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Fire Safety Tips for National Fire Prevention Week

unitedwayelgin — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:09:26 +0000

October 5-11 marks National Fire Prevention week, and in honor, we'd like to provide a quick list of safety reminders. We can help reduce fires by taking simple steps such as regularly inspecting furnaces and fireplaces, keeping space heaters at least 3 feet from flammable materials, and checking the condition of electrical cords. Maintaining working smoke alarms and fire extinguishers is also an essential element to fire safety. Also, the below quick tips Fire Safety checklist:

Install and maintain a working smoke alarm outside of every sleep area and remember to change the battery at least once a year.

Designate two escape routes from each bedroom and practice them regularly.

Teach everyone the "Stop, Drop, and Roll" technique in case clothing catches on fire.

Avoid storing old mattresses in the home or garage.

Replace electrical cords that have become frayed.

Keep space heaters away from bedding, curtains, clothing and other flammable materials.

Teach kids that matches, lighters and candles are tools, not toys. If you suspect that a child is playing with fire, check under beds and in closets for telltale signs like burned matches. Matches and lighters should be stored in a secure drawer or cabinet.

At United Way of Elgin, we're involved in a "Neighborhoods Matter" initiative to be sure that everyone is aware of the risks of fire and Carbon Monoxide, and that everyone takes the proper steps to protect their families. Click here to read how we're helping at-risk, low-income, and senior homeowners in the Sheridan, Garfield and Channing neighborhoods.

Today In Music, October 9th

rockmine — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:24:01 +0000

Today's a weird one. The almanac based blog is giving way to the babble. I know it's unusual but it's been a weird few days here in Elgin. The week had started with the intention of staging a rock and pop memorabilia exhibition that I've been trying to put on here since April. All it needed was a venue, which I thought I had and some publicity which I lined up but then things started to fall apart.

So, I can now say once and for all there will be no rock and pop memorabilia exhibition at the Red Shoes Theatre in Elgin. I'm going to leave it at that as you really don't want pages filled with the bile I might dump here. I also don't see why I should even contemplate mentioning that place again as it will just give them publicity. Bearing in mind one of the owners effectively demanded I remove references to the water ingress problems, I really have no desire to be in the least bit positive towards them.

It was made clear to me that they don't "do negative", so it will be intriguing to see how they react when I publish the e-mails that seemed to me to be full of fantasy and fabrication that they sent me. Anyway, enough!

What am I left with? The exhibition is off but there's still the blog. The Two Red Shoes Ballroom blog that is. It's one of two I have up on local ballrooms. Its sister venue, less than 30 miles away is the Ballerina Ballroom in Nairn. Launched, very much by accident, in August it has been hugely successful. The Elgin one, however, seems to have been much slower to take off.

I've got the publicity for that sorted at last but here's the oddest thing, I now have two opportunities. One is to expand the Two Red Shoes Ballroom and the Ballerina blogs into a book and the other is even stranger. As many of you will know, I've been a compulsive writer of lists for decades. What really surprises me is that I manage to forget what lists I've made over the years. The almanac listings include thousands of live gigs. That includes all the dates played at London's Marquee Club.

If people in a town of 6,800 residents will flock to a blog on their local ballroom - The Ballerina, just what will happen if I do the same with the Marquee? The main Rockmine web site even has Marquee flyers for sale - here.

With both the Marquee and the Ballerina, I have the advantage of the venues now being closed. I hung out at the Marquee on numerous occasions and one of my best friends was offered gigs there. It always had a good feel about it. The owners and addresses may have changed over the years but it held on to the magic. Wherever its physical presence was seemed like hallowed ground. Derek Dick even managed to get the beer pumps from the bar installed at home after the club closed.

I've put gigs on, in seedy club/bar venues. I know what it's like. The guys who do it are special. Part optimist, part bastard but they all have great stories to tell. I have to say that the promoter of both ballrooms in Nairn and Elgin, Albert Bonici, was the one exception. Maybe we just didn't get on but I found him to be less than friendly. He expected me to be in awe because he promoted The Beatles on their first real tour but a few years later he was putting strippers out on the stage that The Fabs had trod. And as for stories, he had nothing. Maybe he just didn't want to give anything away. How would I know, he's been dead for years. Maybe that's the case with everyone here!

Oddly, I had one minor success today. The Heritage Centre in Elgin MUST have the world's laziest librarian/curator running it. Today, he actually came up with all that I could ever have wanted, adverts for the Two Red Shoes from 1960 to 1969, showing the dancehall, the restaurant and the resident band for each year. In 1960, a three-course meal there would cost 4/- and by 1967, inflation had taken that to a massive 5/-! He found plans for the conversion to a dancehall in 1956, although it had been a ballroom from the latter part of the previous century.

The photos showing the stage, as it was in 1963, show a tiny space that the resident sextet filled totally. It actually made The Cavern stage seem massive!

Okay, back to the original point, that I seem to have lost a bit along the way. I have complete listings for The Two Red Shoes, The Ballerina, The Marquee Club, The Apollo Theatre in Glasgow and the Fillmore auditoriums. What has worked with the Ballerina should easily work with The Marquee and Fillmores! I just have to assume that the Elgin venue is the anomaly.

So, tomorrow, I'm sending out a press release that links all of these venues. The idea is to expand the blogs and if I get good feedback I'll work on a couple of "Books On Demand". The main thing is that if the Ballerina blog has pulled in 1,600 visitors in two months, just how many will the Fillmore or Marquee blogs?

In the morning, I'm heading for Nairn to fill out the last years of that blog and then home to work on the house. I hate it when I waste time, there's always a desire to try and salvage something. That's where I went wrong here, desperate to prove that I could stage an exhibition here I totally mishandled things.

Finally though I feel I can wash my hands of this place and head back, out of "Narnia", to reality. Let's see what tomorrow brings.

Today In Music, October 8th

rockmine — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:14:57 +0000

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Wednesday 8th October):

Birth

1948. Johnny Ramone born John Cummings in Long Island.

On Tour

1993. David Griffith a 27 year old Levellers fan dies after falling from the balcony at the band's sell-out show at Newcastle's Mayfair. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Royal Victoria Infirmary where a post mortem later shows that he died from head injuries.

In Court

1999. Debbie Rowe Jackson files divorce papers in Los Angeles County Superior Court citing irreconcilable differences with husband Michael Jackson. The petition states that the couple have been separated since July 15th this year. A confidential settlement has been agreed regarding property and money. No indication is given as to custody arrangements for the couple's two children - Michael Joseph Jackson Jnr. (2) and Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson (1).
Jackson met Rowe when she was working as a nurse in the office of his plastic surgeon. They married on November 15th 1996.

In Business

1976. The Sex Pistols sign to EMI Records at a four hour long evening meeting. The signing was rather unexpected and rushed. Polydor Records seemed to be the only label ready to sign them - so much so, they'd actually booked a recording session for tonight. The signing fee is £ 40,000, a considerable amount for an as yet unheard band.

On Television

1995. Taratata (France 4, France) Solos: Tears For Fears, Pascal Obispo. Duos: Tears For Fears and Oletta Adams, Tears For Fears and Julian Lennon - "Stand By Me"

Death

1995. Music journalist Johnny Waller dies in a road accident aged 40.

Babble

My real problem today is understanding what's going on in Elgin. I have considered it to be a real Narnia transposed to the North Easst of Scotland and I have thought it akin to falling down the rabbit hole after its white owner. Today, I may just have got a handle on it: the reality diffusion effect.

