Dallas,TX

Okay. You want to eat at the State Fair. If you want to save a little money - or rather - get more food for your coupons, do not just run up to the first booth that looks good. Walk around and see some exhibits or shows - all the while looking at the food prices on booths as you go by. The prices usually only vary by one or two coupons, but if you eat a lot, or have a family, they can add up to something else to eat.

Drinks vary as well. Not just in price, but in the amount that you actually get. Look for booths that have fountain drinks or beer on tap. Some booths have them in cans, although this is more common for beer than for soft drinks. A can does not fill up the cup, but tap drinks will pretty much guarantee a full glass.

Do you go to the fair to shop? Sure you do. You shop for a car or truck, you shop for souvenirs, and you shop for crafts. Some people just shop for what is cheap or on sale. So why not shop for food? You see more choices before deciding so you have a chance to figure out what you want more than other things. Which will help with the “oh, I that look’s good, I hadn’t seen that before” impulse buys. And when you finally do decide on something, you realize while you are enjoying it that part of your day at the fair is already gone and you have already saved money by waiting to eat. When you eat, take time to enjoy it. It will fill you up more. Have fun at the State Fair.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.

This week should be a good time to go the fair as far as the weather is concerned. Unfortunately, we went yesterday when we not only had to find our way through the throngs of people, we had to fight through the humidity as well. In the buildings without air conditioning, we simply sat and tried not to move any more than absolutely necessary. But the humidity let the amusement through.

The K-9 show, the “Jump!” tour, was entertaining as the dog show always tends to be. The show not only had the Frisbee catching dogs, and the pole racing, but also including the jumping competition into the water tank. It was almost refreshing to the audience just to see the dogs being soaked in cool water.

The Birds of the World show at the Bandshell is always a colorful visual treat. The grace of the birds is rather peaceful to watch. Having seats in the shade was a definite plus. Although they presented basically the same show, they did through in a few new surprises. Even though I had seen the performance before, the color and grace of the birds was still captivating.

Then back to the TXU Energy Arena for the pig races. The pig races were amusing, even if it was hard to understand the master of ceremonies through the mic crammed into his face and the southern accent. There’s just something about seeing pigs race. It can be downright funny.

Tomorrow I’ll talk about the food, of which there is an abundance.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.

If you are taking your family to the Texas State Fair, it would behoove you to plan ahead. The complete schedule can be found by following the link to the website. You can go to the date you plan to go and print out the schedule if you wish. If you plan for the shows and exhibits you want to see, you can keep the family moving, avoiding as much as possible those money - drenching side trips.

Our family is planning to go this coming Monday. My wife and I have picked out all the shows we and the boys want to see. They are spaced out such that there will be little time to do anything else. I usually let them play a game or two on the Midway. It does not take them long to realize how impossible it is to win big.

When the boys want to do something that will cost extra, I always let them know that for each of us to have a corny dog and drink costs about twenty-five dollars. Since eating is high on their priority list for the day, it usually slows them down a bit. I also point out that they had an opportunity to earn their own money. Since they did not do their chores they are empty-handed.

Riding rides has never been an issue. Our boys have never been excited about riding the rides at any fair or event with rides. For one thing, we let them know what they could have and do if they used the money elsewhere. They usually opt for the alternate plan.

With Conner, the oldest, beginning to get into cars now, the automobile shows will keep them occupied for a while. The events we have picked out alternate between things Cyndy and I want to see and would like them to see with us and things the boys want to see and we can live with. Then there are the ones just too fun to pass up. I mean, who would not want to see pig races - at least once?

I have known families who blew their family budget - and their diet - by going to the fair. They tried to see everything and do everything and pay out the wazoo for the experience (they never really see everything or do much of it at all). Mostly, people succumb to the sights and sounds of unique foods, obviously most of which is fried.

But if you plan ahead, a trip to the State Fair can be thoroughly enjoyable without emptying your pockets. Our plan? Get up, have a good breakfast, and head to the fair. After parking (the first $10) getting in (buy advance tickets at Kroger), and getting a map, we head to the first event. After the first couple of events, we get lunch and head to the next one. We’re through just before dinner time. So we head back home for dinner.

