Refinancing: Is it Right for You?

M
HOME & GARDEN
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2009
Refinancing:
Is it Right
for You?
By Jim Fry
GUEST COLUMNIST
“Rates are at an all-time low,” and “now is the best
time to refinance your home.”
These are two phrases we see every day on television,
the Internet and fliers in the mail.
But what does refinancing a mortgage really mean?
Some important questions to consider include: What
financial goal(s) are you trying to achieve? Is refinancing the right decision for you? What options are available? Are there ways to avoid some of the costs of refinancing?
Let’s take a look and answer these questions.
Refinancing your home is basically paying off your
existing mortgage and taking out a new mortgage.
You don’t get to avoid paying on your home, but you
can possibly change the terms of the loan to better fit
your budget and help you reach your financial goals.
There are many reasons why you may want to refinance your mortgage.
Are you seeking a lower monthly payment, trying to
reduce your interest rate or just trying to save money?
All are legitimate reasons to refinance.
Nationally and locally, workers’ incomes have been
cut, mandatory furloughs activated, work hours reduced and household income has dropped. Refinancing
a mortgage can possibly reduce your interest rate, lower
your house payment and save you money.
However, there are some reasons why refinancing
may not be right for you.
Several things you need to consider include:
I How long do you plan on owning your home;
I How much lower will your interest rate be;
I How many years remain on the current mortgage?
If you only plan on staying in your current house for a
short time, then refinancing probably does not make
sense.
For example, you will pay more in closing costs than
you might save by refinancing.
Or, you may lower your interest rate by 1 percent, but
if you pay a 1 percent origination fee, credit report fee,
along with other closing costs, it would take longer than
a year to recoup your expenses.
In addition, if you only have five or six years left on
your mortgage, it may not be worth it to refinance,
again because of the cost.
Find out how much you will save, vs. how long it will
take you to recoup your expenses.
If it will take two years to recover your expenses and
you will be in the house for only one more year, then it is
probably not wise to refinance.
There are many options available in the marketplace
today.
Refinancing a mortgage is very popular, especially
because interest rates have decreased so dramatically
over the last 10 years.
There are many different refinancing options of
which you can take advantage.
For example, you can opt for a fixed-rate or an adjustable-rate mortgage.
A fixed-rate mortgage will usually be for a term of 15
or 30 years, and the interest rate will stay the same for
the life of the loan.
An adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) means that after
a term, usually of three, five, or 10 years, your interest
rate can change. Many times that can be bad, as rates
can increase. However, if you don’t plan on staying in
your home for a long time, an ARM may be a great
choice for you and the interest rates on ARM loans, in
The ItalianCarFest
at Nash Farm in
Grapevine will feature
some of the finest in
Italian engineering.
Top left: 1974 Fiat
124 Spider; top right:
1959 Fiat Bianchina;
Middle: 1973 Alfa
Romeo Montreal;
below: 1996 Lamborghini Diablo VT
Roadster.
COURTESY IMAGES | PHOTO COLLAGE BY KATHLEEN BYNUM/ALLIANCE REGIONAL NEWSPAPERS
ItalianCarFest to Benefit Grapevine Historical Society
Nearly 85 Italian vehicles will converge
at Grapevine’s Nash Farm, Sept. 12 from
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. At the ItalianCarFest,
visitors will find everything from the Ferrari to the lachina to Italian motorcycles
and scooters.
“Italian cars have always been considered to have passion,” said Bob Dezzany,
chairman of the ItalianCarFest. “It’s art on
wheels.”
The first ItalianCarFest in Grapevine
was in 2003. The event continued annu-
See REFINANCING on Page 6B
ing the event. “The venue itself is going to
be pretty nice.”
Car owners will come from surrounding cities as well as out of state. They all
have one thing in common — an enthusiasm for Italian cars.
“They’re all very passionate about their
cars,” Dezzany said. “All of us like to talk
about our cars. Once you start us [talking],
you can’t stop us.”
See CARS on Page 3B
BY CHRISTIANNE YOUNG | STAFF WRITER
Organic Gardening Made Simple
Spreading a Little Joy
Good Neighbor Day is Wednesday, Sept. 9.
And one local company is celebrating by
giving away dozens of roses.
What’s the catch? The company wants to
promote sharing by having recipients keep
one rose, and give the other 11 away to
friends, neighbors, even complete strangers.
