Rite of passage

Today, another major milestone on the advent of Spring: I went to Point Pelee.

Mrs. Grady called this morning and asking if myself and Halia would like to go to the point. I was a little hesitant only because I wanted to accomplish some things about the house before the cool weather and rain starts again. Who cares? I went anyway.

It was great. There was still ice on the Lake heading to the point, and the wind was probably in the 40's, but once on a trail, (we did the DeLaurier Trail and House) it was back in the 60's-70's.

I can't wait until this weather is a constant!

Public Service Announcement

I've mentioned that the first sign of Spring is the opening of the Dairy Freez. This little seasonal drive-up restaurant with car hops is known throughout the county as the place to go for a burger and some ice cream.

It opened last Thursday, and I know that you'll all be shocked to hear that I haven't been there to eat yet. Yes, it's true.

Now, I grew up with the Freez, and I love it as any local, (except Billy) does... but I do have some issues.

The parking for the Freez only accommodates about 20-25 cars, which is perfect for the Monday to Friday operation of the restaurant, however Saturday and Sundays are completely different. There are at any given time on a week-end afternoon about 20 cars parked on the side of the road. This road, keep in mind, was formally a country highway and until about 10 years ago, the speed limit was 80 kms, and is now 60 kms. (Locals like myself, ignore this new speed, sorry, it's grandfathered in...)

So now imagine a Sunday afternoon, cars whizzing by and starry eyed ice cream seekers walking blindly across the road... this is where the public service announcement comes into play:

1) When approaching the Dairy Freez, please decide within a 1/2 kilometer before whether you are going to stop or not. Going 30 kms for 2 kms before the Freez, whilst discussing if in fact you are going to stop, annoys other drivers and can cause accidents.

2) Remember that if you park on the other side of the road, that while walking to the restaurant, that it is still a road. People drive cars on roads. You cannot stop walking on the road and wait for your brood to disembark your 1989 Caravan. You may get run over. I may run over you.

3) If you are parking on the other side of the road, please remember that your car doors are not immune to getting ripped off simply because your mind is already engaged in an ice cream fantasy.

4) When returning to your car, your king sized soft ice cream cone does not provide magical protection from vehicles travelling Cnty Rd. 34. I realize that everything else ceases to exist except trying to lick the run off of you chilly delight, however, there still are cars going by, and cars can do serious damage to your and your ice cream. Really.

5) When pulling out of the Dairy Freez, the regular rules of driving still apply. Your ice cream cone once again does not hold supernatural power that makes an invisible force shield around your car. You still must look both ways before pulling out.

6) Once leaving the Dairy Freez, it is recommended that you travel at a speed at least more than 30 kms an hour. Driving slow will not make your ice cream last longer. It will make you a prime target to get rear-ended.

I hope this helps. I know it may seem a little harsh, but it's true. Try driving down County Road 34 West any time on a warm Sunday afternoon...

Relief

I feel better.

I must say that I was feeling a tremendous amount of stress due to my wine and cheese open house, (and a few other things...) well it's all over, and it was a huge success. No offers, but a ton of traffic, and at least a hundred positive comments. Whew!

There are many ways to offer strangers alcohol, let's review the methods and results...

- Hi, we're having some wine and cheese today, would you care for a glass of red, white or blush?
- Ugh, no, that's okay.
- Howabout just a small taste of the red, it's really smooth and nice?
- Um, okay.

- Hi, we're featuring some local wines today, could I pour you a glass? We have a red, a white and a nice blush.
- Um, okay, we'll try the blush.

- Hi, we're featuring some incredible local wines today, could I interest you in trying a glass, we have a nice crisp white.
- Sure I'll have a try.

Honestly, I can't believe how much wine we went through. It was really great wine...
- Pinot Noir from Sprucewood Shores (awesome wine! went through 2 bottles)
- Summer Sun from Erie Shore (my fav, went through 1 1/2 bottles)
- Chardonnay from Colchester Ridge Estate Winery (very good, but only 1/2 bottle drank)

By far the most popular was red wine.

Anyways, it was the best open house I've ever had, (despite not having an offer...) and there were so many positive comments. This house is awesome. It redeems me as a Realtor.

Email

I received this email today from a friend whose brother just finished serving in Afghanistan. I thought it to be quite truthful....

