Did you ever have one of those days when your head felt like it just wasn't on straight? Do you remember your Mother telling you she had eyes in the back of her head? Have you heard that hindsight is 20 - 20? Do you remember those driving lessons and being told "eyes straight ahead?" Has anyone ever told you that you have a good head on your shoulders? Have you ever uttered the words "that's just ducky?" 07/01/2009

In mid-June, Halton District School Board trustees confirmed the final ruling on the Southeast Oakville (Ward 3) public school closures. After months of debate and community input, the trustees voted in favour of an option put forth known as Hybrid 3B. If you’re like me, Hybrid 3B means nothing to you so I’ve summarized what this means below. The following 3 schools will be closed as of September 2010: Brantwood, Chisholm and Linbrook. A new elementary school will be built in Clearview and the remaining schools of Maple Grove, EJ James and New Central will remain open. Facts: Maple Grove, EJ James and Clearview all qualify for a full-time Principal, Vice Principle and SERT (Special Education Resource Teacher). New Central will not qualify for a Vice Principal School closure project is ... 07/01/2009

Peter Gilgan, the owner of Mattamy Homes here in Oakville recently sent out an email regarding his company’s North Oakville development plans. For those of you who don’t know, Mattamy is the largest land owner in the yet to be developed area of North Oakville (North of Dundas Street). At the heart of the email is Mattamy’s concern over a proposed increase in new development taxes. When a new home is built, the developer has to pay a development charge to both the region and local government in exchange for certain developmental services such as roads and utilities, park development, fire and rescue services, additional library and recreational services, etc. Ultimately, these development charges are passed down to new home buyers as reflected in the purchase price of their home. Oakvil... 07/01/2009

Canada turns 142 years old tomorrow.  Every village, town and city will celebrate in its own special way.  Oakville will be holding plenty of  festivities in the Bronte Village harbour district.  A full day of events is planned and hopefully the weather will cooperate.  The evening will end with fireworks over Lake Ontario. Here is the lineup of events planned for July 1. BRONTE RD. *  THE BOARDWALK *  HERITAGE WATERFRONT PARK Time: 8 am. - 5pm. 11am - 4pm KID'S ACTIVITIES Face Painters & Balloon Clown - Bronte Rd. & Heritage Waterfront Park Children's Entertainers 12:00 - 12:30 pm  Cinderella ‘Meet and Greet' 2:30 - 3:30 pm NAUTICAL ACTIVITIES Bronte Harbour Yacht Club Yacht Flotilla Dingy Races-Bronte Harbour. Yacht Club Sailing School Town of Oakville Big Fire-truck & Crew 11am - 9pm... 06/30/2009

  No roads lead to Elsas, Ontario.  Located 459 miles north of Toronto, the only ways in are by train or plane.  Why would anyone want to visit Elsas?  For the fishing, the beauty and the peace and quiet. For a half dozen years or so, a group of assorted friends, and friends of friends have made the trek to spend a week  in May fishing.  This year two of the "regular's" sons were invited to go along.  My nephew Justin was one of them. These photos were taken by Justin and his father.  As you can see by his catch, I would think that Justin has earned his stripes and will be invited back next year. All Aboard Justin And His Catch Open Wide Snow In May In Elsas Pink Sky At Night Sunset In Elsas, Ontario Photo Source: Justin Kotulak 06/24/2009

I had an epiphany a few days ago – in a car dealership of all places.  My sister was looking for a new car and had asked me to come along with her to negotiate with the sale rep she met a few days earlier.  To protect the guilty, I will not mention the name of the dealership we went to however we were greeted with a warm welcome and immediately ushered into the salesperson’s office where things quickly fell apart.  While the salesperson was very much interested in getting to figures, my sister was still trying to figure out if she liked the dealer’s cars and if so, which model to choose.  I started asking some questions thinking that this would help her reach a decision.  Questions along the lines of fuel efficiency, safety features, maintaining warranty protection, pricing structures ... 06/24/2009

