To Valiant Hearts Nothing is Impossible - Memorial Day 2012
In Gaelic, E. Dennis O'Neill's mantra was "Do croithe croga nil aon rud do-dheanta" - To valiant hearts nothing is impossible. Mr. O'Neill spent 42 years in active and reserve duty in the United States Marine Corps.
Denny O'Neill passed away on February 19, 2012, after a courageous battle with cancer. He had attained the rank of Major after returning home from Vietnam in 1968.
Dennis O'Neill served a tour of duty in Vietnam in 1966 as a Marine Corps information officer. In May of that year he was wounded in Da Nang, SouthVietnam. He was awarded the Purple Heart and subsequently earned a Bronze Star, and a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Valor. From the Vietnamese he was awarded the Vietnamese Medal of Honor for participating in over 40 Vietnamese combat operations. He also participated in several major US Marine Operations including Operation Hastings and Prairie which stopped several North Vietnamese Divisions from capturing the northernmost five South Vietnamese provinces. To valiant hearts nothing is impossible.Denny O'Neill. a retired executive at Maritz Inc., was one of the founding members of Forest Park Forever as well as an early board member of the St. Louis Film Festival. To valiant hearts nothing is impossible.
E. Dennis O'Neill was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery with full military honors. By special permission, he was buried at the grave site of his brother, Marine Corps Lt. Timothy O'Neill who was 23 when he was fatally wounded in action near the Demilitarized Zone in May 1969. To valiant hearts nothing is impossible.
They are unsung heroes to many and valiant heroes to those who knew them.
On this Memorial Day 2012, we salute them and thank them for a valiant contribution to our universe. To Valiant Hearts Nothing Is Impossible.
Memorial Day Services at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery begin Monday, May 28, 2012, at 10 a.m.
Bronze Star
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
Purple Heart
Market Overview for St. Louis MO Luxury Homes 5-21-2012
Following information is from Maris statistics as of 5-21-2012 and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
On a budget? Buy a home that needs your creativity
One way to beat our current economic stress
| This home at 1445 Midland Boulevard (virtual tour) in University City, Mo 63130 has been in the same family for over 50 years. It has been gently used and recently had the plumbing and electric updated. It is mid century (very trendy) and many of the original attributes are still intact. What fun it could be to personalize this one and really make it shine with your creativity and personality. |
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Here is the current kitchen with it's very trendy original cabinets. The light fixture above the sink is also original to the home as is the tile backsplash which is in very good condition. The countertops are a bit worn but they have a stainless steel edge. If you are a purist mid century kind of person, you wouldn't have to touch it. |
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Now this is wow!!!. This post from "do it yourself" tells how to paint metal kitchen cabinets in 3 steps. |
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Ooolalah!!! Go ahead and be courageous. Here's a blog from retro renovation: Painting your metal kitchen cabinets for $50 |
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I know, I know. You are more conservative than this. Well, no worries. Here's another look you could try.
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And for even more ideas on how much fun you can actually have with a mid century home go to Retro Renovation. They have some great projects for small monies. A little confession from me: I painted my kitchen cabinets with a roller. Not as slick but it worked. |
Search for homes in University City
St Louis County Real Estate Statistics as of May 14, 2012
The St. Louis Residential Real Estate Total Market Overview for May 14, 2012 shows an increase in the total number of houses currently under contract from below 30% last week to 30.3% this week. Last year, on May 16, 2011, the number of houses under contract was about 23%. Lower inventory and an increase in buyer activity is accounting for this change. The 2012 market continues to improve. Typical days on market (DOM) is about 104. And the average sales price (for homes $100,000 and up) is down a slight amount from last year... from $289,332 to $288,736.
A 92 year old with charm intact and enhanced by facelifts
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Many people say that a person's inner beauty improves as they age. The same can be said of homes. When the inner beauty of a home has been preserved and enhanced as is the case with this refurbished cottage, it adds a charm to the home that cannot be measured. One example is the renewed original claw foot tub.
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Natural light flows through the living room and dining room. There are new hardwood floors. The fireplace is woodburning. A room with light from two sides (northern and western) makes it an inviting place to enjoy family time.
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The large lot and oversized garage are unique for Brentwood homes. There is also a newly paved parking pad for extra cars (2+) and in addition the driveway has been recently sealed. The yard is partially fenced and is edged with natural vegetation that affords privacy.
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What a spot for the kids to play. It has windows with mullions and it is tall enough for an adult to stand. Or if you are a gardener wouldn't this be a great potting shed. |
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SEARCH FOR HOMES IN BRENTWOOD, MO 63144
Brick Ranch Just Listed in Glendale MO
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The kitchen was completely renovated in 2008. The granite countertops have ogee edges. The dishwasher, trash compactor, range and wine cooler are Viking professional stainless. The Jenn-aire refrigerator and Dacor microwave are built-in. It has recessed canned lighting and a marble floor. Another feature that adds icing to this package, is that the kitchen window overlooks a wonderful deck and a very private backyard. |
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A door from the kitchen leads to this outdoor space. The backyard is extensively landscaped and has a natural privacy fence along the back. |
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Search for Homes in Kirkwood School District Virtual Tour |
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Unique, somewhat quirky and totally wonderful rambling ranch
The second addition was done by the current owner in the early 1980's and includes a large mudroom, a laundry/storage room, a half bath and a family room.
The windows throughout the home are wood thermal windows and many of them are casement.
The lot size is just below an acre of beautiful trees and vegetation. The home is on a lane that puts you in mind of something you would enjoy on the east coast.
