About Portsmouth's Market Square

MEMORIES OF MY CHILDHOOD HOME /August 2009

Historic Essex Street- Salem, Massachusetts

Where the infamous "Witchcraft Trials of 1692" took place

only a few blocks away

I grew up in Salem Massachusetts near “Gallows Hill where the witches were hung. As a teenager in High School I worked summers at “ The Witch House” and “The House of Seven Gables.” The hidden stair case always fascinated me. Families would hide in the staircase when the house was raided . Being a tour guide was fun as well as interesting. I met many interesting people from everywhere around the world. One million visitors come from all over the world each year to take in the Historic sights. Salem is a pedestrian friendly city where residents and visitors can walk around downtown to stores, shops, resturants and local attractions. These Historic places are located only a few blocks from the home I grew up in pictured aboved . Click on the links below and go back in time with me.

http://www.salemweb.com/guide/witches.shtml

http://www.oldhouseweb.com/architecture-and-design/the-house-of-the-seven-gables.shtml

http://salem.org/free.shtml

My childhood was happy and carefree. As I write this blog I realize how lucky I was to grow up in Salem, otherwise known as the "Witch City." I'm told I hide my broomstick well. Life was a whole lot simpler then. I migrated back and forth between my best friends house and mine. Little supervision was needed. You could play in your yard with friends and not worry like moms do today.

Fond memories come to mind when I reflect on time spent in this big, beautiful historic colonial home. A grand home- three stories high, with a widow’s walk on the top of the roof. In case you don’t know what a widow’s walk is, it’s a railed roof-top platform typically build on coastal homes originally designed to observe vessels at sea. It’s where the wives and widows of sailors who have gone to sea go and look longingly out at the ocean hoping their spouses would return after months of being at sea....My sister and I used to take a towel and lay out hoping to get a sun tan. The next door neighbor would always call my mom and tell her we were on the roof. Ha...thank God we didn't fall off. It was a long way down.

This stately old home had multiple fireplaces, magnificent hard wood floors, and front and back staircases. The Beacon Hill gardens as they were called were lovingly attended to by my father who enjoyed the time spent nurturing the flowers we all enjoyed. I remember the flagpole that had beautiful purple and while morning glories winding around it. What a sight to see. The above picture is how it looks today, not when I lived there. The front was all beautiful gardens then. Sad to see the present owners have done away with the flower garden using the space to park cars. The front yard is deep as the house is long.This home was perfect for relaxing or entertaining in the life style associated with living in Historic Salem.

In those days neighbors were friendly and helpful. They cared about you in good times and bad. They were “there if you needed them, and when you didn’t. Times sure have changed. Nowadays people often don’t know their neighbors or their names, let along what they do for a living. No one seems to have time anymore to get to know and help their neighbors. When was the last time a neighbor knocked on your door to borrow a cup of sugar?

My family consisted of an older sister and younger brother. I was the middle child. My parents were loving and kind. In those days parents, especially the father figure didn’t display outwardly any soft caring ways with their children like they do today. We never talked back or even thought about questioning anything my folks said... We did what we were told and that was that!

It’s been fun doing this post for you today stirring up fond memories of years gone by. A bit of nostalgia has set in actually. Another time and place…a different place, gone but not forgotten.

I hope you enjoyed my tour.

Sincerely,

Patricia

www.patricia4realestate.com For all your real estate needs. Portsmouth NH Real Estate Hampton NH Real Estate

"Experience isn't expensive....it's Priceless"

There are those agents that believe in "updating their voice mail daily.

I curious though as to how many agents do this. Changing the voice mail, with the date and time and message seems somewhat repetitive and not needed to me. Most of us have a voice message that answers any calls and we check for these messages through the day.

Do you think that changing the voice message daily allows you to be more in control or not?

My updated daily message today might go like this.....

.." Good morning, this is voice mail for Patricia Aulson @ Prudential Verani. It Thursday, July 23rd...At this time I am unable to answer your call but please, do leave me your name, contact number and nature of your call. I'll return your call promptly and welcome the opportunity to speak with you today. Thanks for calling ... hop you are having a great day!"

Do you think that changing the voice message daily allows you to be more in control or not? Also do you think that the person calling you feels that this daily message will be returned sooner?

Please leave a comment with your thoughts on this when you have time.

Thank you, hope your having a nice day!.

