The Madness of March
March is right around the corner. Literally. And I say bring it! I don’t know if it’s because I’m old now, but this winter seems particularly long and particularly grey. And by the time February rolled around, I was just done with it. Now we have March approaching and I see a glimmer again. I know it doesn’t feel like it now, but Spring is coming. And, unlike February, March has a lot going for it.
Obviously, the two weeks from the middle to the end of March is like an unofficial holiday. Even the casual sports fan is glued to the TV or other screen in hopes that their bracket doesn’t get busted. The NCAA basketball tourney is truly like no other sporting event. I doubt I watch more than a handful of games during the regular season. But, by God, I’ll watch every single second of Southwest Idaho Tech vs North Central State University of Dog Grooming if it’s being played in March. And yes, we have an office pool every year. There are only three of us and I still have never won. And Sam doesn’t even follow basketball of any kind. And I still owe Lori a debt from last year’s tourney.
Mardi Gras in New Orleans is absolutely a bucket item list. But until then, I work with what I have here. Maybe sip on a Hurricane or a Sazerac. Maybe enjoy some etouffee or jambalaya. I can almost smell the andouille sizzling. Paczki, anyone?
And, finally, the one day everyone in Chicago is Irish. One of my single favorite days of the spring where my 17% Irish suddenly takes over. So, don some Kelly green, speak with a hint of a brogue, grab a stout, chased by a Jameson, and pile some corned beef and cabbage on your plate. And don’t forget the soda bread. Speaking of corned beef and cabbage, check out the Bobby Flay recipe below. It’s a little unconventional, but he’s Irish. And he’s Bobby friggin’ Flay. I think I’ll trust him.
Spring typically spurs Spring buying season. Typically. It’s starting a little quietly. If this is in like a lamb, hopefully March goes out like a lion. In terms of real estate, that is. This weather can go away already. There is still an inventory issue and I honestly believed things would have begun to pick up by now. Rates are still low and the weather can only get better. So, as the weather heats up maybe the real estate market will too. Let the Madness begin! Thank you and Make it a Great Day! Spice-Rubbed Corned Beef with Mustard-Honey-Horseradish Sauce Ingredients: 1 3-pound corned beef brisket (spice packet discarded) 3 tablespoons ancho chile powder 2 tablespoons Spanish paprika 1 tablespoon ground dried oregano 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1 tablespoon mustard powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground chile de arbol Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper Canola oil For the sauce: 1/2 cup dijon mustard 1/2 cup whole-grain mustard 1/2 cup clover honey 1/4 cup prepared horseradish, drained Directions: 1) Put the corned beef in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours, adding more water if needed to keep the beef submerged. Remove from the water and let cool 30 minutes, then cut into 1-inch thick slices. 2) Meanwhile, make the spice rub: Whisk the chile powder, paprika, oregano, coriander, mustard powder, cumin, chile de arbol and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Set aside. 3) Make the sauce: Whisk the dijon and whole-grain mustards, the honey and horseradish in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Let the sauce sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. 4) Spread the spice rub on a plate. Dredge one side of each slice of beef in the rub and tap off the excess. Heat a few tablespoons canola oil in a large nonstick saute pan until it begins to shimmer. A few slices at a time, add the beef, rub-side down, and cook until a golden-brown crust has formed, about 2 minutes. Flip the slices and continue cooking another minute or two, adding more oil as needed. Serve with cabbage and the sauce.
Goodbye, 2018. We hardly knew ye.
Time is a crazy concept, isn’t it? It can fly or it can stand still. You can run out of it or have too much of it on your hands. You can reflect on it or look forward to it. I, for one, am very much looking forward to 2019. Granted, it has had an inauspicious beginning. Government shutdown. Crazy, nasty weather. The Bears shocking playoff loss to that team from Philly (kickers…amirite?). Still, I choose to look forward to what 2019 might still bring – both professionally and personally.
Professionally, I’m looking forward to the real estate market picking back up. The pace slowed quite a bit toward the end of the year – which is typical – but the dropoff seemed worse than usual this holiday season. That said, similarly to last year, the so-called Spring buying season has already started. I didn’t see the early start last year until February/March. This makes sense as the appraisal is always one of the last pieces of the purchase puzzle and typically lags contract execution by several weeks. Now that I recently obtained my broker’s license and am more of an active rather than passive participant in the market, I’ve noticed it in real time this year. Another interesting thing of note is that buyers are becoming increasingly more savvy and most want that finished, move-in ready product. These days, that generally means grey walls, dark floors, and white trim. Stainless steel appliances and stone countertops are still a priority, as well. And this is true whether buyers are looking for a $120,000 condo or a $500,000 semicustom home. Additionally, the lack of available inventory continues to be an issue and prices continue to push northward as buyers are involving themselves in multiple offer situations as there just isn’t enough to go around right now. Will this change in 2019? It’s difficult to say. The Fed recently held the overnight rate unchanged and removed the language pertaining to “gradual increases” in its comments, indicating patience and restraint in future increases. This bodes well for real estate. Hopefully, this sparks the local market and gets people moving again (literally).
On a personal note, our daughter will be going into her Junior year at IMSA in the Fall of 2019. While we’ve heard this is the most demanding year at the school, my wife and I can’t be more excited for what Sam will be doing at this amazing institution. I don’t envy the stress and pressure she’ll be under, but I absolutely envy the stuff she’ll be learning. I love what the future holds for that kid. When Ice Planet Hoth thaws this Spring…Summer…whenever…I can’t wait to get back to our happy place (shame on you – if you’ve read this blog, you would know I’m talking about Elkhart Lake, WI). It’s easy to think about warm weather, the beach, ice cream at Gessert’s, and insanely stocked Bloody Mary’s at the Osthoff when the wind chill is -50o. It just feels an eternity away. And I’m always ready for some Road America.
I’m excited for what 2019 can yet bring. And, hey, Bears training camp starts in a short 6 months. Maybe 2019 will be their year.
Thanks, and Make it a Great Day!
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
Ferris Bueller
Ferris was wise beyond his years. You never know when your life will fundamentally change, do you? One minute you are the parent of a high school freshman, the next you’re preparing to be an “empty nester” at the age of 45. Literally. Let me explain.
Our daughter, bless her, is very bright. She truly enjoys learning and her interests run the gamut from cooking, to swimming, to astrophysics. While still in 8th grade, she applied to a prestigious math and science academy where the students are mandatorily boarded. She had a very slim chance of actually getting accepted as she would basically be leap-frogging her freshman year as the school is only grades 10 through 12. Yet, despite the odds, she subjected herself to the entire process. Needless to say, my wife and I had mixed emotions while waiting for “the letter”. While waiting, we spoke about the pros and cons (mostly the pros) and how everything would change. Obviously, we would be sad about not having our only child around on a regular basis, but we would be foolish to deny our child this opportunity. We found the “small envelope” in our mail right around the time we were expecting it. We were relieved. We got at least a 12 month stay. And our good-natured daughter took it in stride. Well this year, 12 months later, the “large envelope” was found in the mailbox. After the initial wave of shock and tears – from a convergence of pride and sadness – we quickly accepted the fact we had suddenly become empty nesters. Probably for the rest of our lives.
That’s how fast life moves. Are you prepared for that? Honestly, not many of us are. Downsizing. Upsizing. Phasing. Transitioning. Whatever you call it, it is emotional as it defines an entire period of your life. Nearly all of us will experience one or more of these phases during our lifetime. Have a plan. Or form one quickly. Be ready. Trust me, it can happen way sooner than you think. Listen to Ferris.
Thank you and make it a great day.