HOME IDEA

My Collection Review Home Decorating

HOME IDEA

My Collection Review Home Decorating.

HOME IDEA

My Collection Review Home Decorating.

HOME IDEA

My Collection Review Home Decorating.

HOME IDEA

My Collection Review Home Decorating.

Friday, December 31, 2010

bonne annee

Each year we are invited to a couple of New Year's Eve dinners or parties, but since our children have been teenagers we have to decline.  WHY?!! I hear you ask, something contagious? a superstition? no, nothing so ethereal --- it's our barn!

Our barn is big, safe, far enough from the house to be independent yet close enough to keep an eye, and ......  it has seating and a dance floor!!  YAY!


So every year at least one of our four children organise a New Year party there.  We bring in heating, fancy lights, music,  food, drink.... You can see from the pictures that we leave it all pretty basic.  Experience has taught me that my ideas on decoration aren't quite the same as theirs, and in any case the lights will be so low that no one will notice!!



We already put a couple of our old sofas in the barn, and the former mangers have been transformed into teenage-party-proof seating.






The old wood burning stove is given its annual dusting off and woken up for the occasion, and we bring in some extra party heating too.

So at my french country home on New Year's Eve you will find a dinner for us with friends in the main house; a teenage party in the barn, and a younger and smaller teenage happening in the guest cottage.  Fun?  yes,  Mad?  yes, also, .... but the bit where I would like you to spare me a thought is the next morning, because while our dinner guests will go home at some point in the night, most of the youngsters will be staying here!!!  Obviously!  No fun at all otherwise!

How many baguettes do you think I should  order for breakfast for 30 youngsters?   I'm going with 20 baguettes and about 8 litres of hot chocolate and the same of orange juice, but if anyone knows better I'm interested to hear!



Bonne année à vous tous!!  


Junn Series #3 - Unpredictable MOS!

You Guys!
     Lama tidak blogging ya. Nyaris sepuluh hari!! hoho...
Maaf deh, abisnya pergi liburan ke pelosok gunung. Mau OL loadingnya parah lama banget...
Celakanya, beberapa tetangga udah "ENEGG" sama saya, gara-gara nggak kunjung update dan gak bales komentar-komentar mereka.

    Salah satu komentar yang paling berkesan buat saya nih...
JRENG... JRENGG... JREEENG....
Congratulations and Thanks to Bang Fai Si Lelaki Aneh

faimengatakan...
DUHHHHH dah khatam deh sama postingan ini, buat yang baru donggggggggggggggg
(hehe,,, nggak nyangka sampai segitunya. Jadi terharu nih, ternyata blog jelek mampus kayak punya saya ini ada juga yang mau nungguin update... :)

And, This is it! Saya post cerbung saya ( Yang Alhmd hingga sekarang masih terus dimuat di koran ). Enjoyed it!


   Ringkasan Cerita Sebelumnya: 

Junn dan Riri terlambat sekolah di hari pertama mereka. Gerombolan senior OSIS  berhasil menangkap mereka, da telah berencana mnjatuhkan hukuman. Tetapi, ketua OSIS yang baik menyelamatkan mereka.


 -----Junn Series #3 – Unpredictable MOS! -----

     “Hufftthh…” Gadis di sebelah Junn mendesah.
     “Kenapa, Ri?” Junn berkomentar sambil meniup dahinya. Empat jam pelajaran untuk Matematika dan Fisika membuat ujung jilbabnya mulai melorot.
     “Bernafaslah selagi bisa. Sebentar lagi saatnya,” Teman sebangkunya itu berkata dingin.
     Dan sebelum Junn sempat bertanya apa yang dimaksud Riri, hal itu terjadi.
     “TEEEEEEEEEETTTTTT…!!!”

     Sebuah sirine menggema ke seluruh sekolah. Suaranya dalam dan pilu ―seperti dari dunia lain― membangkitkan bulu roma siapa saja yang mendengarnya.
     “PESERTA MOS BERKUMPUL DI LAPANGAN UTAMA DENGAN AKSESORIS LENGKAP. HITUNGAN MUNDUR SAMPAI NOL DARI DUA PULUH, SEMBILAN BELAS…”
     Suara keras mike yang bersumber dari ruang OSIS itu menendang semua orang untuk segera kasak-kusuk, mengenakan aksesoris berupa kalung berhias petai, jubah kantong kresek besar, rok dedaunan, gelang dari ranting, topi karton, plus dot bayi. Menurut buku MOS, tema tahun ini adalah penyihir.Tapi, Junn merasa yang dikenakan semua siswa baru lebih mirip kostum jin atau dedemit.