In anthropology, diffusion accepts that races and cultures will spread and intermingle. Racial purity and ethnic traits are lost but to a large degree appearances remain the same. So, let's consider it here. Reality starts with a premise that everyone can believe in and then through intermingling with other ideas becomes something totally different. For example, a date is agreed and then allowed to diffuse. The most recent occurence of this was on September 26. Two people take away the same date and yet even in the space of a week it duffuses into two dates separated by a month.

What the Hell are you talking about? I hear you say. Well, it's the imaginary memorabilia exhibition on the walls of the wardrobe in Narnia. You really would be surprised at just how capacious it is. However, it doesn't help that I'm the one holding on to reality.

Today, while I should have been organising something (although I'm not sure what), I've ended up dealing with mails from two different owners of the wardrobe both of whom seem to have the outstanding ability to totally contradict themselves. They'll quite happily say "I didn't say that" only to be confronted with a previous mail from them which clearly says exactly that. The amazing bit is they can then turn round and say, "No, I may have said that but that wasn't what I meant."

Reality diffusion at its finest!

I've asked the wardrobe owners to put together a press release with me explaining that after six months we've given up on the idea of staging a memorabilia exhibition. It may seem an odd thing to publicize but I feel it's essential to stop me looking like a total moron. That said, maybe the fact that I've spent six months trying to do this just proves that I am one!

One good thing about this is having got my head round the fact that very little of what I see here is real, it's easy to get totally into the idea of virtual reality. So, although I'm going to tie this up tomorrow, I'm going to forget a real exhibition for now and stage a virtual one. In other words, I'll just put all the exhibition pieces online and share them with the whole world.

Go to Rockmine's main site here.

Over $1 Million Stimulus Payments Unclaimed in Kane County

unitedwayelgin — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:30:51 +0000

When Congress authorized Economic Stimulus payments, most people claimed their payment by filing their 2007 tax returns. However, more people are eligible to claim their payment than those who file tax returns, and many have not claimed their stimulus payment yet. If you know of low-income seniors, disabled veterans, or people with disabilities who did not file a tax return, and may not know that they are eligible to file for their stimulus payments, let them know that the October 15 deadline is near.

In Kane County, 3,848 people haven't filed that are eligible. That's $1,154,400 of unclaimed payments. Cook County, one of the top 100 nationwide counties with the most unclaimed payments, 74,847 people are eligible to file but haven't... worth $22,454,100 total.

These people stand to get $300 for individuals, or $600 for married couples. To be eligible, you must have had $3,000 or more in income from earnings:

Social Security benefits
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
Veterans Disability benefits
Railroad Retirement benefits
Or a combination of any of the above plus pay in 2007

Where can I direct people who I know need to file but haven't?

You can either download the Form 1040 from the IRS website, or you can eFile. Free eFile services are available at the IRS website here.

Visit www.uwelgin.org to sign up for our eNewsletter and to keep up to date on how we can Live United in Elgin.

United Way Helps Families Cover Prescription Costs

unitedwayelgin — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 21:44:46 +0000

At United Way of Elgin, we have seen the effects of the economy sliding for the past year or so. More families are struggling to have their basic needs met. And we know healthcare is up there among the strains for many, so we partnered with FamilyWize to help families in our community to cover prescription costs.

If you don’t have health insurance, or you must buy medicine not covered by your insurance plan, a discount card could lower the cost of your medicine by an average 35 percent. The cards are provided to our community free-of-charge to everyone who needs one. There are no age or income restrictions, no limit on how many times you can use it, and you don't have to wait to get a card. In fact, you can print one straight from our website and use it today.

This is one way we are working to solve problems, because Families Matter. Check out more we're working on with partners to help families to be self-sufficient and successful.

Today In Music, October 6th

rockmine — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:45:28 +0000

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (October):

Birth

1948. Millie Small, of "My Boy Lollipop" fame, born in Clarendon, Jamaica.

In Custody

1967. After a night in police custody, "Mama" Cass Elliot, appears at West London Magistrate's Court charged with larceny. When the case is called, the prosecution offers no evidence against her and the magistrate, Mr. Seymour Collins, dismisses the charges. A warrant still exists for another unamed person who is thought to have actually taken the items. This individual was also left to settle the bill which remained unpaid. When undertakings are given by Cass that she'll see to things, the prosecution also ask for the outstanding warrant to be dismissed.

In Court

1999. Country singer Johnny Rodriguez (47) appears in court for the first day of his murder trial in Uvalde, Texas. During the opening statements, his attourney, Jay Norton, tells the jury that he shot and killed Israel "Bosco" Borrego (26), a drinking buddy, in an act of self-defence, thinking he was an intruder at his mother's house in Sabinal, Texas on August 29th 1998. He tells how Rodriguez saw a shadowy figure in the house at 4 a.m., took a pistol from a cushion on the couch and fired one shot, hitting Borrego in the abdomen. The 26 year old died several hours later.

Tony Hackebell, attourney for the prosecution has a different story to tell, saying that Rodriguez had invited Borrego to a late-night drinking party at a house across the street from his mother's. The shooting had occured some time later when Borrego was cooking breakfast for Rodriguez.

In Hospital

1994. Glen Frey undergoes surgery at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles for diverticulitis. As a result of being hospitalised, the second half of The Eagles' "Hell Freezes Over" tour is postponed until the New Year.

On Television

1968. The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (ABC, U.S.A.) Guest stars: Harry Belafonte, Cass Elliot. Here's "Mama" Cass with a great version of "Dream A Little Dream". I know she's already had a mention today but thought this was too good a clip to miss.

Death

1978. Australian pop star, Johnny O'Keefe dies in a Sydney hospital after a heart attack, aged 43. He is credited with being the first rock singer in Australia with a career that spanned performing and management over 26 years. He's best remembered by the rest of the world as composer of "Real Wild Child" which has been covered by everyone from Buddy Holly to Iggy Pop.

Babble

My mood, which has been one of doom and gloom lately, has lifted a bit. My blog for the Two Red Shoes Ballroom has been linked to from the Northern Scot, the local newspaper for Elgin where the ballroom was. Add to that the fact that the daily paper for the area, the Press & Journal, has said they'll cover the memorabilia exhibition that is meant to start this week in the Red Shoes Theatre - yes! it is the same building, which reopened last year - and you might see why I feel a bit happier.

After six months of being on, then off, then on again, it seems I will get to draw a line under this at long last. I know you can stage an exhibition of memorabilia anywhere but it seemed that such a famous venue was the ideal place to hold it. While I don't have any memorabilia that links directly to the ballroom, I do have memorabilia for most of the bands that played there.

The Animals hit, "House Of the Rising Sun", entered the chart on the day the band played Elgin and I've got the gold disc presented to Hilton Valentine. Unlike modern awards discs which are just vinyl records plated (and often discs by other artists!) this is a gold plated pressing master for the single. A totally awesome piece of pop history. I'd love to have a handbill for Pink Floyd when they played to 12 people in the Two Red Shoes but I've got a flyer for the Love-In Festival just over a week later when they went out on stage in front of 10,000!

Anyway, I'll be heading north tomorrow to hang the exhibition and will be putting a virtual version online at the same time. So, watch this space.

Go to Rockmine's main site here.

The Legend Begins!

rockmine — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:59:50 +0000

Despite being open since 1960, the Two Red Shoes Ballroom would be just another forgotten dance hall had it not been for one event: the dance on Thursday, January 3rd 1963. The Northern Scot, which carried weekly adverts for the venue never even mentioned who was playing that night. The advert seen below came from the Elgin Courant. Promoter Albert Bonici must have assumed that while no-one would have heard of the group booked for that night, people might be aware of the single that was climbing the chart at the time, hence his describing them as the "Love Me Do Boys".

