I read all sorts of magazines and websites for information about running and fitness. Months ago I stumbled across www.tribesports.com. It is a pretty cool site for people who like a challenge. I haven't been bold enough to fully participate in any of the challenges on Tribesports, but it has motivated me to challenge my husband to do either ten pushups or ten situps every day for the month of December. It seems like no big deal. So much so that Todd said, "How 'bout both?" And even that led to a discussion about how it was going to be so easy that maybe we should have a 10 and 10 minimum, but if we felt like it we could do more. And instead of waiting until December we decided to start the 25th of November.
The funny thing is that, to start, the 10 & 10 were harder than I expected! I'm not a kid anymore. Those pushups nearly killed me. At least in the beginning. Now I whip 'em out pretty comfortably and quickly and get on with my day. Both Todd and I have done the minimum every day since. Instead of looking forward to the end of the month when we can stop, we're both motivated to continue and even add to the challenge. I think the key has been that we have such an achievable minimum. I don't have to convince myself to do much, just 10 and 10. Once I've started I usually keep going.
So pick a good challenge partner and go for it! Maybe you want to drink more water, call your family more, walk for X minutes per day...set a goal, set the challenge and achieve it! You'll be amazed how empowering that small success can be!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Agent hours
Before I became a real estate agent I was reluctant to call my agent before 9 am or after 5:30 pm or on weekends. Since I've become a licensee I've learned that 1) not everyone shares that reluctance and 2) that's okay.
I came from a small town (about 550 people) located just outside a not-large town (about 13,000 people) so not a lot happened after 6 pm. Now that I live in Reno I have come to understand that, in a city that doesn't sleep, the people looking for real estate don't sleep either. The people that work in the casinos and hospitality industry may be getting home from work at 1 am and, like many folks, wind down by looking at houses on the Internet.
Yesterday was Christmas and I thought I'd get a jump on some of the work I have on the docket for today. I did some home searches and scheduled some showings. I e-mailed four different agents with questions about their listings. This is on Christmas day, mind you, and every single one of them replied.
At 10:23 pm I received an e-mail inquiry about home owner's association dues for a home in north Reno. I quickly retrieved the information and replied to this prospective client. Only afterward did it occur to me that it was late and I may be establishing an expectation that I don't want. Oh well, I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
In the meantime, day or night, drop me a line if I can help with your real estate needs!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
I came from a small town (about 550 people) located just outside a not-large town (about 13,000 people) so not a lot happened after 6 pm. Now that I live in Reno I have come to understand that, in a city that doesn't sleep, the people looking for real estate don't sleep either. The people that work in the casinos and hospitality industry may be getting home from work at 1 am and, like many folks, wind down by looking at houses on the Internet.
Yesterday was Christmas and I thought I'd get a jump on some of the work I have on the docket for today. I did some home searches and scheduled some showings. I e-mailed four different agents with questions about their listings. This is on Christmas day, mind you, and every single one of them replied.
(This picture has nothing to do with this blog post, I just like to include photos to catch your eye.)
At 10:23 pm I received an e-mail inquiry about home owner's association dues for a home in north Reno. I quickly retrieved the information and replied to this prospective client. Only afterward did it occur to me that it was late and I may be establishing an expectation that I don't want. Oh well, I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
In the meantime, day or night, drop me a line if I can help with your real estate needs!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Merry Christmas!
Todd and I spent a quiet Christmas morning together drinking coffee, making breakfast, and opening gifts. We exchanged phone calls and texts with family and friends. It was a day filled with love, conversation and laughter. Later, while cooking dinner together...turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, green beans...Todd playfully snapped me with a towel. I turned and said, sarcastically, "I hope you're happy!" The expression on his face could not have been more loving as he said, "Hopelessly" and kissed me on the forehead. Easily the best gift a girl could ask for. I wish all of you all the peace and love this season offers.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Monday, December 24, 2012
Pizza Progress
Not so very long ago I posted some information about my goal to improve my pizza crust. I've been working with a really simple and tasty recipe and have been happy with it. But then I read some web articles that recommended using a food processor and gluten flour to reach the chewy NY style crust I'm striving for. And we've been watching some Food Network videos of Alton Brown (love science + food!) and have picked up some additional tips. We tried out some of these tips over the weekend.
1) The food processor. I swear by it. I love my stand mixer, but the dough I've been getting out of the food processor is like satin and easily passes the window pane test. I got this tip from the Pizza Lab web article I shared previously. I decided to go back to my old recipe this weekend and, lo and behold, it also suggests the food processor! I was just so stand-mixer-centric that I'd never even noticed the alternate instructions! This crust held up nicely to the process of sliding off the peel without sticking. Ample corn meal surely helped.
2) A HOT oven. This goes without saying but years ago my Pampered Chef pizza stone shattered in the oven when I tried to preheat it to the 500+ degrees that is recommended. I bucked my reluctance and decided to give it another shot with my replacement stone. This stone is well seasoned and the other one was less so, that may be the difference. In any case, we set the oven to its max: 550 degrees F. I think we'll let it go just a minute or two less next time (it continues to cook for a period after it is pulled from the oven) but we achieved a nice cracker-crisp underside and still great breadiness to the edge.
3) The cheese. Alton Brown puts his cheese directly on the crust and then splashes it with sauce. This worked beautifully and we actually felt that the proportions worked out better in this manner. We used both less sauce and less cheese. But we used better cheese. In this case better was also more expensive but totally worth it. Fresh mozzarella rounds and very finely grated fresh Parmesan...can't be beat. For anyone doing the math, it is less expensive to build your own (assuming you have some staples in your pantry: flour, yeast, tomato sauce and paste) and you get a far superior pizza. Maybe not at first, but even our early efforts were tasty and we love the process of cooking together which is priceless.
4) The beverage. You can, of course, drink whatever you want. But we have been lovin' on the Tahoe Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wines. If you're under the legal drinking age and reading this, then I recommend grape KoolAid. Or Mountain Dew if you're feeling bold.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
1) The food processor. I swear by it. I love my stand mixer, but the dough I've been getting out of the food processor is like satin and easily passes the window pane test. I got this tip from the Pizza Lab web article I shared previously. I decided to go back to my old recipe this weekend and, lo and behold, it also suggests the food processor! I was just so stand-mixer-centric that I'd never even noticed the alternate instructions! This crust held up nicely to the process of sliding off the peel without sticking. Ample corn meal surely helped.
2) A HOT oven. This goes without saying but years ago my Pampered Chef pizza stone shattered in the oven when I tried to preheat it to the 500+ degrees that is recommended. I bucked my reluctance and decided to give it another shot with my replacement stone. This stone is well seasoned and the other one was less so, that may be the difference. In any case, we set the oven to its max: 550 degrees F. I think we'll let it go just a minute or two less next time (it continues to cook for a period after it is pulled from the oven) but we achieved a nice cracker-crisp underside and still great breadiness to the edge.
3) The cheese. Alton Brown puts his cheese directly on the crust and then splashes it with sauce. This worked beautifully and we actually felt that the proportions worked out better in this manner. We used both less sauce and less cheese. But we used better cheese. In this case better was also more expensive but totally worth it. Fresh mozzarella rounds and very finely grated fresh Parmesan...can't be beat. For anyone doing the math, it is less expensive to build your own (assuming you have some staples in your pantry: flour, yeast, tomato sauce and paste) and you get a far superior pizza. Maybe not at first, but even our early efforts were tasty and we love the process of cooking together which is priceless.
4) The beverage. You can, of course, drink whatever you want. But we have been lovin' on the Tahoe Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wines. If you're under the legal drinking age and reading this, then I recommend grape KoolAid. Or Mountain Dew if you're feeling bold.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Friday, December 21, 2012
Ten Cookies
This post isn't really about cookies, per se. For a week I've been considering writing about the sad and horrific events in Newtown, CT. To be honest, I don't have the words, the vocabulary, the writing skill, the strength of emotion or character, to say anything about it that would do justice to the lives that were taken. A nation grieves, my friends and family grieve. I personally cannot even view the videos or news articles about it because I feel like I might burst from the well of despair I feel boiling in my chest.
I was talking to my best friend, Glen, this morning. He knows me well enough to know that issue-avoidance is my MO in situations like this. We've been through it before with Columbine, the attacks on the World Trade Center, and nature-made but no less devastating, the tsunamis in Thailand and Japan, and, sadly, other world events. We touched on it briefly in our conversation and I said that I have such a hard time forcing myself to remember that in spite of it all there is still much good in the world. He shared such a sweet quote with me that I have to share:
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping,'" Fred Rogers wrote in the Mister Rogers Parenting Book.
That's right. THE Mister Rogers. You can read the full Huffington Post article here.
In that vane, Glen's wife took up the 26 Acts of Kindness cause. This movement suggests performing one act of kindness, no act too small, for each of the lives lost in the Connecticut shooting. We chatted about some of these kindnesses and I was struck by one of Carol's ideas. She asked Glen to stop by the coffee shop he frequents and pay for 10 cookies. Then he asked the shop owner, Wayla, if she would randomly and anonymously distribute the cookies. Sounds pretty simple doesn't it? Ten cookies.
But those ten cookies have now touched Carol, and Glen, and Wayla, and the ten people who will receive them, and me in the retelling, and my blog readers, and the people the recipients tell. Who knows...those recipients may choose to pay it forward and gently touch countless other lives with the kindness and goodness that exists in people.
I think I'll head to the bakery down the street and spread some kindness myself. Ten cookies.
www.jerianne.rnhomes.com
I was talking to my best friend, Glen, this morning. He knows me well enough to know that issue-avoidance is my MO in situations like this. We've been through it before with Columbine, the attacks on the World Trade Center, and nature-made but no less devastating, the tsunamis in Thailand and Japan, and, sadly, other world events. We touched on it briefly in our conversation and I said that I have such a hard time forcing myself to remember that in spite of it all there is still much good in the world. He shared such a sweet quote with me that I have to share:
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping,'" Fred Rogers wrote in the Mister Rogers Parenting Book.
That's right. THE Mister Rogers. You can read the full Huffington Post article here.
In that vane, Glen's wife took up the 26 Acts of Kindness cause. This movement suggests performing one act of kindness, no act too small, for each of the lives lost in the Connecticut shooting. We chatted about some of these kindnesses and I was struck by one of Carol's ideas. She asked Glen to stop by the coffee shop he frequents and pay for 10 cookies. Then he asked the shop owner, Wayla, if she would randomly and anonymously distribute the cookies. Sounds pretty simple doesn't it? Ten cookies.
But those ten cookies have now touched Carol, and Glen, and Wayla, and the ten people who will receive them, and me in the retelling, and my blog readers, and the people the recipients tell. Who knows...those recipients may choose to pay it forward and gently touch countless other lives with the kindness and goodness that exists in people.
I think I'll head to the bakery down the street and spread some kindness myself. Ten cookies.
www.jerianne.rnhomes.com
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Don't stop!
I run every other day. Give or take a day. And, shamefully, I've let 3 days go by since my last run. I AM RUNNING TONIGHT! NO EXCUSES!
I feel like I am always at a critical point in my running. If I don't run today I may never run again. That thought lead me to search for a quote I'd seen somewhere. I didn't find it, but it went something like, "Don't stop. It is easier to keep going than to start over." And that is so true about fitness. For me anyway, it feels like gaining fitness happens over months and years and losing it happens over hours or days. So tonight I'll run so that I don't stop forever.
While I was looking for that quote this article caught my eye: How to Run Without Getting Tired.