     Barisan itu pun tersusun rapi saat senior berambut cepak ―Yang ingin menghukum Junn saat terlambat kemarin― menyorakkan isyarat siap. Beberapa gadis di depan Junn berbisik-bisik, bahwa senior itu yang paling galak, dan bernama Alev. Junn tersenyum geli. Nama senior itu ternyata seaneh orangnya.

     Dan hari kedua MOS itu pun berlalu sangat lama. Belasan murid baru yang menurut para senior bersalah telah mendapat jatah. Rata-rata dipermalukan dan dibuat merah mukanya. Murid laki-laki yang saat ini dikerjai Alev malah sampai menangis segala, gara-gara dipaksa buka seragam untuk memperlihatkan panu di perutnya. Sadis.

     Kalau saja Riri tidak menahan-nahannya, Junn sudah mengamuk dari tadi, tak rela menyaksikan kekejaman di hadapannya.

     Meski demikian, agaknya Alev menangkap gelagat Junn. Sebentar ia berbisik kepada rekannya, kemudian ia berbicara di balik pengeras suara. “Murid baru yang ingin menyampaikan sesuatu kepada cowok ini diberi kesempatan bicara. Ada yang mau?”

     “SAYA MAU BICARA!!” Junn berteriak dari tengah kerumunan penonton di lapangan.
Alev tersenyum simpul. Rencananya menjaring Junn berhasil. “Wah, wah… Kamu mau bicara apa gadis kecil?” Ujarnya menyindir. Dikepalanya tersusun rencana berikutnya untuk mempermalukan Junn.

     Junn semakin kesal, dan Riri tak kuasa menahannya lagi. “Hentikan semua ini, Alev! Anda sudah keterlaluan!”

     Alev sedikit terkejut. Ia tak menduga Junn ternyata lebih berani dari yang ia bayangkan. Sebentar ia berbisik lagi kepada teman-temannya. Seperti meminta dukungan. Salah satu dari mereka kemudian bersuara, “Kamu yang barusan bicara, silahkan ke depan.”

     Puluhan murid baru gaduh.  Sebagian besar mengomentari, Junn mencari perkara. Sebab, dari tahun ketahun, murid baru yang melawan senior selalu berakhir menyedihkan. Sebagian lain berkomentar ikut prihatin, dan mengharapkan Junn tabah. Ada juga yang mendukung, walaupun hanya dengan berbisik dan tak melakukan apa-apa.

     Junn melangkah ke depan. Matanya menatap lurus, menantang bara-bara silau matahari yang sedari tadi memanggang puluhan orang. Ujung jilbab di punggungnya berkibar, ditiup angin lalu. Seolah alam ingin menyemangatinya, seperti beberapa murid lain. Bahkan tanpa ada yang menyadari, secara sembunyi-sembunyi seseorang yang menutup wajahnya dengan sweater berbisik padanya, “Jangan khawatir, bantuan akan datang. Kau tak akan kenapa-napa.”

     Junn sedikit lega. Kalau telinganya tidak salah, itu suara Kak Zhafif si ketua OSIS. Semangatnya yang tadi sempat layu mendadak mekar lagi. Ia seperti musafir dehidrasi yang disiram air pegunungan. Bila Kak Zhafif yang bicara, maka ia tak perlu ragu. Bantuan akan datang, seperti bantuan yang juga pernah ia terima. Dan tak tahu kenapa, mendadak Junn merasa jantungnya berdebar lebih kencang. Dan perasaanya menjadi hangat.

     Ia telah berdiri. Di hadapan semua orang, dan di hadapan Alev beserta teman-temannya. Alev kelihatan puas, bersiap-siap membalaskan kekesalannya ―yang ia simpan― saat Junn menantangnya di waktu pertemuan pertama mereka, di gerbang sekolah.

     “Nah, sekarang apa?” Alev membentak, dengan kata yang persis sama, yang pernah ditembakkan Junn langsung ke ulu hatinya.
     “Kan tadi sudah kubilang, hentikan semua ini! Lepaskan dia!”
     Alev menyeringai, “Kenapa? Kamu takut melihatnya buka baju?”
     “Apa perlu ditanya lagi?” Jun membelalakkan matanya. Beberapa suara dari penonton meletus, mendukungnya, membuat semangatnya makin mekar. “Memangnya Anda tidak takut melihatnya buka baju? Anda senang? Apa anda homo?”

     Puluhan penonton meledak, tertawa serempak. Perhitungan Alev meleset. Rencananya menggiring Junn kedepan untuk dipermalukan gagal, justru ia yang dipermalukan. Senjata makan tuan.

