Next month is Inman’s yearly Real Estate Connect San Francisco and I have been trying to swing a way to go.  It just so happens that the really cool Brad Inman gave the also really cool guys at The Real Estate Tomato 10 free tickets! (Watch for more from me about them…one of these days they’ll likely be assisting me with my blog design).  At any rate, the deal is that the first 5 people to enter automatically win and the next 5 are judged on creativity based on an exactly 50 word submission.

Here’s a little background for you before you get to see my amazing entry.  My household has been struck with a couple of NASTY illnesses this week and I for one am quite miserable right now.  In fact, it it wasn’t for that I would have entered much earlier and not had to be creative.  However, it just so happens that our family enjoys dumb poems as a form of entertainment and creativity.  I hope the Real Estate Tomato Staff does too!  So, without further ado here’s the best I have:

I didn’t get an easy ticket because I’m sick as a dog,

BUT, I recognize I need help with my blog.

I’ll buy a round at Beer for Bloggers,

As long as there aren’t any hoggers.

I want to meet Alfred from Zappos,

And keep my blog from being crappos.

Thanks for the consideration.  I look forward to seeing everyone in a couple of weeks!

Get out and enjoy the last little bit of “decent” weather before it gets too hot to leave the air conditioning or the pool. Here are some fun Memorial Day events to check out around town:

Salt River Heros = Litter Zero - Take Pride in America and lend a hand “stashing and bagging” picnic trash while enjoying a floating picnic during the “Salt River Heroes =Litter Zero” holiday weekend event. Salt River Tubing and Tonto National Forest encourages tubers to be responsible public lands stewards, May 23 – May 25, 2009, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Tommy Tuber litter bags will be distributed to floaters as they board their shuttle buses at Salt River tubing headquarters located in northeast Mesa. Free beach balls and giveaways. $15

Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast and Parade - 6 a.m. May 24. Parade starts at 8:30 a.m. All proceeds go to Surprise Sundancers youth charities. Surprise Recreation Campus, 15850 N. Bullard Ave., Surprise. $5 for breakfast; $3 for kids; free for parade.

Tempe Memorial Day Luncheon - Hamburgers, watermelon, potato chips and apple pie will be served. Musical entertainment also provided. Registration required. Dennis J. Cahill Senior Center, 715 W. Fifth St., Tempe. $4; $5 non-members. 480-350-5214 pkreconline.tempe.gov/eConnect.

Phoenix Historic Celebration – 9:30 a.m. May 26. Wear vintage clothing and join representatives from many of the Valley’s historic societies who will be in period attire as they honor those who have died in the service of their country. Historical activities for children and refreshments also provided. Pioneer and Military Memorial Park, 1317 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix. Free. 602-262-5071

Memorial Day Pool Party - noon-6 p.m. May 26. Event features free hot dogs and drinks. Open swimming is available. Watch a mock drowning staged by Peoria lifeguards, fire and Southwest ambulance. Sunrise Pool and Family Center, Sunrise Mountain High School 21321 N. 86th Drive, Peoria. Free. 623-773-8495. 

Memorial Day Arts and Crafts Fair – 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Saturday, May 24-26. A wide array of arts and crafts available, especially jewelry, is on display. Bell Rock Plaza, 10 Bell Rock Plaza, Sedona. Free. 928-284-9627

For me?  I’m headed to beautiful Greer, AZ with the extended family.

Seriously, do agents not look at the pictures that they post in the MLS…or does someone think this is acceptable?

Happy weekend!

If you’ve never had a fresh peach straight off of the tree you are really missing out!  

We have 3 peach trees in our backyard all different varieties that ripen at different times so we can extend our peach eating season.  The first tree is almost empty now and the second is just ripening.  

YUMM!  

If you don’t happen to have peach trees and you live in the Valley of the Sun you can still enjoy picking fresh peaches at the annual Queen Creek Peach Festival this weekend.  Here are the details:

A weekend of peach food sampling, peach pancake breakfast, pie eating contests, chef demonstrations, hay rides to peach orchards for picking, organic vegetable picking, arts and craft booths, children’s crafts, amusement rides, and live entertainment.

May 15-17, 2009

7:30am to 4pm

U-pick peaches for $1.75 per pound

Admission is $2.00 pp and $10.00 for a ride wristband (unlimited) or $2.00 for a train ride and others. Hayrides to orchards included in admission.

24810 S Rittenhouse Rd, Queen Creek, AZ‎ -(480) 444-2590‎

If you can’t make it out this weekend check out the website for other times you can go pick your own peaches, you’ll be glad you did!

This evening we went back for dinner too…because the girls wanted to go.  ;~)  Here’s a fun aerial view of the lines as we saw them:

The red marking is the longest we saw the line and the blue spots are where we waited from (the closer one being lunch).  This evening we waited just under an hour.  