It is pretty basic, but generally sound, advice. I'd love to hear any successes or failures you've experienced in your running adventures. Comment! Comment!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
I feel like I am always at a critical point in my running. If I don't run today I may never run again. That thought lead me to search for a quote I'd seen somewhere. I didn't find it, but it went something like, "Don't stop. It is easier to keep going than to start over." And that is so true about fitness. For me anyway, it feels like gaining fitness happens over months and years and losing it happens over hours or days. So tonight I'll run so that I don't stop forever.
While I was looking for that quote this article caught my eye: How to Run Without Getting Tired.
It is pretty basic, but generally sound, advice. I'd love to hear any successes or failures you've experienced in your running adventures. Comment! Comment!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Christmas crunch
Todd and I decided to make some treats for some friends and neighbors as holiday gifts. We decided my mom's old tried and true recipe for caramel corn would be perfect. (Or maybe I just wanted caramel corn and masked my gluttony behind the guise of gift-giving. Its so hard to say.) I have 3 recipes I like depending on how much time I have and which ingredients I have on hand. One is from my Aunt Bee, one is from a friend from high school and one is my mom's. Mom's takes longer than the others but is SO worth it!
Oven Caramel Corn
15 cups popcorn, popped
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Divide popcorn between 2 ungreased baking pans (13x9x2) or one large roasting pan.
3. In saucepan heat sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt over medium heat stirring occasionally until bubbles begin to form around the edges. Continue cooking over medium, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda until foamy. Pour over popped corn, stirring until well coated.
5. Bake one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
One batch makes a nicely filled gallon Ziploc bag.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Oven Caramel Corn
15 cups popcorn, popped
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Divide popcorn between 2 ungreased baking pans (13x9x2) or one large roasting pan.
3. In saucepan heat sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt over medium heat stirring occasionally until bubbles begin to form around the edges. Continue cooking over medium, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda until foamy. Pour over popped corn, stirring until well coated.
5. Bake one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
One batch makes a nicely filled gallon Ziploc bag.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
SOLD = Thank you!
I sold a house yesterday! Yay! For those of you that have ever bought or sold a house you know that that actually means I've been working diligently for 2 months to sell a house and the final closing and recording happened yesterday. A line in the sand, if you will.
I love people so I love the process. I enjoy working with another good agent toward the common goal of doing the best for our clients to get what they both need. I love the image of a new family and their excitement at taking over their new home. There was a tenant in the house I had listed and through the listing and sales process I got to know this lovely family. I sent a quick thank you to them this morning to thank them for all their hard work moving their belongings and leaving the home in spotless condition for the buyers. It reminded me that there are so many dedicated people that make a deal happen and they all need Thank Yous for their efforts.
First Centennial Title: Cindy, Cheri and Donna. These ladies responded to every call and question I had. Every transaction I've had with them has been impressive.
Keller Williams Realty Group One Reno: Bryan Anderson, the buyer's agent, was great about communicating with me and kept his sense of humor through it all.
My sellers: A couple of the nicest people I've ever met. They were bright, and honest, and funny, and could not have been better about communication and responses to my requests for signatures or information. They are the kind of people that, after you've met them, you wish you could have met them years earlier so you could have more time getting to know such kind and interesting people.
The buyers: A young family that was also very responsive to requests for signatures. Maybe you're beginning to see a theme here. It is SO important to get paperwork to the right people at the right time. The entire process breaks down when that doesn't happen.
My broker, David Hilbig, who is always ready with guidance and counsel. There is a reason everyone says "I love Dave!!" And Jaime and Emma in our office who schedule showings and assist with the multitudes of paperwork that are involved in a transaction. And the other great agents at Keller Williams Group One Sparks, (Regina, JC, Ed, Jamie, Deb, Sandy and Ray to name a few) who are so generous with their knowledge and support.
The handyman, the inspectors, the appraiser. And those tenants I mentioned earlier who allowed their daily routine to be disrupted with showings and appointment from that handyman, appraiser and the inspectors. They are so sweet that when I thanked them for their hard work, they replied to thank me for mine.
I guess rather than pouring gratitude out on this page I should be breaking out my thank you cards and pen and sending my appreciation to each of them!
Don't forget to contact me if you, or anyone you know, wants to buy or sell real estate in Reno/Sparks!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
I love people so I love the process. I enjoy working with another good agent toward the common goal of doing the best for our clients to get what they both need. I love the image of a new family and their excitement at taking over their new home. There was a tenant in the house I had listed and through the listing and sales process I got to know this lovely family. I sent a quick thank you to them this morning to thank them for all their hard work moving their belongings and leaving the home in spotless condition for the buyers. It reminded me that there are so many dedicated people that make a deal happen and they all need Thank Yous for their efforts.
First Centennial Title: Cindy, Cheri and Donna. These ladies responded to every call and question I had. Every transaction I've had with them has been impressive.
Keller Williams Realty Group One Reno: Bryan Anderson, the buyer's agent, was great about communicating with me and kept his sense of humor through it all.
My sellers: A couple of the nicest people I've ever met. They were bright, and honest, and funny, and could not have been better about communication and responses to my requests for signatures or information. They are the kind of people that, after you've met them, you wish you could have met them years earlier so you could have more time getting to know such kind and interesting people.
The buyers: A young family that was also very responsive to requests for signatures. Maybe you're beginning to see a theme here. It is SO important to get paperwork to the right people at the right time. The entire process breaks down when that doesn't happen.
My broker, David Hilbig, who is always ready with guidance and counsel. There is a reason everyone says "I love Dave!!" And Jaime and Emma in our office who schedule showings and assist with the multitudes of paperwork that are involved in a transaction. And the other great agents at Keller Williams Group One Sparks, (Regina, JC, Ed, Jamie, Deb, Sandy and Ray to name a few) who are so generous with their knowledge and support.
The handyman, the inspectors, the appraiser. And those tenants I mentioned earlier who allowed their daily routine to be disrupted with showings and appointment from that handyman, appraiser and the inspectors. They are so sweet that when I thanked them for their hard work, they replied to thank me for mine.
I guess rather than pouring gratitude out on this page I should be breaking out my thank you cards and pen and sending my appreciation to each of them!
Don't forget to contact me if you, or anyone you know, wants to buy or sell real estate in Reno/Sparks!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Monday, December 17, 2012
RNO Homes
I've mentioned before that I am part of a team of agents called RNOhomes. We are a large group of dedicated individuals who pool our resources for advertising, marketing, and client support. Each of us is still available to help our clients in the one-on-one personal style that buyers and seller deserve, but we share a wealth of knowledge to build a strong unit. It has been such a wonderful learning experience and further reinforces the faith I have in the quality of Keller Williams agents.
We met again this morning to discuss ways that we can build on the team's strengths. We'll be doing a group video - in front of our new Reno offices - as well as videos for each of our own websites. If you're looking for a great agent to help with the sale or purchase of a home check us out. If you're interested in learning a bit more about me and how I'd love to assist you, visit my site!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
We met again this morning to discuss ways that we can build on the team's strengths. We'll be doing a group video - in front of our new Reno offices - as well as videos for each of our own websites. If you're looking for a great agent to help with the sale or purchase of a home check us out. If you're interested in learning a bit more about me and how I'd love to assist you, visit my site!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Friday, December 14, 2012
The List
I keep a To Do list and today's is full!
If I can get an appointment my clients are signing on a house they are selling. There is a KW Cares fundraiser in our Reno office at noon. It is a chili cookoff which I would have loved to participate in, but am going to spend every free minute today making tamales for a dinner party we are hosting. Grateful today for a kitchen with so much counter space. I've made tamales in a kitchen with 1/8th the space this one has. It can be done, but isn't nearly as much fun!
We ran last night and a couple of nights ago. 5.8 miles and 7.1 miles respectively. For the past month I've done the large majority of my running on the treadmill. Being out on the road has triggered a bit of sciatic pain so I get to limp around while selling real estate and making tamales. My brother Marvin has the right attitude about pain...it's good to feel some once in awhile so you can appreciate all the times that you don't feel it.
The tamales recipe is quite an ordeal so instead of trying to sort out the details I recommend you buy a good cookbook (Tamales 101 by Alice Guadalupe Tapp is the one I swear by) and just jump in. Read all the instructions first. There are a number of steps and you can really streamline the process by planning ahead.
So that covers real estate, a bit o' running and recipes. As for baseball, I'm unable to turn up any definitive info about the negotiations between the City of Reno and the Reno Aces. Here's the most recent article I was able to find: http://www.rgj.com/article/20121116/NEWS/311160012/What-s-deck-Reno-Aces-deal- If you see or hear anything, please share it with me!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
If I can get an appointment my clients are signing on a house they are selling. There is a KW Cares fundraiser in our Reno office at noon. It is a chili cookoff which I would have loved to participate in, but am going to spend every free minute today making tamales for a dinner party we are hosting. Grateful today for a kitchen with so much counter space. I've made tamales in a kitchen with 1/8th the space this one has. It can be done, but isn't nearly as much fun!
We ran last night and a couple of nights ago. 5.8 miles and 7.1 miles respectively. For the past month I've done the large majority of my running on the treadmill. Being out on the road has triggered a bit of sciatic pain so I get to limp around while selling real estate and making tamales. My brother Marvin has the right attitude about pain...it's good to feel some once in awhile so you can appreciate all the times that you don't feel it.
The tamales recipe is quite an ordeal so instead of trying to sort out the details I recommend you buy a good cookbook (Tamales 101 by Alice Guadalupe Tapp is the one I swear by) and just jump in. Read all the instructions first. There are a number of steps and you can really streamline the process by planning ahead.
So that covers real estate, a bit o' running and recipes. As for baseball, I'm unable to turn up any definitive info about the negotiations between the City of Reno and the Reno Aces. Here's the most recent article I was able to find: http://www.rgj.com/article/20121116/NEWS/311160012/What-s-deck-Reno-Aces-deal- If you see or hear anything, please share it with me!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Free Souls
My post title sounds like some sort of demonic ad on Craigslist! "Free souls! Moving to smaller apartment and don't have room. You must pick up. Bring help...too heavy to lift alone!" And, to be honest, my post doesn't really have anything to do with homes, running, recipes or baseball. But I stumbled across this picture on Facebook this morning (it WAS posted on a motivational site for runners so that should count for something) and it made me smile.
I smiled, not just because the picture is at such odds with the imagery I've gotten while reading Bukowski, but because the words are so true. As Todd and I were walking through the grocery store last night we were passed by a girl of about 9. At first glance she reminded me a little of Jodie Foster from the Freaky Friday movie. On a second glance she reminded me a LOT of Jodie Foster from the Freaky Friday movie. She was slim, her blond hair cut in a bob, her nose freckled, she was wearing a faux leather jacket, black leggings torn at the knee, and tennis shoes. She walked with such a casual confidence you couldn't help but notice her. And if that image didn't make you smile, the fact that she was whistling a jaunty little tune certainly would. I turned to Todd and saw a mirror image of the dopey grin I felt on my own face. A free soul if ever there was one.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
I smiled, not just because the picture is at such odds with the imagery I've gotten while reading Bukowski, but because the words are so true. As Todd and I were walking through the grocery store last night we were passed by a girl of about 9. At first glance she reminded me a little of Jodie Foster from the Freaky Friday movie. On a second glance she reminded me a LOT of Jodie Foster from the Freaky Friday movie. She was slim, her blond hair cut in a bob, her nose freckled, she was wearing a faux leather jacket, black leggings torn at the knee, and tennis shoes. She walked with such a casual confidence you couldn't help but notice her. And if that image didn't make you smile, the fact that she was whistling a jaunty little tune certainly would. I turned to Todd and saw a mirror image of the dopey grin I felt on my own face. A free soul if ever there was one.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Hats off
Today I want to take my hat off to a couple of other bloggers.
