Interest Rates through the Years   I am going to tip my hand pretty quick here, and give away my age.  But I was recently talking to a client's father and we were reminiscing about what kinds of interest rates we have paid on various homes we have owned throughout our lives.  We both bought our first homes in the mid 80's when interest rates were in the double digits.  When my husband and I purchased our first home in 1985 interest rates averaged 12.43%.  However they were on the way down - in 1981 they had been averaging 16.63%!  Wow, that certainly affected your buying power.   We bought our next home in 1990 and were excited to get a rate just under 10%!!  Woo Hoo, we thought we had won the lottery.  And just a few years later we were able to refinance that home into a 15 year mort... 01/23/2011

    Happy Friday!    I hope this finds you having a wonderful day!  Things are peachy in my corner of the world, but not white like the picture shows.  Since our big snowfall before Thanksgiving (which is when I took this picture) we've just been gray and gloomy and drippy wet - pretty normal for this time of year.  So if you are having snow, please enjoy it for me! Enjoy this weeks selection of quotes and I'll see you again next Friday. ...geri ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   Every man is the architect of his own future.  ~Sallust     Wherever you see darkness, there is extraordinary opportunity for the light to burn brighter.  ~Bone     Good habits are as easy to form as bad ones.  ~Tim McCarver     Optimism inspires people to great height... 01/21/2011

    Happy Friday!   And if it is Friday then you know it is time for me to share some quotes.  I hope you enjoy this weeks selection and I will see you next Friday. Have a wonderful weekend. ...geri     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   We all have ability.  The difference is how we use it.  ~Stevie Wonder       Hearing is one of the body's five senses.  But listening is an art.  ~Frank Tyber       Always aim for achievement, and forget about success.   ~Helen Hayes       You can run from your dreams in fear or run to your dreams with faith.  ~Tina Downey       Whatever you are - be a good one.  ~Abraham Lincoln  01/14/2011

January is Get Organized Month!   The National Association of Professional Organizers has once again declared January Get Organized Month!  It seems that with the beginning of a new year it is the perfect time for a fresh start and a great time to clean things out, spruce things up and get organized.   There is a wonderful website called Organized Home that is full of great tips to help you around your house.  From ideas to assist you in cleaning out your fridge to sharing cleaning tips from the pros, you will find it all.  I especially liked the article called:  "Feed the Freezer:  Freezer Cooking Guide."  There are some great recipes and I am printing off many of them as I finish this blog post.  Can't wait to try some of them out.  Good luck with your organizing, cleaning and spruci... 01/12/2011

  Happy Friday! I hope this finds your week wrapping up nicely and I also hope that 2011 is kicking off in style for you!  Things are just peachy here in my corner of the world.  They have the "s" word in the forecast, so I am oh so hopeful!!  This picture was taken after our Thanksgiving snowfall.  Unfortunately we have not seen much since then.  :( Have a wonderful weekend, enjoy the qutoes and I will see y'all next Friday! ...geri   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You must get involved to have an impact.  No one is impressed with the win-loss record of the referee.   ~John Holcomb Ability can take you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.  ~Zig Ziglar Everyone has to experience pain:  Either the pain of discipline or the pain of regr... 01/07/2011

  Here is a quick look at what it going on in the real estate market in our area, zip code 98042... There are currently 277 homes for sale with prices ranging from just under $100,000 to just under 3 million. 1 and 2-bedrooms homes for sale:  14 3 bedroom homes for sale:  131 4 bedroom homes for sale:  109 5+ bedroom homes for sale:  23   There were 37 homes that sold in December, 2010.   27 were re-sale homes and  10 was new construction. A further breakout shows what type of homes sold..,. New Construction:  27% Bank Owned:  48.5% Short Sales:  5.5% Regular Re-sales:  19%   The average sale price was $261,295             Low sales price was:  $129.900             High sales price was:  $765,000   *These are sales listed in the MLS only, it does not reflect any private sales. 01/01/2011

  Happy New Year's Eve! I hope this finds 2010 ending on a high note for you and that 2011 will be all that you dream for and more! Do you have any big plans for ringing in the new year?  We are at are cabin enjoying a bit of quiet time.  We brought our new kitty with us and pretty much have been watching football, reading books and letting lil' miss Chekotah entertain us.  Tonight we will be grilling steaks and mushrooms (that are both marinating - oh yum!) and topping it off with a nice bottle of merlot.  I am ready :)  Now the big question will be if I can stay awake until midnight after the good food and wine.  Whatever you do this evening I hope you have fun. Happy New Year to you and your loved ones!  Enjoy this weeks selection of quotes and I'll see ya in 2011! ...geri ~~~~~~~~~... 12/31/2010

