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Copyright Betty Jung 2009
It’s the day after Christmas and you find yourself with lots of used gift wrap from all those presents that were under the tree. Most recyclers won’t accept it curb-side. Now what to do with it all? Here are some tips from KGW’s blog and Metro.
I found these tips on the Real Simple magazine’s blog. Here are 15 tips to recycle your Christmas gift wrap:
15 Ways To Recycle Wrapping Paper
- Shred it and use as pretty packing material for future gifts or to pack those eBay sales you plan to make during the new year.
- Use it for paper crafts with the kids, children can do wonders with left over paper.
- Create book covers for ones that you may want to disguise… I’m not referring to Rudolph-themed papers, but the non-holiday themed papers you may have used like these Indian papers which can look so beautiful around a few select books in your office adding pattern and color.
- Cover craft boxes using a thin coat of polyvinyl acetate glue to secure the paper to the box. Paper Source makes a PVA glue that I swear by. While you’re at it, cover shoe boxes too!
- You can also cover paper magazine holders…
- Or a pencil holder!
- Create sewing patterns by drawing your design on the white side and cut.
- Line the cat’s litter box! Really!
- Use it for shelf paper in your pantry or closet.
- Line your dresser drawers.
- Decoupage a chair seat, top of a stool, or the front of a dresser for instance.
- Use a craft punch in either a square or round shape and stick the shape to a piece of card stock in the same shape for firmness, then stick another to the opposite side. Use a hole punch to add a hole towards the top of your shape and put ribbon or string through the hole and tie it onto future gifts or to label foods or craft supplies in your home.
- Frame your favorite pieces as works of art.
- Decoupage a flower pot.
- Lay your favorite pattern beneath a sheet of glass on your desk or coffee table to add color and/or pattern to your room.
If you want to recycle the wrinkled papers left over from presents but feel like all hope is lost — it’s not. Remove all tape and on a flat surface, use your hands to smooth out the paper. Then cut the torn edges off so that you have a rectangular or square piece. You can then set your iron on a very low heat setting and iron the paper on the white side. Of course, please exercise caution — recycling wrapping paper is the goal, not burning down your home!
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative 
Works 3.0 Unported License. © Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws. Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Portland
Today is my “just fun” day. The day I write about nonsense, off the wall things, or anything and everything other than real estate that strikes me.
Art has always been an interest of mine. However, inasmuch as I can’t draw a straight line, I am envious of those who not only can paint masterpieces but frankly can paint at all. People have told me you don’t need to be able to draw a straight line and that anyone can draw. I’ve never even tried so I don’t know if there is an “artist” in me or not.
Van Gogh
Technology has helped us discover new things. On a PBS TV show I saw they have been x-raying the Sistine Chapel now for years and have found other works of art and secrets from Michelangelo underneath the existing frescoes hidden for centuries. I also read on the Internet that Van Gogh did the same thing. They have been finding, via new technologies and x-ray vision, different works of art that exist underneath Van Gogh canvases. And, they’re finding DaVinci paintings behind other paintings that museum curators didn’t know were there.
These artists that were geniuses have works hidden that would never have been enjoyed except for technology. It’s like writing a musical composition that no one can hear, or a poem that no one will read. It is a pity that these amazing works would never have been viewed by the naked eye.
When I was in high school, the boys looking cool with sunglasses used to tease us girls saying they could see through our clothing. We’d giggle and run away believing them.
Holiday travel season is in full swing and airports now have that type of technology that can do exactly that – see through our clothing! I saw on the local news where airports using that imaging will disguise your face so they can’t see who it is they are looking at. Gee, that makes me feel better….! And if that isn’t enough, they now have technology that can read our minds…..
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. © Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws. Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Portland
Willamette Shore Trolley Website
All Aboard! The Willamette Shore Trolley is about to commence their Christmas schedule. Ride the rails from Lake Oswego to Portland, along the banks of the Willamette River, with a stop in Johns Landing to view the Christmas ships parading up and down the river. Call to make reservations (503) 697-7436.
‘The Willamette Shore Trolley has been providing scenic trolley rides on a 6-mile section of historic rail line between Lake Oswego and Portland, Oregon since 1987 and is operated by volunteer members of the Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society (a not-for-profit Oregon Corporation. 501c3).
Ride our authentic antique trolley car along the shore of the Willamette River. During your journey you’ll ride through parks, by stately mansions, over several bridges, including the 686 foot Riverwood Trestle, and through the 1400′ Elk Rock Tunnel.
The line was opened for service from Oswego (now Lake Oswego) to Portland on July 4th, 1887 as a narrow gauge steam railroad known as the Portland and Willamette Valley Railroad.
It was later purchased by the Southern Pacific and standard-gauged around the turn of the century.”
I’ve taken this trip and it is a fun way to celebrate the holidays with the entire family, out-of-towners and the children. It also runs during the summer months and I’ve never done that. Next summer I’ll take that trip to take some pictures along the way.
