There's No Place Like Home

Dear Fearless Homeowner,

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those effected by the tornadoes today. Oklahomans are tough by nature, but it’s been a rough day across the state.

Today’s weather has made me think about houses a little differently. Normally, I think in terms of the total square footage of a house, whether it is a Ranch or Bungalow style, or if the fixtures have been updated recently. Today, the main function of many homes in Oklahoma was simply to provide shelter.

Being a native Oklahoman, spending a Spring evening in the hallway was something I casually grew up thinking was normal. It wasn’t until a rare Winter tornado came through Edmond a couple years ago that I finally learned to respect the power of nature. Chris was at a closing in south OKC when the sirens began to sound. I huddled at the end of the hallway with our animals and listened to the tornado hit our next door neighbor's house and then head to the house across the street from us. We were spared from a direct hit ourselves, but I would never take tornado warnings lightly again.

With serious talk of severe weather all day today, it gave me plenty of time to prepare for the late afternoon storms. I found it interesting to consider what things I felt worthy of taking with me into our “safe spot” at the end of our hallway. Chris planned to stay home for the afternoon, so of course we needed space for both of us to hunker down. We also got the carriers ready for the animals...Even the turtle has his own shoebox for just such an occasion. We placed basic bad weather supplies (weather radio, flashlights, etc.) in our storm shelter area next.

Beyond the essentials, I had to make some tough decisions about what we should protect. Chris and I both made sure we were wearing our wedding bands, and I also put on a wooden ring he carved for me out of our oak tree and a brooch that belonged to my grandmother. I collected my purse and phone, our laptops, the camera (with a full picture card), and my flute. I recently discovered my long lost passport, so I figured I’d throw that in my “go” bag to be sure I didn’t lose track of it again. Interestingly enough, I remembered our cat’s daily breathing inhaler, but I forgot to grab the medicines both Chris and I needed. I used to pull together pictures as well, but with so many of them online at this point I save the time and space for other valuables. We grabbed a few other things, but those were the most important items in my mind.

I couldn’t help but wonder what items other people secured in their safe spots. With a house full of “stuff”, it’s remarkable how few things I truly choose to shelter in the lead up to the storm. Days like today are good reminders that the façade of our house isn’t nearly as important as the roof over our head and the walls that protect us and our loved ones. Somehow I love the walls of my house more today than I did yesterday. As Dorothy is famous for saying, “There’s no place like home”.

Hoping all our readers are safe and sound this evening.

~Kristin

Consider Yourself Updated

Dear Fearless Homeowner,

Due to a severe lack of sleep, this week’s entry will be a short and sweet update on previous posts—More on the lack of sleep in a minute!

The Sunnier Side of Tax Day

The Metro area came within a hare’s hair of a freeze the first week in May...But the Tax Day rule won out, and my new plants are finally beginning to establish themselves in the garden!

The Flavor of Local Food

I have NOT joined the OKC Food Co-op yet, but I feel there’s still plenty of time this spring and summer for co-op food. I am currently enjoying the wonderful local food available at the Edmond Farmer’s Market on Saturdays and am looking forward to the addition of a Wednesday market week after next.

Everyone Needs a Home

This is the exciting news I’ve been waiting to share...The baby birds all learned to fly last week! After two very stressful days (stressful for the baby birds, the momma and papa birds, and ME), they finally figured out how to fly in and out of the nest on their own. My blood pressure spiked as I watched them struggle time after time to make it all the way back up to their nest.

And just like that, they were all gone to lead their young adult bird lives!

Hunting for a Good Deal on Furniture

While I haven’t gotten my settee reupholstered yet, I have collected a list of recommended professionals to help with the job. I’ll let you know if I find anyone worth mentioning once the work is complete.

Midnight Woofness

And NOW we get to the lack of sleep! The Midnight Woofness: Under the Big Top event was a huge success. It took almost 48 hours around the clock, but we found homes for 565 cats and dogs! That is 565 animals all snuggled up with new loving families this week. Although these events are always fun, my droopy eyes are glad the next one isn’t scheduled until October...and that it will be located at the Edmond PetSmart, which will be much closer to home.

And now Chris and I are presented with an even bigger task...We are both members of OK Humane’s Follow Up Team. Each family who took home an animal last weekend will get a call from someone on our team to see how things are going. And one of those calls will be placed to the lucky family who adopted our sweet foster girl, BamBam! I can’t wait to hear how she’s fitting in with her new family.

Have a good week!

~Kristin

P.S. Apparently I’m not very good at short and sweet.

Midnight Woofness!

Dear Fearless Homeowner,

Have you considered adding a furry member to your family? Well, now’s the time!