     Kemarahan Alev memuncak, lalu secara tak sengaja ia mengatakan sesuatu yang tak ia rencanakan sebelumnya, membuat semua suara tawa lenyap, berganti kesunyian yang mencekam dan ketegangan yang tak dapat dielakkan.

     “Kalau begitu gantikan! Kamu yang buka baju, dan Kamu akan buktikan sendiri Aku bukan homo!”

     Kedua lutut Junn lemas. Ia merasa ngeri, bila ternyata apa yang barusan didengarnya benar-benar akan terjadi. Kak Zhafif, mana bantuan yang akan datang itu? Ya Allah, bagaimana ini? Teriak Junn dalam hati.

(Bersambung)

Published on
EDISI RABU, 22 DESEMBER 2010
Terbit dan beredar di Sumatra Barat

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Wall Street Journal: Planning to sell your home next year? Start getting ready now.


The story is here

Amy Hoak's Home Economics

Dec. 27, 2010, 12:01 a.m. EST

Resolutions for home sellers in 2011

Planning to sell your home next year? Start getting ready now.

By Amy Hoak, MarketWatch

CHICAGO (MarketWatch) — If your New Year’s resolution involves selling a home in 2011, you’ve got some work to do: There’s lots of inventory out there and in a buyer’s market like this one, getting an offer on a home can be challenging.

Still, for the committed seller willing to do some prep work and come to terms with the current value of his or her home, locking in a buyer isn’t impossible.

By listing in early January, you might be able to catch some of those early birds who start browsing in the winter so that they can find a new home before school starts in the fall, said Louis Cammarosano, general manager of HomeGain.com, a real-estate website. In fact, many buyers tend to start their searches online right after Christmas, and continue throughout January and February, he said.

“If you hit the ground running and you’re a fresh listing that has done everything right, you’ve got the best shot,” said Cammarosano.

Consider the following tips to give your home the best chance to get noticed — and sold — in 2011.

Price it right from the start

Many sellers suffer from attachment bias, said Tara-Nicholle Nelson, consumer educator for real-estate website Trulia.com. They believe that their home is worth more than they’d pay for it in another context. While it’s always a bad idea to overprice a home, it’s especially dangerous in times like this because there is so much competing inventory in many local markets.

Nelson’s advice: Give yourself a reality check by looking inside comparable homes during open houses. That can help you get a clearer idea of your home’s value.

You might even consider interviewing a few real-estate agents to get more than one take on how the home should be priced, Cammarosano said.

The longer something sits on the market, the more price reductions you might have to make and the more potential buyers will assume that there’s something wrong with the home, he said. So more often than not, it’s best not to try testing the waters with a higher price, he adds.

Don’t be afraid to advertise in the listing and marketing materials that it’s not a foreclosure or short sale, Nelson said. In markets where distressed sales are plentiful, there are buyers who simply don’t want to deal with the extra hassle and uncertainty of a short sale or bank-owned property, she said.

Get the house ready

Most sellers know they need to declutter, paint in neutral colors and generally stage the home as best as they can to help buyers envision themselves in the home. Often, this is done on the advice of a real-estate agent or professional stager.

The closer you can get your home looking like a photo from a Pottery Barn catalog, the better off you will be, said Beth Jaworski, a real-estate agent in the Milwaukee area.

And make sure that your cabinets and refrigerators are cleaned out and decluttered, too. “You want to have a minimum of ‘stuff’ in the house. The less stuff you have, the larger the closets, basement and garage will look,” she said.

Jaworski also recommends having a home inspection done a month before putting the home on the market to identify any major defects that need to be corrected.

Provide as much information as possible

Have energy bills and a list of updates available for buyers to see, Jaworski said.

“Buyers are always curious what the utility bills are, how old the roof is, how many layers it has, how old the major mechanicals are and when that addition was added,” she said. “The more information you can provide on the house, the better.”

Consider providing a floor plan with listings as well, Cammarosano said. That way the prospective buyers don’t have to keep making return visits to determine how their furniture will fit in the space — they’ll have the dimensions in hand.

Make it easy to show

The more available you can make your home for showings, the better, said David Welch, a broker/associate in Orlando, Fla.

Make it easy for your real-estate agent to access the property and keep the place clean.

“You want your home to be easy to show because you don’t know if you will get a second chance,” Welch said. “Trust me, the buyer wants to like your house. Keep it in show-ready condition,” he said, so they aren’t turned off by a first impression.

Be flexible

Buyers are in the driver’s seat these days, and they know they can make all sorts of unusual requests without risking the deal. Be ready.

