About Preble County, OH

Well, second time this winter in Lakengren and we're on a roll. Second time for what you ask? Second time that someone has run into a ditch right outisde MY house because of excessive speed.

Used to be that I had no issue with my children playing in the front yard. The neighbor kids all enjoyed doing the same. The biggest reason? In my yard, and that of several neighbors around me, we have a big ditch. So in the spring and summer unless its very dry, the ditch fills up with water run over from the lake and inlets. LOTS of fun for the kids. Running water, crawdads, mud, all that good stuff that kids like to get into.

But now, even in warm weather, I'm a little scared to let them step foot into the front yard at all. Because for some reason, my section of Lakengren drive seems to be the Indy 500 practice course and people go past altogether too fast!

About a month ago, across the street from us, a lady ran her car into a pretty deep ditch. Lucky for her, she ended up towards the end of the ditch where the water was shallow, and not the start, where the water is approx 3 feet deep. She landed her car sideways and her car was submersed in the water. Her legs got wet. Had it been the deeper end, she may have had some trouble. She had to climb out of the passenger side of her car, facing to the sky. She took out my neighbors mailbox and fence.

Thsi morning, I go to take my son to the bus stop and what should we see? This...

Security told me that the driver got lost and took a wrong turn. Into my yard???

This has happened countless times in my yard and that of my neighbors. So, this is a plea for the residents of Lakengren and the kids of Lakengren especially...slow the heck down!!!

Hopefully with a full-time sheriff on patrol in Lakengren, this will stop soon!

Funny...it seems like all of the sudden, my blogs about Neaton Auto, located in Eaton Ohio, are generating all sorts of attention. I guess this is good, though frankly, I'm a little concerned. Let me explain...

My husband works for Neaton Auto, and my first interest before anything else, is to protect his lively-hood, and that of my family. To that end, HOPEFULLY you have noticed that while I do blog about Neaton, I always put SOMETHING in there stating that the blog is strictly "MY OPINION" and nothing more.

Seems though, that my blog is getting some press as being the "Neaton GRIPE (cant put the real word people are using!) blog.

Well...not so much. I've tried to stay pretty true to fact on what is going on inside plant walls. But I don't work there, and I don't make the decisions. What I DO have is, besides a spouse employed by Neaton, is several dear friends who have or currently Do work there.

So you are asking, is this a CMA (cover my eh...butt) blog? Yes and no. I am entitled to my opinions, same as anyone. Whether that be about the weather, the Buckeyes, or Neaton. And since I seem to be getting a lot of readers about the subject of Neaton, give me YOUR opinions about the place. Keep it anonymous, I Don't care....I would LOVE some feedback.

I just dont want it to seem like I'm biting the hand that feeds me.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Weekend. Its safe to say I have the Monday blues, same as most of you out there! Fortunately, my blahs are simply the common Monday type-variety. I'm actually pretty excited about the upcoming holidays and even have some of my Christmas shopping knocked out already.

I try to make a holiday budget each year and stick to it as best as possible, though with the escalating cost of toys these days, its not always an easy feat. I manage though, with a little help from Santa Claus :)

For a lot of people though, they aren't suffering from the Monday blahs, or even a cruddy week at work. For many people out there, it will be a real struggle this year to buy ANY holiday gifts, let alone all the tree-trimmings, holiday eats and all else that comes with the territory. There's a lot of people out there, in YOUR very neighborhood, that are wondering RIGHT NOW how they will buy gifts for their kids, and know deep inside that a visit from Santa isn't very likely.

I'm just as guilty as the next person of getting caught up in all the hoopla of the season, but this year I am going to be a part of TOYS FOR TOTS with a nice donation and toy, and make sure that one child wakes up to the delight of a gift under the tree, and can keep believing in the miracle of the season, at least for another year.

Take a moment this season to think about someone you might know who could use an extra hand this time of year. Maybe not a gift, but maybe a helping hand shoveling snow, maybe some homemade cookies waiting on the doorstep when they get home, a donation to the local goodwill or food-bank, maybe a gas card to help them get back and forth to work. The options are endless. And here's a few links to give you some ideas just in case...

Find a local Goodwill - http://locator.goodwill.org/

Find a Toys for Tots drop off - http://www.toysfortots.org/

Find a local food-bank - http://feedingamerica.org/

Find a Salvation Army location - http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf/vw-local/Ways-to-give

Angel Tree Network - http://www.angeltree.org/angeltree-home

Angel Food Ministries - http://www.angelfoodministries.com/hosts.asp

Just sitting here thinking about how lucky I am to have such a thing as Internet, that I take for granted and most of you do...its a part of my daily life. But so many out there cant afford Internet, or much else. Count your blessings this Holiday season, and make a vow to be a blessing to someone else!

Ahhh..the old misnomer that real estate is DEAD in the winter has been around most likely as long as the real estate profession has been. Somehow when Thanksgiving starts to roll around, lots of folks seem to get the idea that buying (and selling) homes just stops...not to come around again until the buds show up on the trees.