Starting at 12:01 AM on Saturday, May 14th, the Central Oklahoma Humane Society will be hosting a mega-adoption event! Working in partnership with PetSmart Charities, the Oklahoma City Animal Shelter and many other local animal rescue organizations, OK Humane’s around-the-clock tent event will strive to find homes for 500 animals in less than 48 hours.

Those of you who know our family were probably wondering how long it would take for me to do a post on animal adoption, and this is the week! OK Humane’s semi-annual mega-adoption events have proven to be highly successful, and we’re looking forward to the third incarnation of this fun event, named Midnight Woofness. The craziness starts just after midnight and includes face painting, clowns, fun, plenty of doggie kisses, and animals, animals, and more animals! Every cat and dog is spayed or neutered, up to date on shots, and many have been microchipped...And adoption fees are as low as they go!

The theme this time around is “Midnight Woofness: Under the Big Top”, and Chris and I have been working to pull together the “Midway” section. This family friendly area will include games (like Toss the Collar on the Animal and the Dog Food Can Knockdown), cotton candy, popcorn, face painting, and more! So even if you’re not in the market for a new animal this spring, you should stop by and check it out. The kickoff will even include a fire breather!

The event will be held at the PetSmart located at 6327 SW 3rd St. If that’s not in your neck of the woods or you’d prefer a calmer setting for picking out a new family member, consider stopping by OK Humane’s Adoption Center on N. Western this spring. They always have loving cats and dogs who are looking for homes. For tips on moving with animals and a list of other area rescue groups, check out our tip sheet here.

Hope to see you at Midnight Woofness!

~Kristin

If our sweet foster puppy, BamBam, doesn’t get adopted this week, she’ll be available at the event this weekend! She’s a three month old lab/basset hound mix and is a big goofball.

Hunting for a Good Deal on Furniture

Dear Fearless Homeowner,

So you’ve just upgraded your home...Congratulations!

As you look around your brand new house, the extra rooms and the additional space are so exciting...until you realize you need to fill them! Argh! After purchasing a new home, upgrading those window treatments you couldn’t stand, and repainting the pink bedroom your son was refusing to sleep in, there simply isn’t a lot of money left over for new furniture. Here’s an idea: Have you considered estate sales?

You’ve probably tried Craig’s List and antique stores, but why not give estate sales a try. Admittedly, Chris and I have been to our fair share of duds when it comes to estate sales, but we’ve also walked into a number of treasure troves and made some incredible finds!

Here are my tips for successful estate sale shopping:

-Start by looking in the classifieds. After you’re a more “established” shopper, you’ll get the inside track to the good sales. That really just means you gave someone your email address at the check out table the last time you went to a sale. The benefit of being on mailing lists is you’ll be able to preview sales online ahead of time to decide if they’re worth attending.

-Hold out for Sunday! Most sales run Saturday to Sunday, with items being half-price on the second day.

-If you go on Saturday and find an item you simply must have, put in a bid. Bid winners are called Saturday night, and you can generally bid on anything over $100. Plus, the winning bid is often only a few dollars over half-price.

-Know how much the item in question should really cost. Some sellers don’t seem to realize the item is “used” and the price should reflect that! If the table you’ve had your eye on at Pottery Barn is $1,500, don’t compromise and purchase the estate sale table for $1,200. You can find a better deal elsewhere...or maybe you should decide to splurge for the one you want at Pottery Barn.

-Bring your checkbook. If you’re like me and generally live on plastic, this can be an important one to remember. While some of the more established companies will allow you to use a credit card, many estate sales are paper only.

-Befriend a couple of big burly men (preferably ones who own a truck) before you buy larger items. When the sign says, “You buy it as is, where is”, they mean it! Chris and I bought a large item at a sale last week. While he handily lifted his side, I struggled to pick up my end. Meanwhile, one of the men working the sale stood by and watched. For real.

-Appreciate the fact that someone may have very loving used that oversized stock pot you just bought while feeding a couple generations of children. What an honor you now have to make it part of your own family’s meals!

Happy Hunting!

~Kristin

Chris and I are working to redo one of the rooms in our house and need some new furniture. We found this sofa/bench at a sale this weekend. It’s going to entail a complete redo (the fabric and stuffing is literally falling out), but I think I’m in love. Chris says it reminds him of the furniture in an old hotel in the French Quarter. I’m not totally sure yet if it’s one of the coolest things we’ve ever found at an estate sale  or if it’s one of the stupidest things I’ve ever bought. I’ll let you know once we have it refurbished.

Everyone Needs a Home

Dear Fearless Homeowner,

There was a flurry of activity around our house last week. We mailed over a thousand marketing mailers to homeowners in some of our busiest neighborhoods. That meant the home office was overflowing with piles of postcards, and stamps seemed to be stuck to everything! We were so distracted we almost didn’t notice the activity occurring outside our house.