The first belongs to one of my girlfriends, Jamie Guier, a fellow Oregonian-transplanted-to-Reno/Sparks-and-turned-realtor. At a party last night she mentioned that she had made a quick trip to Oregon to see family. Is it sad that the part of her story that really caught my attention was the mention of homemade chicken noodle soup? She has graciously agreed to guest blog that recipe for me some time in the coming weeks. In the meantime you can get a taste of Jamie's passion for real estate by reading her blog: http://reno-nv-homes.blogspot.com/
The other blog is one I stumbled across while looking for running and riding events in the Reno area. This blog, http://ridinginreno.blogspot.com/, has been a great motivator for me to get on my bike trainer as a cross training exercise. Turns out the guy that writes this blog is a guy my husband knows because he offers training in mining applications. Small world.
So check out these blogs and check back soon for Jamie's mom's chicken soup recipe!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
The first belongs to one of my girlfriends, Jamie Guier, a fellow Oregonian-transplanted-to-Reno/Sparks-and-turned-realtor. At a party last night she mentioned that she had made a quick trip to Oregon to see family. Is it sad that the part of her story that really caught my attention was the mention of homemade chicken noodle soup? She has graciously agreed to guest blog that recipe for me some time in the coming weeks. In the meantime you can get a taste of Jamie's passion for real estate by reading her blog: http://reno-nv-homes.blogspot.com/
The other blog is one I stumbled across while looking for running and riding events in the Reno area. This blog, http://ridinginreno.blogspot.com/, has been a great motivator for me to get on my bike trainer as a cross training exercise. Turns out the guy that writes this blog is a guy my husband knows because he offers training in mining applications. Small world.
So check out these blogs and check back soon for Jamie's mom's chicken soup recipe!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Reno Retirement
It always strikes me that things just seem to come together. Five of the buyers that I am working with right now are moving here from other areas as part of their retirement plan. When I ask them why they've chosen Reno, they say things like "I grew up here and want to come back", "We have kids and grandkids in the Bay area, don't want to live in California and Reno is a short drive", "My son is going to attend the University of Nevada", and "We want a good golf community and sunshine but don't want to live in Arizona."
Because of these conversations I've had my buyer goggles set to a view of what Reno has to offer retirees. And then I read an article in the Reno Gazette Journal: Reno Makes National Magazine's Top 8 Places to Retire. The "Where to Retire" publication nailed it with this assessment:
The magazine’s editor, Mary Lu Abbott, praised Reno’s current housing prices and outdoor activity options.
“Reno has so much to offer active retirees, from the cultural scene to casino action complemented with year-round outdoor recreation,” Abbott said. “And all those perks come with outstanding bargains in home prices as the city recovers from a hard hit in the housing crisis."
If you're thinking of retiring or know someone who is please share this information with them and then have them call me. I'd love to help!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Because of these conversations I've had my buyer goggles set to a view of what Reno has to offer retirees. And then I read an article in the Reno Gazette Journal: Reno Makes National Magazine's Top 8 Places to Retire. The "Where to Retire" publication nailed it with this assessment:
The magazine’s editor, Mary Lu Abbott, praised Reno’s current housing prices and outdoor activity options.
“Reno has so much to offer active retirees, from the cultural scene to casino action complemented with year-round outdoor recreation,” Abbott said. “And all those perks come with outstanding bargains in home prices as the city recovers from a hard hit in the housing crisis."
If you're thinking of retiring or know someone who is please share this information with them and then have them call me. I'd love to help!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Monday, December 10, 2012
The Tree is Up
We got our Christmas tree(s) up for the year. We have had a lovely 7 foot artificial tree...I won't go into the pros and cons of real vs artificial...for the past few years and really love it. This year, because our living room ceilings are so grand, we decided to purchase a larger tree. I found a sweet deal on craigslist and the minute Todd got home from work we started putting it up.
But I'm sentimental, especially around the holidays. I couldn't NOT put up my sweet old tree. So we made room for it in the family room and put it up too. I love to stand in the kitchen where, if I crane my neck just right, I can see both trees at once. The tall one is beautiful with a perfectly coordinating set of new ornaments. The old one is covered in a lifetime collection of ornaments, each with a story and a memory behind it. If I had to choose a favorite I couldn't do it. I guess they're like people...you make room for the good ones in your life.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
But I'm sentimental, especially around the holidays. I couldn't NOT put up my sweet old tree. So we made room for it in the family room and put it up too. I love to stand in the kitchen where, if I crane my neck just right, I can see both trees at once. The tall one is beautiful with a perfectly coordinating set of new ornaments. The old one is covered in a lifetime collection of ornaments, each with a story and a memory behind it. If I had to choose a favorite I couldn't do it. I guess they're like people...you make room for the good ones in your life.
Friday, December 7, 2012
What I SHOULD have done...
My darling friend, Regina, regularly donates platelets at the United Blood Services near our office. As regularly as is allowed, in any case. She invited me to go with her so I did. She made the appointment, described her personal experiences, and forwarded me the e-mail message from United Blood Services that outlines what you should and shouldn't do when donating.
I was supposed to run on Wednesday. I got sidetracked with cleaning my living room and putting up Christmas decorations and told myself I'd run on Thursday. That would, after all, put me back on the same schedule as my husband. This was the point that I should have looked at my calendar to see what else was coming up during the week but alas, I did not.
I woke up on Thursday...the day I was to donate...with a very stiff neck. I did some gentle neck exercises and thought about what my day had in store. I still had a couple of hours before the appointment and thought about taking some aspirin or ibuprofen for my neck. The appointment! No aspirin allowed. And just to be safe I decided against the ibuprofen.
I thought I'd go down and have some coffee and see if moving around helped. But then I remembered you're supposed to go light on caffeine. So no coffee...because I rarely "go light" on things I love once I start. Grr!! My neck was hurting and I had my no-coffee crankiness going on. Naturally I decided a quick run would be the answer. I came up with the idea because running really does tend to ease the stress I carry in my neck and shoulders. (See how great running is for you?! And I'm saving tons on massage fees!) This of course would make me short on time but I told myself I would just do a quick 2 miles.
Two miles in felt too good to just stop so I decided I could do the 5K if I didn't dry my hair. So I did 5K, felt pretty good, rushed through getting ready and dashed out the door. On the way I remembered that I was supposed to have a low fat, balanced breakfast. A Fiber One bar counts, right?
Is anyone even a little bit surprised that halfway through the donation procedure I got a bit lightheaded? I don't blame United Blood Services...they were unbelievably kind and attentive. I blame me. If I had simply followed my own running schedule I would have had time for a healthy meal. Lesson learned. My little episode shouldn't deter anyone from donating. In fact, you've now got all the tools you need to have a successful visit. And how great I feel knowing I've helped others totally outweighs the momentary discomfort.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
I was supposed to run on Wednesday. I got sidetracked with cleaning my living room and putting up Christmas decorations and told myself I'd run on Thursday. That would, after all, put me back on the same schedule as my husband. This was the point that I should have looked at my calendar to see what else was coming up during the week but alas, I did not.
I woke up on Thursday...the day I was to donate...with a very stiff neck. I did some gentle neck exercises and thought about what my day had in store. I still had a couple of hours before the appointment and thought about taking some aspirin or ibuprofen for my neck. The appointment! No aspirin allowed. And just to be safe I decided against the ibuprofen.
I thought I'd go down and have some coffee and see if moving around helped. But then I remembered you're supposed to go light on caffeine. So no coffee...because I rarely "go light" on things I love once I start. Grr!! My neck was hurting and I had my no-coffee crankiness going on. Naturally I decided a quick run would be the answer. I came up with the idea because running really does tend to ease the stress I carry in my neck and shoulders. (See how great running is for you?! And I'm saving tons on massage fees!) This of course would make me short on time but I told myself I would just do a quick 2 miles.
Two miles in felt too good to just stop so I decided I could do the 5K if I didn't dry my hair. So I did 5K, felt pretty good, rushed through getting ready and dashed out the door. On the way I remembered that I was supposed to have a low fat, balanced breakfast. A Fiber One bar counts, right?
Is anyone even a little bit surprised that halfway through the donation procedure I got a bit lightheaded? I don't blame United Blood Services...they were unbelievably kind and attentive. I blame me. If I had simply followed my own running schedule I would have had time for a healthy meal. Lesson learned. My little episode shouldn't deter anyone from donating. In fact, you've now got all the tools you need to have a successful visit. And how great I feel knowing I've helped others totally outweighs the momentary discomfort.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Thursday, December 6, 2012
I Scream for Ice Cream Scones!
I broke my cardinal rule of baking the other day. I modified a recipe before I'd tried it in its original form. This is one of those "agree to disagree" scenarios in my house. Todd has never followed a recipe as written. He HAS to mess with it...usually adding something spicy. I think it is best to try a recipe first and then adapt it to your taste later. Our compromise is based on the fact that I bake and he doesn't.
I was craving scones, ran through some cookbooks and did a quick web search and found a couple to try. I'm an instant gratification sort and opted for the one with just 2 ingredients. Sounds too good to be true, but they turned out really well! The modification I made was to add the ingredients necessary to change them from vanilla to vanilla-cranberry-orange scones. First the base recipe from www.allrecipes.com:
Ice Scream Scones
3 cups self-rising flour*
2 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream**, melted
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Pour the ice cream into a large bowl; fold the flour into the ice cream until the dough just begins to come together. Using your hands, gently knead the dough into a ball, adding flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 9x13 inch rectangle. Cut the dough into 12 circles, 3 inches in diameter, and place on a baking sheet.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
My notes:
* You can make your own self-rising flour out of all purpose flour. For each cup of all-purpose flour, add 1 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and mix to combine.
** Do not use low-fat ice cream.
I didn't roll into a rectangle and cut into circles. I rolled it into a large round and cut into 8 wedges. Then I baked them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
To adapt these I steeped a half cup of dried cranberries in boiling water while preparing the dough. I added 2 Tbsp fresh orange juice, a Tbsp orange zest, and a 1/2 tsp cinnamon to the ice cream before adding the flour. Before turning out on a floured board to knead I coarsely stirred in the drained cranberries. Once baked and cooled I glazed them with my mom's doughnut glaze recipe: Warm 1/4 C milk, 2 Tbsp butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla, dash of salt over low heat until dissolved. Add 3/4 lb confectioner's sugar (more or less) and stirring until it reaches desired consistency.
Try it and let me know what you think! Especially if you create a delicious variation!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
I was craving scones, ran through some cookbooks and did a quick web search and found a couple to try. I'm an instant gratification sort and opted for the one with just 2 ingredients. Sounds too good to be true, but they turned out really well! The modification I made was to add the ingredients necessary to change them from vanilla to vanilla-cranberry-orange scones. First the base recipe from www.allrecipes.com:
Ice Scream Scones
3 cups self-rising flour*
2 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream**, melted
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Pour the ice cream into a large bowl; fold the flour into the ice cream until the dough just begins to come together. Using your hands, gently knead the dough into a ball, adding flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 9x13 inch rectangle. Cut the dough into 12 circles, 3 inches in diameter, and place on a baking sheet.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
My notes:
* You can make your own self-rising flour out of all purpose flour. For each cup of all-purpose flour, add 1 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and mix to combine.
** Do not use low-fat ice cream.
I didn't roll into a rectangle and cut into circles. I rolled it into a large round and cut into 8 wedges. Then I baked them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
To adapt these I steeped a half cup of dried cranberries in boiling water while preparing the dough. I added 2 Tbsp fresh orange juice, a Tbsp orange zest, and a 1/2 tsp cinnamon to the ice cream before adding the flour. Before turning out on a floured board to knead I coarsely stirred in the drained cranberries. Once baked and cooled I glazed them with my mom's doughnut glaze recipe: Warm 1/4 C milk, 2 Tbsp butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla, dash of salt over low heat until dissolved. Add 3/4 lb confectioner's sugar (more or less) and stirring until it reaches desired consistency.
