day. THAT's what I should call it! Not full time but rather FULL DAY!"

Summer days... make me feel fine!

Hello dear friend!  It's been a while.. Feels like I've been away from you all summer.

I hope the season treated you well ...with more sunny days than stinkin' ones!

(There were a few nice excursions for us Hill's...) 

And then...

It was BACK TO WORK for me!  :)

Loans have been in the low 3's (percent) all summer. 

I've been showing houses like CRAZY.. GOOD Crazy!

That's the best thing in the world for a realtor. 

Of course we need our fancy gadgets, our mortgage calculator apps, and our photo gizmos.. but NOTHING will do us more good than...

knowledge of the market.

You won't regret listing with a busy realtor.  You may have to schedule your appointment a few days ahead.. but you will appreciate the knowledge that realtor provides you.

Thank you to my summer clients...



I drove by my grandparents old house today.  They've both passed away. I don't have a clue who owns the place now. 

It looks different.

Whenever I drive by it, my eyes would LOVE NOTHING MORE than to see it the way it was ..or still is in my mind's eye. 

We were stationed in Ft. Bragg, NC when I was a kid and when we came back to visit ...MAGIC. 

Driving down the road, headed west towards them, finally less than a mile away (when we were always states away.)  I couldn't wait to see the blue house -- it was so close to theirs.  The next thing I would see after the blue house was their windmill, the white rock drive, their house, them.

This is their house today.  I pulled over and took a picture of it.

The roof used to be darker, a sharp, pretty red.  The shudders were black.  That red thing there on the right was a window.  The steps to that front door were never used.. we always came in the side door.  My grandparents were HUGE fans of yard work. 

It was a crisp, clean, pretty house, with a windmill -- that my Grandpa made--  in the front yard surrounded by flowers.

Lots of Thanksgiving memories in this house.  They had a big dining room table ..but there was a little kitchen table that saw tons of action!  My parents played Euchure way into the night at this table while my brother and I watched and eventually dozed off in the living room.. (But it's how we learned to play.)

Obviously I don't go back to that house for Thanksgiving dinners.. I don't play in the basement, or the cow pasture next door... or the chicken lot in the back, or the really cool garage, or the hill my grandpa made.. .they had alot to do there.. that just scratches the surface .. The FUN 7 cousins could have when we got together there!

(This blog post was actually supposed to be about taking the memories with you.. moving on, building a new house.)

Truth is I would love NOTHING more than to march up to that side door, knock like crazy, and ask them "WHAT WOULD YOU TAKE FOR THIS PLACE ...BECAUSE I WANT IT BACK!!"  (And I may do that one day...)

Life moves, life moves us..  God moves us.   Sometimes we would like to say "slow down".. let the kids stay little.  Don't let grandparents get old. 

Atleast we keep our memories.  (As I say that I am VERY much aware that  I'm forgetting to do something for work tomorrow.. and I'm not sure if some of these baby pics of E and G are labeled correctly.. )

I suppose what this blog post has turned into is this:

If you can march up to the door and buy your grandparents old house to restore it .. DO IT!  :)  If you can't.. don't fret.. remember all the fun you had there?  (Assuming there was fun being had there..)  Write it down.. don't forget it!  Tell your kids about it!!

I taught E and G a really quick song that my Grandma used to sing .. just before I tucked them in tonight. 

http://archive.org/details/BedtimeSinging_492

It has taken me FOREVER to figure out how to take a recording off Matt's phone and put it in my blog.. my apologies if I still haven't figured it out... (Fingers crossed -- you should be able to go to this page and play it by pushing the play arrow in a box on the upper right... but *warning* we are not known for being singers!!!)

"Swimming with the fishies..." Isn't really swimming, is it?

My "detox" plan for the summer is working..

All that gunk that the kids put up with  at school ...the stuff they hear that I'd rather they didn't.. the relationships they have to navigate by themselves.. peer pressure.. self concsiousness... (granted one of them only experienced the pre-school version of this... :)

We are FREE of it for still another month... and I'm LOVIN' it!

But "life lessons" never cease..  A couple have come up in the summer of 2012.

The latest was about (you may have guessed it) ...the death of our fish (that we owned for only 12 hours.)

Just as she started to fall in love....

She won her at the 4th of July Carnival.

And started making plans (for future housing)...



This is "Cookie" in her Cookie jar!

The unimaginable happened...

Dang it Cookie!



We did what we could to find closure..



And then we told the kids that goldfish only live a matter of days!

Enjoy the summer!  And may you escape any swirly life might throw at you over the next few weeks!

I knew this day would ROCK ..if I could get that Hubcap thingy!

Background story:

Last week I came roarin' around the corner of 4th and Hulman -- headed to Coldwell Banker -- and HIT the curb... HARD. 

I thought "Check that tire when I get in the parking lot."  But -- I pulled in, grabbed my bag, my laptop, my purse, my coffee, -- and forgot to look at the tire.

Got home.. got back on the computer doing a little work, Matt walks in and says "You're missing the center cap on your tire."