The next few years would see the Two Red Shoes become one of the best known venues in Scotland playing host to some of the most famous names in British pop and rock but by the end of 1966 the magic started to disappear. 1967 saw only a few big names but it did include one of the biggest in the history of rock music - Pink Floyd. It doesn't detract from what took place in this small dance hall and the music that was played here.

So, take some time to browse the years, watch the clips and hopefully relive some happy memories. If you want, share them with everyone.

January 01 - Special late night New Year's Day Carnival Ball

January 03 - The Elgin Folk Music Club presents the "Love Me Do" boys The Beatles plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

January 10 - Findhorn Water Ski Club present the easy beat vocal trio The Dale Sisters plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

January 17 - The Scottish Promotion Association present a double starred attraction with the boy of "Steel Men" fame Roy Whitaker plus The Cresters featuring Mike Sagar

January 25 - Anita Harris

January 31 - Elgin Jazz Club present Mike Berry

February 21 - The Elgin Ladies' Hockey Club dance featuring Jeannie Lambe plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

February 28 - The Elgin Folk Music Club present The Baron Knights (sic) plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

March 01 - Anita Harris

March 14 - The Scottish Promotion Agency presents The Federals plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

March 21 - Lossiemouth Racing Pigeon Club Dance with Lorne Gibson Trio plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

March 28 - Findhorn Water Ski Club present Craig Douglas plus The Ed Corrie London Jazzband

March 29 - Charities Ball

April 04 - The Moray Dance Club presents The Original Checkmates plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

April 11 - The Malcolm Nixon Agency presents The Grampian Teenbeat Showband featuring Andrew Tully, Sheila Mitchell, Johnny Hudson, Tony Sinclair

April 18 - The Moray Rugby Club presents The Alan Elsdon Jazzband with Mick Emery

April 24 - Over 25s Night Dancing to The Alex. Sutherland Sextet Waitress service from the cafe will be available during these Wednesday dances. Coffees, teas, snacks, meals, etc. will be served

April 25 - Dance featuring The Alex. Sutherland Sextet after the Karl Denver show in Town Hall

May 02 - The Elgin Jazz Club presents The Alex Welsh Jazz Band seen above with "Beale Street Blues"

May 09 - The Elgin Ladies' Hockey Club presents Malcolm Clarke And The Cresters

May 16 - The Elgin Dance Club presents The Big Three

May 23 - Lossiemouth Racing Pigeon Club presents Danny Williams plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet. It wasn't uncommon for Albert Bonici to place two adverts in the papers for the same event. The two above come from the Elgin Courant. What surprises me is that no-one bothered to check and see that on one it's the Racing Pigeon Club while the other has it listed as association. What on earth was going on?

May 30 - The Elgin Ladies' Hockey Club presents Brad Newman plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

June 06 - Findhorn Water Ski Club presents Mike Berry And The Innocents plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

June 13 - The Moray Rugby Club presents a 3-Band Show. Johnny and Mike plus The Shades plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

June 20 - The Elgin Folk Music Club present Eden Kane's younger brother Wes Sands plus The Le Roys plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet. Wes Sands was in reality Clive Sarstedt, who was managed by the legendary Joe Meek. Despite being in the business at this time, it would take him another 13 years to get into the charts as a one-hit wonder. In 1976, using his middle name of Robin he eventually made it with a cover of the old Hoagy Carmichael hit, "My Resistance Is Low".

June 27 - The Moray Dance Club presents two Star Attraction - Don Charles - The Irish International Monarchs Showband plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

July 04 - The Scottish Jazz Promoters Association presents Don Spencer plus Fireball XL5 plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet. While the advert clearly states Fireball XL5, I doubt there was such a band. Don Spencer hit the U.K. charts in March with a song called "Fireball" which was used as the theme for Gerry Anderson's hit TV series, "Fireball XL5". Here it is in all it's glory. Spencer would later make his name as Australia's favourite children's TV entertainer and found the Australian Children's Music Foundation. He also happen's to be Russell Crowe's father-in-law!

July 11 - Findhorn Water Ski Club present The Clearways plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

July 18 - The Malcolm Nixon Agency presents Soul Byron and The Impacts plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

Tuesdays 7.30 - 11.30 p.m. Record Roundabout. Your disc jockey - Alex McArthur

July 25 - The Elgin Jazz Club presents Rockin' Henry and The Hayseeds plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

August 01 - The Moray Dance Club presents Neil Landon and The Burnettes (featuring Noel Redding on guitar)

August 08 - The Elgin Ladies' Hockey Club presents Jill Graham plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

August 15 - The Moray Rugby Club presents Elgin Holiday Dance with 2 top London groups. Originator of the "Sidewalk" Tony Holland and the famous Packabeats plus Malcolm Clarke And The Cresters

August 20 - Record Roundabout. Guest band The New Sabres

August 21 - Over-25s Night. Miss Anita Harris

August 22 - The Elgin Folk Music Club presents the young American singer Ronnie Hall plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

August 29 - The Moray Dance Club presents the young Decca recording artist Dev Douglas plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet (Hear 'Dev' on Saturday Club this Saturday)

September 12 - The Elgin Ladies' Hockey Club presents The Original Checkmates plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

September 19 - Lossiemouth Racing Pigeon Club presents Jimmy Justice and The Excheckers plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

September 26 - The Elgin Jazz Club presents The Barron Knights with Duke D'Mond plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

October 10 - The Moray Dance Club presents The Caravelles (pictured above) plus Ben Richmond

October 14 - The Scottish Promters Association presents Elgin Holiday Dance with Eddie Le Pard And His Leopards. As from Tuesday, 15th October, the newly formned Eddie And His Leopards will be playing as guest stars each Tuesday night.

October 12 - Teen Beat dance recommences today with Eddie And His Leopards

October 31 - The Elgin Folk Music Club presents The Alex Harvey Big Soul Band plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet. The album above was recorded around this time but released in 1964. It's the only record of Alex and his band from this time. I've found a free download of the whole album that you'll get by clicking this link.

Tuesdays and Saturdays - Eddie Le Pard And His Leopards

November 07 - Moray Dance Club presents the new Merseyside group Ricky Bowden and The Unit '4' plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

November 09 - (afternoon) Eddie Le Pard And His Leopards

November 09 - (evening) The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

November 14 - The Elgin Jazz Club presents the new Merseyside sound The Druids plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

November 21 - The Moray Dance Club presents Johnny And The Copycats plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

November 23 - (evening) The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

November 28 - The Scottish Promoters Association presents Mike Cadillac And The Playboys plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

December 05 - Findhorn Water Ski Club presents Neil Landon and The Burnettes plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

December 12 - The Moray Dance Club presents Shane Fenton And The Fentones plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

December 18 - Over-25s Night

December 19 - The Scottish Promoters Association presents Malcolm Clarke And The Cresters plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet

December 20 - Late Night

December 21 - Palais Nite

December 23 - Xmas Roundabout with Eddie Le Pard

December 24 - Moray Rugby Club's Xmas Eve Carnival Dance

December 25 - Aberdeen University Students' Campaign Beatnik Ball

December 26 - The Moray Dance Club presents the ex-Big Three group The Seniors

December 27 - Big Beat Echoes

December 28 - Palais Nite

December 30 - New Year Roundabout with Eddie Le Pard

December 31 - Hogmanay Dance

How I Live United Stories

unitedwayelgin — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 15:08:32 +0000

We've recently changed our focus and transitioned into taking on the role of being an active leader in community solutions, bringing together community partners -- neighborhood associations, partner agencies, schools, faith-based groups, energized individuals, local government, and more. The idea is that together, we can accomplish more than anyone ever could accomplish alone.

