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Archive for the 'Claire Hanes Journal' Category
CaryRealEstate.com Men’s Softball Team brings home the Championship!
Cary, North Carolina is well known for the ‘quality of life’ it’s residents enjoy…One of the many aspects of this, is the town’s recreational and sports opportunities for kids and adults. Check out the town’s official Parks and Recreational website. You’ll find that there are so many ways to be involved in an active lifestyle here in Cary…softball, tennis, soccer, volleyball, dancing, fitness classes and much, much more.
This spring, we at CaryRealEstate.com had the opportunity to sponsor a men’s modified (think stealing bases and faster pitching) softball team. Claire’s son Brad was the catalyst for the group of guys who eventually came together to form the team…some were co-workers from the Cary Post Office, other’s were aquaintances from church, with friends and friends of friends rounding out the roster. While the teams’ record showed as many losses as wins (sometimes more) going into the final weeks of the season…they continued to persevere and found the will to win in the playoffs. The team attributed much of their success in the final rounds to a loyal fan, Chris Rivera who’s presence seemed to guarantee a win. He was given a team jersy and implored to be at each game…he came and they won!
So…a proud “thank you” to the guys on the team, to the team coach, Harlen Greene and his wife, Roberta and to Brad Hanes for giving us the chance to sponsor what turned out to be a winning season! You guys rock!
CaryRealEstate.com Spring 2010 Championship Team
What’s so great about Enchanted Oaks subdivision in Raleigh?
While we at CaryRealEstate.com are focused on the town of Cary, NC and the multitude of wonderful reasons why we LOVE living here…we know there is life outside the town limits…
To that end, I’d like to introduce you to two fantastic reasons to step over to the Lake Wheeler Road/Penny Road area of Raleigh.
2201 Black Willow Court, in Enchanted Oaks, Raleigh, NC-listed by CaryRealEstate.com
First, is the Enchanted Oaks subdivision where we are intimately familiar with this stunning home at 2201 Black Willow Court. Enchanted Oaks’ residents enjoy wonderfully large, private lots. And, there’s a neighborhood pool, clubhouse and children’s playground…all within very easy access to I40 and Rte 401. CaryRealEstate.com proudly lists this home with features like a .90 acre flat lot, huge sunroom, gorgeous hardwoods, all formals and a very large 2 car side entry garage. There’s a large bonus room with it’s own separate staircase and large bedrooms. The kitchen boasts a built in desk nook as well as built-in china/crystal cupboard with it’s own sink for handwashing those delicate dishes. Not only is this home in pristine condition and located in this fantastic neighborhood but it’s also within a 5 minute car ride to the second fabulous find out in this part of Wake County…
CaryRealEstate.com visits Historic Yate's Mill County Park
Historic Yates Mill County Park…this was a new experience for me. I mean, I’ve known for many years that the mill pond was here but I had never taken the time to spend an hour or so poking around…until today. Today was one of those picture perfect Carolina days that just begs you to get outside and DO something!
I’m sure glad I did…and I recommend you do as well. Of course, there’s the old mill building, the pond and a few old mill stones scattered about but there’s sooo much more. There’s a large visitor/educational center, several walking trails ranging in length from about .10 miles to just about a mile. The vegetation and wildlife are abundant. It’s just such a nice place to take a break from the hustle and bustle of a busy day. Here’s a few of the photos I snapped while I was there…
So, I hope you’ll come take a look at 2201 Black Willow Court in Enchanted Oaks if you or someone you know is looking for that perfect next home. And after you visit there, do yourself a favor and take a nature break at Historic Yates Mill County Park just down the road!
A Christmas present for you in Downtown Cary!
Here’s another splendid example of the good life in Cary, NC…the town is hosting what’s sure to be a fantastic day of enjoyment for the whole family, next Saturday, December 5th!
There’ll be Santa’s Workshop starting at 10am with crafts and refreshments for the 10yr and under crowd, with a visit by a certain someone from way up North!
Also on the agenda, is an art exhibit at Town Hall called ‘The Artist Within’ featuring works by Town employees and staff.
Apparently, the downtown Cary merchants will be participating with special refreshments, crafts and entertainment…
The Page-Walker History Center will host a Victorian Christmas celebration with refreshments and activities sure to please any age!
The evening will bring the annual tree lighting ceremony which will include live entertainment and refreshments.
And something I’m personally looking forward to is the radio play, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ to be performed in the Cary Town Council Chambers!
Check out this article in the Cary Citizen for all the details and then, I hope to see you there!
A Film Festival in Wake County!
I just found this wonderful opportunity for the weekend’s entertainment…The Peak City Film Festival. Billed as a ‘Family friendly festival where all ages will feel comfortable watching or having their family members watch.’ Sounds good to me since I’m usually the one feeling uneasy about seeing certain things on the screen! 
The Cary News reports that the festival in downtown Apex runs this weekend starting Friday, November 20 with the Gala Opening and running until Sunday, with screenings from 12 noon-4pm on Saturday and Sunday. The screenings will be held at various Salem Street venues for a unique experience.
Visit the Peak City Film Festival website for the schedule and ticket information. Maybe I’ll see you there!
A Nature Walk in the heart of Cary-Hemlock Bluffs
Well, it was another Chamber of Commerce day here in Wake county…blue skies and I believe we hit the mid 70’s for a high temp…the best part is that today is November 9th!
