May. 2, 2009 - HelpStLouisHealthCareEequipmentNeeded

I just received the following request for donations and thought you all may want to help spread the word (knowing good well what great Samaritans you all are!)! When we help others, we also feel better our self! May we all feel GREAT by our contribution!
Hey, you'll also be going "green", by recycling those items!
Please pass the following information on.

Mar. 19, 2009 - DiversitySeminar2009

It was an interesting day today. I attended the St. Louis Association of REALTORS Diversity Committees seminar for buying and selling in 2009. The panelists included Wandy Simmons of Beyond Housing; Don Brinker, Homeownership Manager of the Missouri Housing Development Commission;State Representative Tim Jones with the Missouri Housing Task Force (and representative of District 89 which includes Wildwood, Eureka and parts of West St. Louis County); and Lisa Brewer & Dan McLaughlin, of the Missouri Association of Mortgage Brokers (MAMB)

Judy Sepac and Representative Tim Jones (89th District)

Each panelist shared their expertise on educating buyers, tax credits, legislation & mortages.
All attendees were served box lunches from Heavenly Ham which were sponsored by: Scott Beeman, 314-329-9810 Neighbors Credit Union and Harry Hilburg, 314-569-3000 of Countrywide Home Loans. There was a large attendance and many questions asked and answered. More answers can be found on the SLAR web site under Legislation. Following the lunch break, Dr. Jed Smith, National Association of REALTORS, provided insight into his view of the 2009 Forecast & $789 Billion Economic Recovery Plan. Yes, there will be a recovery! Look for the silver lining and keep your eyes on the prize (recovery)!

Mar. 8, 2009 - Foreclosures_and_Crime

As homes in your neighborhood are foreclosed on strange things begin to happen. You find the people that lived there have left the premises in a hurry and may have left behind a lot of their belongings and a big mess too. The grass and weeds continue to grow and the bushes aren't getting trimmed. You might notice a foul smell emanating from the home. Pools can be left unattended, making it unsightly and a hazard to all. Windows get broken. Trash is left in the yard. Signs go up, showing it's a vacant home that's been foreclosed on. At times, the copper pipes are ripped out by thieves for resale and water is left to run ruining carpet, flooring, and mold begins to grow.

The community has a black cloud hanging over it. Neighbors wonder if they'll be next, thinking how easy it would be for them to be in that same situation too. If you feel you are at risk check out: www.hopenow.com or call 888-995-HOPE. At times the local government is not quick to take action either. Houses can be illegally entered by teens or homeless.

So, what can YOU do about it? Start a community effort with your neighbors to walk the neighborhood to look for problem properties.
When your block watch program (See: www.usaonwatch.org) is in place, notify the local police and city services so they can board up the windows. Take it in on your selves to serve and clean up what you can. Take turns cutting the grass. Pick up the trash. Form a homeowners association if you don't have one to get reimbursed for your work and put a lien on the property or get a court order for larger repairs. Check out www.vacantproperties.org on maintaining empty homes.

Do what you must to keep your neighborhood up to standards. The sun will come out and those clouds will soon part. Your neighborhood will be the stronger for your efforts!

Sep. 2, 2008 - VotingResponsibly

 I've been avoiding all the political commercials and the conventions. I'm waiting for the town hall debates and want to also get some information from sources that are not predisposed to one side or the other. No matter the outcome, I always hope and pray they put the country and it's inhabitants first and their personal pocketbooks last! Maybe I'm too naive??
I hope you'll take time to look closely at both sides and then make an informed vote! Remember, your vote does count and many people have worked hard and even lost lives to give you this opportunity. No country in the world is a great as this one is, let's keep it that way!
Here's a good site to start to start getting your information.

Vote Smart: Republican 
Vote Smart: Democrat 
Vote Smart: Independent

 You might also want to view the information on the movie Iron Jawed Angels and then view it. It's worth your time!