And we feel it's important to cast light on the individuals who focus on bettering the lives of others in their daily lives, and thus propel the entire community toward being a united community. At United Way of Elgin, as we look around the community, we're very encouraged to see individuals focusing on "Living United" every day.

A few weeks ago we hosted our annual "Day of Caring," and put together a food drive to stock local pantries. With the current economy, pantries in Elgin are in high demand, and food supplies were running low. We weren't sure what the turnout would be, as we know a lot of people are struggling to make ends meet. However, the Elgin community pulled through. Over 300 volunteers came to sort the thousands of boxes of food that were donated. The 5 pantries were stocked with enough food to get them through the next few months.

That was a great example of Living United. And we'd like to hear how individuals in the community Live United every day. If you have a good story to share of how you or someone you know "Lives United," please contact us. We may feature them in our monthly eNewsletter, on this blog, or on our website. Because it's important in these tough times to show that when we work together, and for one another, we can accomplish more than anyone can alone.

How I Live United: Carlos's Story

My name is Carlos. I am the Home and School Liaison at Highland Elementary School, and I love my job. Through United Way of Elgin's Parental Engagement Initiative, I help hard-working parents understand the vital role they have in their children's academic success. I provide opportunities to be involved in their children's lives. And I connect them with the resources available to improve their skills. Too many parents don't know how they can help... Read More

To submit your "How I Live United" story, or to nominate someone else for recognition, please contact us.

Today In Music, October 2nd

rockmine — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:26:46 +0000

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Thursday, 2nd October):

Birth

1949. Richard Hell (Voidoids/Dim Stars) born Richard Myers in Lexington, Kentucky.

On Stage

1998. Michael Stipe, Patti Smith and composer Philip Glass stage a one-off performance in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan. The event, seen by a crowd of 4,000, honoured the memory of poet Allen Ginsberg and raised funds for Jewel Heart, the Tibetan Buddhist organization.

In Custody

1967. Narcotics agents raid the Grateful Dead's communal house in San Francisco, arresting eleven people including Bob Weir and Pigpen. They then had to let everyone go as no-one had thought to get a warrant before smashing the front door in!

In Court

2000. The inspiration for Paul Anka's 1970's hit, "Having My Baby" filed for separation from the singer. Anne Anka's petition cited irreconcilable differences for the decision to leave the man she married in 1963.

Paul Bloch, a spokesman for Paul Anka said the couple are slitting on amicable terms and remain the best of friends. He said the couple would be together for Thanksgiving with their five daughters.

On Television

1978. Disco (ZDF, West Germany) Boomtown Rats; Andrea Jurgens; Clout; Klaus Zufall; Melanie; Suzi Quatro; Peter Orloff and Smokie, seen here with "Mexican Girl"

Death

1990. Blues saxophonist Evelyn Young dies in Memphis' Methodist Hospital from heart failure.

Babble

It's been an odd couple of weeks. The blog, as you'll has seen, hasn't been up. This is mainly due to problems that I'm not going to go into. Suffice it to say that I think these are now over.

I've used some of that time to concentrate on another blog, this time for the Two Red Shoes Ballroom in Elgin. I'm in Elgin as I type this although I'm starting to feel that it's rather like Narnia (as someone else described it). I'm hoping to complete my research on the bands that played there today but I'm almost wondering why.

Although I've never finished my Ballerina Ballroom blog, it had (and still seems to have) a buzz about it that is sadly missing with Elgin's venue. The local Nairn blog, the "Gurn From Nurn" described my Ballerina blog as an "exciting project" but there seems to be none of that here. There seems to be a real apathy about the concept. Maybe as an archivist and compulsive list maker, I assumed that others would share my interest but by and large that doesn't seem to have happened.

It was pointed out to me that with my Nairn blog I had undertaken a fairly impressive but very cheap publicity campaign that saw flyers distributed around the town and posters put in most of the shops. While that was done at the time of the "Ballerina ballroom Cinema Of Dreams Festival" and the Highland Games, it still brought people flocking to the site.

Maybe with Elgin, the struggle is that there are no other things happening, that the audience is much larger and more sophisticated and the financial woes of the country have given people something more important to think about that the history of one of Scotland's old ballrooms.

I suppose only time will tell how wrong I got this.

One other thing, I am in part here to decide on whether or not to stage my memorabilia exhibition. The last agreed date for it was next week but there seems to be no response to my press releases and my desire to do it seems to fade with the last warmth of summer. Part of me refuses to give up on an idea that was great but what is the point of flogging a dead horse?

Who knows, things may improve before the end of the day.

Go to Rockmine's main site here.

Del Webb Hosts Charity Walk to Benefit American Red Cross on October 18

pultehomes — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 16:03:00 +0000

Feel good and get fit on Saturday, October 18 as Del Webb hosts a special charity walk to benefit the American Red Cross. Take a walk through your favorite Del Webb neighborhood, experience legendary living, and support the American Red Cross.

A $10 entry fee is required and will be matched by Del Webb with 100% of funds being donated. Afterwards, enjoy a complimentary lunch, prize giveaways, and a healthy living presentation. The walk begins at 10 a.m. and the health presentation concludes around 1 p.m.

Please call 866.639.9322 for additional information and to register before October 10.

Frantic Friday

woebegonewife — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 18:54:05 +0000

I”d like to say ‘woke up, got out of bed , dragged a comb across my head,” but that would not be true. Instead I lay there waiting for the 6 a.m. alarm, wondering why the bed seemed to be moving under me. No, not some new sex toy, no, not an earthquake tremor (that’s Comrie that gets them). No, it seemed actually just to be my head which was spinning in a most disconcerting way. When I did get up, my movements seemed to me to smack of the drunken woman I have so seldom been. I was having difficulty walking in a straight line. I felt most discombobulated. I kept going. Tried a walk down the front drive - an alarming drift to starboard. Been there, had the operation, so why did I now feel worse than before it? Of course, the problem of getting up early is that no-one else is up. Strangely I was able to speak to the lady doctor before I could contact my school. She thought it might be the pills but would call back when she had the lab results. Now Otloml has de-activated the phone in his office, so that meant staying up anyway.

I tried to read. Eventually had a text from Otloml- he was waiting to go to the local paper with someone from The Red Shoes. Time passed. The ginger pussy went out, came in, went out again as is her wont. Then she tried her favourite trick of dragging her claws down the sitting room window. Reminds me of the noise you got if you tried the same with an old-fashioned blackboard. The kids of today don’t know what they’re missing, what with white boards and interactive screens! The doctor phoned back. I have an e-coli infection and the pills should eventually work. I took another one and waited.

Otloml eventually responded to a panicky reaction to a letter from our mortgage providers. In the current climate, they could just wipe out the debt without noticing, but a take-over seems to have led to a confusion about payments and I am not happy. Duh- tell us something new. I’d like to, but the Elgin incompetents are at work here. Having made an arrangement to meet Otloml at a certain time, the female contact has allegedly gone missing. You can see how this trail of excuses might worry a woebegone wife concerned that her husband, the one time love of her life , is spending too long in the abode of one of his mistresses. I await his call to say he is on his way home. He was definitely going to be leaving by lunchtime. But that was last night. I think Elgin must be some giant wardrobe, a separate kingdom like Narnia , in which nothing real ever happens. Oh no. I forgot. He really did have sex with Her there.