Only one meal out, and we had an enjoyable time seeing shows, exhibits, and activities at the State Fair. If we are in a good mood and they act fairly decent, they may come home with a souvenir. It did not cost us an arm and a leg. And if we did not see it, we probably did not need to - we saw what we came to see.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.

Okay, so it is not a secret that President Bush and the First Lady are moving to Dallas when he leaves office. Which naturally raises some concerns for residents here. It is rumored that they will be moving to Highland Park. Which would be a good guess, considering the Bush Library is supposedly going to be at SMU. Although each time it is in the news there is still some question as to where it is going to be. And Laura Bush did attend SMU from what I understand.

The first thing the news crew did was to interview Realtors and speculate on which neighborhoods and which houses they would choose from. They showed a fifteen million dollar home being built on spec that had security out the wazoo. Two elevators and an underground parking garage that is just short of bomb proof. Who knows where they are actually looking and what houses they are considering. It is still over a year before the President leaves office. Not to mention that they would swear the Realtor to secrecy. The Realtor surely would not be on the news showing the world. However, when the family does move in, you can bet it will be on his/her new business card.

But the President and First Lady moving here does, as I said, raise some concerns. The neighbors the reporters interviewed living around the houses they were speculated upon were naturally skeptical. The one mother said that at first it would probably be interested having a President live nearby, but that after a while it might become bothersome what with traffic situations involving the motorcade and secret service agents always around.

Which I understand. But my main concern is that we are high enough on the terrorist attack list as it is. Having what would then be the former President - particularly the one who waged war on terrorism - living in the heart of the city would boost us right up close to numero uno. Washington, D.C. and New York City notwithstanding. I’m not paranoid mind you, but that is the reality of the situation. Life will go on, but there will be another thought that could ring alarms in the back of our minds - along with are our children safe and where they are supposed to be. We shall see what we shall see.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.

I’m getting a late start this morning. A nagging headache has been annoying me since I woke up. Having to wake up and immediately get the boys going and off to school is taking its toll. I am a morning person only if I get about an hour to have my coffee and get my thoughts together. I also have a tooth that is giving me problems and really needs to be pulled. I am one of the many who do not put going to the dentist at the top of the to do list. A trip to the dentist is a far cry from what it was when I was growing up, but it is still not my idea of an ideal way to spend an afternoon.

With that being said, if you need to go to the dentist and do not have a regular dentist, check out Alpha Dental at 14800 Webb Chapel Rd., two blocks south of Beltline. The staff is cordial, professional, and understanding. The dentists are the best I have been to - and I have been to a few. They take the time to discuss your particular situation, letting you take part in the resulting decision. Upon your first visit, they will help you set up a plan of action with repeat visits to get your teeth to a healthy state with a bright smile. If it was not for that gauze you are biting down on and the prescription in your hand, you would think you had just visited a friend. Then again, you did.

Alpha Dental 14800 Webb Chapel Rd., 972-620-8280.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.

Well, everyone in the Dallas area is pretty much tired of the rain by now. It has not completely stopped raining since very early this morning. After lunch I went to the doctor’s office to make sure the oldest boy had received the booster shot we thought he had - the high school was highly interested in that information. Now not only does the school have it on their records, but we have a record for our files. We do not know why we had not gotten a copy when he received the shot.

When I returned to the house I could not get on the internet. With the rain, the local wifi was out. Apparently water was messing with the phone lines as well because dial-up was even a problem. And dial-up is a problem as it is. So I had no chance to get on and check anything out or post.

Very few people will want to get out and drive tonight. Schools are still having Meet the Teacher nights and other school activities. But anyone who does not have to get out probably will not. The rain is supposed to continue into the morning - possibly most of the day tomorrow. Trust me - the ground is saturated. Returning from picking Cyndy up from work, we had not seen the water levels as high as they are now. And we have seen them up high.

Ground that had always considered itself high ground discovered today what it feels like to be the bank. Of a stream, river, pond, lake, or other body of water. Other ground on the side of the road had never been a bank before, much less any other part of pond. Be that as it may, there is plenty of water sitting around with more rain on the way.

Hopefully in the morning the weather will not be as bad as this morning. Making it easier for everyone to get to work. Events and activities will pick up as the week rolls along and we will get started with those in the morning.