Source: Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. © Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws. Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Portland
This past weekend, because it’s Thanksgiving week, I posted a picture of a former 1890s church in Lake Oswego on my photo blog. Check it out if you haven’t seen it – Lake Oswego Living.A Photo Blog. Last year I wrote a “serious” post on Thanksgiving so I posted a serious picture on my photo blog this year instead. I know we all have a lot to be thankful for, but I thought I’d lighten up a bit this Thanksgiving.
If you’re stting around waiting for the turkey dinner to get done, or if you’ve eaten and you just can’t get up off that sofa because you ate too much, here’s a link for some things to do with the kids.
Or see if you can help the Mayflower find America in the maze below:
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. © Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws. Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
KISMIF:
Keep It Simple, Make It Fun! Let this be your Halloween motto.
Just because we try and make Halloween night safe and nutritious, doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. The costumes, the party, and your own antics help make it fun. In fact, kids like to see parents lighten up and act like kids again. As long as you weave in safety rules with fun, children both accept it and expect it. Consider these safety issues:
- Masks and hoods can obscure the view of oncoming traffic, and in the midst of all the excitement your impulsive little ghosts and goblins may not be as attentive as they should be to what’s going on around them. Insist on the pack staying together. Don’t allow children to wonder off on their own to various houses or rush on ahead.
- Be vigilant when crossing streets in neighborhoods. Children must travel with buddies, older friends, or parents. If you’re the designated adult trick-or-treater, why not dress up and have fun? Older trick-or-treaters may be more inclined to accept a chaperon who’s dressed for the occasion.
- Walk on sidewalks instead of the street.
- Stand outside the home that your child visits. If your children are
invited inside the house, go with them.
- Bring a flashlight.
- Give your child a cell phone, if possible.
- Use reflective tape on costumes if they’re walking along dark streets.
- Wear comfortable shoes.
- Costumes should not be so long that children can trip on them.
- Make sure masks are easy to see and breathe through.
- Teach burn protection: tell children not to touch flaming jack-o-lanterns. If possible, use flame-retardant costumes and review the stop-drop-roll burn prevention with your child in case the costume catches fire.
- Use non-toxic face paints.
Source: Tips from Dr. Sears on how to Trick-or-Treat Safely.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. © Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws. Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Portland
Does all this new social media have you confused and guessing about what everything means?
All the vocabulary is different, its uses are different and now comes word that a “poke” is a form of harassment. Who would’ve thought? Wasn’t a poke considered fun? I always thought a poke was a nudge, a friendly reminder, just a simple gesture, the elbow in the rib’s kind of thing or a thumbs up. Or, maybe its meaning is more like a “poke in the eye” because now you can go to jail and it’s considered harassment. According to Webster’s Dictionary a poke is:
poke (verb) : to send an electronic message intended as a reminder, salutation, or flirtation
When I started posting to Facebook, I admit I poked someone. I thought it was in jest, just a friendly nudge. I don’t even remember who I poked, but I thought it would be fun to say, “Hey, I’m here, just wanted to say hi, give you a wink, or just a reminder”. Never did I even consider it to be a bad thing or form of harassment. Who knew it wasn’t a good thing? There was no manual that came with Facebook. Who are the people who come up with this?
Conclusion
It all comes down to being as careful on-line as you are in public or face-to-face. Perhaps there are some people taking Facebook and Twitter all too seriously? However, now that I know, I guess I won’t be ”poking” anyone any more.
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Once Fall is here, it seems the year is almost over because the next several months seem to whizz past us so 
quickly. However, Halloween comes first and is just around the corner. Since Monday’s are my “fun” day, here are some tricks and treats for you. Also, check out some of my past posts:
- Halloween and Haunted Houses (2008)
- Fall Festivals and Events (2008)
- Pumpkin Patches (2008)
- All-Hollows Eve (2008)
There is lots of concern and talk these days about living “green” – reduce, reuse and recycle. Therefore, to help make your Halloween green, here are some tips:
- Buy organic and local. Visit one of the many pumpkin patches I wrote about last year on this blog. After Halloween, break your pumpkins or gourds into pieces and place them in the woods or a field far away from your house to feed deer or other animals providing them with their own Halloween treat of seeds and pumpkin flesh. Or, dry the pumpkin seeds for the bird feeder.
- If you purchase bales of hay to decorate your porch, buy barley hay which can later be composted and used as mulch for your garden or flower beds.
- There have been dentists in our area who buy back unused candy to avoid trips later to their dentist. Or, Wheels on Meals and children’s charities appreciate donations of unused and unopened candy. You can also crush hard candy and use them as toppings on your Christmas cookie dough before baking or as dessert toppings.
- Reuse old clothes from around the house for costumes. Here’s some tips for “green” costumes. If you’re out of time and need a last minute costume, here are some ideas for eco-friendly costumes.
- Donate any costumes to children’s hospitals or any number of charities.
- Instead of purchasing a plastic container or plastic pumpkin to collect those goodies, craft a treat bag by sewing a drawstring on old pillowcases and let the kids decorate them with non-toxic markers or paints instead. Or let the kids decorate brown paper bags you’ve recycled.