A British news paper salutes Canada . . . this is a good read. It is
funny how it took someone in England to put it into words...
Sunday Telegraph Article From today's UK wires: Salute to a brave and
modest nation - Kevin Myers, The Sunday Telegraph LONDON -

Until the deaths of Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan , probably
almost no one outside their home country had been aware that Canadian
troops are deployed in the region. And as always, Canada will bury its
dead, just as the rest of the world, as always will forget its
sacrifice, just as it always forgets nearly everything Canada ever
does.

It seems that Canada 's historic mission is to come to the selfless
aid both of its friends and of complete strangers, and then, once the
crisis is over, to be well and truly ignored.

Canada is the perpetual wallflower that stands on the edge of the
hall, waiting for someone to come and ask her for a dance. A fire
breaks out, she risks life and limb to rescue her fellow dance-goers,
and suffers serious injuries. But when the hall is repaired and the
dancing resumes, there is Canada, the wallflower still, while those
she once helped Glamorously cavort across the floor, blithely
neglecting her yet again.

That is the price Canada pays for sharing the North American continent
with the United States , and for being a selfless friend of Britain in
two global conflicts. For much of the 20th century, Canada was torn in
two different
directions: It seemed to be a part of the old world, yet had an
address in the new one, and that divided identity ensured that it
never fully got the gratitude it deserved. Yet its purely voluntary
contribution to the cause of freedom in two world wars was perhaps the greatest of any democracy.


Almost 10% of Canada 's entire population of seven million people
served in the armed forces during the First World War, and nearly 60,000 died.
The great Allied victories of 1918 were spearheaded by Canadian
troops, perhaps the most capable soldiers in the entire British order
of battle.

Canada was repaid for its enormous sacrifice by downright neglect,
it's unique contribution to victory being absorbed into the popular
Memory as somehow or other the work of the "British."

The Second World War provided a re-run. The Canadian navy began the
war with a half dozen vessels, and ended up policing nearly half of
the Atlantic against U-boat attack. More than 120 Canadian warships
participated in the Normandy landings, during which 15,000 Canadian
soldiers went ashore on D-Day alone. Canada finished the war with the
third-largest navy and the fourth-largest air force in the world.

The world thanked Canada with the same sublime indifference as it had
the previous time. Canadian participation in the war was acknowledged
in film only if it was necessary to give an American actor a part in a
campaign in which the United States had clearly not participated - a
touching scrupulousness which, of course, Hollywood has since
abandoned, as it has any notion of a separate Canadian identity.

So it is a general rule that actors and filmmakers arriving in
Hollywood keep their nationality - unless, that is, they are Canadian.
Thus Mary Pickford, Walter Huston, Donald Sutherland, Michael J. Fox,
William Shatner, Norman Jewison, David Cronenberg, Alex Trebek, Art
Linkletter and Dan Aykroyd have in the popular perception become
American, and Christopher Plummer, British.

It is as if, in the very act of becoming famous, a Canadian ceases to
be Canadian, unless she is Margaret Atwood, who is as unshakably
Canadian as a moose, or Celine Dion, for whom Canada has proved quite
unable to find any takers.

Moreover, Canada is every bit as querulously alert to the achievements
of it's sons and daughters as the rest of the world is completely
unaware of them. The Canadians proudly say of themselves - and are
unheard by anyone else - that 1% of the world's population has
provided 10% of the world's peacekeeping forces. Canadian soldiers in
the past half century have been the greatest peacekeepers on Earth -
in 39 missions on UN mandates, and six on non-UN peacekeeping duties,
from Vietnam to East Timor, from Sinai to Bosnia.


Yet the only foreign engagement that has entered the popular
on-Canadian imagination was the sorry affair in Somalia , in which
out-of-control paratroopers murdered two Somali infiltrators. Their
regiment was then disbanded in disgrace - a uniquely Canadian act of
self-abasement for which, naturally, the Canadians received no international credit.

So who today in the United States knows about the stoic and selfless
friendship its northern neighbour has given it in Afghanistan? Rather
like Cyrano de Bergerac , Canada repeatedly does honourable things for
honourable motives, but instead of being thanked for it, it remains
something of a figure of fun.

It is the Canadian way, for which Canadians should be proud, yet such
honour comes at a high cost. This past year more grieving Canadian
families knew that cost all too tragically well.

Painful

Sometimes the truth hurts. Does sugar-coating help the person doling out the bad news, or does it help the one receiving the news? A little of both I think. Nobody likes to be mean...

