To The Best Fans Ever!

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas, from my family to yours! Thanks to all of you for being the best fans ever, for all your positive wishes for my family as we move into 2010. I know it is going to be a very low key one for the Keough Family. I had 30 people for Thanksgiving and I had a great time, but that was a lot of work. We tried frying a turkey, it was great but very dangerous with all that hot oil and I won’t be doing that again. December 23rd I will have my friend, Chef Chaz Bradley help me host a small dinner party for my close friends as we celebrate making it through the recession intact. My Realtor and mortgage friends really suffered this year, some moved in here, others moved home, quite a few lost their homes.

It has taken time to figure out the short sale market and loan modifications. It seems the rules changed weekly. I have learned that communicating with the bank and sending in documents they need promptly goes along way towards getting results. Also the www.distinctpropertysolutions.com has been very helpful guiding people through the short sale process. Dan Raab is my personal contact there. To the average American this process is overwhelming and the misinformation out there is mind boggling. For a reasonable amount of money to a lawyer you get guided through a successful short sale. Tax ramifications and everything is spelled out clearly so no surprises!

I believe 2010 is going to be a great year, my personal friend and attorney Jeff Lalloway is running for congress and several of my friends have really gotten involved in lobbying and writing books to make a difference in our country. I am so impressed with the way everyone is trying to pull together and come out of this recession, a stronger, financially healthier country. I am going to do some lobbying with builder /former Fluor executive Roger Hart. A San Clemente home builder, toll road builder, bridge and water plant builder and a very inspirational friend who has amazing ideas to get the country back on track.

Let's end the year helping someone less fortunate, for some of us it will be giving of your time, not money. The government can't do it all - help at your kids school, if you see something that needs addressing, deal with it - don't turn your head and walk by. At a Christmas party at The Derby last night some Marines were having too good a time, and I was very impressed with the owners, who stopped serving them and got them home safely. Please don't let your friends drive drunk, ever. My Real Estate company Weichert Gold Coast, (thank you Gary Tomasino, Julie Bullock and Cynthia Lemay for the best party ever) threw a wonderful party at The Derby, a piano bar where we sang and danced all night long! If you haven’t been there check it out. It is for all ages and is a fun way to cut loose!

I enjoyed the sixth episode of RHOC, Lynne looked fabulous, but if I had been there she wouldn't have done anything but lay on a couch with ice. My house has always been a surgery recover center so I know a lot about surgeries. To travel on a plane so soon after surgery had me cringing - it was really very risky. I am having Derma Sweep in January, an aggressive facial and I am not even allowed to take a plane after that! Lynne's procedure was major surgery - please make no mistake about that. She is an athlete with above average endurance, so her recovery will be quicker then the average patient. I felt like there should have been a disclaimer: People don't try this at home! Take your six weeks and recover! When you spend that much money doing any procedure, follow the doctor's orders. No way would Dr. Ambe have endorsed this trip, my husband would have sat on me to keep me down! She had a beautiful end result, I couldn't believe the lack of bruising - wow. He has my vote!

I was really missing my friends when I saw the beautiful hotel W in Florida, but when they went alligator and wart hog touring I was perfectly happy to be in the OC! My heart went out to Vicki who had just completed a six city work tour and was looking forward to some shopping and pool lounging with the girls. Hey, we all love to be with our men, but someone should have cleared it with the hostess who put it together. Many times when I was single there, I was with couples or had a girlfriend or my daughter as my date. Otherwise, I went alone. Luckily Simon and Donn always made me feel special and part of the group. I think if Vicki would have known all the men were coming she might have brought a friend or her daughter.

Kara just finished finals and again has perfect grades. She has really impressed me with the way she has stepped up, gotten a job, found her apartment and pays her own rent, car payment and expenses. She is a Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority girl, still in a fabulous relationship with Blair, and doing an internship at E! Entertainment that is fun and interesting. I am so looking forward to her being home for a few days at the holidays! I also cherish seeing and hearing about their adventures of all of the kids' high school friends who return home for the holidays. Colton and Shane are both working over the holidays in the catering business - learning to cook and clean and serve groups is a great experience. They are working out with their Dad and Rod Carew getting in shape for baseball. Shane back to Arizona in mid-January to start getting ready for the new season.

I personally have had a hard year and am looking forward to a fresh start in 2010. I believe we will all make it through these tough times stronger, better people. I have never been afraid to work hard and this year was a challenge. I worked for Brite Age, Duzoxin, Smooth Shapes, spoke at several groups for women, sold real estate, filmed a TV show, went on Oprah, Dr. Phil, Bonnie Hunt, Jay Leno, George Lopez, Andy Cohen’s Watch What Happens and I am looking forward to two weeks of R&R! Thanks to my entertainment attorney, Dan Grigsby, the folks at Bravo and Evolution for a five year run, and Scott Dunlop for creating The Housewives. You may not have always liked the show or its content, but I feel like we shared the good and the bad with you. We were honest and brought you into the fun and the not so fun parts of our lives. Thanks for having me in you home for five years and I love how supportive everyone has been over my leaving the show. I feel it was the right decision at the time, my real estate is picking up, I am over my depression of six months, I'm looking for a mate for the last half of my life and I'm excited to see what 2010 will bring. Happy Holidays to all!