Tony Brewer View

My parents are holding a huge picnic on July 31st for an expected crowd of almost 75 people. There is so much to be done around the place and have asked us kids to come over and lend them a hand. My mother found a good deal on a few fiberglass planters online and really wants these new decorative fiber glass planters ready to be put on display by the time the party starts. It’s funny with all that needs to be done for the big event that my mother is more concerned with a fiberglass planter issue than all the other things that need to be dealt with.

They have a wonderful home, with a fabulous yard that will certainly hold that many people and they have done some outside entertaining in the past, but not for this many people. My Dad is responsible for most of the work around the yard and really has his hands full without much time left to take care of it all. So this weekend will be a busy one for us all. I’m hoping that the weather will not be as extremely hot and humid as it has been for the past month. We really need a good rain storm but we are hoping that it won’t happen over this weekend or the next for that matter. Although my mom’s new fiber glass planter won’t be in harms way one way or another, LOL!

At least we kids are all invited to the big event, it should be a hoot!

While watching the local news this afternoon, there were two stories about people that had the gall to leave their pet dogs in their cars. Both dogs died from the extreme heat that we have been experiencing. I can’t imagine anyone being so dumb as to do something like this. They need to be left in a hot car and left to die to pay for their stupidity.

As the baby boomers age, there will be more demand for doctors, nurses, chiropractors, pharmacists, technicians of all sorts, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and medical supplies.  If one is looking for job security, a medical field job is a good bet.  Seems as if just about everyone I know has some kind of medical problem.  Teri’s Aunt Lydia has kyphosis and her doctors want to perform surgery on her to correct it.  Her Uncle John has a bulging disc that has been giving him a lot of pain.  The doctors want to operate on that, too.

I can remember a time when I was a child that I was so sick that my mother called a doctor that came out to the house to see me.  I don’t remember what the diagnosis was, I just remember that my mother had me sleeping in her bed (which never happens) and the doctor came to see me while I was in her bed.  I sure wish doctors still made house calls!

Seems that nowadays if one needs a doctor’s appointment fast you often have to go to an urgent care center instead of going to your own doctor.  Your own primary care physician is just too booked up to see anyone on short notice.  That makes me really uncomfortable; the urgent care center practitioner doesn’t have your entire history in front of him (or her) and cannot always tell if you really need a medicine or if you are just seeking drugs.

As many of you can imagine, it has been “low tide” for Wilmington NC real estate, as well as around the entire country.  So many people are struggling to pay their bills and are so uncertain about their futures that many of them are not even thinking about buying a house right now!  And sadly, many homeowners are finding themselves under water with their houses; owing more money on their mortgage than what the house is worth.

For those consumer that actually have some money, though, this is a good time to invest in Wilmington NC real estate.  Bargains can be found!  It truly is a buyer’s market, and it has never been a better time to buy!  What saddens me, though, is how many of my own personal friends and family are struggling so hard and are not able to take advantage of the great bargains out there.

This morning I saw a portable toilet be delivered to the neighbor’s house across the street. I wondered if he was going to have some remodeling done! Not too long after that, however, I heard a lot of really loud music coming from that direction. Well, being a weekend, I didn’t think that anyone was doing construction, but thought maybe the teenagers were working on their cars.

A quick look across the street and I noticed the front yard is full of cars! Yup, it’s a party! The music is loud, but good! Teri trotted over and checked it out, and came back to say we were invited – lots of good food! But it is over 100 degrees out there! Maybe a little bit later, if it cools off!