Mortgage stress? Lodger may offer financial solution

IMAGES: The sort of lodger who would make you call the bank and say, "You can have the house." He featured in a classic Hitchcock thriller (courtesy British Film Institute). Right: The 2001 report on how classified advertising helped an unusual business.

THROUGHOUT a long history of service to readers and advertisers, classified advertising has always offered ways to raise or save cash, whether for spending on luxuries or meeting bills.
After last week's article about the Redlanders suffering mortgage stress, I looked for ways the Classifieds could help ease their pain.
Many such families undoubtedly are placing notices in the Accommodation columns, with about 40 listings from the Rural Press bayside newspapers featuring at http://www.baysidebulletin.com.au/

TAKING in a "boarder" or a "lodger" to share the expenses has probably been around as long as mortgages and rent.
Nowadays, people usually refer to their "house mates" but the result can be the same: the regular weekly income that will keep the bank or the rental managers off your case.
Not all the advertisers are in any state of desperation, of course, but sharing accommodation obviously is a common financial solution.
The notices represent the spread of Redland suburbs, with the exception of the southern bay islands, which were in the mortgage stress zones listed in last week's Classie Corner.

THE most notices have come from Wellington Point, but Capalaba and Cleveland both have a substantial presence, with addresses at Alexandra Hills, Birkdale, Raby Bay, Mt Cotton, Sheldon, Thorneside, Thornlands, Victoria Point and Redland Bay also available.
The cheapest option was $130 a week to share a three-bedroom house at Cleveland, and the most expensive, $220 in a four-bedroom house at Wellington Point.
But share accommodation is not the only "house saving" option in the Classifieds. A browse through any edition will show the enterprise that plays an important part in people's lives.

IT is 10 years since a poignant story of resourcefulness featured in Classie Corner: that of "the manure man".
He was aged in his seventies and advertised from time to time, offering bags of horse manure to home gardeners.
"I have never been short of a quid," he told me. "Whenever I need money I go around the horse properties and bag manure, and take it to the markets. I put the ads in, so my regular customers will know I have a supply."
He said he had started the enterprise when just a boy growing up in an inner Sydney suburb; back then, horses were still common transport.
How's that? Seven decades of survival, transforming waste into a product and using classified advertising to grow the business.

IF you need ideas, just browse classified advertising. You will see what enterprising people are up to and you may find your own financial solution.

Thanks for joining me in the marvellous community of classified advertising. This column has appeared in The Redland Times. Footnote: It looks as though anyone wanting to read the 2001 story will have to print it as my editing gear has limited the quality.

Why the nation has an interest in interest

THE metropolitan news hounds sleep easily every time a page on their desk calendar turns. They know they'll fill their bulletins and news pages easily because a powerful gang is just about to get together for coffee and bikkies in their capital-city boardroom.
Like clockwork, on the first Tuesday each month, Glenn Stevens and the gang chew the fat and pick the bones of the economic ups and downs.
The nation gets ready for the Reserve Bank board meeting with more reported forecasts than the average weather bulletin as analysts ponder what Governor Stevens and his lieutenants will decide to do with the nation's official interest rate.

ANY slight move behind that decimal point will provoke choruses of anguish or delight throughout the nation, just like a ripple from the breeze across Moreton Bay.
And in our bayside suburbs, many households are anxiously awaiting those 'terrible Tuesdays'. With the standard variable mortgage rate at 7.9 per cent, any rise can be a step closer to defaulting on repayments and 'losing the house'.
Lisa Johnston, of Alexandra Hills, is a keen interest-rate watcher. She has made a business of it.
Lisa Buys Your House offers options to mortgagors who cannot repay their their bank loans.

Using a system that is marketed nationally, Lisa has built a database of people who can take over payments on their way to finalising the deal and owning the title.
She said the system did not charge vendors fees or commissions and could save time because they did not need to search for buyers; deals could be finalised quickly if needed.
"I am like a matchmaker; I am not a real estate agent," she said. "I buy houses from people who can't sell them and find people who want them."
The buyers included investors and others who did not meet normal lending conditions or have the required deposit but could meet repayments, she said.
Lisa said her recent clients had included an Alexandra Hills woman whose marriage had broken up because of mortgage stress and who had a $380,000 debt, which was more than the property valuation.

A FAMILY with building skills had made improvements that increased the property value and gave them the equity to buy it.
Lisa said she received about 10 calls a week from householders suffering mortgage stress and about to lose their houses 'to the banks'; this week she had calls from Russell and Macleay Islands, Birkdale, Alexandra Hills and Cleveland.
Typically, such people had bought property at peak prices and had lost their equity as valuations dropped.
Lisa said her clients usually had debts between $400,000 and $500,000 but some owed a lot more.
Anyone with a $400,000 debt faced repayments of $700 a week at the current variable rate.

This column has appeared in The Redland Times.

Here's 'hot rock' that spares eardrums

THE words "hot rock" must have caught the eyes of music lovers browsing the Classifieds recently, but the notice has promoted a different type of sensory experience.
Hot-rock massage is a new service for Redlands Really Relaxing Massage, the business that Thea Baker set up last year.
The technique has now joined the list of therapeutic massage services that Thea, of Redland Bay, has studied.

THEA is a dedicated member of our marvellous community of classified advertising. She moved to the Redlands from Coffs Harbour about 10 years ago.
About five years ago and with two young children, she looked for an occupation giving the flexibility to meet family needs.
She saw a notice in our Classifieds for massage courses with the Australian Institute of Applied Sciences and attended its Cleveland classes for two days a week.
"I was a stay-at-home mum but circumstances changed and I needed to find something to make ends meet," Thea says.

