There are a lot of people in the Houston area who are now having to replace their roof because of damage sustained during hurricane Ike, myself included.

I wanted to tell you about a product that you may not be familiar with called Ondura. I am not paid to endorse their product. I truly believe that they have a product that is superior to the old composition/asphalt shingles.

As you can see in this picture of my newly built chicken coop, the Ondura roof survived the hurricane whereas my asphalt shingled roof on my home did not.

The left picture was taken the day after hurricane Ike passed through and yes my yard flooded. The right picture was taking during the building of the coop back in July.

Since we are now having to replace the roof on our house anyway, we will be replacing it with Ondura to match the chicken coop.

The good thing about Ondura is that it's easy to install, you don't have to tear off the old roof if you don't want to (which makes it better on the environment because you aren't filling landfills with your old shingles) because Ondura can be installed over an existing shingled roof, it comes in many colors and can also be painted with any color, it's made from 50% of post-consumer recycled materials (which it makes it environmentally friendly), it comes with a lifetime limited warranty, it's not expensive and any DIYer can install it with no special tools needed.

Businesses have already caught on to this trend. This product has been around for over 40 years. I don't know why it isn't more popular in the residential areas. I can only guess it is because people have gotten so used to composition shingles that they don't look into other options.

Well you do have other options and this one is worth looking into.

You can read more about Ondura by visiting their website at...

http://www.ondura.com/

This is a house with an Ondura roof.

If like me you were trying to use your phone during or after hurricane Ike and were surprised to have no or a poor signal for days then keep on reading.

Not long after the hurricane had swept through I needed my phone for an emergency. It didn't work. I didn't have time to deal with it so I put my phone on roaming and sent out text messages instead. Even on roaming I was lucky to get a signal for at least 4 days after the storm.

Yesterday I got a bill in the mail from Sprint. It was $484. Twice my usual bill. As if I needed to be punched in the gut by my cell phone provider after everything else I had been through!!

Well, after taking some deeeeeep breaths we called Sprint. Much to my surprise they credited us a little over $200 for the extra charges for roaming during and after the storm.

The CSR told us that Sprint was more than willing to help those that were affected by the storm who had to put their phones on roaming when the Sprint network was not available as usual.

So I am sending out this message to all of you who might be getting a similar bill in the mail. Call Sprint, tell them you were in the area hit by Ike and see if they will help you out. You will have to provide some information, will have to prove you were in an area that was affected by the storm but the time you spend will be worth it I am sure.

It never hurts to ask.

Thank you Sprint!!

Tomball wasn't always known as Tomball. Like many things in life it has changed over the last 200 years both in name and size but not in spirit.

Tomball, originally called Peck after a railroad engineer, was originally settled by immigrants in the 1800s. These immigrants were ecstatic to find untouched land that was perfect for farming and ranching. That part has not changed. There are still farmers and ranchers in our area but as Tomball grows the pasture lands are shrinking to make way for progress.

Tomball was originally just a railroad stop. Thomas Ball was responsible for getting the railroad to put the line through Tomball so the city was renamed Tomball on December 2, 1907 after Thomas Ball.

These rail lines brought a boom to the area because it made it easier to ship crops and move cattle.

The lines brought in railroad workers, saloons, hotels and boarding houses as well as shops.

For many years Tomball was known as a "honky tonk town" because of the desire of people to come out to the country and "party". The prohibition ended the boom after 8 years, the town was no longer a party town and the boom ended.

The oil and gas industry brought a second boom to the town in the early 1900s. When it was discovered that oil was abundant in the area it brought a great many people to the area, some of those decendants are still here today.

We are currently experiencing another boom in Tomball. Some say it's the people's desire to live close to Houston but still feel a little bit of that country spirit that resides here. Some say it's because this is where the builders are building new homes and so the people come. Others say it's to get away from crime and crowds.

I say it's because Tomball makes you feel like you've finally come home.

If you decide to join us here, know you will always be welcome.

