Chillin' on a Dirt Road... In Graham, Texas

As you may know, one of my favourite things is to travel and see new places.

In April we went to Texas!  We flew into Dallas/FW and stayed in FW for a couple of nights before heading out to the ranch.


Wildcatter Ranch was everything we had hoped for and more. Neither of us had been on a ranch holiday.  We knew we wanted to relax, in a relatively 'authentic' country style place, have a few things to do, and just enjoy the rugged beauty of the Texas country.  We certainly achieved this staying at Wildcatter.   We stayed at OT's Cabin for 6 nights and we did not want to leave on the Wednesday morning when we had to check out.

Wildcatter Steak House

The Wildcatter Steakhouse on the ridge is superb.  The service there, and actually everywhere on the Ranch was top notch.  The decor of the restaurant is really great as well, country style, but not tacky.  Some of the dining rooms have the most beautiful view from the top of the ridge, and the bar is a great spot to hang.  One of my favourite touches were the latches on the bathroom, like a barn gate.  I appreciate the details.

Beautiful view on the Trail

There is certainly enough for everyone to do.  We went on 3 trails with Jeremy, which were all super enjoyable. The first one was an hour and a half, and we headed up the side of a hill and enjoyed the views from the ridge.  Another time we rode past the cows in the fields and down along the river.   There is canoeing down at the river as well, but unfortunately we did not get a chance to go, we were so busy relaxing :)

Long Horns you can feed every morning! So cute!

The skeet shooting range is awesome! Being a girl, I did not have the experience shooting that my boyfriend did but Jay was very helpful and I did not feel useless at all.  He showed me how to do everything properly and gave me tips to hit more!  We each had massages one day at the Sage Room.  That was early on in our stay and put us in a relaxed state of mind.

Ranger taking a dip! 

The pool area at Wildcatter was designed so well.  It fits right in with the nature look, and the infinity pool overlooks a valley below - there is no better place to enjoy a glass of wine at sunset!

Life Lessons #1 - Looking for the Humor in Life

"The only person you should try to be better than, is the person you were yesterday" ~ Unknown 

After reading this above quote about a week ago, it has inspired me to try and learn as much as possible to be better than the person I was yesterday... 

If you are aware and make a conscious effort, you can pick up lessons from life everyday... and I thought it would be fun to share the life lessons I start picking up along my journey and perhaps they will also help you also be better than the person you were yesterday.  This first one is definitely for me... I get so caught up on my 'to do' list the day can fly by as a race to get things done and I miss the joy and humor I could have relished in. 

Life Lesson #1 - Always find the humor in a situation - Life is too short to be taken so seriously! 

I had the honor of listening to key speaker, Jeanne Robertson, on Thursday August 9th at the Florida Association of Realtors convention in Orlando.  She is HILARIOUS! I think I will hear her voice every time I hear the word America in her North Carolina accent now! HA! But she had a message... To find the humor in mostly everything each day - being 6'2" at a very young age she learned very quickly that life would be challenging if she did not choose to laugh at herself and find the humor in the situation.  

Jeanne Robertson

It's okay to laugh at yourself when you make a mistake, when your day isn't going well, when your spouse makes a mistake or argue about something super trivial, when that person who drives you nuts could easily put you in a bad mood... I could go on and on!  Perception is reality, so if you choose to get frustrated by every little thing you'll lead a stressful life but if you choose to find the comedy in daily life you will enjoy your day so much more and see things from a different perspective! 

So challenge yourself and when you feel yourself getting bothered/frustrated/upset/angry - ask yourself if you can find something funny about the situation? After all isn't it some of the most crazy stressful situations that become hilarious stories that you tell a couple of weeks later? Try and find the humor in them from the start! 