- Bake cupcakes without paper muffin cups or make other healthy snacks or treats and make your own goody bags with the kids and especially include Monster Toes!
- Use nature’s bounty for decorations utilizing Fall leaves, hay bales, corn stalks and more of the pumpkins,gourds and apples. Make old- fashioned candy apples as the treats. Help the kids make a scarecrow, or two.
- Craft – Buy or make decorations that can be reused. There are many outlet stores locally where you can buy inexpensive items and decorate further for Halloween to make them look like something out of a magazine.
- Check out this website – Green Halloween - for more eco-friendly ideas.
- There’s an eco-friendly website that lists “green” crafts, projects for Halloween.
- Recycle items from around the house. Use old milk bottles and use as luminaries to light your walkway or cut off the top and use as a plastic bucket for the treats. Use egg cartons to create decorations like this bat.
- When buying treats, buy in bulk or products with limited packaging. Or, better yet give non-food treats like funky pens or pencils.
- You can also reuse a brown paper bag by crafting items that can be reused later for other purposes like this grocery bag.
- Don’t litter with left-over candy wrappers, figure out a craft project to use up all the wrappers. While in Hawaii last year, there was a cart in the local shopping mall that had purses and other accessories all made out of recycled candy wrappers, juice containers, etc. that they were selling.
- Walk, don’t drive to neighborhoods for trick-or-treating. Better yet, have a masquerade party for the kids.
- Trade decorations or costumes with the neighbors or family. Get more mileage out of what either you or they already have.
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
There’s a lot going on in the world of real estate and some good news for housing; but, since this is my blog, I am taking a day off from stats, first-time home buyers, tax credits, the latest S&P/Case-Shiller report, Ben Bernanke, the economy and the like. Today I am on overload and seem to have a need to write about something silly. This is even the first post I have uploaded from my BlackBerry® instead of writing on my computer.
Speaking of writing, school is starting soon and every student will no doubt have a pencil, make that a No.2 pencil, in their school supplies. Have you ever wondered why a pencil is yellow? Or who in fact invented what we use on an almost daily basis without much thought?
From Pencils.com comes this information:
- The pencil has been mass produced for more than 400 years.
- The first pencils were created in Germany from graphite wrapped in string.
- American cabinetmaker William Monroe helped create the first machine-cut pencils in the 1800s.
- John Steinbeck used 300 pencils to write “East of Eden”.
- Unpainted pencils were stylish in the 1800s, showing off fancy wood casings.
- What does the No. 2 mean on a pencil? It refers to the lead’s softness.
- Why are pencils yellow? China, which produces superb graphite, associates yellow with respect. Thus, to honor the Chinese, pencils were shaded in yellow.
Now you know probably more than you wanted to know about pencils. We’ve come a long way since the 1800s but we are still using the No. 2 in spite of computers, BlackBerry®’s and all the other gadgets available to us.
Thanks for indulging me today, as it’s already been a very long week. Enjoy your last dog days of summer. Back to real estate tomorrow…..
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
I know how everyone gets excited here in Oregon about the Beavers and the Ducks. Here’s the up-coming schedule for both:
Enjoy!
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
At some point this summer you’ll hear “Mom, I’m bored”. There’s lots and lots to do in our town during the summer months and 
hopefully the weather will soon cooperate. Here’s a list of events and activities that I have prepared. Check my “Around Town” or “For The Kids” categories as well. Of course, this isn’t even a complete list of things to do….I’m sure the Mom’s out there can think of more.
- Here’s the City of Portland’s new website that includes summer “free” events for children.
For additional activities here are some more ideas:
- I was snooping on-line the other evening and came across another interactive website that is great for kids. Dreamworks‘ Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron not only is a great video and movie clip but it also has puzzles, games and other activities for the children to enjoy. It was fun just watching the video clip.
- There are lots of jurisdictions that have their Movies in the Park series this summer. Here’s the City of Portland’s Parks and Recreation 2009 Movies in the Park schedule.
- There are the obvious spots locally for fun such as the Children’s Museum, Oregon Zoo, OMSI, Enchanted Forest, NW Children’s Theater, Newport Aquarium, Oaks Park, or use this finder to locate a park near you in Portland.
- Festival of the Arts in Lake Oswego has a Kids’ Day gymnastics exhibition, puppet theatre and more.
- Take a bike ride on Portland’s waterfront along the Willamette River or take one of the “Five Great Bike Rides” . There are also community bike rides like “Bike Beaverton”.
- Go on a hike through Forest Park or visit the Hoyt Arboretum’s “Living Classroom” for adults and kids.
- There are also Free “Learn to Swim” sessions at all Portland Parks and Recreation Pools. Visit a Portland Parks and Recreation swimming pool. Swimming Pools are open in Portland. Also, Portland has a new website of “Free” Things to do this summer – Here’s the info. Take a nature walk or have a picnic! Here’s a list of urban hikes around Portland.
- Attend one of the Portland Historic Races (free for ages 12 and under) at the Portland International Raceway
- The Audubon Society has bird-watching/walks. Introduce them to Oregon’s varied wildlife and bird population
- Visit a local Fire Station near you. Learn CPR and what it takes to be a Firefighter and how they stay in shape.
