Brainerd Lakes Real Estate News

        With the upcoming school year closing in quickly - plans need to be made  in the case of student illness or days off from school for working parents that have younger children in the school system. Arrangements will need to be made in advance for a day care situation ,  transportation, or Mom or Dad taking days off of work.  Here is the Brainerd School district schedule, so that you have plenty of time to make those arrangements ahead . Of course, snow days give us no time to prepare, so make sure you have a back up plan for those as well. Some times grandparents in the area, an at home mother,  or a  well known and trusted neighbor will fill in for those days. In the event of an early school closing, the younger child should have someone waiting at home to let them in and care for them or a set plan of where to go in this case.

Have a great  school year - remember planning ahead eases stress!

Kathleen Lordbock

Re$ale Design and Home Staging 

                                             The Days Off Schedule

September 4th - First day of school for the 2007-08 school year, except juniors and seniors

September 5 - First day of school for all students, including the juniors and seniors

September 26th - Early dismissal for all students due to teacher A-Comp training 

November 1st - Early dismissal for all students due to teacher A-Comp training

November 22-23 - No school. Thanksgiving 

November 26th - No school, teacher in-service day

December 12th - Early dismissal for all students due to teacher A-Comp training

December 21-January 1 No school. Christmas break

January 21 - No school, teacher in-service day (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)

February 18th - No School. President's Day

February  19th - No school, teacher in-service day

March 4th - Early dismissal for all students due to teacher A-Comp training

March 17-21 - No school, Easter break

April 2 - Early dismissal for all students due to teacher A-Comp day

May 26th - no school, Memorial Day

May 29th - Last day of school for students

A copy of this calendar and other important school information and sports schedules can be downloaded at the district's Web site 

                                                                                                                     photo byzaphodsotherhead

• A lways Use Caution- Use Extreme caution when school buses are present

• B e Alert - Watch what is going on around you

• C rossing Streets - Look both ways before crossing the street

• D oors - don't answer the door when you are home alone

• E lectrical Safety - never go near a downed power line.  Let a parent know so they can call for help

• F ind a good backpack - choose a backpack that fits close to your body.

• G uard belongings - take care of your books, lunch, and other items.

• H ands & arms- keep hands, arms, and head inside vehicles

• I f you get lost - find a policeman or a uniformed store worker or a mother with children

• J ust say no - stay away from drugs and cigarettes

• K eep away from buses

• L oose-hanging clothing - be careful with drawstrings.belt. or clothes that drag the ground

• M emorize - learn your phone number and address before you start school

• N ever cross - don't cross the street between  parked cars

• O bey teachers and parents - listen to what these adults say for your safety

• P lan a route - with your parents, plan the safest and quickest route to school

• Q uiet time - when on the bus, talk quietly with  others

• R iding to/from school - listen to your car or bus driver

• S ave the environment - learn to recycle and carry recyclables to the curb to help your family

• T ake 10 steps away from the front of a stopped bus before crossing

• U nderstand traffic signals

• V aluable friends - walking to school is safer and more fun with friends

• W alk away - if someone tries to start a fight, walk away

• X "X" marks the spot - stand in the right place when waiting for the bus

• Y ell out - if a stranger bothers you, yell for help

• Z ero in on safety - follow these tips to a safer school year   
  

The Minnesota DNR is asking that bear hunters  leave the radio-collared bears alone.

The DNR monitors about 40 bears by this method according to DNR bear research biologist Dave Garshelis.  Most are in the area of the Chippewa National Forest, my area which is  the Camp Ripley Military Reservation and near Voyageurs National Park.

However the bears may travel 50 or more miles from their territory, during the fall season.

The bears after being trapped are fitted with GPS radio collars, which collect and store location data that will be downloaded when they are visited in their winter dens.

"I hope hunters can find other bears to harvest, as we've invested a lot of time and expense in these individuals.  The data in their collars is extremely valuable in monitoring the dynamics of our bear population," said Garshelis. 

 photo by ahlsgett

                                                                                                                  Photo by RavenHawk

Drought, brown crunchy grass, and dying newly planted baby trees - now wind, rain, and hail.  Welcome to the Brainerd Lakes area of Minnesota, where temperatures can jump easily 50 degrees from one day to the next. This area experienced some significant damage due to high winds and large hail recently, but the southern part of the state of Minnesota is flooding(water runs down -right?). They did lose 22 lives thus far in the flood area. The top rainfall in 24 hours was 10 inches previously and we hit 15 inches in some areas. There are thus far 4200 homes affected and most of those don't have flood insurance. since they are not in a designated flood plain.

Our poor Governor Pawlenty, as this follows our 35W Bridge collapse. 

Here at Hearts and Pines Ranch, we lost a few trees and the small highest roof on our barn.  It could have been much worse , but  our tornado of 2001 didn't leave that much to blow down. No wounded animals or people this time, so all is well - thanks for all those inquiries into our status - you guys are great!

I did a previous blog on that  tornado entitled Tornado Season - Are You Ready?

that should be checked out as the hurricane season that is still upon us, also can spin off tornadoes . Our state of Minnesota gets its share of Tornadoes, although no Hurricane would ever get this far.

                 All of a sudden in Brainerd, small white cars that look like dimpled golf balls are  the norm! 

          photo by rickswanson

photo by philstoltzfus 

                                We get the influx of fly by night contractors - who just want to help!!!                   

