Panhandlers

Panhandlers are in every major city, and I know this.  I did not see any panhandlers in Burnsville, Minnesota, or in any of the Minnesota 'burbs, really.  However, the amount of panhandlers in Houston is staggering.  They are in the city, but they are in the 'burbs, too.  It is very DIFFERENT.

They are here in the suburbs of Houston, and in the places I frequent.  So it is definitely a culture shock for me to see this.  It makes me feel uncomfortable.  The signs that they hold are handwritten on cardboard.  Most of them say "please help".  I haven't seen any of them say "homeless".

There's a guy who frequents the same spot every day.  He has a long beard and his face/hair looks generally unkept.  He has a snakeskin cowboy hat that looks expensive.  The kicker - he has a puppy with him.  I can't figure out if the puppy is there to help him attract more business, or if the puppy is his companion, or what.  The puppy has a collar and a leash.  I do not see a dog bowl or water dish with this man.  The puppy is really cute and likes to chew on the signs.

I have to be honest, my first reaction is, if you can't afford to feed yourself where you have to stand on a corner and hold a cardboard sign that says "please help", why are you taking ownership of another mouth to feed?

Another scenario: Someone that we know stopped at a corner, took out his wallet, and handed a woman holding a sign all of the cash that was in his wallet at the time.  The panhandler said to him, "God bless you."  He said, "God HAS blessed me.  May God bless you."  When this individual was questioned about whether or not this woman was a possible drug addict, con artist, etc., (essentially unworthy of the gift of the money) - that person said, "That is not for me to judge."

That really appealed to me.  You should never judge a book by its cover. For example, I am an overweight woman. What do people who don't know me think of me when they first see me?  That I am lazy, uneducated, and eat uncontrollably?  None of that is true about me.  So why then do I automatically assume that these people are drug addicts, alcoholics, and con artists?

Here's another thing.  There are "organized" panhandlers at the stoplights in the suburbs.  They wear bright orange or yellow vests and they walk up and down where the cars are minding their own business, stopped at a stop light.  They hold plastic water pitchers filled with change and dollar bills and they are in your face when you're simply stopped at a stop light, driving to your destination. 

From the Houston Chronicle: The city of Houston prohibits "aggressive panhandling" as well as appeals within 8 feet of ATMs, parking meters, bus stops, gas pumps and outdoor dining establishments, such as sidewalk cafes.

Most credible organizations will have their solicitors in uniforms and working as a team, with pamphlets or other information to place in contributors' hands. School groups, such as bands and drill teams, have a higher likelihood of legitimacy, Parsons said.  (http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Advocate-Not-every-roadside-solicitor-on-the-4813742.php)

This is off-putting to me.  The charitable organizations are panhandling?  In a way, yes.  They are seeking donations from your pocket, just like the not-so- honorable panhandlers are doing. 

The difference in my mind, and how I feel, is that these people are in your "personal space" seeking donations.  I am referring to the organized groups with the vests on who walk up and down the stopped cars at the stoplights.  This is a very new experience for me, and I really don't like it.  Yes, I have the option to ignore them and go about my business.  The thing that I resent is that I am put in the situation to even have an option to ignore them.  I don't want to have to be put in a situation where I need to decide if I am going to ignore them or dig in my pocket for spare change.

So, I have to say I have run into the first thing about Houston I don't like.  I guess I need to get used to it?  Only time will tell.

Minnesota Nice

Let's face it, I am a conditioned "Minnesota nice" person.

Today at the post office there was a woman in front of me who had a very large box and was struggling to fill out a customs form.  She was the last in line and was using a counter to push her box along and fill out the paperwork at the same time.  I am going to name her "Ethel" for identification purposes.  I have no idea what her name really is, but she was a sweet old lady and that seems like a sweet old lady name.

I took my place in line behind Ethel. As the line moved along, Ethel would push her box along and continue filling out her form.  However, Ethel was not closing the gap fast enough as the line moved along.  I urged Ethel twice to close the gap between her and the person in front of her. At one point Ethel looked at me and said,"Have you ever mailed anything internationally?"  I politely told her that I hadn't.  She continued to struggle with her paperwork as the line kept advancing. 