8 Reason’s why you should buy Real Estate in The Bahamas

8 Reason’s why you should buy Real Estate in The Bahamas

1. It’s a buyers market! Cash is king right now and there are many great deals to be had if you are in the position to buy.  Property prices that were once over-inflated have come back to a reasonable price.
2. It’s better in The Bahamas! Arrive in the Bahamas and relax.  The pace is slow and the people are friendly.  Grab a Sands beer and hit the beach!
3. Strong Rental Market – With the new resort of Baha Mar under construction and many contract workers coming in, the rental market is booming.
4. Our proximity to major cities!  With direct flights to London, Toronto, many cities in the US (Dallas, NYC, Miami, Atlanta etc) it is easy as pie to come to your second home!
5. Island Hopping is heavenly! – If you have a base in Nassau you can spend weekends on the family islands – explore new places and soak up the tranquility and beauty of the Bahamas.
6. Currency! – The Bahamian Dollar is pegged to the US Dollar and you can use US dollars one for one in the Bahamas.
7. Building has now become so much easier! ‘Pre-fab’ homes have come so far and there are now amazing options for hurricane safe beautiful island cottages.  My dream is to buy a little piece of property in Eleuthera with an ocean view and have a 2 bedroom cottage to rent out to visitors, and a get away for us to go when we can! 
8. Fantastic new developments – Take advantage of developer prices in this buyers market and get great deals. Here are just a few examples: 

www.palmcay.com

www.balmoralbahamas.com

www.schoonerbaybahamas.com

PS. I am a real estate agent so contact me at laura@grahamrealestate.com if you are looking :) 

Back to Blogging!

After quite the hiatus from my blog I am back.

2012 has been a whirlwind of wonderful travels and fun adventures but I have certainly missed writing my blog! 

Stay tuned for updates... 

Spring is here! Tips on Spring Cleaning!

Spring is in the air! It’s the time of year that we all feel, or are supposed to feel, compelled to give our homes the once over ‘spring clean’.

This however can seem incredibly daunting and most people do not know where to start.  Even myself, a person close to being OCD with organizing, sees the idea of spring cleaning looming in front of me. 

So, as I am a ‘planner’ I was going to break my ‘plan’ down for me and thought why not share it with my followers. 

 

STARTING POINT – Break it down… if you are a list writer, write a list of all the rooms in your house and then start with one room in the house, even if it is just the powder room, or start from the back of the house and work forward – whatever works best for you! Identify what needs doing in that room specifically and get to it!  

 

In each room you will have to do a few things, some of course maybe more.

 

1.      DECLUTTER! Take a scan of the room and see what you can ‘repurpose’.  So often we just pass things by and do not even notice that ‘watch box’ that you got for Christmas and is still sitting on the tv stand in May, with the 3 links that you will never need.  Go through your closet and think about what you have not worn for the entire year.  Even if I kind of like something, I think – but I have 4 other shirts I would wear before this one and it will not get worn – give it to someone who actually would wear it.  Don’t be afraid to tackle that junk drawer in the kitchen, once you empty it out it will not take long to organize. 

2.      Clean windows – the worst of the spring cleaning jobs and probably the best place to start.  Get the right equipment so it is easy – buy a squeegee and have a good supply of old cloths or tshirts.  Directions: To start, dip a sponge into a bucket of warm water and a few drops of mild dish soap. Wet window; rub dirt away. Dampen squeegee; starting at an upper corner, draw it down pane from top to bottom. Repeat, overlapping strokes and wiping rubber edge with sponge after each stroke. (For large windows, ''snake'' squeegee back and forth; then touch up edges.) Dry windowsills with a cloth.

3.      Wipe down – doors, above door frames, light bulbs, fans, picture frames, light fixtures, blinds, and curtain roads all gather dirt.  Do you have slatted closet doors? It is amazing how much dust gathers in the slats. 

4.      Curtains and Carpets - For synthetic carpeting, rent or buy a shampooer/extractor -- a machine that cleans the fibers and removes traces of soap using hot water. Open windows and let air flow to help carpets dry. If you have wool carpets or rugs, or any that are valuable or delicate, contact a professional for cleaning. Vacuum and steam-clean curtains or have them dry-cleaned. If you'll be replacing heavy curtains with lighter ones as the weather gets warmer, it is especially important to remove dust and dirt before putting the curtains away for storage.

 

 

Kitchen:  

1.      Clean Out the Refrigerator… This task is a daunting undertaking; make it more manageable by breaking it down.

·        The first step is to wipe up spills immediately so surfaces won't become stained.

·        Make it a habit to throw out old food once a week.

