houstongirl

Again, when I looked at buying in Candlelight Oaks, I spoke with several neighbors about the train and was even at the house when one of them passed. It was LOUD and unmistakably A TRAIN.....I think you learn to adjust to natural and unnatural influences wherever you live. Heck, even people in certain parts of River Oaks, Memorial, etc. have MAJOR thoroughfares running directly in front of their homes. You don't see them petitioning the city to close these arteries.

It doesn't really bother me during the day, it's the 2-4 a.m. trains that are such a problem. Ironically, it seems like the engineer blows the horn louder at night than during daytime hours. That is the frustrating part.

OK, we live in Majestic Oaks. We're are basically next door to where the forested lots (formerly belonging to HP) have been cleared to build homes, much to our dismay. Ever since that thickly wooded land was cleared, it sounds like the train is going to plow through my bedroom every night. Last night, I noticed the train to be much more "obnoxious" than other times. It almost seemed like he was doing it on purpose. We've lived here for 5 1/2 years. The train never bothered us before the land was cleared, but now you can actually see the train from our bedroom window (albeit at a distance). We never realized the tracks were so close, and that they'd be so loud inside our home.

A few years ago, there was a pretty loud buzz among area residents to curb some of the train noise. Many letters and petitions were put together and information was mailed to residents with contact addresses and phone numbers for complaints, which seemed to help a bit for 3 or 4 weeks. Then one night, about 3 am, the train came through with more noise than I had ever heard. It almost sounded like it had stopped and they just laid on the horn for about 5 minutes. My husband and I wondered if this guy had been repremanded and was getting his payback.

I'm hoping that once the homes are built on this now cleared land they will act as a sound barrier for us. However, it appears some of these newly built homes will be within 20 yards of the tracks. This leads me to the conclusion that some sort of wall must be built to block the noise, otherwise the homes will never sell at the prices they're wanting. The only other solution is to have a quiet zone put in place. Considering they blow the horn for the 4 separate intersections of Old Louetta between Spring-Cypress and Louetta, it really does seem like they are blowing for a constant mile or so.

**It's funny how someone mentioned not knowing the tracks were there. However, we visited our home 4 times before purchase and NEVER heard the train. Plus, with as far as we are into the neighborhood, and the previous coverage of the trees, you'd never know there was a track back there.

I'mma have to try that one out.

Luby's mac-n-cheese is the BEST!! Glad I won't have to drive all the way into Tomball for it anymore.

I saw a handwritten sign at Paulie's Cafe on Louetta that said it was closed and none of the outside tables were there anymore. Does anyone know if it is officially out of business?

Also, Taco Milagro was recently bought out by the same company that owns Mia Bella. I believe they are going to change the name to Milagro Mexican Bistro and I tink there will some other changes there as well...

Hopefully this will include better food. The "island" cuisine just confuses me.

Ahh the good ol' cattle call. That reminds me of when Prague first opened, many moons ago, and they really revived the practice of "choosing" who gets the privelege of coming in. Although I can usually get past the crowd, this practice still really turns me off to a place.

Went by to check it out the other day & have to agree, it really is a fancy place. Let's hope they can keep it up.

I stopped by on my way home from UH today. It wasn't as packed as the Cypress one was onit's first day. It was nice too.

BTW - gas is 2.75 a gallon there.

We've filled up there a few times since the gas station opened a week or so ago.

Yesterday, I decided to check out the store (at 7:15am) before the crowd really picked up. By the time I left at 8:00, it was getting pretty full. The store itself is pretty nice, with the added selection these hybrid stores offer. I was struck by toy and harware sections, as they seemed pretty big for a grocery store.... and I'd never go grocery shopping to buy toys.

I'm sure we'll shop there regularly, as it's basically across the street from our neighborhood. The prices surprisingly seem average to even a little cheaper than the other stores in the area. For example, I bought a can of almonds at Kroger at Gleannloch on Sunday for $3.99. The exact same can was $2.99 yesterday at Vintage Market. Hopefully the lower prices will last. We'll see...

We drove by the new HEB around this time, and there were 50-100 chairs out front full of HEB staff members. I suppose they were having an orientation of some type. While I imagine it's possible such a "caravan" could have been for the store, it seems unlikely to close the freeway for them.

I saw the same type of freeway closure last week on I-45, but then realized it was the Presidential motorcade. (Maybe he switched to a school bus from the limo when he got to the north side).

I'll see some of the board members at the big play-off game Saturday at Moorhead Stadium in Conroe, when the Klein Oak Panthers (9-1) take on the College Park Cavaliers (9-1). Are you going to be there as well, ENGcons?

I will be there. And as my favorite saying of the week goes.... OAK 'EM! It's hilarious yelling that at a game.

Noticed yesterday the Potbelly Sandwich location has put a "coming soon" banner up. I guess they'll be one of the places opening in November.

What abandoned Walmart? Are you talking about the old Kroger?

That's what I was thinking.... then I thought I was crazy and it was really a WalMart all along.

Once the rehab is complete, there is supposed to be a Spec's in that spot.

It seems like with all of the rain we had this summer, it really hampered progress on Vintage Park construction. Hopefully some of those tenants will reconsider as completion nears. Certainly they should improve as the HEB traffic to the site picks up.