AFTER qualifying through the course, Thea practised her skills on family and friends. Meanwhile, her children, Jaki and Cade, have grown into teenagers and the demands of motherhood have eased a little.
Thea finally took the step into her own business in September, offering massage for relaxation and remedial treatments, including the deep-tissue technique, which she says can help long-term pain sufferers.
"When people have had pain for a long time the massage needs to go a lot deeper into the muscles and tissues to get the tightness and the knots out," she says.

THE hot-rock treatment, for which rocks are heated in water and used in the massage instead of the hands, is still to build a solid following in the massage market. "Most people prefer a traditional massage," Thea says.
The clients of Redlands Really Relaxing Massage have included stress sufferers carrying the tensions in their neck and shoulders and building workers with lower-back pain.
Thea has also found that lower-back problems are common among people who drive a lot, including sales representatives.

THE flexibility of a massage business has helped Thea keep up her volunteer work with The Rock Christian Church at Capalaba, where she helps provide food parcels for needy families.

Thanks for joining me to meet the people in the marvellous community of classified advertising. This column has appeared in The Redland Times. Image courtesy wikipedia

Armpit medicine finds sweat solution

COMEDIANS like the great John Cleese must get great inspiration from everyday activities like browsing the Classifieds. Just imagine Cleese, with dead parrot on his shoulder, fronting up to Bayside Cosmetic Medicine Clinic at Victoria Point and demanding: "The headline on your ad says 'armpit sweating' and I'd like an economy-sized packet, thank you."
But that's where the joke ends. The clinic's Find Us First notice, in fact, offered an "effective solution" for excessive armpit sweating, which consulting physician Gertrude Behan says carries the medical name, axillary hyperhydrosis.
It's not funny to the many sufferers.

DR BEHAN Behan says the causes are multifactorial but the major contributor is parasympathetic overdrive, which is related to the body's nervous systems.
"We all get a bit more sweaty in our underarm region when we are nervous and a bit more sweaty when we are hot, but sufferers of underarm sweatiness will tell you that though their sweatiness is more acute when they are stressed or hot it is a problem for them all the time," she says.
"The people who suffer the most are genetically predisposed to sweaty underarms and it bothers them the most when they are different from the people they are with."

GLANDS in the armpits empty because tiny muscles contract, Dr Behan says; the solution involves superficial injection of botulinum into the dermal muscles so they do not contract.
"Botulinum has been used since the 1940s for treating cerebral palsy," she says. "It has also been used in treating ocular squints.
"It is a recently adopted treatment for hyperhydrosis. Previously a spinal operation which severed the parasympathetic nerve supply to the axilla was advocated. However, in my experience very few people proceeded with this treatment."
Dr Behan has advertised the treatment option because "it is both so little known and an effective treatment which has been almost life changing in the confidence and happiness it brings hyperhydrosis sufferers; the treatment is on the NHS in the UK but unfortunately does not have a Medicare rebate here".

GERTRUDE Behan was born in Chinchilla, attended school in Brisbane and studied medicine at Queensland University. She has a background in general practice and has worked in the Redlands for 20 years.
"When I was in my thirties I had my first skin cancer excised from my face," she says. "Beautiful skin is healthy skin and Queenslanders are so fortunate that so much research has been devoted to improving skin health in recent years.
"I am passionate about skin health and have a blog attached to my website (www.baysidecosmeticclinic.com).One area I find very exciting and hope more research is directed towards is how diet may affect one's susceptibility to burn in the sun."

Thanks for joining me in the marvellous community of classified advertising. This column has appeared in The Redland Times. Image courtesy baysidecosmeticclinic.com

Visit inner universe and paradise planet called Art

THE feeling of timelessness makes browsing artworks one of the most relaxing pastimes. Stepping into a public or private gallery seems to free up pathways in the mind.
On the other side of the art equation, the creation also can be a marvellously meditative experience and an escape from the humdrum of everyday existence to a special place where there are no pressures other than those you want to accept.
An invitation to this paradise has been posted on the Classifieds' Find Us First page, where renowned Birkdale sculptor Georgette Schwantes, trading as Georgette's Art, has promised "therapeutic and relaxing" art classes.

GEORGETTE is one of Redland's most accomplished artists, with her stunning creations featuring at times in our news pages.
One of her commissions, a life-size fibreglass sculpture of Jesus, for Sacred Heart School, Sandgate, appeared on The Redland Times front page in 2009, and last year crosses that she created for Carmel College featured in the Bayside Bulletin.
Georgette has had much experience in teaching, both privately and at TAFE level. She was born in Egypt but grew up in England, where she obtained a degree in fine arts.
She has practised in the Redlands for about three decades. Georgette has an intriguing answer to that age-old question, What is art?

"I STRONGLY believe that art is an experience, and it has to be experienced," she says. "Ever since I can remember, I have always enjoyed creating art.
"The pleasure ... is not from finishing a piece, but rather the journey in creating it.
"I am always reluctant to sign a piece off, as that is acknowledging that it is finished. Then sadness comes over me, similar to the sadness at the end of a love affair.
"For me, there is no better way to express myself, my feelings, dealing with a three-dimensional form, one I can feel, not only with my hands but with my very soul.
"When I am working with my clay, I lose myself in it, time stands still, five hours can fly by and it can feel like five minutes.
"I am no longer in control of it, it has a soul all of its own, the presence of pure energy is running through me. I can feel it directing my hands. Oh, what joy, what ecstasy; I am flying; I am out of this world."

