VanDyk Mortgage June 2019

JUNE 2019

Letters From the Hart Give us a call! 239-437-4278 Or visit www.TimHartJr.com Corporate NMLS #3035 www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org

MEETDUKE An Unexpected Addition to the Hart Household

From the moment our mangy, quirky pup Spunky wandered into my parents’ laundry room decades ago, I’ve almost always had a dog around the house, and the same for my wife. But until recently, my wife, kids, and I had to put our love for man’s best friend on hold for the sake of our family’s health. Luckily, a few weeks back, circumstances changed, and today, I’m happy to introduce the newest member of the Hart clan: our goofy, floppy goldendoodle puppy, Duke! Though the kids have been begging us to bring a dog into the house for years, we always just assumed it wasn’t in the cards. You see, before we had kids, my wife Stefanie and I were avid dog owners. Hank the Pug and Bob the French Bulldog were slightly smaller than the dogs I tend to prefer, but they were endearing little guys and a lot of fun. But when my oldest son Mason arrived, we quickly realized the situation was a no-go; Mason was highly allergic to dogs and many other things at that time. From that point on, there was never any hesitation for me and my wife as to whether dogs were an option. Mason’s health was top priority. The good news was that my in-laws volunteered to take in Hank and Bob, where they ended up living out the rest of their long, bumbling, cheerful lives in peace. My entire family loved dogs, and yet, it seemed we’d never have a pooch around. Aside from some occasional prodding from the kids, I think we’d all pretty much resigned ourselves to this fact. That is until Stefanie got word that our kid’s school, St. Michael’s Lutheran, would be auctioning off a goldendoodle pup at their annual fundraising auction. A hypoallergenic breed, those puppy eyes — she didn’t stand a chance. But Mason’s allergies are more serious than most, and from her research, Stefanie learned that not ever y goldendoodle is completely hypoallergenic. We had to know for sure.

We were able to reach out to the organizers and arrange for a trial run about a week before the auction. On four different occasions, we had Mason pal around with the goldendoodle pup, just letting him go wild

rubbing his face in its fur, letting it lick his hands, the whole nine yards. After Mason didn’t react once the entire time, I knew we needed to get our bid paddles ready. In the midst of a charity auction, this adorable puppy was going to experience some price inflation. When it came time for the auction, Stefanie and I had a ballpark bid in mind, figuring it’d stay around a certain sum. But, as you can probably guess, the bid flew past that number pretty quickly. But, who were we kidding? My wife was hellbent on getting this puppy, and honestly, I’m glad. Were we going to let this opportunity to finally have a dog, one who we’d had the unique opportunity to test out with Mason, slip by? Between that and the fact that the money was going to a fantastic cause, the decision was basically made for us — also because my wife was never going to stop bidding. That adorable bundle of fur and energy came home with us that night. As you can probably guess, the kids have been jacked up ever since. Stefanie and I are happy to finally have a pup cruising from room to room. He hasn’t been too much of a terror yet, just a shredded shirt here and a piddle there. Though, lately, for the first time since I started driving the kids to school nine years ago, I’ve been seconds away from making them late. As it turns out, a puppy takes a lot of your attention!

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GOOD BOYS O F AN T I QU I T Y

Dogs in Ancient Legend

Far before humans had written histories, we had dogs. From hunting and shepherding to playing and relaxing, our early ancestors had canine companions by their side, and their appreciation shows. As storytelling developed around the world, our four-legged friends became important characters. Here are a few ancient legends for the historical dog lover. Tarascan Spirit Dogs Many Mesoamerican cultures featured dogs prominently in their myths and legends, especially in regard to the afterlife. One of the most notable of these comes from the Tarascan state, an empire that rivaled the Aztecs. The Tarascans believed canine spirits would search out the souls of lost humans and guide them safely out of the mortal world. Leave it to dogs to create ghost stories with happy endings. Tuiren the Wolfhound In Irish folklore, Tuiren was a beautiful woman to be wed to Iollan Eachtach, but this love made Iollan’s faery sweetheart jealous. In an attempt to ruin the young woman’s wedding, the faery turns Tuiren into a hound and gives her to Fergus Fionnliath, a renowned dog-hater. This cruel act backfires when the Irish wolfhound wins over Fergus, teaching him to love not just her but all dogs too. In fact, the man is crestfallen when his hound is revealed to be

a human. Tuiren’s nephew, the hero Fionn, cheers Fergus up with a new puppy! Yudhishthira's Stray The Indian

epic “Mahabharata” is thought to date back to the eighth or ninth century B.C. and tells the story of two warring families. Toward the end of the tale, prince Yudhishthira and his family begin to ascend the Himalayas to reach heaven, and a stray dog joins them on their journey. One by one, Yudhishthira’s companions fall, until only the prince and his furry friend remain.

When the god Indra finally appears to offer Yudhishthira passage into heaven, he brings bad news: The dog cannot come with him. But Yudhishthira refuses to abandon his dog, explaining that he could never leave such a loyal, steadfast companion. Anyone who’s turned down a great apartment offer because they don’t allow pets can relate.

JOURNEY DOWN A RIVER OF NO RETURN The Unspoiled Beauty of Central Idaho

There’s more to Idaho than potatoes. Sitting square in the center of the Gem State is one of the largest contiguous areas of protected wilderness in the U.S. While the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area may not roll off the tongue as easy as Yellowstone or Yosemite, this 2 million-acre swath of mountains, gorges, and alpine lakes offers something for outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes. River of No What, Now? The name of the wilderness may sound a little ominous at first — who wants to travel down a river of no return? — but in truth, it’s a title from times gone by when canoes and small watercraft could travel down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River swiftly but couldn’t fight the current going back up. Today, those same rapids make the Middle Fork a wildly popular

whitewater rafting destination, with plenty of local and out-of-state enthusiasts making a return journey every summer. Rafting Isn't for Me. What Else You Got? If crashing down 300 Class III rapids isn’t your speed, the Frank Church Wilderness has plenty of other ways to enjoy the wild mountain country. There are several lodges that were grandfathered in to the wilderness area, most of which are only accessible by jet boat, light aircraft, or good old-fashioned hiking. Some, like the Middle Fork Lodge, offer five-star accommodations, located conveniently close to one of the area’s many natural hot springs. Those with the right permits will find the rivers and lakes full of fishing opportunities, and the surrounding pine forests are teeming with game.

Lodges? I Just Want to Get Away From It All. For those looking for a truly unplugged experience, backpacking to the many campsites scattered throughout the region can be an incredible journey. If you spend a night beside the crystal-clear waters of Langer Lake, hundreds of miles away from any light pollution, you’ll find peace, quiet, and a sky bursting with stars. If you’ve ever wanted to experience a truly untamed part of the United States, Idaho is the hidden gem you’ve been looking for.

VanDyk Mortgage | www.TimHartJr.com | 239-437-4278

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Attention Realtors! Need a Website for Your Listing?

VanDyk Mortgage Is Here to Help

At VanDyk Mortgage, we do everything we can to help our realtor referral partners grow their businesses. We know that one of the most powerful tools for getting the word out about your listings is an attractive, informative website. That’s why we’re now offering robust, single property websites tailor-made for your listings! With a tool this easy to use (and free!), we’re confident it’ll be a valuable asset for the folks we work with. All you have to do for us to create a custom, templated website for your listing is to send us the MLS number, and we do the rest. Then we create a beautiful site with all the bells and whistles you need to promote your listing.

showing. It’s totally mobile-friendly and is easily shareable to Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Not only that, but it offers options to create flyers with payments, logos, and other >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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