- Learn how to roller skate at Oaks Park.
- Go berry picking at any of the area’s farms and orchards. Check out Oregon’s Tri-County Farm Guide for local u-picks.
- Spend time at Tryon State Park and learn about nature with your kids.
- There are lots of different cultures living in Oregon. Attend one of the many different cultural festivals this summer with your children, perhaps learning a different language would be something they’d be interested in. There are many different places to learn a new language. For example in Portland we have the French American School, the German American School just to name two.
- Visit the Oregon Humane Society’s Shelter
- There are many State parks to visit as well. Take a bike ride, go camping or fishing.
- Go to any of the City libraries to attend story-time readings, craft programs, book discussion groups, book clubs, etc. Here is Lake Oswego’s Library website.
- Teens can volunteer and be a part of the Teen Service Corps or the ASAP Service Club to volunteer for projects throughout the City or state such as the one in Lake Oswego.
- Home Depot has clinics for kids that allow them to build something on their own and Lowe’s has a “Build and Grow” series for children as well that have two coming up to build either a Father’s Day gift or pirate ship!
- Help build a community garden or start a garden at home. Or there’s a Junior Master Gardener program to learn more about gardening and growing your own food. Lake Oswego has on-going programs at Luscher Farms. Be a farm hand or volunteer at the Children’s Garden at Lusher Farms in Lake Oswego. Here’s a calendar or 503-638-0376
- Go on a day trip. Here are books that have lots of ideas.
- Learning a new sport – golf, tennis, archery, horse riding, basketball, soccer, baseball, bowling, etc. There are local city agencies, parks and private clubs throughout Portland that have classes and sport clinics available. Portland Rock Gym has kids’ camps and climbing activities or join a sports league. There are many drop-in gyms around town as well.
- There are skate parks throughout Portland. Here’s the information on the Lake Oswego Skate Park @ the corner of Willow and Pilkington. They have “Learn-to-Skate Nights”.
- Take them to our State’s Capitol in Salem to learn about our government or to City Hall in Portland.
- Many July 4th celebrations throughout the state have parades where children decorate bikes, wagons, strollers and bring their pets. Lake Oswego has a Star Spangled Celebration – July 4 and kids can do the same.
- Join a 4-H Club in Lake Oswego or Portland.
- There are numerous camps through churches, parks, day care, schools, etc. There’s even an Entrepreneur Camp in Lake Oswego. Here’s where you can find a day camp or sports camp in Portland and Lake Oswego, Tigard, West Linn or throughout Oregon.
- Get them moving with a fitness class, dance, martial arts, ballet, fencing. Lake Oswego has many such classes for children as does the Multnomah Arts Center and the City of Portland Parks and Recreation Department as well as all the other cities throughout Oregon. Awaken their creativity and introduce them to art through a painting class, theatre, writing, photography, sculpting, or other art. Multnomah Arts Center for one has a great classes but there are many others throughout Portland. Or, have them take music lessons – piano, clarinet, violin, guitar, trumpet, saxophone are just some examples.
- Start a collection. They can learn about collecting stamps, coins, old toys, train sets, dolls, board games, etc.
- Use your backyard as a vacation-get-away. Build a horseshoe pit, play whiffle ball, throw a frisbee, set up badminton, use the hose for slippy slides, play darts, or just set up a tent or hammock where they can relax. If you have room, what about building a tree house?
- Earn some extra cash by walking a neighbor’s dog, tutoring, picking up their mail or newspaper, weeding an elderly person’s yard or there’s always that favorite lemonade stand.
- Have an all day cooking class for the kids, or bake some cookies if it isn’t too hot outside. Start a family cookbook.
- There are all sorts of hobbies the kids can start such as rock hounding, fishing, crabbing, crafts. Read my Rice NW Museum post or go to Richardson’s Recreational Ranch’s website for rock hounding. Or visit the many museums around town. Learn about the history of Portland, the Oregon Trail or Oregon.
- Play board games, learn to play chess – scrabble, etc. or introduce them to some vintage games.
- Second Annual Maritime Heritage Festival. A water parade, water skiing demonstrations. 3-day festival in July at Riverplace Marina & Docks
- Sherwood Robin Hood Festival – Renaissance faire, parade and family activities. (www.robinhoodfestival.com)
- West Linn Old Time Fair. Parade, Games, activities.
- Washington County Fair and Rodeo. Truck pull, pro rodeo, farm animals. (www.faircomplex.com)
- Tualatin Crawfish Festival. Parade. Dog show. Food. Crafts. August
- Party in the Park. THPRD Recreation Complex in Beaverton. 158th and Walker. Music, Kids’ Arts and Crafts, Climbing Wall, Inflatable play structures and Beaverton Police K-9 Unit. (www.thprd.org)
- Beaverton Parade and Old Town Festival. Marching bands, free prices. (www.beavertonoregon.gov)
- The Great Onion Festival. Onion eating contest. Kids’ games. (www.sherwoodchamber.org)
- Wilsonville Festival of Arts: Art on the Town. Free events for the entire family. (www.wilsonvillearts.org)
- Picnics in the park in July. Flicks by the Fountain all summer long and Last Tuesdays (music) in the Round all summer long. (www.BeavertonOregon.gov)
- Head to the Coast! There’s so much to do there I can’t list everything. Just one example, see how cheese is made and sample free cheese at the Tillamook Cheese Factory 503-815-1300.