·        Every few months, wash the interior with a solution of two tablespoons of baking soda for every quart of warm water. Wash removable shelves and drawers in the solution (let glass shelves come to room temperature first so warm water won't crack them).

·        Loosen hardened spills on fixed parts by wetting the area with the solution, allowing the residue to soften. 

·        Use a toothbrush to scrub crannies. 

·        Twice a year, vacuum or brush dust from the condenser coils to keep the system from overheating.

2.      Clean out the pantry.  Had a few old cans, or half eaten bags of chips sitting in there for you do not remember how long? It’s time to purge.  We feel this need to hold on to things sometimes, but if you know you are never going to use it, get it out of there and free up the space.  If canned goods are not expired, donate them to a local soup kitchen or charity.

3.      Organize the Tupperware, pots and pans.  Taking the time to match up lids with containers, and tidy up your pots and pans will save you time in the long run. 

 

 

Maintain Household Appliances:

1.      Washer and Dryer – does it need a service?

2.      Air-conditioning vents – do they need cleaning? Summer is approaching and you want your air-conditioning to be working efficiently and effectively.

Restock Housekeeping Supplies

You'll need all-purpose cleaner and glass cleaner, specific products for problem spots such as mildew in tile grout, as well as natural cleansers such as baking soda and vinegar. Stock up on sponges, rags, scrub brushes, new mop, broom and toilet brush and rubber gloves, too. Looking to go green this year? try The Copper Pot's awesome green cleaning products www.thecopperpotbahamas.com 

Donate

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.  Ask around in your community, the local Salvation Army, Children’s homes etc are always in need of people’s throw-a-ways.  If you are in Nassau, the Bahamas humane society has a thrift shop and they can actually make money on gently used items that then goes towards the animals. 

A Life Lived that Matters by Steven Kroschel

I just watched the documentary 'Dying to have known' by Steven Kroschel and it speaks about the Gerson treatment.  It is a wonderful documentary and it ended with this soliloquy which I found very moving.  Tying into the 7 habits of highly effect people, Habit 2 is begin with the end in mind... 

I will group this into my words to live by - alongside my personal mission statement and desiderata :) I hope this inspires a few other people as it has me. 

“For each of us eventually, whether we are ready or not, someday it will come to an end.

There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.

All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.

Your wealth, fame, and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.

It will not matter what you owned or owed.

Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear.

So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to do lists will expire.

The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.

It won’t matter where you came from or on what side of the tracks you lived at the end.

It won’t matter if you’re beautiful or brilliant. Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.

So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought but what you built. Not what you got but what you gave.

What will matter is not your success but your significance.

What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered

or encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence but your character.

What will matter is not how many people you knew but how many will feel a lasting loss when you

are gone.

What will matter is not your memories but the memories that live in those who loved you.

A life lived that matters is not of circumstance but of choice.”

Get Involved! Get Involved!

Being involved in charity is a win win... why win win? Because one gets as much out of it as they put into it.  It certainly doesn’t mean someone does it for a selfish reason, it is simply a tertiary effect, so I write this blog to share all the things I have found that I personally benefit from being involved, in hopes that others will see the personal benefits and be inspired to get involved.  And the more people who get involved in giving back, the better society will be! 