I recently had to have my HVAC replaced because the old one was 10 years old, causing high energy bills and kept breaking down.

I called out everyone from Trane to Carrier to American Standard to Goodman. The quotes I got were for 13 seer to 15 seer units.

I got quotes that ranged from $3300 to $16,500.

Yeah, that is a big difference.

I hope you don't have your system go out in these tough economic times but if you do I highly recommend you give Neal a call at 936-372-3416.

He was prompt, polite and best of all he got us a new system for under $4000.

The system we got was a Ruud, 5 ton, 13 seer. Yes I know that isn't the highest seer rating but when you go 3 days with no HVAC, are on a budget and are paying cash....the 13 seer was much better than the 10 year old unit we had and should be more energy efficient and best of all you don't have to sweat to death!!

So if you find yourself in my shoes....give Neal a call.

I received a very nasty voice mail yesterday. I had considered changiing my outgoing message to reflect my unappreciation for the message but after more thought and some calming down I decided to blog about it instead.

The voice mail was from a woman. I have no idea who she is nor how to call her back because she left no number, no name and her caller ID was blocked. In her voice mail she is screaming something to the effect of "how the blankety blank blank do I expect to sell a house if I never answer the phone".

Well, today I will answer that question for the world to know.

Here are the top 10 reasons why a Realtor/Agent may not be answering the phone the very minute you call.

1. Perhaps her bowels and/or bladder are still working and she's in the restroom and she doesn't feel like it's necessary to discuss real estate while sitting on the toilet.

2. Perhaps (imagine this now) she may have another customer/client besides just you and she feels it is the polite thing to do to wait until she is finished with that customer/client before she answers her phone.

3. Perhaps she isn't awake at 7am on a Saturday after having worked 12-14 hour days all week long and she actually needs some SLEEP!

4. Perhaps when you called at 11am on Sunday she was in church practicing her religion and her patience as her phone vibrated in her pocket.

5. Perhaps she doesn't answer calls that have their caller ID blocked and come across the phone as being "private" for security reasons because she values her life!! (are you listening lady?)

6. Perhaps she just doesn't like you and is tired of you calling her 6 times a day with unnecessary questions. How about you just let her do the job you are paying her to do????

7. Perhaps she actually enjoys spending time with her kids/family and doesn't feel it's necessary to her career to be on call 24/7 regardless of whatever perceived emergency you may think you have that necesitates you needing to interrupt her child's birthday party.

8. Perhaps she is right this very minute trying to negotiate a contract on your house and feels she can give you all of the details when she is DONE DOING HER JOB.

9. Perhaps she and her husband are out celebrating their anniversary and she didn't want to invite you.

10. Perhaps (and this is a big one) Perhaps she actually has a life outside of realestate and if you would be so kind as to have left a MESSAGE just once including your (AH!-OH!-OOOOOHHH!) PHONE NUMBER and NAME she would have called you back as soon as she was back on the clock!

So the next time you get a "tude" because your Agent/Realtor didn't answer your phone call.....keep the above in mind.

In an article on yahoo news today....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080802/ap_on_el_pr/presidential_debates

...it was said that Obama will not be following through on his promise to attend the town hall debates with McCain but instead will stick to just the standard 3 in October.

The article stated that "Obama is reluctant to take chances or give McCain a high-profile stage now that Obama's the front-runner."

I believe this is a mistake on Obama's part. Whomever is advising him is not in touch with the people.

The people want to hear what Obama (and McCain as well) is all about. We don't just want slogans, we want substance!!!!

If the Obama camp is trying to limit the amount of time people have to get to know the candidate then this was a smart move. However, those of us with brains in our head want to know what the senator from Illinois plans to do as president should he win the election. We want to talk to him. We want to hear it from his mouth what his answers are to some pressing issues.

If I were a democrat I'd be disappointed that he will be a no show at these debates.

If I were a democrat I'd want more answers.

