I remember why we gave up Property Management.  It is a steady source of income and it is also a steady source of aggravation.  When we moved from Texas in 2000, we were handling 65 properties around Northwest Houston and Tomball.   Most of these were turned over to my son Joel.  He does Commercial Real Estate.  After three months he closed the accounts and informed me that I had been out of my mind to do management.  Perhaps!.   When we began to get hungry in Durango, we agreed to take care of a 5 unit apartment.  For almost a year it was only mildly annoying.  Then in December one of the tenants came to me telling me he had  lost his job.  It was almost Christmas, and he had shared with me the month before that his father had been to visit and told him he was dying with Cancer.   I co... 07/14/2011

 Blood Drive Today at Chick-Fil-A 249 & Jones Rd -- Partnering with St.Luke's Hospital @ The Vintage Come donate blood today at the Donor Coach at Chick-Fil-A at 249 and Jones Rd.  To schedule an appointment go to www.giveblood.organd enter sponsor code B894.  Each person who donates or attempts to donate will get a t-shirt and a coupon for a free chicken sandwich.  Here is a close up of the Commit for Life shirt you will get as a donor. Here is the back of the shirt, showing The Blood Center and their website www.giveblood.org. 07/13/2011

No matter where you choose to live,  you are guaranteed to have trash.  City, suburbs or country, we all generate refuse, things we no longer want or need.  In the general scheme of things, trash has always been pretty low on my priority list.  Having a place to put it and having a way to get rid of it are the two things that matter to me.  Otherwise I really never thought about it much.   There are other folks to whom trash apparently has aesthetic value.  Last March we received a letter from the homeowners association.   Said letter indicated that the next trash date would bring us all into a new highly technical trash experience.  They would be delivering the latest in trash cans.  These can be picked up from the curb by the garbage trucks without any one having to get off the truck... 07/11/2011

Once upon a time, American people flew the flag,  then it was no longer popular to do.  We had fallen into a take it for granted jag and the apathetic feelings grew.   It is probably just a matter of what that flag means to you. What does that piece of cloth represent in your life? Many patriots fought and died to give you basic rights. To pursue happiness, liberty, justice and the like... Things you can touch and feel, enjoying your days and nights.   It seems that the more the apathy grows, the more freedoms are eroding away As we celebrate Americas birthday today, Could it be we should return our thinking to doing things the right way?   Believing in God, Home, and Country worked for years. Working hard, caring for others, not just grinding away at the gears. Is it too late to recap... 07/08/2011

  This is what we do in our small town of Tomball TX.  Every time there is a patriotic event we are proud to show our colors.  We show reverence to the Flag and respect for our Country!  Another sign that Patriotism is alive and well in Tomball TX. God Bless the USA and Tomball TEXAS! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!  235 YEARS OF SUCCESSFUL LIVING AND FREEDOM! WHAT A BLESSING!   Special thanks to Mike Baxter from the City of Tomball for the use of the photo. 07/04/2011

    We salute this local Tomball Area business (Houston Wraps) for their patriot display on the feeder of SH 249.   As we reach the 235th anniversary of the independence of our beloved country, we would also like to salute our military past and present and say a heartfelt THANK YOU for your service!   America is currently engaged in wars on many fronts.  Some of the battles are to see that the freedoms that American Patriots fought and died to create for us, and to see they are maintained.   It seems unfortunate that many of those original freedoms have been eroded from right under our noses during our lifetime.  We often wonder what our Forefathers would say if they saw the sorts of policies that are being carved out today.  What would they think of a leadership that proclaims that “w... 07/04/2011

  J Is for Just terrific...  How do you define terrific?  A place you have come to love through knowing the   people and places for many years... a place that feels like home.  Terrific is how you feel when you get home in the evenings, when you have a Saturday or Sunday to spend with friends or family.  Remember, we get to exercise our poetic license when we write!  Just terrific!                   K  is for the Klein pioneers.  For many years that family took care of all Tombalians grocery needs and helped the families deal with grief and final resting places at the end of lifes' journey.  The grocery now sits vacant, but the funeral home is still serving the needs of much of the area.                     L  is for Lovely area lakes.  Right now so many of the water features are drying... 07/03/2011

