Look what I've found this time.  This is a postcard of Morning Sun, Searcy AR.  It is a newspaper copy and not a great picture but who would have thought there'd be one at all? Morning Sun reminds me of one of our real estate friends who said as a young man he worked at the filling station there for some super salesman.  He was trained to go out and say, "Fill er up?"  Then he'd do the service on the car.  They apparently also had a snack bar.  He was to make a milk shake and he'd say, "One egg or two?"  Notice no option for NO eggs.  It was a sales trick and very successful. Morning Sun was actually just a corner and is still just a corner BUT the corner is now surrounded by the gas exploration going on in our area.  Land that used to be considered mosquito infested is now sell... 05/22/2008

      Thanks to a friend of mine for giving me permission to put these football beauties on my blog.  These ladies were football royalty at Searcy High School in 1953.  All were lovely.  The thing that intriques me in these old pictures is how styles change but the young people don't really change. They want to look alike. Note how the girls are all dressed the same just as the kids do today.  Only one girl has on a scarf  while the others have the oh-so-popular strings of pearls around the sweater neck. Scarves were popular too but those pearls were the "cat's pajamas." Someone once said that fads are actually started by the kids who have no money and are forced to look a certain way in their dress.  This could be true when you examine the worn-out-jeans look that is stylish now.  Did ... 05/21/2008

ARE YOU ON TIME FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT?  Keeping clients waiting is not a good thing!  Being on time shows that you think your clients are important. DO YOU DRESS LIKE A PROFESSIONAL?  Being neat about your appearance says alot  about you!  Don't show property in tank tops and short shorts!  Yes, some do!  If you are going to list a farm, don't wear spike heels, you won't get the listing!  Farmers want someone who can walk the land in comfortable shoes or boots!  I got a listing once, because the previous agent showed up in a dress and heels. IS THE INSIDE OF YOUR CAR CLEAN?  Do your clients have a place to sit?  Is your car full of clutter?  Make your clients comfortable during the showing process, it will pay off! IS YOUR PERFUME STRONG?  Some people are allergic to perfume, is your per... 05/20/2008

  I have a permanent search on ebay for certain collectibles or memorabilia and one of the searches I have is for Searcy AR, my home town.  The fun thing is ebay will email you any new items for that search.  No looking every night or wondering if you've missed something.  This card is one that I found.  It shows Arch Street before it was paved.  The front says Arch Street.  Searcy Ark. Made in Germany.  W. L. Baugh, Druggist, Wholesale & Retail Searcy Ark. The back has a hand written note to Mrs. Mattie Hurt Eureka Springs Ark.  It was from George and has a postmark of August 25 1912 and a one cent stamp.  It's a true look at the past. My next-office neighbor is Jim Baugh and the store owner was one of his relatives.  He is a wealth of knowledge about this city. 05/15/2008

I don't know about the rest of America, but Arkansas has had some major flooding and storms!  There are several counties, including White, that still have flood water from the March and April rains!  Saturday night we had tornadoes throughout the state!  The wind blew so hard,  and our electricity was out for several hours.  Today, it is looking like rain again!  I have a party barge that I keep docked at Eden Isle  in Heber Springs!  The water is so high that I can't get to my barge.  A friend told me that the corps of engineers said it would probally be the middle of August before the water was down!  I won't be going to the lake this summer!  This has really been a tough year on Arkansans!  We not only have had to deal with rising fuel and food prices, but the weather has been hard o... 05/13/2008

Aging has it's drawbacks!  It seems when you reach 40 your eyesight starts failing!  I have always been farsighted, I could see far away, but not up close!  My eyesight continued to get worse, and,  being a Realtor, that is not a good thing!  To read a contract I wore contact lens, glasses and used a magnifying glass!  It was getting harder and harder to see!  I decided I had to do something! I searched the internet and got the name of a wonderful doctor in Little Rock, Dr. Hampton Roy.  He evaluated my eyes and we discussed intraocular lens, I had never heard of them.  We set a date for the surgery and he inserted the permanent lens in my eyes.  After the surgery I had to wear dark glasses for one day. The next day, I could see perfectly!  It was amazing, I could read small print!  I w... 05/13/2008