May. 27, 2008 - StLouisHero

Here's some information about a gentleman that is rescuing artifacts from the St. Louis area. I believe he deserves recognition for doing that. He recently had an article written by Dianne Keaggy in the St. Louis Post Dispatch newspaper about him. Read the article to find out what he does out of love for the preservation of the history of St. Louis! Some of the artifacts he's rescued can be viewed at the St. Louis City Museum. By the way, you can thank Robert (Bob) Cassilly,Jr. artist and founder for that great and fun museum! My thanks to my hero, Bruce Gerrie!

May. 26, 2008 - MemorialDay2008

Saturday, my husband & I took a ride out to South County to take our tour through the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. They have a yearly memorial remembrance each year, but when we last went it was so crowded and we were in line on the highway for over an hour. We decided to just go early. My husbands friend, a former Navy man, is buried here, as well as his brother-in-law, a policeman and also a Navy man. I've come here before, bringing a grand kid with me, as it's such an awe inspiring place. A place of Honor, where men and women, who have served our country in the armed forces, finally rest in peace. I've learned that USCT on the tomb stones (from earlier times, like the Civil War) means United States Colored Troops. It's an impressive place to gather your thoughts on the true meaning of war, it's results, and the sacrifice of those that have served our country. It's a perfect place to offer up our prayers and turn our thoughts to those that have sacrificed.

They also have museums and filled with memorabilia and photographs. They have a great view of the Mississippi river from the overlook there too.

Feb. 5, 2008 - National_Politics

Hi Everyone,

I hope you've all taken time out of your busy days to vote in the primary election today. It was rainy here, but I managed to get there between showers. The poll workers said it had be a steady stream of voters out her in West County. Couldn't get the hubby to go, but guess that's all right as his vote would have canceled out mine! I hear the polling places have ALL been busy and I'm pleased about that. We are so lucky to have democratic elections and no violence when we go to vote. Others are not so lucky. Thanks to our soldiers everywhere who fought and continue to fight, for our rights to be able to do that.

My dear sister, Colette, was out working at the polls today. What a tough gal she is, troubled with rheumatoid arthritis but each year makes the effort to work at the polls. Thanks to all of the folks that DO volunteer their time and make the effort. It makes for a long day.

Later on reading the West NewsMagazine I found they had a web site listing ALL The Candidates with their positions on the issues. Thought I'd share it with you all and maybe we can elect the man/woman we want. Take some time to review the site and then be sure to vote when the time comes! Feel free to check out The League of Women Voters site too!

Feb. 4, 2008 - BallwinMOArtistJudgement

Here's the latest on the Lewis Greenberg issue regarding "Art" vs "Trash" story, as I've read it. Judge Kathryn Koch ruled that Greenberg's Holocaust Memorial, located in Ballwin, MO, violates two Ballwin ordinances. The first prohibits littering and the other prohibits storing materials that constitute a health menace. Judge Koch fined Greenberg $1,000. and that fine was to be paid by 1/13/08.

As of last week when I drove by the property, the yard was still filled with the materials. Still with no end in sight, as Greenberg continues his fight as he feels his constitutional rights, including freedom of speech & religion, are being impinged upon.

He is planning to appeal the verdict to the Missouri Circuit Court of Appeals before he can be charged again.

The neighbors feel that property values are being affected by in a downward fashion by the "trash" on the property. Typically, the home values run $250K to $300K in the Whispering Oakwood subdivision.  To be continued....

Dec. 14, 2007 - BallwinMOArtistControversyContinues

Seems like this saga will never end! West Newsmagazine reports that now, self-acclaimed artist, Lewis Greenberg is suing the city of Ballwin, MO in U.S. District Court. Greenbergs suit states his constitutional rights, freedom of speech and of religion are being compromised.

Most of the yard "art" represents (per Greenberg) the holocaust.

