Watch our Donald Trump

What a Friday I had working the floor at Century 21 Integrity Group.  You will notice that I started this post out with a huge plug.  I was on the floor that day from 9:00 until 1:00 when Chris told me that there was a call on the machine.  I listened to the message and made contact with the potential buyer and scheduled a showing at three properties all within a block of each other.  Thank God Chris was with me because it was a huge showing and being my first large sale, I needed the support.  We toured all the units when the man told us to write on all of them and he would email me the offers.  He did just that so I began to write and re-write the offers with Chris' help.  On the first presentation the owners accepted the offers but we had to clean up one or two minor issues. 

Last week the buyer came to inspect and all was well there.  We are on the path to closing hopefully on August 1st. 

Above you will see me with my very first commission check from Century 32.  I was thrilled with it.  My next one will be three times as much but I would have been happy with $5 just so I made my first sale.  My little cottage on the lake finally sold (Thanks to Denise) who could sell s---- in a bucket.  She is just fantastic at selling real estate.  I don't know what her secret is but she is busy all the time and is just a nice person. 

After the closing on the lake house Denise and I went back to the office and rang the bell hanging on the wall.  From what she says it is a sign of good luck.  I think she was correct.  I will ring the heck out of it in August.  

If you know anyone who would like a great realtor that would be me.
Brian

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Let the Games Begin

 

At long last we are able to do some decorating in our basement.  We purchased the table and chairs from Amazon in spite of the customer review which were correct. 

 

 

The table and chairs arrived in packages that could have been launched into space.  We were excited to open the boxes after we recovered from hauling this downstairs.  We put the table together without any issues and then thought we'd put together a chair to see how it looked.  We used a razor knife to cut the hard cardboard corners off the box and to remove the layers of tape.  We put the box on the floor labeled "this side up".  Steve took the razor and slit the tape and we happily opened the box. WE took one look and said "the plastic is cut".  Well, as it turned out, when Steve cut the box open he also cut the plastic surrounding the seat cushion AND also slit the seat cushion as well. 

 

 

Steve was more angry than I was.  What were we to do.  There was no sense getting angry about it.  I wrote to Coaster and told them that I thought the labeling was poor and the cushion should have been packed with the fabric side down.  I told them that I expected to hear from them but up to this writing, nothing.

 

 

I ordered another chair which came pretty quickly.  We proceeded to put another chair together without incident and then the next. The "next" went together as planned however the caster would not go into the hole even with a hammer.  So, we took the base from the chair with the slit cushion and used that to make one chair.  Then our new chair arrived and we proceeded to assemble it.  By this time we were pretty good at it and made quick work out of the last chair, BUT, as we went to attach the arm to the side we learned that they drilled a huge hole about two inches higher than where it was supposed to be.  We thought the arm would cover it but , NOPE.  We then took the back from the chair with the slit cushion and used that to get the fourth chair assembled.  So now we have a chair with four wheels instead of five, a slit cushion and a back with a drill hole in the wrong spot. 

 

Let's just say that Coaster Furniture got another  note from me, this time it was not so nice.  The long and the short of this story is "believe the reviews on Amazon'.  Everything they said about this table and chair set was correct and perhaps worse than the review.  I will write a review as well.   All in all, it turned out pretty well.

 

 

New Villagers

There is nothing Steve and I like better than when people come down to The Villages to visit us.  There is always so much to do and certain people like different types of entertainment so it's always a thrill.

Over the Jefferson spring break some of our Fourth of July 2012 friends came down to visit us.  They drove all night which makes me tired just thinking abut it.   They arrived exactly on time in spite of what I suspect were countless bathroom breaks plus the removal of one driver's bra because she can't drive a car with a bra.  From what I understand, this person removed her ladies foundation and was swinging it around during a fueling stop while on the way down.  After getting to know her much better over the week, this did not shock us at all but we had many good laughs over it. 