GETTING her feet back on the ground Georgette is also developing a specialty in sculptural restorations and has completed several major projects on sculptures that have been damaged in transport from overseas.

Thanks for joining me to meet the people in the marvellous community of classified advertising. This column has appeared in The Redland Times. Image courtesy http://www.georgettesart.com/

Retail stouch brings out hammers, saws

GUNS and bombs are the standard weapons of war but hammers and saws can be handy when the retail giants battle for supremacy.
The retail power game, which has been one of the nation's most discussed subjects in recent years, is erupting into outright commercial warfare, as Woolworths advances toward the opening of its first home improvement stores.
Woolies is recruiting staff for a Tingalpa store, which is under construction. Positions that the group has listed on the new Fairfax Media network, Jobs.com.au, include department managers and assistants, receiving associate and training coordinator.

A WOOLIES spokeswoman in Sydney yesterday confirmed the store was scheduled to open in the second half of 2011. She understood about 120 staff would be needed.
The job notice lists the departments as gardening/outdoor living; paint, flooring and home décor; kitchens and appliances; building supplies and trade sales; plumbing, electrical and tools; stockroom; and administration.
The criteria include ability to work across the seven days of the week, evenings, late nights and some public holidays; retail management experience; experience in one of the categories; a strong customer focus; liking for a fast-paced team environment; communication and interpersonal skills; an eye for detail and a sense of urgency; ability to drive sales; and a passion for home improvement.

THE details are likely to be well read by generals of the opposing 'army', the Wesfarmers group, which operates the Bunnings chain. They have had to chew their nails while Woolies has plotted its hardware campaign, which retail watchers dubbed as "top secret".
The Sydney Morning Herald last month reported Woolworth would spend about $400 million on the first 12 stores in its joint venture with US partner Lowe's as they targeted the $6 billion a year Bunnings business.
Bunnings reportedly has lodged a development application to build a store at Wynnum West, about one minute's drive from the Woolies site.
The name of the new chain is still a whisper in the Woolworths corridors but retail analysts expect an announcement soon.
The spokeswoman would not reveal whether the company planned any hardware stores in Redland City.

Thanks for joining me in the marvellous community of classified advertising. This column appeared in The Redland Times in April. Image courtesy www.clker.com

Colourful language of politics and business

Image: Tearout of this column from The Redland Times.


AUSTRALIA can probably thank a prime minister for legitimising the word "boxhead", which has found a new life promoting a Redland business.
Labor's Paul Keating has his place in history as a verbal artist who turned the nation's political debate into a fabulous collection of comic-book one-liners, and his reference to Liberal MP Wilson Tuckey as a “boxhead” is still celebrated as classic Keating-speak.
“Boxhead” apparently started as a reference to German soldiers during or after the two world wars because of the shape of their helmets; at least, that's the view on www.en.wikipedia.org

VARIOUS online dictionaries say the slang term later came to mean “a stupid person”, the Oxford, claiming to produce “the world's most trusted dictionaries”, still doesn't recognise Keating's authority in using it and seems to consider it unworthy of a definition.
All this was of no concern to Bayside Removals' Steve Rae when he wrote his Trade Services notice, saying: “Don't be a boxhead. Call Bayside Removals instead. We'll do it all for you.”
The artwork with a photograph of a couple wearing cartons over their heads backs up the theme.
Steve didn't need to consult Paul Keating or any dictionary when choosing the wording to get his message across and promise “no gimmicks – just the best rate and quality service”.

STEVE was relaxing on a houseboat on the Gold Coast yesterday during a welcome break from his demanding occupation as Bayside Removals manager.
He has left the management of the firm's fleet of five trucks in the capable hands of sales manager Craig Iselin.
Craig said the exceptional work by three Bayside Removals staff members during the January floods had been a talking point.
The trio had used their semi-trailer to get through the flood at Sherwood and Graceville to evacuate residents and save some property.
A metropolitan newspaper had reported how they had rescued an elderly man who had been swept into the fast-moving current and had clung to a post to save himself from drowning.

CRAIG said the efforts of the three, identified just as Andrew, Wazza and Justin, would be long remembered in the company history.
Bayside Removals not only services the greater Brisbane region but also operates interstate and to other parts of Queensland.

Thanks for joining me to meet the people in the marvellous community of classified advertising.

Loss of furniture after flood breaks heart

Image: that's your humble scribe trying to restore an old silky old robe.

THE heartbreak of the January floods was plainly evident to Redland furniture expert Gavin Hodges as he watched the massive clean-up. Gavin says he was close to tears as solid old furniture was trashed. “A lot of it could have been restored,” he says. “After the 1974 floods the good items could be salvaged but this time it was all crushed by heavy machinery. “It was terrible; a whole era of quality furniture has been lost forever.”

GAVIN has a keen eye for quality furniture, thanks to a lifelong passion and a lot of training. The son of Laidley small crop and flower growers, Les and Betty Hodges, Gavin moved to Wellington Point with his family when he was six years old. He did an apprenticeship in french polishing at a Capalaba workshop specialising in pianos and antiques, and opened his own business, Bayside Quality Furniture Restorations, about 30 years ago.

THE firm, which Gavin operates in partnership with his wife Noela, has a showroom in Shore Street, Cleveland, just two doors from its workshop, and employs about 10 staff Gavin is delighted his son Mitchell, 22, shares the family's interest in furniture. Mitchell has completed an apprenticeship in french polishing, antiques and restoration. Bayside Quality Furniture Restorations found great benefit from the opening of the showroom about 10 years ago, putting some grand pieces on exhibition in air-conditioned premises, Gavin says. He has focused on developing not only a complete restoration service, including upholstery, but also on custom building of all types of furniture. Clients have commisioned the firm for special cabinet and lounge designs. They can choose the upholstery material from a wide range on display in the showroom.

