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 Good with Coffee...
May
2009
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To buy or not to buy... To
sell or stay put? Those are the questions bothering
many people today.
In
the past several months clients have needed my
assistance in the quaint communities surrounding
Auburn and Placerville. What I think you'll find
interesting is this, properties are selling like
hotcakes in the country. Of course, Bay Area properties
are selling like crazy, too, but I found it
surprising that country properties are almost outsellig
the metropolitan areas.
We
know the news media is all about how bad
things are. Granted prices are down.
However, a lot of visionaries are in the
marketplace and they know prices will go up.
They know they have to sell low. They also know
they will be buying low. Ahhh.
Here
in California where properties taxes are assessed at a
minimum of 1% of the sales price (plus a fraction for
special assessments in various areas) it also means
today's buyers will be paying far less in real
property taxes for a long time to come.
If
you would like to explore buying real estate, email or
call me.
Share
Coffee Break with your friends. Copy and paste this
link into an email: http://www.joannegardiner.com/CoffeeBreak.html
I
invite you to so you don't miss out
on the latest news from the real estate
trenches, Coffee Break updates,
etc.
Take
care,
Joanne
Your
San Francisco Bay Area Real Estate Broker... and coffee
lover.
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You heard it here...
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 Newseum ~ Thanks
to Ms. Nancy Grenard
This is really a great site!
See today’s newspaper front
pages instantly
http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/flash/Over 700 newspapers from 70 countries -- at your
fingertips!
A fascinating site! When the website
comes up, put your mouse on a city anywhere in the world
and the front page of that city's newspaper pops up.
Double click and the page gets larger, then you can
either read the pdf version or click through to the
paper's website in the upper right corner. This site
changes every day with the publication of new editions.
Enjoy!
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Life
Line screening saved my brother's
life
About three and a half years ago the National
Association of Realtors sent me and all its other
members an email urging us to have the Life Line
screening tests. Insurance companies do not pay
for these screening tests so doctors seldom order
them. I decided it just might be a good
idea. So my brother Richard and I signed
up.
The bottom
line is this: Had Richard not been screened by
Life Line he would never have known he had an
abdominal
aortic aneurysm. It would have continued to grow until it
ruptured and that would have meant sudden
death.
Since Life Line discovered this aneurysm
his doctors continued to monitor it. According
to Richard's heart doctor Life Line is a well respected
screening company.
This past December Richard developed a
pain in his side for no apparent reason. He went back to
his doctor, who then had an ultra sound done, which
showed the aneurysm had grown significantly compared to
the earlier report by Life Line. The doctor
then had a cat scan and angiogram done followed
by surgery. Richard is now home
recovering.
I urge you all to get screened by Life
Line. It could save your life as it has my
brother's. Here is a link to schedule a test date
for you and everyone in your family.
You
can search for testing locations by zip
code:
https://apps.llsa.com/signups/?SourceCd=ELTR-495&zipcode=94545
Please, don't put it off, sign up
today. It is painless and
affordable.
Update April
9th: Richard
continues to recover, however he spends a large
part of each day flat in bed. He still experiences
quite a bit of discomfort. Yesterday was
especially difficult for him. His visits to the
doctors this week were encouraging. While full
recovery is still a long ways away, the doctors
said he is doing well.
We're thankful he's still here.
Please get yourself and your loved ones screened.
The alternative is deadly.
Joanne
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Uses for Coffee
Filters ~ Thanks to Ms. Merrilee
DeBiaso
Coffee filters.. who knew! And
you can buy 1,000 at the Dollar Tree for
almost nothing.
1. Cover
bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave.
Coffee filters make excellent covers.
2. Clean
windows and mirrors. Coffee filters are
lint-free so they'll leave windows sparkling.
3.
Protect China. Separate your good dishes by
putting a coffee filter between each dish.
4. Filter
broken cork from wine. If you break the cork
when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine
through a coffee filter.
5.
Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter
in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.
6. Apply
shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee
filter.
7.
Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil
through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.
8. Weigh
chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a
coffee filter on a kitchen scale.
9. Hold
tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for
messy foods.
10. Stop
the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a
plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil
from going through the drainage holes.
11.
Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two
holes as needed in a coffee filter.
12. Do
you think we used expensive strips to wax
eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters.
