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w w w . g i o r e a l t o r . c o m
 End of a Century Newsletter, December 1999 Dear Friends, I walked into the Cookie Company in Mendocino the other day to get a cappuccino and there were Christmas songs playing! Somehow those cheery tunes seemed so out of context! Wasn't it just Halloween? Aren't those little bags of M&Ms still in the pantry? I vowed to start looking around for something to put me in the mood. I didn't have to look far. Behind my office at Mendo Realty, our neighbor's pomegranate tree is still sporting those oddly pre-historic red fruits that seem to cling to the leafless branches like shipwrecked sailors to a life raft. That vision juxtaposed with the raucous form of the big, luscious waxy-green holly tree all spotted with red berries is what challenged me to salute the changing of the seasons and the advent of winter. The vision of these two trees also propelled me and my shopping cart into the holiday aisle at the drug store to search for those indispensable stocking stuffers (I always take the eat-dessert-first approach to Christmas). So if you're planning a trip this way in the coming weeks, it's safe to visit; you're sure to find me humming along with all those familiar Holiday tunes. It has been such a hectic year. The California real estate boom trickled down all the way to Mendocino County as more and more refugees from the cities are making the area home. Oceanfront houses first inhabited some twenty to twenty-five years ago have turned over and welcomed new occupants. Parcels of land are being lavished with the care and love of new owners planning their futures. Businesses needing a facelift changed hands and are opening up with renewed enthusiasm. The Anderson Valley is exploding with new vineyards and home starts.
Have a Merry Christmas, and may your New Year be one of fulfilled promises.
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The North Coast has come of age as a destination for the world-weary, but still remains a retreat for those who seek country living.
In short, life is good. My husband, Ernie, and I continue our tours of the North Country -- sometimes accompanied by Zoe, our Wonderdog -- searching for those fun, short getaways, but we are never disappointed when we come home. We made our dream come true and hope that all your dreams materialize in the coming century.