“Buyer wants to see the house at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, OK,” Jaworski said. “Buyer wants to bring 10 family members and an inspector to check out the house for three hours this weekend, OK. Buyer wants you to include the kitchen table and chairs, the painting over the fireplace and your snow blower, OK.”

“The more flexible you are,” she said, “the better off you will be.”

Amy Hoak is a MarketWatch reporter based in Chicago.

Sing Praise! Lift the Rafters!


Psa 100:1 A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Psa 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Psa 100:3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Psa 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Psa 100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

When was the last time you heard a congregation lose all its inhibitions and just rare back and sing to the very best of its ability?

Do you remember the old time song leaders telling the crowd, "Let's raise the roof on this verse!"?

There hasn't been a lot of roof-raising in these last days. I am not sure if it is because of the advent of praise music and the demise of the classic hymns or just lethargy when it comes to music in the church.

I have observed that most people are pretty much disengaged during the song service, thinking about everything but what they ought to be concentrating on, the music.

Also, more people are getting away with not singing at all. Some men are too macho, they feel singing's not for them. It always puts me in mind of verse 2 of "We're Marching to Zion" which says, "Let those refuse to sing, who never knew our God, but children of the heavenly King, but children of the heavenly King, may speak their joys abroad, may speak their joys abroad."

A church that loses its ability and desire to worship whole-heartedly has lost one of its greatest treasures, for the Lord inhabits the praises of His children. Seldom do we sense the presence of the Lord as when the music is all-consuming in our worship.

Let's get back to coming before His presence with singing, making a joyful noise unto Him. Lift the rafters on that next verse!

Very Soon! - my first blog anniversary




It will soon be my blog's first birthday and I can't believe how fast, how full
and how enjoyable this past year of blogging has been.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH
My blog would be pointless without your visits. 

During the last week of January I shall be celebrating this birthday with a week of give aways. Hopefully several between the 22 and the 29 January.  Some are already worked out.

If you have an on-line shop, be it etsy or other, and you'd like to be the sponsor for one of my give aways I'd love to hear from you.  You know how these things work, the prizes don't have to be huge, but they must have appeal, and the sponsor  promise to ship to the winner of the draw for that day.  To thank you I'll write a lovely post about you, link back to your store and put you on my sponsor bar.

Mutual promotion is one of the most intelligent and enjoyable things about the blogging world, this is a chance to show off your products to a new audience and make somebody happy at the same time!

If you're interested just drop me an email here   I look forward to hearing from you!



ce mercredi je mange ... une buche de Noel





The traditional French dessert for this time of year is the Buche de Noel.  Served of course at Christmas, but also at New Year's Eve dinners such as we'll be having at the end of this week.

The beauty of this dessert is that it's rich without being heavy, and - most brilliantly - can be prepared ahead of time.
Behind the fancy French name, which only means Christmas log, there hides nothing more than a  chocolate flour-free cake, rolled with a chestnut and cream filling.

The ingredients I use are
FOR THE CAKE
9 eggs separated
225g / 1.13 cups sugar
75g / 0.375 cup cocoa powder
FOR THE FILLING
350g / 1.75 cups chestnut purée
2 spoons cream
FOR THE DECORATION
10fl oz cream
50g dark chocolate


First preheat your oven to 180 C and line a baking sheet with waxed or greaseproof paper.


Separate the eggs, and beat up the yolks with the sugar, until they pale slightly.







Add the cocoa powder to the egg and sugar.  Mix well.


Beat up the egg whites until stiff, add a large spoonful of egg white to the cocoa/egg mixture This will loosen up the mixture and make it possible to fold in the rest of the egg whites gently.


Pour the mixture into the lined baking tin and bake until firm and springy.
This takes about 25 minutes.




Sprinkle another piece of waxed paper with icing sugar or cocoa powder 
and turn the slightly cooled cake out upside down.



Gently peel the paper off the back of the cake and leave to cool.



Soften the chestnut purée in a bowl, then blend in the whipped cream.  Spread ths mix over the cooled cake, then using the paper roll the cake up.  At this stage I tuck the paper firmly in all around the cake and leave it to set for a while in the fridge.  Even overnight, no harm can come.


 When you're ready to decorate, then unwrap, cut a piece off each end of the 
roll and position to resemble cut branches on a log!! 


 Gently cover with whipped cream, and draw lines of melted
chocolate to look like lines on the bark. 
Carry to the table and prepare yourself for applause and gasps of amazement, 
this one is  guaranteed to impress!!


Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Columbus Underground: Best Hidden Gem of 2010 - Frank Fetch Park (In German Village)



The best “Hidden Gem” is a new category in our “Best of” series, and it’s a bit of an awkward one. The Top 10 of these best kept secrets was compiled by popular vote. So technically, the more popular they are, the less obscure and hidden they are.

See the Top 10 Hidden Gems of 2010 here

White House Blog: Behind the Scenes Video: Signing Repeal of DADT


The White House Blog

Behind the Scenes Video: Signing Repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell

At the signing of the bill to repeal of "Don't Ask Don't Tell" last week, the sense of history and enthusiasm was palpable throughout the audience. While we were there we had a chance to talk to Captain Jonathan Hopkins, who was discharged under the policy, as well as Rep. Patrick Murphy who led the charge in the House of Representatives, and Melody Barnes who played an integral role here at the White House. The video gives a glimpse of what it was like there:





My photos from the historical event



My videos





Planted in God's House


Psa 92:13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

Some ground is just better than other ground for growing things. Rich, black, moist soil laden with all the right nutrients is going to be more productive than clay.

For years, middle America was known as the great American desert. It wasn't until brave, tough pioneers were willing to plant themselves on that desert and their seed in that dubious ground that we learned it would be the most productive farmland in the world!

I know that planting oneself in front of the TV or on a barstool or in the gym during church time is unproductive for the soul. This verse tells us that those who are planted in God's house are the ones that shall flourish.

Conversely, planting yourself anywhere else will cause your soul to whither.

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Church, that is, a Spirit-filled, Bible-centered house of the Lord, is good ground for a flourishing life.

The Top 4 Advantages Of Using Heat Pump Inside Offices And Homes

You may wonder why a lot of people are so willing to spend a lot of money buying a heat pump when there are other alternative heat sources available in the market that's way cheaper and popular. If you care about the environment and want to experience convenience at any given time, then you consider the use of a heat pump as your best decision. Heat pump is very effective in moving out heat from one area to another location where lower temperature is normally experienced. It applies the same principles of air-conditioning; the only difference is its effectiveness for both cooling and heating. During cold season, the use of pumps is very popular and preferred by many people and for your advantage of learning the use of this equipment and its details, listed here are the leading advantages of this device.

1. It is very efficient

For every unit of power released by the main pump, the system will then supply around 3 to 5 units of the heat. Heat pump uses a refrigerant that automatically absorbs heat and later on releases the heat at the time it condenses. It has an evaporator that absorbs heat around areas with higher temperature and then releases this heat outside through a condenser. Auxiliary heat source is very important for every pump to produce heat. Among the qualified heat sources are oil, gas and electricity which are abundant at present.

2. It conserves nature

Heat pump's most common energy source is electricity which is often generated using renewable resources such as water and air. And this fact makes the use of the equipment's biodegradable and non-toxic. However, refrigerant system contains harmful content that depletes ozone layer but in general, its effect to nature is very positive.

3. It is easy to use

You don't have to worry about installation and processing, heat pumps are very easy to put up and generate. Upon purchase, you are provided with a user-friendly manual with all the complete instructions. However, if you want to assure proper set-up, you can hire a qualified person to do the job. It can be relatively costly but you are sure to get the worth of your investment as it effectively lowers your power bill over years. There are several forms of pump but they almost suggest the same installation process so you don't have to worry about learning everything from scratch.

4. It is safe and effective

Most heat pumps' compressor is placed outside the home or office and this guarantee you stillness and safety. At times when you don't need the use of the machine, you can always turn it off and get it back when needed. It has a timer that you can set automatically to give you heat after few minutes. A heat pump has no flammable content to produce heat so it will never be the cause of fire. It doesn't need a vent and will always stay reliable for everyday use.

Resource: Ezin Article

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

blow away the cobwebs

When I was little, my mother used to insist on hauling us down to the (freezing cold) seaside on the first day of the New Year.  "It's good to blow away the cobwebs" she'd  call above the fierce north wind "a fresh start for the year to come".....

Well, I'm not sure that my children would jump for joy if I suggested the same activity, but something of her attitude has stayed with me and this is definitely the moment in the year when I start feeling the need to sort out and put away.  Clear my desk, shelves, wardrobe and start the new year with good, if slightly unrealistic, intentions of order and tidiness.   After the clutter of opening Christmas presents and the house packed with guests, I long for lightness, pale colours and simple lines.

I won't be packing up Christmas for another week or so but in the meantime these pictures are doing me good!