13. Put a
few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries,
chicken fingers, etc on them. Soaks out all
the grease.
14. Keep
in the bathroom. They make great "razor
nick fixers."
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The Story of Stuff ~ Thanks to Ms.
Uzma Husaini
From its
extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff
in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet
most of this is hidden from view. The Story of
Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled
look at the underside of our production and consumption
patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes
the connections between a huge number of environmental
and social issues, and calls us together to create a
more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you
something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change
the way you look at all the stuff in your life
forever.
Watch the story of stuff: http://www.storyofstuff.com/index.html
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Green
Tips... |
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Use a
swimming pool cover
If you have a swimming pool, add a cover. You'll
reduce evaporation by 90 percent. If your pool is
heated, reduce the water temperature. Warmer water
evaporates more quickly. For more water conservation
tips, visit www.drinktap.org
and http://www.h2ouse.org/index.cfm.
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Write
stuff
Disposable plastic pens
aren’t recyclable or biodegradable. The greener choice
is refillable pens, marker, and pencils. When choosing a
printer, opt for an inkjet printer, which uses 20 watts
of electricity versus 300 watts for a laser printer.
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Water Wise
 In February Governor Schwarzenegger
declared a state of emergency because of a severe
drought and warned of possible water rationing.
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A chuckle or two or even a
gasp... |
Mom's Baking ~ Thanks to Pastro Tim
Davis
"Mom's Special Brownies"
Remove teddy bear from oven and
preheat oven to 375.
Melt 1 cup margarine in
saucepan.
Remove teddy bear from oven and tell Jr.,
"No, no."
Add margarine to 2 cups sugar.
Take
shortening can away from Jr. and clean
cupboards.
Measure 1/3 cup cocoa.
Take shortening
can away from Jr. again and bathe cat.
Apply
antiseptic and bandages to scratches sustained while
removing shortening from cat's tail.
Assemble 4 eggs,
2 tsp. vanilla, and 1-1/2 cups sifted flour.
Take smoldering teddy bear from
oven and open all doors and windows for ventilation.
Take telephone away from Billy
and assure party on the line the call was a mistake.
Call operator and attempt to have direct dialed call
removed from bill.
Measure 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 cup nuts
and beat all ingredients well.
Let cat out of
refrigerator.
Pour mixture into well-greased
9x13-inch pan.
Bake 25 minutes.
Rescue cat and
take razor away from Billy.
Explain to kids that you
have no idea if shaved cats will sunburn. Throw cat
outside while there's still time and he's still able to
run away.
FROSTING Mix the following in
saucepan:
1 cup sugar
1 oz unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup margarine Take the darn teddy bear out of
the @#$% broiler and throw it away -- far away.
Answer the door and meekly
explain to nice policeman that you didn't know Jr. had
slipped out of the house and was heading for the
street.
Put Jr. in playpen.
Add 1/3 cup milk, dash of salt,
and boil, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
Answer door and apologize to
neighbor for Billy having stuck a garden hose in man's
front door mail slot. Promise to pay for ruined
carpet.
Tie Billy to clothesline.
Remove burned brownies from
oven.
Collapse and call the baker for
delivery. |
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A Tip From Cousin Guido ~ Thanks to Ms.
Juanita Whiteside
Stressed? Try
this!
Just in case you are having a rough day,
here is a stress management technique
used traditionally in Italy!
The funny thing is
that it really does work and will make you
smile.
1. Picture yourself lying on your belly on
a warm rock that hangs out over a crystal clear stream.
2.
Picture yourself with both your hands dangling in the
cool running water.
3. Birds are sweetly singing in
the cool
mountain air.
4. No one knows your secret
place.
5. You are in total seclusion from that hectic
place called the world.
6. The soothing sound of a gentle
water
fall fills the air with a cascade of
serenity.
7. The water is so crystal clear that you
can easily make out the face of the person you are
holding underwater.
There!! See? It really does
work. You're smiling already. |
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Cute ~ Thanks to Ms.
Florence Pierson
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Car Darts? ~
Thanks to Ms. Linda Jo
Bruton
Outrageiou Car Darts
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The Human Race ~
Thanks to Ms. Florence
Pierson
A little
girl asked her mother: "How did the
human race appear?"
The
mother answered, "God made Adam and Eve; they had
children; and so all mankind was
made."