When my husband and I purchased our first home, we moved in the winter. Granted, it was cold as heck, but nothing chased those winter doldrums away quite so fast as a new home to decorate. But most people still shy away from the idea of buying or selling during the winter. I thought I'd give a few reasons why there's NO BETTER TIME than now to find that dream home.

Less competition: Sure, houses look pretty in the spring, summer and fall. The grass is green, the dirty snow and salt has washed away. BUT, lets face it...everyone and their brother sells then. So which would you rather be...a home seller in the winter, competing with just a handful of other homes on the market, or a home seller in the spring, where every other house you past has a "for-sale" sign in the yard? Sounds like winter offers the better odds to me.

Serious buyers: Picture it...a sunny spring day. Not quite warm enough to swim but sure is great weather to take a drive. And lets go look at some houses too, just to get some ideas...you know, kick some tires. I can promise you this; buyers that are willing to come thru sleet and snow to look at your home in the winter are NOT tire kickers. They are SERIOUS buyers. Because lets face it, you'd have to be a serious buyer to be crazy enough to face some of the weather we have here in Preble County Ohio.

Best agents: Lets face it. A lot of real estate agents seem to have the same mind-set; that NOTHING happens in the winter. Maybe because they take a 4 month vacation? I don't know. But I do know that the best ones are still out there, beating the streets, staying current on rates, values and the best deals. Isn't this the agent YOU"D like to have working for you?

Convenience: So it stays dark around here in Preble County till at least 9:30 in the summer time. Guess what? I'm not the only one who knows this. Buyers know it too, and yes, sometimes they might want to see your home that late at night. Why not; its still warm and they can still view the outside. Winter rolls along and now its getting dark by 3pm (feels like it at least). Not much can be seen in the evening. Buyers are much more sensitive as well to obligations you may have during the holidays, and are much more cooperative with showings than they might be any other time of the year.

Happy Messes: Ugh. Such a PAIN keeping the house cleaned in case someone wants to view it. I cant even imagine keeping my house clean on a daily basis right now; what with two growing kids and a huge hairball (dog). However, even with the tumbleweed sized hairballs rolling across my kitchen floor, I've gotta admit...the house just looks homier, warm and inviting, with the Christmas lights twinkling, the cookie tins out and about, the cinnamon and pine smells in the air. Its still a mess, but its a nice mess. Its a happy mess. The kind buyers don't mind looking at. Better then the beat up lawn chairs, dog doo and crust covered grill.

**Pictures provided by Microsoft clip art. Copyright © 2007 Microsoft Corporation and/or its suppliers.**

I know that the general rule is to keep politics out of your social networking. Politics are best kept discussed with family and close friends. Because it is such a volatile subject, and every person has their own position and stance that may, or more likely MAY NOT, agree with your own.

But...I'm going to jump into the political water here for a moment to discuss the recent levy that passed in Lakengren Ohio, regarding having a Preble County Sheriffs car on patrol for the community. I'm even going to go so far as to tell you how I voted on this issue. I voted no. Let me tell you why.

First of all, its not that I don't have concerns about crime. Lakengren is a gated community. That doesn't mean we are sheltered from crime or random acts of stupidity, not to mention speeding. Somehow the road going right past my house has been unofficially declared the new "Indy 500 track". I don't like it. I don't like that my car, as well as my husbands, has been broken into. I don't like that people have been robbed, or just had their property's messes with. All of that is wrong, wrong, wrong. So the thought is..lets get a sheriffs car in Lakengren to patrol and cut down on all of the hi jinx. Fair enough.

But wait...Lakengren is part of Preble County. Shouldn't our area be patrolled anyways? WHY do I have to PAY for this service??

Lets take a closer look at this. All of Preble County has the service of the Preble County Sheriffs department. In one way or another, all of Preble County pays for this service. But now, in order for me to have what should already be mine, I have to pay EXTRA? OK, OK..I know its only $3.00 per month. It's just the principal of the thing.

Lakengren residents have been informed that when someone is ticketed in Lakengren, the money collected from the ticket does NOT go back to Lakengren, it goes to the County. WHY? Because Lakengren is a private community. So when someone speeds in the Village of Gratis, the money collected goes BACK to the Village of Gratis. Yet Lakengren doesn't get the same benefit, being a "private" community. So the Village of Gratis gets this service for free. And we now pay for the service.

Its no secret that Preble County Sheriffs Department has been running short-staffed for quite some time. Matter of fact, did you know that the Preble County game warden is often called in for support from the sheriffs department, to serve warrants, for emergencies, etc?

Is it conceivable that the patrol car we now will be paying for might also be called out for back up to other areas of the county, all on our dime?

Not to mention that this is still only a service that will be provided 40 hours a week. What about the other 128 hours of the week?

It is my sincere hope that just the "idea" that a patrol car is in the Lakengren area will deter any future crimes, speeding and other hi jinx. I just don't feel like this was totally thought through. It's not the $3 bucks a month that's the issue at stake...it's the fact that Lakengren is paying for a service that should already be at our disposal, the same way it is for the rest of our little neck of the woods.

***By the way...I have NOTHING but the up-most respect for the Preble County Sheriffs dept. I certainly DON'T drive a Buick Rendezvous, EVER speed, or heck...even live in Lakengren! :) ***