                                                                     photo by johnthomas
 

I have not posted a blog yet in this group about absolutely nothing, so I thought that it was time to make my appearance.  As you already know I am a woman of deep and intense thoughts, so this "nothingness" is going to be very difficult for me.  Really now, how can you expect me to carry on about nothing - do you think I am a Valley Girl? Perhaps other of my blogs have in all actuality been about nothing - just cheap ploys to get points, but not this one.  I am actually studying nothing and contemplating nothing to come up with nothing for this blog.

     I wonder about the kind of person who would actually create a group about nothing and them expect others to fill in the blanks .  Well, not mentioning any names, but he has a lot of nerve.

Home Stager in Rockford, Illinois
 

 photo by LindeLou

  I always suggest to my clients that if there is a reasonable item to be repaired or replaced, that they would do well to consider doing that before the home is listed or MLS photos are taken.

      Many Realtors suggest offering an allowance to replace worn, outdated, and/or dirty carpet, for example.  As a home stager with Re$ale Design & Home Staging, I view the situation differently.  First of all, that carpet may be the one thing that potential buyers remember about the home and they will not remember it fondly. A home with  undesirable carpet will appear overall to be worn, outdated, and/or dirty.  Many people will  " wonder what lurks therein".

     Buyers will want a $5000 price reduction when in reality to "git er done" would cost $1500 or less.  Not only that price difference is crucial , though.  The whole home view and price is enhanced with new flooring materials in an up to date neutral.

      Buyers will jump at the chance to quickly settle in to their new digs- selling and moving is stressful and tiring. Not everyone wants to start changing the carpet, especially with the moving boxes piled on it.

     If you really want your home to show the best then do everything that you can manage to make it look the best.

A professional Home Stager will be able to advise you on what items are crucial to the appearance and therefore the sale of your home. Any home if priced low enough will sell, but is that your objective?   Condition and appearance evoke  emotional responses, make sure that they are good ones!

 photo by Chad Johnson

Woodblock prints, paintings, and bird carvings by Fergus Falls artist Charles Beck will be featured through September 16th at the Ripple River Gallery near Deerwood, Minnesota.

The exhibit will  include 15 woodblock prints completed in the last two years and new wood sculptures of blue herons and egrets. 

Beck studied art at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota.  He earned a Master's Degree in fine arts from the University of Iowa.  Charles lives in Fergus Falls, MN with his wife, Joyce. 

 For more information call 218-678-2575, e-mail ripriv@mlecmn. net or visit the Ripple River Gallery site.

For more than 20 years in London and over 17 years on Broadway, one show has stood alone in musical theatre history, Les Miserables. The musical that begins with one man´s battle - and tells the story of mankind´s triumph. The one with songs that start from the heart - and reach straight to the heavens. The longest-running musical the world has ever loved.

Unlimited Learning is offering a bus trip to the Chanhassen Dinner Theater matinee performance of "Les Misearables".

Theater goers will leave the Hallet Community Center in Crosby, Minnesota on September 12th,  at 8 A.M. and arrive at the theater for lunch, followed by the 1 P.M. performance.  The bus will return to Crosby around 7 P.M.

The cost is $60 for Unlimited Learning members and $70 for non-members.

For more information, call Gerry Altonen at 218-546-5789 or visit Crosby-Ironton School Website.

A number of recent blogs have addressed the idea of painting over wood cabinets.  I am in the process of doing this in my own kitchen and just finished with a client's. Mine, of course, will take almost forever, but it will be worth it.  I grew tired of everything oak in my house and decided to change it up a bit. My bottom cabinets will be black and the top cabinets white. The island base black and the counter top on that  is White Corian.  The other counter tops will be changed out, but I have not decided as to what I will use there, maybe marble or granite tiles. This information is from Martha Stewart, who knows how to do everything (or at least her researchers do).

Here is a photo I found on Flickr of painted base cabinets. 

photo by devonindustry 

On March 27th, the Governing Board of Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby, Minnesota took action to formalize a partnership with Presbyterian Homes & Services. Together, they plan to build a senior community on the medical campus in Crosby. “Cuyuna Regional Medical Center has had a long-standing commitment to senior services,” said CEO Tom Reek. “Over the last several years, we have been looking at expanding our services. Presbyterian Homes brings vast experience and a solid commitment to serving older adults and their families. Together, we can do more than we could do alone.”

Presbyterian Homes & Services, based in St. Paul, Minnesota, is a non-profit, faith-based organization committed to providing a broad range of high quality housing choices, care, and service options for older adults. Last year they served about 8,000 individuals within 30 communities throughout the Minneapolis/St. Paul area of Minnesota, in Wisconsin, and Iowa. Since 1955, when its first community was built, Presbyterian Homes has steadily gained a reputation for being an innovative leader concerned with promoting the independence, dignity and well-being of those they serve. “We are very excited about the opportunity to partner with Cuyuna Regional Medical Center,” said Dan Lindh, President & CEO of Presbyterian Homes. “The timing is right. The services are needed, and we believe that together we can create a senior community unlike any in the region.”

 
This new senior living community is being planned on the Cuyuna Range Medical Campus.  Heartwood, will be located on 30 acres of tall pines near the Hospital and clinic.  It will be for seniors who are 55 and better.  Plans are underway to integrate the community into the land.

     A "Town Center" will include a chapel, market, cafe, restaurant style dining facility and a beauty salon all near the hospital and clininc.