Summer Fun Contest, A Big Birthday, and an Anniversary

                Fun in the Sun While the Business Still Runs.

This is an entry for the Positive Attitude for the Weary Soul Group Contest! | Fun in the Sun While the Business Still Runs!  Join in on the Challenge!

                  

It is very late but this contest is run on PST and I might make the deadline just for Sally.

It was a very special two days... a Great Big TLH Birthday and our anniversary.

Our beautiful daughter, Erica, came over and created the special Rome Cake for her daddy. Thought it would be fun to capture a few pictures to share.

   

                                
                                

                                
                           

Kathy  and Chet Rome were on the phone while Dad was opening his present, almost as good as being there.

                                

And the next day was our wedding anniversary. We've been married 16,073 Days and we decided to go to our very  favorite restaurant in Baltimore, Maryland. We have had many celebrations at Tio Pepes since they first opened their doors. Never have been disappointed with a meal. This time we did a celebratory lunch...and experienced total perfection. Just look at these exquisite treats.

                               

       A slice of pine nut roll was brought to celebrate the occasions.

                                                       

 The phone was on vibrate and no one was able to interrupt our Romantic lunch at Tio Pepes in Baltimore, Maryland

           Summer Fun Contest  A Big Birthday and an Anniversary.

                                                       

Let Em Eat Cake

What a wonderful busy couple of days.  On Thursday September 8th, there was the first virtual RainCamp in the morning and the late afternoon we had a wonderful ActiveRain MeetUp in Baltimore. My daughter, Erica and Lee arranged to have this delicious chocolate cake to celebrate my birthday.

                                           

And we had chocolate cake!

On Friday morning, a home inspection attended by the buyers, friends, and a contractor.

And we had chocolate cake.

Friday afternoon at 4 PM we had  another smooth settlement for this contemporary rancher located in the Pill Hill -Mount Washington area of  Baltimore, MD 21209.   It was a delight turning over the key to this first time homebuying family. 

Their smiles made the rainy day seem like bright sunshine.

And again we had cake.

After the settlment, I had a showing on my listing at   7014 Deerfield Rd. Pikesville, MD. 21208 Colonial Village With a Two Story Addition. By this time there were only two pieces of cake left which I shared with the owners...still in the original box and my sellers loved the treat.

Let Em Eat Cake.

 

This delicious cake celebrated a birthday, a home inpection a settlement and a showing!

 

                                                   

Thanks Chet For Being My Rome On The Range!

Thanks Chet For Being My Rome On The Range!

How lucky can one person be?

This week I get to share my life with two special guys...one of course is The Lovely Husband-Lee Rome  and the other is Chet Rome who is visiting with us  for a  week. What a treat having him in Baltimore. When I picked Chet up at the airport, he came around to my side and said.."would you like me to drive?"  Can you hear me smile?

This week has just been quality time. Father and son appreciating each other... spending time together.

Tonight, Chet said that he was going to cook dinner...no problem. He went to store brought back all the goodies, had pans on the fire and within 20 minutes we sat down to a delicious all in one meal.

He did the shopping, the cooking and even the cleaning up. How lucky can one person get?

Thanks Chet for being my Rome On the Range!!
                       

Why I Chose Real Estate...It Really Was an Accident!

Why I Chose Real Estate...It Really Was an Accident!

As a little girl, I only wanted to be a nurse so I could take care of my daddy. My mom worked 7 days a week in our restaurant but I spent most of my time with my dad. He was a diabetic, among other things, and I used to give him his insulin shots. Now this doesn't sound like a big deal but you have to understand he passed away before my ninth birthday. See if I was a nurse, I could have saved him. We used to go for ice cream...and I could keep a secret. Shhh...he wasn't supposed to have sugar.                      

  This is a photo of my mother holding me as a toddler.
  Chubby cheeks are part of this contest.  
                                               
  Dad passed away when I was only eight years old.



                                                                                   
  Receiving my nursing diploma. Yeah! I am an RN!


And then I made a wish and Lee came true. The two photos below were from our honeymoon. We have been married 15,766 days! Yes, we still count the days and they are going by way too fast!

My Best Close Ever and Forever

                                                                                 
Three years after our wedding, we had a our wonderful daughter, Erica, and I stopped my nursing career. That was after being named the youngest Head Nurse at Sinai Hospital.

Being a 'stay at home mom' I took up my second career..that of a ceramic and porcelain artist. There was a full studio in my home where I custom designed pottery for clients, The Design Center in DC, the Symphony Decorator's Show House, plus doing window displays for fine jewelry stores. My porcelains were used to drape the strands of gold, diamonds and pearls over the art pieces.
I even made closing gifts for some of the real estate agents.