Have a good evening and Peace be with you.

I feel like a damp dishrag. Or more to the point, a sponge that can no longer hold any more water. And all I did was take my wife to work and the boys to school. Unfortunately an inconsiderate driver hit a patch of water close to the curb too fast and I did not get my window back up in time. Then I was cold. Which in itself is not a bad thing this time of year if it had not had the wet attached to it. Seeing lightning the closest I have ever seen it before is only a thrill looking back on it. At the time it was just darned scary and disconcerting.

The rain let up a bit when I took the two younger boys to school at eight. It started up again just in time for me to be soaked by the time I got in the house. Great timing! The drop in temperature is the only good thing about it. I have been waiting to start wearing my long-sleeved denim shirts again. And do not get me wrong. We could use the rain - especially when it brings cooler weather. But a nice, long, soaking rain would do just fine. Dumping it all at once is just overkill. I think my errands can wait a while. Maneuvering around stalled cars and accidents, and through intersections where the light is out is not actually my idea of a good time.

Have a good morning and Peace be with you.

Good morning! In a way, starting with a holiday made the week seem even longer than a regular work week. I certainly feel just as tired. Holidays with teenagers just do not seem all that restful. Fortunately, church activities start on Sunday and the boys will be at church most of the day. Fall and school year activities begin at most churches this weekend. Schools are getting the information on the new students and updates on returning students in the computer. Every one is getting used to their new schedules. The school year is going full force.

With Fall beginning officially in a couple of weeks, the weather seems to be getting ready to turn. Temperatures are dropping gradually, occasionally rising again. Hopefully we will get some rain this weekend and not just more breath stifling humidity. We could use the rain.

In the meantime, check back soon for activities and events for this weekend. There are some really good performers hitting town in the next couple of days. See you in a few.

Have a good morning and Peace be with you.

Thieves looking for copper ripped the wires out of the lights at Grimes Park Little League fields in DeSoto. This is the second time in 6 weeks they have stolen the copper wires. The copper is worth about $3 a pound. But the cost to keep replacing the wiring may threaten the possibility of night games at the park. As of September 1st, stealing copper is a state felony. It does not, however, seem to have deterred the thieves. Scott Friedman reported the story on Channel 5.

Is nothing sacred? Little League fields for crying out loud. Taking a chance at being electrocuted for three dollars a pound. One has to wonder what it is coming to - stealing padding out of baby strollers? Stealing silverware from the homeless shelter? We have enough crime in the Dallas area. Granted thieves are usually not the sharpest tools in the shed, but that seems like a tremendous expenditure of risk and work - all the while trying not to get caught or electrocuted - for a mere $3 a pound.

On the other hand, it is sad to think that someone is so hard up that the small pittance was worth the risk to them. Or perhaps it was some smart-aleck kids who want to be destructive, but prefer to get something for their efforts beside the satisfaction of the act itself. The police may never find them so we may never know the reasoning behind the act. Yet you always have to wonder why when something stupid and senseless like that happens. Just be thankful that no one was around to possibly be injured. But you have to wonder about the next time these thieves get the urge to strike.

Have a good afternoon and Peace be with you.

If you are in the Dallas area this morning and have to get out, be careful. If you do not have to get out, I would hang around indoors this morning. It was raining most of the night in some areas, particularly to the east. Power is out in a few places. There is flooding in southeast. Which means there are wrecks and other vehicle obstructions causing traffic to move slower. Where it is flooding, nightmarish traffic problems are a given.

One problem with living where it is hot and dry most of the time is that people lose all driving sensibility in inclement weather. A little rain and they act as though there is an inch of ice on the road. If there is snow or ice (we never get much) a lot of drivers lose it altogether. Caution is one thing. Panic is another. The wrecks are more often caused by drivers who slow down or stop without warning, drift between lanes, and ignore what is going on around them.

If you have to get out and drive, be cautious but not overly careful. Pay attention to what is going on around you - just in case someone else is not. Watch for school zones and children. And please save those little tasks that take away from your driving until stopping at lights, or just wait to get where you are going. You make have to return a call on your cell phone later, rather than answer the call immediately, but at least you won’t be calling back or text messaging from a hospital bed.