As an American....as a responsible voter, I look forward to hearing these debates and seeing what the answers are. I believe Obama just made another BIG tactical error that just lost him more voters to the McCain side.

The more of this that occurs the more likely I will vote for McCain when I was on the fence prior to today.

I honestly have to say that to me this is the most disappointing election of my lifetime.

There are many places to beat the heat in Texas. Most of them are water related. There are times however when you are tired of (or it's raining) the water parks , lakes and rivers and just want to have fun indoors.

About 10 minutes south of Tomball on 249, conveniently located at 18355 Tomball Parkway near Willowbrook Mall is a place called ITZ. You can find all of the information at www.itzusa.com/houston

ITZ was built inside the old Home Depot building. It's an experience your children will want to repeat over and over and over again and us parents don't mind because at least it's AIR CONDITIONED!!

You MUST buy a buffet to get in and enjoy the rides. Prices and hours are llisted at the bottom of this blog.

There are over 150 games including bumper cars, arcade games, bowling, pinball and my daughter's favorite...the INDOOR roller coaster.

Their price per person beats any entertainment venue around this area and did I mention it's AIR CONDITONED!!!

When you are done at ITZ, you can head next door to Movie Tavern for dinner and a movie (owned by a seperate company and not included in the price of the ITZ ticket!). Dinner is served while you enjoy the movie. Best of all...my son is the projectionist!

PRICING

iT'Z offers a variety of fresh food, made daily, to satisfy just about any appetite.  Buffet and drink purchase is required to enter and fully enjoy iT'Z.   

EAT

Monday - Friday Open to 3 pm

Seniors                      $4.99
Adults                        $5.99
Youth (10-12 yrs)        $4.99
Children (3 - 9 yrs.)     $3.99

 Monday - Thursday after 3 pm

Seniors                      $6.99
Adults                        $7.99
Youth (10-12 yrs)        $4.99
Children (3-9 yrs)        $3.99

Friday after 3 pm, Saturday & Sunday

Seniors                      $7.99
Adults                        $8.99
Youth (10-12 yrs)        $4.99
Children (3-9 yrs)        $3.99

Add Eat & Play Combo

*receive buffet, drinks, and 50 point game card
Adults                        $19.99
Youth (10-12 yrs)        $16.99
Children (3-9 yrs)        $15.99

Children 2 and Under Always Eat Free

DRINK

iT'Z Proudly Serves Coca-Cola Products

Unlimited Soft Drinks,                     
Coffee and Tea  
Adult                                                       $1.69
Child                                                       $1.09

Beer and Wine Available 

ADD MORE FUN TO YOUR DAY

Drink Cup                                              $5.00
Card-Safe Lanyard                                 $2.50

The iT'Z Buffet is all you can eat!   

It's that time again. Tomball Night is tomorrow night!! It snuck up on me this year!!

This has been a tradition in Tomball since the early 70s. It's a fun community event that can't be missed even if you have no money to spend.

For most of us in Tomball, this is when we start school clothes and school supplies shopping for some it's just a night out on the town and a time to get some really good deals on local merchandise. The town business owners stay open late, offer discounts and some even give things away for free that night. There will be food vendors, moon walks, snow cones, fireworks, a parade at 9:15pm, balloon making, 99.7 fm radio will be broadcasting live, etc.

There are mystery shoppers walking around who you must find and if you do then you get $100. The clue is in the July 28th Tomball Tribune. When you think you have spotted one you must ask "are you the one?" (HINT: It's not me!!)

So, put on your shorts and flip flops and head out to Tomball tomorrow evening. It's sure to be a fun evening.

In an effort to show some people it is still possible to have fun while saving money, I have included a list below of fun "ice cream" drinks, deserts, etc that you can make as a family instead of hitting the Dairy Queen for $4.00 a piece ice creams. My kids say this is more fun anyway!

Root beer float- in a glass add a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream, poor root beer over the ice cream until the glass is full. Top with whip cream and a cherry.