                                        
Why I Chose Real Estate...It Really Was an Accident!

Then there was the accident...rear ended while driving and had neck and back issues and was told I needed surgery. Since they could not guarantee the use of my hands...I decided against it. They advised me not to lift more than five pounds. Whoa! My box of clay weighed 50 pounds..no more ceramics for awhile.

During this time I get a "cold" call from a former nurse asking if I wanted to sell my house? I wondered why she would be interested. It was because she was now a Realtor®.

I had been helping people write ads for their homes and finding houses in the area for friends. For that service, I got beautiful thank you notes.  This former nurse told me...I could get paid for doing that and she wanted my referrals.
That same week, I signed up and  took a Real Estate course  to "tide" me over until I could get back to the clay which I loved.

That was in 1990 and many of my former patients, their families and owners of my artwork are now my real estate clients. I love walking into a home and finding one of my custom pieces out on display. I love being able to use my nursing background especially the psychology that is needed for the stress of moving. I love being able to incorporate my nursing, my ceramic art and my love of real estate  into my wonderful life!

Why I Chose Real Estate...It Really Was an Accident!

Dating In Baltimore...Again!

Lee and I are dating again in Baltimore!

Anyone who knows me and TLH knows that my Lee  and I count the days we have been married. Today is 15593 days. (You can check this out at re-date.com)

We have decided to start dating again. When our daughter Erica was born, we had a standing baby sitter once a week and we had rules. The date was just the two of us and the conversation was limited. NO conversation about work and NO conversation about our baby girl.  Our sitter showed up every Monday night at 7:00 and we HAD to go out for the evening.

Just recently we were talking and decided to start dating again. This time, we don't need a sitter and it will not be at night. We are going to have a weekly lunch date. We are planning to try a new place each week.
Rules again..This time NO real estate talk!

Our first date was last week and we went to The Cheesecake Factory (not a new place ..it happened to be close to an existing appointment.) Hope you enjoy the photos from our first luncheon date. Going through the Towson Mall we had to pass these colorful  bromeliad plants... a treat on a snowy day in Baltimore.

 

 
I found the lighting, ceilings and decor as delicious as the food.
   

    

 
If we are going to have a lunch date, I better show you pictures of food. Here is a plate of spaghetti and meat sauce and chicken medallions with vegetables and rice. More than enough for lunch and take home portions for another meal.

                   

If we are going to a place called the The Cheesecake Factory...there has to be pictures to go with the name. Did not sample any but here is what these luscious desserts look like.

  

Look forward to our next date. If you have any special places that you want to hear about  in Baltimore, we will be happy to visit, review and have our date at a new place of your choice.

We are dating again in Baltimore!

Spanish Coca Cola in the Afternoon

It was one of those special afternoons...lunch with my publisher and friend Peg Silloway. We do something every month. No matter how busy... if it's on the calendar .. we keep the date!

Today's choice was one of my favorite restaurants, Tio Pepe, where Lee and I  have been going since we were married 15,572 days ago.

My Best Close Ever and Forever 

Usually Lee and I go for a romantic dinner, to celebrate an anniversary or whenever we want that special feeling, great food and ambiance. But who says you can't enjoy all of this on a Monday at lunch with a good friend?

No one. So that's we did!

A glass of Sangria to start... which I  affectionately call Spanish Coca Cola..At first I said "no "..and then changed my mind.  Loved each and every drop and each and every piece of fruit.  It seemed to make each bite of our wonderful meals more outstanding. We shared an  appetizer of  shrimp in garlic butter with wonderful fresh bread for dipping and Peg had the rock-fish with crab in champagne sauce for her main meal.


                         


                                                       
I had the seafood salad platter..oh my.. it is fabulous. This plate consists of a half of a lobster topped with lump crab meat, potato salad (ha there was more crab meat than potatoes) topped with shrimp, sliced hard boiled egg, lettuce, tomato, pimento  and a smooth  creamy dressing on the side. I don't think anyone anywhere could have enjoyed a better meal. The food, the "coca cola" the ambiance, the conversation, the friendship...all made for a perfect afternoon.

When did you last have a wonderful few hours with a best friend and Spanish Coca Cola in the Afternoon?

 tio pepe: Blog...The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Pretend You Are Happy for a Kodak Moment

In reading others posts on ActiveRain, I realize that tomorrow is the deadline for this contest. So going through some old photo albums and reliving some happy memories, this is the one I have chosen.