For those of you who follow my blog on a regular basis, you know that I love quotes and share them every Friday.  Well this past week I came upon this poem and it touched me, so I thought I would share it with you.  I hope you enjoy it as well.     The Dash by Linda EllisThere was a man who stood to speakAt the funeral of a friendHe referred to the dates on her tombstoneFrom the beginning to the endHe noted that first came her date of her birthAnd spoke the following date with tearsBut he said what mattered most of allWas the dash between those yearsFor that dash stands for all the timeThat she spent alive on earth.And now only those who loved herKnow what that little line is worth.For it matters not how much we own;The cars the house the cashWhat matters is how we live and loveAnd how... 12/29/2010

  Ahhhh, the big day is finally upon us!  It is still early here in Covington, WA, but I hopped on line to make sure that all is still on track for a Very Merry Christmas and I am happy to report that all systems are GO! Santa left the North Pole right on schedule and has already made several stops.  Norad says that Santa is currently over Port Blair, Andaman Islands and on his way to Bangkok, Thailand.  He has quite a bit of ground to cover before he hits North America, but unless something happens he should be here right on time later today. To see where Santa has been, where he is now and when he is expected at your house check out the official Norad Santa Tracker at: http://www.noradsanta.org/en/index.html   Have a Very Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 12/24/2010

  Old Electronics Create Funding for Domestic Violence Task Force Donation drive runs now through January 14, 2011   This holiday season, the Covington Domestic Violence Task Force urges everyone not to toss out their dated electronics and gadgets as they get new ones for Christmas.  Those used items can be donated for a great local cause. The Covington Domestic Violence Task Force is holding a holiday "recycle collection drive" for old electronics such as cell phones and chargers, laptops, video games and consoles, digital cameras, DVD movies, GPS systems, iPods and more.  For a comprehensive list of accepted items go to:  http://www.cfktoday.com/recyclelists.html# The collection drive takes place now through January 14, 2011.  Recyclers can drop of their items at City Hall Monday thr... 12/22/2010

  HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME...   Yesterday was my birthday and I have to say my husband has earned himself enough "husband points" to carry himself well into 2011!  When my daughter was young, like many children she wanted a pet.  And being the good parents that we were, we got her not one but two.  Skittles joined our family in the spring of 1991 and Skamps in the spring of 1994.  They both brought great joy to us over the years, but unfortunately in the fall of 2009 Skamps became sick and we had to put her to sleep.  Skittles lived on for a bit longer, but in the summer of 2010 at the age of 19 she finally could make it no longer.  If you have ever lost a pet, you know how hard it is - after that many years they become a part of your life and find a very special place in your heart. They ... 12/19/2010

    Happy Friday to all! I hope that this finds you having a fantastic Friday.  Can you beleive that Christmas is now just one week away?  Ready or not it will be upon us soon, and I am quite excited - this is definitely my favorite time of the year.  As I've shared before the house is decorated, the trees are up, some baking has been done, cards are sent, presents are now wrapped and I am just ready for the big day. This year we will be celebrating Christmas with our daughter and son-in-law on Christmas eve morning as they are flying to Egypt on Christmas day.  Therefore, I won't be in touch with my usual quotes next Friday.  So you have a fabulous Christmas with your family and friends and I will see you in two weeks. Enjoy the quotes and have a great day! ...geri ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~... 12/17/2010

Christmas Trivia and Fun Holiday Stuff   As I have shared before, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this time of the year.  So I thought I would share some fun holiday trivia with you.  Did you know...   The first United States President to decorate the White House Christmas tree was Franklin Pierce. Tinsel, invented in Germany in 1610, was originally made of real silver. "White Christmas" sung by Bing Crosby was released in 1942 and is considered to be the best-selling Christmas song of all time.  (I know it is one of my favs). The first Animal Crackers were not made for eating... they were made as Christmas tree decorations!  (remember the little boxes with a string on them - I guess that was for hanging them on the tree)    Germany made the first artificial Christmas trees.  They were made of goos... 12/16/2010