The village of Shakespeare, Ontario was founded in 1832.  It is a small hamlet located 30 miles west of Kitchener-Waterloo and 7 miles east of Stratford.  There is one set of traffic lights.  It is one of those villages that people pass through quickly, on their way to Stratford to see the Shakespeare Festival. It really is worth taking the time to stop though, to browse the numerous antique stores and enjoy a tea or ice cream at the Harry Ten Shilling Tea Room.  If you have the time, venture onto the country side roads and you will find large farms, old churches and cemeteries and numerous other nearby villages and hamlets such as Tavistock and Harmony. Shakespeare, Ontario Antiques Harry Ten Shilling Tea Room - Shakespeare, Ontario The Quilt Place - Shakespeare, Ontario Antique Stores... 06/23/2009

FOR MORE INFORMATION INCLUDING PRICES, PICTURES, ADDRESSES & MORE PLEASE CALL BARRY QUINE TODAY at (905) 399-1069. There were 22 new listings that came on the market yesterday for oakville: 1) A 3 Bedroom 3-Story Semi FOR SALE on Georgian Drive (River Oaks)2) A 3 Bedroom Detached 2-Story FOR SALE on Creek Path Ave. (Bronte)3) A 3 Bedroom Detached 2-Story FOR SALE on Oak Bliss Crescent (Westoak Trails) 4) A 3 Bedroom Freehold Townhouse FOR SALE on Westview Terrace (Westoak Trails)5) A 4 Bedroom Detached 2-Story FOR SALE OR RENT on Kwinter Road (West Mount)6) A 3 Bedroom Condominium Townhouse FOR SALE on Westview Terrace (West Oak Trails)7) A 4 Bedroom Detached 2-Story FOR SALE on Briarwood Crescent (Morrison)8) A 2 Bedroom Condominium Apartment FOR RENT on Sixth Line (River Oaks)9) A 2 B... 06/18/2009

Some people are much more adventurous than others.  They like to go out on a limb and try something new.  If the end result is a flop, who cares.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  Others are more cautious.  They like to know what the end result is going to be when they begin something. They stay in their comfort zone.  They know that when they "deliver the goods" they are going to be GOOD. I'm talkig about baking, folks.  Yesterday I found an old file with lots of recipes that I used to make when my kids were little.  A big hit that you would see at every shower, anniversary, etc. was "Sex In A Pan". It was sooo yummy.  My cousin made some for Easter dinner this year and I had forgotten how good it tasted. Another favourite recipe that I would make for the kids was "Magic Cookie Bars"... 06/12/2009

St. Marys, Ontario is a small town located in southwestern Ontario.  It sits quietly on the Thames River about 12 miles southwest of Stratford, Ontario.  Although St. Marys is a small town with less than 7,000 residents, it can boast a number of claims to fame.  The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame resides here. Also Canada's 9th Prime Minister, Arthur Meighen is buried here. Famous Canadian retailer Timothy Eaton opened up his first shop in St. Marys. St. Marys has earned the nickname of Stonetown, due to the abundance of limestone, which was used over the years to build the downtown area and homes.  St. Marys Cement Company became a major producer of cement in Ontario. I was born in St. Marys.  My mother grew up there. I love to go back and visit whenever I can.  I have a passion for st... 06/07/2009

Or have you already started to crawl?  I'm in the baby steps stage.  Many of you are  running full out with it.  Twitter means many things to many people.  A few days ago I penned a blog post and I mentioned that I would do a folow up post on how to play nice in the Twitter sand box. Getting in the sandbox is a personal, individual choice.  The following points are Twitter facts with my personal observations. 1. Twitter is a tool.  A micro-blogging tool where you can put out information immediately (to whoever may be listening) in 140 characters or less. Twitter is another social media outlet.  It is out there and you may or may not choose to use. 2. Should you choose to use, think about what purpose you want to use it for.  Personal or business.  Or both.  What messages do you want to ... 06/06/2009

I woke up this morning to a news story about a British twit twitterer who was jogging and tweeting at the same time and ran into a low lying tree branch. This is supposed to be newsworthy all the way across the pond?  Should I be questioning why this trivial accident became a major news story?  Or should I be questioning just how powerful Twitter really is?  Which part of this story is really newsworthy? The unfortunate black eye from making contact with an unbending stationary object or the capability of Twitter to spread the story like wildfire?  Yes, my bets are on Twitter.  I think this Twitter story is going to grab people who view Twitter with 2 different trains of thought. The Twitter haters/bashers will laugh and say it served him right.  (whether they understand the micro-blogg... 06/03/2009