    I have a permanent search on ebay for certain collectibles or memorabilia and one of the searches I have is for Searcy AR, my home town.  The fun thing is ebay will email you any new items for that search.  No looking every night or wondering if you've missed something.  This card is another one that I found.  It shows Spring Street looking North. The front says Spring Street, Looking North,  Searcy Ark. Notice the Coke sign on one of the buildings that was evidently a barber shop and a place for baths!  Spring Park is just a block away and had therapeutic waters for baths.  People visited Searcy for the waters, similar to Hot Springs today. I personally like the old vehicles in this one.  It must have been a Saturday when everyone went shopping downtown!  Isn't it a neat look at th... 05/13/2008

  I have a permanent search on ebay for certain collectibles or memorabilia and one of the searches I have is for Searcy AR, my home town.  The fun thing is ebay will email you any new items for that search.  No looking every night or wondering if you've missed something.  This card is one that I found.  It shows Galloway College, Searcy ARK.  This building must have been new because there are almost no trees in the front yard.  It was a huge building.  I love the dog and the gentlement in the front yard.  Galloway College was a women's college.  This, I believe, was the dorm.  It later burned. There's a name, J. A. Kimbrough on the front of the card.  Perhaps he was the photographer.  On the back is is postmarked August 19 1908 and was addredded to Miss Emma Painter, Philadelphia Penn.... 05/12/2008

Fire! Fire! I had cash buyers in my car.  They liked houses in nice quiet established neighborhoods.  I called an agent to show her house.  She had her own house listed and she knew exactly how to make it show well.  We'd had lots of training and knew what we were doing. She rushed home to turn on the lights, pick up and spruce up and make sure the house smelled good.  In order to make sure it smelled good she threw some cookies in the oven to bake and let that wonderful aroma of fresh baked cookies fill the air!  Then she rushed out so she'd be gone during the showing.My buyers and I walked up to the front door and there was smoke coming out around the cracks.  I opened the door very cautiously and there was smoke all over the house!  It smelled awful;  something was burning!!  Is this... 05/09/2008

 This rap tune has been on youtube for several months now and each time I view it I appreciate the work that had to go into it to make it.  These four Harding University students had to walk down the streets of Searcy, climb over railroad cars, write the lyrics, record the lyrics, probably lip-sinc the lyrics as they are out in the middle of a Searcy landmark.Searcy Arkansas is home to Harding University, a highly rated private school that is also my alma mater.  Extremely talented students attend from all over the world.We are now BIG TIME into videos on Activerain so I want to introduce you to S E A R C Y.   The video is full of subtle humor like the one guy losing his pants while rapping.  In the scene at the car wash they say the clothes got mixed up on the characters.   Watch the v... 05/07/2008

Are you ready to put your home on the market?  Here is my  list of the top ten things to do to get your home SOLD! 1. Trim your shrubs, keep your yard mowed, plant flowers, remove clutter from yard, you need curb appeal! 2. Does your home need to be painted?  A gallon of paint can do wonders! 3. Do your repairs BEFORE putting it on the market!  You will get a better price! 4. Does your siding  and exterior of home need cleaned?  A clean exterior can make a difference! 5. Clean the garage, get rid of junk and clutter!  The garage will look larger! 6. Have your carpets professionally cleaned!  They will look and smell cleaner. 7. Clean out closets, it will look like you have more closet space! 8. Check lighting and make sure the bulbs work!  A dark house is NOT inviting! 9. Get rid of smo... 05/06/2008

Sunday night I received word that my wonderful aunt had passed.  Becky was a very loving, caring and beautiful person.  She battled brain cancer for almost a year.   During the time of her illness, her family updated other  family members and friends of her progress through http://caringbridge.orgOur family is scattered throughout the United States, some in Indiana, Florida, California, Arkansas and other states.  We were all updated about Becky's progress, sometimes daily, sometimes weekly.  Each morning I would check my e-mail to see if there was an update.   CaringBridge is  a free  non-profit web service, that helps the family connect with others to share information about a loved one's condition, treatment and recovery.  This is such a big help to the family of the loved one, they ... 05/05/2008

Millicent The Millicent Collinsworth Story.  A Gripping, True-Life Saga of Family Pride and Love, by Millicent Collinsworth and Jan Winebrenner, published in 1993 is about an actress who becomes blind after having been born into a Southern world of privilege.  At one time during her life she returns to Searcy Arkansas and retraces her happy childhood years.  One of the houses she was determined to visit still stands and is pictured in the book.If you like biographies, pick this one up and read it.  Or if you just like old houses, here's one of our Searcy historical houses.  Note the formal garden shrubs that are tended faithfully.  Also note all the power lines and stop signs that modern living has brought to the once-quiet area. 05/05/2008