The trip started with me going to the Golf Cart store to get the "whale", a four seat cart with a top speed, without afterburners, of 9 miles per hour.  The shop did not have my reservation which I had made months before their arrival.  Not only did they have the wrong day they had me picking it up in Spanish Village about ten miles away.  I was furious.  I don't usually lash out at people but this man made me angry.  He kept telling me that they were over booked and didn't I feel sorry for him?  I said I didn't care about him, I had the order for that day and wanted a cart.   He kept on about us picking up a cart in Spanish Villages at which time I told him to go and get the cart since I didn't order it there.  Again, he asked if I felt sorry for him that they were over booked.  I said again, NO, I don't care about that, give me the cart I ordered.   After about thirty minutes of telling him I could care less about him, they gave me, what I think, was the worst whale in the fleet.  I told this jerk that I'll remember this when I trade my second cart in on my third.  Steve and I took the whale to Trish's parents house where the ladies were waiting.  As I recall, Trish's mother took them to the pool with a bottle of something and then the girls were to come to our house.  Later in the afternoon we got a call that they were lost.  Steve asked where they were only to learn that they were not even close to getting to our house.  We took off on our cart to get them not disclosing that we also got lost finding them.  We got together and lead them to our house where we chatted, had dinner and went to Sumter Landing to dance.  Yes, dance ????  Everyone had a good time doing the wobble and the spaghetti dance.  It was nice to see one of my long time friends out on the dance floor cutting a rug.  I sat back, drank and took pictures. 

After the dancing the girls came to our house for a bit before we led them back to Trish's parents for a night of good sleep.   I believe the next  day we had tickets to a polo match.  The weather was kind of threatening but we took off anyway.  This time we drove in the car as the horses would have died of old age had we taken the whale to the match.  The girls had never seen a polo match before and we'd seen one.  They asked us what some of the terms meant so I told them what I thought which was wrong and made them look silly. 

The highlight of the match was really not the horses or the match but the divot stomping and the cheerleaders.  I am still not sure if these old "bags" are serious about their cheers but it they are, they all need to get to the local home ASAP.  The one cheer contained the words, "Who's going to win the match, WE DON'T KNOW"  It became the motto of the trip.  For example, "what are we having for dinner, WE DON'T KNOW.   I don't think the girls will ever get over it.  

We did the usual trips around The Villages while the girls played pickle ball.  Laura was a good sport and would partner with anyone who asked her.  I think the one lady just stood there while Laura ran around her.  The description was a hoot.   

Then it was back to the square for more music and dancing including Steve who is actually a very good dancer.  I'd need to smoke crack before I'd take my a--- out there and wobble.  There were a lot of drinks going around and we had a great time. 

Laura being a rather competitive person was looking for someone to geocache with her so she got our friend Jimm and my Steve to go with her.  They used my Garmin which I guess didn't go so well but I think they got within a few feet.  Then Laura brought over her GPS and it would take them right to the prize,  I think they may have had to hop some fences to get to the prize but I stayed home with Vickie who grilled all the burgers that were ready when the hunters got home 

Then we were out to dinner and discussed where we'd go tonight for music.  I suggested we go to see Petrina but I needed to talk to them about this before we went. I had to delicately tell the girls that Petrina sings at the Waterfront on Thursday however, it was loud and the crowd was of a "different" sexual orientation.  We all had a good night.  It was packed as usual but the girls did get to wobble and I think Vickie got pinched.  The girls were texting their families back in Wisconsin that Steve and I took them to Lesbian night at the hotel.  Which I guess we did.  You have to admit, it's something they'd never done before. 

We had a blast there as well and went home to play the Wii.  Again, Laura is very competitive and beat the hell out or most of us.  She seemed to have a bit of an issue with rowing but once she got it, watch out. 

In any event, I can't recall all the chronology of this but we did have a great time.  Ate a lot, drank a lot, and the most important thing, we laughed a lot.  We are going to get together sometime this summer to cook out.  It should be wild. 