In walks a very large, very intimidating woman who breezes past me and Ethel and gets in line between the gap in front of Ethel.  I finally say (loudly) you need to move up, there's people cutting in front of you.

Now, the large woman who got in line in front of us clearly heard me.  She turned around and glared at me and gave me a look like she dared me to say anything.  I chose to ignore the situation because we were moving along fairly quickly.  The kicker is that the woman who butted in line got to the counter and was not prepared with the proper paperwork so we all had to sit and wait while she filled out her certified mail/return receipt paperwork.

The definition of "Minnesota nice," from Wikipedia is: the stereotypical behavior of people born and raised in Minnesota to be courteous, reserved, and mild-mannered. The cultural characteristics of Minnesota nice include a polite friendliness, an aversion to confrontation, a tendency toward understatement, a disinclination to make a fuss or stand out, emotional restraint, and self-deprecation.

I could have told the large woman that cut in line in front of Ethel and me that she was cutting in line and that she should take her place behind me.  However, I do believe that she knew and didn't give two bits about it.  I did not want to have a confrontation at the post office over line butting.  Instead, I steamed all the way home and wrote about it in my blog.  See, being Minnesota nice also means you're passive-aggressive.  That's about as passive-aggressive as it gets.

I wonder, if a year from now, I would have said to the lady, "Hey Y'all, Y'aunt git back to the end of the line?  Ethel here is fixin' to be next."  (Or something like that..)

:)

My Bad@$$ Husband :)

Here's a photo of Chad (on the left) and his co-worker, Dave (right), at a petrochemical plant yesterday, 2/20/14.  They were on site visiting a customer in the ship channel.

 

Now, Chad doesn't do this type of visit every day, but it's pretty cool to see him in this environment.  Frankly, it scares the crap out of me, because all I can think of is explosions!  But, the product that his company provides is fire and gas detection systems.

From his company's website: Detector Electronics Corporation (Det-Tronics) is a global leader in industrial hazard safety solutions, providing flame detection, gas detection, and hazard mitigation systems for critical industrial applications.

Chad has worked for Det-Tronics for almost 19 years.  His knowledge of the product and his people skills is what landed him this opportunity here in Houston.  I can't help but feel that this journey to Houston is where he belongs.  This just FEELS right.  It felt right before we even moved here.  Now that we are here, I am confident that the leap of faith we took will be worth it.

I love you, Chad, and I am so proud of you!

Holy Moly, I've Become a House Wife!

We're in the middle of our third week in Houston, and it has become clear to me that I have become a housewife, at least a temporary one.  I must say that most people in society believe that housewives don't do much, and I was one of those people.  However, at least for me these past few weeks, I can tell you that I have been pretty busy.

It was our plan all along for me to hold of work until we are "settled".  What that means, I am not sure.  I am also not sure how long this will be for.  Let's discuss all the house-wifey stuff I have been doing, shall we?

HOMEMADE APPLE PIE.  Yes, I have been able to use my time to make my husband's favorite dessert, a homemade apple pie. 

What really happened:  I needed to go to the local grocery store to pick up some items for dinner. One of the local grocery stores here in Texas is called H-E-B.  I have no idea what that stands for.  Anyway, one of the perks of being a "housewife" is that you can go grocery shopping at 11:00 a.m. on a Monday morning.  It was there that I overheard a woman's voice on the loud speaker telling me that in just two short minutes, H-E-B is giving away a FREE GIFT!!!  All I needed to do was go over to the orange table located just outside of the pharmacy.  Well by golly, I happened to be right next to the pharmacy, because I was picking up some Vicks' Vap-O-Rub for our son, as well as some Advil Cold and Flu, which you have to pick up from behind the counter.  So, I go over to the orange table and wait for my "free gift". 