Our area Realtors get together every week to tour new listings and every so often on that 5th Wednesday that comes around, we have guest speakers or some type of program.  Yesterday we met with area loan officers, appraisers, inspectors, title work companies and a representative from the city to discuss changes in the city codes, loan programs and appraisal issues so that we could better serve the Searcy community.  I want to thank a fellow Realtor, Larry Degroat for putting the program together.  It was very informative.  I hope you have a member in your area that works as hard keeping everyone on the same page..... 05/01/2008

I was watching the news and this wonderful story was being told, finally something positive from the media!  Western Oregon and Central Washington girl's softball teams were in a tournament, it was the top of the second inning.Western Oregon player, Sara Tucholsky, hit the ball over the fence.  She rounded first base, almost to second, when  her right knee blew out! She was in terrible pain as she crawled back to first base.  There would be no home run.  Her team could substitute a runner at first, but Sara would only get a single and 2 RBI'S.  A player cannot assist their own team around the bases.  But wait, Central Washington softball player, Mallory Holtman, wanted to carry her around the bases.  She asked her teammate, Liz Wallace, to help.  They carried  the opposing player around... 05/01/2008

I am soooo excited!  I love chicken any way you cook it!  Searcy, Arkansas is getting a Zaxby's, they have already started on the ground work!  Have you ever eaten Zaxby's chicken?  It is the best and very reasonable!Last weekend was the first time I tasted Zaxby's chicken.  It is delicious and very inexpensive!  My grandson, Adrian, played in a baseball tournament in West Memphis.  Between games our "baseball family" went to Zaxby's.  Everyone thought it was so good and they were all excited that Searcy is getting one!.  I am not a big fast food fan.  I like hamburgers at home, either on the grill or cooked in an iron skillet!  You know the greasy kind, put it in the iron skillet and right before it is done lay the bun on top with a lid!  You talk about good!!!Anyway, if you ever see a... 04/29/2008

A few years ago I listed a home that had been through at least three Realtors.  The sellers were really wanting to sell and were getting discouraged.  They asked me why their home had not sold.  I explained to them that the paint color on their shutters and front door was extremely dated and needed to be changed.Also, the entry and up the staircase needed a more neutral paint color.  It was painted a mauve color. and looked like the 80's.  I told them if they wanted to sell their home, they would have to make these adjustments.  They did and it SOLD!  It is amazing what paint can do!Last year a very sweet couple called and wanted me to list their nearly new home.  The home was immaculate and had a great floor plan.  But, it was painted a light pink and some rooms were purple.  It was re... 04/28/2008

Here in Searcy,  Arkansas it has rained so much that it has been impossible to plant.  The ground is still very wet, but I have planted most of my flowers.  I love impatients and cala lillys, and  I found some pretty ones at Lowe's.  I recently added some extra landscaping and planted beautiful red "oncore" azaleas, they will bloom all year!  I think landscaping adds so much to a home.  My crepe myrtles are getting their leaves and they will bloom in June.  I love to cook with fresh herbs!  Sunday I planted rosemary, basil, lemon balm, oregano, dill, parsley and cilantro.  I planted them in several pots and I can't wait to cook delicious meals.  If you have never grown your own herbs, try it.  They are so easy to grow!We toured a cute home last Wednesday, but it had nothing but weeds in... 04/28/2008

  We don't have a lot of condos in Searcy Arkansas, a small 20,000 population city approximately 50 miles from Little Rock  Arkansas.  The first ones built were exciting for our city but the builder made a mistake.  He had an "outsider architect" plan them and though they were beautiful they had a problem. They were expensive and the bedrooms were all upstairs with a very steep staircase to get to them.  Young buyers couldn't afford them and older buyers couldn't climb the stairs.  After a few of those duds, the builders got wise and did better planning.  This one is ideal for the older buyer because it has easy access from the 1 car garage and is all one level.  It was custom built with two living areas and a dining room separating them.  It has 1890 sq. ft. and is free standing, anoth... 04/27/2008

I cannot believe it!  My computer will not function, and I am not sure why!  I cannot get windows to come up, has anyone else had this problem?  What do I do to fix it?This is my home office computer, which I use for my real estate.  Also,  I need to write checks for my builder husband and I guess I will have to do them by hand!  Quicken will spoil you!I keep thinking if I keep messing with it, a miracle will happen and it will work!    I guess if it doesn't, I will buy a new one!  If anyone has any suggestions, let me know.  Thanks!                                                        http://mary@maryjpaul.com 04/25/2008