Samir's corner

I read on internet about the symptoms.   I found there were three possiblities:

 

1. Rhodies getting too much Sun.

2. Rhodies need fertizlier

3. They were being eaten by root weevil

 

Well I don't have solution for #1.   Plus, We haven't been getting too much sun anyway.    So I didn't do anything for that.   I removed old leaves under the bush and gave a fertilizer.  I also pruned dead branches and damaged areas.   One of the two are seemingly recovering.    The 2nd one hasn't shown any sign of improvement.

 

I am crossing my fingers to see if the 2nd recoveres :).

 

 

Last week I learnt that I need to do some spring maintenance for my lawn as well as other plant.  I figured what to do for the lawn and now the lawn seems to be thriving well.

 

However, I am still looking for tips to save my Rhodies.      Look at the pictures below and let me know if you have any tips.   Last week I did prune dead branches etc.   However, it seems to me that either these are getting excessive sun exposure of have got some bugs on them.   Any advise would be appreciated.

Yesterday our team went to Steven's pass.   Most people registered for Skiing or Snowboarding.   I was brave enough to sign up for Tubing !!   Although, I signed up for just tubing I was thinking of doing something more fun.  

 

As we reached the Foggy Goggle Restaurant up at Steven's, I found Don and Rand who was contemplating to go for Snowshoing.   I said sure.. why not.   Our co-ordinator offerred us to shuttle us to a location (Nordic Center)  5 miles from Steven's pass ski area.   We got our equipments.   This was my first time so I was totally curious about what this snowshoing is about.   When I saw the snowshoe, the didn't look like shoe at all.   Instead they looked something totally different.   Finally we geared up, I took the poles just in case.

 

We started the hike.   I expected it to be something similar to regular hiking experience.. but kid me not, it was quite a different experience.   Half way through, trail suddenly stoped and it looked all white snow around us.   Of course one way is to head back (which I would have done if I was alone :P).   But Rand graciously offerred to be an explorer, and he made trails as we went along.   Don also told that trees had few ribbons hanging and that might be the trail markers.   I was thinking in my head, as long as we get back in time for tubing we're okay!!

 

Finally it turned out to be the right trail, since it has been snowing since last few days, the trail was covered by fresh powder.   When we were walking our feet were going at lest 6-9 inches inside the snow.   Finally, we finished out 1 hour trail hike and returned the gear.   It was fun first experience of snowshoeing.   Next time, I think I would be more brave and take little longer hike.

 

The biggest consolation when we were doing all these navigation business was that our cell phones worked.   Way to go T-Mobile.  Of course my cellphone doesn't work in my Kirkland house and Office.. but it does work in Steven's pass.   May be I should move out there.

 

 

Once you buy house, it's just the beginning of your spending spree.   I have come to that conclusion after we bought our first house in January of this year.   I have been renting (or in other words paying my landlord's mortgage) for about 6 years.   It took me about 6 years to swallow the home prices in this area compared with rest of the country and compared with rental market.  

 

In the end, we decided to take the leap of faith and take our chances.   I put almost every penny I had in my account in the down and finally moved in.   But then I found my house very empty (since I was moving from 1000 sq ft apt to 2500 sq ft house).   One after the other projects started filling up my weekends.  

 

I found myself developing more courage to buy stuff fast.. example, I researched my digital camera purchase for about one month.. but I bought all appliances (close to 15x cost for the digital camera) in matter of few days.

 

My trips to home depot and Lowes were really like trips to grocery store (almost weekly buying either landscaping tools, home tools, furnace filter, rugs and what not)..

 

I also discovered few rip-offs that most homeowners fall for.   Example:  Blinds.  I got quotes from several stores (some local small business, some large stores like JC Penny, some franchise).   I found huge discrepency in pricing and discounts were outrageous.. Then I went off to do research on internet and boom the prices there was half of the lowest cost.   I just don't get it.. what's the rocket science in measuring window and then installing blinds.. so I took that project and successfully finished first installment.    I learnt a lesson that research is still important for housing projects (unless youre making up the difference in the time saved :).   For me this almost became my hobby :)

 

I still have a long list of landscaping projects to finish and stuff to buy :).

 

 

Over last few years, remarkable housing boom has captured my interest.   In 2001, I thought house prices were over valued.   When economy turned south, i thought the 30 year rally in housing sector in puget sound area is going to end..  But instead it not only flushed in gloomy economic environment since 2001.   It posted healthy gains of 8-12% YOY in those years despite of dot com bust, layoffs in Boeing, thanks in large degree due to low interest rates. 

 

Now economy has been trending upwards in last two years, short term interest rates are rising, still housing prices are in no-mood of slowdown.   This year my unofficial analysis shows the prices have gone up any where between 10 to 15% in last 6 months.   WOW..  how much this can last?   Is it speculation under the roof causing the prices go over the roof?   Now it's very difficult to find house under 400K in Redmond-Bellevue-Kirkland-Sammamish-Issaquah (about 15 mile radius of Microsoft).   I am sure the wages haven't gone up that much in last 5 years to support the price jump neither does rental prices.

 

Another trend, I have been witnessing is the growing real estate investor community.   There are bunch of business models out there.. The time tested rent and then sell for profit.   Most interesting one is the flipping which is like stock trading.   Buying fixers, fixing up cosmetic issues and then selling has been around for quite some time as well.   The most interesting business model I saw was the flipping on new construction.   One can hold a lot and house in new community with modest construction deposit of 10-15K and will get house completed in 6-9 months.   During this wait time, house price appreciates usually 10% of the price..  and now before closing you sell this house to someone below builder's current price but for 50-60K profit.

 

Another distrubing trend, I have seen is increasing reliance on interest only mortgages and variable rate mortgages.  In the environment of increasing interest rates, the payments will rise making it not affordable for few folks, resulting in foreclosures. 

 

I am curious to see how long all these madness continues and reality sets in.   In the meantime, I am crossing my fingers and watching the gold rush :).