In order to receive the free gift, you have to watch a presentation on an item that was being demonstrated - it turns out it was a mandolin slicer.  You sit and watch as they slice and dice all these wonderful fresh foods and show you how EASY it is to make homemade hashed browns, French fries, curly fries, onion rings, this, that, and the other thing all for one low price of 39.99.  But wait - there's more!!!  If you purchase the mandolin slicer at H-E-B today, not only will you get the mandolin slicer, but you get a free potato peeler, kitchen shears, and a grater!  I was assured that all of these nifty gadgets were well over a hundred dollars, if sold separately!!!  So sitting there watching this presentation, I KNEW that they were targeting people like me who shop at the grocery store at 11 a.m. on a Monday morning - housewives, stay-at-home moms, and retired people.  I KNEW this.  Yet, you would not believe how much I wanted that stupid mandolin slicer.  Had to have it.  So, I got suckered.  Yep, I got suckered and I purchased a mandolin slicer, and all the funky gadgets that came along with it, and the free gift (which was a Julianne slicer).

So I'm walking around the grocery store with this mandolin slicer in my cart and I feel guilty.  I knew I did not need this slicer.  I am never going to use the slicer for all the things that was demonstrated - let's face it.  I don't make that many dishes from scratch.  I just don't.  One of the things that they showed you, was that the slicer can be used to slice apples thinly for the perfect apple pie.  Ding ding ding ding ding!  Now I can justify this purchase - I can bake my hubby an apple pie.  How Suzie Homemaker of me!

I get the ingredients for the apple pie, and I go home.  I get out my new slicer.  I put the safety guard on the top of the apple, just like the demonstrator showed me.  The safety shield immediately fell off.  Well, that didn't go as smoothly as she did it.  Hmmmm, well, I don't need that stupid safety shield anyway.  Slice slice......ouch.  I just sliced my thumb off.  Well, not really - but it felt like it.  Those mandolin slicers are SHARP!  So really, here I am, trying to bake the apple pie of perfectly sliced apples when I sliced my thumb open.  Now I am in the middle of my kitchen bleeding like a stuck pig.

I dig in the Band Aids and can only find the itty bitty ones.  At this point there is no way I am going to call my husband and ask him to stop on his way home to buy me Band Aids because I purchased a mandolin slicer that I didn't need.  So, it takes me eight Band Aids - yes, EIGHT Band Aids, but I am able to patch up the thumb that would make Florence Nightingale proud.

I barbequed on the grill that night and served the pie as dessert.  My thumb probably could have used a couple of stitches. I do know now that if the grocery store ever announces that they are giving away something for "free", I need to run screaming in the other direction.

DRY CLEANING.  I am a good little housewife and bring Chad's shirts to the drycleaner, and pick up his drycleaning when it is done.

What this really means: I could be a good little housewife and iron his shirts, like I did the first week we were here.  However, I really dislike ironing.  I mean, what crazy person on this planet actually enjoys ironing??!?  I am also terrible at it.  I know there is some ancient Chinese secret to getting the shirts perfectly ironed, but I have never been able to crack the code.  My ironed shirts are just marginally passable.  Better stick to paying someone else to do it.

MAKING SCRAMBLED EGGS FOR MY SON EVERY MORNING.  Yes, I scramble eggs for my son every morning before he goes to school.

What really happens:  He only eats a few bites and I end up tossing most of it in the trash.  If he wasn't so sick right now, I might be tempted to eat his leftovers, but there's no way I want to ingest them after he's coughed all over them.

WALK THE DOG EVERY DAY.  Cali and I go for a walk in the afternoons.  She has caught on quickly to the routine and gets very excited when I walk to the drawer where her leash is stored.

What this really means: I'm just going to get our mail.  The walk isn't very far - a block and half.  Even though we live in a house, the mail is not delivered house to house like it was when we were living in Minnesota.  There's mail stations every few blocks like you would see in a townhouse or apartment complex.  I don't particularly care for this after being spoiled for so long having the mail delivered to your own personal mailbox.  However, I cannot change this so Cali and I take a walk down to the mailbox every day to check out the mail.