THE firm's major projects in recent years have included the restoration of furniture in the historic colonial residence Whepstead Manor. The project demanded a fine eye for detail because, as Redland Tourism notes, the building of Whepstead was initiated by Gilbert Burnett, manager for Captain Louis Hope, who was the father of Queensland’s sugar industry. Whepstead, originally known as Fernbourne, was completed in 1889 and has a floor area covering 150 square metres over two levels with an attic. No story about old furniture would complete without a reference to that fabulous timber species, the silky oak, which seems to be getting rarer. Gavin says the silky oak is one of the main timbers in his restoration projects, along with other Queensland timbers such as maple and red cedar.

Thanks for joining me to meet the great people in the marvellous community of classified advertising. This column has appeared in The Redland Times.

From UK mainframes to Redland pcs

Image from www.ctredlands.com.au

THE prospect of a new life in sunny Queensland looked good when computer programmer Carl Harbinson and his architect wife Sangeeta tired of the pressures of London. Six years later, Carl says they yearned for quality of life and they found it in Redland City. Carl and Sangeeta are also building a business, Computer Troubleshooters Redland, with a service centre in Shore Street West, Cleveland. The firm marks a new era of independence for Carl, who started his computing career in the corporate mainframe environment, programming the batteries that backed up the power supply.

AFTER much experience with telecommunications companies in the UK, he worked with several in Australia before setting up his own business about three years ago. Sangeeta, having a break from her profession, has a management/administrative role which Carl describes in computing jargon as the "back end". Computer Troubleshooters' notice asks a question that hits the spot for most home computer users and undoubtedly a lot of businesses. "Tearing your hair out with frustration?" Readers may wonder if a toupe features in the picture that accompanies this column because computing failures of various types are not like lightning: they may strike in the same place, time and again.

THE gut-churning terror of a crash has again turned my writing schedule upside down, and I only have myself to blame for not backing up a lot of important files. Luckily I have clawed my way back into operation but appear to have lost the contacts I have made through Classie Corner over the years. Anyone who has featured in the column - particularly business operators -is invited to send me an update on their activities. That way, I'll rebuild my address book and can use the information in future columns to keep the readership in touch. The address is fourjays@bigpond.com

BACK to Carl: He has been busy upgrading the computers of many home users. "There has been a lot of uncertainty about the future and many people are trying to eke out the life of their computers as long a possible, upgrading the memory and the CPU, rather than buying new computers," he says. Carl says he recently completed a major project for a business, overcoming server issues with MYOB to save the client substantially on user costs. But, away from the keyboards, screens and workbench, he says his great satisfaction in life is finding the right environment to bring up their children, Kieran, 11, and Jasmine, 6.

Thanks for joining me to meet the great people in the marvellous community of classified advertising. This column has appeared in The Redland Times.

'Monster' freeway sweeper heads for Redland base

EXCITEMENT is building at the Redland base of a company that has been helping to replace the plain old-fashioned broom with a set of high-tech cleaning machines. The small team at Sweepers Pty Ltd's Enterprise Street, Cleveland, headquarters is gearing up for the impending launch of two new products that managing director Mark Scull describes as breakthroughs for the cleaning industry. Mark and his wife Roz set up Sweepers at Lytton about 12 years ago and moved the operation to Cleveland about four years later.

SWEEPERS sells and hires out commercial and industrial cleaning equipment, such as vacuums, scrubbers and sweepers to clients throughout Australia. The firm also runs a contracting division, Wombat Sweepers. Mark expects the new products to find a national market. "One is designed to pick up debris from freeways, travelling at 80 kilometres per hour," he says. "It will pick up a 20-litre drum or a tyre. The removal of this sort of debris freeways has been a problem. I searched for this type of machine for about 10 years and finally found a guy who was developing one in the United States."

THE other product is a new type of cleaning device for rough surfaces. Mark says traditional practice has been to use one scrubber to remove the rubble and another high-pressure water cleaner to complete the job. However, his new US-made device will complete both tasks and recycle the water, minimising waste.

A POSITIONS Vacant notice gave an indication of increasing activity at Sweepers. Mark and Roz advertised for a "computer geek ... experienced in building and maintaining websites". Mark says the websites (sweepers.com.au and wombatsweepers.com.au) have a vital role in keeping Sweepers on the industry's cutting edge, so the geek position is important. About a dozen computer experts applied over two days. Mark says the couple has employed a highly experienced website expert with briefs including search engine optimisation.

WHILE the new products warrant some heavy promotion, Sweepers has a long list of products in 15 categories, ranging from small single-disc scrubbers and leaf and litter vacuums to ride-on scrubbers, road sweepers and garbage compactors. Cleanaway's Townsville branch supervisor Allan Mott has praised Sweepers for its support of his branch's four sweepers and another the company operates at Mount Isa Mines. "The heavy industrial sweeping we contracted to do around the Port of Townsville is EPA monitored and has to be of a high standard with low dust emissions," Allan says. "The ability of the sweeper to sweep and contain the fine metal dust particles such as copper dust, zinc and lead is a job that is required to be constantly done whilst ships are loading."

Thanks for joining me to meet the people in the marvellous community of classified advertising. This column has appeared in The Redland Times.