So I am still unsure of whether my presence will be required at this Display i next week. I anticipate not. For a start it will be difficult for me to get there if the exhibits have to be staged the previous evening. Then there is the embarrassment factor. Have I truly been outed there? I have written not only some very personal things about myself but also some pretty hateful things about Her on this blog Are people in Elgin actually reading it? More importantly, Her?. I can’t imagine we will have anything to say to each other if we do meet and yet I am told she wants to go to the event. Or did in its previous incarnation as an adjunct to a retro musical performance. Strangely the first exhibition Otloml held in our time together has just come to mind. It was so long ago that it was of his art work. Much, much later he got into the idea of framed and glazed rock memorabilia and we held several really good shows in various places around Scotland. I hope they are ready for one up there.

Of course when the show was first mooted it was high summer. In my foolish way, I had metaphorically decided what to wear to what I thought would be a private view. No need for dressing up now. There seem to be so few occasions these days when it is necessary. I have been overdressed at both my recent trips to the theatre. I believe the races, the opera and big weddings may be the only places left for which to dress up. I had thought dinner parties might be on the cards again with our new(ish) neighbours but I seem to have irritated the lady of the house so they won’t be happening. A pity. I liked the husband. And so frustrating too. Dressing up clothes are inevitably likely to be the least worn items in any charity shop. I believe that there is even one in Gerrards Cross which receives gifts of designer items fresh from the catwalk. Probably in tiny sizes so I shan’t rush down there.

I don’t know whether we will be off to Edinburgh tomorrow on my suggested culture trip. It probably greatly depends on my ability to walk in a straight line. This afternoon’s trip to the co-op involved a sad slip and, but for some conveniently dangling ivy, I fear I would have done myself more of an injury. As it was, I made my foot bleed, Otloml may decide it is safer to stay nearer home. The garden could certainly do with some t.l.c. Not only is the grass excessively tall . but so are the weeds. It really has been far too wet to do much at times when I’ve been available.

Sir Paul McCartney was on the front cover of “The Times” today. Is that why “Day In the Life” came into my head? It’s quite incredible that so long since their first foray into the fame industry, even the so-called quality paper thinks a Beatle or a Stone deserves front page position if they do anything. I’m sure Paul is glad to do something different, like playing in Israel. Ironic to think that this old grandad was once considered subversive!

Enjoy Walking? Let Your Feet Hit The Streets In Elgin This Weekend

pultehomes — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 03:33:03 +0000

Lace up your sneakers. Start your pedometers. Head to Elgin this weekend for three walking events that are sure to get your feet moving and your heart pumping. You'll even benefit the community, too!

21st Annual Cemetery Walk, Hosted by the Elgin Area Historical Society Sunday, September 28, Noon - 3:30 pm
Bluff City Cemetery, 945 Bluff City Blvd
Costumed tour guides will introduce six former Elgin residents during the walk: Dr. William Todd; Joseph Forrdrescher; Katie Thiele; Judge David Sherwood; Alice Byrd Potter; and Libbie Samuelson. Local historian Marge Edwards will share her insights about Victorian funeral superstitions. Cost is $6 and children under 14, $3. For additional info call 847-742-4248.

"Moving with the Mayor" Saturday, September 27, 9am - 12pm, Festival Park, 132 S. Grove Avenue
Along with the walks enjoy a wellness fair. Proceeds benefit Activate Elgin. To register, go to www.activateelgin.com.

"Come Walk with Us!" Sunday, September 28, 1pm, Festival Park, 132 S. Grove Avenue
Warm-up and stretch with Dr. Landin and then take part in the 5k walk. Proceeds from Y Walk will benefit programs for families at the YWCA Elgin. For more info and to register call 847.742.7930 or www.ywcaelgin.org

Explore the many other activities awaiting in Downtown Elgin if you are craving local culture, food or recreation. View a weekly list of “Downtown Elgin’s Top 10” here http://www.downtownelgin.blogspot.com and find other ways to stay on track in Elgin.

So-so Sunday

woebegonewife — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 19:49:00 +0000

Sunday can be a pig of a day. In theory it should be warm and comforting and relaxing. A true break from the stresses of the working week. For me over the last few months Sunday has tended to be the most difficult day of the week. There’s no excuse to go out shopping and the time seems to stretch out inexorably waiting for me to fill it with impassioned rants or futile questioning of Otloml. He too finds them difficult. Too much time with the partner he betrayed maybe.

This Sunday has begun much better. Although I usually find myself waking up around the six’ o clock mark , as on a work day, I was determined to take things easy today. And we did. Indeed we had what can only be described as an intimate conversation. Firstly I was eager to tell Otloml that all the pills and potions seem to be having an effect on my frigid female parts. There seemed to be some sort of softnesss and eagerness down there. He was responsive manually, but we all know I want more than this, especially having found out that he is prepared, eager, to fuck others. ( having written that I am really surprised at myself). I did read yesterday that the average number of partners a man will have is greater than that to which Otloml has confessed. The number for women was sadly lower than those I can remember for myself. Maybe that was what drove Otloml into the beds of other women- the knowledge that I was more sexually experienced than he.

We chatted about this and mostly that while lying in bed, watching the sunshine grow stronger. For some reason known best to himself, Otloml found it necessary to tell me that he had found a book, bought I think when he was earning good money writing for “top shelf’ magazines. It seems. though I don’t remember it, to deal with various unorthodox sexual practices which he then proceeded to tell me about, The stimulus for these strange revelations was that I said I would have to wear a latex glove to wash my hair! Apparently these are also favoured by people wishing to have a certain form of anal sex. He proceeded to tell me about this in far more detail than I needed. Hence the title of today’s blog. Later he was able to share with me news that if I had been awake and probably more physically accomodating than my body seems to be at present, then we could have been physically close earlier this morning. I do not think I am a hopeless romantic, but a girl would like more attractive forms of seduction ( in this case anyway) than being told about fisting and rimming. I would happily have gone to my grave without this knowledge.

The day is still young though and Otloml is doing something really interesting. He is using the bigger of his charity shop juicers and I think some windfalls from our apple trees to produce some very professional looking juice. For breakfast, he combined a variety of fruits; plum, a left-over orange, lemon, apple to make something resembling a smoothy. Tasty, but disgusting looking. It would have done well for anyone wanting a witches potion. Now (instead of tiling! ) he is straining the juice through my jelly bag.. The result both looks and tastes very professional. Now he just wants to know how to give it some alcohol.

Talking of alcohol, I was amused to see whisky, Her and That French Woman on the cover of “Scotland on Sunday”. Not literally of course. Just the news that the Glen Moray distillery in Elgin has been taken over by a French firm. Only amusing to me. At least now I can laugh out loud at such coincidences.

Otloml has suggested a trip across the channel in October. If, and it’s a big if, this takes place, I wonder how That French Woman and I should greet each other? Probably with sangfroid. I see that Tesco’s has 25% off their cashmere jumpers at present. Should I be selecting one in a diminutive size to take across the channel as has been done in the past? I have never been there to see the hand-over. Does he say to his mistress,”This is something my wife picked out for you. She has the same, several sizes larger”? I have seen video footage of That French Woman wearing the last gift. It does rather sicken me to think that she may have then removed it to have sex with my husband. But to the French, maybe this would not be a matter of concern. Am I just over-reacting? I can at least type that without crying, so maybe I am “getting over it”. How would I feel if Otloml makes the trip to Paris on his own “for business ?”

He told me that “everyone in Elgin” knows that he will not be in Elgin until Wednesday, to finalise arrangements at the Red Shoes, When I asked if that included Her, since I assumed he would stay with Her yet again, he became all defensive and said did I want him to phone Her right then. I might have done, but I could have been angry so I just went down to the Co-op to give him the chance to talk to Her in private. I wanted to get “The Independent on Sunday”. Otloml had said after his trip out to select Sunday papers, that we should definitely not have this one as the insert dealt with infidelity. I disagree!