WEIGHT LIFTING.  No, I don't lift weights.  Not real weights, anyway.

What this really means:  Part of our relocation package included a "debris pickup" - basically, all of our unpacked boxes and miscellaneous trash that is created when a family moves across the country.  We had moving boxes AND THEN SOME.  I hauled all of the broken down boxes to the curb, by myself.  Now, normally that doesn't sound like a big deal, but we had so much shit that it took me 37 trips to the curb to haul it all down there!  So, while the guys are here, I casually ask them if they would take some additional items.  They agree and I'm thinking - JACKPOT!  I start mentally checking off a list - would they take a mattress? They agree!  The only catch is that the mattress is upstairs inside our house.  So, like Hercules I wrestle down a twin sized mattress down the stairs and out the front door, and to the curb...by myself.  I AM WOMAN, HEAR ME ROAR!  Then I run back upstairs, and grab a double/full sized box spring mattress and wrestle that down the stairs (by myself), through the front door, and out to the curb.  I also managed to get them to take an old computer chair, and some bikes.  Woo-hoo!  Who needs a stair master?!?!?

These are just a few items from week three in Houston.  I can bore you with many more things, like making the beds, doing laundry, dishes, and making meals, but I don't think you want to read about that.

I can report that Corbin is still sick, but is well enough to go back to school.  He's been doing well and hasn't complained of any kids being mean to him.  He still struggles with his locker, and is convinced that is locker is broken.  I do not push the issue because I know he just needs to figure it out on his own.  He'll get there.

Chad has been hitting the ground running every day.  He works from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. almost every night.  He is exhausted when he comes home and I know he's put in a hard day's work.  I know he appreciates having me home to take care of the mundane things that he cannot focus on right now.

I miss our daughters so much.  I can't wait to have them both here.  I know I keep saying that, but there is this ache in my heart that just won't go away.  I am literally counting down the days now to where I get to see them in Dallas, and bring one of them back home with us.  :)

Two Weeks

We are slowly starting to adjust to our new surroundings.   I am getting Corbin acclimated to his new school by taking small steps.  He started on Tuesday (after a bunch of rigmarole with the school registrar).  I drove him to school and picked him up from school.  Wednesday (his second day), I drove him to the bus stop, waited for the bus to pick him up, and then went to his bus stop after school to pick him up.  Today, I made him walk to/from the bus stop alone (which is a short distance as the crow flies, but since every yard in Houston is fenced in, he has to walk 3 short blocks).  I peeked around the corner and watched him walk without him knowing.  Tomorrow, I will make him walk to/from the bus stop alone, and I will also make him use his house key to unlock the front door unassisted.  Even though I am currently home, this is all in preparation for when I return to work and he will be alone.  Carly will be here in a few short weeks so he won't be totally alone, but you get the idea.

Today I went to Target and to ACE Hardware without using my GPS.  This is a pretty big deal for me, since I am a little intimidated by the way people drive around here.  The traffic is insane - it takes about a 1/2 hour to travel about 10 miles.  Everyone says you get used to it (the traffic).  I certainly am not used to it!  People change lanes without looking and without using their turn signals.  Chad was told by one of his coworkers to drive defensively as if you're going to crash every day.  Oh goody!

Tomorrow will be two weeks in our new home.  It has gone so fast.  I miss our girls and am looking forward to spring break when our oldest can come down for a visit.  The weather here has been unseasonably cold for Houston, but I will take it over the frozen tundra in the North any day.  I got to roll down the windows today when I went to run my errands and it felt like spring.  It is 66 degrees out.  Compared to two weeks ago when we left and it was -45 degree below zero windchill, this is paradise.  :)

My Neighbors are Asses!

Yes, you read that right.  My neighbors are asses.

ass

1. a long-eared, slow, patient, sure-footed domesticated mammal, Equus asinus,  related to the horse, used chiefly as a beast of burden.