Ageing and the jigsaw of life

THE right to privacy dictates that the subjects of today's Classie Corner are not identified; this Redland family is in the grip of one of modern society's cruellest health problems. The authorities say 1.5 million Australians have dementia but the knowledge “you are not alone” doesn't make life any easier for those who cope with an illness that steals the personality of their loved ones. Sue, of Ormiston, noticed early symptoms in her mother, we'll call her “Louise”, about three years ago.

THEN aged in her early eighties, enjoying her painting and crafts, and living happily with her husband of almost six decades in their Cleveland retirement unit, Louise had memory lapses. “She would be unable to find things and would put things where nobody else could find them,” Sue recalls. “Gradually she lost her sense of time and place, and her ability to manage everyday life. She would get mixed up on the time of day and be unable to tell whether she would have breakfast, lunch or dinner. Her forgetfulness led to dangers and we had to take away appliances that could cause problems.”

ABOUT one year ago, a gerontologist diagnosed Alzheimer's disease but Sue says her mum could keep living in the unit, with support from community agency PresCare and the day respite centre Killara Place. Sue says her parents both caught pneumonia last month and it became clear that they could no longer live independently. Louise is now a patient at Redland Residential Care, Weippin St, Cleveland; Sue and her husband are rearranging their house to accommodate her dad. The aged care facility is part of the Redland Hospital complex. The caring attitudes of the staff have impressed Sue, who visits her mum almost every day.

SUE found that her mum, who kept busy with art and crafts for many years, has developed a liking for jigsaw puzzles. "She started with a 40-piece puzzle and I think she could handle up to 100 pieces but not the big 500-piece puzzles," Sue says. Sue has trouble sourcing suitable puzzles, so placed a “wanted” notice seeking those designed for children aged four to six; she specified "no missing pieces".

MOST puzzles in the category feature children's or cartoon themes; simple puzzles showing landscapes or other scenes suitable for a senior are rare, Sue says. After Louise has solved the jigsaws, they join the centre's collection so other dementia patients can also enjoy them. It seems donations of jigaw puzzles to aged care facilities such as Redland Residential Care would meet a need.

Thanks for joining me to meet the people in the marvellous community of classified advertising. This column has appeared in The Redland Times. Image from office.microsoft.com

Property success grows on Fruit trees

Image from www.fruitproperty.com

BRIGHT green and orange corporate colours grabbed attention in the Positions Vacant pages this month when Fruit Property Redland City advertised for sales staff. The recruitment drive has heralded a milestone at the Middle Street, Cleveland, agency that business partners Craig Yarrow and Sharon Saul set up five years ago. May 15 will be the fifth anniversary at the office, which began as part of the Raine and Horne group but became a Fruit franchise in September 2009. Sharon says the business had a staff of just four when it began but now has 10, working on sales, administration and property management.

THE Fruit group, using the slogan "Property with passion", started in Victoria, aiming to demonstrate "a fresh look at real estate". Such a theme, using the image of fresh produce seems to be a natural for the Redlands because of its heritage in horticulture. However, Sharon says the modern approach that Fruit founder Craig Bellgrove expounded, with emphasis on care for all clients, vendors and buyers, impressed the Redland partners. A simple gesture in providing apples in promotional packs at property inspections underscores the group's principles but the ethos does go deeper.

THE founder says the group has built "a culture of authenticity and contribution, with a real 'walk the talk' flavour and identified a shared values base that supports a terrific experience for our clients". "I believe an organisation should have a heart and a reason for existing beyond just the financial equations," Craig says. He urges Fruit representatives to actively listen and accurately hear and sense another's thoughts and feelings. The Redland agency invited applicants to "bring a great attitude and a passion to succeed" and promised a comprehensive support system for sales people to pursue a career path in property.

SHARON says the agency's weekly fruit bill has been growing with a marked increase in buyer activity in the market and more attending open-house inspections. She is unsure of the reasons behind the activity but confidence seems to be returning to what is still a 'buyer's market'. The trend points to an upbeat celebration to mark the May anniversary.

This column has appeared in The Redland Times.

Friend departs, chilly relatives arrive

Image from www.redfest.com.au

THE changing of the guard in nature's march toward the winter always makes me sad. While the door's open during a warm farewell to the great friend called Summer, some chilly old relatives, Aunty Autumn and Uncle Winter, sneak past and unpack their suitcases for an extended stay. The promise of springtime glory may be the only way to handle the suffering of the months ahead. I am not alone in already thinking about spring 2011 in Redland City; it creates some top-of-mind issues for the band of volunteers who now start the countdown to the city's annual spring festival. Their excitement will build quickly after the annual general meeting of Redland Spring Festival Inc at Cleveland Showgrounds at 6.30pm on Tuesday, March 15.

JOANNE Millard, in her second year as festival manager, is confident this year's festival will be the best in the event's 53-year history. Now also carrying the modernised tag as "Redfest", the spring festival started as the Redlands Strawberry Festival. Joanne says 18,000 people enjoyed the festival program over its two and half days last spring. The size and diversity of the festival, including art, music, a multitude of displays, a wide range of food and an acclaimed children's carnival, creates a lot of work for an army of about 300 volunteers. At the head of the structure is a committee, which will be up for election at the AGM. Joanne says the committee has 10 to 12 members, who typically reflect sectors of community involvement such as arts, entertainment. She says president Bruce Smith has nominated for another term; one of Bruce's achievements was to enlist Olympians to feature at the 2010 festival, and more such VIP guests are on the cards for 2011.