"Crap!  I hit that curb at 4th and Hulman and forgot to check it!"  Drove back to 4th and Hulman-- cap has walked off...

This is what I had:

This is what I needed:

E was not happy about waiting.. I told her "Give me five minutes!" We leaned against the car facing the front entrance of Baesler's with the subject vehicle in our peripheral vision. 

...We had just walked out of Baesler's moments ago with a few things for breakfast tomorrow and SMACK it hit me in the face -- there was a car JUST LIKE MINE with 2 missing center caps on the passenger side.. Could it be?  Might there be one surviving cap on the driver's side?  YES!  There was JUST ONE! 

Well, if they've already lost three.. maybe they'll take 10 bucks for the fourth.  It's worth a shot!

E was already nervous.  "No Mom!  Don't ask.  Let's just get our groceries and go home!"

...So we wait.

Everybody walked out of Baeslers and towards that car.. I tried to size them up ... imagine negotiations.

Not all of five minutes later a friendly looking girl in a Harley Davidson shirt carried her one grocery bag over to the car.

"We got her!"  I said outloud and grabbed E's arm.  She resisted, so I had to drag her just a little bit as I ran.

"Mam!"  She turned and looked at me.  (I know the feeling when some stranger comes up to you in the parking lot and begins her question with "Mam"..  I wish there was a better way..)

"I've got a crazy question for you.."

"Well, I've got a crazy answer!"  (Oh good, she's a sport!)

"That's my car over there.. identical to yours, and I'm missing one hubcap."

"I'm missing one hubcap too!" She said and pointed to the front driver's side wheel.

"Actually you're missing 3!" I walked around to the passenger side, "You don't have any over here!"

Then I pointed out the center cap on the "one good wheel" and blurted it out.

"Would you sell me this one for $10..."

YES!!!  We shook on it .. I was so happy I tried to give E a high five.. but she practically backed into traffic to avoid me. 

So instead I asked her take our picture!

Her name is Ally.. and she's a great girl!!

There IS something to be learned here..

Don't be afraid to go for it!  **  Always keep your eyes open!  **  Don't buy parts from the dealer!

Let's not "gravel" about Easements.. ok?

What have I been preoccupied with of late..

Easements and Private Road Agreements

(You have to say it like "Eeeeeeeeasements" ..so that it hangs in your ear for a while.)

Imagine this:

Houses numbered 1-9.  I list house #8.  We find a buyer.  She's a veteran - just returned from Iraq. 

The house is near the end of a Private Road.  The title company won't insure the access to this house because there is no easement on file at the County Engineers office.  (Insert my best "bear growl" here...)

An easement allows someone to access their property thru another persons property.  In this case house #1 allows houses # 2-8 to drive across a small portion of their property to get home.  House #2 allows #3-8.. and so on. 



(In the course of all of this I have found out that an easement to someone's home CANNOT be denied.  A judge will order the property owner to grant an easement to the needy homeowner.) 

BUT, who has time to wait for a judge?  We have a VET who needs to get in her house so....



I'm off to get some easement docs signed on this beautiful summer day.

Matt and the girls came with of course.. it sounded like something we could have fun doing together, right?

There were some nice neighbors.  We got to hold this baby duck and the homeowner let E name it.  Put on the spot to quickly name a duck before we moved to the next house.. E blurted out "QUACKIE!"  And the owner said.. "Quakie, it is!"

Of course shortly thereafter the girls had to use the restroom so Matt drove off to take care of business and left me to hoof it.



This is the exact spot I tweeted about the sequence and the easement docs!

Hmm, did I get all the names?  It's almost hard to believe considering 2 of the deeded homeowners are deceased, one is in a nursing home several counties away, and one land owner is possibly the most cantankerous, full-of-it, eccentric person I've EVER met.. BUT man... I would LOVE to hear more of her hair brained stories (..even though I probably won't believe a word of them.)



(Not actually her.. but you she gives you an idea..)

....Yes!  I got all the signatures.  (Except from the deceased.. although for a minute there I thought the title company was going to push me on those.  Geesh!)

What's the lesson in this story for YOU:  Do you live on a Private Road?  Do you NOT have a Private Roadway Maintenance Agreement -- be it however vague or generic?  Is your road NOT maintained by the county?  Does your title policy exempt your access to your property?  Do you have a deceased relative listed on your deed?



If you answered YES to ANY of these questions.. Check on it BEFORE you list it -- Call me I'll try to help.  It will save you some time and a headache or two later... not to mention white rock is HARD on your realtors strappy leather sandals!

All three of these stories are TRUE and all PAINFUL on some level..

Real Estate is endless.. If that key didn't shut off at 8 or 9pm we would be making appointments in the wee hours of the morning.  I KNOW I would.. Infact, I'd think that was GREAT because I could show houses while the kids were sleeping! 

And that's just not right, is it?

If only I could make all my phone calls in the wee hours.. while the kids are sleeping..