Bice’s Florist will give away a dozen roses
to the first 500 customers to visit its shop at
650 Bedford-Euless Road in Hurst.
Additional benefits for those visiting on
Wednesday: Each person
will receive a Lucky
Stems game piece, guaranteed to be a winner of
flowers, a gift item or
discount on future purchases and the shop will
award gift cards at random,
worth up to $50 through-
ally until 2007. After a one year hiatus, the
event continues this year.
“It’s exclusively Italian. We don’t accept anything except for Italian,” Dezzany
said.
This is the event’s premier at Nash
Farm.
Both entrance and parking are free.
“We plan to spread the vehicles out under the trees,” said Mark LaCroix of
Grapevine, who is a member of the Italian
Car Club of the Southwest, which is host-
COURTESY IMAGES
Bice’s Florist in Hurst is giving away 500 dozen roses
on Wednesday, Sept. 9
out the day. Good Neighbor Day began in 1994
after FTD Floral wanted to encourage people
to be more friendly through the gift of flowers.
For details, call 800-848-0209 or see www.bices.com.
—Staff Report
Ever wanted to create an organic backyard
garden, but not sure where to start? Marshall
Grain Co. in Grapevine will host several free
seminars this month exploring this topic.
These lectures, featuring experts in organic gardening, will be at the Grapevine store,
Hwy. 121 and Hall-Johnson Road. The following is a list of classes.
I Fall is for Planting and Fertilizing
Saturday, Sept. 12 at 11 a.m.
Most perennials will reward you handsomely the following year with bigger, more
vigorous shrubbery and blooms when you
start them in the fall. That’s because they use
the cold weather months to build their root
systems and store energy for their next growing cycle. Speakers Bobby Spence of Nature’s Guide and Sabino Cortez of Erath
Earth will share their knowledge on how to
successfully start new plants and invigorate
existing ones.
I
Creating Colossal Containers
Saturday, Sept. 19 at 1 p.m.
Learn the three elements that transform
the ordinary into the extraordinary. Whether
you’re planning a unique gift for a friend or a
show piece for your own home, containers
add drama and color to any space. Attendees
receive materials to create their own containers and take home their own creations.
I 3 Steps to Organic Gardening
Saturday, Sept. 26 at 11 a.m.
“Tropical John” Thomas will review the
latest techniques, essential organic products
and provide a basic program for you to follow. A former host of the Living Natural
First radio show and owner of Tropical
John’s Garden Shop, Thomas has been advising organic gardeners since 1990.
For details, call Marshall Grain at 817416-6600, or see www.marshallgrain.com.
—Staff Report
2B
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Living
M
Local Company Donates
50% to Nonprofits
A Breaking Season
lieve me.
We got a new toilet.
Then, the breaking season spread to the
Editor’s Note: This column was selected
by Dr. Ryan from among her favorites. She laundry room.
The washing machine began to
is on vacation, but will return in
make disturbing loud noises
two weeks.
throughout the pipes of the house
Have you ever had a breaking
while simultaneously dripping
season — one of those periods of
water into the washer tub.
time when things seem to fall
Frustrated by the mounting
apart in groups or clumps?
costs of this particular breaking
Our latest breaking season
season, my husband decided to
started with the air conditioning.
fix the washer himself. Two hours
It didn’t stop completely, thank
later, I found him in the laundry
goodness. It just started dripping CINDY
room, behind a dismantled washwater out of a place it wasn’t sup- RYAN
er, surrounded by parts.
posed to drip from. All I could re“I think I see the problem now, I just can’t
member was some air conditioning service
person from the past showing me this pipe get to it,” he said.
Horrified by the destruction, I said,
and saying, “if you ever see water coming
“Stop. You have to stop. You are really good
out of here, beware!”
After an attempt or two to outsmart the at what you do, but you are out of your
whole system and “do it ourselves,” we knowledge base. You have to stop.”
Somehow he got it back together, but afcalled a professional.
He had all kinds of tools and contraptions ter his “fix,” the dripping became more like
a rapid stream of water and the scary noise
and he fixed us right up.
However, he didn’t fix us up quickly continued.
When the appliance repairman arrived
enough to avert the “breaking season.”
the next day, our third professional in one
A toilet came down with issues next.
It simply wasn’t doing what a toilet week, he breezed in and diagnosed the
problem in about two minutes and had it
should do, if you know what I mean.
It turns out, it was my fault. I’d put a blue fixed in under 10.
I cheerfully wrote the check for $128.17
bleach self-cleaner in the tank because I
have three children, two of whom are boys. … and made a more important life note to
The plumber informed me that the bleach self: “When in a breaking season, don’t
self-cleaner had eaten away at the internal hesitate to call for help.”