"THE reason for the festival is to benefit the community and it is a constant challenge to raise the funds to hold it," Joanne says. "We get support from sponsors and grants because the gate takings do not cover the costs. "At some stage in the past the council ran the festival, and many people believe this is still the case, but it has long been independently run." Joanne, a stained glass artist, has lived in Redland for the past 10 years after she migrated from New Zealand in 1979 and lived in Western Australia and New South Wales on her way to Queensland. She says she festival is a great showpiece for the wonderful city that is now her home. Mark your calendar: The festival dates are September 9-11. Anyone wanting to contribute is welcome at the AGM. Readers can check at www.redfest.com.au for updates.

Thanks for joining me to meet the great people in the marvellous community of classified advertising. This column has appeared in The Redland Times.

If a king can do it why can't I

Image from www.toastmasters.org.au

THE United Nations chiefs who apparently have the mandate to declare "international year of ..." status have backed a treble for 2011: chemistry; forests; and people of African descent.
However, they could have landed a quadrella if they had read some movie reviews. The King's Speech, which tells how a down-to-earth Aussie helped George VI deal with a stammer, seems to have everybody talking.
It's international, promoted with the words of an insightful critic as "a film to make your spirits soar" and charging toward multiple-Oscar glory in '2011 – the Year of Beating Speaking Difficulties'.
If a king can suffer so terribly from such communication seizures and overcome them through empathetic support, anyone can.

THE story's base in actual history gives extra weight of inspiration for those who suffer speech problems of any classification and those who work either professionally or voluntarily to help them.
Redland Toastmasters' recent Classified notice invited readers to "face your fear"; it promoted a special eight-week program.
Toastmasters International describes itself as a not-for-profit training organisation that focuses on communication and leadership development. The movement was founded in the US in 1924, coincidentally during the reign of old George.
It aims to help men and women "learn the arts of speaking, listening and thinking; vital skills that promote self-actualisation, enhance leadership potential, foster human understanding, and contribute to the betterment of mankind".

SIXTEEN years ago, a Mackay teacher on a break from the classroom joined Toastmasters. She was good at addressing her pupils but was going into a business and wanted to improve her speechcraft and gain some "intellectual satisfaction" in a club-type interest away from the sport and drinking scenes.
Jill Nixon, now of Cleveland, says she has seen many heart-warming and amazing successes as members have blossomed from tongue-tied, foot-shuffling mumblers with shaking knees and sweating palms to confident speakers who inform and entertain with clarity.
"There's usually a trigger of some sort: a daughter getting married and the father needs to make a speech; maybe a job interview," she says.
She recalls a tradesman who, when put 'on the spot', struggled to even say his name and discuss his pet interest of soccer, but he left Toastmasters as a good public speaker: loud, clear and with the ability to think on his feet and say what he needed to.

THE group is based on peer support and constructive criticism. Members even count the 'ums and ahs' for each other to work on bad habits.
Jill has already seen The King's Speech twice and probably will return before the season ends.
Thanks for joining me to meet the great people in the marvellous community of classified advertising.

This column has appeared in The Redland Times.

Tale of special cat and the value of love and prayer

A DEEP sadness gripped Judy Gross, of Mount Cotton, while many thousands celebrated Australia Day. It was the sixth day since her cat, Sonny, went missing.
The eight-year-old desexed male escaped from his run on Friday, apparently into the house, past Judy's husband, John, and out an open door.
Sonny has been an important member of the family for almost eight years. Judy bought him in 2002 for her son, Craigie, who had depression.

THE handsome Birman fretted after Craigie's death in 2007. Judy and John took Sonny to their relatives in Canberra, but the grief-stricken cat rejected human attention, ate barely enough to keep himself alive and upset his carers with a nasty new habit of spraying in the house. He stopped purring.
"We saw him in Canberra last April and were shocked; he was a very unhappy, sad and angry cat and he was a bag of bones," Judy said.
"In June the relatives rang to say, after two years and 10 months, they couldn’t do any more for him and were going to give him to RSPCA Canberra, but John insisted he come home to us."
The couple picked up Sonny at Brisbane Airport. Judy immediately felt the cat was giving back to her a part of the great loss she suffered from Craigie's death as her son and his pet were inseparable for five years.

EVEN so, the cat growled and snarled at the couple and refused to eat for four days.
With veterinary advice, the couple put Sonny on antidepressants for two months and gave him "24-hour attention and love".
"It took four months before we heard him give a little purr and he even put on half a kilogram," Judy said. "I also felt more settled so we did each other good. He never wandered and spent his days in the shed or garage watching my husband fix stuff.
"He was much too contented to walk away. We find it bizarre that he has just vanished."
Last Friday Judy walked from 4pm to 10pm, calling his name until sobbing and exhaustion forced her to give up.

JUDY spent much of Australia Day visiting an elderly aunt in a nursing home. But her fears for Sonny haunted her; she wondered where he was and blamed herself for leaving the laundry door open. She prayed for a miracle.
That evening, the phone rang. Sonny had been found at Macgregor and traced through his microchip. Judy shed tears of happiness as she set off to pick him up.

Thanks for joining meet to meet the great people in the marvellous community of classified advertising. This column has appeared in The Redland Times,

Rotarians launch 'flood fightback'

The summer of 2010-11 will leave many scars on the flood and cyclone-ravaged Queensland community.

THE scenes of devastation after the Queensland floods will haunt us for life, whether we simply viewed the televised images or witnessed them first-hand – as volunteers or victims – during the clean-up.
The emotional weight that landed on the army of clean-up volunteers reflects in the latest edition of Capalaba Rotary Club's weekly bulletin, Possum Post.
It was like a lull before the storm when the club featured recently in the Classifieds, posting the names of its Christmas Trailer Art Union winners.
The festive cheer, however, had already departed early last week and the club was developing a program to help regional flood victims when the South East Queensland emergency developed. As club president Terry Ryan said: "What a difference a space of a few hours can make."