- Catch the Willamette Shore Trolly in downtown Lake Oswego. Go cruising along the Willamette River.
- Cool off at one of the many fountains in downtown Portland.
- Go on a road trip and visit the covered bridges still remaining throughout Oregon
Oregon is rich with activities for children. The above should keep them busy for more than just one Summer!! And there’s even more to do around town. Check out Travel Oregon for more ideas.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. © Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws. Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Portland
Melina Tomson in Salem, Oregon wrote a charming poem having to do with buying real estate. Since today’s Monday and my “fun day”, I thought I would do something different for a change of pace and post it today . It’s her original composition so please don’t copy or post it without her permission. Remember those copyright laws! My thanks to Melina for giving me permission to post it here.
That House For Me© 2009 by Melina Tomson, Tomson Burnham, LLC, Realtor® Salem, Oregon:
That house for me, that house for me
I cannot find that house for me.
Would you like it
here or there?
I would not like it on that lot.
I would not like it in that spot.
I do not like that house for me.
I do not like it can’t you see?
Would you like it really old? Would you like it plated gold?
Not really old.
Not plated gold..
I do not like that house for me.
I do not like it can’t you see?
Would you? Could you?
fix it up?
I would not , could not, fix it up
I do not like it with that tile.
I do not like that compost pile.
I do not like it with some mold
I do not like it painted bold.
I do not like it with lead paint
I do not like it “somewhat” quaint.
I do not like it with a leak.
I do not like it with that peak.
I do not like that house for me.
I do not like it can’t you see?
You may like it with a well?
I do not like it with a well.
I do not like it with that smell.
I do not like this house for me.
I do not like it, can’t you see?
A short! A short!
A short! A short!
Could you, would you
try a short?
Not a short sale! Nothing that’s “stale”!
I would not, could not, by a school.
I could not, would not, with a pool.
I will not buy one at that price.
I will not buy it once or twice
I do not like it with small trees.
I do not like H-OA fees.
I do not like this house for me.
I do not like it, can’t you see?
Say!
On the creek?
Here on the creek!
Would you, could you, on the creek?
I would not, could not, on the creek.
Would you, could you, with this plan?
I would not, could not, buy that plan.
Not on the creek. Not with that plan.
Not on that street. Not painted tan.
I do not like this house for me.
I do not like it, can’t you see?
You do not like them. So you say.
Let’s look! Let’s look! And you may.
Let’s look and you may, I say.
Say! I like that house for me!
I do! I like it can’t you see!
And I do like it painted blue.
And I do like it with that hue.
And I do like it with that door.
And with that roof.. And with that floor.
And with that pond. And with that tree..
It is so perfect, so perfect you see!
So I do like it on that street.
And I do like forced air heat.
And I do like it near that park.
And I do like that birch tree bark.
And I do like the RV pad
And I do like the price it had.
And I will buy this home right now.
If you will just teach me how.
I do so like that house you see.
Thank you!
Thank you, a home for me.
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
In honor of Veterans and the sacrifices they have made on our behalf to protect the freedoms our great country enjoys daily, last year I wrote a more serious post on this Memorial Day. However, this year I decided to do 
something more fun. This post is not meant to minimize the importance of today and all those who have made contributions to protect us. We thank you.
Many people are hitting the road this holiday to get outdoors, go camping, listen to concerts, shop at the farmers markets, and of course attend our Rose Festival that is currently in full swing. I read the post below late the other evening, had a good laugh and wanted to share it.
When I lived in California and of course here in Oregon, I’ve done a lot of camping. Among those camp sites in California my favorite place was Devil’s Postpile in Yosemite National Park. Once we did have a run in with a bear. Thankfully nothing serious happened nor was the experience as funny as what these Realtors® encountered while actually selling real estate. I’ve never, gratefully, come face-to-face with a bear while selling real estate. Enjoy your Memorial Day holiday and these real-life Realtor® stories. They come from Agentgenius.com and Gwen Banta. Watch out for those bears!
Recently I have heard some hilarious tales of wild animal capers at open house events. Many of these anecdotes come from my agent friends in Lake Arrowhead. And you thought YOU had problems…
Easy Rider
I’m told there are bear travel routes at Lake Arrowhead. I’m not sure if there are biker bars for the critters to hang out and knock back brewskis, but the routes are detours created by the animals themselves as they cruise around the mountains. As a result, there are many bear sightings in the area.
An agent I know was with a client when they parked at the cabin she had just listed. As they approached the porch, they glanced at the pickup truck parked in the driveway and were delighted to see a baby bear asleep in the flatbed.
