About Walker County, TX

Ever feel as if you're missing something? You probably are!

I think we're missing a lot by not going one step further than the dashboard. There are features beyond that one page!

What's the point of the DASHBOARD?

The DASHBOARD. Up front and suppose to be seen. Attention getter, the front cover of the book, the tuxedo or gown of the ball.

If you're like me you may only get to the site once or twice in a very busy day.

First of all I check in on all my favorites and then proceed to the dashboard to read the features.

I read and comment on the posts that interest me and then I move on.

I just realized I need to go one step further! The reason they call it the dashboard is because the good ones (in this case, posts) just dash on by! We are likely to miss valuable and useful posts with lots of good reading unless we check and double check.

We may never get a chance at reading them again.

HOW TO OVERCOME THIS DILEMMA.

Schedule of success....

1. awake ....check the features.

2. turn on coffee, go to restroom...check the features.

3. brush teeth, groom, get dressed, check the features.

4. make bed, tidy up, gather work for the day, go to office...but first check the features.

5. Enter office, sit down (or not) and check the features.

6. Leave puter screen on Active Rain and refresh at least once every other hour...

or....

You could use the CLICK OPTION we all seem to overlook and click on More featured posts...

There they are. Days and days and days of featured posts that just dashed on by without being seen or being read.

So, if you are away for very long be sure and check the More featured posts... and scroll your way into featured land.

Easy as a dash of salt! Remember if you spill your dash of salt pick up some salt and toss it over your left shoulder...this is a sure fire way to remain lucky enough to catch all the great reading!

Enjoy and never miss the best!

Later in the rain~Deb

I am about to share a crazy story about an EVIL crazy lady.

Good vs Evil provails.

Please meet Freckles.This is my grandchildren's pet, friend, and family member. He's my little friend too.

Our little Freckles has a bad habit. The neighbor directly behind his home has only a fence between himself and three dogs that want to be friends too. Digging under the fence goes on between all parties till Freckles crawls under and follows his friends into the doggy door in his friends house.

Crazy EVIL lady does not like this.

A week ago Saturday night I stayed with the kids while my daughter attended a wedding in Austin.

I was instructed toNOT LET FRECKLES OUT OR HE WOULD GO UNDER THE FENCE SINCE HE WASN'T TRAINED YET TO THE ELECTIC FENCE...yes, she had been dilligently training Freckles with the flagging so he wouldn't continue to shock himself.

Saturday time line:

Good day, all day. I did the girls nails...played puter games with the boys and we rented a movie.

Early evening before dinner the kids were riding their scooters in the side yard. I let Freckles, Jill (my dog) and Shannon (a visiting dog friend) out into the back yard thinking I would run right out to tether Freckles.....

I was distracted. My fault...I forgot. It's that Sometimers disease....

Next thing I know we were all saying..."where's Freck?"

Oh no! A fresh hole was dug at the fence line.

With light in hand, all dogs whining and worried about Freck and all kids saying "come on Freckles".....he was trying with all his might to get back underneath the fence to his family. We couldn't pull him through without hurting him.

We were relieved he was there! We rushed into the house and I had all the kids put shoes on so we could retrieve our Freckles. We marched around the block (with light in hand) and knocked on the neighbors door!

Bark, bark, bark, bang, growl like we're going to eat you... at the window looking out at us were her three dogs...but, no Freckles. We walked around the house to call in the back yard...no Freckles. He was just there ten minutes (maybe fifteen minutes) ago and now there was NO LADY AND NO FRECK.

I was concerned but I took the kids home to feed them dinner. We talked about the fact that we probably just didn't see him and when the lady got home we could get him back.

Immediately after we ate, the kids brought me a pen and paper and I wrote the neighbor a note. I apologized for letting him get out of my site and asked her to call as soon as she got home. We marched around to the front of her house and knocked on the door. No one there. Not even the dogs. We left the note taped to the bricks at her front door and said a little prayer.

I settled the kids in front of the TV with their movie and began to really worry and pace. I walked out to the back yard, hoisted myself up on the fence and began to call for Freckles.

LOW AND BEHOLD OUT COMES THE EVIL CRAZY LADY....I smiled and said, "Oh thank heavens you're home......

She screamed at me..."I DON'T HAVE YOUR DOG LADY." and slammed her door.

My blood pressure skyrocketed to a boiling point. How dare she? And what about the dog?

I left the kids in front of the TV and marched back around to her door. I knew she was there now. Knock, knock, knock...the note was still there....nothing. So my knocking went to banging...bang...bang...I was mad as &^$$ then! Finally, she screamed again "I don't have your dog and if you don't leave I will dial 9-1-1.

She didn't have to. I DIALED 9-1-1.

I waited in front of the house for the policeman that so nicely showed to help. The kids knew nothing about this excess trauma.

As I was showing the policeman the hole and was giving the story and explaining that we just need to know what she did with Freckles...we saw the lady walk through her house. He saw her too and said he was going to pay her a visit.

CRAZY LADY CALLED THE POLICE ON THE POLICE. Yes, really. The officer named Lane was banging at her door because she wouldn't answer. Lane received a call stating that a woman was calling in about a person banging on her door and he said...."Yep, it's me...tell her to step outside." Ha! She thought it was me...