WITH Toowoomba and Grantham devastated and Ipswich and Brisbane about to be swamped, the Redland Rotarians first organised support to staff and equip a proposed Capalaba evacuation centre, and were on standby for this task until Thursday, when it was decided they should instead register with Volunteers Queensland.
"Club members had rallied to the call and we were able to turn out late Friday morning with seven Rotarians and three Cadet Officers from 136 Cadet Unit," Terry said.
On Friday, the unit went to West End. "The sight of the grey river mud and silt that covered the roads, footpaths, furniture, houses and anything that had been in the path of the water was eerie," Terry said.
"It was a surreal experience overall, something like a war zone, with Blackhawks and media helicopters flying low and hovering, people walking dazed among what used to be their homes and neighbourhoods, the noise of gen sets and pressure cleaners and the smell from the silt and mud already starting to develop."

ON Saturday the Redlanders returned to West End, then joined the clean-up at Rocklea. By Sunday, the group had swelled to 30 and again worked at Rocklea.
"There have been tales of heartbreak and sadness, we have met many people who have lost everything except what they were wearing and I felt much thanks that I could come back each night to my home, finding it intact, having power, a hot meal and a bed to sleep in," Terry said.
The Capalaba, Cleveland, Redland Sunrise, Redlands Bayside and Wellington Point Rotary Clubs – in tandem with the Bayside Bulletin – have combined to hold the Monster Flood Fightback Garage Sale in Nelson Road, Wellington Point on Saturday, February 5 and 12.
They have called for donation of quality, saleable items: "Fellow Redlanders ... we need your help!!!"

This column appeared in The Redland Times.

Think of real meaning but dont burn the snags

This was Classie Corner's Christmas message in The Redland Times in December before a seasonal recess. During most of the festive seasons during my 40-year-long career in journalism I have soldiered on but in 2010-11, I joined the revellers and holiday makers:

TODAY, a break from tradition and an early Christmas message as the tension builds in the homes and shopping precincts of Redland City:
Jaws dropped at a family barbecue when a teenager asked, during the annual countdown to the birth of the most important person for a major chunk of humankind, "Did Jesus die of old age?"
Outrage and wonder at such apparent ignorance showed in the adults' rapid chewing to clear their mouths and attack: "How come you don't you know that Jesus died on the cross?"
The teenager's response, however, soon humbled the indignant elders: "Yes, I know Jesus died on the cross but he came back to life , so did he then live a normal life, or whatever?"

THE adults who had been very quick to judge the youngster before hearing the context of the question were now extremely slow in reply. They simply didn't know the answer.
This curly one required some expert solving. David Busch, of Capalaba Uniting Church, came to the rescue: “Actually, the resurrection isn’t just a dead body coming back to life.
"It’s a new kind of life – body and spirit. Some of Jesus’ friends didn’t recognise him after the resurrection.
"He appeared to them in ways that a mortal body couldn’t. And after 40 days of these appearances, he was taken into heaven.
“The resurrection was God’s way of defeating death. So Jesus didn’t die of old age – he showed us life beyond death which is God’s gift available to all of us because of Jesus’ death and resurrection.”
The eyes of some started to glaze over, as they were thinking about an interest-free deal for their Christmas shopping list.

DAVID sensed he was getting 'a bit preachy' and jumped back into action to save the sausages from cremation, as the conversation turned to the cricket ashes.
Capalaba Uniting Church's use of the Classifieds to promote its activities shows how the Christian community and its values are still prominent despite the commercial focus in the modern world.
The Capalaba church and others are always working away in the background and honouring not only the life of Jesus but offering his spirit of compassion and care.
That's really nice to know as we shop till we drop and cross off the days until, December 25. The messages: Be tolerant; don't jump to conclusions if something or someone pushes your reaction button; enjoy the summer cricket; and don't burn the snags.
As for me: I have taken care of my Christmas and Easter columns in one go. Thanks for joining me in the marvellous community of classified advertising.

Alexandra Hills takes garage sale title

The 'post, post' catch-up continues as I work through the backlog of stories that I should have posted sooner (image courtesy microsoft):

THE calendar page is about to turn. The last of the spring garage sales will bring out young and old for their weekend treasure hunts across our bayside city. The Garage Sales column has been busy this spring, maybe because of some underlying social causes or simply 'wash-outs' that the rain postponed.
Once a year, Classie Corner awards the coveted title of Redland City Garage Sale Capital to the suburb clocking up the most sales in a certain timeframe: Congratulations to the 2010 winner Alexandra Hills, which had 20 advertised sales in the past two editions – two more than the runner-up, Capalaba, with 18. Then came: Thornlands 16; Redland Bay 14; Victoria Point 12; Birkdale 13; Wellington Point 9; Cleveland and Ormiston 7; Thorneside 2; Sheldon and Raby Bay 1.

US author Mark Twain believed "there are lies, damned lies and statistics" but such a simple collection of figures will always reflect some truths, if only basic influences such as population size and demographic factors.
Nowadays, with vendors presenting a pitch to catch the keen eyes of the garage sale early birds, the listings certainly make interesting reading.
During the past few weeks, the instinctive spring clean-out has been prominent, and the traditional deceased-estate
and moving-house listing have featured.
However, hearts surely reached out to the Redland Bay women who proclaimed: "Husband busted – everything must go."
The obvious emotion in such a public statement of angst would undoubtedly prompt some sideways glances from nervous buyers. Would anyone be game to ask whether "busted" meant he was in trouble with the law, bankrupt or both?
Perhaps that story will become available when time takes the heat out of the situation.

