Thursday, December 28, 2006

Got Georgia On MY Mind

We are back down in GA for the second time this year. We got to see the latest addition to Todd's family.....3 month old Ava. :) Todd get's deployed back to Iraq in a couple of weeks so it was a nice opportunity to see him off and wish him well. He has a desk job this time so hopefully he can keep himself out of trouble.

The trip was a little rough in the same area as our last trip down. It took us about three hours to drive from DC to Richmond VA....something like 70 or so miles. UGHH. The cheapest gas so far was in S. Carolina at 2.17 and the most expensive was in Alexandia, VA at 2.29. Still a little less than what we pay back in PA and definately more than the 2.59 back home in NY.

With a few stops along the way for the essentials we made it here in 14 hours which isn't too bad...I guess

Tomorrow we are on our way back north heading to Richmond until Monday. We are spending the weekend with Shelly's sister who is in her way to Qatar next month. At least she will be out of harms way as well.

I think the plan is to drive through Richmond as view the Tacky Christmas Lights and if we do I will be sure to get some photos.

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Very Nice

Down on the main st here in town they have a pen where there are two deer. The deers' names are Donner and Blitzen. Next to the pen is a drop box labled "Letters To Santa". So with the help of Shelly Zack wrote a letter to Santa. Not his first one but the first we were going to mail lol. So guess what came in the mail yesturday....a letter to Zack from Santa with the return address of North Pole.


Very Nice

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Where's Winter? - Thank You El Nino

The credit belongs to the El Nino weather system in the tropical Pacific, though skiers and others awaiting white wonderland scenes might call it a culprit. El Nino conditions create higher-than-normal ocean temperatures and affect the flow of the jet stream, sweeping more southerly air across the United States to the Northeast. Instead of receiving Canadian and arctic blasts from across the Great Lakes, the region has been more influenced by drier and warmer Southwest and Gulf Coast conditions.

The last time the region had seen this little snow by winter solstice was in 2001, when there had been no measurable snow by this time, although 5 inches fell by the end of December. In 1998, 0.8 inches had fallen by Dec. 21, and another inch came by year's end. The only November-December without any accumulation was in 1941, according to records that go back 123 years.
Last night Shelly and I were making cookies when about 7:30 the doorbell rang. We both looked at each other. Who could possibly be at our door this late (thinking of Zack's friend Trent).

I go to the door and open it and in the street is about 25 people gathered, children and adults alike and they start to sing Christmas carrols to us. Wow!!!! I was floored.

They got done with one song and yelled out "Welcome to the neighborhood" and then started in with another song.

Hopefull we things settle down we can meet more of our neighbors. They've really gone out of their way to make us feel welcomed.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

FLIP THIS HOUSE

Can you even imagine.

These are some of the property transactions in Watertown, NY that have closed within the last couple of weeks. You will noticed that many have only been in the seller's hands a couple of years or less.

Price: $127,900

Built in 1920, 2.5-story, 4 bedrooms
Purchased June 2004 for $69,900
Land Assessment: $13,100
Total Assessment: $74,400


Price: $91,000

Built in 1928, 1.5-story, 3 bedrooms
Purchased in Feb. 2001 for $42,500
Land Assessment: $17,300
Total Assessment: $91,600

Price: $44,000

Purchased in June 2004 for $20,400
Land Assessment: $3,950
Total Assessment: $20,400

Price: $120,000

Built in 1890, 2-story, 4 bedrooms
Purchased in Dec. 2002 for $51,100
Land Assessment: $18,500
Total Assessment: $70,300

Price: $149,000

Built in 1900, 2-story, 6 bedrooms
Purchased in April 2005 for $80,000
Land Assessment: $15,300
Total Assessment: $78,400

Price: $94,000

Built in 1927, 2-story, 3 bedrooms
Purchased in July 2004 for $65,700
Land Assessment: $7,700
Total Assessment: $74,700

Burrrrr

It was a bit chilly this morning when I got up. It was 26 or so outside at 7 am. I can't complain too much since this is only about the second day that I have woken up to it since we have been down here.

One thing we get alot of here in the Susquehanna Valley is FOG!!! It is very pretty to come down from the mountain and see nothing in the vally below but what looks to be cloud cover lol.

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Candy Cane Lane

We went to Williamsport last night to take a tour of the christmas lights. We didn't tell Zack where we were going until we were waiting for the next trolley to pick us up. He was very excited.

The trolley took us to two areas of the city where they have displays. One was in a park which is mainly alot of lights on trees. Santa and Mrs Claus came on for a moments to shale hands with all the boys and girls and to wish everyone a merry Christmas. Zack says...."I told you he was REAL!!!!" Too cute.

Another place we went to on the trolley was a st named Candy Cane Lane for the season. This is just a normal street in a normal town except that every single house on the street is very well decorated.

I took pics and they came out ok but really doesn't do the scene justice... blinking lights ten to come out blurry but you can get an idea of how this looked.

Mind you....these are all on ONE street.

You can view the photos by clicking HERE

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Our New Home

We finally got unpacked and everything put away just in time for our company that is comming next weekend for Christmas.




Friday, December 15, 2006

Go Ahead, Make My Day

TEHRAN (Reuters)
Iran will exact painful revenge on countries opposed to its nuclear program if the
U.N. Security Council imposes sanctions on Tehran, the country's chief nuclear negotiator said on Friday.

"Imposing sanctions on Iran will not help resolve the issue," Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told reporters.

"If they want to deprive Iran of its nuclear work they are making a big mistake. If they want to act in a way to decrease our capabilities through sanctions we will be obliged to use painful methods in return," he said without elaborating.