The text on our mailer said, “Springtime is here! The best time to buy or sell a house is just around the corner. Are you ready?”. Under the words was a picture of a spring songbird. If I was in my ninth grade English class, Mr. Surbeck would have pointed out how that bird foreshadowed my week. Apparently, it was time for a pair of birds to find a new home as well, and our front porch light was just the spot!

I first heard them while I was planting flowers on the front porch. It was the desperate cry of baby birds who don’t want to be ignored. As I peeked into our light fixture, I saw four beaks swing open at the same time, clearly hoping I was bringing a cricket snack for lunch. Since that moment, those four little birds seem to have taken over our lives. We try not to linger on the porch for fear we might disturb the bird family, and we check to make sure we’re not interrupting a feeding when we come and go through the front door. We’ve also taken to using flashlights to get in and out of the house after dark, since turning on the porch lights might disturb the nest. And that’s not to mention the tizzy into which our cats have been thrown by the whole situation. They spend endless hours gazing out the window as the bird parents troop back and forth from the nest.

Despite the slight inconvenience, we enjoy having baby birds on our porch. We also enjoy all of the other wildlife that shares our neighborhood. Since we’ve lived here, we’ve seen all sorts of animals—rabbits, foxes, deer, wild turkeys, turtles, hawks, and opossums, just to name a few. That’s part of the reason we moved so far north a few years ago.

I watch the new neighborhoods being built in this area with mixed feelings. I’m a nature lover at heart and dislike encroachment on wild habitats; it makes me sad to hear builders literally working in our backyard on new houses. But I’m also a realist and a believer in progress. Much of the area north of Oklahoma City was used as farm land for generations, yet it hasn’t been plowed in years. It’s time for it to be repurposed to support Oklahoma’s growth. I’m always pulling for Oklahoma City to be successful, and the hammers I hear on my way to and from our house mean the economy is picking up and the city is expanding.

While I’m glad Chris and I are able to assist buyers in finding their ideal home this Spring, we’re also glad we’re able to offer a brood of baby birds a safe and comfortable home while they grow and learn how to fly. Chris has learned that in real estate repeat customers are some of the best people to do business with, and maybe in another year or two these baby birds will come back and build a nest of their own in our light fixture.

~Kristin

The Flavor of Local Food

Dear Fearless Homeowner,

Are you a canvas bag toting connoisseur of locally grown food? If so, you’re in the right place! The Oklahoma City area is lucky enough to offer a variety of excellent farmer’s markets, and now is the season to start exploring them. The Edmond Farmers Market started up again last Saturday. I was there, were you?

I’ll admit I haven’t always been into farmers markets. There was a time I considered people who enjoyed sustainable shopping practices to be fringe hippies. For Chris and me our ‘Aha moment’ came after watching the academy award nominated movie, “Food, Inc.”. Suddenly we had a new perspective on the impact of our diet and shopping habits, both on our own bodies and on the world around us. I’ll admit it, I buy Michael Pollan’s books as quickly as he publishes them now.

I guess I’d say we began buying local and organic food because I was tired of feeding my family food full of preservatives and pesticides, I wanted to support small local growers, and I believed in humane treatment of the animals that nourish us. I’ve stayed with it because I LOVE how much better real food tastes! Our neighbors raise chickens, and the eggs their daughters sell us taste like an entirely different food than anything I’ve ever bought at a grocery store. And yes, owning chickens is completely against our HOA rules. I love the fresh eggs, though, so please don’t mention it to anyone on the board.

All of that said, I’m not going to pretend we don’t run to Wal-Mart at 11 PM when I realize I’m supposed to bring snacks to the meeting tomorrow. I do have a friend who only uses cash when she shops at Wal-Mart because she says that way no can ever prove she really shopped there. I admit it; I shop at Wal-Mart. There may not be much that is local or sustainable about the retailer, but sometimes the convenience and thriftiness of shopping at Wal-Mart wins out. And I still buy a lot of things at Crest because much like everything in life, it’s all about balance. We have to balance our limited time, money, and resources. And at least Crest is locally owned, so maybe that’s worth something.

I know the sort of consumer I’d like to be. While I may not always be that person, I am always striving to find ways to fit a trip to the farmers market into our hectic schedule. And maybe I’ll even get around to joining the Oklahoma Food Co-op this spring! I remember my parents used to belong to a food co-op back in the 70’s. I guess it’s true that trends are cyclical and we do all eventually turn into our parents.

~Kristin

For more resources on local food sources, check out our tip sheet here.