About Tahuya's Collins Lake

The sky seemed confused. In all of the whispering snow the trees made an entrance to be remembered. Every lacey green legacy glowing emerald in the fleeting sun.

Their days know no number and their rings are the only tale they will tell.

Forgotten in the hills and remembered in my dreams, this day will always be mine.

I heard a story the other day that shocked me. A sweet, obviously caring woman saw her devoted dog come up to the sliding glass door carrying a large,white,very dirty bunny in his mouth. Horrified the woman wrestled the dead creature away,and instantly recognized it as "Princess" the bunny belonging to the new family next door's little girl.

Feeling awful, and guilty for the crime her beloved dog had committed- she washed and blow dried the dirty, smelly, dead rabbit. she could not bear to break the little girls heart, but it was inevitable...maybe this would soften the blow. She quietly placed it in it's crate next door.

Then it came... the anticipated gasp, and shriek of the neighbor lady. Knowing she must have made the gruesome discovery she went over to see if she could help.

Surprisingly the neighbor appeared puzzled. The family had just had a funeral and buried "Princess" in the back yard last Thursday, and now here she is back again, in her crate... as dead as ever.

Sometimes it just pays to face the truth.

This time of year as the leaves turn, and the air has a bit of a bite we all head indoors. Once inside we begin to notice all of the neglect our home has experienced over the busy summer. Below I am listing 10 quick fixes to update, and make your house the place you want to come home to!

1. Paint. Use some fresh colors to brighten the interior of your home. It may be cloudy outside ,but you won't even notice with your new walls!

2. Candles. Buy a few new candles and use them. The glow is comforting, and the scent can be very soothing. I prefer Warm Vanilla Sugar from Bath and Body Works, or Pumpkin Spice! Candles are very festive too!

3. Fresh Towels. I love to pick up a few new fluffy towels for the bathrooms. They make the room feel new, and you can change your colors to match the season too!

4. New Shower Curtains. Once you have changed the towels, the next noticeable item is the shower curtain. This one can make a huge difference in a bathroom.

5. Welcome mat.Greet your guests at the front door with a welcome mat. They come in seasonal selections as well as the standard versions.

6. A mirror. mirrors can enlarge a room and also magnify the light that is already there. If you do not see a place to hang one, consider replacing a picture that you already have up, or buy one on a stand.

7. A lamp. A new lamp can brighten a room, and give a warm welcoming glow. Pair a table lamp with a few favorite books on an end table.

8. kitchen towels and pot holders.I really enjoy nice new kitchen towels, and pot holders. They come in seasonal patterns, and can accommodate any decor.I also like to purchase the matching area rug.

9. Luxury hand soap. I like to spoil the chef, and dishwasher with nice scented hand soap. You can pick from a variety of scents to suit your mood.

10. Hand Painted Signs. These can be placed in any room that needs a little lift. From the laundry room to the living room these little signs with a family name, or a special phrase can really be the signature of making a house a home.

As for me I am off to the store!

This last Friday we closed on our short sale listing. It was not easy, but with persistence we managed to get it through.We learned from the bank that they had ordered a BPO and expected the offer they accepted to be within 10% of that number. We also had a very cooperative sseller that provided everything that the bank requested. Even multiple times when the bank did not seem to have the first several copies. We learned to call every day and get updates. We didn't know that we were making progress at the time since the bank often had different answers to the same question. In the end it appeared that every cal we made took us one step closer. Now we have a happy Seller and a happy Buyer!