In fact, it was such a good thought, I
mechanisms of the toilet.
“People think those bleach things are wrote it on a Post-it note and placed it on the
keeping their toilets clean. But, there’s just refrigerator, doing my best to ignore the unno substitute for cleaning the toilet your- usual noise that this appliance is now makself,” he said looking at me judgmentally. ing.
Dr. Cindy Ryan is a writer and pastor.
I found myself describing in detail how I
clean the toilets religiously. He didn’t be- Contact her at [email protected].
REAL LIFE
SEND US
YOUR
NEWS TIPS,
PHOTOS
& STORY
IDEAS.
.............................................................
E-mail us:
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alliancenews.net
Southlake-Based Business Concerned
with Making the World a Better Place
Left: Tyler
Merrick, founder of Project 7.
Below: T-shirts
display hashmarks numbering seven.
By Christianne Young
STAFF WRITER
One local commercial company is giving away 50 percent
of it profits to nonprofit organizations.
The Southlake-based company, called Project 7, began
in October 2008 and plans to
donate half of its profits to
various causes, such as housing the homeless, feeding the
hungry and stopping human
trafficking.
“I’ve always had a passion
for business and heart for outreach and missions,” said Project 7’s owner, Tyler Merrick.
“We’re a for-profit entity, but
we exist to help nonprofits ...
It’s what we call a hybrid.”
Merrick created the idea for
Project 7 when pondering the
“seven deadly sins,” which include pride, envy, gluttony,
greed, lust, sloth and anger,
according to the Catholic tradition.
Instead of focusing on the
negative, he beagn to imagine
what would happen if instead
of simply trying to abstain
from those sins, people began
to focus on helping those who
had difficulties as consequences of the seven deadly
sins.
His business idea grew
from that concept.
Project 7 sells gum, mints,
bottled water and T-shirts.
“We only make what we call
‘lifestyle accessory items,’ ”
he noted.
All of the products are made
in the United States.
The money goes to a variety
of charities around the world
— helping supply everything
from basic immunizations to
clean water to safety for children forced into war.
“We support seven different
initiatives,” he said.
Project 7’s causes include
healing the sick, saving the
earth, housing the homeless,
feeding the hungry, helping
COURTESY IMAGES
can also be purchased at Buon
Giorno Coffee in Grapevine.
“We like to offer mints and
things for people to chew to
get rid of the taste of coffee,
and we’re very big on supporting causes that make a difference, so this is doing both,”
said David Clarke, owner of
Buon Giorno Coffee.
Clarke said he appreciates
Project 7 products because
they are high quality, and they
take the hassle out of donating.
“I’m just impressed with
the company, and they have a
very good method of doing
this. I’m very supportive of
them,” Clarke said. “They
make it very convenient for
someone like me who is in a
very busy retail business.”
Another draw to the products is that they are eye-catching.
“We make the packaging
trendy — attractive,” Merrick
said.
Not only do they look good,
they’re earth-friendly. Project
7’s bottles are 100-percent recyclable, and its T-shirts are
50-percent organic cotton and
50-percent recycled plastic
bottles. On average, five recycled bottles are used in each
shirt.
The company also plans to
those in need, building the future and working for peace.
This year Project 7 will be
giving its first round of donations: $105,000 to seven different nonprofit organizations. Each will receive
$15,000.
Because Project 7 is new, it
is not yet profitable, but is
showing their commitment to
their mission by pledging this
donation.
Products by Project 7 can be
found in Books-A-Million,
Whole Foods, Market Street,
Caribou Coffee shops and many others. Soon they will also
be on the shelves at Sprouts
Farmer’s Market.
Project 7’s gum and mints
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Living
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
M
Sports Items Boost
Foreign Film Fundraiser
Staff Report
THE COURIER/THE JOURNAL
The International Film Society (IFS) of Carroll Senior
High School was established
last year to promote a greater
understanding of varied cultures, ideas and beliefs through
foreign films.
Now the IFS has teamed up
with the Friends of Southlake’s
Public Library and Kerry
McGeath, Southlake librarian
and deputy director of community services, to raise funds to
create an international film
section within the library.
“The library is truly a community resource, with nearly
70 percent of residents having
library cards,” McGeath said.
The original idea for the IFS
had its roots in the upbringing
of its founder Lauren Wilcox.
She is a student at Carroll Senior High School and grew up
in the United Kingdom,
France, Italy and the U.S., so
she was exposed to a variety of
foreign films.