1. You save money! I have so much going on on a regular basis I don’t have time to shop, whether it be browsing online or going shopping on a saturday.  Also, because you are so occupied with other things (planning events, helping getting things organized) you don’t have as much time to watch tv, read magazines and ‘want’ for the latest fashions, trends etc.  You also start to surround yourself with people who are more focused on charity and not superficial things that you do not have to validate yourself with material things. 
2. You learn a lot about yourself - doing things on a volunteer basis has a certain liberation.  I was never quite sure of myself, my strengths and my capabilities, until getting involved.  When you are young and new to the work force, there is a pressure you feel, at least I did.  Getting involved in charity has allowed me to break out of that shell and figure out that I am capable, and also, to constantly evaluate my weaknesses and improve. 
3. You learn what is actually important to you! and with that you build self-confidence.  Getting involved has helped me figure out who I really am.  To embrace my passions and beliefs I have become a stronger person.  I stand strong on certain issues and have flexibility on others.  I no longer worry if everyone agrees with me or if everyone likes me.  It has helped me to figure out my life purpose and put me on a direct path that no one can pull me off of.  
4. You look out of your ‘bubble’ and gain a better perspective on life - perhaps this can also tie into saving money.  All of a sudden having the most stylish clothes, gadgets and ‘things’ loses importance.  It falls to the back burner as your primary thoughts are about helping whichever cause you are dedicated to helping.  You have more constructive things to discuss.  I will never forget this quote that was on my english teacher’s wall.  “Great Minds Discuss Ideas, Average Minds Discuss Events, and Simple Minds Discuss People” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt.  Petty gossip and idle chit chat no longer holds the importance that it once did, because you gain a wider perspective on life and can see past the little bubble you were once trapped in.   
5. You meet a lot of people that you have a lot in common with and meet amazing people that you aspire to be.  I have made so many new friends and met so many amazing people through charity work.  The conversations I have had and the advice I have received from people who have been involved for decades longer are invaluable.  I am honored to be friends or acquainted with the people I have met since October 2009.   
6. Your social calendar is packed - I am never bored! If i do have a quiet evening that I have the luxury of relaxing, reading or a morning to sleep in, it is worth more than gold.  Between meetings, fundraising events, volunteer events you always have something great to do, and it is nice to know it is for positive reasons. 
7. Embracing different personalities - When we are in our ‘safe bubble’ we hang out with people that are just like us.  People we have known for years, people who do the same things as us etc, so life is pretty easy.  When you start volunteering you are inevitably going to meet a lot of people that are different from you.  When you see that you are all fighting for the same cause and learn to accept people’s differences its a growing experience.  It also transfers over to everyday parts of your lives and you appreciate different personalities.  We are all struggling to survive, whatever our struggles may be - some may struggle trying to make ends meet, some may hate their job, some may be going through a difficult divorce, the list is endless.  You never know how much a simple smile can do.  
8. You can feel proud that you are part of the solution and not part of the problem.  It is so easy to complain.  I hear it all the time - ‘they’ should really be doing this better, ‘they’ need to do this.  People do not like to break out of their comfort zone and routine and always make excuses for why they cannot help.  Even if you start with one hour once a month you are making a difference.  I’m not saying one has to be involved in every aspect of bettering society, but simply choose one aspect that is important to you.  We’re all working towards the common goal - helping better the beautiful country we live in.  So ask yourself, are you part of the solution? ‘cause if you are not - then yes, you are part of the problem... Superman is not going to show up and solve all of our problems, and I personally, I’m certainly not expecting our government to either... 
9. You realize how fortunate you really are - whatever area you choose to work in charity, whether it be helping the elderly, children, animals, sick - you will take inventory on your own life.  Naturally, working in animal welfare we aren’t working in wealthy neighborhoods... We are working in areas where people do not know how to properly care for their animal or cannot afford to do so.  It is so easy to get caught up in wanting for more - we live in a world of consumerism and we are taught to desire nicer and more.  When you work with people who can barely feed their children, kids who are wearing shoes that are falling apart, let alone pay for the spay or neuter of their dog, you realize that having a house, food on the table, and clothes in your closet, and a job are all you really need - the rest is gravy.  You can really see the true value in what you are so blessed to have. 
10. You face and overcome personal challenges - one of the things I am most happy with is overcoming my fear of public speaking.  I never thought I would be able to go on the radio and speak, but when no one else was available and it wasn’t going to happen if I did not step up to the plate, I had no choice.  I was nervous as all get out.  Then I was asked to speak at a Rotary meeting.  Holy Crap! Never in my life did I think I could do that.  But when you care about something bigger than yourself, you take a deep breath and just do it.  And over time it has gotten easier and easier.  I was even able to make a speech at my best friend’s wedding.  Something I thought I would never have the guts to do! 

In closing, I’ve heard all the excuses - “I don’t have time, my emotions cannot handle it, I wouldn’t be any good,” but thats all they are... excuses.  If you really care about the world becoming a better place, get involved... and you’ll see how you really do get back what you put in. 

If one person that reads this is inspired to give back to their community my time writing it was well-worth it!