Jenny Robinson, REALTOR

The new $32 million marina in Clarksville is now underway and expected completion to be fall 2010. The marina will also include walking trails, dog park, ball fields and amphitheater. The long term plan is to include restaurants, shopping and condos. This is big for Clarksville since the city has talked about it for the past 30 years. It will provide recreation for residents and become a tourist destination.

If you would like to watch the progress of the construction without leaving your home, just click on the following link www.cityofclarksville.com/clarksvilleMarina.php. Cameras are at the construction site documenting the progress.

Sometimes when you sell your house you need to have another pair of eyes look through your house from a different perspective other than owner.

I was recently in a house that had been on the market for a very long time. The price had been lowered several times and the listing agent asked if I had any suggestions on getting the house sold (very nice house and in a nice neighborhood). The home was vacant but as I walked through it I almost had a depressed feeling. Everything was painted a very dull neutral color - all walls, woodwork and doors. I'm all for neutral colors but this color was not pretty and it was everywhere. I suggested if the owner did not want to have the whole house painted then at least paint the trim and doors a bright white. I'm sure this would make the house come alive when prospective buyers walk through.

I don't know if the owner will be receptive to the suggestion but buying is all about emotion and how the buyer feels when he/she walks through the front door. Don't let your house be put on the market without having your agent tell you what needs to be done to make buyers feel welcome when they first step in the door.

Clarksville has a new downtown store in Strawberry Alley. Ingredients is a kitchen gadget store with all kinds of kitchen ware. They have bake ware, glassware, mixing bowls, utensils, dipping oils, salsas, knives, cookware, wine paraphernalia, cookbooks, too much for me to remember. My favorite items were the grill and serve cookware. These are nice looking platters, bowls and potato holders that you put on the grill to cook and serve in the same dish. They are also supposed to keep the food hot when removed from the grill.

Ingredients has reminded me of my love of cooking which I don't do anymore (supper time at my house is sometimes a bowl of cereal). I love trying new recipes and preparing for a dinner party..... so I will start doing it again. Because we should make time to do the things we love.

It is so exciting to see new businesses move into downtown Clarksville. Our downtown is off to a good start to becoming a vibrant meeting place for locals and tourist.

Go downtown and check out Ingredients and the other shops!

If you haven't been to an Austin Peay football game you definitely need to go. Before the game go through Tailgate Alley and have some wonderful food and visit with friends. You really must see the big red bus called the Peay-Ons. It is a bus equipped for cooking and they do a fantastic job! This past Saturday they had ribs, brisket, hamburgers and hot dogs and they were very tasty.

Sometime around 5:00 the team comes thru the alley and the crowd really gets fired up. The crowd at the game was tremendous. It was great to see the bleachers filled with red.

Rudolphtown had its yard sale last Saturday. The turnout was lite compared to past yard sales. But, I did sell most of my "junk". I thought I was going to be prepared this time and have everything priced and ready to put in my yard but, as usual I waited til the last minute and then I ended up running around the house early Saturday morning pulling more stuff out of closets and pricing that I had forgot about.

A neighborhood yard sale works very well for those of us who really don't want to do it but have been overcome by so much stuff. The homeowners association advertises the yard sale and puts up signs so all you have to do is put your "junk" in your front yard. Then, if you decide at the last minute you don't want to participate you don't have to. The best part is Goodwill sends a truck through the neighborhood to pick up any items that didn't sell.

I really don't like having yard sales but I will probably do it again when we have the next one in 5/09.