“Many of these films are not
as glamorous as the ones produced in Hollywood,” Lauren
said, and “therefore remain ...
unknown by audiences in the
U.S. These movies can be refreshing and invigorating because they often present complex ‘real-life’ issues that are
thought-provoking and which
stimulate lively discussion and
debate.”
The funds will be raised by
selling raffle tickets for some
sports memorabilia, including
an authentic Tony Romo Dallas Cowboys hand-signed jersey, a pennant signed by owner
Jerry Jones and Head Coach
Wade Phillips.
In addition, four tickets to
the Texas Rangers game on
Sept. 27 will also be raffled.
Tickets for the live drawing
are being sold at the Southlake
Public Library on Saturday,
Sept. 12 and 19 from noon to 4
p.m. and from Sept. 21-24 at
CSHS during lunch time.
There will also be a ticketselling booth at the Dragon
Football home game on Sept.
18.
Tickets, which cost $3, may
be ordered up to the event by
contacting Lauren Wilcox, at
[email protected].
The drawing will be Sept. 25
at CSHS, but entrants do not
need to be present to win.
COURTESY IMAGE
1975 Lancia Fulvia.
cars is invited to the meeting.
For more information on the
club, see www.iccsw.com.
Proceeds from the show
will benefit Grapevine Heritage Association. For details,
see ItalianCarFest.org or call
214-668-2382.
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COURTESY IMAGE
After-coffee mints are one of the products Project 7 sells locally;
50 percent of the proceeds is donated to charity.
NOW ON DVD
Filmmakers Take Unauthorized Look
at British Bands Depeche Mode, Beatles
By Leslie Rigoulot
FILM CRITIC
The Dark Progression Unauthorized, a limited-edition
DVD is aimed only at the hardcore fans of the electronic
band, Depeche Mode, al-
though it is a modern music
lesson for everyone else.
Starting with the band’s
roots in Essex, England we follow the band in its development of synthesizers and electronics in music.
Hours
Mon. - Sat. 10:00-6:00
Sun. 1:00-5:00
Noodle & Boo
Oopsy Daisy Baby
Kaia Eve
Wee Squeeks
Outfitting Mother & Child Head to Toe
Outfitting
Unique • Women • Children • Home
415 S. Main St.
Grapevine
2 Cor. 5:17
You are a New Creation
The interview with OMD’s
Andy McCluskey is really the
best in terms of demonstrating
how the pioneering sound of a
German band led his group to
See DVDS on Page 4B
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The team at Project 7 is doing
more than donating money. On
the seventh of every month, the
employees of Project 7 go to local areas in need and volunteer
their time.
Charities interested in becoming a Project 7 recipient can register at the company’s Web site,
www.project 7.com.
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SEVEN
Officers of the International Film Society at Carroll, from left: Micah Williams, vice president; Sonja Sherry, treasurer; Lauren Wilcox, president;
Townsend Davies, secretary and Grace Schweitzer, technical director.
CARS
The festival will be enjoyed
by both car enthusiasts and
those more unfamiliar with
the finer points of the Italian
vehicle, LaCroix said.
“Car nuts are going to have
a good time because they’re
going to see things they’ve
read about, but never seen before,” he said. “They’ll be a lot
of just purely beautiful automobiles there — the form, the
line, the function ... It’s kind of
like going to an art gallery.”
Most Italian car shows are
in the upper northeast or western states. The opportunity to
see an Italian car show in Texas is unique, said Charles
Mackres, president of the Italian Car Club of the Southwest.
“There’s really not a lot of Italian car shows in the middle of
the United States,” he said.
Along with the excitement
of the cars, festival goers will
also be able to enjoy a variety
of Italian foods such as gelato,
Italian sandwiches from Syracuse’s Sausage Company and,
of course, wine.
The Italian Car Club of the
Southwest meets on the third
Tuesday of every month at Olive Garden Italian Restaurant
in Grapevine.
Anyone interested in Italian
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4B
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Living
M
DUNKING FOR CHARITY
Meals on Wheels
Schedules Fall
Fashion Show,
Fundraiser
Market Street in Colleyville
hosted the Famous Mineral
Water Company’s Crazy Water Dunk Tank recently. All
proceeds from the event
went to support “A Wish with
Wings,” a nonprofit organization that grants the wishes of
Texas children with lifethreatening diseases. Founded in 1982, AWWW, has
granted more than 1,000
wishes. For details or to donate, e-mail [email protected]
or
see
www.awishwithwings.org.
At left: Crazy Water’s Wade
Mackey awaits a good wash.