Tomball!  The Hometown with a Heart as it has been known for many years traditionally has a 4th of July Fireworks extravaganza.  But, this year due to the extreme fire danger precludes any type of live fireworks so Tomball has arranged to keep the Patriotic Experience alive!! So Here's what We're gonna do!     TOMBALL TO SIMULCAST JULY 4TH “FREEDOM OVER TEXAS” FIREWORKS DISPLAY ON GIANT SCREEN AT HISTORIC RAIL DEPOT   Just because Tomball was forced to postpone its annual Independence Day fireworks spectacular, due to the potential of fire from falling debris, doesn’t mean the City and surrounding communities will be without the opportunity to enjoy a sky full of colorful explosions and patriot tunes under the stars on July 4th.    The small town in northwest Harris County has received ... 07/02/2011

  Although neither of us was even given any formal training in nutrition, we have studied the subject extensively in the past two years. The stimulus for the study? An almost encounter with the grim reaper will make you have interests you never knew you wanted.   One of the basics we have learned is the importance of diet and exercise to good health. Like it or not, fresh vegetables and fruits are an important part of the program. With the rising prices of produce and the questionable additives and origins of the plants, this spring we decided to grow some produce of our own.   Both of us have had gardens before. Ralph grew up on a farm. So, with great confidence we headed off to the nursery. We carefully selected several tomato plants including one heirloom called “Mr. Stripey.” We als... 06/30/2011

Dress Like A Cow, Get FREE Chicken on July 8th -- From Chick-fil-A in Houston And Tomball, Texas!!  I saw this mural in Texas when I was on a train chasing weekend.  This balloon says if you dress like a cow you can get free chicken.   This sign shows the cow in costume.  By the way, even partial cow costumes get a free entree. You can go to the website and see more information about cow appreciation day. 06/30/2011

While reading my email I sometimes run across interesting things that are going on in and around our world. I thought that this might be of interest to my readers since it helps clean up radioactive contamination.  And I suppose that the Japanese would be a people who actually do have first hand experience in cleaning up that stuff. Sunflowers to clean radioactive soil in JapanBy Agence France-Presse, Japan is asking people to grow sunflowers, said to help decontaminate radioactive soil, in response to the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Since the link didn't actually copy above it's below so that you can go and read for yourself. http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/sunflowers-to-clean-radioactive-soil-in-japan   06/30/2011

Having done open houses since the late 1970s, and having sold ONE as a result of this now antiquated market tool, it is our opinion that they are really not useful anymore.   The consumer now has access to photos and virtual tours on line.  That fact alone means sitting for hours in a house so people can view it personally, is not the highest or best use of our time.  You may have also noticed that there is NO way to qualify the people who are being given access to these homes.     Facts that unfortunately there were mean spirited, misguided people who have hurt some agents and even worse over the years, plus incidents where visitors to open houses used the opportunity to locate where  valuables were kept and returned at a later time to collect them, give us definite cause for pause.  ... 06/28/2011

F is for all the fauna and flora you still pass on your way here and there around the community on delightful country roads.         G is for the Gazebo found in the antique district in Historic Downtown Tomball TX.     H is for History. It is part of so many things in the area. Wise people have said that if we learn froom History we are less likely to repeat problems and failures. Tomball gently encourages us to learn from our past and go on to better days. You will find historical architecture in homes businesses and churches all around plus the Old Klein Supermarket that's now closed. The lessons just keep on getting better the more you know about the area.         I is for Indigeous trees. If you have a love for trees, Tomball will let you enjoy a myriad of varieties of the native o... 06/27/2011