This is my Kodak Moment taken 15540 days ago. That's right, we count the days we have been married. In case you don't have your calculator handy, that equates to more than 42 years. This photo was taken May 30,1968 within minutes of saying "I Do"  Wish the photo was a bit clearer but after 40 years...not much I can do. To read how I got to this special day , you might want to take a look at My Best Close Ever and Forever 

Lee's mom, Nellie Rome, used these words when taking this Kodak moment  picture...
"Pretend You Are Happy!"

                                         






This post is written as a submission to the ActiveRain 'Kodak Moments' contest. I have the chance to win the KODAK EASYSHARE M580 Digital Camera

To participate in the ActiveRain contest, visit the blog post announcing the contest from Kodak and ActiveRain.

Lovin' Live Baltimore

Last evening was the big Live Baltimore reception and new website debut. The venue was gorgeous – Symphony Center in downtown Baltimore, just across from the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Real estate professionals came to network and learn more about what Live Baltimore does to encourage people to live in Baltimore City. People stopped at a large city map to find their homes in one of Baltimore's more than 200 neighborhoods. And right next to the map was…me! Live Baltimore had generously offered to include a book signing in the evening's festivities, so there I was, signing and selling copies of Real Estate the Rome Way.

It was a huge success…and a lot of fun, too. Nancy Corporon was a delight as she bought the first book of the evening. Friends and colleagues stopped to chat. One nice surprise was having Activer Rainers Martha Brown and Margaret Woda stop by for a visit, especially since they took the time to drive some distance from their home area. Vito Simone who is president of the Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors was there, along with Kim Jones and Helen Dellheim.

Executive Director Anna Custer gave a lively overview of the new website, and a delightfully enthusiastic young woman named Cassandra spoke of how the program had helped her buy a home – she settled earlier this month – with financial assistance and valuable counseling.

It was a great evening, and I was so proud to be next to my best friend and publisher, Peg Silloway. I think the word is qvelling. Yep, I was qvelling for both of us. I think you can see in that photo of Helen, Lee, and me that Lee was qvelling a bit too.

My Best Close Ever and Forever

This is a love story… so how do I relate it to blogging and real estate? I guess you could call this the “take away close.”

When I was very young and very single I was working at the hospital with a friend named Sandy, who was very bright and very cute. She too was a registered nurse just like me. Sandy came in one day and said “I’ve got someone really special that you have got to go out with.”

Well I had a policy back then: No Blind Dates. My social calendar was full. I said to Sandy, "If he’s such a catch why don’t you go out with him?" She answered, "I would love to, but he wont even give me the time of day." So I was intrigued, and wondered how she ever talked him into calling me?

The first time Lee called we talked for more than an hour. I found out that he was much older, he had been married, he was divorced, had a 12 year old son, and flew an airplane. He figured if any one of those things was a turn off, he would find out right up front. (I later found out he had a No Blind Dates policy also.)

We made plans for Tuesday for a late date to go out for a drink. Why waste an entire evening on a blind date? If we didn’t like each other, we would only have to spend a short time together. But then my plans changed. A former boyfriend, Steve, who I had not seen for almost a year, came into town and stopped by my Pediatric clinic. Now I knew this guy, I really liked this guy and I was still interested. He was just in town for the day. So we made a date for Tuesday…yep, that same Tuesday night.

So I had to call Lee and tell him about Steve and ask if he was interested in Thursday night. Lee thought he was out of a date, but I think intrigued that someone would actually break a date with him. He agreed to Thursday night.

Well Steve stayed in town another day and then another and asked me out for...you guessed it…Thursday night. Again I broke a date with Lee. We finally went out on Friday night for a late drink and what we both thought would be a short date. We wound up closing up the joint. We talked for hours.

Lee and I dated for almost two years! But he said he would not marry again, would not use the word "love," would not buy another house, and was not interested in having another child. Now understand that I was a Pediatric RN, I adored kids, and wanted four boys! Two years we went out together, and two years I continued to see others. The more together we were, the less I wanted to be apart. My friends were telling me to "fish or get off the yacht." I knew that an ultimatum would not be the answer and I was not willing to push him away. I thought I would have this talk with him, but one evening when Lee showed up instead I began to cry. This was a first, he had never seen my tears and it upset him. He spoke the now famous words, "You have to let me get used to loving you." I remembered that "Love" was a word he thought he could not use again.

So with that one sentence, I started discussing dates for our wedding. Lee never did ASK me to marry him. Well, not until our 25th anniversary, and I still have not given him an answer! We have been married 14,675 days. You can check it out at www.redate.com

So how does this relate to real estate? Be prepared. Listen to those signals. There are many ways to CLOSE the deal. Are you listening??