LARRE’S CORNER
Talk about your perfect combinations — who
doesn’t like a fun fashion show, and who doesn’t
like to shop?
If you are like most of the fashionistas on the
planet, it is impossible to choose which one of
those is your favorite.
Not to worry, Metroport Meals On Wheels packs
both into one event at its 4th Annual Metroport
Meals On Wheels Fall Fashion Show & Shopping
Bazaar Friday, Sept. 25 at the
Marriott Solana.
Beginning at 9 a.m., you
can peruse a room filled with
booths packed with unique
items that are not only great
for you but also perfect for
those family members and
friends who make up your
Christmas list each year.
Oh yes, I did mention
LARRE
Christmas?
GREEN
It may seem far away, but as
of this Friday, there are only
105 shopping days left until the big day!
This shopping opportunity could be a could way
to go into the holidays stress-free with your shopping out of the way?
Then at 11 a.m., the catwalk lights up as the fashions hit the runway.
I have to say, this event is always fun. Having
attended the last three, each year it has surpassed
the prior one in money raised for Metroport Meals
on Wheels, as well as overall fun!
And keep in mind, this event always sells out.
Individual tickets are $75 and can be purchased
by calling Karen Malone at 817-491-1141 or Roxann Taylor (she is the wonderful sweetheart who is
the presenting sponsor), at 817-442-4244, ext.
325.
For details, see www.metroportmow.org.
Luke Adams, 4, takes a turn throwing at the
dunk tank.
PHOTOS BY CORRESPONDENT BRIAN VENEZIA
The Bradshaw siblings of Grapevine, from left: Olivia, Luke and Jackson. All Market Street’s Blake Smith plunges into the dunk tank.
three attend O.C. Taylor Elementary School in Colleyville.
CLICK COVERAGE
For coverage of your nonprofit organization or social club, contact Living
Editor Kathleen Bynum at [email protected].
From left:
Jack Bradshaw,
Carol Elder and
Wade Mackey, all of
the Famous Mineral
Water Company, took
turns in the dunking
booth.
***
Mother Nature isn’t going to decide what happens at this event.
Come rain or come shine, bright and early at 8
a.m., Saturday, Sept. 26 in the Rustin City Park in
front of Town Hall at Southlake Town Square,
warm-hearted walkers will be revving up for the
North Texas “Walk for PKD.”
Actually the registration for the 2-mile walk
(laid out in a 1-mile loop that is walked twice) begins at 8 a.m. with the Children’s Walk at 9 a.m.
and the regular “Walk for PKD” beginning at 9:30.
Walk coordinator Carolyn Morris has once again
organized an event that makes getting up on a Saturday morning something to look forward to.
Face it, there aren’t too many events that take
place today where the entire family can participate
and enjoy while helping find a cure for a disease
that affects more than 600,000 Americans and 12.5
million children and adults worldwide.
To register, just show up or check out
www.northtexaswalk.org for details.
Social columnist Larre Green welcomes your information and input on interesting stories and events.
Contact him at [email protected].
Of course, any band that has endured for 30
years deserves credit, but having emerged
from the New Romanticism of the 1980s and
From 3B
maintained their attachment to electronic
sound, they deserve more than a round of apecho those tones in their music, which in turn plause.
influenced Depeche Mode.
Get out your iPod and listen to Just Can’t British Invasion
Get Enough, its first UK hit; then listen to
The Beatles: Rare and Unseen deserves
their first U.S. hit, People Are People.
not to be seen by any but the truly Beatles
Four albums have passed between the two obsessive.
Like the Depeche Mode DVD, it is unauhits. Industrial sounds and political themes
thorized, so none of the music is featured at
start to influence its lyrics.
Watching the videos does make you realize all.
In fact, the footage that does feature them
that the Austin Powers stereotype of Brits
playing does not have the band’s music — it
with bad teeth is based in reality.
The interesting part is watching the evolu- is voiced over with people commenting on
tion of the band, but Depeche Mode – The “this is the only known footage of the first
Dark Progression is not authorized by the time the Beatles ever played Hamburg,” or
wherever.
band or its record company.
Interviews with anyone who ever had anySo the interviews are with those surrounding the band interspersed with clips from thing to do with the Beatles are featured.
The guy who got Brian Epstein’s coffee is
their videos. Interviews with the band members are interesting, but it is their contempo- afforded a platform for his opinions. And if
you don’t know that Brian Epstein managed
raries who seem most insightful.
DVDS
the Beatles, you are going to be wondering
why his assistant is included.
