Catskills - Sullivan County - Ulster County Real Estate -- Catskill Farms Journal

It's not like it's news to me - my entire business proposition and marketing revolves around the fact that busy urbanites need a place and time to recharge.

Thing is, so do us county guys, it appears.

This year has been busy, and busy isn't just that 'moving forward kicking ass' experience we all love to reach on occasion for all our effort,  But it's also the busyness that keeping it all from derailing, especially businesses like I run, where we are always pushing the envelope in terms of effort and growing the businesses - it's never a dull moment.  It's constantly like a rapidly spinning machine where the pieces of the machine are always in danger of just breaking, flying off,  and disintegrating spontaneously.

Perhaps its evident to everyone else who runs a business but it's something that I always assumed would not be so difficult, even in the face of 10 yrs of counter-evidence, but the management of people, their issues, abilities, good days, bad days, etc... is a lot of frickin work as you grow a business, especially true as you grow one in where the talent pool is shallow indeed.  So a lot of my work this year is putting together a new team, and making a commitment to retain those people who are in these positions now.  As the owner of a business who needed to keep things going, I've taken one for the team for years in terms of working with people who didn't gel with me, or my style, but they got the job done to some degree and the fear of chaos was much greater than the fear of being irritated on a second by second basis.

Turns out I was totally wrong - you got to surround yourself with complimentary people - in style, personality - every company has a culture, and people either fit or they don't.  And to think that my general emotional well-being was less important growing a business was just an amateur calculation to the core.

The more rested I am, the more energized by those who surround me, the better our business is and after all the fights, struggles, wins and losses on the personnel front over the last 10 yrs, nothing is so sweet as fitting the right people in the right slots.  All of sudden, it's like magic - the businesses just explode.  I've been driving them all around, but when you hit that perfect RPM where the companies just fire effortlessly (yeah right, keep dreaming Petersheim), that is a reward like no other (besides maybe an unexpected happy ending after an in-house massage by an unexpectedly hottie masseuse).

So, what I'm realizing is that after a lot of stress and hardwork this year as I reinvent my companies once again, and as I got screwed out of my long anticipated vacation at the last moment by friends of mine, and are closing on 5 houses in 6 weeks, and have grown all 3 businesses by at least 40% each, I've pushed too hard.

And as I now regain my balance and humor and patience and general emotional and intellectual geniusness (boy can I hear the ex on that one as I write it - in fact, pervertedly, it's almost why I wrote it), I am reacquainted with something that is so obvious -

Everyone needs rest to perform well (that's what she said) - and to ignore that simple fact is to miss an important truism of business.

And miss to many of those truism (hello Henning of Henning's Local) and you won't be around for long.

So I'm in South Beach Miami with my sister and Lucas at my swanky pad down here (all the single ladies take note) and Lucas was correcting my sister when she said we are 'going to Miami' and he said it's not your Ami, it's my Dad's Ami,  - ' we are going to My Ami lucas" I kept saying.  Super funny for sure.

Here's us above on the corner of 2nd and Washington waiting for the 25 cent South Beach Local to take us back to 10th and West at the Bay.

I love how people make our houses their homes.  Jeanne and Deb and now Kerry and probably a host of others are really on me to circle back once people are living in their homes for a few years and show the progress and evolution of country respite weekend living.

Here is Cottage 40 in Bearsville which we just sold a couple of weeks ago.  They are already making it a home, with the pumpkin, the welcome mat and the deck swing.  Congrats new Living Large folks.

It's what it is all about.  I think our biggest competitive advantage is the trust our clients have in us to understand their aspirations and also their concerns, and our ability to attack/solve them and address them.  With so much on the line, the ability to inspire trust is a asset that positions us enviably.  I know a lot of builders and realtors who may be able to sell you something, but the deal is done with a lot of skepticism and caution on the buyers' part.  

Our buyers jump in head first - unabashed - celebratory - behind closed doors gloating and self-congratulations on the level of achievement reached.

Our clients are talented, and successful.  And they put their trust in us to pave the way, write the roadmap, of their leisure. It's an incredible compliment.