Orange Julius- in a glass add a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream, poor orange juice over the ice cream until the glass is full. Throw in a straw and enjoy!

Coke Float- Same theory as the root beer float, but for those that prefer coke over root beer. Fill glass with vanilla ice cream, poor coke over the ice cream, top with whip cream....enjoy!

Banana Split- I usually buy two kinds of ice creams, bananas, nuts, whip cream, chocolate syrup, frozen strawberries and a can of pineapple. I lay it all out and let the kids make up their own.

Fruit Smoothie- Choose a fruit like bananas, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc (or use them all together), throw them in a blender with some ice cream and a little milk to thin it out, blend until smooth and poor into a glass.

Coffee Smoothie- Make your favorite coffee as you normally would, fill a blender with vanilla or chocolate ice cream, pour in some cooled coffee, blend till smooth. Top with whipped cream.

Ice cream sandwhich smoothie-Buy a box of ice cream sandwhiches, unwrap a few of them and throw them into a food processor to cut them up into very small pieces. Pour this into a blender with some milk to thin it out. Poor into a glass and enjoy.

For the record....I am not responsible if you gain weight!! lol.

Madonna said it best when she sang Material Girl......

"Cause we are living in a material world and I am a material girl..."

Well in case you have been living in a cave and haven't heard, the material days are coming to an end. Even Madonna has had to reinvent herself to stay current with the times.

No longer is it fashionable or politically correct or even wise (not that it ever was) to try to keep up with the Joneses.

With the state of the economy being what it is currently and where it is predicted to go in the near future, we are having to tighten our belts as a nation. I predicted this a few years ago and took action then but it's not to late for you to make changes that will help you in the long run and to help you survive these troubling economic times.

No longer is it considered responsible behavior to have a bigger and better car than your neighbor.

No longer is it considered financially prudent to buy a bigger and better home than your brother.

Those in the know, understand that in these times you either sink or swim.

I'm here to teach you how to swim.

I'm not a financial expert. I'm not an attorney. I'm not a doctor.

What I am is someone who spends a lot of time reading, listening, watching, investigating and testing to see what works and what doesn't.

Here is just a snippet of what I have learned and practice in my own life.

1. shop for groceries in bulk and avoid buying prepackaged items that are full of empty calories

2. shop for produce at local farmer's markets, never pay more than you'd pay from a grocer, haggle with the farmer. Buy fruits and vegetables in season and freeze for later. Make it a fun family outing and find a pick your own farm

Here's one my family likes north of Houston..(love their strawberries!)

http://www.kingsorchard.com/

3. add gas to your car daily. Never fill up. Hauling around a full gas tank uses more gas.

4. Cut up the credit cards and stop using them. Keep one for emergencies only and one gas card but never carry a balance. Only charge what you can afford to pay at the end of each month. No one needs a card for clothing, furniture or appliances. Learn to pay cash for those items. What looks like a good deal in the store when you buy it on "sale" is not a good deal when you calculate the interest you paid after charging that item. This is when a $10 polo can turn into a $300 polo.

5. learn to can or freeze or dehydrate your own foods

6. Try growing at least one produce item for your family, enough for 2 months minimum. This can be done in pots or a small garden.

7. Have electronic free weekend once a month. This means no computer, no tv, no nothing that requires power or battery. Visit arboretums, lakes, parks, zoos, libraries, etc.

8. Eat healthy foods. When  you eat healthy, it may seem more expensive at first but in the end it is cheaper because you actually eat less food.

9. learn to clean without chemicals. They are bad for you, bad for the environment and there are much cheaper things you can use to clean with and get the job done just as well. Try vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda, water, etc. Sure it may take more elbow power but just think of the savings when you no longer need a gym membership!

10. learn to buy store brand products that are just as good as the name brand and often made by the same manufacturer as the popular commercial brands.

Stay tuned for more hints on surviving the economic crunch.