There are a few bright moments, however.
Home movies from Ringo Starr and a segment on the Paris Olympia tour of January
1964 put the Beatles in a more complete perspective.
The Paris gig featured Trini Lopez with
drummer Mickey Jones. The Houston native
went on to be an actor after being part of the
New Christy Minstrels and the drummer on
Bob Dylan’s controversial tour in which he
played electric guitar for the folk crowd.
Jones has more folksy memories of hanging
out with the Fab Four just before they really
made it big. And being a drummer, he spent
more time with Ringo than the rest.
Genesis frontman Phil Collins, who was an
extra in a Beatles film, is also featured.
Both documentaries are available at Amazon, but only the true believers will want to
buy a copy.
Netflix might be a better option even as
Beatlemania relaunches with the new Beatles
remastered box set and video game.
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Living
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
M
9
Farmers Market,
every Thursday and
Saturday, 8 a.m. to sell
out, by the gazebo in
Grapevine. 817-4103185 or
www.grapevinetexasusa.com
Books ‘n’ Brunch Book
Club, 11 a.m., Colleyville Public
Library, 110 Main St. 817-5031150
Grapevine Market, 9:30 a.m.
to 2 p.m., an array of items on
Main Street near the gazebo.
Social Bridge,
9:30 a.m., Colleyville
Senior Center, 2512
Glade Road. 817283-7648
Beginner Line Dancing, 11
to 11:55 a.m., Colleyville Senior
Center, 2512 Glade Road.
817-283-7648
WED
Grandparent’s
Day
13
Southlake MOMS
Club, Moms’ support
club, 10 a.m., location
TBD, contact
southlakemomsclub@
yahoo.com
Painting with Pepe Fall
Camp, Pepe Le Potter, from 4
to 6 p.m., from Sept. 14 to 17,
Colleyville PARD, 315 L.D.
Locket Road. 817-503-1180
14
Southlake
Newcomers Club
Meeting and
Luncheon, 10 a.m.,
$17, Timarron Country
Club. 817-233-3371
Supper and Social, 5 to 9
p.m., Colleyville Senior Center,
2512 Glade Road. 817-283-7648
Colleyville City Council,
7:30 p.m., 100 Main St.
Grapevine City Council,
7:30 p.m., 200 S. Main St.
Southlake City Council,
7 p.m., 1400 Main St.
20
The Southlake
Historical Society, 7
p.m. on the third
Monday of each
month in the
Community Center meeting room
in Bicentennial Park, 400 N.
White Chapel, Southlake.
www.southlakehistory.org
21
Supper and
Social, 5 to 9 p.m.,
Colleyville Senior
Center, 2512 Glade
Road. 817-283-7648
Senior Stretch Series, 1 to 2
p.m., Colleyville Senior Center,
2512 Glade Road. 817-283-7648
27
Walk Across
Texas-Walk
Program-Challenge,
7:30 a.m., Colleyville
Senior Center, 2512
Glade Road. 817-283-7648
28
Supper and
Social, 5 to 9 p.m.,
Colleyville Senior
Center, 2512 Glade
Road. 817-283-7648
SUN
23rd Annual
GrapeFest, Sept. 17,
18, 19 and 20. 800457-6338 or
www.grapevinetexasusa.com
GrapeFest Mini Excursions,
2, 3, 4 or 5 p.m., Sept. 18, 19
and 20, experience a sampling of
the fun and the thrill of riding the
rails on the Grapevine Vintage
Railroad, 30 minute rides will
cost $9 for adults (13 and older)
and $6 for children (3 to 12).
www.gvrr.com
SUN
Metroplex
Camera Show, 10
a.m. to 3 p.m.,
Grapevine
Convention Center,
1209 S. Main St., open to the
public, adults $5, children
younger than 12 free with adult.
www.donsphotoequipment.com
SUN
MON
MON
MON
10
9/11 Flight Crew
Memorial
Ceremonies, lowering
of the flag at 7:30 a.m.
and candlelight vigil at
8 p.m., 1000 Texan Trail,
Grapevine.