Yesterday afternoon I was  driving down Ohio Blvd.  I had just gotten some gas and picked up drinks for the girls and me to take with us as we were headed out to see Daddy. 

I dialed up a client.. ...just before G decided to give E (what MUST have been) the-most-painful-pinch-of-E's-life.

I'm explaining a Rural Development Loan to my client on the phone and E lets out a classic horror film scream from the back seat.  

I reached back and swatted the "pinchee" aka "the screamer." But I am horrible at landing a swat on anything in the back seat -- while trying to drive and talk on the phone.. so I had to try this a couple of times with no success.. just then I hear a "Toot-Toot." Huh? I look up and see a fellow realtor ..waving at us from her SUV perched above. 

Last week our cat caught a bird.. we stumbled upon this after the cat had already devoured half the thing.. the girls and I just stood there watching what he did with it next... Actually the girls stood there with dropped jaws while I was on the phone with a client quietly trying to shew them away with mere hand signals.. I have no real "shewing authority" while on the phone.. I hung up and said to them "Well, let's think of this as a science lesson."  Then I pulled them away from our backyard visual of natural selection.

(This is our cat.. Jelly Bean.  Last summer I took 2 baby squirrels to the Animal Hospital on S. 7th.. I think they both survived!)



It may have been that same day last week that I was again on the phone talking business.. G was trying to move me from the dining room to the living room.  I was appeasing her and giving her the shhh signal with my finger on my mouth.. She lead me into the living room, I continued my phone conversation.  She motioned for me to sit on a wooden rocker we have in there.. I did.  (Insert FART noise!!)

The kids have a stellar whoopie cushion collection.



The phone and the kids -- the combination of -- is still one of my biggest stressers.. Am I crazy?  Are they?  Do they HAVE to scream when I'm on the phone?  Do I HAVE to react as if they've just poked my client in the eye with their DS stylus?

I'm going to HAVE to initiate some "phone free" time at home.  Can it be done?.. I still have to get my brain wrapped around the logistics.  But it is my SUMMER GOAL!






  

We didn't leave town.. but we still had a nice time.  (Minus the LIFE LESSON I had to teach myself before lunch..)

I woke up and jumped out of bed way before everybody else.  'Was certain the day would start early because it would  be PACKED with sooooo many great things.. PLANNED for us to do.

Got my shower first.. so I could be ready.  It was 8am.

Everyone else stayed in bed till after 9...

Ever since we've said "I do" Matt and I have had this conversation:

Me: What are we going to do today/tomorrow?

Matt:  I don't know.  We'll play it by ear.

(I am not a fan of playing-it-by-ear.  I'm a fan of writing things in a notebook and checking them off.)

So as they woke up one by one.. we started playing it by ear.

And it took a little bit for me to get over  "not necessarily having a plan"   ..and just enjoy the fact that we were together.  Ever-so-often a little girl's voice popped up with "Happy Birthday Mommy!"  And Matt leaned over to kiss me (except for early on when I was sulking.. ) 

You know what did it for me?  Realizing it's Memorial Day.  How ungrateful and childish I must look ...thinking I needed to have a planned-out-day..  How many soldiers or their families would give anything to play-it-by-ear today with their loved one? 

I'm embarrassed that I had to remind myself of that at my very new and ripe old age of ... Oh, so you wanna know what we DID do?

He made cupcakes!  They blew noisemakers.  One of them gave me a magic wand!  We lunched with family, grabbed a coffee whenever we wanted, walked the park, visited more family...We even threw shopping in there for a little bit.

These are them.. Funfetti with sprinkles ala girls!



Playing it by ear turned out to be fun.  At my new and ripe old age.. I will try to practice (what virtue is necessary here?)  Patience? The ability to relax?  (Can the ability to relax be a virtue? ..It should be!)  ...I will try it.  ...I can do this! 

 



Don't let yourself get in this position...

Since about 10:30 this morning I am feeling 10 lbs lighter!

HOW? 

I dumped my email account! 

I had over 7000 (SEVEN THOUSAND) emails.  (Maybe not much in some circles..)  

But they were weighing me down..  My email life was in a jumble.. PURCHASE AGREEMENTS and COUNTERS coming in between OLD NAVY SALES and WEIGHT WATCHER RECIPES.

So, how do you JUST -- DUMP over 7000 emails? 

Step One:

Each page on my email account is 50 emails.  I deleted aprox a dozen pages of UNREAD emails.  (I always open anything important ..so I was comfortable doing this.) 

You can select unread emails and then delete them by the batch. This took only a few minutes and took me back to about January in my account.

Step TWO:

I deleted or created a folder for each subject that the pertinent emails were pertaining to.  :)  (That is the "read" emails that went back to aprox January.)

Step THREE:

I convinced myself that if I haven't looked at it in 5 months -- I don't need to keep it.  ...Or else I'll have to use my charm and telephone wit to get another copy of it one day.

Step FOUR:

It took me less than an hour to delete all those thousands of emails

-- and I was entertaining Gina almost the whole time! 

Just select a page at a time ..it takes less time than you think.. TO LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD!!