The yard "art" is amazing to see in a subdivision located in such an up-scale neighborhood. I'd say too, that it'd be amazing to see anywhere! In addition, I'd say a goodly part of the problem is that at night, bright lights illuminate the entire site and of course, spills over into nearby yards. I'm not talking dusk to dawn lights either. It would easily, to my mind, be considered a nuisance to the neighbors and is shocking to the folks driving by. And yes, folks are now making it a "drive-by" frequently to check it out. I think you might expect to see something like this set up in an unincorporated area that has limited or no rules/regulations, but not in a subdivision of high quality, well built homes like Whispering Oakwood in West County. I'd asked him if he'd considered displaying in one of the local parks (like Laumeier Sculpture Park) to see if they'd consider his art or to exhibit his "art" in a more traditional setting, but it was out of the question! In my opinion, he likes the attention and being in the lime-light. He prefers not to exhibit in a traditional manner such as a gallery, but to be a thorn in the side of his neighbors. Stir things up a bit. In my view, he's taking his "right" to the extreme and stepping on others "right" to have some "peace".

The city of Ballwin denies all the claims in the lawsuit and is waiting now until the court has the opportunity to view the property.This has been and seems like it will continue to be an on-going saga. OK, so where does Greebergs right trump the neighbors right to have a peaceful life in a quiet subdivision? What do YOU think? Sign up for the RSS to be updated when more news is available. Stay tuned!

Aug. 14, 2007 - ShowMeTheMoney

I just read in the West Newsmagazine, that Missourians now have an easier way to see where all the tax revenues are going! It's the Missouri Accountablity Portal (MAP). It's free to use and you can see how the state is spending our money.

You can check by category, vendor or contract. Missouri state employees' salaries will be searchable in a database beginning in 2008.

Check out the up-to-date information to see what's going on. Let's give Govenor Matt Blunt a hand for this site! Seems like a step forward to me. Enjoy!

Jul. 29, 2007 - StLouisAreaGreatForSellers

I hope you all read the (finally!) positive comments made by the staff reporter, Matt Woolsey, of Forbes.com regarding the St. Louis area! Due to their copyright requirements & privacy policy, you'll need to do a search for the specific video or text. Click the above link & just use the key words "Top Home Selling Markets" or "Housing Trends" to locate the information. Like I've said before, "Bubble, What Bubble?" Not here in our river city. We still offer you one of the best areas to live and buy in! Welcome to our Mid-Western values & friendliness. Don't like the weather? Wait a day or so...you never know what's on the horizon! LOL!

Did you ever notice that the media seldom is regional specific? Lump all of us together, let the folks hear things are not going well. Watch the market begin to slump. Gloom & Doom! I swear, it's like watching the weather report. Do people still believe what they (media) tell you (in Missouri?) "SHOW ME" is our state motto!  We live in an area that is difficult to predict weather. We don't fit in the East/West coast mold. Question exactly where they are getting their numbers from and to what area it applies. Like I said, "Show Me"!

Jul. 24, 2007 - Maplewood/MinionsCafe

What a great time we had in Maplewood, MO Saturday evening. A couple of friends & I went to Minion's Cafe for dinner and a skit that featured, Marjoram Fennel (aka Linda Spall). Dinner was a choice of three entree's and included drinks (bring your own wine!) and dessert. Every thing is homemade and yummy!        If you'd like to give it a try..They have music on week-ends (call for time/dates) and then there is "Marge". What a "hoot"!  If you liked "Keeping Up Appearances" (PBS), you'll love Marge! She kept us all in stiches with her antic's. She's a one-woman show that specializes in comedy. I hope you'll make an effort to see her in action and have as much fun as we did. The whole audience was laughing and thoroughly enjoyed the show. You'll never think of cooking as boring again!

MINIONS CAFE (7322 Manchester Road, Maplewood, MO - 314-781-4800)

MINIONS CAFE cost is $45 show/dinner (dinner at 7:30 show at 8:00 pm - BYO Wine) The Cafe is presenting Cooking with Marge on Saturdays [August 4, 11, 18, 25] at 7 PM. Cooking with Marge is a comedy dinner theatre starring Linda Spall as Marge.