So, at Craftsman II on Old Sawmill Road in Saugerties had a deal on it which fell through (kinda expected) and then a week or two later we got a great couple who work in film I believe who signed up and just love this fricking great house.

And here's there dog, doing a lot of heavy lifting sales for me.  Sure, see how happy I am, see this stick I found, see how I bound across the grassy green lawn.

And then 3 yr old Jasper, the son of some prospective clients, walked into Barn VI, and you know how honest kids can be.  Lil' Jasper walked in the back door and seriously without any prompting, walked in the door and said, most earnestly, "WOOOOOOW".

I mean, seriously, I might as well just leave it to the professionals - the dog and the boy.  Where else does honesty really exist?

And my writing perch tonight -blog post entry number 687. Eames original desk, chair and picnic art.

And the view from the room next door.

And the libations at 7.2%.

It's a busy fall season, just as it has been for years.  We have 4 closings set for the next 4 weeks and we hope to start 4 new homes.

Here's Barn VI, all dressed up and ready for sale.  This one will lead off the inning, then Farm 19 will sell, then Cottage 39 and then Arts and Crafts II just around Thanksgiving.

I've been sick as a dog for more than a month now.  I guess the double-screw job by Henning from Henning's Local and my key man was a little much for me physically having been near the tipping point of exhaustion just by our typical workload, but mentally, we are back at it, - reinvented, stronger than ever.  I don't think we've ever gone backwards for long - just figure out what needs to be done and make it happen.  It's also amazing what a little money does for decision-making.  Back in the day, when money was real tight, decisions were primarily influenced by cost - now, of course cost is important, but you can throw a little money at the problem and boy does that lessen the load.

I don't think I've ever been sick this long - couple of days and bam, I'm usually over it. It kind of feels like a cleansing of the past, and a preparation of the future - rinsed of the nonsense that I felt I needed to entertain to keep things rolling.  Rinsed of the nonsense people who cloud my ambitions.  But Christ, 30 days is a long time to be sniffling, sneezing, staying home from work, visiting emergency rooms, having an ear I can't hear out of.

Man up Petersheim - it's a contact sport for sure out there.  And let the best man (team) win.

Things are busy and they seem to be getting busier.  And if this economy ever gets straightened out, we are in for a wild ride indeed.  I run a spray foam insulation business that is kicking it bigtime after a 3 yr startup struggle so that's exciting to see the rewards from that day in day out effort.

Lucas turned 4 and we had a party for him at Circle Park in Glen Spey.  About 12 of his buds came including the representation from Cottage 36, Cottage 34, Micro Cottage 4 and Barn 3.

Saturday and Sunday were seriously gorgeous days up here.  Wow.

Lucas turns 4 today.  A big year where I'm sure his running will become more fluid, his words more articulated and his sweet nature complimented with new sense of brave independence.

Here is at Cottage 36 riding the stuffed bear.

And old skool with Jake the big Lab.


Last year's Halloween costume.

And sporting his "Love Stinks' t-shirt and froggy boots down on the farm.

Mr Crazy Hair and Rosy Cheeks.

Mr French Bistro and piece of bread guy -

Letting the freak flag fly couple of years back when I was digging my pond.

And this picture of Alvin at the latest Chipmonk movie is a timely subject because David Cross just rocked these hills with a local wedding last weekend.

"Beautiful Boy" by John Lennon a few months before he died.  Obviously he didn't get to see these thoughts through.

Close your eyes
Have no fear
The monster's gone
He's on the run and your daddy's here

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy

Before you go to sleep
Say a little prayer
Every day in every way
It's getting better and better

Out on the ocean sailing away
I can hardly wait
To see you come of age
But i guess we'll both just have to be patient
'cause it's a long way to go
A hard row to hoe
Yes it's a long way to go
But in the meantime

Before you cross the street
Take my hand
Life is what happens to you
While you're busy making other plans

Before you go to sleep
Say a little prayer
Every day in every way
It's getting better and better

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy
Darling, darling, darling
Darling Sean.



Lucas is a simple man and here's his favorite meal - plain white bread roll and a banana.  Keeping it real here in the country.

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