Can you believe Sara Palin’s talk at the Republican National Convention?  She is awesome and is a great running mate for McCain.  I love how she said that there while Obama and Biden say they will fight for you there is only one candidate who has fought for you.  She is tough and is a women of her word.  I could just imagine what Obama and the democratic supporters were thinking as Palin ended her presentation- they have a lot of work to do in order to beat this candidate.  It is pretty bad when a Vice Presidential candidate has more experience than a Presendial candidate.  Obama, I think you may have just been beat by a women! 

Sara Palin- smart move, bad move, bold move, or brave move??  Gosh, I think McCain’s Vice President choice was smart, bold, and brave.  What a terrific candidate!!!  Here she is a female that stands true to her beliefs and fights for what she believes in.  She is well qualified and has more experience than Obama.  By the way, where does the Obama campaign get off saying she is not qualified and does not have the experience necessary to be VP.  Have you looked at your candidate?  What experience does he have?  Palin is more experienced than Obama so maybe the Obama campaign should lay off the accusations of Palin not being qualified.  In this election that will be based on race, gender, and ethnicity- McCain stepped it up by putting a female on the ticket.  It was a great move.  Obama, maybe you should have chose H. Clinton- too late now!!

In Hilary’s speech yesterday at the DNC I found one thing to be funny.  She said she was a proud mother, a proud senator, a proud democrat, and a proud supporter of Obama.  She never once mentioned she was a proud wife.  Funny, isn’t it?  I just think if she were happily married she might have mentioned something about being wife.  Well I guess somethings can never be forgotten.

Could it be possible??  Gas prices are dropping??  Each day as I drive out of beautiful Oakhurst, through Coarsegold, pass the Madera Ranchos I can’t help but notice the gas prices dropping (not as much as I like though).  As I head into the horrific smog trapped in our San Joaquin Valley, my eyes happen to catch the prices of gas listed at each gas station.  I note the cheapest price and that is where I stop on my way back up hill.  So far the cheapest gas prices off of route Highway 41 between Coarsegold and Fresno is the Valero or AM/PM located on the Highway 41 Business Route.  If you are like me and don’t want to get off the freeway but still are looking for a deal the Valero at the 22 mile house is only 4 cents more.  I am excited to see gas prices plunging little by little as I endure the year making the commute to Fresno. 

This crazy real estate market so many of us are caught in is frustrating and confusing.  We have seen the prices of homes drop throughout the Eastern Madera County area.  Ahwahnee, Coarsegold, Oakhurst, Raymond, Bass Lake, Fish Camp, Yosemite Lakes, O’Neil’s, and North Fork are no strangers to the dropping market.  What can we do?? It seems as there is nothing we can do.  Not only is finding a buyer a problem but once we have a buyer and start the escrow process we run into so many more problems.  A huge problem that is emerging is the appraisal process.  Appraisers are being quite conservative, as if that is not bad enough.  Then the lending institutions want to send out their own appraisers at the buyer’s expense.  This is getting to be ridiculous.  Sales agents are getting frustrated, buyers do not want to pay for an additional appraisal (of course), and sellers are finding it hard to get through the escrow process.  Is this vicious cycle ever going to stop???  I find an interesting article on appraising that you might enjoy reading just go to the following link http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/17/RELP12AF53.DTL

Have you been watching the Olympics?  The United States of America is absolutely awesome!!!  Michael Phelps taking home 8 gold medals- amazing!! On the news last night (when he had just won his 7th gold) said that if Phelps was his own country he would be ranked 4th for holding the most gold medals, just behind the U.S. and China. That’s crazy.  Not to mention  our men’s beach volleyball teams and of course the talented Misty May and Kerry Walsh with an outstanding record.  Every event is such a blast to watch.  I turn on the T.V. in the evening and am captivated by all the events.  I have seen great competition the past few days.  I loved watching the gymnastics teams and softball, baseball, basketball, track and field- you name I probably have seen it.  The Olympics are so much fun to watch. 

Ahh… the joy of commuting.  Commuting is the price we pay for living in our beautiful mountain communities.  Those who live in Yosemite Lake Park have a nice, easy 25 minute commute to Fresno.  The further north we live the longer the drive.  Coming from Coarsegold or Oakhurst you can expect to drive 30-50 minutes.  Although those seem like dreaded minutes; it is actually a great time to relax, spend some time to yourself (if you don’t have a commuting buddy), and wind down from a busy day at work.  In the end the commute was worth it.  As you come around the corners and see the beauty that these small Eastern Madera County towns have, you remember it is a small price to pay for living in such beautiful country.  Whether you live in Yosemite Lakes Park, Indian Lakes, Coarsegold, Raymond, Oakhurst, Bass Lake, Fish Camp, Ahwahnee, or North Fork the short commute down to the valley is well worth it.  Drive Safe.

Summer is coming to an end.  Teachers are back in their classrooms preparing for yet another eventful year.  Each year is full of new children, new experiences, and new expectations.  Children are home dreading the early hours, longs days, and nights full of homework.  Living in Eastern Madera County we are fortunate to have wonderful area schools.  Coarsegold’s Rivergold and Coarsegold Elementary are terrific schools with high achievement scores.  Oakhurst Elementary School and Oak Creek Intermediate are both wonderful schools.  In addition, Ahwahnee’s Wasuma School and Bass Lake’s elementary school are also terrific schools that display high achievement scores.  As the school year begins, feel fortunate knowing that your child will attend a school with qualified teachers, low classroom ratios, and where achievement is highly valued. 

Veggies are usually not our favorite food.  However, it is very important that we eat enough servings of vegetable each day.  A great way of getting in all our veggies is to hide it in foods.  My favorite recipe (for my son) is macaroni and cheese.  I make a serving a mac and cheese, puree carrots, squash, even broccoli and stir them right on in.  He love his mac and cheese and I love him getting his veggies.  There is a great recipe book by Jessica Seinfeld title Deceitfully Delicious that has a huge variety of recipes that helps moms make sure their children are getting their veggies.

The telegraph fire in Mariposa this past month left many community members homeless.  These victims have experienced many people’s worst nightmare.  Many of us shake our heads in disbelief wondering what we can do to help.  Drop off sites have been set up for donations of clothes, household goods, and anything you think these victims may need.  My challenge to all of you living in Madera, Mariposa, and Merced counties is to go through your homes and pack up clothes you don’t wear, furniture you don’t sit on, kitchen items you don’t use, and anything that is collecting dust that you would be willing to donate.  I know with the help of community members of Mariposa, Oakhurst, Bass Lake, Coarsegold, Raymond, Ahwahnee, Fish Camp, and North Fork together we can help these victims to get back on their feet.  For more information you can call 209-966-2000, for monetary donations call 209-966-2456 or log onto abc30.com.