They observed the little guy for a short time, ooh-ing and ah-ing and discussing whom to call. Duh. Suddenly the answer came to them…in the form of a shadow the size of the Statue of Liberty. Paralyzed with fear, they tried not to move a muscle. Finally, when the words “main course” permeated their individual skulls, they turned on cue and walked slo-o-o-ly to the front porch. They managed to get inside without losing any limbs, but not before the frantic client had wet her pants. After the bears eventually left, the hapless women departed. The agent was shaking uncontrollably, and the client had to sit on a towel all the way home.
(Moral of the story: Ya’ know how you just want to pick up a little bear and cuddle it? Well Mama Bear wants to cuddle you, too…and then crack your head open, rip out your eyeballs with claws the size of hedge clippers, and then suck the meat off your skinny little flailing legs…accompanied by a fine Pinot Noir of course. So avoid even baby bears, fool!)
Bears Need To Relax, Too
One agent had seen bears in the area of his listing and had dutifully informed his clients. While preparing for Brokers Open, he set a bag of dog food on the back porch in his efforts to tidy the kitchen. Halfway through caravan, there was pandemonium in the back forty. When he and several agents ran outside to investigate the chaos, they saw the dog food scattered everywhere.
As the agent stooped to retrieve the bag, he looked across the yard. To his shock, a brown bear was splashing lazily in the spa right under the hand-crafted “Don’t Piss In Pool ” sign. The group high-tailed it inside, barricaded the doors, and armed themselves with whatever they could grab. The agent had to scream out the window at any latecomers, warning them to get outta Dodge, while everyone already there remained holed up in the house until animal control arrived.
When Animal Control finally burst in, they admonished the agent for a lapse in judgment, but only after they had a good laugh. It seems that one guy was brandishing a fireplace poker as a weapon, and the listing agent was armed with a lovely umbrella. The agent was very embarrassed, but the worst insult was the floater left in the spa by the annoyed bear.
(Moral of the story: If you are on a bear route, never place Dog Food outside unless the bears on your route are Harvard grads and can read the words “Dog Food,” and “Don’t Piss in Pool.” Less educated bears may think the sign says “After enjoying the bear bidet…please help yourself to the squealing agents huddled inside and screaming like girly-men.”)
Let’s Not Forget the Raccoons
This story was enough to make me stop serving food outside. An agent had set up a lovely luncheon at a house near the lake. Out of nowhere, there was a blur of action on the hillside. A raccoon scampered down the hill, a barking dog with a beer belly close at its heels. The raccoon ran around the trash bins and then took shelter in a tight space behind the pool equipment. The determined dog apparently had gone to a Tony Robbins seminar and did not know the meaning of giving up. He did everything possible to get the raccoon to expose himself (so to speak). However, the wily raccoon, while less educated, had street smarts and was waiting for his posse to show up and ice the dog.
Enter the agent. Upset by the ear-splitting chaos, the agent grabbed a utensil and a metal dish and created a cacophony of noise, hoping to scare off the intruders. It worked. Sort of. The raccoon screeched, tore out of his hiding place, and for a split second in time, he stared down the source of the mind-numbing noise. Finally he headed for elevation…the luncheon table being the nearest high spot. The portly dog was too fat to jump onto the table, so he tried to claw his way up the table cloth. The agent, frantically banging her bowl, watched helplessly as inch by inch the entire spread headed south in slow motion. The food explosion was followed immediately by the sound of the table collapsing. The last she saw of the quiche-covered dog or the crazed raccoon was a departing blur back up the hillside. She gave up and threw the bowl in disgust before collapsing in tears.
(Moral to the Story: If you’re going to Bang a Gong, know your audience, Wang Chung!)
And This One is For The Birds
Picture a lovely summer day in California. French doors were open wide, flowers were in bloom, and the agent was preparing for the first Public Open House. Suddenly a Blue Jay flew into the living room and became disoriented. Confused and frazzled, the feathered intruder attempted to fly out via the skylights. After being thwarted in its numerous attempts to escape, the bird landed on a beam to rest. The agent, also confused and frazzled, decided to deal with the party crasher after the open house was over.
Enter the public. As the agent showed the house and gave her pitch, a menacing kid turned on a screeching musical toy that set off the downfall of society. The bird, already confused and excited, began to circle overhead frantically seeking an exit. As the voices of the startled group melded into a chorus of screams, the bird responded back in kind…by crapping all over the well-appointed living room. The more the visitors screamed, the more the bird emptied the contents of his well-stocked bowels. By the time the agent managed to herd everyone out, the seller’s furniture was upholstered in cottage cheese. The bird remained for several hours more, no doubt taking photos and texting his friends.
(Moral of the Story: If a bird crashes your party, call the wily raccoon to chase the feathered interloper outside. Then call the dog in as an enforcer to offer the raccoon a deal he can’t refuse. Then hire the bear to scare the beejeesus out of the wiseguy dog. Then call animal control to drag the bear away after he uses your spa as a bidet, but before he gets out his dining utensils and slaps you onto a plate. After that, call all the agents who called you “fool” and invite them to a party in the spa…and leave the floater.)