Picking the Winner (Audience Participation)

We chose Chicken Picatta, wild rice & veggies. The desserts are served at intermission along with free refills of the drinks. Desserts for the 3 of us were samples of ALL the desserts. We enjoyed sampling and choosing our favorites! The owner also does catering so you might want to keep that in mind, if you enjoy their dinners.  Now THAT's Entertainment!

Jul. 24, 2007 - ThePhotographersRights

Hi Everyone!

I recently read some comments about what kind of photos you can and can't take with out having to get "permission" to publish those photos. So many different/various viewpoints as to what you can or can not do! I was confused!

I'd recently taken some photos at the Clarkson Woods annual subdivision parade and posted them on this site. After reading the comments, I was somewhat concerned that I shouldn't have done that. Luckily, someone referred us to The Photographer's Rights, which you too can view by clicking those words. It'll lead you to Bert P. Krages (an attorney) site and he's agreed that I could link to it, but not to "copy" it. It is a copyrighted form.

He's written several books too, which some of you may be interested in reading also. At any rate, I found that I CAN (& have) post those photo's with out recourse. I hope you'll take a moment or two and enjoy the Parade, even though its over! Enjoy!

Jul. 6, 2007 - Going Green

Apr. 22, 2007 - Ballwin Artist Creates Local Controversy

You never know when you'll accidently run into some adventure in your daily excursion in your own neighborhood. A friend and I were out enjoying the day of window shopping on a lovely sunny, breezy day. Just enjoying the moments, as they came and on our whim. We decided to drive by one of the local areas, where an artist lives in Ballwin. He's decorated his yard (front, side & back) with an abundance of either trash or treasure, depending on whom you listen too. Personally, I believe you need to have an open mind to the world of "ART" and what it stands for and of course, just what it means to each individual viewing the work and the artist, himself.

So, off we went, my friend driving and myself in the passenger side of the car, camera at the ready!  I might also explain we'd been by before, on the recommendation of another Ballwin citizen, to just drive by ....and take a look! When we were there last, it was dusk and my photo's didn't turn out so hot. No matter how I tried to edit them, they were too dark. 

Prior to this visit, my friend had brought her grandson (age 9) to see the display. When asked what he thought about it, he said, " I'd like to play here!".

This display has caused some of the neighbors to object, not so much directly to the artist, but to the folks at city hall. Back to my story. As we pull around the curve, there's the house! My friend spots the owner, coming out around the side. Of course, he sees us and comes to the front door. She's somewhat apprehensive, not knowing how or what kind of reception we'll get. She says, "Tell him we're friendly!, Tell him we're friendly!". I'm thinking (sounds like we're dogs). Plus, she's wanting me to yell this out of the car...and he's a good 50 feet away. We're aware of the controversy his art display has caused and not sure if he's receptive to folks taking photos or maybe he's thinking we're going to harass him. 

Here he comes toward us, with his bike in hand, wearing  biker attire.  We explained what we were doing and he kindly volunteered that we were welcome to come into the yard and take more photos. He was very open about telling us about the neighbors and giving his opinion. He gave his name to us (Lewis Greenberg)and proceeded to tell us about the work, which represents the Holocaust.  He was also interested in our opinion and we provided that too. One of the neighbors is trying to sell his home and of course, believes that because of the artist display of his work in the yard, the home is not selling. That of course, is debatable, in this soft market and also the condition of the neighbors home. The yard is kept cut and flowers and shrubs are trimmed.  We've made plans to come back again and take a tour of the objects, both outside and in.  We ran out of time to take him up on the offer to take more photos but will do it soon! He did say that the property is lighted with dusk to dawn lights and I believe he feels that some would destroy his work, if given the opportunity. He knows his rights and plans on adding to the display, as it's a "work in progress".