Shogun Sushi and the new Tasting Room concept are still a go for Vintage Park, as well as Mia Bella.... from what I hear. Honestly, additions of ANY full-service restaurant in the area is seriously needed. Living across the street from Vintage Park, I can tell you there is very little to pick from when you want to dine out in the are.

Yesterday, we walked back into the Patriot Homes area and viewed some of the homes they've built. There are townhomes, but also single-family dwellings, both 1 and 2 story. The 2 story version looked really nice, so I can't wait to see what the finished products look like. At least this is some consolation, considering the addition of not one, but two apartment complexes.

Driving to see a customer recently, down 2920 from Tomball to Waller, I realized what a nice area it is. I suppose mrfootball is right. They'll be inside of Houston in a decade or so, and all of that lovely, open land will be gobbled up by strip centers and fast food joints.

I just received a 15 minute DVD in the mail which features the Vintage Market store.... although it's clearly not filmed there. How crazy is that???

They even showed the "400 kinds of cheese" section! HAHAHA!!!

Spoke to a manager yesterday. They're planning to open in the next 2 weeks.

You will be sad to know that the land behind Krimmel is owned by Klein but 8-15 acres of the NW corner of the Klein land is being taken by the Grnad Parkway for their glorius road. Not to mention the neighborhood next door to Krimmel is selling homes to non suspecting buyers. Those homes are going to be taken and torn down if the road goes through. If you call their sales office they deny it and will tell you the GP is only propsed and nothing is certian.

That is a terrible thing to imagine. What a shame.

I'd like to follow-up to my original post. A letter was created and sent to KCHS Principal, Randy Kirk; KCHS Registrar; and to the KISD Superintendent's office. I sent these letters anonymously, which probably took all creditability away, but I mentioned student's names and all particulars of how they lied to get enrolled at KCHS.

As of last week, the one student is still attending, and absolutely nothing has changed.

So, again I ask, do school districts even care if a student is attending their school illegally? And the answer seems to be ... No, not at all.

I guess there are different rules for different people.

Lack of ability to address issues..... This is the main reason I yanked my kid out of KISD and put her in private school.

Most of the kids in my family go to KISD schools, and they have no issues, for the most part. However, I have found that many times, when a problem comes up (with staff, administration, etc.) they just lack the ability to face it and find a solution. When we had a serious issue with a teacher a few years ago, the problem took 3 months to be taken care of, and this was only after I contacted the superintendent and threatened legal action if he didn't respond.

My niece attends KOHS. She was there around the time of the Collins opening, and told me how nice it was to have a school that was not overcrowded. It was also funny because they were 4A and played all of the "country" schools, as she called them. Now in just a few years, KOHS is also overcrowded. She complains often of long lunch lines, busy halls, and other general issues.

With all of the land being developed (or about to be developed) for residential use, KISD really needs to get with the program and build that other high school FAST! The stadium seems like a secondary issue, but after attending a few Thursday night or Saturday afternoon football games this year, they need to figure that situation out quick too! Otherwise, they'll be playing games on Wednesday or Sunday once the new school opens.

Like I said before, I've pulled my child out of KISD and placed her in private school. I know this opens up an entirely different debate (public vs. private), but frankly, I know I can sit down with her principal any time I need to.

I noticed the small sign on the still uncleared land at Louetta and Cutten Road that is marked for luxury townhomes (Vintage di Vita) from City Homes. Their other location, which is in the Pearland area, starts around $240K. Curious how this one will be priced. http://www.cityhomes-houston.com/vintage/index.html

Across the street is another "luxury" apartment complex being built by Sueba, the same that did Vintage Park Apartments. They'll be called San Cierra. http://www.suebausa.com/construction/projects_sancierra.asp

Where are the people coming from that will fill all of these places???

Yeah, I thought it sounded like cheese overkill too!

My other office is located off Summer Street, which is right around the corner from Beaver's.

I had no idea she is the one behind this place.... so yes, the name does raise a few eyebrows now.

We'll have to check it out!

I'm hoping they will add some trees back in near Vintage Park after the construction is complete. It's a shame to think of all they have cut down. The area looks totally different without them.

To put an end to the suburban rumble, I'll go back to the original topic.

The Vintage location of HEB will indeed be a hybrid store. A customer of mine recently quit his job when he was offered a good position at the Vintage store. He has confirmed the hybrid report.

*I did notice the signs on 249 and Louetta now that boast about their "400 kinds of cheese" and so forth.

As I posted in another thread, I'm a single dad with 2 young kids moving to the area between now and the 1st of the year. I've learned to start planning childcare as soon as possible so I'm starting today. I would like to hear from anybody that has good personal experience with a daycare that will provide tranportation to/from Yeager and maybe Bleyl. I have a 2nd grader and a pre-schooler. If everything works out with my job, I'll be working in Greenspoint area 8ish to 5ish M-F.

I've spent most of the morning looking through the DFPS listing but I'm not real thrilled with the options thus far and, because I'm in Fort Worth right now, it's kinda hard for me to make a good decision based on a phone call.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Children's Courtyard on Louetta offers drop-off and pick-up service at Yeager. I highly recommend them.

Although the Charlie O'Rourke's restaurant didn't pan out, there has been alot of activity there recently.

They had replaced the awning with a new name, but driving by today, I saw it has been changed again. I missed the front view, but the side said www.charliesdowntown.com (I think).

Anyone know what it really is now, and if so, are they tied to the former concept(s)?