Having bought the paper, I am a little disappointed,. Like so many other things I have consulted since June the fifteenth, it seems that there are no easy answers. The one interesting statistic I have found so far is that the over fifties are the age group most likely to stray. Well that fits. If I hoped for tips on how to prevent further incidents I was disappointed. It does make me wonder why, if I am in the danger age bracket (just) what I would do if opportunity to be unfaithful presented itself. I feel the offer would have to be exceptional for me to contemplate betrayal, especially after all the fuss I have made. I do wonder why the doctor advised Otloml to tell me the truth. It must have been that he thought it was better for Otloml and, presumably, although I am his patient too, that I could cope. The Independent suggests many people would rather not know such news. I disagre. I know that for two years I was blithely unaware of what was going on in Paris. Indeed I encouraged the visits, but I like to think that Otloml and I will have a stronger relationship because of what we’ve been through. Sometime.

Sutured Saturday

woebegonewife — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 19:21:50 +0000

At best I normally manage three fingered typing. The fault of an exclusive girls’ grammar school education which reserved the “commercial” subjects to the bottom two classes of a six stream intake. Great pity. So too that my mother, a fast touch typist, did not deem this an essential skill to pass on to her only daughter. I am grateful that I acquired cooking, sewing and gardening knowledge from her, but really regret the typing. I seem too old to learn new skills now. The problem this morning is exascerbated by my stupid accident last night. Somehow, and neither of us seem to remember why, I seem to have lost my temper with Otloml quite late in the evening. Then, on going out to the patio and the bird table, I was so downcast by the shaggy state of the privet hedge that I started to trim it in the dark. know it was daft. It was I think a cry to Otloml who had gone up to his computers. He did say I was being foolish but I persisted. Result- a nearly severed right index finger and my typing proficiency further reduced. Otloml , who hates the sight of blood, was very brave but I pig- headedly refused his help. So wrought up was I that I swanned off to sleep in the sitting room. Then when I woke at four a.m. I had the crazy idea that he should join me. When Otloml sleeps, he is out for the count. but I was irrationally irritated by his lack of response. Another bad start to a weekend.

In the morning, Otloml generously fetched the sutures (steristrips ) and new packets of dressings from the chemists. He helpfully applied them to the gaping wound and now I just have to remember to avoid using the finger if I want to avoid pain.It does probably mean no gardening this weekend whatever the weather. I am a danger to myself out there it seems.

So we are off to take pocket money to his mother. I am sure when my father-in-law made all his careful investments he had no idea on what the income would be spent . I am not sure what he intended. Certainly he lived in seeming poverty with no luxuries and few comforts. Mother-in -law has been extremely well provided for, however. Only now do I think the Scottish government’s scheme of free care for the elderly will begin to operate. The care home fees have eaten up a small fortune. We know that there will be no such funds when Otloml and I are incapacitated.

We continue our study of “The Independent”’s guide to love and sex. Today all the magazine proves is how very straight both Otloml and I must be. None of the fantasies or strange couplings discussed had the slightest appeal to me, nor it seems , Otloml. How boring we seem to be. I felt a faint flicker of interest in the page of lingerie and that was all. I think we may once have been invited to take part in a slightly deviant practice at a dinner party with a religious education teacher. In my innocence, I did not even know what she was getting at. We have not been invited back!

A pleasant sunny morning drive appeals more to Otloml than seeing his mother. We drop the idea of a visit and set off for the Red Cross shop in Auchterarder. There is also a good wine shop there where we often buy Cloudy Bay. You wonder what on earth the wine is like actually in New Zealand since it is always claimed that wine producing countries keep back the best for themselves. No new season wine yet though so I potter down to what I thought was a shop dealing in second hand clothes. There was some nice knitwear and a gorgeously sexy pair of black suede boots but the prices seemed sky high to me. I think the idea is that both the shop and the person wanting rid of the goods makes money- a lot it would seem.

We picked up a picnic lunch in the Co-op only to be greeted by name as we left. A couple we had known years before in Perth. Indeed the relationship was quite close. They had the mis-fortune to live directly opposite my parents-in law who seemed to know an awful lot about their lives. James was in the wine trade and Wendy worked for the local paper. The daughter my in-laws knew so much about is now eighteen! James had contacted Otloml a few weeks ago to enquire about a big gig he had helped ferry band members to way back in the eighties. Otloml and he reminisced happily about the good old days while Wendy and I chatted about more mundane matters. Our age and the problems brought by the menopause was one topic. I also mentioned my brain shunt and we discovered a bond- the daughter has recently been diagnosed with ideopathic epilepsy and is taking some of the drugs I started off on to control her seizures. That and chat about dogs kept us occupied until James revealed that he is now the landlord of a pub. We vowed to make a visit in the near future. It seems strange we have not bumped into each other in Auchterarder before as it is often a stopping off point in our search of local charity shops. Today we were both lucky in our finds. I bought a dressy denim jacket- not at all my usual style. Who knows I might slide into my first pair of denim jeans before I’m sixty at this rate. In his quest to make his own cider since it seems we will once again have a glut of cooking apples, Otloml bought not one, but two juicers. I wait to be convinced that anything drinkable will result.

Onward and more good finds in the rather quaint charity shop in Dunblane. A new, still boxed pair of shoes for me and the usual record/rock magazine haul for Otloml. After a pleasant lunch we pressed on to the rather sad town of Alloa. Sad because it has lost most of its traditional employment. The town used to be the start of what was called the mill trail but the mills that spread out along the foot of the hills into Clackmannanshire have all gone. I saw one traditional clothing outlet in Alva I think, but there used to be many tweed and wool outlets. The huge breweries in Alloa have gone too- replaced by so-called superstores. Nothing exciting for us in Alloa this time. Otloml did stock up on bathroom tile fixative so we can but hope. He came out with a new excuse for all the unfinished DIY. Something to do with an old Indian saying that once the house is finished , it is time to die. Cheerful stuff!

My night time disturbances seem to have exhausted both of us so I hope we can just crash out in front of some mindless telly. Otloml of course, is eager to see how his blog about the Two Red Shoes in its days as a gig venue of the sixties is faring. I’ll have a look too. After all so much of our lives seems to have been tied up in Elgin over the last few months, even if I have not been in receipt of the charms afforded by Her giant nipples.

A Tour of Areas Surrounding Austin, TX

rcphap — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:49:36 +0000

As a real estate professional in the Austin area, I am frequently asked by out-of-towners to recommend a particular area or suburb. Most are not that familiar with the area and don’t realize that the locations within our Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) or even bordering our area, vary by more than price. So I thought some descriptions of some of the areas might be useful.

To start the discussion, I’ll just say that east and west can vary immensely in terrain. I often tell my clients that it’s as if God drew a line through Central Texas, then plopped Interstate 35 down on it and declared that everything east would be designated as farmland and everything west would be the hill country (or at least the gateway into the hill country). North and South are also different. Traditionally, Austin’s major growth has been to the Northwest, but in the past decade, we’ve also seen substantial growth in both Kyle and Buda to the South. Both of these small cities are essentially split in half by Interstate 35 and for the most part, sit in the plains with minimal natural vegetation, particularly to the east of I-35. West of I-35, you can find areas that are heavily wooded, but you have to get a few miles west toward Driftwood and Dripping Springs.