Try it and let me know what you think! Especially if you create a delicious variation!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
They care! They really, really care!
I've bragged before about the wonderful generosity of Keller Williams agents and the amazing outlet, KW Cares, that gives that giving such special meaning in our company. I think I've even mentioned the monthly sales meeting that brings together both the Reno and Sparks Keller Williams offices for an opportunity to share information and successes. This week was a beautiful culmination of all of that.
Our meeting started by covering the usual topics. We discussed licensing, contracts, our upcoming Reno office move. Our vendor partners shared product information and extended invitations to holiday gatherings. And we had an auction for some fun items that you could purchase with play money, Bob's Bucks, earned from New American Mortgage. There were gas cards and massage certificates and chocolates for our bidding pleasure.
Before the auction kicked off a couple of agents gave a presentation about KW Cares...a public charity created to support Keller Williams Realty associates and their families with hardship as a result of a sudden emergency. Ed Davis shared that some years ago KW Cares very generously contributed to him after he experienced a medical emergency. He has taken up the cause and spearheads a lot of the fundraisers that we have. Today was no different.
Ed raised as many Bob's Bucks as he could and many agents donated their bucks to him as well. And then he raffled them off for actual cash to support an agent in need in the Reno office. Those bucks were raffled and then donated back to be raffled again. Hundreds upon hundreds of dollars were raised. While the raffle was taking place a collection jar went around the room and wallets opened. When all was said and done we had all given and were all the richer for it.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Our meeting started by covering the usual topics. We discussed licensing, contracts, our upcoming Reno office move. Our vendor partners shared product information and extended invitations to holiday gatherings. And we had an auction for some fun items that you could purchase with play money, Bob's Bucks, earned from New American Mortgage. There were gas cards and massage certificates and chocolates for our bidding pleasure.
Before the auction kicked off a couple of agents gave a presentation about KW Cares...a public charity created to support Keller Williams Realty associates and their families with hardship as a result of a sudden emergency. Ed Davis shared that some years ago KW Cares very generously contributed to him after he experienced a medical emergency. He has taken up the cause and spearheads a lot of the fundraisers that we have. Today was no different.
Ed raised as many Bob's Bucks as he could and many agents donated their bucks to him as well. And then he raffled them off for actual cash to support an agent in need in the Reno office. Those bucks were raffled and then donated back to be raffled again. Hundreds upon hundreds of dollars were raised. While the raffle was taking place a collection jar went around the room and wallets opened. When all was said and done we had all given and were all the richer for it.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
No NaNo Novel
I have to admit...I didn't write a novel in November (insert sad-faced emoticon here). But what I love about NaNoWriMo is that each time I participate I get closer to writing one than I would if I didn't try. In the past I've written in November, then stop, and never look at it again. This year I read those earlier attempts and was surprised that they weren't as horrible as they felt while I was writing them. So the deal I've made with myself is that I am going to keep writing on this one until I hit the 50,000 word mark. Ugh! Why do I do this to myself!
I kid...I do it because I love having goals. Some of my goals this year...to run 500 or more miles (just about there, and barring any injury, I should make it), start a blog (done!), read at least 12 books (I'm going to have to squeeze 3 small ones in this month). I don't really make resolutions, I set these as I go and looking back at this list I see what sorts of things are important to me. I think I'll carry these forward. Starting with my annual Resolution Run with my husband at midnight on New Year's.
What goals, resolutions if you will, are you setting for yourself?
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
I kid...I do it because I love having goals. Some of my goals this year...to run 500 or more miles (just about there, and barring any injury, I should make it), start a blog (done!), read at least 12 books (I'm going to have to squeeze 3 small ones in this month). I don't really make resolutions, I set these as I go and looking back at this list I see what sorts of things are important to me. I think I'll carry these forward. Starting with my annual Resolution Run with my husband at midnight on New Year's.
2012 - Me, Todd, and our favorite running companion Yuri!
What goals, resolutions if you will, are you setting for yourself?
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Monday, December 3, 2012
ChickEnchiladas
I'm getting excited because some wonderful friends are coming to visit later this month! It has been about a year and a half since we saw them last so I can't wait to catch up. 15 or so years ago Jeri made chicken enchiladas for us for dinner. She wrote up the recipe for the flour tortillas on one page while reciting the filling/topping directions to me to write on another scrap of paper. Those treasures are part of my love of cooking. Even after I enter a recipe in my cookbook program on the computer, I hang on to those precious scraps.
When I told Todd when the Vradenburgs would be arriving naturally he yelled, "I love CHICKENS!" Jon and Jeri's adorable daughter Emma will radomly yell that and then run around the room like a madman. Alyssa, the older sister, will sometimes join her if she is feeling particularly silly.
When I think of Jon and Jeri I yell (in my head), "I love chicken enchiladas!" So here is that recipe from a thousand years ago! My chickenscratch notes leave a lot to be desired, so the assembly directions are simply how I've been doing it for years and not necessarily how Jeri intended.
1 medium onion, diced
1 lb grated cheddar cheese, divided
1 small can diced green chiles
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pint half and half
1 cup chicken broth
8 flour tortillas (see Jeri's recipe above or purchase pre-made)
sour cream, optional
hot sauce, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook chicken and onions in large skillet over medium high heat until chicken is cooked through. Drain off excess liquid. Add 3/4 of the cheese and chiles and stir.
In a bowl combine soups, broth, and half and half until smooth. Add one cup of this mixture to the chicken mixture and stir to combine.
In 9x13 casserole place one tortilla, spoon approximately 1/8th chicken mixture, roll and slide to one end. Continue until all tortillas are filled. If any chicken mixture remains just spoon it into casserole alongside the rolled tortillas.
Pour remaining sauce mixture over filled tortillas, sprinkle with remaining cream cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese bubbles. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with dollop of sour cream and hot sauce to taste.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
When I told Todd when the Vradenburgs would be arriving naturally he yelled, "I love CHICKENS!" Jon and Jeri's adorable daughter Emma will radomly yell that and then run around the room like a madman. Alyssa, the older sister, will sometimes join her if she is feeling particularly silly.
When I think of Jon and Jeri I yell (in my head), "I love chicken enchiladas!" So here is that recipe from a thousand years ago! My chickenscratch notes leave a lot to be desired, so the assembly directions are simply how I've been doing it for years and not necessarily how Jeri intended.
Jeri's Chicken Enchiladas
4-5 chicken breasts, cubed1 medium onion, diced
1 lb grated cheddar cheese, divided
1 small can diced green chiles
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pint half and half
1 cup chicken broth
8 flour tortillas (see Jeri's recipe above or purchase pre-made)
sour cream, optional
hot sauce, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook chicken and onions in large skillet over medium high heat until chicken is cooked through. Drain off excess liquid. Add 3/4 of the cheese and chiles and stir.
In a bowl combine soups, broth, and half and half until smooth. Add one cup of this mixture to the chicken mixture and stir to combine.
In 9x13 casserole place one tortilla, spoon approximately 1/8th chicken mixture, roll and slide to one end. Continue until all tortillas are filled. If any chicken mixture remains just spoon it into casserole alongside the rolled tortillas.
Pour remaining sauce mixture over filled tortillas, sprinkle with remaining cream cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese bubbles. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with dollop of sour cream and hot sauce to taste.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Friday, November 30, 2012
Home. Run. Recipes.
This is one of those days where I have something to say about everything. It happens a lot...just ask my husband! It makes for excellent blog fodder, though, and I'm overdue with a new-reader reminder of what this blog is supposed to be about.
Home: It was windy as heck here last night. I am so grateful for our cozy airtight home. While the wind had me up until 1:00 this morning I never feared that my house was going to come down with one good gust. That is not the case with the first house we bought. There were several large, mostly-dead trees in the front yard and the house was old. Something bad was bound to happen. It wasn't shocking that wind would come in around some of the windows but was more than a little disconcerting to come down the stairs and feel a puff of wind on your arm as you passed a certain seam in paneling. So put "well built" on the list of things I love about my home.
I'm going to get out and preview a few homes this afternoon. I like to put on my "buyer goggles" and view each home with my clients in mind. It is so satisfying to walk into a home and think "This would be perfect for the Smiths!" Even more satisfying to go back with them and have them feel the same way.
Run: I am going to get on the treadmill as soon as I'm done writing this. I put off running all day yesterday because I thought the wind might die down. By the time I saw the local weather forecast that indicated it would actually pick up through this morning it was late afternoon and I had already invited friends over for dinner (more on that later). So I got no run in yesterday and don't want to let it get away from me today.
I would actually love to get out and run in the rain. I am, after all, a girl who was born and raised in Oregon! The rain has always refreshed me. And I sorta like running in horrible conditions (dark, snow, cold, rain) because I feel like such a badass when I'm done. But I do not enjoy the wind. If you've ever blown in a baby's face and seen it squirm and gasp you've got a pretty good image of what I look like on a blustery run. Only not cute.
Recipes: I've been craving some sort of comfort food. But that usually involves a big to-do and lots of leftovers of food that should be an indulgence in my diet, not a steady intake. So I decided to make some beef stew and biscuits and invite my neighbors over. I made the call and then got out my recipe only to find out that I was about two hours short of having time to prepare it. So I made chicken enchiladas instead. I'll post that recipe on Monday. If you like chicken and dumplings, my bacon potato chowder or enchiladas, you're going to love this recipe.
Baseball: I'm half panicked about talk of the Reno Aces perhaps leaving Reno. I hate the idea of that lovely stadium standing empty, of summers without games in the warm Reno sun, and mostly, of the thought of not getting to see the sheer joy on my husband's face as we sip a beer and wait for the game to start. There is nothing else like it.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Home: It was windy as heck here last night. I am so grateful for our cozy airtight home. While the wind had me up until 1:00 this morning I never feared that my house was going to come down with one good gust. That is not the case with the first house we bought. There were several large, mostly-dead trees in the front yard and the house was old. Something bad was bound to happen. It wasn't shocking that wind would come in around some of the windows but was more than a little disconcerting to come down the stairs and feel a puff of wind on your arm as you passed a certain seam in paneling. So put "well built" on the list of things I love about my home.
I'm going to get out and preview a few homes this afternoon. I like to put on my "buyer goggles" and view each home with my clients in mind. It is so satisfying to walk into a home and think "This would be perfect for the Smiths!" Even more satisfying to go back with them and have them feel the same way.
Run: I am going to get on the treadmill as soon as I'm done writing this. I put off running all day yesterday because I thought the wind might die down. By the time I saw the local weather forecast that indicated it would actually pick up through this morning it was late afternoon and I had already invited friends over for dinner (more on that later). So I got no run in yesterday and don't want to let it get away from me today.
I would actually love to get out and run in the rain. I am, after all, a girl who was born and raised in Oregon! The rain has always refreshed me. And I sorta like running in horrible conditions (dark, snow, cold, rain) because I feel like such a badass when I'm done. But I do not enjoy the wind. If you've ever blown in a baby's face and seen it squirm and gasp you've got a pretty good image of what I look like on a blustery run. Only not cute.
Recipes: I've been craving some sort of comfort food. But that usually involves a big to-do and lots of leftovers of food that should be an indulgence in my diet, not a steady intake. So I decided to make some beef stew and biscuits and invite my neighbors over. I made the call and then got out my recipe only to find out that I was about two hours short of having time to prepare it. So I made chicken enchiladas instead. I'll post that recipe on Monday. If you like chicken and dumplings, my bacon potato chowder or enchiladas, you're going to love this recipe.