One of the most delightful places we have ever lived and worked is Tomball Texas. It is the Epitomy of a Hometown with a Heart. It has been known for many decades as “the Hometown with a Heart.” Located about 28 miles from the center of Downtown Houston, it was originally a Railroad town. Settled by hardworking pioneers, it still maintains much of the beauty and nostalgic history from years gone by. Modern conveniences are available. Whatever you may need can be found either in town or just a few miles away in one of the surrounding towns or shopping areas like Willowbrook Mall down at FM 1960 and SH 249, or over in The Woodlands. Because we truly love this quaint piece of America, we decided to furnish folks with a heartfelt pictoral guide in ABC style. Are you ready to embark on your ... 06/27/2011

$$FREE$$ List of Homes For Sale In Tomball -- From Your Tomball Real Estate Professional For a Free list of homes for sale in the Tomball area, just: email me at liz.flint@hotmail.com, call me at my direct number of 832-816-8066, or stop by my office (which is at 30310 Tomball Parkway, Tomball, TX (make sure and ask for Liz). When you submit your information to me, I will send you listings the first day they come on the market.  To send you the listings that best match what you are looking for, make sure to give me any criteria you want in a home. By the way, if you haven't talked to a lender yet to see how much you qualify for, I have an in-house lender that can prequalify you in a matter of minutes.  Hope to see you soon! 06/27/2011

Have you ever noticed that there are many jobs associated with the home buying process?  There sure are!  The seller has a job.  It is to put the house they are selling into top notch condition, to pack things up, to remain calm through the process and to move out when the transaction is finished.  Appraisers have a job.  It is to arrive at the fair market value of the house that is going through the other processes on the way to closing.  Inspectors go over the prospective purchase to be sure that it is what it appears to be, or is what it is represented to be.  The title company has specific functions to be sure that all the liens that exist are discovered and paid off.  Real Estate agents have numerous functions which we will discuss at another time. Lenders are essential to the pro... 06/25/2011

  The media continues to say the economy is dead, but look around at the number of construction projects that are in full building mode.  Based on our previous experience here in Tomball TX selling homes in the recessionary 1980s, this is not a bad recession.  Texas seems to have a different attitude, and just keeps on trying to make the best of things.  Remember that Texas was its own nation many years ago.  Perhaps the rest of the country could take a look and learn a lesson!  So much of life is a matter of perspective!    As you see, even a fungus can be a thing of beauty when it is looked at in the proper light.      If you feel inclined to turn a mushroom into a gourmet delight, Please feel free to use the recipe below.  It is tried and used often in the Janisch house. It is also ... 06/23/2011

This afternoon we met some of Tomball’s less well known residents.    They are small but will get your attention quickly.  We were in one of the businesses close to the Post Office when we happened to look up and see this rather crowded family.  Whenever you feel that you live in crowded quarters, count your blessings.  You no doubt do not share a nest on the edge of a ledge with five other birds of a feather!   Believe it or not this is a group of baby birds not ready for prime time!  This group is bound to be close to taking flight and vacating their current residence.  For today however, they were being fed by their extremely busy mother bird who kept flying in with food every couple of minutes.  Where in the city of Tomball does one find ample provision for a nest full of swallows?... 06/23/2011

About a week ago while watering the plants in my kitchen window, a large roach hopped off the saucer under a violet and disappeared behind the garlic container on the counter.   One of my core values is having a clean home with NO roaches...  So after the mandatory scream, I moved the garlic container to look for him.  No sign of the dastardly critter.  I called Ralph for assistance because as I indicated above, I do NOT do roaches.  Ralph dutifully moved everything in the vicinity.  No roach was found.  This meant that that bug was lurking somewhere...   Now I admit that I have an overly active hatred for Roaches. Due to great extermination techniques employed in this day and time we seldom ever see one, but one is more than enough!  Basically my aversion is due to them being extremel... 06/21/2011

Today Jeanne and I had lunch out in Tomball TX (Goodson's Cafe) with my 2nd grade teacher from Klein.  Now mind you I got out of high school in 1969 so it's a real treat to visit with a former teacher.  We just happened to come across her a few years back when she was working the election polls in Tomball.  She looked at me and asked if she knew me from somewhere and I told her that perhaps we had gone to school together back at Klein.  She kind of chuckled because by then she had figured it out.  Heck I thought I was at least her age!  Well, I look that old any way.  Anyway we have become good friends over the years and enjoy visiting over a meal.  I always tell her and one of the other teachers we have reconnected with that I wish they acted then like they do now.  But we all know how... 06/21/2011