 




all pictures thanks to Decorative Country Living


Bloomberg: Home Prices in U.S. Decrease More Than Forecast

My comment: Remember, all real estate is local. Market conditions can change drastically by neighborhood and area of town.

The story is here

Home Prices in U.S. Decrease More Than Forecast

Home Prices in U.S. Decrease More Than Forecast

Carpenters work on a home under construction in Garner, North Carolina. Photographer: Jim R. Bounds/Bloomberg

Dec. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Robert Shiller, an economics professor at Yale University and co-creator of the S&P/Case-Shiller index of property values, talks about the decline in home prices in October. The index fell 0.8 percent from October 2009, the biggest year-over-year decline since December 2009. Shiller speaks with Peter Cook on Bloomberg Television's "Fast Forward." (Source: Bloomberg)

Home prices dropped more than forecast in October, a sign housing will remain a weak link as the U.S. recovery accelerates into the new year.

The S&P/Case-Shiller index of property values fell 0.8 percent from October 2009, the biggest year-over-year decline since December 2009, the group said today in New York. The decrease exceeded the 0.2 percent drop projected by the median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News.

A wave of foreclosures waiting to reach the market means home prices will remain under pressure in 2011, representing a risk to household finances. Federal Reserve policy makers this month said “depressed” housing and high unemployment remained constraints on consumer spending, reasons why they reiterated a plan to expand record monetary stimulus.

“We’ll remain in negative territory for several more months,” said Dean Maki, chief U.S. economist at Barclays Capital Inc. in New York, who forecast a year-on-year drop of 1.3 percent. “The housing market does remain weak and none of the recent data suggest a substantial pickup.”

After retreating briefly, stock-index futures remained higher after the report as a jump in holiday sales boosted the outlook for consumer spending. The contract on the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index maturing in March rose 0.2 percent to 1,255.5 at 9:23 a.m. in New York. The yield on the benchmark 10-year note rose to 3.36 percent from 3.33 percent late yesterday.

Survey Results

The median forecast was based on projections of 17 economists surveyed. Estimates ranged from an increase of 1.4 percent to a decline of 1.3 percent. Year-over-year records began in 2001. Prices rose 0.4 percent in the year ended September.

The gauge fell 1 percent in October from the prior month after adjusting for seasonal variations, matching September’s drop which was larger than previously estimated. Unadjusted prices decreased 1.3 percent from the prior month.

Eighteen of 20 cities showed a decrease in prices in October, led by a 2.1 percent drop in Atlanta, and decreases of 1.8 percent in Chicago and Minneapolis. Denver and Washington were the only two that posted gains.

Six markets, including Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, Seattle, Tampa and Portland, Oregon, reached their lowest levels in October since prices started to retreat.

“The double-dip is almost here,” said David Blitzer, chairman of the index committee at S&P. Sales aren’t “giving any sense of optimism.”

Since 2006

The 20-city index was down 30 percent in October from its July 2006 peak.

The year-over-year gauge provides better indications of trends in prices, the group has said. The panel includes Karl Case and Robert Shiller, the economists who created the index.

The Case-Shiller gauge is based on a three-month average, which means the October data was influenced by transactions in September and August.

The drop in prices represents a setback for housing after values recovered earlier this year, thanks to an $8,000 homebuyers’ tax credit that lifted purchases.

Reports earlier this month showed the housing market is stuck near recession levels even as the broader economy is recovering. Housing permits fell in November to the third-lowest level on record, while starts rose for the first time in three months, the Commerce Department reported Dec. 16.

Sales of new and existing homes last month rose less than projected by the median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg, reports from the Commerce Department and the National Association of Realtors showed last week.

Price Outlook

Atlanta-based Beazer Homes USA Inc, which builds and sells single-family starter homes in the southern part of the country, projects prices will not increase.

“We expect new-home selling prices to be somewhere between flat and down 3 percent in 2011,” Beazer’s Chief Executive Officer Ian McCarthy said on a conference call last month. “While there are clearly risks of further home-price declines, we believe that new homes are well positioned relative to non- distressed existing homes.”

Today’s report may be a reminder why Fed policy makers, who met Dec. 14 for the final time this year, say housing is lagging while the economy rebounds. They cited declines in home values as one of the constraints on consumer spending.

“The housing sector continues to be depressed,” Fed officials said in a statement after the gathering, at which they reiterated a plan to expand record monetary stimulus and said economic growth is “insufficient to bring down unemployment.”

Even so, economists in the past two weeks have boosted projections for fourth-quarter growth, reflecting a pickup in consumer spending and passage of an $858 billion bill extending all Bush-era tax cuts for two years. The legislation also continues expanded unemployment insurance benefits through 2011 and cuts payrolls taxes by 2 percentage points next year.