Baseball: I'm half panicked about talk of the Reno Aces perhaps leaving Reno. I hate the idea of that lovely stadium standing empty, of summers without games in the warm Reno sun, and mostly, of the thought of not getting to see the sheer joy on my husband's face as we sip a beer and wait for the game to start. There is nothing else like it.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Tools of the Trade
One of the things that I love about running is that you can do it any time, any where with almost no special equipment. I've run off and on all my life but when I got back into it back in 2000 I did it in an old pair of Saucony trail shoes and all cotton shorts and shirts. It was what I had. I would walk out my front door, run until I was half tired and run home.
All these years later I can say that I have more money tied up in one of my sports bras than I had in my entire ensemble back in those days. And I'm no more or less a runner for it. I am a more comfortable runner to be sure. And I will admit I struggled with shin splints in those Sauconys. But I've also struggled with pain in a $120 dollar pair of Asics. Find what suits YOU and get out the door or on that treadmill. It may not be the great find your friends are raving about.
Electronics are optional. You don't need an iPod or GPS or smartphone app or fancy watch or Nike+ to run. You may find that you love them, but you don't need them to get your fitness on.
If you need proof, just watch a kid at play. If I hadn't been driving yesterday I'd have a picture to share with you right now. I was driving back to my office, in the rain, and saw a boy of about 14 running up the street. And by up I mean "up"...a fairly long pull of a hill. He was in skate shoes, a cotton hoody sweatshirt and baggy denim jeans. And he was just running right up that hill. Perfect form. I glanced at his face as I went past and he wasn't grimacing or smiling he was just running. It was such a great reminder that I can run even if my favorite moisture-wicking socks are in the laundry.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
All these years later I can say that I have more money tied up in one of my sports bras than I had in my entire ensemble back in those days. And I'm no more or less a runner for it. I am a more comfortable runner to be sure. And I will admit I struggled with shin splints in those Sauconys. But I've also struggled with pain in a $120 dollar pair of Asics. Find what suits YOU and get out the door or on that treadmill. It may not be the great find your friends are raving about.
Electronics are optional. You don't need an iPod or GPS or smartphone app or fancy watch or Nike+ to run. You may find that you love them, but you don't need them to get your fitness on.
If you need proof, just watch a kid at play. If I hadn't been driving yesterday I'd have a picture to share with you right now. I was driving back to my office, in the rain, and saw a boy of about 14 running up the street. And by up I mean "up"...a fairly long pull of a hill. He was in skate shoes, a cotton hoody sweatshirt and baggy denim jeans. And he was just running right up that hill. Perfect form. I glanced at his face as I went past and he wasn't grimacing or smiling he was just running. It was such a great reminder that I can run even if my favorite moisture-wicking socks are in the laundry.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Stanimal
When I was in my twenties I worked for a small Mom & Pop grocery. The owners were elderly and I remember a conversation with Raymond when he was in his late 60's. He was lamenting the fact that he was at the age that all of his friends were dying. I thought that was just heartbreaking. And yet, here I am on the backside of my mid-40's and I'm beginning to feel that same sense of loss.
We can all name people who have helped form our lives, have touched us in a way that changes the type of person we choose to be. For me, and many of the people whose lives she touched, one of those people was Stana Landon. She passed away on Thanksgiving this year after a battle with cancer and even though we haven't been in regular contact for nearly 5 years I'm experiencing a depth of sorrow I never could have foreseen.
I do remember the last conversation I had with her. For some reason the voice command on my phone would get confused when I would try to call my brother Marvin. Clearly "Marvin Stewart" and "Stana Landon" sound a great deal alike. When the phone would misdial I would just let it ring through and Stana and I would get a laugh out of the silly mistake and take a quick moment to say hello and I love you. The best part of those calls, the best part of any time spent with Stana, was her laugh.
This may seem a bit somber for a blog about houses, running, recipes and baseball. But there is a definite tie-in. Stana is a very large part of why I run. Years ago we played on a softball team together. While we were running to the outfield we'd complain about how sore we were from a recent run. Sharing running joys and tribulations grew to sharing every other aspect of life. Neither of us was particularly fast or thin but sharing that bond with someone as amazing as Stana made me want to stick with it.
When I ran the Mary Woodbury Memorial 5k Turkey Trot this year I didn't yet know that Stana had passed. But every run since has been with her on my mind. And every Turkey Trot I do in the future will be for my friend. What better way to stay connected to someone who gave me her passion for the sport?
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
We can all name people who have helped form our lives, have touched us in a way that changes the type of person we choose to be. For me, and many of the people whose lives she touched, one of those people was Stana Landon. She passed away on Thanksgiving this year after a battle with cancer and even though we haven't been in regular contact for nearly 5 years I'm experiencing a depth of sorrow I never could have foreseen.
I do remember the last conversation I had with her. For some reason the voice command on my phone would get confused when I would try to call my brother Marvin. Clearly "Marvin Stewart" and "Stana Landon" sound a great deal alike. When the phone would misdial I would just let it ring through and Stana and I would get a laugh out of the silly mistake and take a quick moment to say hello and I love you. The best part of those calls, the best part of any time spent with Stana, was her laugh.
This may seem a bit somber for a blog about houses, running, recipes and baseball. But there is a definite tie-in. Stana is a very large part of why I run. Years ago we played on a softball team together. While we were running to the outfield we'd complain about how sore we were from a recent run. Sharing running joys and tribulations grew to sharing every other aspect of life. Neither of us was particularly fast or thin but sharing that bond with someone as amazing as Stana made me want to stick with it.
When I ran the Mary Woodbury Memorial 5k Turkey Trot this year I didn't yet know that Stana had passed. But every run since has been with her on my mind. And every Turkey Trot I do in the future will be for my friend. What better way to stay connected to someone who gave me her passion for the sport?
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
A Housing Market Kind of Morning!
I'm still coughing a lot so am working from home in an attempt to minimize the spread of cold germs. In spite of that, I have been busy on the phone and computer staying on top of business. A lovely luxury of being a real estate agent. Call me if you'd like to learn more!
One of the items I came across is an article about continued home value increases. 12 months running. And that is good news for everyone. Whether you own a home, want to buy a home, or sell your home...a strong market is good. Here is the article: http://www.dsnews.com/articles/october-marks-12-months-of-home-value-increases-2012-11-26. I've got buyers so let me know if you're interested in selling!
I also had a conversation with an appraiser who heard on the news that short sale approvals by some of the big banks (Wells Fargo and Bank of America included) are going to be happening much more quickly. This may be good news if you're planning to short sell your home. But there is still the issues of whether or not the debt forgiveness will be honored and how the title companies can be expected to process a glut of short sales. I so wish I had a crystal ball!! I've searched for the news article he was referring to and have had no luck turning it up. I'll share it as soon as I do!
In any event there is a lot going on in real estate. Feel free to comment with your questions or concerns! I'd love to hear the public opinion!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
One of the items I came across is an article about continued home value increases. 12 months running. And that is good news for everyone. Whether you own a home, want to buy a home, or sell your home...a strong market is good. Here is the article: http://www.dsnews.com/articles/october-marks-12-months-of-home-value-increases-2012-11-26. I've got buyers so let me know if you're interested in selling!
I also had a conversation with an appraiser who heard on the news that short sale approvals by some of the big banks (Wells Fargo and Bank of America included) are going to be happening much more quickly. This may be good news if you're planning to short sell your home. But there is still the issues of whether or not the debt forgiveness will be honored and how the title companies can be expected to process a glut of short sales. I so wish I had a crystal ball!! I've searched for the news article he was referring to and have had no luck turning it up. I'll share it as soon as I do!
In any event there is a lot going on in real estate. Feel free to comment with your questions or concerns! I'd love to hear the public opinion!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Monday, November 26, 2012
Mary Woodbury Memorial Run
I did something the other day that I usually recommend against. I ran while sick. The Friday before the Fernley 5K Turkey Trot I thought I might be coming down with a cold. I felt alright when I was running, just a bit short of breath which I attributed to the cold morning air. Later that evening it became clear that a cold had taken hold. Since I only get sick about once every other year and they are typically of short duration I wasn't worried that it would interfere with our plans to run another 5K in Kuna, Idaho on Thanksgiving morning.
I was good and sick by Thursday. And I wasn't anywhere close to the recovery I had predicted. But I'd already committed to doing the event with my husband, a sister-in-law and a family friend. Two of my brothers and a cute little dog came along to cheer us on. How could I NOT do it?!
I did it, felt surprisingly good, and enjoyed a really great event. It is a family-and-friend-organized run to honor Mary Woodbury who lost her battle with breast cancer. This was the 3rd Annual Memorial Run and had a good turnout on a 30 degree Thanksgiving morn. There is no registration fee and they offer a frozen turkey to the winners and other raffle prizes that all participants are eligible to win.
I may have prolonged my cold by a few days by running while sick, but in this case I think it was totally worth it. Great friends running for a great cause...plus a nice balance to the feast that followed at my brother's house!
How 'bout you? Did you participate in a Thanksgiving Turkey Trot?
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
I was good and sick by Thursday. And I wasn't anywhere close to the recovery I had predicted. But I'd already committed to doing the event with my husband, a sister-in-law and a family friend. Two of my brothers and a cute little dog came along to cheer us on. How could I NOT do it?!
I did it, felt surprisingly good, and enjoyed a really great event. It is a family-and-friend-organized run to honor Mary Woodbury who lost her battle with breast cancer. This was the 3rd Annual Memorial Run and had a good turnout on a 30 degree Thanksgiving morn. There is no registration fee and they offer a frozen turkey to the winners and other raffle prizes that all participants are eligible to win.
I may have prolonged my cold by a few days by running while sick, but in this case I think it was totally worth it. Great friends running for a great cause...plus a nice balance to the feast that followed at my brother's house!
How 'bout you? Did you participate in a Thanksgiving Turkey Trot?
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Thanksgiving fish!
I took a few days break from blogging and now I have so many things I want to talk about! But, as so often happens, I know I'll have nothing to say in two days so I'll try to pace myself.
My husband and I drove to Boise, Idaho to spend Thanksgiving with my family at my brother Sheldon's and his beautiful family's house. He and his wife Lori are a large part of the reason my husband and I love to cook together. They have perfected the process of preparing a meal together. They can put eggs Benedict and fried potatoes on the table before I can make toast. And the kitchen is clean when they are done. They don't look frazzled, they aren't bumping into one another or getting frustrated that the other is doing something wrong. They actually seem to become happy and relaxed and by the time they come to the table, delicious food in hand, they are laughing and smiling. Who doesn't want to be able to do that?!
We arrived at their house in time for dinner on Tuesday evening. I love salmon and was pretty excited to see that that was what they were serving. Todd, on the other hand, is not a huge fan. But, as always, Sheldon and Lori managed to serve an incredible meal. The secret? Fresh rosemary from their yard! It is planted along the front walk as a decorative plant...but when it came time to pull dinner together Sheldon just went out and cut off what he needed! Cooked for a while with lemon, salt and pepper, garlic and rosemary and then pulled out, rosemary removed, coated with a generous layer of Best Foods Mayonnaise, and just a bit of the rosemary returned to season and offer a delectable crisp texture and returned to the oven until cooked through. It seemed to take no time at all to prepare and was so good even Todd went back for seconds!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
My husband and I drove to Boise, Idaho to spend Thanksgiving with my family at my brother Sheldon's and his beautiful family's house. He and his wife Lori are a large part of the reason my husband and I love to cook together. They have perfected the process of preparing a meal together. They can put eggs Benedict and fried potatoes on the table before I can make toast. And the kitchen is clean when they are done. They don't look frazzled, they aren't bumping into one another or getting frustrated that the other is doing something wrong. They actually seem to become happy and relaxed and by the time they come to the table, delicious food in hand, they are laughing and smiling. Who doesn't want to be able to do that?!
