Assistant to the assistant

http://www.hernandoluxuryhomes.com/ Hernando Luxury Homes



I've decided I need an assistant. I'm pretty slammed all day long. Someone to bring me my coffee, perhaps a few peanuts to snack on now & then, and commiserate with when the *bleeping* MLS e-mail function isn't working right, again!


I had three applicants. Well, they didn't really apply. But honestly, they're always around, loafing, mooching, living the "Florida Lifestyle" which I thought would be my own. In accordance they were volunteered by myself for the position.


I thought I had a front runner initially, after all, every time I get up, I come back to find her in my spot, in MY chair! But her attitude...well...to be frank...she's quite nasty. Product of a rough upbringing, prior to my own meeting of her. She just wouldn't do. I needed someone a bit more positive to keep me going.



Well, I'm glad to announce a winner! His upbeat attitude, eager to please way, and always ready to run spirit has made him the clear choice:






















Butch
Assistant to the Assistant







We're working on the coffee thing.

Nat

P.S. The cats aren't disappointed at continuing their current retirement...they seem relieved that the position has been filled, and they can once again return to lounging under a chaise by the pool.

mmmmmkitchens.......

Okay, first off, I need to post a link to our main web site: www.HernandoLuxuryHomes.com, because unless Josh has time to help me fix the links over on the right, they won't work anytime soon, lol! Please visit our site, and of course, provide some feedback for us! What can we add or change to make it user friendly for YOU?



Now, back to the business at hand: Kitchens. We redid ours almost 2 years ago, wow! Time flies when your helping people buy and sell homes!!! Well, needless to say we LOVE our kitchen. It was soooo yucky when we bought this place. Back when we were looking for homes in Spring Hill, Hernando County, Florida, there weren't a whole lot to pick from, so waiting for something to come on the market with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, etc., in our price range was not going to happen. Instead my job as the official searcher (Josh was back in MA glued to his laptop & cell phone virtually helping me look!) was to find a house with good bones, in a great neighborhood, with a price that left us some $$$ to make it our own. Oh, and a pool!



Now-a-days, in this Buyer's Market, that is no longer the case with most of the buyers we've worked with. They want move in ready, and with sooooooo many to pick from, they can get it, too. Very few homes are able to scrape by unscathed with their original ( & outdated) interiors! Either you price it accordingly, or eventually a buyer will for you! That's my personal philosophy in any case. And trust me, that $6-10,000 it would have cost you to upgrade...um...yeah...it becomes $30,000k or more once you finally sell. Hmmmmm....I say do it now if you can! But that's just my personal opinion of course, and this is my blog, so there. :)



Well, what I'm trying to get to is that my Mom is going to be updating pretty much her whole house. (She bought a home in Spring Hill, FL first, a couple month later by brother followed, then came little sis, and then me! Within 6 months we were all here.) I've been vicariously helping her design her new kitchen in my mind. I've printed out umpteen million inspiration kitchens I've come across online, and just today I picked up three more kitchen mags. Soooooo beautiful. Here is a link to one of my favorite Kitchen sites...it is a MUST SEE: LINK Make sure your granite is sealed before you click! You're sure to do some serious drooling!!!



http://www.hernandoluxuryhomes.com/

Outdoor Rooms

I love that concept: a room in the outdoors...creating a little oasis outdoors...outdoor living...you get the picture, lol.

I find it hard knowing where to set up limits, where to splurge, etc., when it comes to making our outdoor lanai and pool area our little oasis. I have to admit that just stepping out there still feels like I've somehow hopped into a magic plane, and am suddenly on vacation. As if my sliders are teleportation devices that instantly take me away from work, chores, stress, and plop me down where an aqua pool is shaded by palm fronds, the air is scented of florals, and I am on a tropical isle...and must've misplaced my Bellini!

We've long thought about adding canvas panels as a sort of curtain turning the raised eating area of the lanai into sort of a cabana. Not knowing how long we'll be in this home has made me uneasy to go that far. I see so many table and chair sets that I absolutely love, but lets be honest, they're not exactly cheap! So we find ourselves still using the set my Mom gifted me about...oh my gosh...how long now?....oh, at least 7 years ago. Don't get me wrong it's great, it's a Martha Stewart set, I believe...from Kmart...not sure really, but it's comfortable, but the table is a little lopsided at this point, lol. Well, the thing is...do I really want to spend the $$$ on a gorgeous new set? This one's fine, really. Tough call. What would you do???

We were at Disney's Animal Kingdom a while back, and I just LOVED the look of the Balinese, or perhaps Thai structures and gardens they had. Huge patina'd statues surrounded by lush tropical foliage. That is exactly the type of feel I hope to achieve in my own backyard. The thing is how much am I willing to spend on this one? Do you limit yourself when you know chances are this isn't your "forever home". Hmmmmm....

Back to reality...time to go skim the pool so the kids can swim...and where the heck is that Bellini???!!!