It turns out I'd seen his car on the road too. He drives a mid-size car that is totally covered (not the windows, of course!) with decals! He's a free-thinker and may be eccentric (who isn't?) but enjoys life and is certainly able to carry on a conversation! We're looking forward to our next visit. I hope you'll come back to visit my blog too!

Jan. 12, 2007 - Joyful Families

Dec. 29, 2006 - newyearcoming

Here we are, waiting for the New Year to come! Who knows what blessings it will bring. I'm reflecting on the past year, and hoping that this new one will turn out better for us all.

We've had a slow down in real estate here, but it looks like after the New Year, things will be picking up again. Interest rates are still single digit and better than last year at this time. Buyers should be happy! Sellers will need to be realistic in their pricing now, as the market has shifted. They will see appreciation, but not as much as it has been in the past few years, in my view.

We've had some sickness in the family, and a recent death, but mostly we can look back and find we've been happy about our situation in life. Are we planning any changes? I'd say yes, but when life interjects it's self on you, who knows what you'll end up doing! That plan may just be out the window. Sometimes it's a nice surprise that comes your way, sometimes not. It's always  a surprise! 

One thing for sure, some one will be taking a ride in the St. Louis RE/MAX balloon in 2007! The winner will be notified on New Year's Day and if they accept it, I'll be updating everyone on this blog. If they don't want to participate, it will go to the next person chosen in the random drawing.

 I wish you all Good Luck, Health, Happiness and a Prosperus New Year!

Oct. 8, 2006 - Sunny October Saturday

What a wonderful day for a wedding! Bright blue skies and sun shinning, perfect temperatures and a slight breeze. Rejoice, for this is the day the Lord has given us!

After 8 years of dating and loving one another, they have chosen to be married. Tied the knot, as they say. Sworn to a life of commitment to one another. Blessings all around. Memories of other marriages, some long lasting, others not so. What makes it work or fail? Who knows for sure? What works for some, may not work for others. We wish them a lifetime of love and support from family. Always...and Forever.

The young couple have already purchased a new home out in a small town outside of St. Louis. Good for them; they KNOW a good investment when they see one! Why waste money on renting and paying off someone elses investment? I wish all young folks the sense to at least investigate the purchase of a home. So many put that purchase on a back burner, throwing dollars on rentals, never saving enough to get that down payment they need. With so many programs available now, there's really no reason that they can't make the purchase.

TIPS: Pay your bills on time (or earlier than the deadline!). Don't be a spendthrift. Ask these questions of yourself. Do you WANT or NEED that purchase? Will it make you money? Will it last? How quickly will it be out of date? Track your spending for 2 weeks.  Pay CASH or if you do choose to use your credit card, pay it off the next month or DON"T buy it. Don't let the credit card companies collect all that interest! This is just how they make their money and YOU lose yours. Don't let it happen to YOU! Choose to be in control of your finances.

Aug. 13, 2006 - Sunday thoughts

Just sitting here thinking about all the great things about our area that I can't wait to tell you about.

You know, to give you a reason to come visit and maybe even think about moving here. Right away, the Gateway Arch pops into my head! Did you know its 630 feet high? Did you know it reflects so many colors at night. I couldn't believe it when I was checking some facts to see how old it is either! FORTY-ONE years old as of this year (2006)! Wow, where has the time gone? I still remember seeing films of  them building on the tv. If you haven't been in our town to visit this icon, please make an effort to do it. Take a ride up inside or just take some lovely photos of it. It was designed by Eero Saarinen an architect from Finland. If you'd like more information on him or the Arch check out this site: http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Gateway_Arch.html    By the way, there's a wonderful museum at Lacledes Landing  http://www.360stlouis.com/lacledeslanding/index2.htm, UNDER the Arch, to visit, if you just don't like heights!  Did I mention, we're a kid-friendly town?

AND...if you want to hear Blues music, check out....Blues On The Mississippi! http://www.stlblues.net/BluMiss.html