Check back for activities for the week and weekend - among other things.

Have a good morning and Peace be with you.

One of the fascinating things about Dallas is its cultural diversity. Even more fascinating if you have lived here for many years. It was not always so diverse in its culture. When I was in high school Dallas was a very large small town that qualified to be a city. Yet it was beginning to change even then as was the rest of the country. Making it hard to adjust for those who begin to see familiar surroundings change - over the years, drastically.

Several of the older families in Highland Park still feel that north Dallas ends at Northwest Hwy. (Loop 12). During junior high (now middle school) and high school, LBJ Freeway was being finished and it was considered the outer border of north Dallas. Now the communities north of LBJ are in far north Dallas. But then again - like I say - it depends on who you ask. Some people adjust to change by refusing to adjust to change.

Some strip shopping centers that experienced their hey day before malls and super centers are now flourishing as markets and shops from other cultures. If you watch a cooking show on TV and get a recipe you think sounds new, unique, and out of the ordinary, you stand a good chance of being able to get the ingredients - even if you have to drive a distance to find it. Quality ingredients if you shop right. That is one of the interesting things about being cultural diverse.

Another enjoyable benefit is being able to go to fairs and special gatherings and experience those other cultures with which we communicate briefly in shopping transactions. At the same time it is unsettling for a long time resident. As I said earlier it is change - not a case of better or worse, bad or good - just simply change. Everyone deals with change in a different way. I do not think there is anyone who is not affected by change.

Cultural diversity brings with it its own unique types of problems. As does a large increase in population and other factors affecting a large city which is still growing. In this Dallas Observations category, I will look at some news and current events. Along the way I hope to add my personal insights and what I have observed as a member of the community. Check back for further posts - in this category and others.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.

Good morning everyone! Don’t forget as you head out this morning to watch for children and school zones which are back in force and are being enforced. With the boys in school this is my first day of peace and solitude since early June for the most part. But I do not understand the different times at which the various schools begin their day. Conner’s high school begins at 7:30. Cameron and J.D., in middle school begin at 8:50. That is quite a disparity. Making it hard to know the times for the different school zones. When I was in school most schools started classes at the same time. Older students may have gone early for band practice or what not, but the first bell rang at the same time as other schools.

For a walk on the interesting side this evening, Bowling for Soup is playing at the House of Blues in the Music Hall along with Melee and Quietdrive. Bowling for Soup has polished their act considerably since their garage band days here in Dallas when they were managed by a friend of mine. Edgy rock with a heavy dose of punk attitude. Definitely a change of pace from the regular routine on a Monday.

House of Blues Music Hall, 2200 N. Lamar St., Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Buy tickets at Ticketmaster or at the door if you want to take a chance.

Have a good morning and Peace be with you.

Since my office is at home, I am ecstatic to see our three boys go back to school tomorrow. I will take time here to remind you that school zones will be back in effect tomorrow so drive carefully and watch for children. Not only is it the right and safe thing to do, but the fines are horrific if you are caught speeding in a school zone. But, nevertheless, I will be happy to take my boys to school - leaving me with time to work in solitude.

Which means I will have chance to change my posts up a bit or just add to what I am already doing. Let me know what kind of posts you would like to see and I will do my best to oblige. I have several other projects I am working on so there should be plenty of variety. I would like to delve into other facets of life in and around Dallas. Even if you are just browsing through blogs, feel free to leave a comment about what might get you to check back. If you live in or around Dallas, share any comments you may have about life in Dallas.

Tomorrow is the start of a new week, a new school year, new projects, new posts, and new goals to be reached. True there will be traffic to contend with, people with cell phones oblivious to all else (especially their speed), traffic lights that do not work or change too quickly. But there may also be the friendly soul who will let you in the next lane when your lane ends unexpectedly. The smile and kind parting words that do not sound forced from a store clerk. The person who answers your questions and even makes helpful suggestions without going on about it. Look for the good among the bad. It is there, but sometimes it is as hard to find as Waldo (the guy with the red and white striped shirt in a sea of red and white strips of all ilk). Look for it anyway. It takes your mind off the drudgery and feels really good when you find it.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.