Telling someone that their house is not nearly worth what they hope it to be really sucks. I hate doing it, but it is for the best because to tell them otherwise would result in the following:
- Me listing a home for sale without having confidence in the asking price
- Me spending money on advertising, time, gas, etc. for a home that is unrealistically priced
- The sellers making great efforts to prepare their home for sale, (paint, trim, re-carpeting a room, taking down shelves, etc) at a price that is too high
- The sellers having all their hopes and dreams based upon obtaining a certain dollar amount for their home which won't happen.

Ugh, not fun.

This is up

Thursday already! Time flies! I have no idea what has kept me so busy lately. Although for a few days I was dragging my ass due to lack of sleep, the last few nights have been fine. So...

I've been putting a lot of effort into a new listing of mine, and in fact email 720 agents yesterday a power point presentation. I still have to buy wine, - from local wineries, not at the LCBO, some glasses, (we need those anyway) order the cheese tray, invite my friends, place open house signs, pass out brochures in the area, email the mortgage broker, print brochures, take another exterior picture, etc. etc, etc. I hope all this effort is worth it. I'd love to have an offer come Sunday.

Beware: Completely Random Thoughts Ahead!

Ohhh, lightening and thunder outside, the dog will love that...

I think I'd like to become an expert or an authority on something. I'm going to look into that, I have a few ideas.

I'd like to design cool golf clothes for women, I may look into making some for myself. I may call it 'PS Golf' - pink skull... we'll see...

I've never flown by myself or stayed in a hotel room by myself. This is not likely to happen in the near future.

Only 2 more weeks of volleyball, the golf course opens March 30th...

That's it, time to get some groceries and get started on my day. I already have been to the gym, and was quiet motivated... if you know what I mean...

Sometimes

Sometimes I'm absolutely enamoured by my life.

Today started with snow falling, (okay, that wasn't a highlight) but it was very pretty outside. The pooch was sleepy and cuddly. I actually didn't have to 'drag' my butt to the gym, and cardio went pretty well, (usually I dread every moment of it). The weights went well and I felt strong and motivated. Very good indeed!

At home the coffee this morning was awesome. I did normal things like laundry, faxed some documents, checked email, updated a few things online for work, watered the plants, cleaned the bar, recycled, talked to my broker, talked to a client, wrote some ads, hauled out my summer clothes, made the bed, etc...

A completely average morning. I took the pooch next door and the dogs had a good play and run. I made a fruit shake for breakfast/lunch. I checked out some golf clothing online and chatted with Billy for a moment about dinner tonight and a dentist appointment tomorrow. Absolutely nothing special...

Yet as I walk around I feel so lucky. The fireplace looks so nice, the floors are still clean and look great, the TV looks especially large and clear... I'm looking forward to Billy coming home tonight and having dinner and watching some shows. I have a short list of friends to call, and I feel grateful to have them...

Would I feel better if I had some closings on the horizon? If I was 20 lbs skinner? If it was 75*F outside? Sure, but wow, for some reason today in particular, life is full of good things. Many little good things.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Well this is one of those non-holiday holidays of which I can look back and distinctly remember, (as much as the consumption of alcohol would allow) people, places and events... let's go back...

With my friends, for years, St. Patrick's Day was synonymous with Cosy Corner's, a local and truly Irish pub (it sadly closed in 2001). Because we were regulars I don't ever recall waiting in line to enter, but I do remember parking about half a kilometer away... I'm pretty sure a couple of years I parked at a friend's house and walked back, okay... stumbled...

The place was so small, like maybe 1,000 square feet, but somehow they managed to pack a few hundred people in there. On St. Patrick's Day you could be there for hours and not find your friends who were 20 feet away.

One year there was a huge fight. This wack-a-doo with mental issues jumped a guy I was standing next do and I had some battle wounds on my leg. Of course I didn't feel anything due to the large quantities of liquid anesthetic... I think that was the same year that they ran out of beer at about 6pm. I'm pretty sure it was a Sunday and another bar owner who was there made a beer run to save the day...

Another year my boyfriend -at the time- and I, and some others decided to do a pre-St. Patrick's Day warm up by drinking Tequila (very Irish) the night before at Cosy's. I remember waking up next to the door for the women's bathroom. Cosy's wasn't a place that you wanted to A) be on or near the floor and B) spend any time more than necessary at or around the washrooms... nasty! I was so hung over I gagged down only one glass of beer at the Cose on St/ Patty's Day and called it a night...

Going way back, one year I went to California's (how's that for a blast from the past?) and we saw the McLean brothers do a comedy show. I'm pretty sure I did the splits in front of hundreds of people... Ugh, what an idiot!