Below are some of the many pictures we took.  Enjoy

WHY ARE THEY GREEN?

As everyone knows - in many states - Steve and I hang out at the Pine Cone in Johnson Creek.  It has gotten to the point where they know what time we get get there and leave a table dirty until we arrive so there is a spot for us.  Sometimes they even announce over the PA systems, "The boys are here, the boys are here".  It's really quite pathetic when you think about it rationally. 

After Steve eating hundreds of eggs up there and me chowing down thousands of dumplings, we have gotten to know most of the servers, and like all of them but the two above are very special to us.  Anna on the left and Sharon on the right came down to The Villages to spend a few days with us and boy did we have fun.  Drinking, dancing, drinking, eating, drinking, shopping, drinking, sleeping.  Drinking!  Anna and Sharon are two of the most agreeable guests we have hosted over our 19 years living in Florida during the winter. 

One might ask, why the people in the picture above have a hint of green to their faces? Well, it's because we went to Sumter Landing on St. Patricks Day and they drank green beer but most of all, with all the green stuff around the landing it was difficult to take a picture that was not green.  Or course we at some more and had a lot of laughs. 

During their stay with us we learned much more about The Cone and some of the people who Steve and I know a little but we know them better now. We also learned that it's difficult for a server to serve a server.  The reviews of the countless servers we had during the many lunches and dinners was fun to listen to.  I guess it was Anna's and Sharon's way of getting back at the people at the Cone who have done them wrong.   They were not rude but it was fun to listen to the comparisons between the Cone and Olive Garden.  That didn't sound right did it.....?  

We also learned about Socks, let's just say that Socks is a very special person in Anna's life and it's a hoot teasing her about Socks. 

Then there was poor Sharon.  The day after they arrived we had to pick up their golf cart so I told Sharon to hop in our cart and we were off to the plaza to pick up the cart.  We arrived, I signed and then I shoved Sharon into the golf cart that had it's rain and wind enclosures down.  She looked like a tiny Pope in the Popemobile.  I'm not sure Sharon had ever driven a golf cart before but like pushing a kid into the water to learn to swim, she had to learn. I told her to follow me which she did. Wht a good sport.  

The best part of their trip was to see how Anna takes care of Sharon.  She helps Grand Ma Ma text, take pictures, make calls and guides Grand Ma Ma around to make sure she doesn't get into trouble and from what we've heard and the pictures we've seen, Grand Ma Ma can be a handful but we love her and their warming up her bed in the home as I write this.  We love you Anna and Grand Ma Ma.   Anna, don't change your SOCKS!

  

Happy 60th Birthday Freddie

When I think of old, I immediately think of our dear friend Freddie shown at left.  As you can clearly see, he is attempting to make gorgeous me even better, which even Freddie can't do. 

During our stay in Florida this winter Steve and I were pretty busy including hosting Freddie's 60th birthday party.  Steve and I chose TooJays in The Villages to cater it as we eat there quite often plus they did a great job on Jimm's party that we hosted a year ago. 

TooJays treated this like it was a wedding, inviting Steve and I the opportunity to come in and taste the food and make our choices.  The way I see it, as long as I don't have to cook it, it's safe to eat.

I must say that the best part of the party again was the opportunity Steve and I were given to meet up again with Freddie's and JImmie's vast circle of friends, some normal, some not so normal but nice folks nonetheless. 

Steve's job was to make a disc of "group appropriate" music which I knew would be a nightmare for me.  We can agree on most anything but not music.  I just thank God I was busy enough to not have to listen to it. 

After the party there was a short thunder storm so Steve and I went home then met up with the guys again and ate again.  The server was hitting on me and a little handsy.  It just goes to show, even young people can have dubious taste at best but it was flattering to know someone was stupid enough to think I was of interest. 