Okay, so they are donkeys.  It's a new experience to have donkeys living so near our home.  Texas is most interesting!

Also, down the road, they are selling "Homemade Males".  It's true, see for yourself:

 

 

Okay, okay, I think it was supposed to say tamales, but the letters fell out.  I think homemade males are much more interesting than tamales.  :)

After a horrible experience with IKEA today and yesterday, I had to blog about something fun.  You know, turn lemons into lemonade?  (Or, in this case, males from tamales?)

Let's Talk Some Trash...

So, in Minnesota when you want trash service, you call up the local trash company, like Waste Management, the Garbagemanco, or Allied Waste, price out the best service, and order it up.

Although we are renting here in Houston, we used a realtor to help us find our home.  The realtor showed Chad many rental houses, just as if we were going to buy, rather than rent.  Our house is managed by a management company, who handles the rent and repairs to the home.

Part of the service that was offered through our real estate agency, Keller Williams Realty, was a service called OneSource.  OneSource called us before we even left Minnesota and set up appointments to install all of our utilities for us.  They claimed to not have any affiliation with any of the companies, so their job was to offer us the best priced service that fit our family's needs.  We were set up with gas, water, electricity, cable TV and internet.  They didn't mention trash service at the time and I frankly didn't think of it.

I asked the realtor about who does our trash service and she had no idea.  I then emailed the management company, and again she had no idea.  Why is trash service such a mystery in these parts?!?!?  The realtor finally suggested that I knock on my neighbor's door to ask them.

Speaking of neighbors.  The neighbor to our right has two little yippie dogs that yip yip yip all day long.  We have a British Lab that does not bark.  She doesn't even bark when we let her outside and she wants to come in.  She just patiently waits by the door until someone opens it for her. These little yipper dogs next door are driving me crazy.  I don't know what breed they are - I've seen them once.  They are two little white fluff balls with coats on.  I'm afraid to go introduce myself to the owner to ask about trash service.  I might say something inappropriate about her yipping companions that would start us off on the wrong foot!

So, it's off to Google I go.  According to Google, Houston residents are offered free trash service as part of their city services.  Great!  I call them up.  Oops, bad news, the lady on the phone tells me.  You're not in the city limits of Houston.  You're in an unincorporated part of the city.  Meaning, even though my address is in Houston, Texas, I am on the "outskirts of town".  She tells me to call the county.

I call the county.  She starts asking me what subdivision that I live in.  I don't know the answer to this.  The name that I give (that matches the fancy lettering on the brick decorations as you turn down my street) doesn't pull up anything in her computer system.  She cannot just type in my address to find it.  It doesn't work that way.  I am so frustrated - why is it so impossible to get trash service where I live?  Again, the lady tells me to ask my neighbor.  I don't want to ask my neighbor.  I want to call a number and order the damned service.

She then tells me to call my water company, Severn Trent.  Apparently, my trash bill is also included on my water bill.  So I call the water company.  No, they just bill me for service, they don't provide the actual service.  She gives me a number for Waste Management.  She also gives me the name of my subdivision, which is like finding gold.  What I mean by that, is the name that I thought was printed on the bricks (the name I had in my head), is not the actual name.  I thought it was Pine Lakes.  Turns out it is Lakes of Pine Forest.  Now I feel like I'm senile in this world where no trash service exists.

Waste Management asks me my MUD number.  I have no idea what my MUD number is. She asks me for my address.  I give her my address.  She asks for my subdivision name.  I give her my subdivision name, which should be correct since I just got it five minutes ago from my water company.  She cannot find my address or my subdivision name in her system.  I now have to call my water company back and ask them for my MUD number

I call Severn Trent services back.  I ask for my MUD number.  I don't have a number, but it is called Barker Cypress MUD.  I then explain that Waste Management couldn't find my address in their system and had asked me for my MUD number.  Different Lady at Severn Trent tells me that I might want to try Republic Services, and gives me a telephone number.  I call the number and nobody answers.  I get a voicemail that doesn't identify it as Republic Services.  So I try my trusty friend, Google, and find a different phone number.

