Joan Mirantz- Concord New Hampshire Realtor

Preface: It is hard to believe that it has only been about six weeks since my last entry in this Diary. It has seemed like eternity

As a Realtor I have always found the home inspection to be the most dreaded part of the whole transaction.If something is to go wrong....that is where it will most likely be.

I was not overly concerned about our Home Inspection. I was reasonably sure there would be some minor issues, after all the house was built in '78, but we had just had the septic pumped that Spring and felt we had stayed on top of any repairs. The furnace had been cleaned and serviced, the roof was only about 10 years old and my husband had made pool repairs in the Summer.

As I sat chating with the Buyer's Agent the Buyer and his HI made the usual rounds...all seemed to be going fine. The septic company arrived for their inspection and after about a half hour the guy called us all outside.

The leach field was in failure. I was in total shock. We had had no indication, no sluggishness, no sponginess or gurgling.

The Buyers were very upset. Being on a septic system, to begin with, was a major concern. They had never had one before. The Buyers and their agent started talking about hooking up to the city system but I knew it didn't run down our street. As they left, their Agent said.....they'ed get back to us.

The next day we received our Addendum. The leach field was to be replaced and the electrical in the house and garage evaluated and brought up to code by a licensed electrician.

Up until this point I had been remarkably able to put on my "Realtor Hat" when needed. But all of that was about to change!

We were very anxious to sell....in fact it was imperitive that we did. We decided to swallow the cost of Septic and Electric, rather than risk them walking away.

The cost of replacing our system was $8,000. Because this occured over the holidays, for 6 days we couldn't do laundry and had to limit "flushing".It was loud and annoying, my yard was a mess and the poor dogs had to be walked on a leash.

Strangely enough...the incident that upset me the most...was when they left and pulled out the machine that had been parked outside my dining room window for a week, I saw what they had done to my Hydrangea that I planted 25 years ago. They had asked if they could "trim" it.

It broke my heart!

BEFORE

AFTER

Next installment....looking for a new place!

Concord NH Realtor

This past Friday, November 14th 2008, the Concord NH Board of Realtors held its Annual Charity Auction.

This years proceeds were to benefit, for the second year in a row, The Womens Rape and Domestic Violence Center. The auction was held at the Holiday Inn, downtown Concord.

The Fund Raising Favorite started around 11:00 with registration and an Auction Preview. There were many great items....including lots of fun Gift Baskets. The item of most interest was a sharp looking Old Towne Kayack! It was very popular! There was a brief Business Meeting and then to the "fun"....

We had a delicious Buffet Lunch and a cash bar! Hmmm all of those people standing there are from my office!

Our enthusiastic Auctioneer, Paul Wilmott has generously donated his services every year to this worthy cause!

As you can see the Gift Baskets were very elaborate and very popular! The re-occurring theme seemed to be relaxing getaways for two!

As of today the Auction total has not been released but I am sure they did well. It lasted till after 4:00 PM and most people stayed till the very end!

This is an extremely popular event with local Realtors and I'll bet many are already preparing for next year!

Concord NH Realtor Local Information

It is now a little after 12:00 AM and the folks in the small town of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire are upholding their status as "First In The Nation"

Dixville Notch has not gone Democratic since Hubert Humphrey in 1968!

There are 22 registered voters!

The results are in!

Ralph Nader 1

John McCain 6

Barak Obama 15

Is this a sign of what is to come?

Don't Forget To Vote

Concord NH Realtor

Every family has at least one...one member who stands out from the others by reason of their talent! Our Grandmother had six children,those children had families and as a result I had 21 cousins. Peggy was one of them.

She and I were only a few years apart and while we did not see each other often...we shared a comfortable bond.

Peggy was always a bit of a Bohemian....marching to a different drummer. What stood out about Peggy was the fact that she took all of her life experiences and infused them into her Art. I have always admired that ability. I think that is why her projects are so intriguing.

Several years ago Peggy did an exhibit that included a piece called "She Told Me Where To Find Them". It was dedicated to me and her memory of my showing her how to find Salamanders in the woods. One of the many lazy Summer pastimes at our Grandmother's New Hampshire cottage. So in a way....I will have a place in posterity!

A True Free Spirit

Peggy has led a full and adventurous life....she is a Professor, a World Traveler, an Artist-proficient in many mediums- and a Mom. She has not wasted one bit of the talent God gave her.

I just received a notice of her latest work and exhibit. It is a total departure from what she has done before!

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Held Sacred: An explanation of forgiveness through the lens of Byzantine Iconography

I was led to this work by a number of questions:*

• What doors close and what doors open in our internal world in order to enable someone to commit an act of violence against another?
• When is it justifiable to use violence: war, self defense, protecting one's property, loved ones, innocents?
• How many people have been murdered by others in the name of God?
• Does it not seem hypocritical that those who lead the victorious are not "brought to justice" for war crimes?
• Are we ALL "the same in the eyes of God" and what does that mean?
• What is the role of forgiveness in breaking the cycle of violence?
• And, what is the role of grace in the process of forgiveness?

A traditional diptych icon, two panels joined by a hinge, often depicts images that are linked thematically, such as the Angel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary. I have used this device to link murderer with victim. Elements of the two panels echo each other, in way that underscores the shared humanity of the two figures. My intent is that this will prevent the viewer from dismissing the assassin as inhuman; pure evil; an abomination. My hope is that the viewer will instead consider perpetrator and victim as two members of the human family, and will be led to consider what it would mean to forgive the perpetrator.

* (Maggie McMahon)

If you have plans for a cultural night out please stop at the Curtis R Harley Art Gallery and see the McMahon exhibit. (And say hello to Peggy for me!)

Concord NH Realtor

There's a new place in town. Xtra chZ opened the first week in August at the corner of Rt.106 and Pembroke Road.

Now.....we have a lot of Pizza establishments in town so I asked the owner/operator, Nick Makris, what about his place makes him competitive? Nick didn't even hesitate in his answer "we cater to the whole family, not just the guys on lunch break" He has also told his help that no one is to leave "unhappy"....there's no skimping!

They have more than 28 Specialty Pizzas. They also have an extensive menu of Specialty Salads! This is more than your standard Pizza Place. There are full American Dinners Plates and even Desserts!(I can attest to the White Chocolate RaspberryTruffle....yum)

The Makris Family is not new to the area! Back in the '80's they were known as Zoeys and were at the corner of Main St. and Bridge St. They moved to Manchester in the early '90's and also expanded into Deerfield!

Nick Makris

I asked Nick about what advertising he was relying on. He is strictly word of mouth! I can understand why....my son and his friends tried it once and now go nowhere else! Their favorite....Chicken, Bacon and Broccoli Alfredo! Fabulous!!

Dessert Case HDTV While Waiting

At this time Xtra ChZ is strictly Free Delivery and Take Out.But keep your eyes open...they have preliminary approval from the city to expand to the space next door and are planning on having 40 seats. This will be a great place to bring the family for an in-expensive family night out!

Meanwhile give them a try...you'll be glad you did!

Concord NH Realtor Local Information