Carol Smith

My poor little brain is on overload! This area is so rich in places of interest and historical events that it makes it hard to focus on just one place or thing! Yikes!

While driving one of the backroads coming home from Burlington I saw a sign that read "Cedarock Park." OK - so I had to go see what Cedarock Park was.

And I'm SO glad I did!

This park is lovingly known as the "crown jewel of the Alamance Parks and Recreation Department." After walking the grounds a bit I can see why. It's absolutely gorgeous.

The park is located at 4242 R. Dean Coleman Rd, Burlington, NC and is worth a visit if you are ever in the area.

If you'd like to learn more about this incredible place, please visit Cedarock Park and check it out. There's something for everyone.

Hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them!

Being a newcomer to Alamance County, and to North Carolina in general, I thought I would make it my mission to learn as much as possible about the area I'm calling home nowadays.

So this past Sunday morning I set out to do some exploring. And the treasures I found ... well, let's just say that they are a very pleasant surprise.

From my front door I have to go 1.1 miles to the first actual road that will take you somewhere besides in a circle. Once I got to that road I took a right turn and just drove. Little did I realize that within 3.5 miles I would encounter an interesting little place called Saxapahaw.

This quaint little village is just chock full of history. Who would have thought that a place on the map that consumes only 5.5 square miles and has a population of 1,418 people (2000 census) could have such stories to tell.

Saxapahaw was established by the Sissipahaw indians in the late 1600s/early 1700s, and was thought to be the most fertile land in the region. The Haw River is thought to have gotten its' name from the Sissipahaws, and is the chief head stream of the Cape Fear river. For more info on the Haw River, visit Haw River Assembly.

One of the things that will strike you about this sleepy little village is the old cotton mill that has been lovingly restored and renovated to be made into some beautiful apartments and townhomes. The Rivermill Apartments are really quite pretty, albeit unique.

The mill was originally built in 1844 as a wooden structure. Eventually it was demolished and rebuilt as a brick structure. In 1994 the mill was partially destroyed by a tornado and Dixie Yarns, the owner/operator of the mill at the time, decided not to reopen in that area.

When Dixie Yarns decided to close the mill in Saxapahaw the Jordan family(who had owned it since the 1930s) bought it back and has spent the last decade giving the mill a facelift to the tune of $10 million. B. Everett Jordan (Senator from North Carolina) bought the mill in the late 1930s and the family sold it to Dixie Yarns in 1978.

In the newly renovated mill there is now a pottery center, a wellness center, the New Century Charter School and the Haw River Canoe & Kayak Company. There is also a small market with a small grill area and an Alamance County Sheriff's Office substation.

Another wonderful aspect of this village is the Farmer's Market and Outdoor Concert series that takes place every Saturday from May through September. The market opens at 5:00 PM and the concerts begin at 6:00 PM. What better way to spend a sultry summer evening! I can't wait!

I have been absent from AR for a week or so now. I've been trying desperately to keep up with reading my subscriptions, and even attempting to comment here and there. But it's been very tough.

On October 31st we loaded a moving truck and headed for Graham, North Carolina. We pulled out of Toledo without having slept for almost 24 hours and tried to drive straight through. But my eyes wouldn't focus and I was developing a dangerous relationship with the white lines on the road. So several "power naps" at rest areas were necessary to complete the journey.

There had been a couple of months of excitement, anxiety, preparation and downright madness in getting things together for this move. But it is worth it - 1000%!

When we pulled up in front of our new home I truly felt "at home" with the world. Mentally, and emotionally, it was a true 'homecoming' for me. Even though I have never lived in NC before, it felt so natural to be here. We all immediately felt like we belonged here. That this was meant to be...

The peace and quiet is incredible. The scenery is incredible. The fresh air is incredible.

By the way, did I say it's incredible?

Even the dogs have decided that they are quite satisfied with the choices their good ol' mom and dad have made ...

Jet is truly amazed at the wonderful things she can contemplate while just sitting in the middle of the yard. Who knows! There might be a really cool bug in those leaves!

Some little facts about Graham, NC? Here they are!

Statistics How large isB Land Area (Corporate Limits): 9.7166 square miles or 6,206.72 acres

What is the population? 14,597

What is the Tax Base? $776,000,000

What is the Tax Rate? $0.48 per $100 valuation

If you like the idea of being in a rural setting but convenient to everything, then you can give me a call and we can discuss just how I can help you decide on your next hone!

My confession? I let go with a string of expletives in a crowded area. The ability to think and reason left me momentarily.

My apology? To the little 6 year old red haired, freckle faced boy that is missing his front teeth .... and his daddy.

As I sat in the crowded boarding area of the airport on Friday morning I made eye contact with a little boy who was cheerfully playing with a rather large stuffed turtle that was wearing a NY Yankees suit. The turtle ... not the boy.

I'm going to refer to this boy as Allen since I have no idea what his real name is.

Allen was in the company of his mother, his younger brother - maybe 4 or so, his baby sister - maybe 8-9 months old and his grandpa. They were all a little anxious and tired, but understandably so.

After the initial eye contact it didn't take long for Allen to hop on over and start telling me all about his turtle named Rex. His mother watching him like a hawk from 20 feet away. But Allen was excited, animated and chattering like he was at show-and-tell in school. It was refreshing to see that much innocence and energy all in one package. At least to me it was refreshing.