     The following table shows the historical price change
according to the S&P/Case-Shiller home price indices. Cities are
ranked by largest monthly gain using non seasonally adjusted
data.
============================================================
1-months 3-months 1-year 2-years 3-years
earlier earlier earlier earlier earlier
============================================================
US Composite-20 -1.32% -2.39% -0.80% -8.08% -24.70%
------------------------------------------------------------
Washington DC -0.20% -0.28% 3.65% 1.00% -17.97%
Las Vegas -0.21% 0.06% -3.57% -29.26% -51.61%
Denver -0.57% -1.65% -1.79% -1.90% -6.98%
Los Angeles -0.75% -1.26% 3.34% -3.21% -30.24%
Tampa -0.90% -2.19% -3.61% -18.27% -34.48%
Miami -1.11% -2.60% -3.39% -16.95% -41.06%
Phoenix -1.11% -3.93% -4.28% -21.61% -47.21%
Dallas -1.13% -3.83% -3.13% -3.68% -6.66%
Charlotte -1.14% -2.54% -4.19% -10.90% -14.87%
============================================================
1-months 3-months 1-year 2-years 3-years
earlier earlier earlier earlier earlier
============================================================
Boston -1.23% -2.82% -0.23% -3.03% -8.85%
Seattle -1.34% -2.66% -4.11% -16.03% -24.61%
Portland -1.48% -4.16% -5.15% -14.59% -23.20%
San Diego -1.50% -3.05% 2.97% 0.55% -26.28%
Cleveland -1.52% -4.76% -2.64% -6.03% -11.83%
New York -1.61% -1.99% -1.67% -9.58% -16.56%
San Francisco -1.91% -3.07% 2.23% -0.43% -31.28%
Minneapolis -1.91% -4.35% -2.80% -10.79% -25.18%
Chicago -1.99% -3.08% -6.48% -15.95% -25.04%
Detroit -2.45% -3.25% -5.52% -20.02% -36.33%
Atlanta -2.90% -6.11% -6.19% -13.77% -22.83%
============================================================

To contact the reporter on this story: Bob Willis in Washington at bwillis@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Christopher Wellisz at cwellisz@bloomberg.net

Christmas Lights

I heard that not far from our house there was a lovely road where lots of home owners really go all out and put on magical show of lights , Christmas cheer is contagious . We loved this stunning log cabin style home , you don't see large log homes very often around here .
This ones was Todd's favourite , he loves Victorian homes and yes it was charming .


There are some really stunning homes just off the beaten path in this sought after area with culdesacs and huge sprawling properties.

More is more with Christmas lights.




It was a great way to end the evening with some extra Christmas cheer.



So, What's Your Story?


Psa 90:9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. 10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

Have you ever had someone say to you, "Man, you should write a book!"?

Our years are like a story that is told. Paul said of his converts, "You are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men."

I think it is true that virtually every life is interesting enough to be a tremendous biographical novel if the author is just good enough!

But what if the Author was God? Hint, it is!

What would be a good title for your tale? Adventures in Faith? Up From Slavery? Rags-to-Riches? God's been faithful? Ah, so many possibilities.

Novels tend to have a plot, a story line, key players, unexpected twists and turns, a climax, an overall message.

Would your story be a page-turner, a can't-put-it-down, spell-binder that flies off the shelves?

And really, is your book mainly about you, or is it about God?

Know this friend, when you climbed out of bed today, a new chapter began to be written. Make it an exciting chapter where the gospel is shared, Joy is experienced, tragedies are avoided, victories are won and a wonderful resolution ensues.

I look forward to a good read from you!

Monday, December 27, 2010

Columbus Underground: Best Place to Shop and Neighborhood of 2010 - Short North


The Short North scores another threepeat this year by being voted up into the number one spot once again for places that locals love to shop. And with good reason too, as the Short North offers a little bit of something for everyone with a diverse range of unique retailers all within easy walking distance of each other. Read more and see the top 10 here



The Short North completes our second hat trick during this year’s Best of 2010 lists by being picked three years straight as the best neighborhood in Columbus. Read more and see the top 10 here

Columbus Dispatch: Mayor pays tribute to Fred Holdridge


Mayor pays tribute to Fred Holdridge

Mayor Michael B. Coleman issued a statement Thursday paying tribute to Fred Holdridge, the German Village icon and pioneer who passed away that morning at age 86. Tomorrow would have been Fred's 87th birthday.