Dripping Springs
Dripping Springs lies in the beautiful Texas Hill Country about 20 miles west of Austin. Most folks consider Dripping Springs to include the entire area that begins just west of Oak Hill and then runs south to Driftwood, west beyond Dripping Springs, and north to just west of the lake where Hamilton Pool Road and Ranch Road 12 intersect. Within its city limit, the Dripping Springs population is slightly over 2,000 although its extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) is home to nearly 20,000. The city offers an exceptional school system, affordable living, and reasonable proximity to both Austin and San Antonio.

This entire area consists of heavily wooded hills, so many properties offer spectacular panoramic views of the Hill Country. In this area, you’ll also find plenty of homes that sit on one-half to one plus acres, but you’ll also find master-planned communities, such as Belterra. And it’s also worth mentioning that there’s even a Polo Club, complete with paddocks and boarding facilities.

A few residents have experienced some water issues if their property relies on a well, so it is important to ascertain the depth of the well if you consider purchasing a property in this area. I haven’t personally run across this situation, yet, though. What I have seen (or should I say “smelled”?) is well water that has a high sulfur content. There are solutions to the noxious odor it produces, but it can definitely be an issue in some areas. Distance-wise, this area is pretty close to downtown (unless you get pretty far north or south on RR12), but traffic can be an issue at the interchange in Oak Hill, as the freeway coming out of Austin ends right there. If you would like to know more about the history of Dripping Springs, go to: http://www.drippingspringstx.org/visitor/history.asp

Spicewood
As you move a little further north on the west side of Lake Travis about 22 miles NW of Austin, and 16 miles SE of Marble Falls, you’ll find Spicewood. Spicewood (population approximately 12,000) actually intersects with three different counties: Blanco, Burnet, and Travis and has numerous water boundaries, including Cypress Creek, the Colorado River, Fall Creek, Lake Travis, and the Pedernales River. You’ll find a large number of the homes in Spicewood on half-acre plus lots in hilly, heavily wooded areas. There are some subdivisions where builders seem to have taken out more than their fair share of trees, but for the most part, you’ll see woods. Some of these properties also have some spectacular lake views or might even be situated on or near the Pedernales River. Most subdivisions will also include their own marina or lake access and park areas. I wouldn’t recommend this area if you have to commute downtown, but if you’re headed somewhere on the southwest side of town, that trek would be pretty easy. For more information about Spicewood, go to: http://www.spicewoodtx.us/

Lakeway at Lake Travis
The south side of Lake Travis and Lakeway have grown so much in the last 20 years, it’s almost unrecognizable. I can remember when we thought it was just a subdivision out in the “sticks” – but it is now a thriving metropolis on its own, especially with the recent addition of the Hill Country Galleria Mall at the intersection of RR 620 and Hwy 71. The 2000 census put the population at 8,006 – but this area has grown by leaps and bounds since then! With a median household income in the six figure range, this side of the lake is known for its sophistication, hills, and fabulous homes. In the last 5 to 10 years, an unbelievable number of luxury homes have been built here and they just keep on coming! And neighborhoods vary immensely. There are a few areas where you can find homes on lots that are half acre or greater, but nearer the lake, you’re more likely to be living in a stereotypical subdivision, unless you approach the million dollar mark. For more information about Lakeway, go to: http://cityoflakeway.com/

Round Rock
Head north on Loop 1 or I-35 and you’ll run into Round Rock. (It is actually about 15 miles north of downtown Austin.) I can remember when Round Rock seemed like it was nothing more than a couple of office buildings and a Taco Bell along Interstate 35 and today it boasts a population of almost 100,000 people! In Round Rock, you’ll now find many of the popular, local restaurants of Austin, too. And don’t forget, it also has Dell Diamond and highly acclaimed schools. You’ll also get a lot more house for your money here than you would in Austin, so its popularity continues to grow.

In Round Rock, the east/west terrain differences are really obvious. With the exception of a few subdivisions like Forest Creek, Forest Ridge, and Oak Bluff, east Round Rock lacks the mature trees you’ll find in west Round Rock. Oddly enough, school rankings also tend to be considerably higher in west Round Rock, but although still less expensive than Austin, as a general rule, homes are slightly more expensive in west Round Rock than they are in east Round Rock. To learn more about Round Rock, go to: http://www.roundrockchamber.org/About-Round-Rock.4.0.html

Cedar Park
Just west of Round Rock is Cedar Park with a population of approximately 54,000. Cedar Park has some nice residential areas at reasonable prices, but outside of the area immediately surrounding Lakeline Mall, there’s not much retail available in Cedar Park unless you count the older strip malls and shops along Hwy 183. For more information about Cedar Park, go to: http://www.cedarparktx.us/cp/default.aspx

Lago Vista
Head west on 1431 past Cedar Park about 14 miles and you’ll come to Lago Vista which is on the north side of the lake. Take Lohmans Ford Crossing down to the subdivision of Lago Vista (Lago Vista is also the name of the town with a population of approximately 6,000) or keep going on Lohmans Ford until you get to Point Venture where the lake views are spectacular views across to Lakeway. At Point Venture and Lago Vista, you’ll find a lot more privacy and prices that are much lower than the south side of the lake. In my opinion, these areas are good investments, because if you want property on or near the lake, the south side is quickly becoming saturated, so this side has nowhere to go but UP! And the retail that has been so desperately needed in the area is finally beginning to make its arrival, too! To learn more about Lago Vista, visit: http://lagovistatexas.org/.

Leander
When you head back toward civilization, you’ll find Leander just north of Cedar Park. Leander is another area where you can get a lot more for your money because it has traditionally been so far out. But keep in mind that Austin is getting light rail that is supposed to be available the end of 2008, and the train starts in Leander – as will the 183A tollway, eventually. Both of these factors will change commuters’ lives drastically. AND I suspect, with the price of gasoline these days, the light rail might actually be used, too!

Just driving through, you probably wouldn’t guess this, but Leander also has some neighborhoods that offer some really incredible hill country views. Vista Ridge is an older, acreage neighborhood that borders Cedar Park and Leander; then there’s the Grand Mesa at Crystal Falls. The panoramic views there are spectacular! For more information about Leander, go to: http://www.leandertx.org/.

Liberty Hill
Just north of Leander is the small town of Liberty Hill; although, it, too is growing. It offers folks a lot of different types and sizes of acreage at a relative bargain and its schools are ranked among some of the best in the area, too. Unfortunately, some feel the town lacks personality and could use some “cleaning up” – but if you’re looking for acreage, I wouldn’t dismiss it. To learn more about Liberty Hill, go to: http://www.ci.liberty-hill.tx.us/

Georgetown
One of the best areas for acreage or just large, estate lots, is Georgetown – just east of Liberty Hill and north of Round Rock. Georgetown has been ranked as the number one destination for retiring seniors and Fortune Magazine recently named it as the 2nd best place in the country to “live and launch”. But this doesn’t mean that its appeal is limited to mature adults. Texas Monthly just voted the playscape in Georgetown’s beautiful San Gabriel River Park as the best in the state! If you crave privacy or just room to roam, you really need to explore options in Georgetown. The area is literally LOADED with subdivisions that offer anywhere from one half to 10 acres of land. The subdivisions in Georgetown range from rustic to absolutely prestigious and you’ll find many that have views of Lake Georgetown or the San Gabriel River – not to mention the hill country views that can be quite grand. And with the new extension of FM 734 (aka Parmer Rd. or Ronald Reagan Parkway), it is even more accessible to Austin. This new extension allows you to take a virtually traffic-free, scenic drive through the hill country from north Austin to Georgetown in under 20 minutes – and you never have to fight the traffic that’s typical on 183 or Interstate 35.