Two days later
the girl asked her father the same question. The father
answered,
"Many years ago there were monkeys
from which the human race
evolved."
The confused
girl returned to her mother and said, "Mom, how is
it possible that you told me the human race
was created by God and Dad said they
developed from monkeys?"
The mother
answered, "Well, darling, it is very simple. I told
you about my side of the family, and your father
told you about his."
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Stimulus
that will work ~ Thanks
to Mr. Jim Knudsen
My fellow tax paying
citizens:
This is from an
article in the St. Petersburg Times Newspaper on Sunday.
The Business Section asked readers for ideas on "How
Would You Fix the Economy?"
I think this guy nailed it!
Dear Mr. President:
Please find below my suggestion for fixing
America's economy. Instead of giving
billions of dollars to companies that will squander
the money on lavish parties and unearned bonuses,
use the following plan.
You can call it the Patriotic Retirement
Plan: There are about 40 million people over 50 in
the work force. Pay the m $1 million apiece severance for
early retirement with the following
stipulations:
1) They MUST retire. Forty
million job openings - Unemployment
fixed.
2) They MUST buy a new American
CAR. Forty million cars ordered - Auto Industry
fixed.
3) They MUST either buy a house or
pay off their mortgage - Housing Crisis fixed.0
It can't get any easier than
that! If more money is needed, have all
members of Congress and their constituents pay
their taxes.
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Political
Disclosure ~
Thanks to Mr. Jim
Knudsen
Members of Congress should be
compelled to wear
uniforms just like NASCAR drivers, so we could
identify their corporate sponsors.
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Woody Collection ~ Thanks to Mr.
Jim Knudsen
This collection of
Ford and Mercury woodies which belongs to Nick Alexander
in Los Angeles. He has at least one of
every Ford woodie made from 1932 till
1957. It is the largest collection in the world.
Every car is perfect. It is an amazing thing to
see. He has done it in about the last 10
years
Arriving on the
auction block at this year’s Monterey classic car events August 13
through 15 will be a fleet of beautifully restored pre- and post-war
wood bodied station wagons, affectionately known as
"woodies."
More info: http://www.rmauctions.com/default.cfm?SaleCode=NA09
A total of 52
wagons will be sold by the Nick Alexander
Collection to partially benefit the Midland School
in Santa Ynez Valley, California.
All of the
vehicles are in original condition or have been restored
fully to factory specification. None will also carry a
reserve once on the sales floor.
“Known
worldwide as one of the most significant woodie
collections ever assembled, RM Auctions is truly
delighted to represent this outstanding group of cars at
the Monterey event,” said Ian Kelleher, President, RM
Auctions. “With all 52 examples being offered without
reserve, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event that will
raise the bar of auction offerings on the Monterey
Peninsula this August.”
Be sure to check back for
our coverage of all the Monterey events come this
August.
Source: RM Auctions
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Worth a thousand words... |
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American Stonehenge: Monumental Instructions for
the Post-Apocalypse ~ Thanks to Mr. Jim
Ward
The strangest monument
in America looms over a barren knoll in northeastern
Georgia. Five massive slabs of polished granite rise out
of the earth in a star pattern. The rocks are each 16
feet tall, with four of them weighing more than 20 tons
apiece. Together they support a 25,000-pound capstone.
Approaching the edifice, it's hard not to think
immediately of England's Stonehenge
or possibly the ominous monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Built
in 1980, these pale gray rocks are quietly awaiting the
end of the world as we know it.
Click here for
the whole story
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Before we say so
long... |
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Before you go,
remember your comments, suggestions, and
contributions are welcome. When you come across
something funny or informative and in good taste,
please send it along. I would love to include
it with your name and
our thanks.
Be sure to tell
your friends about Coffee Break. And if you have
time, explore the other sections of our web
site.
I leave you to
ponder these words a good
friend shared with me:
"The happiest of people don't necessarily have
the best of everything;
they just make the best of
everything that comes along their way."
Carry that
thought with you as you tackle the rest of your
week.
For information
on buying or selling in the bay area,
please call me at 510-429-4800 or send me a
note on the form.
~ Joanne
Joanne L. Gardiner, Broker, e-PRO
Realtor
Advantage Realty
3205
Whipple Road - Union City, California
94587
(510)
429-4800
San Francisco Bay Area
San
Francisco East Bay Real Estate
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