I’ve been following @JoesRealBBQ on Twitter today and these are some of the stats that were released: 

• 4500 lbs of meat
• 500 dozen bakery fresh buns
• 1800 quarts of homemade sides (the best beans in the world and yummy coleslaw)
• 6184 free meals

Now that’s giving back!  Thank you, Joe.  We appreciate your appreciation of us and our patronage throughout the rest of the year.  And to your hard working staff:  YOU ROCK!!!

(I posted about their sister restaurant Joe’s Farm Grill in November…check it out, too!)

Here are two of my favorite things this year:  a quote and a song.  My wish is that they will find a place in your heart as well.

…and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!  

Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

This music is Carol of the Bells by the Trans Siberian Orchestra.  They come through town every year.  If you ever get the chance, I’d recommend seeing them.

Nearly each morning we are greeted by a handful of these beautiful creatures chattering atop one of the trees in our front yard.  The Peach-faced Lovebird is a small brightly colored parrot native to Southwestern Africa.  There is a large feral (n. wild and menacing-though I don’t believe them to be menacing)  population in the Phoenix Metro area.  A breeding pair was first reported in 1998 in Scottsdale and unlike most accidental releases the lovebirds have been able to adapt to the dry heat of AZ.  Since then they have really made themselves at home in the Valley of the Sun.  Check out a map of the Phoenix area and the lovebird sightings.  Don’t forget to update it with your own lovebird sightings.

Fun facts about our (I call them our) lovebirds:

• They are quite social and nearly always arrive in pairs, frequently in groups of 6-10.  
• They are also VERY vocal.  The loud chattering announces their arrival and departure.  In fact, last spring a couple of them were nesting in the roof tiles above my master bedroom.  It was fun but a little loud earlier than I appreciated in the morning.  My husband says that sometimes they are quite annoying to golfers when they number in the hundreds around some of the golf courses here in the NE Mesa area.  
• They are also a little feisty and “bicker” back and forth with each other as well as with the sparrows and finches.  
• We have discovered that they really enjoy fruit flavored birdseed.  We bought the cheaper stuff one time and they kind-of boycotted our feeder. 
• They don’t spook to easily.  They will usually allow us to walk outside under the tree they are perched on without flying off as other birds do.  

In writing this post I have also discovered that lovebirds have taken up habitat in London and parts of Scotland as well.  

So as you are out enjoying the wonderful AZ winter (or whilst in London or Scotland) keep your eyes and ears out for these cute little guys.  In my opinion it is more fun to have them out in the “wild” than to pay $59 for them at a pet store.  

Yep, it’s my birthday.  For those who are counting, I’ve added another year to my 32 making me 33 today.  

My amazing husband and adorable girls decided to make me breakfast in bed.  I’ve never had breakfast in bed and I’ll tell you it was quite a treat.  It included and omelet (bacon, cheese & onion with basil on the top), crepes (with creme cheese & jelly), an iced coffee and even a little chocolate chip cookie to the side.  The flowers were fresh picked from our backyard.  The purple ones are skyflowers and they smell like Easter candy.  Everyone should have breakfast in bed sometime!

Thanks to all who’ve been reminded by Facebook that today is my birthday (as well as those who knew anyway) and sent me well wishes .  You are loved.  

As for the rest of the day, I think I’ll hit up some of my favorite freebies that I like to remind you of.  I’m headed to Joe’s Farm Grill for lunch with an “old” friend who has known me way too long.  Later, I’ll likely hit Krispy Kreme for a free decadent dozen (to be shared!).  Oh, and some work today, too!

Birthday or not…wishing you a great day, also!

Whoever says there is no such thing as a free lunch hasn’t met Joe Johnston yet.  

Today is Customer Appreciation Day at Joe’s Farm Grill.  Joe Johnston (famous for Joe’s Real BBQ and Joe’s Farm Grill as well as the concept of Agritopia and many other things) knows how to do customer appreciation.  He’ll pack out the block with people waiting in line for a free hamburger, fries and a drink.  He’ll give away free food and lots of it today, but what he’ll really do is give back to the customers who happily wait in a quick line each time they visit one of Joe’s establishments.  He’ll showcase the service, quality and fantastic food that has made his restaurants THE place(s) to visit if you’re in Gilbert.  The likes of Guy Fieri & Diners Drive-ins and Dives aren’t mistaken when they pick this place as the essence of Gilbert.  

If you’ve not been, I’d encourage you to go.  The lines really aren’t that bad (even if they look horrendous) and who knows, you might even make a new friend or two as you enjoy the beautiful weather AZ has to offer this time of year.  

See you in line!