Brainerd Lakes Real Estate News

    I saw a poll that was being conducted for America's favorite foods and thought it would be fun to see how Active Rain members and readers rate their favorites. Food is often closely associated with memories and something may stand out because you ate it on your first date or your Grandmother always served it for Christmas. If you could list the food and then an explanation, (if there is one) then  it will probably be easier to understand your choice.

    Since it is my idea - I will start:

Potatoes and gravy - why? I just like it

lutefisk and lefsa - just kidding 

corn on the cob - the super sweet kind - ate this all summer, every summer

watermelon with a sprinkling of salt- craved it when pregnant and could win any seed spitting contest

avocado sliced on Saltine crackers 

banana split from Coldstone  - Hot fudge on the vanilla, pineapple on the chocolate and strawberry on the strawberry ice cream - why?  Try one, you'll see!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                                                                 photo by Eli Hodapp
 

    That is right and I am telling!! You know I am right and it is time to own up to it. In an editors' meeting for the Real Simple magazine office, there was a discussion on beds.  They concluded that:

• Only 1 in 7 people in the room knew how to make hospital corners (hint - it has nothing to do with pushing patients in the hallways)
• No one really knew what a neck roll was for nor what you would do with a neck roll (  use has nothing to do with choker necklaces)
  
• No one knew if a duvet was the same thing as a comforter (  duvet does not rhyme with Corvette)
  

     Well, real estate stagers know all that and much much more.

• Blow up beds - we don't put blow up dolls in the blow up beds, however
• How to make boxes look like mattresses
• How to use two box springs  to make one bed
• The artful arrangement of bed pillows, including neck rolls
• How to casually, but tastefully toss a throw at the foot of the bed
• That old shabby and out dated bedding gives prospective buyers the idea  that the house has not been well cared for
• That buying a home is often based on an emotional response and a beautifully presented bed can capture their attention

Are we bed obsessed?

Yes!!!!

Is it healthy? 

It is for our clients!! 

     According to recently released population projections, by the year 2020, there will be more adults age 65 or older than school age children in Minnesota.  How will this affect the Brainerd Lakes area?  How about the great and beautiful state of Minnesota?  What about the United States as a whole?

     The Central Minnesota Council on Aging has developed Communities for a Lifetime.  These are community coalitions consisting of senior service providers, older adults, law enforcement personnel, private businesses, elected officials and interested parties.

      The goal of Brainerd for a Lifetime is to inform and plan for how Brainerd can thrive and prosper in the coming Age Wave.

Brainerd City Council Presentation:                                                                       

Mr. Jon Knopik, Central Minnesota Council on Aging, discussed an initiative in the Brainerd area                            called “Brainerd for a Lifetime” that has been established as part the
Council on Aging “Communities for a Lifetime” program. He stated that the goal of these
programs is to make communities senior friendly as well as a place for all residents to
feel comfortable in “from cradle to grave,” and used the example of how “curb cuts” are
helpful for both a person pushing a stroller and someone in a wheelchair. He stated that
by 2010 it is predicted that there will be more retirees in Minnesota than school-age
children, and that by 2030 the ratio of people 65 and older will be 1 in 5. He stated that
when it comes to the subject of school support, this may not be a positive thing because
seniors, while wanting to support education, either do not want taxes raised or do not
want to pay for the schools because they no longer have any family attending.
Mr. Knopik stated that as a result of this development, there will be changes to
prepare for . He stated that in order to prepare for this meeting, a
study was done in 2007 in which a grant was approved by the Otto Bremer Foundation
to work with communities, which resulted in the creation of the “Brainerd for a Lifetime”
Committee. He stated that many different areas will be studied by this committee to
assess the Brainerd area from many perspectives to see how it fits the “Communities for
a Lifetime” initiative.

                                                                                            photo by TedsBlog 

    A hilarious compilation of four videos helping consumers and of course, featuring Merillat products. The music alone is worth a peek and they really are quite entertaining and should I say?cute????

Soiree Awry :

    The unpredictable dinner party or a Martha tale

    There was a possible scenario of staging a coupe to ruin her dinner party, which turns out to be the perfect dress rehearsal.

Dog Day Afternoon: 

    The fine art of improvisation or a Lucy tale 

    Patty is a supermom and even the view out of her kitchen window is perfect.  Watch for the pears, pig menu holder and other objects to add to your staging inventory.  Ignore the words careless, dumb, stupid, and foolhardy -not nice.

 Ring Around the Rigatoni:

    Basking in the multi-tasking

    Patty the Goddess of E-Bay, fueled by coffee, with her Apple laptop could turn one green with envy.  Patty believes that cabinets (& not diamonds) are a girls' best friend. 

Lisa Lisa Fashionista :

    The kitchen as bait 

    Lisa, while not seeming to be the smartest of young women knew enough to call her mother when she finds herself lost in her own kitchen.  Lisa learned it only takes a couple cookies to make a lot of dough. Lisa knows that staging sells- guess she is pretty bright after all.