Iran has previously said its retaliation against a punitive U.N. resolution could range from reviewing cooperation with the U.N.'s atomic watchdog to restricting its crude oil exports.

I will say again.....Go For It

I say that for several reasons.

We should never back down solely because an exporter threatens to shut our oil off or disrupt world oil supplies.

Mainly though I would welcome $3...hell, $5 per gallon at the pumps. I know what you are thinking....yeah yeah yeah.

We live in a world of excess. We will never decrease our insatiable appetite for crude oil on our own. We need some sort of catalyst. The embargo in the 70's was a good start, we can call that phase one. We need something a little more stronger though, something to eat at the pocket books and the wallets of us as a whole.

The quest for bigger and better has to come to an end but we really won't see it on a voluntary level. No, we will be dragged to it kicking and screaming.

How many of us...our friend, neighbors, coworkers et al own those big gas guzzling SUV's and heavy duty trucks??? Yes, there is that mentality that when sitting in or driving down the expressway in your tank you are safe from all evil that drives upon the roads. You and your little ones have nothing to fear. That may be true...until you drive it like a tank and then you are more of a threat than jack and jill camry whose bumper you have in your sights.

The size of newly constructed homes have dropped slightly in size but still those expansive estate type home abound. You have to question yourself if those who live in those are living close to their limit. The answer there is anyone's guess.

You can look around and see that not enough is being done as far as are dependance on oil is concerned. We can argue ad infinitem as to whose job it is to push us in the right direction...ie automakers, govt, etc.

Face it people....we live in a democratic market driven society. We will only make changes when we perceive there is a need for the change and not before. Will you or I go out and purchase a small automobile that gets 45+ mpg??? Most likely not. 25-20mpg car??? Probably, but we won't take that extra step unless we need to out of necessity.

The bottom line is that we won't feel the necessity until we get hit over the head with it....when it is forced upon us.

In the end...bring it on. Sure some of us will suffer but all of us will benefit in the long run.

Growing Pains

Jefferson County in New York is being touted as the state's fastest growing county. This is largely due to the expansion at Ft Drum and with that all the developement that it has brought to the area. Outer Arsenal St and Rt 11 just north of the City of Watertown have seen millions in new developement in the last year or two.

As the county's largest city, Watertown is feeling the brunt of the population exapansion.

That being

CRIME

We have seen recently a crime spree of sorts in the City of Watertown. We have seen a rash of burgleries on the city's east side where brazen burglers hit the same shop twice in a 24 hour period. This was a part of wave that saw numerous businesses broken into in a 2 week or so period.

Next we saw a wave of tavern break ins.... all within a short period of time.

Now add to that an armed robbery at Subway....again on the city's east side as well as a "possible" break in at Parkview Cleaners....again on the east side.

What??? No statements from the City's "man on the beat" Lt. Derrigo??? No please for help from the general public??? Well, give him time. It's early yet.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

White Trash TV

This is simply JUSTICE.

When you sleep with so many men that there are 11+ potential fathers there's just nothing more to say other than you deserve the pain you suffer.


Ding Fries Are Done

Yet another of my holiday favorites.

Click HERE to go to the video

Monday, December 11, 2006

Find Our Way Home

This is from a post of mine from last Christmas. It is from one of my favourite Christmas songs. It is entitled "Find Our Way Home" by the Trans Siberian Orchestra.


"...for we all seemed to give our lives away
searching for things that we think we must own
until on this evening
when the year is leaving
we all try to find our way home

he had time or at least then he
always thoguht he did
and mistakes, he thought at the time

always would forgive
each transgression
for his intention
forgetting
years he squandered
on things he now was regretting

for we all seem to give our lives away
searching for things that we think we must own
until on this evening
when the year is leaving
I think I would be alright
if on this Christmas night
I could just find my way home

there is something about this night
that the lord has arranged
that reaches us to want to change

and angels know things about us
that no one else can know
and this angel's heart it formed a plan
and then caused the night to snow - TSO

Many people will be traveling to be with loved ones
for the holidays. May your journey be safe til
that time you reunite. May the true spirit of
christmas reunite the heart and the souls of those
who must be apart this special time of year and keep
you safe til you can find your way home.

Finding your way home is also about being at peace
with yourself and your place in life. That is probably
the biggest gift one can receive.

Thursday, December 07, 2006

What A Difference




Here are a couple of pics of the most recent improvement. Carpet was installed Monday and Tuesday on the stairway and the upstairs hallway and it really does look nice. The photos may do much justice as I forgot my camer and resorted to using my cell phone.

I think one more push next month after the holidays and we will be ready to put it on the market. The laundry room is all grouted and sealed. Next we need to paint the bathroom the same color and put down moulding.

Here's something funny to ponder...

Last Jan I had a real estate (Agent A) agent look over the house and give me a market comparison. He said he was confident in X dollars.

Ok, so I have the same (Agent A) come back last month to see what we have done with the property....(pool, deck, laundry room, dining room etc) and he still came back at X dollars.

Ok, well he made a few comments that Shelly had some concerns over so....I thought I would try another agent....ok, so Shelly wanted me to try another agent lol. So another real estate agent (Agent B) comes over and really likes what has been done. Agent B comes up with a figure that is X + 20k OVER Agents A's comparison.

Now who would you go with?? I will admit that the higher price was more than what I thought but if someone tell me they can sell this house for 1000's more than the other guy and I am not in a hurry to sell it......I say go for it.

So with any amount of luck there should be a for sale sign on the property some time in January.....the price???? lol You'll have to wait and see. Now will it sell for what I will ask??? Probably not but I was told close.