I have so many great memories from this 'holiday', and this year I'm doing exactly what I want to do... visiting a friend's whose St. Patrick's Day baby is one year old today, having Billy's prime rib for dinner, a bottle of wine, and playing some Tiger Woods golf on PS2. Things certainly do change. My idea of fun is quite different (I also rarely wake up thinking 'did I do that last night?' etc.) but the point is A) I'm glad to have those memories B) I'm happy that I did what I wanted to do and finally C) I'm very pleased to be who and where I am today...

At home

I'm home by myself tonight. Billy has gone out to the LH for a little birthday celebration. I decided not to go as it is tough for me to sit on a barstool for 6 hours, and I know that he'll have more fun as he's not worried about me either not having fun, or dealing with a sore back.

Aside from the rare night when Billy has to work, I don't get very many evenings alone (and no pooch), and it's kind of nice, especially since the house is clean.

The plan? Work on a power point presentation, make a brochure in Publisher and create a blog for my listing at 51 William... with the help of a couple of glasses of vino... life is good...

Real quick like

Yesterday was Billy's birthday, and I hope that he had a good one. Due to March Break we went bowling instead of playing volleyball, and although some of our team couldn't make it, it was a great time.

I have found myself having increasingly OC thoughts due to the recent warm weather, (today however I awoke to 2 inches of snow...) My distraction is golf, plain and simple.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a superstar golfer. I've only ever broke 90 twice, (ahh, that was good...) but I do love that crazy game! The thoughts have increased ten fold due to Billy recently fulfilling his lifelong dream.... becoming a member at Sutton Creek. Not so much life long, as it has only been a private course for a few years, but it is Billy's favorite course in this area, and he's always wanted a membership at a private course. Woo hoo! That means, (due to the extreme generosity of my husband...) I'm now a spousal member! Ahh... unlimited golf... (open, open, open...)

Needless to say I CAN'T WAIT!

Increasing my OC thoughts was the Golf Expo in Novi on the week-end. I was so excited to go, I forgot the damn directions! Oh well, 20 minutes cruising around Farmington Hills MI never killed anybody, and it was worth it! I bought a pair of gorgeous, comfy Nike spikes, (of course Billy says that they are the ugliest shoes he has ever seen), and a new pair of Bite golf sandal spikes, (Billy says that courses are going to start outlawing sandal spikes because they are not real golf shoes...) I got really good deals on both pairs. Of course I had to buy a pink pullover, and some balls for Billy and I. I was in golf heaven... Now I want to go the the golf superstore place in London...

So that's where my head has been lately. I've been fairly active in real estate, and recently got a kick ass listing in Essex, check it out.... and I've had a few other things going on.

Life is great...

I've been busy...

Not a lot busy, just busy enough to keep me away from posting. Maybe it's the weather, whatever it is, the blogs that I read have slowed in production as well, so I don't feel bad...

Have I had anything to say? Sure I have... is it pretty much more of the same? Yep, some updates I could pass on, how our week-end was, things I'm looking forward to, people that annoy me, books I've read, and what I'm up to in general... Well not today, I've got some things to do... I'll be back tomorrow, I promise...

By the way, my husband is going to be 41 tomorrow... he is no longer 40, he is in his 40's... Crazy!

Upcoming things

Here are some things, in no particular order that I'm looking forward to:

- Warm weather, sleeping with the windows open, enjoying coffee on the patio, seeing leaves on the trees and going barefoot outside
- Selling a few houses
- Playing in our vegetable garden, watching things pop up in the Spring
- Planting our indoor garden... maybe today!
- Billy's birthday next week
- Having friends over for church
- Possibly going to KT's this week-end
- Going to Tennessee
- Golfing in TN, golfing here and golfing at the simulator again
- Planning a trip with Billy
- Eating Billy's prime rib with super hot horseradish, and drinking wine
- Drinks after volleyball tonight
- Going to the movies
- Being skinny (okay that's more of a dream...)
- Having our taxes done, and refund in the mail
- Hot tubbing possibly tonight after v-ball
- Visiting T.E.
- Possibly going to the golf expo this week-end in Novi
- Going camping, swimming, having a bon-fire
- Hearing about TOL's European adventure
- Visiting Pt. Pelee
- Kayaking
- Having a Mueslix bagel for lunch (I'm getting hungry)

Well that's about it off the top of my head. I'm going to get started on the indoor veggie garden, then I'm going to get to that bagel... It's all good!

Various updates

I haven't posted in a few days. I've been slightly scatter-brained and a little lethargic for no particular reason.