We arrived at their house in time for dinner on Tuesday evening. I love salmon and was pretty excited to see that that was what they were serving. Todd, on the other hand, is not a huge fan. But, as always, Sheldon and Lori managed to serve an incredible meal. The secret? Fresh rosemary from their yard! It is planted along the front walk as a decorative plant...but when it came time to pull dinner together Sheldon just went out and cut off what he needed! Cooked for a while with lemon, salt and pepper, garlic and rosemary and then pulled out, rosemary removed, coated with a generous layer of Best Foods Mayonnaise, and just a bit of the rosemary returned to season and offer a delectable crisp texture and returned to the oven until cooked through. It seemed to take no time at all to prepare and was so good even Todd went back for seconds!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Monday, November 19, 2012
Crust Quest
After our 5K race on Saturday Todd and I ran some errands and then treated ourselves to a late lunch/early dinner at Grimaldi's Coal Brick-Oven Pizzeria. I am always on the lookout for great pizza crust - both in the recipes I use and the restaurants I visit. It is all part of my crust quest.
We have been past Grimaldi's many times but hadn't stopped until now. I'm sorry it took us so long! The service was great, the ambiance was romantic yet family friendly, and the food was terrific. We were so hungry we ate the Caprese salad and half the pizza before I thought to grab out the camera. The crust is rather cracker-like and the sauce is pure, not overwhelmingly seasoned. My only complaint is that when I re-heated the leftovers (yes...there were leftovers!) the crust became tough.
In any case - if you're looking for great pizza and don't want to build one at home you should give Grimaldi's a try! I'll certainly be going back!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
We have been past Grimaldi's many times but hadn't stopped until now. I'm sorry it took us so long! The service was great, the ambiance was romantic yet family friendly, and the food was terrific. We were so hungry we ate the Caprese salad and half the pizza before I thought to grab out the camera. The crust is rather cracker-like and the sauce is pure, not overwhelmingly seasoned. My only complaint is that when I re-heated the leftovers (yes...there were leftovers!) the crust became tough.
In any case - if you're looking for great pizza and don't want to build one at home you should give Grimaldi's a try! I'll certainly be going back!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Second place is alright by me!
Yesterday was my neighbor's birthday and because he's so worth celebrating the usual group of neighbors got together for good food and drinks. That was a lot of fun. The not so fun part was getting up early this morning to drive to Fernley, approximately 40 minutes from here, to run in the 1st Annual Turkey Trot put on by the Healthy Communities Coalition to benefit the Fernley Stand Tall Scholarship program.
It got fun again when we started running. It was a smallish group of about 50 of us that started in the cold morning air on the high school track. And then it got less fun when we hit the silty dirt road and dropped to almost no fun at all when we hit two washboardy steep hills. And, as is usually the case, it got fun again when we crossed the finish line. The funnest part of all is standing around at the finish chatting with fellow runners, cheering those still completing the race and enjoying the accomplishment of the run. And winning a big fat gift certificate for taking second place in your gender category!
Thank you HCC and your wonderful volunteers and sponsors. Thank you, especially, to the Fernley Swimming Pool for providing swim passes to winners and participants and to The Peppermill Casino in Reno for the generous gift certificate! I'll put them to good use!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
It got fun again when we started running. It was a smallish group of about 50 of us that started in the cold morning air on the high school track. And then it got less fun when we hit the silty dirt road and dropped to almost no fun at all when we hit two washboardy steep hills. And, as is usually the case, it got fun again when we crossed the finish line. The funnest part of all is standing around at the finish chatting with fellow runners, cheering those still completing the race and enjoying the accomplishment of the run. And winning a big fat gift certificate for taking second place in your gender category!
Thank you HCC and your wonderful volunteers and sponsors. Thank you, especially, to the Fernley Swimming Pool for providing swim passes to winners and participants and to The Peppermill Casino in Reno for the generous gift certificate! I'll put them to good use!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Friday, November 16, 2012
Turkey Trots
Turkey trots is not an ailment you get from eating undercooked turkey. Well, it is, but it isn't the kind of trot I'm talking about. (Except now I am! How do I break from this!!)
THANKSGIVING FUN RUNS! THAT'S what I'm talking about! We are doing the Fernley Turkey Trot 5K Run tomorrow in Fernley, NV at 9:00 am. For anyone that would like to join us the race day registration starts at 8:00 AM at the Fernley High School.
Then we are going to do another one in Boise, ID on Thanksgiving morning. My husband found four online to choose from so we need to pin down which it is going to be and then see how many of my family members we can sucker into joining us! I do love that running family of mine!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
THANKSGIVING FUN RUNS! THAT'S what I'm talking about! We are doing the Fernley Turkey Trot 5K Run tomorrow in Fernley, NV at 9:00 am. For anyone that would like to join us the race day registration starts at 8:00 AM at the Fernley High School.
Then we are going to do another one in Boise, ID on Thanksgiving morning. My husband found four online to choose from so we need to pin down which it is going to be and then see how many of my family members we can sucker into joining us! I do love that running family of mine!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Strata? Casserole? I call it delicious!
I have a make-ahead recipe for a French toast casserole-bake-strata-thingy that I love because it is delicious and makes breakfast for guests seem somewhat effortless. Unless my guest is my brother Nick. He's never been the biggest fan of eggs and when I made this I learned he also isn't a big fan of wet bread. Oh well. Nick can fend for himself.
I found the original recipe in a Better Homes & Gardens Favorite Recipes from Country Inns cookbook. But I didn't love it love it...just kind of liked it loved it. It had potential. So I found another recipe from www.allrecipes.com and took ideas from both and then added some stuff that I like. Now it is love love.
Quick to throw together the night before, toss it in the oven in the morning, serve with fruit and ham or whatever floats your boat.
1 one-pound loaf unsliced French bread
1 8-oz package of cream cheese, cubed
8 eggs
2 1/2 cups half & half
1 cube of butter, divided
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
1/4 cup real maple syrup
maple syrup and/or confectioners' sugar to top
Cut French bread into cubes*. Melt 2 Tbsp butter and spread in bottom of 13x9x2 inch baking dish. Put half bread cubes in baking dish. Top with cream cheese cubes and then remaining bread cubes.
In mixing bowl combine eggs, half & half, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, maple syrup and remaining 6 Tbsp melted butter. Mix on medium until well combined. Pour slowly and evenly over bread and cream cheese. Press slightly with spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Remove casserole from oven and let rest while oven preheats to 350 degrees F. Remove plastic wrap from baking dish and place sheet of aluminum foil loosely over casserole. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until top is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Top with confectioners' sugar or maple syrup to taste.
* Couple of notes about the bread. I like to get the kind in a plastic sleeve. The crust tends to be more tender. I also cut the bottom crust off altogether and do not use it in this recipe. And I like my cubes to be about 3/4". They offer more surface area and better absorption of the egg mixture.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
I found the original recipe in a Better Homes & Gardens Favorite Recipes from Country Inns cookbook. But I didn't love it love it...just kind of liked it loved it. It had potential. So I found another recipe from www.allrecipes.com and took ideas from both and then added some stuff that I like. Now it is love love.
Quick to throw together the night before, toss it in the oven in the morning, serve with fruit and ham or whatever floats your boat.
Stuffed French Toast Casserole
1 one-pound loaf unsliced French bread
1 8-oz package of cream cheese, cubed
8 eggs
2 1/2 cups half & half
1 cube of butter, divided
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
1/4 cup real maple syrup
maple syrup and/or confectioners' sugar to top
Cut French bread into cubes*. Melt 2 Tbsp butter and spread in bottom of 13x9x2 inch baking dish. Put half bread cubes in baking dish. Top with cream cheese cubes and then remaining bread cubes.
In mixing bowl combine eggs, half & half, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, maple syrup and remaining 6 Tbsp melted butter. Mix on medium until well combined. Pour slowly and evenly over bread and cream cheese. Press slightly with spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Remove casserole from oven and let rest while oven preheats to 350 degrees F. Remove plastic wrap from baking dish and place sheet of aluminum foil loosely over casserole. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until top is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Top with confectioners' sugar or maple syrup to taste.
* Couple of notes about the bread. I like to get the kind in a plastic sleeve. The crust tends to be more tender. I also cut the bottom crust off altogether and do not use it in this recipe. And I like my cubes to be about 3/4". They offer more surface area and better absorption of the egg mixture.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Personal taste
I was in Fernley day before yesterday showing a house. It was such a darling house, on two acres, that I am sure if my husband and I had seen it when we were looking 16 months ago I'd be living in Fernley right now. It is very reminiscent of our previous home in Cove, Oregon. There were quail and doves everywhere, raised garden beds, covered patio area, distance between neighbors, and did I mention two acres?! Driving away from that house made me more homesick than any other event since I've been here.
When I got back to my house I was struck by how NOT like my Cove house it is. Or isn't. And I love this one every bit as much. The reasons people like a given property are as different and numerous as the people who live in them. Todd and I enjoyed the birds at our other home and have worked to attract birds to this house. I love looking out the window while doing dishes to see them at the feeder or bathing in the sun.
Just down the street from the Fernley house was a ranch property with a large gated entrance. Atop the gate on either side of the drive was this:
Not exactly my cup of tea but fun to see. Fun to wonder about the people who put it up and what they were thinking when they chose do to do so. So, dear readers, comment! comment! Tell me what about your home brings you joy!
www.rnohomes.com
When I got back to my house I was struck by how NOT like my Cove house it is. Or isn't. And I love this one every bit as much. The reasons people like a given property are as different and numerous as the people who live in them. Todd and I enjoyed the birds at our other home and have worked to attract birds to this house. I love looking out the window while doing dishes to see them at the feeder or bathing in the sun.
Just down the street from the Fernley house was a ranch property with a large gated entrance. Atop the gate on either side of the drive was this:
Not exactly my cup of tea but fun to see. Fun to wonder about the people who put it up and what they were thinking when they chose do to do so. So, dear readers, comment! comment! Tell me what about your home brings you joy!
www.rnohomes.com
Monday, November 12, 2012
Tread tired
It is 10:43 pm and I just got off the treadmill. I spent the day showing property - met some nice people, saw some great homes - and then spent time catching up on e-mail and voicemail. I was exhausted and my back hurt. Then I got on the treadmill, walked for a few minutes, and then ran a 5K. My back doesn't hurt and I feel more energy than I've felt all day. I need to remember that the next time I'm looking for reasons not to run! And now I'm going to go to bed because tomorrow looks like it is going to be just as busy as today.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Friday, November 9, 2012
Chili Cookoff Surprise
Some of the best recipes are the simplest ones. I know the chili cookoff folks were slaving over hot pots of meat and beans for hours and hours. I spent 6 minutes on pan cookies that turned out to be the hot item of the night. Okay, okay...it was more like 20 minutes if you include baking time. This is a recipe my sister shared with me ages ago and I love them! So do my neighbors!
Krusteaz Chocolate Chip Pan Cookies
3/4 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups Krusteaz buttermilk pancake mix
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup nuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 370 degrees F.
Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Whip until fluffy. Stir in pancake mix. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Spread evenly in bottom of 13x9x3 baking pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.
Krusteaz Chocolate Chip Pan Cookies
3/4 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups Krusteaz buttermilk pancake mix
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup nuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 370 degrees F.
Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Whip until fluffy. Stir in pancake mix. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Spread evenly in bottom of 13x9x3 baking pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.
If you run, you are a runner.
One of the things I love about Reno is its culture of fitness. Everywhere I go I see people running, walking or cycling. I showed a home near Shadow Mountain Sports Complex yesterday and as I was leaving I drove past a number of people walking or playing fetch with their dogs. It still makes me happy every day.
I saw one gentleman in particular that cheered me up. I'd say he was in his 60s and he was rather overweight. His solid tree-trunk legs barely came off the ground with each effort. And he was giving it quite a bit of effort. He wasn't running quickly, barely faster running than he was when he was walking. But he was DOING IT. He was was out there doing it. I've seen every body type running and I am always most proud of those that aren't "built for speed". I wanted so badly to put down my window and cheer for him. But I would hate it if he thought even for one second that I wasn't genuinely supporting his effort.
If you run, you are a runner. I hope he knows that. I hope he knows that with every step he is inspiring others. He certainly inspired me.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
I saw one gentleman in particular that cheered me up. I'd say he was in his 60s and he was rather overweight. His solid tree-trunk legs barely came off the ground with each effort. And he was giving it quite a bit of effort. He wasn't running quickly, barely faster running than he was when he was walking. But he was DOING IT. He was was out there doing it. I've seen every body type running and I am always most proud of those that aren't "built for speed". I wanted so badly to put down my window and cheer for him. But I would hate it if he thought even for one second that I wasn't genuinely supporting his effort.
If you run, you are a runner. I hope he knows that. I hope he knows that with every step he is inspiring others. He certainly inspired me.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
This is harder than I expected!
Work is keeping me busy and I love it! I had a message from a seller's agent before I even got out of bed at 6:30 this morning. I took my husband to the airport on my way to a Keller Williams sales meeting. I drove from there to meet with a lender to discuss ways he can help with a couple of buyers I am working with. I ran home for a quick bite to eat (leftover chili, of course!) and then replied to several e-mail messages and made some phone calls. And I still have several to plow through! When I get through that I get to do some marketing and some lead generation and then I get to read a couple of big fat escrow packages. I Love It. Seriously!
While some of that isn't exactly easy, it also isn't exactly hard. What is hard is the crazy idea that I could do all of that, still have time to run and spend time with family and friends, and write a novel! I am so far behind on the writing that I am pacing to finish some time in late May! My niece would say "at least you'll finish!" but my thought is "MAY!? What part of 'write a novel in November' includes a May finish line?!"
One thing you should know if you're considering 1) buying or selling a house, or 2) writing a novel: it CAN be done! Call me! I'd love to discuss your real estate needs or writing goals!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
While some of that isn't exactly easy, it also isn't exactly hard. What is hard is the crazy idea that I could do all of that, still have time to run and spend time with family and friends, and write a novel! I am so far behind on the writing that I am pacing to finish some time in late May! My niece would say "at least you'll finish!" but my thought is "MAY!? What part of 'write a novel in November' includes a May finish line?!"
One thing you should know if you're considering 1) buying or selling a house, or 2) writing a novel: it CAN be done! Call me! I'd love to discuss your real estate needs or writing goals!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Stage Four
I'd like to propose a toast to the beautiful and indomitable Judy:
Peace to ease your worries.
Comfort for your pain.
Boundless love from all who know you.
Thank you for your sense of humor...a beacon to others even in this difficult time.
Cheers!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Peace to ease your worries.
Comfort for your pain.
Boundless love from all who know you.
Thank you for your sense of humor...a beacon to others even in this difficult time.
Cheers!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Monday, November 5, 2012
Cooking up a Chili Cookoff
Tonight my husband and I are hosting our second neighborhood chili cookoff. It is the 5th annual event for our neighborhood and is just one of many reasons we love living here! When I tell others that our neighbors do this fun event, a block party for the fourth of July and a progressive cocktail party on New Year's Eve they want to know how we do it. We just do!
Our cookoff is pretty simple. We pick a date that works for the majority. This year it falls on a Monday because last year's winner wasn't available over the weekend and it didn't seem right to let him off the hook. We also pick a football game day and have two football pools, one for the adults and one for the kids. One neighbor is in charge of that.
This year we created a Facebook group so we could communicate more easily. And by communicate I mean "throw down some trash talk". Actually - it does allow us to determine who is bringing what...sour cream and cheese from one family, macaroni noodles from another, hot dogs from another, beer, wine, soda...you get the idea.
Last year, our first, we were sure we would win. I was sure I would win with my beanless chili. Todd was sure he would win with his spicy crowd-pleaser. The biggest surprise for us and our family that came to participate: our neighbors make some REALLY good chili! Every single bowl was delicious. Really, really delicious!
Our voting process is pretty simple. All of the chili is prepared ahead of time. The crockpots and pots are placed out of the way and the chili itself if presented in matching bowls to protect the chef's identity. A cup with a number on it is placed in front of each chili. (This year we added a second cup for the kids' vote.) Every "judge" is given 3 dry beans to use to cast their vote. If they really love one chili they can vote all three beans on that chili. If they are torn between two or three they can vote accordingly. At the end, we count the beans...most beans wins! Our winner gets bragging rights and an ugly traveling trophy.
Do you and your neighbors do great neighborhood events? I'd love to hear about it!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Our cookoff is pretty simple. We pick a date that works for the majority. This year it falls on a Monday because last year's winner wasn't available over the weekend and it didn't seem right to let him off the hook. We also pick a football game day and have two football pools, one for the adults and one for the kids. One neighbor is in charge of that.
This year we created a Facebook group so we could communicate more easily. And by communicate I mean "throw down some trash talk". Actually - it does allow us to determine who is bringing what...sour cream and cheese from one family, macaroni noodles from another, hot dogs from another, beer, wine, soda...you get the idea.
Last year, our first, we were sure we would win. I was sure I would win with my beanless chili. Todd was sure he would win with his spicy crowd-pleaser. The biggest surprise for us and our family that came to participate: our neighbors make some REALLY good chili! Every single bowl was delicious. Really, really delicious!
Our voting process is pretty simple. All of the chili is prepared ahead of time. The crockpots and pots are placed out of the way and the chili itself if presented in matching bowls to protect the chef's identity. A cup with a number on it is placed in front of each chili. (This year we added a second cup for the kids' vote.) Every "judge" is given 3 dry beans to use to cast their vote. If they really love one chili they can vote all three beans on that chili. If they are torn between two or three they can vote accordingly. At the end, we count the beans...most beans wins! Our winner gets bragging rights and an ugly traveling trophy.
Husband's 2012 entry simmering away.
Do you and your neighbors do great neighborhood events? I'd love to hear about it!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Friday, November 2, 2012
Fall Food Drive
As a real estate agent I get the benefit of working for myself while working for a great company. I set my schedule and I create my own success. One of my recent marketing ventures also served a very worthy cause and the results were quite surprising for me.
The Reno and Sparks offices for Keller Williams hosted a Fall Food Drive to benefit the Food Bank of Northern Nevada. As a group we collected almost 300 bags of non-perishable food items to help people in our own communities. A very worthy cause, indeed.
What surprised me was not that people were so generous. I was surprised that a couple afternoons knocking on doors in my own neighborhood, even my own street, would be so rewarding. I met a lot of really wonderful people. In spite of the political door-knockers and television/Internet providers that have been in our neighborhood recently a large number of people opened their homes to me. While I do hope to be able to serve these people with any real estate needs they may have I have already been rewarded with the knowledge that I am surrounded by such great neighbors!
Go introduce yourself to the neighbor you've been waving at on your way to work for years. Stop and chat with the family raking leaves down the street. You'll be glad you did!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
The Reno and Sparks offices for Keller Williams hosted a Fall Food Drive to benefit the Food Bank of Northern Nevada. As a group we collected almost 300 bags of non-perishable food items to help people in our own communities. A very worthy cause, indeed.
It all adds up!
Go introduce yourself to the neighbor you've been waving at on your way to work for years. Stop and chat with the family raking leaves down the street. You'll be glad you did!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Trick or Chowder
This has been a wonderful Halloween week! My friends and I attended a couple of very fun parties in our neighborhood. My mom made it to and from DC safely in spite of Hurricane Sandy. Our annual neighborhood chili cookoff is coming up in a few days and plans are coming together very nicely. The fall colors are resplendent, but the temperatures have been pleasant. And Halloween was a blast!
My neighbor and I pooled our resources and handed out candy (me) and cute little bendy monsters and spider rings (Vykki). We enjoyed a glass of wine and I made a big ol' pot of potato chowder. Paired with some Dutch crunch dinner rolls we had a warm, cozy meal. And when her boys needed a break from trick-or-treating they stopped by for a bowl too.
We had a very polite bunch of costumed kids (and some parents) at our door! Little tiny princesses and Batmen to scary zombies and funny rodeo clowns. But I'd have to say my favorite trick-or-treater was my darling neighbor who showed up with a bowl and a spoon looking for some Halloween chowder! I think I've started a new tradition in my house!
The recipe comes from a Land O' Lakes cookbook my sister-in-law got me years ago. The book falls open to this page! It is simple and delicious - no reason not to make some tonight!
Savory Bacon Potato Chowder
8 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch slices
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
My neighbor and I pooled our resources and handed out candy (me) and cute little bendy monsters and spider rings (Vykki). We enjoyed a glass of wine and I made a big ol' pot of potato chowder. Paired with some Dutch crunch dinner rolls we had a warm, cozy meal. And when her boys needed a break from trick-or-treating they stopped by for a bowl too.
We had a very polite bunch of costumed kids (and some parents) at our door! Little tiny princesses and Batmen to scary zombies and funny rodeo clowns. But I'd have to say my favorite trick-or-treater was my darling neighbor who showed up with a bowl and a spoon looking for some Halloween chowder! I think I've started a new tradition in my house!
The recipe comes from a Land O' Lakes cookbook my sister-in-law got me years ago. The book falls open to this page! It is simple and delicious - no reason not to make some tonight!
Savory Bacon Potato Chowder
8 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch slices
6 medium (2 cups) new red potatoes, cubed 1/2-inch
2 medium (1 cup) onions, chopped
1 cup Land O' Lakes sour cream
1 1/4 cups milk
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (8-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Cook bacon in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes; add potatoes and onions. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender (10 to 15 minutes).
Add all remaining ingredients. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until heated through (5 to 10 minutes).
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
One night stand with Willie Nelson
I mean, one nightstand with Willie Nelson! Grammar and spelling can make all the difference in the world. I'm going to keep this post short because I'm setting out tomorrow to write a novel in the month of November. I'm not kidding. www.nanowrimo.org
Happy Halloween!!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Happy Halloween!!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Hurricane Sandy
A couple of days ago I said I was pleased that my cousin had gone with my mother on her trip to Washington, DC for the Marine Corps Marathon. It is always more fun to travel with a good companion, but it turned out to be especially nice for my mother since Frankenstorm was bearing down on the eastern seaboard while they were there.
I've spoken with my mom and exchanged texts with my cousin. In spite of the very heavy rains and high wind they are safe and well provided for. Would I prefer that they be cozy and warm in their own homes? Of course! Am I grateful that they are safe where they are? Unbelievably so!
This has been quite an adventure for Mom, with or without the hurricane! She signed up for last years' event almost as a fluke. It is VERY difficult to get in because it sells out so quickly. And in spite of the fact that she was encountering problems with her very slow Internet connection, she got her entry and started training.
And then one morning while walking my brother's dog, she stepped off a curb and broke her ankle. She's a tough old gal, though, so she walked on it for two weeks before seeing a doctor. I swear nurses and doctors make the worst patients! The ankle took too long to heal so she had to defer her race entry until this year.