I spent an enjoyable afternoon at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve with a friend. This unique place in the mi
ddle of Cary, NC is full of beautiful natural vistas, interesting plants (including a large stand of Eastern Hemlock trees) and abundant animal life. We just stopped by for a stroll and a chat but I was amazed by the large nature education center. It was staffed by at least 3 uniformed attendants…who were answering kids’ questions and taking folks on guided walks along the 3 miles of trails.
Seriously, this such an unexpected spot. Just another example of what The Town of Cary has done right when it comes to the quality of life it provides to the residents here!
Cary area retirement living options abound!
So, are you like me? Are you a member of the sandwich generation…responsible for your children and taking on an ever increasing role in your aging parents’ lives? Even if you haven’t found yourself in this position yet, I promise that if you have parents, you will one day face some difficult decisions related to either their health care, their living situation or their quality of life.
Senior adults think Cary is the place to be!
As I was driving around Cary and Wake county today, I was noticing how many truly top-notch retirement communities, senior centers and assisted living facilities we have here. I know first-hand about a large number of them since I have just finished the long, sometimes painful process of placing both of my parents in an assisted living facility. Since this area is particularly known for it’s wonderful climate, exceptional health care, stable economy and great real estate market…it has enjoyed the unique phenomenon of parents (grandparents) following their grown children and their families here. This is, of course a wonderful situation for the families who can enjoy the multi-generational bonds that are so rare these days. However, as the parents age…their ability to live on their own diminishes, leaving their children in the difficult ’sandwich’ situation. The good news is that Wake County has done an exceptional job of providing access to resources and information which can help families navigate these difficult waters.
Resources for Seniors is an exceptionally useful website with a staggering amount of information to guide and direct you and answer any questions you may have! I couldn’t have even started my search without it…I hope you’ll find it useful too!
A Grandma in Cary orders a bowl FULL of Cherries!
Today is an extremely rare day for Cary Real Estate Grandma…there is NOTHING scheduled on my calendar. Not to say there’s not quite a few things on the ‘radar’ but none of it is time sensitive.
So, I’m sitting here reflecting. Reading through my friends’ status updates on Facebook and the Tweets of people I’m following on Twitter. And, I’m hit with a thought…life is good! This whole ’social media’ thing is so FANTASTIC for keeping in touch with what really matters. I mean, we all know life isn’t a bowl of cherries (oops, sorry if that’s news to you), there are plenty of pits that find their way into our bowl. But when I read through all these posts, I realize…we all want to accentuate the positive! Happy smiling faces in our photos, sharing the exciting news of our team’s big win, a restaurant we tried and loved, big plans for the weekend…etc.
Here’s the thing, I want to encourage you (and myself) to tune into all this positive energy! No, I’m not going ‘new age’ on you-but I believe if I learn to keep the focus on the blessings in my life and in the lives of my friends, then I might not have very much time left to contemplate where I think my life falls short. Count your blessings and be happy for the good things in your friends’ lives!
What a concept!
For the record: girls night out, hopefully some real estate, serving at Hope Community church, taking parents to Cary’s Bond park is all 
on the agenda for the weekend! Even if life isn’t just a bowl of cherries, I’m going to spit out the pits as I come to them instead of letting them break my teeth and make me cry…
Toddler loves the choices at MacDonald Woods Park in Cary!
Well, today was another beautiful day in Cary! Mackenzie and I took full advantage of the cool, sunny weather by heading to one of the many Town of Cary parks. This one, MacDonald Woods, has a particularly wonderful toddler area with a rubberized play surface, small slides and a very cool activity station built just the right size.
Lovin' MacDonald Woods!
She loved the sandbox…actually thought the sand was tasty. Yuck! The older kids have a full size jungle gym, slides and swings. This park also has full-court basketball, picnic tables and is adjacent to the Hinshaw Greenway connecting to the new 1/64 pedestrian bridge and ending at the Kids Together park.
We had a great time there today! Since she’s still so little, I didn’t really expect much of a reaction but she LOVED it and got a little miffed when Mema said it was time to go. As I got her packed up in the stroller, she figured out what I was doing and let me know that this was not a good time to go…I prevailed (because it was lunch time) but we’ll be back soon!
Condo and Townhome buyers beware
So, I was just browsing through some articles at WSJ.com. I found this one about what a potential condo buyer should be checking out besides the hardwoods in the foyer and the community fitness center. It’s the owners’ association financial health, the cash reserves and the common areas in the community (of which you will hold a percentage of the title). Seems to me the most important part of this, is getting my hands on the restrictive covenants and getting in touch with the owner’s association respresentative in order to have my questions answered very quickly-before making an offer.
As a newly licensed agent…this was eye opening for me.
Ahhh…sweet comfort!
So, what is it about the cooler weather that makes us all run for the most fattening, carb centric meals we can think of? My mind turns to mac & cheese, chicken & biscuits, apple crisp and pumpkin pie (okay, I might be drooling). These last few days have been unusually cool and cloudy for Cary. Highs in the 50’s and 60’s and barely a peek of sunshine. I NEED to cook and consume some comfort food. Plus, today is Sunday…the traditional day for big and long dinners.
So, today at the Hanes’ house, after I spend the afternoon learning how to show property…we’ll sit down to pot roast with potatoes and carrots, gravy, crusty bread and green beans. For dessert, there’s carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. All made from scratch (which I have to say produced a TON of dirty dishes) and all loaded with calories and carbs. I can’t wait!!! Thankfully, this doesn’t happen everyday…or I’d be the 
size of those houses we’ll be looking at today.
What’s your favorite ‘comfort food’?