She bold face lied to the police. No she hadn't seen the dog at all. And then kicked the policeman off her property...really. He spent the rest of his shift looking for Freckles. Truly a good guy.

No Freckles. I called for him most of the night. I felt a sickness in my stomach. I lost the kids dog.

Sunday morning we drove for miles looking for Freckles. They posted Lost Posters with his picture and we called the vets and the animal shelter. The world was on alert.

Sunday.....nothing.

Monday....nothing.

Tuesday...nothing.

Wednesday...I got a phone call...my heart leaped with joy when the animal shelter said a GOOD WOMAN had called and described a dog that looked like Freckles in her care.

OMG, I prayed it was him. The GOOD LADY found a dogin the middle of the street in a lake community within three miles of our Elkins Lake Community at about 9:00pm.

OMG, it could be him.

But a neighbor of the GOOD LADY said the dog had been in the middle of the street barking for two hours....hum....maybe it's not him.

Freckles had a brand new wide collar with rabies tag and a red heart tag....

The barking dog had no collar.

My immediate thought was that it couldn't have been Freckles because he would not have had time to run for that many miles to get to a neighboring community and where was his collar?

THANK GOD IT WAS FRECKLES...THANK GOD FOR THE GOOD LADY.

BEYOND ALL ODDS THE GOOD LADY NAMED THE DOG FRECKLES.....

But, what does this mean?

THE EVIL LADY TOOK OFF HIS COLLAR AND DROVE HIM AWAY FROM MY GRANDCHILDREN.

EVIL? CAN YOU IMAGINE?

***Gotta love a neighbor that would steel his collar and take the family pet away from five children and drop him off to starve or be run over????***

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with Freckles home...

But we look back at that fence and that person and feel sick.

Is there anything we can do? Is there any recourse to take? How can they ever feel good about letting Freckles and the children play in their back yard?

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? WHAT CAN WE DO?

ANY ADVICE IS NEEDED. MY MIND CONJURES UP SO MANY WILD SCENARIOS...HELP.

Later in the rain~Deb

Is your fear running rampant? The media and their ability to sensationalize the negative is creating a dark cloud over most people. I spoke to a dear friend today who is thinking of letting her license go.

Are you thinking of letting your license go?

How long did it take you to get it?

How much work have you put into your Real Estate Business?

Are you going to let the lag in business win?

I just don't want to see this happening to good agents. We can listen to the media to the point that we could all curl up and not show our faces to the sunlight but what good does that do? That guarantees failure.

Quote: I'd rather be a failure at something I love than a success at something I hate.

George Burns

I have to agree with George. If you love it then stick with it.

When the clouds clear and you're still there with your ball rolling...you will come back stronger than ever.

Later in the rain~Deb

Real Estate is not only a Profession ... it is our lives.

Our business is an integral part of everyone's lives. Not just because we sell Real Estate but because it just is.

We all must be housed.

Mama bird builds her nest for protection and comfort.

The lioness finds her security within rock and caves and even ants build magnificent cities.

One thing for sure ... we will always need to buy and sell houses, excuse me, homes.

Our Profession goes much deeper within others lives than most Professions.

With each transaction there is an entire realm of emotions. Whether one is selling their own homestead or liquidating an estate from a loved one or simply the sale of an investment property.

People put their hearts into their Real Estate.

The most successful agents are not the ones that have massive numbers of sales or listings.

The most successful agents are the "liaisons" between a desire and a purchase or sale. As agents we should open our hearts to the needs, desires, wants, and purchasing capabilities of our clients.

Once we "hear, see, and feel" their needs we can much better serve them.

So, don't just open the doors to your office. Open your intuition and "radar" to your client's needs.

You will find many more homes and many more friendships along the way.

Later in the rain~Deb

I had a ball at Real Estate barcamp Houston yesterday!

Some functions are fun and some are not! This was just wonderful! I didn't completely understand what to expect with a "Free form forum" but I will say it was great. The presentations were fun and informative.

I was able to meet so many Rainers that I felt I was home.

Is that strange? After getting to know so many people through comments, following their lives and seeing their pictures each day I felt like it was a homecoming!

Adding hugs, face to face conversation, and sharing space with others just strengthened the bond I feel for these people! And, I got to meet so many for the first time that I will be including in my sphere that I had been missing.

I was thrilled to meet Active Rain's very own Rich Jacobson, Brad Andersohn and Jeff Turner. They are as nice in person as they are in their posts!

Other Rainer's included Jason Crouch (one of my buds), Amanda Hall, Lisa Heindel, Marchel Peterson (buddy), Pippa Mac, Greg Nino, Russell Lewis, Stephanie Edwards, Michael Price and so many more!

The sessions covered everything from upcoming technology to how to utilize today's technology! The keynote speaker, Paul Chaney is as inspiration in person as his blogs portray.

Don't miss the next one. I will let you know ahead of time before the next sign up as space will be limited. Michael Price wants to keep it intimate enough for some great networking and exclusivity.

Thank you so much Michael Price to you and your wife Laurie and all that helped provide this wonderful experience!

Later in the rain~Deb