There were two big news stories unveiling in Toronto yesterday.  The first will affect millions of Toronto area residents.  The second will benefit only 489 customers at a time. Each story had its' own headline in today's Toronto Star newspaper. "Remember to BYOB: Bring Your Own Bag" and "Colossal jet has star turn at Pearson" Starting June 1, in Toronto and the Greater Toronto area, retailers began (if they weren't already) to charge 5 cents for every plastic bag given out to a shopper.  It seems this new City of Toronto plastic bag bylaw was met with mixed reaction.  Many shoppers have already switched to cloth bags or plastic buckets in an effort to be more environmentally conscious.  I have an assortment of reusable bags that I have picked up over the years from real estate conferen... 06/02/2009

"I'm too busy".  We all say it because sometimes we genuinely are, but not all the time.  I'm sure you know people who say those three words "I'm too busy" constantly.  Why is this?  How can anyone be too busy to enjoy life? We all know that rushing causes stress.  I think some people have lots on their mind and actually think they are busier than they really are.  It's easy to "overbook" yourself.  If your schedule is too full, perhaps it's time to say NO to some of the things that are filling your day. You don't have to overcommit. Perhaps some say they are too busy because they can't be bothered or they are trying to avoid someone or something. Have you ever asked someone to join you for coffee or lunch but they are too busy and ask for a raincheck. Again, often there are legitimate ... 05/29/2009

What Do You See In This Photo? What Do You See In THIS Photo? 05/29/2009

As you begin the process of searching for a home in the Burlington, Oakville or Mississauga regions of Ontario , one of the most important steps to take is to find a real estate sales representative who you feel comfortable with and who has good past client references . Many people searching for a home do not realize that they have the opportunity to save thousands of dollars, time and avoid potential problems by choosing to work with a REALTOR® early in the home buying process. A REALTOR® will sit down with you and go over all of the things that should be taken into consideration when searching for a home. They will provide you with valuable information and tools that will help you to find the right home at a price that fits your lifestyle and needs. They will advise you on things to w... 05/26/2009

              With the number of decorating and home renovation programs on television these days, the words curb apeal have become  common and widespread.  For anyone considering putting their home on the market this spring, preparing the outside to sell is just as crucial as preparing the inside. HGTV.COM has some great before and after curb appeal slide presentations. Curb appeal in real estate terms refers to the exterior look of a property from the street curb. Curb appeal is a pleasing look upon drive-up. In order to sell your home you have to get buyers in the door.It's very important for a seller to see the front of their property with "buyer's eyes". What is the first thing you notice when you drive up? How does it compare to other homes in the neighbourhood? Are you attracted... 05/15/2009

Will the real Lola please stand up. Where I go to relax when I'm at home Where I go to relax when I'm on holidays. We all need a holiday sometime.  A holiday to me is getting in a car, jumping on a plane (definitely not jumping out of one ) taking the bus, train or cruise ship and heading out of town.  It means leaving work, kids, pets, chores, etc. in the rear view mirror for whatever length of time the particular holiday allows. Sometimes we just need a break.  If a holiday isn't in the plans there are lots of other ways to pretend you are on one.  Living on Lake Ontario makes it easy to "get away from it all".  You can walk on the pier, stroll the lakeside parks, feed the ducks, take advantage of  great photo opportunities, people and boat watch, and of course finish up by  eating i... 05/13/2009

  If the shoe fits - Wear it                  If the shoe doesn't fit - Let Lola wear it Fresh Cedar - Can You Smell It?  T-I-M-B-E-R Trillions of Trilliums The Town of Oakville has an abundance of ravines and trails to enjoy.  Whether you are walking the dog, biking with the family, jogging or out for a healthy hike, the beauty and calm of these forested areas will soothe the soul. 05/10/2009

On a late spring day, I happened to be in Bronte with my camera and I was able to capture a beautiful sunset above the pier.  It was still a very cool day so there wasn't much activity happening. The Bronte Pier was a very lonely place to be.  Warmer days will fill the benches.  The boats will take their places in their slips.  The marina will come alive. The reflection of the lighthouse on Lake Ontario.  A beautiful spot to be, any day of the year. 05/06/2009