THE garage sale columns in your local paper seem to have evolved into a 'real-life soapie'. At one end of the sale scale, there are the obviously desperate and at the other, people who desperately want to help.
As the Redland Bay woman told the world about a crisis in her family, Capalaba Uniting Church was advertising a carboot sale.
The Ney Road church can put its earnings to good use. It describes itself as "a friendly church with a desire to worship and serve Christ, and with a big heart for our community".
A craft group, a Crossroads group for people with disabilities, home groups, market days, prayer groups, and an annual camp are just some of its activities.
The church says its morning tea after Sunday worship is a relaxed time of friendship – and maybe it also offers some tranquillity after Saturday's garage sale chaos.
Looking ahead to the weekend: the bureau has forecast a shower or two tomorrow, so be prepared.
Let me know if you come across any interesting stories on your expeditions into our marvellous community of garage sales. Email: fourjays@bigpond.com.

This column has appeared in The Redland Times.

Santa arrives by boat

It's catch-up time as I post an accumulation of columns from recent months (image courtesy microsoft:):

EVERY year, as the tailenders in the Melbourne Cup thunder past the post, Australian society starts its crawl toward the annual Christmas shutdown.
That's why it was not surprising in the Classifieds this week when Santa Claus signed a Boats & Marine for-sale notice offering a 4.6-metre Horizon aluminium dinghy with centre console, a 50hp Evinrude motor and "all the bells and whistles".
One of Santa's helpers has been taking the calls. "If you lose your sense of humour you may as well be dead," Doug Jackwitz, 78, said, adding that he had received visits by three "lookers" but the boat was still in the shed.
He estimated the motor would "be lucky to have done a hundred hours" and he wanted only about about half the price he paid five years ago, or $12,000 negotiable.

HIS ad not only indicated the boat condition as excellent with very little use but extended to that of Santa and said, "old age has caught up".
Doug said he needed his sense of humour right now. His wife, Jean, was battling a serious illness and he had been using a wheelchair for about a year since breaking his hip in a fall, so he was unable to take out the boat.
His son, Bill, had also left the vessel idle, so Doug decided it was time to sell.
Bill and his sister, Christine, were of primary school age when the family moved from the Lockyer Valley to a Cleveland property in 1966.
The family grew "strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers and so forth" for several years until the State Government resumed the property for Cleveland High School, Doug said.
He then bought land at Victoria Point for flower production. Doug said he was still kicking himself for selling the property in the mid 1970s because it later became the site of Koala Park shopping centre.

DOUG said he and Jean hunted for a plot with the right sort of red dirt for flowers and thought they found it at Alstonville in northern NSW. "But the ground was hopeless, so I went into the water drilling business."
The couple returned to the Redlands about 14 years ago and have enjoyed living close to the younger generations of their family.
Doug is delighted both his son-in-law, Simon Walker, and Bill both work for the chicken producer, Golden Cockerel, which has the status of an institution of Redland primary production. Simon's father, the late Harold Walker, had been well-known as the operator of the Cleveland-Dunwich ferry, Doug said.
Santa Claus looks forward to especially enjoying Christmas Day with the Jackwitz family this year.

Thanks for joining me to meet the people in the marvellous community of classified advertising. This column has appeared in The Redland Times.

Stay alert - stay alive, drivers told

Image from http://www.redlandsdrivingschool.com.au/

VEHICLES require essential maintenance, as any motorist knows, but driving instructor Richard Sparks did not get any letters from "the mechanics" when his own body needed a major service. Instead, Richard suffered the rapid onset of symptoms including numbness in his fingers and excruciating pain in an elbow. "I have a good GP; he ordered a CT scan and found discs in my neck were misaligned and were pinching a nerve," Richard said.

THE proprietor of Redlands Driving School has been recuperating at his Victoria Point home after surgery at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, where the surgeon took bone from a hip to rebuild two discs. Richard says the cause of the misalignment is a mystery but he played a lot of soccer and squash when he was younger. His neck, however, must have had considerable work during his time at the dual controls of the Holden Viva sedan he uses for the business that he set up in 2006 after two decades as a driving instructor in the Brisbane region.

THE need for observation is the golden rule that Richard impresses on his students. Richard is not the type of instructor whose passion for driving leads to an addiction to motor sport. He says he simply enjoys working with people and helping them get ready for the challenge of the practical driving test that will decide whether they can obtain a licence. He shares the much-reported belief that higher standards of testing hold the key to reducing the road toll.

"THERE will always be people who do the wrong thing but road safety does come down to attitudes," he says. "If it is is easy to get a licence the person may be less likely to value the process as much. The examiners do a good job but can only work with the guidelines they are given. I do believe that the test should be tougher." Richard says recent changes to the test have not been as comprehensive as he had hoped. He believes the emphasis on observation, for instance when changing lanes, is not strong enough. He says an observant driver can see a risk, take action and save lives.

RICHARD's students, the ages of whom have ranged from 17 to the early 80s, are unlikely to forget this message. He says he has instructed people with many disabilities – including quadriplegics and paraplegics – with modified vehicles, and the deaf, but not the blind. Now, back to Richard's own temporary disability: he expects to be back in action in a few weeks, again teaching Redlanders to stay alert, stay alive and, it is hoped, save other lives through observation.

Thanks for joining me to meet the people in the marvellous community of classified advertising. This column has appeared in The Redland Times.