Little Lanai In The Villages

Little Lanai in The Villages

As many of out regular readers might recall, when we purchased our villa in The Villages we bought it with a dreamcicle colored kitchen  a Pepto pink bathroom, and odd yellow in the guest room and a padded headboard in the master bedroom.  The kitchen cabinets were a nice oak when the house was built and they wee quickly shabby sheiked which made them dull, dry and they had black blobs on them.  They will be replaced next winter.

The lovely lady who sold us the villa under spectacular terms had a bout of claustrophobia so she tore out the screen enclosure between the lanai and the birdcage which houses our pool.  Feeling that nature and the great outdoors is over rated, we really didn't care too much but as we lived here longer and longer we just needed more usable space so we decided to actually enclose the lanai with more than just the screens that were originally there and make a year round room out of it. 

I checked around for a contractor and found a good one.  Having been burned during the building process of our house in Jefferson I was very uptight about mechanics liens and stuff like that.  Finally the owner told me to relax, it would be fine.  After five or six revisions of the plan we finally got it.  Being a Judy Judy fan, Steve and I read every single word of the contract.  I noticed that the windows were not tinted so we had to change that.  Finally we were ready to go. 

We got down here with hopes they'd get going on it soon but NO.  They finally came to measure and told us that if the windows came in on Thursday they'd start Friday.  Well, that was three weeks ago and they just started this week.  Within five minutes the old frames and screens were torn out.  The new lanai has been framed in with all new aluminum and the gorgeous tinted windows are here with a door that could hold back a prisoner.  

We were so excited that we went out and bought a pressure washer so we could clean the screens and siding and a spot on the pool deck that gets moldy a lot.  I even helped out.  

They came on Thursday and got it all framed in and told us the inspector had to come and sign off before the windows could go in.  Well, that didn't happen so no work was done today either.  We're hoping for tomorrow.   After it's done we will make it a small den-family room.  Steve put in a new fan with a light and we're eager to get to the Beyond (Bed, Bath & Beyond) to spend some money.  We just love it there. 

Watch as the room continues to take shape.  

ROOM FOR MORE

 As Steve and I prepare for a month of very weocomed visitors our room is finally done.  As wonderful as the new room is, they used some sealers on the windows that really smells and actually can give a person a head ache.  Unfortunately, we have a little water leak which was expected by the builder and by us.   Nothing major but we will have them stop by and fix it. 

The crazy lady who owned the house prior to us would just hate what we've done.  The wall with the door and windows on it was originally screened in but she had it all torn out because she didn't like to be enclosed.  It just made for a waste of room so needing more room in the house without a major addition, this was the best way to handle it, gain more room and it looks pretty nice.

Steve got to use his new toy as well.  About a year ago we spent a good chunck of money having the

house pressure washed so we went and bought our own washer.  Well it's one of those things, once you start the completed part looks so good that there is no place to end.   He started on the north wall and had to come all the way down the entire side of the house.  Then he started on the white fence and that was all moldy so that had to be cleaned as well.  After that he started washing the mold off the metal braces of the bird cage.  Again, once you start there's no place to stop.  I finally got involved and did some if ot.  Having a pool back there plus the normal humid climate of Florida there is always mold and things to clean up.  The pool deck is not spotless and ready for our guests to come down . 

 

As usual I tried to talk Steve into tackling a job he's never done before.  I thought that because the room looked so good I'd like to have ceramic tiles put out there.  He's never done that sand believe it or not, I could not talk him into tryingit.  I guess we'll just keep what we have. 

 

All that being done we have durtains ordered from The Beyond.  We had to buy a bunch of panels and each one will have to be shortened.  Steve is so patient with that.   I think it would be easier to raise the ceiling.  We don't want to block any of the sun as the room faces west but it just needs som softness so we'll do that next.   We think it turned out pretty well if we do say so ourself.   Now if we could just sell the place we really want a house with three bedrooms so we can entertain all the people who are coming to visit us.   Maybe next year.  The real estate market is HOT here but all the people who own here already are competing with the 10,000 new houses being built in Brownwood.   We shall see.