On the week-end we ventured to the indoor golf simulator as an anniversary gift to ourselves and it was fantastic. We had a private room complete with a larger hitting area, a big screen TV, leather couches and good service. I golfed fairly poorly, as I couldn't get my short game in order, but we had a fantastic time. We then went to the Keg for a late dinner, and of course it was unbelievably awesome! (Blue cheese filet is incredible especially with Wolf Blass' Cab Sav...) We topped off the night with a drink at the Grand and I kicked Billy's butt in a touch screen game.

Sunday was mostly a work day - making flyers, an open house then a few showings.

Our printer died, (it had a good life) so I ventured off to Staples and found a great deal on an Epson printer/scanner/copier. The price of the printer was a little more than the free ink it came with. Once again my level of convenience and ease has increased with this little bit of technology! I had to fax a copy of my driver's license to Tennessee, and it's difficult to to run a piece of plastic through a fax machine... new printer to the rescue. I also was able to add pictures of my client's pool to MLS.ca because I was able to scan them in... Just what I needed... something to make my life even easier!

I've added a couple more books to my list this week: Beloved by Toni Morrison, Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, (which was actually not on the classics list...) and True Evil by Greg Iles. My pile is down to one, (upon discovering that I read the James Kellerman novel previously) and that is re-reading the last Harry Potter book. (Which incidentally I look like a moron when reading it at the gym, as I have one of the copies that was printed backward...)

So that's about all that is new. I have some good real estate prospects in the near future and that should keep me fairly busy, and there are several little things that I'm looking forward to... I think I might make a list later!

Happy Anniversary!

To us!

5 years! Just think, five years ago, I was in the Las Vegas Hilton, recovering from one of the most ferocious hang-overs of all times... (Quark's Bar, Harrah's and some club at the MGM...) Next thing I knew, I felt like a million bucks, (thanks to TOL, Pepsi and a nutri-grain bar) in the bridal waiting room at Circus Circus (really, it was a nice chapel, no clowns or trapeze artist, just a lot of Mexicans). I could hear Billy in the hall, and when I walked out, I didn't even have a moment of anxiety, I was just happy to be there, and happy that so many people could join us.

Billy was absolutely gray with sweaty palms. The ceremony was quick, sweet and ran without a hitch, (I think they've done it before).

When we entered The Steakhouse, I waved hello to everyone, and my strap blew off my dress, nearly exposing myself. Lucky me got to enjoy a fabulous dinner, drinks, family and friends in comfy joggies!

What a great day! (except the hang-over...) I can't believe it's been 5 years. A lot has happened in 5 years, through mostly good times and a few sad, that day I did the best thing in my life.

Thanks Billy for making my life!

A simple request

Dear God,

Hi, how are you? You certainly are bringing in March like a Lion! Ha ha.

I was just wondering if there is anyway that you could make the rain come from the opposite direction, as the windows at the front of our house are quite dirty, and it is simply not the right weather to clean them ourselves. They are so filthy in fact, that when I walk by them it appears to be snowing outside.

The dirty windows do have an advantage however, as we no longer need blinds in bathroom, as there is no way anyone can see in. Ha ha. You do work in mysterious ways!

Also, if I leave my car outside to be cleaned, will you please refrain from dropping the temperature below freezing? Although I'm sure it must be fairly entertaining for you to watch us struggle with ice covered cars... so scratch that second request, you need all the laughs you can get.

So thanks for your consideration. In return, I promise not to discuss religion while intoxicated for the remainder of lent.

Thanks again, have a great day!

E.S. Grady

A sure sign...

Yesterday was my first sighting of a sure sign of Spring - Roll up the Rim at Tim Horton's. I experienced my first loss...

One year I had over 20 coffees and won nothing! A few years ago, when I wasn't really a big coffee drinker, I constantly had several 'free donut' and 'free coffee' scraps turning up everywhere in my car, jean pockets, and mixed in with my change...

The next sign I'm waiting for? The Dairy Freez opening of course! Last year it opened while I was in Tennessee, and I felt like I missed a major event. Believe me, I wait everyday with baited breath until I see that little light on the sign...
519-839-4703
Them: "Hi, Dairy Freez!"
Me: "Hi, I'd like to make an order to pick up."
Them: "Okay, go ahead."
Me: "Could I please order a cheeseburger with everything, but no relish, with pickles, and a small fry with gravy on the side...?"
Them: "Is this order for Grady?"
Me: (sheepishly, with a hint of embarrassment...) "Uh, yes..."
Them: "I knew it! See you in 10 minutes"

Can't wait!