Really! this home is a true delight. Click picture for tour
View featured properties
Offered for sale at $325,000. Contact Barb Heise for a private showing, bsheise@gmail.com or 314-677-6046.
Be kind to your planet - install an eco-friendly countertop
Earth Day 2012 - Be Kind to Your Planet
Kitchens are still a major contributing factor to home buyers. According to the Cost vs Value Report 2010-2011, the average cost for a major kitchen remodel (nationally) was $57,494 with a 67.5% cost recouped. The average cost for a minor remodel was $19,588 with a 72.1% cost recoup. With our new budget minded society, the minor and even more minor renovations are becoming very popular.
With Earth Day before us, it seems fitting to consider an eco-friendly small project to spiff up a tired kitchen. Here are some ideas for changing your kitchen counter top and being kind to your planet at the same time:
Recycled Glass Kitchen Countertops Colorful recycled glass mixed into a cement, concrete, or resin base. Kitchen countertops can be integrally colored or stained for more variation and color coordination with cabinetry or painted surfaces.
End-Grain Bamboo Kitchen Counters Chopping blocks made of slender rectangles of end-grain bamboo glued into panels (usually 1½ inches thick). Available in natural or brown.
Recycled Paper Kitchen Countertops Recycled paper in a resin base. Available in thicknesses ranging from ¼ inch to 2 inches; integrally colored in many hues. Heat- and stain-resistant with honed-surface look.
Sustainable Wood Kitchen Countertops Butcher-block counters, some from reclaimed or recycled lumber, others from handsome but lesser-known tree species that have been sustainably harvested. Butcher blocks can be made from slender lengths or end-grain blocks.
Recycled Aluminum Kitchen Countertops Eleek uses 50 to 90 percent recycled aluminum to make countertop-depth pieces up to 3 feet wide with built-in front lip and backsplash, and to make tiles. Renewed Materials makes Alkemi, a solid-surface material containing postindustrial scrap aluminum in polymeric resin.
An example of paper countertops
Mid Century Ranch available soon in Olivette, MO 63132
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This mid century rambler embodies the tranquility and beauty of the midwest. A brick patway leads you to the front entrance. The home is California casual and windows abound. It is located in Olivette in the Ladue School District. |
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The living room has a woodburning fireplace and walls of windows facing the backyard and the front yard bringing the outside in year round. |
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The family room and an oversized 2 car garage were the most recent addition (over 20 years ago). At that time a full sized utility room was created on the first floor with a laundry room and large storage area. |
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This home has approximately 2253 square feet and will be offered at $325,000. Contact Barb Heise at 314-677-6046 for additional information. |
Value Added = Clean and Decluttered Front & Back Entries
Several years ago, one of my clients almost bought a house because it had lilacs blooming at the front entry. It reminded him of his grandmother. He wanted to write an offer right then and there. The house had nothing that he was looking for in a home but that smell as we walked up to the front door just made him feel sooooo good.
It's amazing how many times we hear the words "curb appeal" in regard to selling homes but this article is just about YOU the homeowner and how good you feel when you enter your home - be it through the backdoor or the front door. It's also about how you want your guests to feel on the approach to your home.
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Declutter and clean the Front Entry: Sort through the coat closet and remove items that no one uses. If there is not enough room in the coat closet to keep some daily necessities like gloves, umbrellas, your phone, consider adding a small dresser or hutch. Where do you put the mail? When you have a specific place for things, it will become natural for you to store them there every time.
Declutter and clean outside the front door: Make sure your plantings are thriving or else get ride of them. Is your welcome mat clean? Sweep your sidewalk. Clean off or paint the front door. Repair minor chips in the door frame. Clean the windows. Wouldn't you love an invitation from the owners of these delightful entrances? |
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1. Keep it all in your coat closet. If you're blessed to have a large enough coat closet, add simple storage shelves inside to house your purse, your keys, your sunglasses, and your kid's backpacks. Use baskets on all the shelves, labeled with each person's name. Everyone is responsible for keeping his or her basket in order.
You might even want an additional basket just for receipts. In our family, my husband and I empty our wallets of receipts right at the front door so that I always know where all the receipts are when I update our bank accounts each week.
Use two large containers to house outdoor gear like hats, gloves, and pool toys. Divide the items seasonally and keep the current season's box within reach, with the other container stored out of the way until it's time to switch.
2. Keep it organized and out in the open. Your coat closet might be located elsewhere, or perhaps it's so minuscule that it barely has enough room to hod one jacket per family member. In this case, use the space just past your front door. You probably don't have much floor space, so think vertically. A system of pegs on the wall can store bags, coats and purses. Find a wall-mounted organizing system to hang your keys on and to store the day's mail.
Find a simple chest of dawers and repurpose it for this area, or even use a small bookcase with baskets. Create the same system suggested for the closet - assign one basket per person, where everyone can toss his or her stuff.....
3. Create a hybrid system of both ideas. If you have a closet in your front entry, you don't necessarily need to close the closet door to hide the clutter. If you're short on entryway space, try removing the closet door and transforming the closet into more of a nook. You can still use the hanging space, but add a little bench seat with storage baskets and a row of hooks on the wall...
And don't forget the back entry. Make it fun and useful for your lifestyle, especially if this is the way the family usually enters the home. If you have room, create a sitting or dining area outside your back door. Store all of your lawn gear, tools and barbecue gear in the same area.
Let me know if this inspired you to work on your entry and if it made a change in the way you feel when you walk into your home. If so, you have just created curb appeal which is #1 in attracting a buyer to your home when the time comes to sell.
Additional resources for decluttering:
Karen Kingston's blog
Organized Simplicity
ZenHabits
