Real state of affairs

Well, Tomlinson-Black realtors sent out their high-gloss, full-color real estate booklet with this morning's paper. Approximately one third of the book included the million-plus offerings. I don't think any item is listed for less than $200,000. So, if anyone wants to go shopping for land in Bonner County, ya'd better buy some lotto tickets and pray really hard.

A couple of weeks ago, the same realty company sent out a fancy postcard advertising light industrial lots with 3-phase power. The lots are just north of us, and I think they're selling for $250,000 apiece. I didn't pay too much attention to the advertisement and almost threw it away.

That evening Mother called and asked why our barn had shown up on the Tomlinson-Black mailing, which apparently went out all over the county. I immediately dug through the mail pile on the counter, and, sure enough, there was our barn pictured in the background parallel to Quest Aviation's 56,000-square-foot manufacturing building. I kinda thought, after looking at the photo, which also appears in this morning's catalog, that the advertising might border on misrepresentation.

But, what the heck! If our purty old classic red barn helps Jeff Bond and his troops make a whole bunch more money, so be it. With last year's real estate booty, he bought the Cedar Street Bridge where Coldwater Creek's retail stores have hung out for the past several years.

Coldwater Creek is moving out of the bridge in the next few months and relocating to the old Jennestad's on First Avenue. The rumor around town is that the bridge across Sand Creek will turn into a bunch of condos. I've also heard of possibilities of a high-end restaurant. Wonder if it'll stay open past 10 p.m.

While thumbing through the Tomlinson-Black catalog of real estate goodies, I did see a place in Boundary County that looked appealing. It's 31 acres, set up for horses and priced under $400,000. Now, if it hasn't already sold, I'd be tempted.

Our little "country" road at the end of the driveway was abuzz all day yesterday with highway-quantity traffic. Dust clouds were flying throughout the day, even though the poor hard-working city maintenance folks had spent the last two days putting black asphalt band-aides on the mine fields---er potholes that lay in wait to attack any and all front-end alignment systems that dare to pass over or around 'em.

This week, while huckleberrying, I finally found a road that offers the same challenge we encounter daily with our SUV's on Great Northern Boulevard. It's up on Baldy Mountain. It's private and it hasn't been maintained for years. It's got an excuse.

I have a feeling our million potholes will soon re-emerge and continue their assault. The cars in a hurry will keep coming; the dust will continue to fly, and I'll wonder how much longer we'll be able to pretend that we live in a peaceful quiet ? 10-acre oasis, nestled between the airport, the railroad tracks and that overused/abused goat trail that takes us to town when the train's not blocking the tracks.

That horse farm up there in Boundary County looks mighty good this morning. Maybe we can play piggy back on the realtors and their questionable advertising. Just maybe someone will look at the picture, like the barn, offer us our million and we can go on our way.

Or, maybe I should buy a lotto ticket!