And a Short One For the Road
Did you hear about the German Shepherd who knocked down the agent’s tent sign and relieved himself all over it as the caravan was arriving? I actually witnessed the performance…and the two curtain calls.
(Moral of the Story: It seems everyone is a critic. Go do the same thing in his bowl – that will teach him to be a bit less judgmental next time.)
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
No, I didn’t win the lottery, but it sure felt like it. 
Since it’s Monday and my Fun Day, I thought I’d share something that recently happened to me. You hear about those people showing up on your door step with a check in hand with money you had no idea you had coming to you. You hear about it on the news too and there have been reports saying there’s lots of unclaimed property in the State’s coffers. Well, it happened to me. No, Ed McMahon didn’t show up at my front door with a check and I wasn’t on the evening news, but it could have happened.
About a year and a half ago, I was notified by the State of Oregon’s Unclaimed Property Division that I had unclaimed property at the State and it had been there for 13 years. At first, I thought it was a scam and didn’t do anything about it. Then, I checked on line and sure enough my name was listed but it didn’t say what it was, where it came from or how much. Again, I let it sit for a while but eventually called them because my curiosity got the better of me. I had absolutely no reason to believe I had any unclaimed property. It couldn’t possibly be me. Besides, I’d be the first in line if that were the case. However, it was true.
Perhaps you have some money or property that you don’t even know you have just waiting for you. Here’s the link to check on it for Oregon and other states. Just remember, when you get that “big” check, we’re related aren’t we?
Now I need to see if the other states I’ve lived in have anything for me……I need a new car.
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Every year on this day I think of someone. It happened on my first “real” job. My first adult job. I was naiive, very gullible, yet eager to 
learn and conscientious.
My new boss one day kept asking if Loof Lirpa had called. It started out casually then as the day wore on, he asked me constantly if Mr. Lirpa had called him and had left him a message. I kept insisting that Loof Lirpa had not called. He started to become somewhat agitated with me and because I was so “green”, I almost started taking it personally.
The day ended and Mr. Loof Lirpa still hadn’t called my boss. Increasingly I started getting concerned. Right before I left for the evening, I went into my boss’ office, apologized and explained to him that I was certain Mr. Loof Lirpa had not called him. At that time, he started laughing and said “No, indeed Loof Lirpa had not called him and APRIL FOOL!”.
If you hadn’t figured it out by now – Loof Lirpa is April Fool spelled backwards and he sure got a kick out of fooling me. I’ve never forgotten that or him.
HAPPY APRIL FOOL’S DAY!
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Today’s Monday and my “fun” day so I thought I’d share this.
We’re all unique – well aren’t we? Years ago on a 20/20 segment on T.V., there was a lady with a common last name. 
She went on a quest to meet every single person with her exact name. Turns out there were 100’s of women that had her identical name. From all races, all cultures, all walks of life, she went across the U.S. and met each and every one of them.
I’ve often thought there couldn’t be anyone else with my name. It’s not that my name is so ordinary. However, I’ve read obituaries 3 times of people with my exact name in our local Oregonian newspaper just here in Portland. Once in fact, one of my clients called to see if all was well with me as she had read the same obituary. Another time, I received a bank statement with my name on it, and my nephew’s name on it from the bank where I had an account. Turns out, it wasn’t me at all. How odd that not only would someone have the exact name as I did but who’s relative also had the exact same name as my nephew. At one time, I had an out-of-state bank account, made a deposit, and the bank had put the money in another person’s account instead who – you guessed it – had my exact name.
With the Internet, it is much easier now to search. Going on line, there are lots of women with my name. There have been times I’ve searched friends’ names as well and invariably, each and every time, no matter how unusual or how “average” their name is, there are always lots of people with identical names. I have a friend who has a unique spelling of her first name. At a local video rental store she returned a rental on its due date and then later was assessed a late fee. Turns out there was another customer not only with her name but the exact unusual spelling.
Frankly, I find all that to be odd. I’ve always remembered that show because I’ve always thought we were “unique” and “special”. I’ve always thought we were like snowflakes, each an individual. How many people have your name? If you search Google™, chances are good you’ll find more than one of you. Isn’t that odd?
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
During the last several months, many Portlanders had their “fill” of all the snow and cold weather, including me. The groundhog saw his shadow so we have a couple more months of winter. And, our weatherman said that we’ve had 16 days (a record) of snow on the ground. Typically, our winters are somewhat mild, but not this year. Some have blamed our arctic blast on global warming. Yet, while it seems that our winter was colder this year, climatologists are saying we’re getting warmer. Proof, even the birds are flying north for the winter rather than going south. However, I was “dreamin” of places to go that were nice and warm while looking at our 18″ of snow recently. Didn’t those birds see our snow as they were flying north? What’s up with that?
AARP has a Location Scout Program where you can plug in your ideal amenities and conditions. A pop up screen suggests places you could move to that would suit your desires and/or needs. So just for fun, I used that program to see where I could or should go “according to AARP”. I’m not wanting to move or leave Portland, however it has been tempting this winter.