Spuds and a Movie, 11 a.m.,
The Curious Case of Benjamin
Button, Colleyville Senior Center,
2512 Glade Road. 817-283-7648
Del Castillo, 7:30 p.m., experience the cross-cultural power of
music at the Palace Theatre, 300
S. Main St. www.grapevinetexasusa.com or 817-410-3185
17
GrapeFest Mini
Excursion, 30-minute
rides and experience a
sampling of the fun
and the thrill of riding
the rails on the Grapevine Vintage
Railroad. www.gvrr.com
People's Choice Wine Tasting
Classic, reservations recommended. www.grapevinetexasusa.com
Texas Coin Show, 2 p.m. to 6
p.m.; September 19 from 9 a.m. to
6 p.m.; and September 20 from 9
a.m. to 3 p.m., $2, Grapevine
Convention Center. 214-535-3465
24
The Grapevine
Opry, 7:30 p.m.,
Gospel Country
Showcase. 817-4818733
THU
15
Social Bridge,
9:30 a.m., Colleyville
Senior Center, 2512
Glade Road. 817283-7648
Fall Style Show, 10 a.m.,
Colleyville Senior Center, 2512
Glade Road. 817-283-7648
Beginner Line Dancing, 11
to11:55 a.m., Colleyville Senior
Center, 2512 Glade Road.
817-283-7648
16
23rd Annual
GrapeFest, Sept. 17,
18, 19 and 20. 800457-6338 or
www.grapevinetexasusa.com
History of Colleyville
Round Table Discussion,
10 a.m., Colleyville Senior Center,
2512 Glade Road. 817-283-7648
Master Gardening Series,
10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Colleyville
Senior Center, 2512 Glade
Road. 817-283-7648
22
Social Bridge,
9:30 a.m., Colleyville
Senior Center, 2512
Glade Road. 817283-7648
23
Grapevine
Market, 9:30 a.m. to
2 p.m., near the gazebo.
Theater Trekkers
to the Artisan, 6:50 p.m., The
Mikado, Colleyville Senior Center,
2512 Glade Road. 817-283-7648
29
Social Bridge
Brunch, 10 a.m.,
Colleyville Senior
Center, 2512 Glade
Road. 817-283-7648
TUE
TUE
TUE
WED
WED
THU
THU
SUN
5
MON
6
TUE
7
Carroll’s second
annual
Homecoming
Carnival, 5 p.m.,
Dragon Stadium,
including inflatables, obstacle
courses, rock climbing, carnival
games, live music and silent
auctions. 817-881-2930 or
[email protected]
WED
Family Owned and Operated
8 Years same convenient location!
CUSTOMER SERVICE IS #1!
Certified Master Mechanics with
47 years combined experience
Texas Wine Tribute
Black Tie Gala, a
reception at 6:30 p.m.
and dinner at 7:30 p.m.
in Grapevine.
www.grapevinetexasusa.com
The Grapevine Opry,
7:30 p.m., Texas' Premier Country
Music Variety Showcase. 817-4818733
Fall Family Campout, Bob
Jones Park Day Camp Area.
www.southlakeparksandrec.com
and 817-748-8019
25
The Grapevine
Opry, 7:30 p.m., The
Grass is Blue. 817481-8733
2009 Memory
Walk, Grapevine Mills Mall.
[email protected] or 817336-4949
Metroplex Camera Show, 10
a.m. to 5 p.m., Grapevine
Convention Center, 1209 S. Main
St., Open to the public, adults $5,
children younger than 12 enter free
with adult.
www.donsphotoequipment.com
2
Just Between
Friends, 9 a.m. to 7
p.m., gently used baby
clothing and children’s
equipment, Grapevine
Convention Center. 214-535-3465
Annual Bird on the Run
Series, 2:30 to 6 p.m., 4 or 1 mile
walk or run, Bob Jones Nature
Center and Preserve.
www.SouthlakeParksAndRec.com
Grapevine Opry, 7:30 p.m.,
George Strait: The music of a
Texas Superstar, Palace Theatre,
300 S. Main St. 817-481-8733
9
Grapevine Market,
9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
near the gazebo.
SOS @ Zac's
Ridge, 6 to 10 p.m.,
The Grapevine Convention Center,
1209 S Main St., Grapevine, $25
per person. www.sosinc.org
FRI
FRI
1
The Grapevine
Opry, 7:30 p.m.,
Gospel Country
Showcase. 817-4818733
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s
Nest, Jack Nicholson, Louise
Fletcher & Danny DeVito, Palace
Theatre, 300 S. Main St.
Grapevine. 817-410-3185 or
www.grapevinetexasusa.com
Just Between Friends, 9 a.m.
to 7 p.m., gently used children's
clothing, baby equipment at
Grapevine Convention Center.
214-535-3465
8
Eleven Hundred,
7:30 p.m., Springs,
Palace Theatre, 300 S.
Main St. 817-481-8733
Grapevine
Market, 9:30 a.m. to
2 p.m., near the gazebo.