In addition to offering wonderful estate type subdivisions and numerous age restricted communities, you’ll be hard pressed to find a place more charming. It is the county seat for Williamson County and the courthouse square offers great antique shops, spas, and restaurants for all budgets. For more information regarding Georgetown, visit: http://www.georgetown.org/

Hutto
Directly east of Round Rock is Hutto. Hutto is a small town and farming community with a lot of affordable housing at a pretty good value, but unfortunately the train runs right through the middle of the entire town, causing a little bit of a “noise nuisance” that some folks can’t get past. But, if you like a small town feel with all the conveniences of a city, be sure to check it out! To learn more about Hutto, go to: http://www.huttotx.gov/

Pflugerville
Just south and slightly to the west of Hutto is Pflugerville. Pflugerville has long been known for its housing value, partially because there was no retail there, so it was definitely a bedroom community for commuters only; however, retail and the tollways have begun to make their presence known and it’s changing the landscape of Pflugerville both figuratively and literally! I should also mention that if you’re concerned about taxes, (and who isn’t these days?) play close attention to the rates in the subdivision you’re interested in. The MUDs in some areas of Pflugerville have resulted in pretty high tax rates. Learn more about Pflugerville at: http://www.cityofpflugerville.com/index.asp?nid=8

Manor
Take 290 east of Austin and you’ll run into Manor. Manor has always been known as farmland and horse country and nothing much has changed here, except that is has added several subdivisions that boosted growth pretty significantly in the last decade. Shadowglen is a master planned community in Manor, complete with golf course, that has won several awards for its well thought out design! Visit http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=26743 to learn more about Manor.

Bastrop
From south Austin, take Highway 71 east and you’ll be pretty surprised by what you find in Bastrop. Bastrop sits along the Colorado River in what is referred to as the Lost Pines area and it is beautiful. For a small town, it’s holding its own when it comes to managing growth and adding a fair balance of retail. It’s not a thriving metropolis by any means, but if you’re looking for a house with half to several acres, Bastrop and areas just west of there can be a real bargain. Communities like The Colony, The Forest at Colorado Crossing and Homestead at Hobbs Creek (actually in Cedar Creek) are pretty easy commutes into Austin. I wouldn’t recommend it if you work north and have to be there on a daily basis, but south Austin and downtown are pretty “do-able”.

If you want to go a little more rustic, and don’t have to do a daily drive to Austin, Tahitian Village will make you feel like you’re in a valley somewhere in the Rockies. There are some beautiful, affordable homes in here, they just have “lawns” that are less manicured and more natural than many areas – with large forest areas between most of the homes. Colo Vista is another nice area. Both of these areas have golf courses, too. To learn more about Bastrop, go to: http://www.bastroptexas.net/

As you can see, there is considerable difference between the eastern and western regions surrounding Austin. If you want to know more the neighborhoods within Austin, check out my blog about that.

Soporific Sunday

woebegonewife — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:11:11 +0000

We were quite late back from Aberdeen last night and there needed to be a little time for unwinding. I had a cup of tea, Otloml got himself something stronger and we settled down to see what other female bloggers had been up to. not that I would describe myself as sex mad, you understand: remember this started as therapy. ” The Sex Blog Girls” on Channel 4 certainly made it clear to me that I was unlikely to earn any money from my poor little blog. Oh, for the early days of internet excitement in Britain before everybody and his uncle had to jump on board! O. K. Otloml was out there in the early days, but at least didn’t get tied up in to contracts which would have gone sour when the dot com bubbles burst. I think it was more fun in those halcyon days, but I always have liked a bit of exclusivity in my life. I don’t mix well. You will have worked that out for yourselves. Anyway we were both late to bed and late to rise with no better excuse than sleep

Now I am presented with the problem of what to do next weekend , which will surely involve a degree of mixing. If the Memorabilia Exhibition/ performance does actually go ahead I would like to be there. The whole sorry debacle was after all really an idea of mine, back when the word Elgin did not send shivers of jealousy through my body. According to Mariella Frostrup in the “Observer” today, jealousy is an emotion only acceptable in youth. If, as she says, it can ”Cow perfect relationships into submission and destroy” others then I need to get rid of it from my life. If only Otloml was truly mine again there would be no problem, but is he?

I had worked out that there was a possibility I could leave work early on Friday, enabling all three of us to journey to Elgin. (The ginger pussy can fend for herself for one night I am sure). Take in a gig by Tam White and set up the memorabilia in plenty of time for Saturday. I had even found several B&B’s which would take dogs actually in Elgin. A nice little break you might think. Not according to Otloml. His idea seems to be that he will stay with Her as before, in the house where the exhibition pieces have been for all these months. I think I can stop myself from being involved in a cat fight when ( if? ) I meet her, but I draw the line at staying with her. The rooms would resonate with the images of unbridled sex I have inagined taking place there ever since he told me about his affair. Logically, I should stay at home. That makes me think that the whole thing is, has been , an elaborate cover for Otloml’s continued adultery. So what? you say. Get over it. Can I? He seems surprised at my line of reasoning and can see no problem in my being with him in Elgin. He has prevented this from happening all summer so I see no likelihood of it happening now Autumn is nearly upon us.

The afternoon seems to be a pleasant one so far. Until my irrational rages take over. I must stop myself. I know I am driving Otloml away from me, but I can see nothing on his side which shows any change in him since June the fifteenth. I am still unsure of him, he still makes little show of affection to me, he still fails to comprehend my grief. All he will say is that we have been over everything before. That apparently makes it all right in his book.

I am waiting for Otloml (as usual) hoping to go out for a few essential messages, as we call them up here. I’ve been transported back to my first days in Scotland in 1972. Flats at both addresses I lived in during my stay in Edinburgh are on the market. Do I regret staying up here? Not really. For most of the time I have been happy. It is only these last few months when I have been more miserable than ever in my life, that I have wondered how different things would have been if I had gone back down south after my training. I would not have married a Scot; my parents would probably not have moved up to Ayrshire; my relationship with my brother might not have been so fractured. He said on being given news of my marriage, “I hate Scotland and I hate the Scots”. You can see how the break in our contacts might have resulted after that. We have never visited each other’s homes and I can see no reason for us ever meeting again, now that our parents are dead. A card at Christmas and birthdays is all that we exchange.

I was right. The actual shopping did not even pass without harsh words. A lack of funds again. Maybe too much spent getting to Her? So we go our separate ways: me to the housework, he to his blogs. There is supposed to be one now about the history of The Two Red Shoes, researched when he’s been staying with Her. I do hope we can have an uneventful evening. I do not like spending my time longing to be back at work.

It seems that you, dear readers are only here for the sex If I don’t mention gigantic nipples , oral sex, masturbation or Brazilian waxes, you desert me. The truth is, I really know very little about these topics, but you would find thoughts on ground elder, lawn- mowing and rose diseases very boring. I am aware that I have practised masturbation for years. but what is there to share? The Brazilian wax is of no interest to me. Any depilation required is surely done more comfortably and with less pain in the home. I have no desire to possess giant nipples. I believe in the past, women even covered up such protrubrences with duck tape. Now anything goes. A colleague was displaying nipples very similar in size to my own on Friday, but that was just down to a saggy bra and old t-shirt I think. A widow of my own age with a strong religious background would not be flaunting any erogenous zone deliberately. But I digress. What else do you like? Oral sex requires both of us to play and despite doing the quizes in “The Independent” on seduction, we have tried nothing else. No, I did give Otloml a loving gaze after lunch. My eyes swept his body, focussing on certain areas but it just gave him the giggles. Very similar to those caused by dope. No sexual turn on for him then. I also tried gazing meaningfully into his eyes, but he did not notice. It appears on the flirtation front I am a failure. Perhaps I should try on someone else. After all this is the man who did not know my eye colour after thirty two years together.