    The City of Covington announced today that due to the wrath of Mother Nature, the foot bridge over the creek in Jenkins Creek Park has collapsed. Many residents and school children utilize the foot bridge as a short cut and to go to and from school at Jenkins Creek Elementary. Currently, the city is working to bring in contractors to remove the collapsed bridge that could potentially cause flooding. The bridge is irreparable and a major safety hazard to those ignoring the caution tape and choosing to cross the broken bridge anyways. The city urges everyone to stay away from the bridge site and do not, under any circumstance, attempt to cross the creek. Parents with children who use the route to go to and from school will need to find an alternate route. The city hopes to have the br... 12/14/2010

  National Poinsettia Day December 12th   Did you know that the poinsettia has a special day all its own?  Yep, by an Act of Congress, December 12th was set aside as National Poinsettia Day.  The date marks the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett, who is credited with introducing the native Mexican plant to the United States.  The purpose of the day is to enjoy the beauty of this popular holiday plant.    Here are some fun facts about the Poinsettia: - Poinsettias are native to Mexico - In nature, poinsettias are perennial flowering shrubs that can grow to ten feet tall.  (As a matter of fact, when I lived in Florida I would always plant my poinsettias in the yard after the holiday and they would thrive and grow quite tall - although I don't know that mine ever got to ten feet.) - Poinsetti... 12/12/2010

    Happy Friday to all! I hope that your week is ending well.  Can you believe that we are now just 2 weeks until Christmas.  As I've shared before, I am in full holiday mode at my house.  Both trees went up this past week, cards out, presents all shipped, and some baking even done.  Woo Hoo, having fun at my place :) This weekend we are off to Seattle to enjoy our annual trip to The Coats Christmas Concert.  We will be celebrating my daughter's birthday and taking in the sights of the season.  Should be a wonderful time.  I hope you have a fantastic weekend too. See ya next Friday, until then enjoy the quotes. ...geri   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~     There is a myth that time is money.  In fact, time is more precious than money.  It... 12/10/2010

For those of you who follow my bog on a regular basis, you know that I love inspiring quotes. Every Friday I post my "Weekly Words of Wisdom." This is always a random collection of quotes that I have come across throughout the week that touched my heart, made me laugh, kicked me into gear or just made me go hmmmmm....   Well today I came across a commencement speech given by Steve Jobs at Stanford in 2005. As it is several years old, you may have already seen it, but if not he shares his three rules of life: 1. Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. 2. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. 3. Have the courage to follow your heart and int... 12/07/2010

    Happy Friday! I hope that everyone had a nice Thanksgiving last week.   We sure did and when you mix in our first (and maybe last - you never know around here) snow fall of the season, it sure feels a lot like the holidays!  This picture was many of the many I took during and after the snow.  So beautiful!  I hope you are enjoying the wonderful holiday season, I hope you enjoy the quotes and I will see you next Friday!  Have a great week. ...geri ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   The worst days of those who enjoy what they do are better than the best days of those who don't.-Jim Rohn       Life is 10 percent what you make of it, and 90 percent how you take it.  ~Irving Berlin       Dream BIG!  Let others have the tiny dreams and limp throu... 12/03/2010

                    Here is a quick look at what it going on in the real estate market in our area, zip code 98042... There are currently 299 homes for sale with prices ranging from just under $100,000 to just under 3 million. 1 and 2-bedrooms homes for sale:  14 3 bedroom homes for sale:  143 4 bedroom homes for sale:  119 5+ bedroom homes for sale:  23   There were 22 homes that sold in November, 2010.   21 were re-sale homes and  1 was new construction. A further breakout shows what type of homes sold..,. New Construction:  4.5% Bank Owned:  27% Short Sales:  18% Regular Re-sales:  50.5%   The average sale price was $245,003             Low sales price was:  $105,000             High sales price was:  $480,000  *These are sales listed in the MLS only, it does not reflect any private... 12/01/2010

  Friday, December 3, 2010 - Hollydaze Float-in Movie at the Covington Aquatic Center This community event from 7 - 9 PM will offer opportunities for families to spend time together in the pool or for parents to drop off the kids for fun activities while they enjoy holiday shopping or a dinner out.  Various holiday movies will be projected and  structured games and activities will keep the kids occupied.  Donations for area food banks and Toys for Joy will be accepted.  Admission prices are $3.25 for residents and $4.25 for non-residents.  The same rule and age restrictions as public swims will be in effect.  Anyone under 6 years of age must be accompanied in the water and supervised at all times by an adult.  This event is provided by the City of Covington Parks and Recreation Departm... 11/30/2010