So she's been training like a champ...while working...while helping my sister while my niece had her brain tumor removed...while anxiously awaiting the arrival of my handsome new nephew.
The thing about the MCM is that they have strict time limits. For the safety of the runners and volunteers they have to cut people off who aren't making it to specific checkpoints in a certain amount of time. She made it to the 17 mile marker and was cut off. She is, of course, very disappointed that she was unable to finish because she felt great. (So great, in fact, that my cousin sent me a picture the following day of Mom on the treadmill.)
Mom is funny. She said this was going to be her last marathon. Her last "hoo rah" as it were. But a few short hours after she was cut off she tells me it is a must do event. She says it just so inspirational that the organizers and volunteers are all Marines and they cheer you on the entire time. In one breath she is saying that it is her last marathon...in her next she is saying how she will do it differently next time. At 72 Hurricane Sandy and a 26.2 mile run can't keep her down. I guess at 46 I have no reason not to run another marathon.
Any reader recommendations for which one I should run?!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
I've spoken with my mom and exchanged texts with my cousin. In spite of the very heavy rains and high wind they are safe and well provided for. Would I prefer that they be cozy and warm in their own homes? Of course! Am I grateful that they are safe where they are? Unbelievably so!
This has been quite an adventure for Mom, with or without the hurricane! She signed up for last years' event almost as a fluke. It is VERY difficult to get in because it sells out so quickly. And in spite of the fact that she was encountering problems with her very slow Internet connection, she got her entry and started training.
And then one morning while walking my brother's dog, she stepped off a curb and broke her ankle. She's a tough old gal, though, so she walked on it for two weeks before seeing a doctor. I swear nurses and doctors make the worst patients! The ankle took too long to heal so she had to defer her race entry until this year.
So she's been training like a champ...while working...while helping my sister while my niece had her brain tumor removed...while anxiously awaiting the arrival of my handsome new nephew.
The thing about the MCM is that they have strict time limits. For the safety of the runners and volunteers they have to cut people off who aren't making it to specific checkpoints in a certain amount of time. She made it to the 17 mile marker and was cut off. She is, of course, very disappointed that she was unable to finish because she felt great. (So great, in fact, that my cousin sent me a picture the following day of Mom on the treadmill.)
Mom is funny. She said this was going to be her last marathon. Her last "hoo rah" as it were. But a few short hours after she was cut off she tells me it is a must do event. She says it just so inspirational that the organizers and volunteers are all Marines and they cheer you on the entire time. In one breath she is saying that it is her last marathon...in her next she is saying how she will do it differently next time. At 72 Hurricane Sandy and a 26.2 mile run can't keep her down. I guess at 46 I have no reason not to run another marathon.
Any reader recommendations for which one I should run?!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Drag someone along
Friday evening I didn't know which was making me more nervous...the fact that my 72 year old mother was going to be running the Marine Corps Marathon Sunday or that I had just a few days of sanity before I jump in to the November National Novel Writing Month challenge.
And then I got a text message from my cousin Devera. She and my mom were finishing dinner at Union Station and have a good time. Knowing that my dear mother wasn't in a large, unfamiliar city by herself about to undertake a grueling physical effort with no support crew lifted a huge weight off my shoulders.
I was having wine, veggies, cheese and crackers with my neighbor Vykki and we'd been talking about, well, everything, because we're girls and hadn't seen each other in at least four whole days! NaNoWriMo came up in conversation...oddly as a tangent to a conversation about Halloween costumes. I was dressing up as a one night stand...I mean as one nightstand!...and needed a Harlequin-style bodice ripper. And when you talk about bodice rippers it is natural to talk about how simple it would be to write one. Ha! How we kid ourselves!
And because "a trouble shared is a trouble halved" I suckered Vykki into doing NaNoWriMo with me! We've asked some of our loved ones to submit opening lines, we'll pick one, and then both start our novel adventure with the same line. It should be interesting to see where the two stories end up! Let me know if you'd like to join us! Or if you have a great idea for an opening line!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
And then I got a text message from my cousin Devera. She and my mom were finishing dinner at Union Station and have a good time. Knowing that my dear mother wasn't in a large, unfamiliar city by herself about to undertake a grueling physical effort with no support crew lifted a huge weight off my shoulders.
Awesome mom before the Marine Corps Marathon.
I was having wine, veggies, cheese and crackers with my neighbor Vykki and we'd been talking about, well, everything, because we're girls and hadn't seen each other in at least four whole days! NaNoWriMo came up in conversation...oddly as a tangent to a conversation about Halloween costumes. I was dressing up as a one night stand...I mean as one nightstand!...and needed a Harlequin-style bodice ripper. And when you talk about bodice rippers it is natural to talk about how simple it would be to write one. Ha! How we kid ourselves!
And because "a trouble shared is a trouble halved" I suckered Vykki into doing NaNoWriMo with me! We've asked some of our loved ones to submit opening lines, we'll pick one, and then both start our novel adventure with the same line. It should be interesting to see where the two stories end up! Let me know if you'd like to join us! Or if you have a great idea for an opening line!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Thursday, October 25, 2012
KW Tacos
I have a lot of reasons to love my job at Keller Williams Group One Sparks - great clients, great agents, great brokers, great staff, and - this may come as a surprise - great food!
The folks I work with a wonderful cooks and someone is always bringing something delicious to share. We have luncheons and cookoffs and the variety is vast and tasty. Today we had a taco feed. Everyone signed up to bring various ingredients and then paid $5 per person with proceeds going to KW Cares - a public charity created to support Keller Williams Realty associates and their families with hardship as a result of a sudden emergency. Whether it be a single individual or an entire community such as those affected by the Colorado wildfires or the Missouri tornado KW Cares works to help their own.
At lunch today the chicken, beef, and pork tacos warmed our tummies; the companionship and support of a good cause warmed our hearts. Thank you Keller Williams for all you do to support your agents!
The aftermath:
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
The folks I work with a wonderful cooks and someone is always bringing something delicious to share. We have luncheons and cookoffs and the variety is vast and tasty. Today we had a taco feed. Everyone signed up to bring various ingredients and then paid $5 per person with proceeds going to KW Cares - a public charity created to support Keller Williams Realty associates and their families with hardship as a result of a sudden emergency. Whether it be a single individual or an entire community such as those affected by the Colorado wildfires or the Missouri tornado KW Cares works to help their own.
At lunch today the chicken, beef, and pork tacos warmed our tummies; the companionship and support of a good cause warmed our hearts. Thank you Keller Williams for all you do to support your agents!
The aftermath:
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Running In the Night
Running in the Night isn't just a song by Lionel Richie it is something I do when the days get shorter and shorter. I prefer not to and will do it only rarely by myself. I've got the treadmill and don't mind putting in the miles on that. But my husband hates it and so out the door we go with headlamps and reflective gear.
Last night as we prepared to do our 5.8 mile route he asked me how fast I'd do it. When I gave him my prediction he said, "You do realize, don't you, that that is 2 minutes faster than you did it a couple of days ago?" I said, "Yes, I realize it, but I'm fast in the cold and dark." He thought that was kind of funny but it is true. To a certain degree it is easier for me to run in the cool air because I don't love running in the heat and there are fewer pollens to interfere with my breathing. And when I'm running a little scared (yes, I'm still afraid of the dark) I go faster.
I tried to temper my goal and said, "Okay, I'll be one minute faster." I was one minute faster at the turn and almost always run a negative split on that course. And I did. I was two minutes and seventeen seconds faster than my previous run.
I take a small life lesson from this experience: Performing outside your comfort zone can often produce your best results.
Please feel free to share your comments about situations where you've also found that to be the case. I'd love to hear from you!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Last night as we prepared to do our 5.8 mile route he asked me how fast I'd do it. When I gave him my prediction he said, "You do realize, don't you, that that is 2 minutes faster than you did it a couple of days ago?" I said, "Yes, I realize it, but I'm fast in the cold and dark." He thought that was kind of funny but it is true. To a certain degree it is easier for me to run in the cool air because I don't love running in the heat and there are fewer pollens to interfere with my breathing. And when I'm running a little scared (yes, I'm still afraid of the dark) I go faster.
I tried to temper my goal and said, "Okay, I'll be one minute faster." I was one minute faster at the turn and almost always run a negative split on that course. And I did. I was two minutes and seventeen seconds faster than my previous run.
I take a small life lesson from this experience: Performing outside your comfort zone can often produce your best results.
Please feel free to share your comments about situations where you've also found that to be the case. I'd love to hear from you!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Market Report
I'm exhausted! I've been showing houses to three different families, working with a seller on an offer on their property, covering for an agent that is out of the office on her honeymoon (congratulations Melissa!), working on a food drive, and cheering like a madwoman for the SF Giants! So far everything is going fairly smoothly...but it all takes energy. And just when I think I can take a break I look at my calendar and realize I'm scheduled to run 5.8 miles tonight.
So rather than ramble on and on about all of that I thought I'd share some market information I got from my account executive at First Centennial Title. There are so many great people that pull together to make a real estate transaction happen and the folks at FCT are some of the best! Thank you Kris for this excellent information!
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
So rather than ramble on and on about all of that I thought I'd share some market information I got from my account executive at First Centennial Title. There are so many great people that pull together to make a real estate transaction happen and the folks at FCT are some of the best! Thank you Kris for this excellent information!
Monday, October 22, 2012
Rain in Reno
It rained here today. It was just for a short while but it was enough to convince me that autumn has officially arrived. I'm pretty sure it is my friend Sarah's fault. She and her family arrived on Wednesday last week and left on Sunday morning. The entire time she was here she reveled in the blue skies and warm weather that we were experiencing. Since she is from Seattle, Washington she's had her fill of gray, rainy, chilly weather.
Several hours after we dropped them at the airport we found a pair of sunglasses that belonged to Sarah or Damon. I sent her a message about them and she said that I might as well hang on to them since they sure don't have any sunshine.
The great Reno weather is a draw for a lot of people. But my friends were here because their adorable and brilliant son was interviewing with the Davidson Academy. This school for profoundly gifted students is housed at the University of Nevada Reno. I'd heard of the Academy previously, but I learned so much more about it after visiting with my friends about their experience that I couldn't begin to adequately describe it. It addresses the academic, emotional, physical, and social needs of these phenomenally bright children. The requirements to get in are very strict and the school is not for everyone...but it is so wonderful to know that this great city has such an amazing offering.
So while Sarah may have left me with some gray skies and rain, she also left me with the warm memories of time spent with good friends and information about a school that, for those who qualify, is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. If you think you know of a child that could benefit from this program, give me a call and I'll share with you what I know.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
Several hours after we dropped them at the airport we found a pair of sunglasses that belonged to Sarah or Damon. I sent her a message about them and she said that I might as well hang on to them since they sure don't have any sunshine.
The great Reno weather is a draw for a lot of people. But my friends were here because their adorable and brilliant son was interviewing with the Davidson Academy. This school for profoundly gifted students is housed at the University of Nevada Reno. I'd heard of the Academy previously, but I learned so much more about it after visiting with my friends about their experience that I couldn't begin to adequately describe it. It addresses the academic, emotional, physical, and social needs of these phenomenally bright children. The requirements to get in are very strict and the school is not for everyone...but it is so wonderful to know that this great city has such an amazing offering.
So while Sarah may have left me with some gray skies and rain, she also left me with the warm memories of time spent with good friends and information about a school that, for those who qualify, is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. If you think you know of a child that could benefit from this program, give me a call and I'll share with you what I know.
www.jerianne.rnohomes.com
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