Received this touching email from a friend I wanted to share.

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Target. She must have been 6
years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle-faced image of innocence. It
was pouring outside, the kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain
gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down th
e spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the
Target.

We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their
hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. Memories of running,
splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from
the worries of my day.

The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all
caught in 'Mom let's run through the rain,' she said. 'What?' Mom asked

'Lets run through the rain!' She repeated.

'No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit,' Mom replied.

This young child waited about another minute and repeated: 'Mom, let's run
through the rain,'

'We'll get soaked if we do,' Mom said.

'No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning,' the young girl
said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.

This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?

'Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you
said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!'

The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but
the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few
minutes. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now
some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even
ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young
child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will
bloom into faith.

'Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD lets us
get wet, well maybe we just needed washing,' Mom said.

Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they
darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping
bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed
by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars.

And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can
take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can
ever take away your precious memories. .. So, don't forget to make time and
take the opportunities to make memories everyday. To everything there is a
season and a time to every purpose under heaven.

I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate
them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them. Send this
to the people you'll never forget and remember to also send it to the person
who sent it to you. It's a short message to let them know that you'll never
forget them.

If you don't send it to anyone, it means you're in a hurry. Take the time to
live!!!

Keep in touch with your friends, you never know when you'll need each
other — and don't forget to run in the rain! 
 

As most know,  homeowners who think their home is worth less than its assessed value set by the county may qualify for a reduction - and a lower tax bill.

 Something many don’t talk about is the possibility of re-appealing the taxes on the same home.

The base assessments are often wrong and with the compounding of the downward trend in home values, there are more comparables displaying lower market values.  These lower market values are a slam dunk for lowering a prospects taxes.

Case in point.

Eight years ago I did an appeal and won a 25% reduction. Years later the township did a blanket re-evaluation. I appealed the property taxes and won a  20% reduction. That was 2 years ago.

Next year, same home,  I’m going to appeal the tax assessment. So far I am looking at another 20% to 25% reduction.

What I am saying is this is not just a one shot deal.

The housing industry is still cooling

Housing starts have plunged and there seems to be no green light in the near future. Even with low interest rates, the future is uncertain. Market forces have gathered into a market slowdown phase. Even with the recent good corporate good earnings report, only a few companies produced the impetus for the upward blimp on the stock charts.

How long can the economy slow down from energy prices and food prices escalating in proportions that effect ever other area of the commerce, before it effects earnings? My prediction is that it will eventually knock the market off its tracks. And, it’s not going to be nice to watch.

 

 

If you are obsessive-compulsive, press 1 repeatedly.
 
If you are co-dependent, please ask someone to press 2 for you.
 
If you have multiple personalities, press 3, 4, 5 and 6.

If you are paranoid, we know who you are and what you want, stay on the line so we can trace your call.

If you are delusional, press 7 and your call will be forwarded to the Mother Ship.
 
If you are schizophrenic, listen carefully and a little voice will tell you which number to press.

If you are manic-depressive, it doesn't matter which number you press, nothing will make you happy anyway.

If you are dyslexic, press 9696969696969696.
 
If you are bipolar, please leave a message after the beep or before the beep or after the beep. Please wait for the beep.
 
If you have short-term memory loss, press 9. If you have short-term memory loss, press 9. If you have short-term memory loss, press 9.

If you have low self-esteem, please hang up our operators are too busy to talk with you.
 
If you are menopausal, put the gun down, hang up, turn on the fan, lie down and cry. You won't be crazy forever.
 
If you are blonde, don't press any buttons, you'll just mess it up.
 
This coming week is National Mental Health Care week. You can do your part by remembering to contact at least one unstable person to show you care.
 
(Well, my job is done …..Your turn)

 

In case the holidays (family) have made you crazy here is the:

MENTAL HOSPITAL PHONE MENU

One sunny day in 2009, an old man approached the White House from across Pennsylvania Avenue , where he'd been sitting on a park bench. He spoke to the Marine standing guard and said, "I would like to go in and meet with President Hillary Clinton."

The Marine replied, "Sir, Mrs. Clinton is not President and doesn't reside here." The old man said, "Okay," and walked  away.

The following day, the same man approached the White House and said to the same Marine, "I would like to go in and meet with President Hillary Clinton"

The Marine again told the man, "Sir, as I said yesterday, Mrs. Clinton is not President and doesn't reside here." Then the man thanked him and again walked away .

The third day, the same man approached the White House and spoke to the very same Marine, saying "I would like to go in and meet with President Hillary Clinton."

The Marine, understandably agitated at this point, looked at  the man and said, "Sir, this is the third day in a row you have been here asking to speak to Mrs. Clinton. I've told  you already several times that Mrs. Clinton is not the  President and doesn't reside here. Don't you understand?"

The old man answered, "Oh, I understand you fine, I just love hearing your answer!"

The Marine snapped to attention, saluted, and said, "Sir, See you tomorrow."

 

One factor that really effects your checkbook is paying your property taxes.  Even if you don’t own you home, indirectly you pay taxes since the landlord needs to pass his overhead into the rent if he is going to stay in business.

One of the last things you think about when you order your personal checks is sending checks to the tax assessor. You should, however, think about appealing them. Studies have shown that 40-60% of property tax assessments are wrong.

Take property owners who don't agree with the county's assessment of their property value can file an appeal. The form needed for an appeal is included with the revaluation letter property owners received in the mail

In News From The Carolinas, Raleigh tax official McArtor said 30 percent to 40 percent of all appeals are successful, and several factors contribute to that.

"There could be data issues, maybe the square footage we show maybe is incorrect, that's part of the reason, or the number of baths we show is incorrect, or we're not aware of some physical deterioration of the structure,” he explained. "[There could be] some foundation problems or some rotting of some of the siding material.”

If you are looking for an authoritative and resonably cheap source for information and help in reducing you property taxes online look at http://www.housetaxax.com  I’ve used their manual and save almost a thousand dollars a year in lowered taxes. My checkbook smiles a bit.

 There are always two ways to look at everything.

 My wife and I were sitting at a table at my high school reunion last October, and I kept staring at a drunken lady swigging her drink as she sat alone at a nearby table.

 My wife noticed me staring and asked me, "Do you know her?"

 "Yes," I sighed, "She's my old girlfriend. I understand she took to drinking right after we split up those many years ago, and I hear she hasn't been sober since."

 "My God!" says my wife, "Who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?"

seascape persoanl checks

Island checks are a colorful way to add some pizzazz to any checkbook. With winter fast approaching in the northern areas of the country, these pleasant reminders of ideal sand beaches and surf are sure to conjure up feelings of nostalgia. These island and seascape check themes come in a large assortment of choices. Lighthouses, seashores, shore homes, fishing boats, waves of differing sizes and dimensions … you are sure to find something that pleases.

Also matching address labels, contact cards as well as checkbook covers to make it all complete. Your link to see the sea