Attack on the White House

On this day (+1) in 1814, in Washington, D.C., the White House, much to the surprise of the President, fell into the hands of his adversaries. It happened so quickly that he barely had time to send a note to his high profile wife telling her to get out. And, he probably drew little satisfaction in the fact that these same adversaries had driven both the Senate and the House out of the Capitol.

There were neither spin doctors nor poll readers to defend this President. His name was James Madison and his high profile wife, Dolly, barely escaped before the opponents took over. The adversaries were the British Army. They marched into Washington with only one casualty.

The President’s defenders had made a great deal of noise but they only managed to shoot the horse out from under the opposing general, forcing him to get his uniform dirty.

When the new guys took over, they decided to get rid of the records of the former administration, so they set fire to the White House and the Capitol. And into the next day the fires burned. Then a hurricane struck Washington. It helped put out the fires and drove the (now disorganized) British back to their ships.

The strongest performance was shown by the First Lady, Dolly. She refused to leave the White House until she had secured Stuart’s famous portrait of George Washington. She knew protecting pictures of dead presidents can be important to the nation.

This great piece of history was supplied by Art Cashin.

We look forward to earning your trust and real estate business.

 Steve Geving
Premiere Plus Realty Co
www.nextgenerationrealtygroup.com

Serving Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Estero, Sanibel, Captiva, Lehigh Acres, Pine Island and Punta Gorda

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Real Estate Hacking and Plundering

On this day in 1572, there occurred the kind of event that proves that human nature
can outdo even the strangest ideas of governments and soap-opera writers. But to
understand it better, you should know the background.

First, there was this big important country. And, it had a controversial leader who was
still relatively young as leaders go, who took a lot of advice from a close relative. And
there was a lot of friction in the country – some thought one group was getting ahead
of the rest. Class began to battle class. Being the 16th Century, naturally everything
was couched in religious terms.

The country was France. The young leader was Charles IX. The advisor was his
mother Catherine de Medici. And the suspect class were the Huguenots, who were
Protestant (and coincidentally, seemed socially and economically “upwardly mobile”.)
(Okay soap opera fans – ready for phase Two??)

Charles (at the direction of mum ma’) offered the hand of his sister to Henry of
Navarre, a Huguenot idol. Naturally, the crème de la crème of Huguenot society
clamored to get on the wedding invitation list. After all, the marriage would seal
religious peace. Well – not quite!!

Before the bridal bouquet had faded, the real motive for the wedding became clear.
The King and his mom intended to use the guest list as a “hit list”. (The wedding
allowed them to smoke out every prominent Protestant in Paris.)
So at 2:00 a.m., on August 24th, armed with the guest list and lots of wine, the
King’s agents began hacking to death men, women, children and servants of the well
to do Huguenots. But religious fanaticism soon yielded to consumerism, as the mobs
began collecting the jewelry and possessions of the enemy class. Soon the lists were
discarded and anyone with anything worth taking was “a Huguenot”. When many of
the King’s friends were robbed and bludgeoned (or vice versa), many of those at court
begged his majesty to halt the slaughter. So, on August 25th, the King ordered his
subjects to cease and desist.

“Thanks for the suggestion, Your Majesty, but we self-styled “have nots” are having
too much fun hacking Huguenots and plundering the possessions of presumed
protestants!”

So the killing and robbing went on for over a week. The death toll was in the tens of
thousands. History called it the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre. Luckily, it was a
lesson to government never to set one class against another.

There are many things that I take from this story supplied by Art Cashing such as:

1. Don’t RSVP without thinking first and if you do, don’t wear jewlery
2. Watch out for the Realtors who are hacking and plundering.  Many are trying to change their economic class by taking advantage of hard working Americans who are faced with tough times.

We look forward to earning your trust and business.  Don’t hesitate contacting us, we are here to listen and give you options.  If you decide to sell your home, we would love the opportunity to assist. 

Steve Geving
Premiere Plus Realty Co
www.nextgenerationrealtygroup.com Serving Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Estero, Sanibel, Captiva, Lehigh Acres, Pine Island and Punta Gorda

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Real Estate Jokes

The dream of the older generation was to pay off a mortgage. The dream of today’s young families is to get one.

If you think no one cares you’re alive, miss a couple of house payments.

My buyers went through debt consolidation. Now they have only one bill they won’t pay.

If you want to know exactly where the property line is, just watch the neighbor cut the grass.

This country is great. It’s the only place where you can borrow money for a down payment, get a 1st and 2nd mortgage and call yourself a homeowner.

The trouble with owning a home is that no matter where you sit, you’re looking at something you should be doing.

All jokes aside.  Buying real estate in todays market place is a wise decision.  Please call or email us with any and all of your home buying and home selling needs.  We look forward to earning your trust and SW Florida real estate business.

Steve Geving
Premiere Plus Realty Co
www.nextgenerationrealtygroup.com

serving Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Estero, Sanibel, Captiva, Lehigh Acres, Pine Island and Punta Gorda

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Great Poem – “Crabby Old Man”

Crabby Old Man

What do you see nurses? . . .. .. . What do you see?
What are you thinking . . . . . when you’re looking at me?
A crabby old man . .. .. . . not very wise,
Uncertain of habit . . . . with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles his food . . . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . . . . ‘I do wish you’d try!’
Who seems not to notice . .. . . the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . A sock or shoe?

Who, resisting or not . . . . . lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . . . The long day to fill?
Is that what you’re thinking? . . . . . Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse . . . . . you’re not looking at me.

I’ll tell you who I am. . . .. . As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, . . . . as I eat at your will.
I’m a small child of Ten . . . . with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters . . . . who love one another.

A young boy of Sixteen . . . with wings on his feet.
Dreaming that soon now . .. . . a lover he’ll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . . . my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows . . . . . that I promised to keep.

At Twenty-Five, now . . . . . I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . . . .. . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . . . . With ties that should last.

At Forty, my young sons . . .. . . have grown and are gone,
But my woman’s beside me . . . . to see I don’t mourn.
At Fifty, once more, babies play ’round my knee,
Again, we know children . . .. . . My loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me . . . . . my wife is now dead.
I look at the future . . . . . shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing . . . . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . . . and the love that I’ve known.

I’m now an old man . … . . . and nature is cruel.
Tis jest to make old age . . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles . . . . . grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone . . . . where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass . . . . a young guy still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys . . . . I remember the pain.
And I’m loving and living . . . . life over again.

I think of the years, all too few . . .. .. gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people . . . . open and see.
Not a crabby old man .. . . Look closer . . see ME!!

Please call or email us with any and all of your SW Florida home buying and home selling needs.  We look forward to earning your trust and business

Steve Geving
Premiere Plus Realty Co
www.nextgenerationrealtygroup.com

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Wise Quotes

Yesterday I dared to struggle. Today I dare to win.

Bernadette Devlin

You can never do yout best ’cause every time you try you just get better and better.

Sammy eang

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.

Maria Robinson

Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.

James Dean

Please call or email us with any and all of you southwest Florida Real Estate needs.  We look forward to earning your trust and business.

Steve Geving
Premiere Plus Realty Co
www.nextgenerationrealtygroup.com

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