The Master of the
Mind, 7:30 p.m., one of America’s
top sleight of hand artists and
manipulators of the human mind,
David Magee, $28.50, Palace
Theatre, 300 S. Main St.,
Grapevine. 817-410-3185 or
www.grapevinetexasusa.com
THU
$
2050 Glade Rd. @ Hwy. 121
817- 329-7117
18
FRI
SAT
19
SAT
26
SAT
FRI
FRI
3
SAT
10
SAT
OUR WEEKLY SPECIAL!!
AUTOMOTIVE CARE CENTER
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ItalianCarFest,
10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nash
Farm in Grapevine.
www.grapevinetexasusa.com or 817-4103185
Vintner’s Auction Classic,
6:30 p.m., benefits Grapevine
Heritage Foundation and Texas
Wine and Grape Growers
Association, Grapevine Convention
Center. 817-410-3185
Grapevine Opry, 7:30 p.m.,
Duets and Lovesongs, Palace
Theatre. 817-481-8733
WED
THU
4
12
11
30
Grapevine
Market, 9:30 a.m. to
2 p.m., near the gazebo.
The Master of the
Mind, 7:30 p.m., one of America’s
top sleight of hand artists and
manipulators of the human mind,
David Magee, $28.50, Palace
Theatre, 300 S. Main St.,
Grapevine. 817-410-3185 or
www.grapevinetexasusa.com
Just Between
Friends, 9 a.m. to 7
p.m., gently used baby
clothing and children’s
equipment, Grapevine
Convention Center. 214-535-3465
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Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Living
M
REFINANCING
Who’s Your Daddy?
THE CONFESSIONS OF A MAD HOUSEWIFE
Editor’s Note: This is adapted by Michele Valdez from one of her earlier columns in this paper.
As a kid, you don’t know the adults
that you call mom and dad.
Like most children, I was self-centered and didn’t know or care that my
parents had interests beyond me. As I
get to know my parents as an adult,
sometimes I don’t recognize them. It’s
like my real parents were kidnapped by
aliens.
Recently my daughter and I visited
my father. It turns our there may be
something to my alien theory.
My father lives in Yuma, Ariz. Yuma
is in the middle of a desert in the middle
of nowhere. The terrain looks like the
surface of the moon.
Coincidentally, on the way to Yuma
we spent the night in a desert motel
called the Spaceship Lodge.
The next morning we ate breakfast at
the adjacent Spaceship Restaurant.
Spaceship murals covered the walls
of the cafe. There were UFO signs and
alien bumper stickers for sale.
Apparently, there are frequent alien
sightings in the Yuma area.
My father lives in a mobile home retirement community. Residents must be
older than 55, but
most look about 80.
I think the trailers
have a minimum
age
requirement
too. My dad’s is a
1967 “Detroiter” in
mint condition.
When I was a kid,
MICHELE
my dad was a sweet,
VALDEZ
quiet man.
He loved music,
but wasn’t the showoff type.
These days he and his wife have a
singing act. They travel to trailer parks
and nursing homes for gigs and jam sessions with other geriatric musicians and
singers.
There was a jam session the weekend
we visited.
All the trailer park residents showed
up and sang along as the arthritic musicians took turns performing hits from
the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s.
My father sang a few love ballads and
ended with a funny tune about pensions.
He was as smooth as Dean Martin.
The audience loved him.
One blue-haired gal told me he has
groupies at the nursing homes.
Who was this man who looked like
my father, but sounded like Elvis?
From 1B
I had no idea he had musical talent or
the nerve to sing in public.
And how did he end up living in a Detroiter surrounded by tumbleweeds and
UFOs?
That night as we got ready for another
night’s sleep in the Detroiter, my daughter, sensing my confused feelings, tried
to put me at ease.
She looked around the trailer and
said, “Mom, this is a beautiful place,
and they are beautiful people — a little
weird, but beautiful.”
She helped me realize that I had been
unfair to my father. It was time I grew
up.
My father had a life outside of me and
that did not make him an alien.
Before we left my father gave me a
hug, the kind he used to give me when I
was a kid. I felt warmth, love and acceptance. I felt guilty that I hadn’t given
him the same in return.
When we left Yuma we drove through
a border patrol stop.
There were armed men, dogs and
spotlights.
They said they were looking for aliens
— illegal aliens. I couldn’t help but
laugh.
Michele Valdez is a slightly compulsive,
mildly angry feminist, past attorney and
present volunteer. She lives with her demanding children and husband.
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