Patricia www.patricia4realestate.com Portsmouth NH Real Estate seacoast NH & ME Hampton NH Real Estate

STRAWBERY BANKE MUSEUM....

History Happened Here...there is lots of wonderful places to tour if you are in Portsmouth NH but one of my favorites is Strawbery Banke Museum which is located at 14 Hancock Street, Portsmouth NH You are taken back in time when you stroll about marveling at the way people lived back in those days. You can experience four centuries of American life at this wonderful place in Portsmouth New Hampshire's oldest waterfront neighborhood.

Lots of newly added exhibits and expanded buided tour options await you.

Open Daily at 10:00AM-5PM during May - October

For more inforation-check out their website @ www.strawberybanke.org

For Portsmouth NH real estate check out my website @ www.patricia4realestate.com

The Portsmouth Book Club met last Tuesday, the 14th, to discuss, Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson and Oliver Relin at McMenemy's Irish Restaurant and Pub. What a fantastic book! The book was an auto-biography of sorts of Mr. Mortenson, written by journalist Oliver Relin. The book details Mr. Mortenson's trials and tribulations during his campaign in Pakistan and Afghanistan building schools for girls. If Mr. Mortenson had written this book himself, I would have thought, "Oh, sure. Nice Ego." And if this had been a fictitious novel, it would have been terrible, because you would NEVER believe the authenticity of the main character, it would have been too unbelievable. The truth is, the book is written from an unbiased point of view, and brings together quotes from the myriad of people who have known and worked with Mr. Mortenson on his project. All together it reveals a sort of super-human. A man who is probably the lest materialistic person in America, and one who cares so much about others, leaving him to sacrifice almost everything he had for a cause, love and passion. I mean, seriously, this man is my hero. They should make a Marvel super-hero comic about this man. Read the book, you will feel the same way. Mr. Mortenson should win the Nobel.

For our book club next month, we picked, Murder on the Orient Express, by Agatha Christie. This should be a great summer read. As always, our meeting will be held at:

McMenemy's Irish Pub and Restaurant

177 State St Portsmouth, NH 03801 603-436-4747

7pm Tuesday August 11th, 2009

I also have to take the time to say that McMenemy's is back on the map! After the bar and restaurant switched owners, I can't say enough about it. The fish and chips are incredible. Everyone who ordered them last Tuesday were wild about them. I had the clam chowder for the first time. Okay, I grew up in New England. I LOVE clam chowder and I know a good chowder when I have one. I am going to go out on a limb and say that McMenemy's had the BEST clam chowder I have ever had. If you don't come for book club, go out to dinner at this place. You will be so surprised. Tracey, the owner, will treat you right.

Here is a synopsis of Murder on the Orient Express: (from Barnes and Noble)

"Murder on the Orient Express. En route to Paris, Belgian detective Hercule Poirot has booked winter passage on the fabled Orient Express. Among the curious assortment of fellow passengers, one wealthy American holds a unique distinction: He has been found dead of multiple stab wounds in the night compartment of the Calais coach. By dawn, thirteen travelers, each bearing a secret, will find themselves suspect in the most ingenious crime Poirot has ever solved.

Agatha Christie is nearly synonymous with upper-class British mysteries, for good reason. She set the standard for the genre in over 60 novels and dozens of short stories, also creating two classic detectives: the fastidious Belgian, Hercule Poirot, and English spinster Jane Marple. No one could match Christie's knack for weaving clues into her stories, then turning the whole thing inside out -- shocking her readers every time."

Remember the saying...."it's not what you say but how you say it?" I have found when dealing with reluctant sellers you need to be firm about lowering the price to get the exposure it needs.I don't meet with them at the house. I ask them to come to my office where I can discuss with them the plan for getting the home more exposure in a professional atmosphere. Taking them out of the house takes away the emotional element at home.

I let them know that I have a plan that will give the home more exposure. At this time I point out the need to lower the price to encourage more qualified buyers who are looking at homes. Pointing out that the price of the house is key to getting the house sold.

Now is the time to reduce the price and get the attention it needs to get the house sold. While they may not want to lower the price, it puts them on notice that you are a serious agent doing your job well. After all the listing agents job is to "market the house" and this is what you are doing.

They may not want to hear it ...but it has to be said. Usually the seller will give in and agree to a reduction in price.

Patricia Aulson

Licensed NH & ME www.patricia4realestate.com Portsmouth NH Real Estate Hampton NH Real Estate