I met the infamous Mara...

[Richard Sherwood]

She's a babe, as I always suspected, and her husband Greg could be in the movies. She's got an awesome complexion and he's got arms like redwood trees (a rower).

We had lunch at a Cracker Barrell off Interstate 75, halfway between Sarasota and Sanibel Island. We both drove 45 minutes to connect and spent a couple hours talking. I got to show off my mobile RV lab, and some of my new equipment. Mara showed off her awesome diamond. (Wow!) Greg showed off how proud he was to catch somebody like Mara.

Very, very real people (VVR-1). I love how you get to meet such interesting people in this business.

 

[Mara]

Rich, you are too sweet. Really! My complexion isn't THAT good.

It was so awesome to finally meet Rich...(who has become a movie-star type since he removed that growth from his forehead)....we were in FL earlier this year and actually drove through Sarasota and while we were doing so, I thought, hey doesn't someone on PS live out here. I realized it was Rich, but I had no idea how to contact him, plus it was a bit last minute. So this time when we went to visit fam in another area of FL....Greg said why don't you see if you can meet your friend this time. It worked out like a charm, we drove to meet him, ate some heavy Southern food, Rich told some interesting appraisal stories (no really this is a burmese sapphire, not glass!), we talked about the business, talked about the internet, talked about Pricescope and why we are here after all these years...

Rich's mobile lab is amazing...I could just veg out pushing buttons on his computers for hours...

. I showed him my toe rings and my diamond (he said it had an amazing pattern and faced up 'very white'

), Greg showed him his ring and his pecs, and Rich showed us some of his new appraisal toys. Very cool.

It was nothing short of a really great time...the only downer was that it was not ENOUGH time!! Next visit, you won't be able to get rid of us...

 

[Shay37]

You guys sound like you had so much fun. It''s great to hear about these kinds of PS get togethers.

Shay

 

[Kaleigh]

Yes sounds like you all had a great time. I would love to meet Mara someday. She has been such a great source of knowledge and has been a lot of fun on this forum. Too bad I can't make it to Houston, as Mara and Alj are getting together to go to WF. I would like to meet her as well.

 

[Demelza]

I''d like to meet both Mara and Rich, two of my favorite people on PS.

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 9/3/2005 6:18:46 PM
Author: kaleigh
Yes sounds like you all had a great time. I would love to meet Mara someday. She has been such a great source of knowledge and has been a lot of fun on this forum. Too bad I can''t make it to Houston, as Mara and Alj are getting together to go to WF. I would like to meet her as well.

I''d love for us to meet you, too, Kaleigh!

Makes me wish everyone was a bit closer geographically. I''ve been friends with Mara for nearly 3 years now, and we''ve never been able to meet because of living on opposite coasts. We were set to meet during my honeymoon (we spent part of it in San Francisco, about 30-40 min. north of Mara), but we got doomed with a rental car from hell that broke down on the way from Napa to Sonoma, and we couldn''t pull it off.

I wish you could do the Houston thing, but we''ll do ya proud!

You''re in Philly, right? Mara has in-laws in NJ, so maybe one of these times, we could plan a similar "storm the castle" on GOG or something. It''s about a 4-5 hour drive for me, but I''m game.

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh yes that sounds like a great plan. I would love to meet Johnathon in person and meet you guys. You will have a blast with Mara. You guys have known eachother for sooo long and when I met Nan in person, it was like meeting an old friend. We are 2 peas in a pod. Or as in the movie Forrest Gump, we are like peas and carrots. So you 2 will have soooo much fun.

 

[MissGotRocks]

So when is the Houston trip? Make sure to take all your papers and receipts and certs and such. . . you never know what you might find!

 

[fire&ice]

Hey cool! I coulda had my fix of southern fried chicken. Wish I was there!

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 9/4/2005 12:06:49 AM
Author: MissGotRocks
So when is the Houston trip? Make sure to take all your papers and receipts and certs and such. . . you never know what you might find!

Thanks - VERY sage advice, and something I''d have overlooked.

It''s looking like the 15th or so of September. Woo-hoo! I''m really glad we could make it sooner rather than later. Many of you know I''ve been having these pendant dreams for a WHILE now, and I''m dying to wear this piece! Pretty soon, it will be snowfall up here in New England, and I''ll tend to wear this pendant less in the winter because it just won''t be seen.

It falls just below the nape of the neck, but it wouldn''t really show once I start wearing winter clothes. So the clock is TICKING for me to get a few days in with it before the change of seasons!

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 9/3/2005 6:21:23 PM
Author: Demelza
I''d like to meet both Mara and Rich, two of my favorite people on PS.

me too. Hi Rich

I plan on getting to meet him myself durning out next trip to Florida, if i could only get hubby to take off work

 

[Richard Sherwood]

I have an "open beach" policy. I love to put out a couple beach chairs and drink Coronas with any and all visitors.

Sarasota really is gorgeous. The Siesta Key beach at Sarasota won the award for "most beautiful beach in the U.S." several years straight, beating out even Hawaii. The sand is almost pure quartz silicate, whitish in appearance and soft on the feet.

After an hour or so on the beach, your shoulders relax and all your problems go away.

 

[MissGotRocks]

No, Al, I''m not talking about your papers and such on the pendant - I''m talking about your papers on ALL your WF jewelry. It would be next to impossible to go there and see all the sparklies and not think about trading up everything!! HA! The temptation will be so great . . .

. . . if there is a downside to the trip, that will be it.

Have a great time - can''t wait to hear your stories and SEE THE PICTURES that I''m sure you''ll take!