POSTCARDS Magazine
Rhonda Salvidar • Ryder Grimes • Stampede Coatings
Tired
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Publisher’s Post
Karen Altom publisher@postcardslive.com
Let’s HOLD IT Together!
What a month! When I was single, I worked for a company that required a great deal of travel. I remember one month in Illinois when I walked into the newspaper staff room and asked WHY anyone would choose to live in a place with so much snow and ice and wind every day. I think, after this past month, they might ask me a similar question! Between a hurricane, extended power outages, and our lovely heat and humidity, I think many would wonder why in the world we choose to live here. Well, I will tell you. It’s Texas. And there’s nowhere else on earth I would rather call home. If you want to know you live in a good place, think about this: last week, Wes and I were out to lunch, and two DPS troopers were lunching at the same location. When we checked out, Wes asked to pick up their check, only to be told it was already handled. Let me just tell you, when people in your community are jostling to see who gets to pay a first responder’s check, you live in a good place!
Recently, in a conversation with a colleague while talking about what we do, he said, “You know what the definition of magazine is, right? It’s a holder of things.” I did some research and found the historical definition of magazine came to English via the Middle French word “magasin” and the Italian “magazzino.” In its original sense, the word “magazine” referred to a storage space or device. The Arabic makhāzin means “depot or storehouse.”
A holder of things. That is what we do here at Postcards Magazine We collect and share the good things about our communities. We store them in print and online on our website so they are easily accessible. We love being a depot of positive news about good people. We appreciate the history of our great state and the many talented people who make it so. We share that, too. We share your lives because you are kind and trusting enough to share them with us, and you will never know what an honor that is for our entire family.
Keep making our communities awesome and support our local businesses. They are the gears that keep us all turning.
Until next time, ~ Karen
From Our Readers
So happy
I’m always so happy to visit my dad, Postcards Magazine is just a bonus my stay. I really enjoy all of the wonderful recipes, calendar of events (with a scope of cities included), and beautiful pictures, too. Many thanks for dedication to this amazing publication! Kind regards,
Tammy
Wholesome & informative
Thrilled to receive your beautiful magazine. It’s just my kind - so wholesome and informative. I love that I can ponder over things read long after I’ve laid the magazine down.
Elaine Odegaard
Do You Know?
Story and Photos by Ruth Fields
How a young woman developed a “clear vision” and became “in tune” with her life’s calling.
Rhonda Salvidar
She loved the sound of the clicks.
When Rhonda Saldivar was a child, her mother took her to an optometric practice in the northern sector of Houston every year. Rhonda was always fascinated when her optometrist clicked different lenses into place with the phoropter. Even more captivating was the way her vision progressed from blurry to clear with each click.
Rhonda was good at math and science, and she had an insatiable interest in what makes things work. Once, she even took her doll apart to find out why its eyes closed when she laid it flat. “I had to know why,” she says. “When I started developing myopia, it was like, why? Externally, my eyes look as normal as yours. Why can’t I see? Why do glasses help?”
One year when Rhonda was in high school, she went to her annual optometric appointment as usual; this time, however, she saw a female optometrist. In the past, the only optometrists at the eye clinic had been male. Suddenly, the “click” was something in Rhonda’s brain. If women could be optometrists, why couldn’t she?
A growing interest
Rhonda was exposed to many ocular disorders during her formative years: one grandfather had a prosthetic eye; the other had a retinal detachment. Her father had only peripheral vision in one eye—a condition that threatened his career—and several extended family members had vision loss from glaucoma. When she helped a blind mother from her church care for her new baby, Rhonda was captivated by the poignant moment when the mother “saw” her newborn daughter by caressing her face. Looking back, Rhonda understood it was as if seeds were being planted that would grow into a future career in optometry.