Here are the locations their Location Scout suggested I move to:
|
1. Honolulu, HI |
Funny, the locations for the most part are all in California where I originally moved from including one spot in Hawaii. Guess I was “California ‘dreamin” or should I say dreaming for some sun. If nothing else, I’m certainly ready for Spring.
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Mondays are my “light” posting days. Usually over the weekends I do stats and that can get pretty depressing some times and boring to some so I like to follow some of that with silly, funny or light posts.
During the inauguration of President Obama I had to laugh. I found out we (the President and I) have 3 things in common: 1) we are both addicted to our BlackBerry™ 2) He’s a “south paw” just like I am and 3) we are both night owls.
Ever since childhood, I’ve been a “night owl”. Growing up in an old house, my bedroom was super small but I happened to have a walk-in closet. I would sneak into the closet and read with the light on and my parents never knew I had stayed up all night. No one could wake me in the morning, however, to get me to school on time.
It hasn’t changed. I’m still that night owl only now my computer has become the books I used to read. That’s why blogging is so great for me to do, because I usually blog late at night, in a relaxed setting.
I read on Yahoo!® night-owls like me (and President Obama) are more imaginative and intuitive. Well, that suits me just fine and now I don’t feel so guilty for not being able to get up in the morning! But, Mr. President, you have to get up in the morning.
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
I read on Phyllis Harb’s Los Angeles Blog that it was the Year of the Ox in the Chinese Zodiac Calendar.
THE YEAR OF THE OX
1/26/2009 – 2/13/2010 (Earth)
According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Year of 2009 is the Year of the Ox. The Ox, or the Buffalo sign symbolizes prosperity through fortitude and hard work. Those born under the influence of the Ox or Buffalo are fortunate to be stable and persevering. The typical Ox is a tolerant person with strong character. Not many people could equal the res
olution and fearlessness that the Ox exhibits when deciding to accomplish a task. Ox people work hard without complaints at work or at home. They know that they will succeed through hard work and sustained efforts, and do not believe in get-rich-quick schemes.
When I clicked on what the year will mean to us I thought how appropriate and what irony. According to the Chinese Zodiac Calendar it means that prosperity will be achieved through hard work. What a fitting symbol for a year where that will be so meaningful to most Americans and what a summary of what the American Dream is all about. Further, we have a new President that feels the same way.
2008 brought us into this financial crisis with those get-rich-quick-schemes that the calendar mentions above and it’s only fitting that this is The Year Of The Ox.
Stable and persevering describes Americans. Inspite of the greed on Wall Street, Americans are continuing to go forward, to make their world better for themselves and their families; they endure and survive. Here’s to 2009.
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Back in the day, I remember very vividly the time we as women were not permitted to wear pants to work. Yes, for those younger than me, we weren’t allowed to wear pants on the job.
We always had to wear skirts or dresses, never mind the fact that it was during the “mini-skirt” era. Sometime in the early 1970s, we were finally allowed to wear pants as long as the top matched i.e., the pantsuit. 
During the presidential campaign, you probably remember hearing a lot about Hillary and her pant outfits. She was a product of that era as well, so she was wearing her pantsuits.
This is not a political post but I want to mention that I like the fact that I haven’t seen Michelle Obama in pants too often, maybe once. I know she likes to emulate the elder Mrs. Bush with the pearls and all. There’s nothing wrong with pants, but frankly I like a First Lady looking like a lady and wearing dresses. Mrs. Kennedy wore dresses and was a fashion icon. However, that was also during the time period when pants weren’t the norm. Had Hillary been elected, she would have worn the pants for sure. This is a different time and a different era and everyone wears pants these days, but I think a First Lady should dress like one.
Now I hear all the designers are soliciting Michelle Obama to wear their designs. I am sure she will be elegant in any of them. I’m looking forward to four years of class and style.
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Betty Jung
Lake Oswego Police Blotter
December 14, 2009 in Commentary, Just For Fun!, Lake Oswego | Tags: All About Portland Oregon Real Estate, Betty Jung, www bettyjung.com | Leave a comment
Lake Oswego Website
Today I typically write something off the wall, different, of personal interest or whatever isn’t related to real estate. Recently at a local Starbucks®, a Lake Oswego Police Officer and a Clackamas County Sheriff were joking back and forth about what was going on in Lake Oswego, at least as far as crime, breaking of the law, etc. Both indicated there isn’t much that goes on in our small town - Lake Oswego. That reminded me that I’ve been wanting to write this post for a long time. I want to personally thank our Lake Oswego Police Department because I’ve had many embarrassing moments and have needed someone in uniform to come to my rescue. The LO Police always have.
Our Lake Oswego Police Department has helped me in countless ways:
Now, I’m from Los Angeles, and trust me, none of the above would have ever happened in LaLaLand. There’s a real advantage to living in a small town which I consider Lake Oswego to be. Thank you, Lake Oswego Police Department, for going above and beyond…I really appreciate it. In the whole scheme of things, I know there’s lots going on that’s much more important but I thank you, you’re the best.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Portland