    Going out to eat?  Ordering linens for your  staging inventory? Shopping on line for a spendy new leather handbag?  Are you heading out to the bookstore for a coffee and to pick up a new novel?  Stop - Google first.  That's right!  Google the name of the company or website  and the words "promotion code" or "coupon code".  You can save a bundle using this quick feature.  You may get numbers or letters that you type in when you check out on line.  Other times, you print off a coupon to present in the store or restaurant. 

    We have had free appetizers at Red Lobster, 25 % off at Barnes and Noble, $5 off an on line order at Target.com and many times free shipping, regardless of the size of the order at many sites.  There are coupons for biscotti to go with coffee, car washes with fills of gasoline, and free passes to home shows and movies.

    Remember, before you go - Google. 

    Jonathan Tyrrell was trapped in a burning furniture store, speaking on the phone to the fire department dispatcher who told him help was on the way.  Jonathan was to stay down low and keep tapping on the wall with his hammer.

    "Please don't be long" Tyrrell said, "I've got a wife and kids".  He spoke about that which was most important to him.  Shortly after, he was rescued.

    However, in the same building a group of 9 firefighters were cut off from their escape route and called "Mayday" to dispatchers.  Soon the firefighters realized that they could not be rescued.  A voice was transmitted over the radio saying, "I love you".  It may have been one speaking on behalf of all the others, but whoever spoke the message was clear - with his last words he wanted his love communicated to the people he cared for.

    Next a prayer was  spoken over the radio ending with "In Jesus name, amen.".

The radio went silent.

Nine firemen died. 

Do you make it a practice to tell others that you love them, appreciate or admire them?  We need to be more open and not wait until they are the last words.  Words of affection, sincerely spoken, should be part of our daily communication.

I can do better -  maybe you can, too!!! 

                                                                                                  photo by kiwi NZ
 

    The Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway was officially designated as a State byway in 1998 and in the year 2005, earned a National designation because of the national significance of our area resort history.  The byway runs for 54 miles and is full of fun, fables and history.  It truly fits the ability of byways to make automotive travel enjoyable.  The primary mode of transportation for trips of 100 miles or more is the automobile.

    Come drive the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway and admire our sparkling lakes with deep and rich tales of history interwoven with stories of Paul Bunyan.  See the hills and valleys with varied historical settlements of immigrants to our area long before statehood. If you like- bring Miss Daisy along and let her drive for awhile.

    He's baaaccckkkk. That is right -Elvis was here in Brainerd - singing and strutting his stuff and was last seen at the Bethany Good Samaritan Care Center entertaining the residents and staff members.  Elvis on most days can be found working as an engineer for  School District #181 on the South Campus. Once a year, you can catch him in the act at the Miss Brainerd Lakes pageant held in the Tornstrom auditorium in Brainerd. 

    Bill  Musel,  a.k.a. Elvis, moved to the Brainerd area about 16 years ago and  began his side career with the Up North Family Theater that was located in the Brainerd Armory. Now Bill can be found performing in plays at the Central Lakes College and enjoys doing the Elvis impersonations for fun. He also likes making people laugh and tries very hard to get a smile on the residents' faces.

    Keep your eyes open for someone that looks kind of like Elvis - wearing a gold lame cape, sunglasses and lots of sparkles - it could be Bill or it could be Elvis.

  ~Elvis has left the building~

                           photo by hawaii-Flickr 

      photo by edit felix

    Winning the New Club  state championship sponsored by the Minnesota Curling Association was a team from the Brainerd Lakes Curling Association The event was at Curl Mesabi in Eveleth and ran at the same time as the women's and men's  state curling championships . With the advent of the New Club Division - curling clubs that were founded in the last 10 years are now able to compete in a state championship competition.

    Home ice for the Brainerd Lakes Curling Association is the Hallet Center in Crosby.  If you want to watch they are curling there most Saturday nights. Having gone to Bemidji State College - I have spent a little time on the ice myself and encourage anyone interested to check out curling. For more information about area curling, visit www.brainerdcurling.org.  Anyone interested in trying curling or playing in a league may call Tom Jones (927-5686) or Kim Deiss (825-0043). 

    On Saturday , February 2, 2008 the Miss Nisswa pageant will be held at the Lutheran Church of the Cross in Nisswa. Tickets are $5 at the door and include and cake and punch reception in the church immediately after the pageant.  A good time to catch up with the latest locals neighborhood news.  If you have been mostly inside due to the extremely cold Minnesota temperatures of late, this pageant and our balmy 25 degrees should warm you up.

    Scholarships totals have been raised to $5,300 with the newly crowned Miss Nisswa receiving a $2000 Scholarship and many gifts. The Nisswa Princess will receive a respectable $1400 and the Second Princess  will receive $1100. $300 goes to Miss Congeniality and all contestants receive gifts and well as the Little Miss participants.

     Contestants for Miss Nisswa 2008 are Sarah Avenson, Nicole Cain, Chelsey Collette, Sonya Hills, Cierra Johnson, Heather Meier, Sammy Mraz, Mary Petersen, Katrina Ritter and Savannah Thomsen.  Eighteen           photo by sunnybrook100

second graders are dancing in the non-competitive Little Miss Nisswa

pageant that same evening.

    The pageant starts at 7 pm.