In the meantime, Severn Trent services calls back ad leaves me a voicemail.  They inform me that although some of their customers have their trash billed with their water, that my address is not included in this.  She also tells me that if Republic Services cannot service me, to call my HOA.  I have no idea if my subdivision has an HOA.  This is just lovely.

So, I find a different number on Google for Republic Services and give them a call.  BINGO!  They service my Lakes of Pine Forest subdivision!!!  After being on the phone for an hour and a half, calling the City, County, the incorrect garbage company, and now finally the correct garbage company, I finally set up an account for my trash removal.

While speaking on the phone to the gentleman who initiated service, he informs me that I have trash service twice a week.  Wednesdays and Saturdays are regular service.  Saturdays is for recycling and bulk or heavy trash service.  Wait a minute.  You provide free bulk trash service?  In Minnesota, not only do we only have service once a week, but you have to pay for extra bag removal, and bulky items such as furniture is priced out depending upon size.  Here in Texas, this stuff is free.  I can put out the junk that I had to haul from Minnesota because I didn't want to pay extra service to have it removed.

I guess after a very harrowing experience trying to find out provides trash service, this is the silver lining.  I spent almost an hour and a half on the phone trying to figure it out.  I guess I should have been more friendly and just asked my neighbor.  :)

Here's an exterior photo of our new home:

I've had enough trash talk for today.  I'm off to find new doctors for the family...

We made it to Houston!

I haven't been able to blog as much as I would like because I have no internet connection in Houston, yet.  Right now I'm connected to the internet through Chad's cell phone.  The internet doesn't get connected until Monday afternoon.

The leg from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Houston, Texas was again pretty uneventful.  The speed limit for most of the way was 75 MPH.  When you're traveling at that rate of speed, it is hard to get photos of anything significant.

We arrived in Houston on Thursday evening and stayed at the Wyndham.  Friday morning we packed up early and headed over to the house.  The key was already in the lock box, and the realtor gave us the code.  I had seen photos of the house online via the MLS listing, but it was the first time for me seeing the house in person.

Chad did a great job picking out the house.  I had to laugh, he very methodically wanted to show me all of the features of the home.  One of the first things he wanted to show me was the coat closet.  I'm like, screw the coat closet - show me the good stuff!  I decided to ditch him and went exploring on my own.  The house is in great condition.  It's twice the size of our Minnesota house.  We aren't millionaires, but I am so pleased to move in to a house with more space.

Like - get this: I have a pantry.  You have no idea how big of a deal that is to me!  It's just a closet in the kitchen with shelves in it, but little things like this make such a huge difference when you're used to not having any space.

Also - I have two full bathrooms.  When you're a family of five sharing one bathroom, having two bathrooms now seems luxurious.  I have never had to buy shampoo and conditioner to stock in two different bathrooms before.  WOW!  Again, it's silly, but I appreciate these little things *so* much!

I will post photos in a few days.  Right now, there's boxes everywhere.  We are trying to unpack and the house is in chaos.

Oh! Get this!  (Bear with me as I switch subjects here.)  Last night we went to Chili's for dinner.  I tell the hostess that we need a table for 3.  She says to me, "Smoking or Non-Smoking?"  WHAT?!?! Did I time warp into the 80's?!?!?  I couldn't believe it.  Yes, apparently you can smoke in Texas restaurant/bar areas.  I about fell on the floor.  So different from Minnesota!

Right now it basically feels like we are on vacation.  We go outside and the weather is perfect.  We actually have to turn the air conditioner on when we travel in the car.  The air conditioner!!!  Talk about extremes.  When we left Minnesota, it was -45 below windchill!  I know the weather in Houston will be dreadfully hot in the summer, but right now I am glad to be away from the Minnesota chill.

Finally, it is really hard to leave our girls in Minnesota.  We miss them so much already.  They're competing in Chicago right now, so they are busy.  I can't wait for them to join us here in the Lone Star state.  We already love it here!