Toula's Blog

This is the first I heard of this, thought I would pass it along...

As you are sending out the last of your Christmas cards this year, please remember to include one to a recovering soldier.

Our soldiers have sacrificed so much.  Imagine how wonderful it would be to receive a card from a fellow American who cares.

Please Send a card to:

 A Recovering American Solider

 c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center 

 6900 Georgia Avenue, NW

 Washington DC  20307-5001

BARNEGAT LIGHTHOUSE - RE-LIGHTING EVENT - JANUARY 1, 2009

Maybe it's because I was born and raised here in New Jersey, (or maybe I'm not partial at all), I think the Barnegat Lighthouse is one of the most beautiful lighthouses! 

We call it "OLD BARNEY", located at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park in Barnegat Light, NJ.  The most northern tip of Long Beach Island and right at the Barnegat Inlet which channels the Barnegat Bay to the Atlantic Ocean.

On January 1, 2009, at approximately 4:30pm, the 150th anniversary of its opening, the Barnegat Lighthouse will reactivate its beacon for the first time since 1948.

It will NOW be lighted with a modern, high-powered electric lamp.

Here's some of the Lighthouse's History that I found on-line, thanks to WikipediA:

The development of the original lighthouse began in June 1834. The 40-foot tall lighthouse was commissioned the next year, though mariners at the time considered the building's non-flashing, fifth-class light to be inadequate. Due to the strong currents within the inlet, the lighthouse was built 900 feet away from the ocean; but within ten years after the initial construction was complete only 450 feet separated the tower from the shore.

In 1855, Lt. George G. Meade, a government engineer and later a Union hero in the American Civil War, was assigned to design a new lighthouse. He was chosen largely because of his recent design of the Absecon Lighthouse. Meade completed the construction plans in 1855 and work began in late 1856. Due to continuing erosion at the time of construction, the new lighthouse was located approximately 100 feet south of the original structure -- the site of which is now submerged. During construction, in June 1857, the light in the original structure was relocated to a temporary wooden tower located nearby. This was prompted by the encroaching seas which threatened the original lighthouse and ultimately caused the tower to collapse into the water later that year. It is due to the rough waters of the area that several jetties have been built throughout the history of both lighthouses.

Barnegat Light was commissioned on January 1, 1859. The tower light was 165 feet (50 m) above sea level and the lighthouse itself was four times taller than the original; and today stands as the third tallest lighthouse in the United States. The new light was a first-order Flashing Fresnel lens which flashed once every ten seconds at each point of the compass.

The current lighthouse is really two towers in one: the exterior conical tower covers a cylindrical tower on the inside.

The lens was sent to the Tompkinsville Lighthouse Depot on Staten Island, New York. However, the lighthouse's beacon was not extinguished until January 1944, when it was decommissioned by the Coast Guard and given to the State of New Jersey.

Four years later, in 1948, the local municipality Barnegat City renamed itself Barnegat Light. In 1954, the lens was returned to the borough of Barnegat Light and now is on exhibit in the Barnegat Light Historical Museum. The area around the lighthouse was declared a State park and dedicated in 1957. The lightship was removed in 1965, made obsolete by electronic navigation.

In 1988, the lighthouse was closed for repair. It re-opened to visitors in 1991. Although its high-intensity light no longer functioned, the tower was flood-lit at night and a continuous lantern is lit from dusk to dawn. This lantern was visible out to the horizon on clear nights, but is not intended to be visible during inclement weather (though an active foghorn is still present at the opposite end of the inlet). The top of the lighthouse is accessible via its 217 steps and continues to attract thousands of visitors every summer.

I just want to show my appreciation and extend my THANKS to all of my clients & customers.

THANK YOU for working with me! 

Motivational Monday

To start off the week in the right direction...

Positive thoughts (joy, happiness, fulfillment, achievement, worthiness) have positive results (enthusiasm, calm, well-being, ease, energy, love).

Negative thoughts (judgement, unworthiness, mistrust, resentment, fear) produce negative results (tension, anxiety, alienation, anger, fatigue).

You Can't Afford the Luxury of a Negative Thought by Peter McWilliams

Let’s Say Thanks – In Support of our Troops!

Xerox has provided the “Let’s Say Thanks” program, which gives you the opportunity to send a post card (free of charge) to U.S. Troops overseas, thanking them for their efforts.

Again, it's FREE, and it takes less than a minute to complete each card.

Please show your support and appreciation to our soldiers.

Go to http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1024.html

It’s a great time of year to sell your home!

Afterall, buyers who are actively looking at this time of year are serious.

Sellers; Go ahead and put up some holiday trimmings, but decorate in a way that won't turn off buyers.

You still need to show off your home’s architectural details & condition, so strike a balance between showing off your HOME, and not your decorations. 

You may want to pull out all the stops and decorate according to family traditions, but houses that are on the market shouldn’t be overly personalized or cluttered at any time.

You want buyers to wish your home was their home for the holidays.

The following tips will help sellers achieve the right decorating balance:

Add tasteful, generic decorations. Decorations can be an asset to a sale; one wreath, one tree, one dining table centerpiece.  A tall narrow tree to emphasize a room’s height and conserve floor space.  Avoid “cute” wreaths with gingerbread men or oversized inflatable snowmen on front yards. Steer clear of personalized objects such as monogrammed stockings. When decorations get too personal, people have a hard time picturing themselves in the home.  Religious symbols should be used sparingly, if at all.

Trade non-seasonal for seasonal decorations.  To avoid clutter, remove a non-holiday accessory for each seasonal accessory added.  

It’s worth it.  Even if decorating seems to be quite a task, sellers should not to avoid all decorations.  Buyers expect some decorations, which add warmth.

Think green…and metallic, and white. Too much red and green can backfire. Practitioners suggest to add neutral colors; silvers, golds and classic whites.  Examples: vases of white roses, lilies, and freesia, complemented by evergreens.  Or replace a few knobs in a bathroom or kitchen with ones that add a touch of seasonal color.

Remember the joy of entertaining.  Home entertaining equates to happy homeownership.  Example; stage the kitchen as if you were going to throw a small holiday party.   

Be mindful of valuable gifts. It’s a smart precaution anytime, to keep presents and family heirlooms out of sight to avoid distracting buyers.  If you must have a few presents under the tree, wrap a few empty boxes, for effect.

Keep up decorations for a limited time.  While most homeowners love prolonging the holiday spirit, experts suggest when a home is on the market, keeping it at a maximum of two weeks before and two after the holiday.

Add warmth and energy.  Nothing says holidays more than twinkling lights and crackling fires, but make smart choices. Lights, which also help illuminate a home’s exterior in the dark—particularly important in winter when many showings take place—shouldn’t be left on all the time. Select efficient LED bulbs and use them with motion detectors or timers. To get a fire going quickly and make clean-up easier, consider manufactured logs.

Minimize smells.  Holiday aromas—baked goods and live greens—enhance seasonal decor, but overly strong fragrances from air fresheners and candles may send an impression that odors are being covered up. 

Play soothing music. Most people get their fill of jingles and carols, so suggest non-seasonal favorites that appeal year-round.

Remember winter’s threat.  Keep walkways & entrance ways cleared rather than have snow and ice become part of the décor.   

For the little extra touch.  Leave out a plate of cookies or treats, which buyers will associate with the spirit of giving.

Happy Holidays!