Debbie Shickel, Realtor at Bishop Realty,

06/19/2026

06/19/2026

I am so sorry I have been so busy that I forgot to do my Debbie's Favorite Things to Do and Places to Go post. One
of my favorite things to do is support local charities and non-profits. Tomorrow I will help clean up after the Lee Warren Queen City Century in the afternoon. You can register on site if you get there about 6 or 7 am to register and ride.

06/18/2026

Thursday and Time for Debbie's Grab Bag:
This week has been busy both at work and at home. The Raphine Firemen's Carnival started this week and runs through Saturday night. They have chicken on Friday and Saturday. Start serving dinners at 5 but you can get chicken during the day and evening on Friday and Saturday.
1. Have a new listing. Just went live in the mls about 3:15 or so. Spent all morning trying to finish entering it. Just kept getting various interruptions while I was doing it.
2. Went out Tuesday with Deb Armstrong to Accordia. We did the wine tasting and got the tapas on the menu. This tapas was more like canapés--one was a spicy chickpea mixture on French crostini style bread, one was a type of ham and cheese on once again on the bread and the other was salmon with a creamy cheese mixture on the bread once again plus we had some bread with olive oil. I guess I am a purist and I expected something like what you get in Spain. I would have loved to have been able to have some hot small plates. I guess all food is subject to interpretation these days. Deb told me there is a really great place in Charlottesville called Mas Tapas--she wants me to try..
3. Talked to my son last night as I was driving home from an appointment. Looks like it will be August when they come for a visit. Fingers crossed.
4. Last Saturday Judy and I took a ride to Bath and Highland for me to put my coded boxes on my new listing plus do measurements. We stopped at Cucci's. I really need to try some other restaurants over that way, but the food is so good it is hard not to go there.
5. Went and visited a former client to talk to them about whether to sell their house right now. Still remains to be seen whether it is the best idea right now.
6.This weekend is the Lee Warren Queen City Century and I will go over later in the afternoon to help clean up towards the end of the day.
7. Also, Saturday is the GE/GENICOM Reunion at the Waynesboro Moose. Social hour starts at 12, we eat at 1 and they are asking everyone to bring a covered dish, dessert and drink to share. This last year they have lost so many folks who worked at GE and Genicom. No one is getting any younger that's for sure.
Hope everyone has a great evening and enjoy the upcoming weekend!

Welcome to Coles Mountain Retreat! You will love what the Alleghany Highlands has to offer! Unique property with 5.4 acres in Bath, 19.6 in Alleghany and yet within minutes of hunting, fishing, hiking and boating. Close to Lake Moomaw, Gathright Dam, George Washington National Forest. Use your imagi...

06/18/2026

Check out my new listing. Cool property. I had hoped to have it in the mls earlier today, but I kept having issues with clients popping up and needed to pull some deeds. This will also be in the Rockbridge Highlands mls tomorrow.

Welcome to Coles Mountain Retreat! You will love what the Alleghany Highlands has to offer! Unique property with 5.4 acres in Bath, 19.6 in Alleghany and yet within minutes of hunting, fishing, hiking and boating. Close to Lake Moomaw, Gathright Dam, George Washington National Forest. Use your imagi...

06/18/2026

Would you like to be close to a lake with boat ramps?

06/17/2026

It is Wednesday and time for Debbie's Financial Tip:
Budgeting is never easy for anyone. You can set up a budget that you think will work, but circumstances change and you just have to fall back regroup and possibly punt.
Budgets are not set in stone.
You need a plan with a little flexibility and that is why I like the 50/30/20 rule. It separates needs from wants. Do you know the difference between just those two?
Needs are things that are necessary--housing, food, utilities, transportation, childcare, clothing and health insurance. These are needs.
A want is something that is nice to have or do, but it is something you can live without and that would be dining out, streaming services, travel/vacations, subscriptions and entertainment ( I nearly had a heart attack over the cost of concert tickets my friend's daughter was paying out for a concert--$300 for just the ticket. Did not include the travel costs or the fact they had to have somewhere to stay like a hotel or BnB or the food.)
The other 20% is savings and debt payoff. in the 50/30/20 rule.
If you have to adjust you need to start with wants--FIRST.
I realize that not doing a vacation, eating out or streaming would not be fun and yes some of these things if you could not do them would be more like existing than living.
Like I said flexibility is key, but you need to live or stay within your budget to minimize racking up credit card debt.
I was taught to live within my budget and lots of time it is not fun, but it is necessary to good financial management.

06/17/2026

Ok folks, the tipping fee is going to go up for certain items.
Be sure and read this as it tells what, when, why and how much.

Tipping fees, which apply largely to commercial waste, are increasing on July 1. The increase is mainly due to increased costs for operations, freon removal, and tire recycling.
https://www.co.augusta.va.us/Home/Components/News/News/2785/14

06/16/2026

Do you enjoy communing with nature? Watching the various animals in the wild?