Sorry we didn't get a chance to include the mayor's words in Michael Grossberg's story from Friday's paper. Here's what Coleman had to say:

"Fred Holdridge was part of the fabric of German Village, every bit as much as Schiller Park and Lindey's restaurant and the brick on Mohawk Street. He lived life with joy and purpose and was beloved by everyone he knew. He was an institution in Columbus.

"Fred and his partner, Howard, were the embodiment of family values in Columbus."


From Friday:

The story is here

FRED HOLDRIDGE | 1923-2010

Pioneer's legacy is German Village

'Mayor' supported neighborhood, arts

Friday, December 24, 2010 02:51 AM

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Fred Holdridge, right, with his life partner, Howard Burns, ran the 3rd Street shop Hausfrau Haven until 1996.
FILE PHOTO
Fred Holdridge, right, with his life partner, Howard Burns, ran the 3rd Street shop Hausfrau Haven until 1996.


The unofficial mayor of German Village died yesterday morning after decades of service to his neighborhood and the central Ohio arts scene.

Fred Holdridge, 86, died at home.

With his life partner - Howard Burns, who died in 2001 - Holdridge operated Hausfrau Haven, a landmark German Village shop at 769 S. 3rd St., until 1996.

Fred and Howard, champions of the village, were so well-known that locals referred to them by their first names only.

"Fred's real legacy was that he molded a lot of people to be good citizens of this community," said David Schooler, a close friend and president of Town & Country Travel.

Holdridge, a Lima native, served in the Army in France during World War II. He graduated from Kenyon College in 1950, arriving in Columbus with Burns in 1959.

Holdridge and Burns were major patrons of several arts groups - most notably, CATCO (formerly Contemporary American Theatre Company), which developed into the region's leading professional Equity theater company. Both served as CATCO board presidents.

"Fred was down-to-earth, funny and one of the most generous souls I know," said Geoffrey Nelson, who co-founded CATCO in 1985.

"It wasn't just that they gave money to various causes," Nelson said. "Both Fred and Howard were so personally supportive of the arts and of people. That made a great deal of difference."

Holdridge and Burns established an endowment fund for CATCO in 1994; and, in 2003, when the company faced financial crisis, they offered a $100,000 line of credit, a loan that Holdridge later forgave, said Bruce Harkey, executive director of the Franklin Park Conservatory and also a former CATCO board president.

"They were visionary in recognizing the importance of professional theater in contributing to a vibrant quality of life in central Ohio," Harkey said.

In 2008, the Village Singers honored Holdridge as a champion of German Village with an original musical revue, What's Poppin'? The Life and Times of Fred Holdridge.

"German Village residents feel such an admiration and appreciation for Fred," Wayne Owens, a co-founder of the Village Singers, said that year.

Holdridge and Burns spent the 1970s, '80s and '90s as community activists, newspaper columnists, radio movie critics and world travelers.

During their decades running Hausfrau Haven, they presided over the cluttered store as a pair of bon vivants and philosophers.

Signs in the store read: "Unattended children will be sold!" and "We will not be taken over by The Limited."

They sponsored an annual international mail-in postcard art show and a national photographic competition for cemetery art.

In 2001, Holdridge and Burns were asked to be guests of honor in the 20th anniversary Gay Pride Parade but declined. Four months later, on their 50th anniversary as a couple, the pair spoke openly in a Dispatch interview about the challenges they'd faced as gay men.

"We've always had the feeling that you don't flaunt it," Holdridge said. "You're part of the community, and you should be accepted for who you are, not what you are."

Holdridge is survived by a niece in St. Paul, Minn.; a nephew in the Detroit area; and a nephew in Colorado.

Visitation hours will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Schoedinger Midtown Chapel, 229 E. State St. The funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the German Village Meeting Haus, 588 S. 3rd St.

mgrossberg@dispatch.com

Visitation:





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The Funeral:


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A lovely Christmas day


 Happy days, laughter, 
all our children under one roof,
three delicious nieces, 
a well behaved dog, 
good meals gobbled up, 
my favourite champagne, 
snow, christmas stockings,
  charades after lunch, 
children who say thank-you, 
roaring fires,
little girls on the piano
...........


 




What are the moments you hold on to?


photo gallery of Wallace home in ND



Another harsh winter day wind and snow

This is the foam plywood built up roof ststem


Full log dormers with beam rafter porch roof system

Early Nov. snow fall is  taller than the truck

Beam post and beam rafters
The sunroom is held up with the big beams and posts what a great look from their basement walkout

The rustic stairs before the spindle and handrails

The bay window was installed on the second floor of the garage

Elegant log home with plenty of space

rustic staircase 

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