There was a man seated on my left who presented as rather sullen and disgusted by his place among us mortals. Every time Allen opened his mouth to speak - speak not shout - this man would curl his lip and just glare at both of us. Didn't phase me - I was enjoying Allen's chatter.

In the back and forth about the turtle named Rex, Allen's little brother arrived to show me his blue bear named Ted. I think I was in line to meet all the residents of Build A Bear, and that was ok with me. But Mr. Sullen was becoming more and more disgusted with life. So be it.

You see .... Allen was so excited about the special bear that he and his family had made for his daddy. And the fact that they had placed that special bear in a special box to send to his daddy in Iraq. I learned that this was Allen's third go-round in life without the touch of his dad, as it was daddy's third tour in Iraq.

Well, on the fourth or fifth trek from Allen's seat to mine, his mother smiling at both of us each time, Mr. Sullen snapped at Allen.

"Don't you have any &*^%$$&*( sense? Can't you just be quiet? Nobody gives a good *&$#@!*^&$ about you, your bear or your daddy!!"

OOoohhhhh, Mr. Sullen ...... you have just stepped out in the open. Prepare to meet a side of me that few have ever seen. You will not berate this child in my presence nor will you minimize the service of his daddy or his pride in daddy. If you are bitter about something ... well, just keep it to yourself.

Allen's smile faded, his eyes teared and lip trembled. I touched his arm ... and turned in my seat to get eye to eye with Mr. Sullen. And, in no uncertain terms, I educated Mr. Sullen on the unacceptable tone in his voice, some unverified deficiencies in his anatomical composition, and I think there was something in there about his heritage. But, quite honestly ... I'm not sure. It was blind rage --- pure and simple.

Did I mention that airport security had started making their way to the boarding area??? I think I was close to missing my flight.

When my venom was spent I patted my knee and told Allen, "Come on up here and tell me all about the bear and your daddy." Allen's eyes lit up and he was in my lap in a flash. And so was his brother. Two knees, no waiting. We chatted about the special bear headed to Iraq and how Build A Bears are made. I learned a whole lot from those two little boys.

And more than that ... I learned that Mom had seen this type of behavior before. The tears on her cheek and the weary smile and silent thank you were evidence. And Grandpa was nodding and smiling. I nodded and smiled back.

An elderly gentleman seated to my right just looked at me - kind of a blank expression. Then he gave me a fitting admonishment .... "A lady ain't supposed to be cussin'. But I gotta tell ya .... ya did a might fine job of shreddin' that man." And his smile was priceless. I apologized for my outburst and he just patted my hand and shuffled to the gate. I was a little embarrassed, but not enough to make any positive gesture to Mr. Sullen.

Well, the boarding call went out and we all walked to the gate. I happened to have two very special escorts, complete with a turtle named Rex and a bear named Ted.

Allen ... May God bless you and your family, and may He hold your daddy in His hand till he's back home and safe, surrounded by the love you all have for him.

Remember the good ol' days? Sheriff Taylor would say something rhetorically profound and Gomer would always respond with, "Surprise, surprise!" Mayberry was a quaint little town, devoid of true crime and socio-political problems. Life was good - simple, pure, comfortable.

::: Whistling the theme from the Andy of Mayberry show :::

Then along comes progress, modernization, technology and political correctness. And we, collectively, shot ourselves in the foot.

But as we evolved into a sophisticated, tech savvy, highly educated and upwardly mobile society ... we found ways to circumvent our own intelligence and progress. And quite innocently.

Or at least it seemed so ... at first.

We all know the roller-coaster that is real estate. That wild ride full of extremes - high and low. And we ride it - daily. Through all the good and bad, the sure things and the uncertainties. We negotiate the best terms for our clients, we get so frustrated we could scream and then we breathe deep as we complete a transaction that places a family in a new home.

At least that's the dream. The dream of a professional REALTOR.

::: Cue the ominous beat of a drum :::

Enter ... those stinking scam artists.

You know ... those low-life bloodsuckers that prey on people that are in a bind. The ones that offer that "quick fix" to your problems. The ones that offer to deal with those pesky banks that are demanding a mortgage payment. These scammers promise to take care of things and urge you not to worry. It's going to be OK. Just do as they say and trust them.

And ... the check is in the mail. Yeah -- right.

I read an article on the MSNBC site about Foreclosure Fraud. Quite simply ... it made my skin crawl. Just the thought of someone being so underhanded ... someone that could get up each morning and look in the mirror and not see the slime that they are. I just don't understand.

The mess that we know as the "mortgage meltdown" or "foreclosure debacle" is made much worse with the workings of these scammers. They are preying on people that have become desperate for a helping hand, a light at the end of the tunnel.

All the while ... as they look toward the other end of the tunnel, they don't realize that the train is headed straight at them. They are totally taken by surprise. But by then ... it's too late.

If you are dealing with a short sale situation, a pre-foreclosure, or are in foreclosure ... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE consult an attorney, check with your local city/county government offices, or at a minimum check with your local Better Business Bureau if you are approached by one of these super easy, very simple, "let us save you from the embarrassment of foreclosure" scams.

THE ONLY PERSON THAT IS GOING TO MAKE OUT IN ONE OF THOSE DEALS IS THE SCAMMER! DON'T FALL FOR IT! CONSULT A REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL AND GET THE HELP YOU NEED.

**Image courtesy of: Classic TV DVD Sets via Google Images

*** Written and posted by Carol Smith, RE/MAX Preferred Associates, Toledo, OH ***