Later, Rhonda realized that the University of Houston had an optometric college— one of only 17 the country. Suddenly, she was sure of her career path. The college’s program only admitted a limited number of
Texas candidates each year, but Rhonda, undaunted, began taking prerequisites to gain admission into the optometry program. After just two years, she applied for admission, competing against people who had completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees. “I didn’t even have a backup plan, because I knew optometry was what I wanted to do,” she says.
Rhonda now recognizes her early admission to optometry school as God’s providence. “All the doors were opened,” she says. “I was selected among the last ten candidates of the groups interviewed. It’s amazing when you think about it.” She graduated from the University of Houston College of Optometry when she was 23 years old. She was the youngest graduate in her class.
After working for 15 years at Kelsey-Seybold and Cigna clinics, Rhonda realized there was no access to optometric care in Magnolia. Local residents had to travel many miles to seek eyecare. So, in 2000, she founded Magnolia Vision Center, becoming the first optometrist in the city. It was an enjoyable job. “I loved seeing the smiles on their faces as their vision cleared,” she says. She
worked at her clinic until 2022, when, faced with the challenges of aging parents and the fun of grandmotherly duties, she decided it was time to retire. She had spent 38 years as an optometrist.
“I cried for a week when she told me she was going to leave, and that’s not an exaggeration,” says Charlie Solis, who works at Magnolia Vision Center. “She was more than my boss.” Heather Clark, who began working at the clinic about 15 years ago right after she graduated from high school, agrees. “She felt more like family,” she says.
Rhonda left her thriving optometric practice in the capable hands of Dr. Vincent Lam and Dr. David Chavez. To this day, she considers her work in establishing eyecare for the community of Magnolia as her life’s crowning achievement.
Thanks, Mom
Rhonda realizes that she received immeasurable encouragement from her mother. As one of five children, Rhonda’s mom never had the opportunity to go to college, but she realized that having a
college education was a great advantage in life. Knowing her two daughters were highly intellectual, she taught them such a gift was not to be wasted. “She told us, ‘You are fully capable. If this is what you want to do, you can do it,’” Rhonda says. “She was going to help us out in any way she could. The expectation was we would not miss this opportunity.” Both of her daughters got the message. (Rhonda’s sister is a successful attorney.)
Rhonda’s mother was instrumental in helping develop other talents, too. When Rhonda was eight years old, she flipped through the Sears Christmas Catalog and found something that looked like fun: a ventriloquist’s dummy. She had long been a fan of Shari Lewis and Lambchop, so she asked her parents for the dummy. She received it on Christmas morning, along with a book of instructions for inspiring ventriloquists. Right away, Rhonda began to practice. When her mother realized Rhonda was becoming fairly accomplished, she found a Houston-area instructor who could provide further instruction. Rhonda performed at many school and church events with help from her mother, who was a gifted
scriptwriter. “She was very clever,” Rhonda says. Rhonda ultimately progressed to the point she was invited to perform on a television program for Houston-area children, “Don Mahoney and Jeanna Clare with their Kiddie Troupers.” Along the way, Rhonda’s mother gifted her with a custom-made “upgrade”—a dummy named Alice Gossip. Rhonda still has Alice Gossip today.
The magic of music
Meanwhile, Rhonda’s mother loved music, so she obtained a piano and played it by ear. When Rhonda showed an aptitude for learning easy songs like “Chopsticks,” her mother enrolled her in lessons at a local piano studio. Interestingly, Rhonda’s teacher also played the accordion, and taught Rhonda this unusual skill as well. She remembers playing her accordion along with her cousin at her grandmother’s tiny church in the Heights area of Houston.
Rhonda took piano lessons for about three years while she was in elementary school, but then continued to teach herself. She copied favorite artist Floyd Cramer by repeatedly listening to a cassette tape. “I played it over and over and over again, picking out each and every note,” she says. Eventually, she could perform two songs: “On the Rebound” and “Last Date.” Unbelievably, she learned Floyd was the famous cousin of a friend’s mother, who contacted Floyd and asked him to send Rhonda an autographed picture. She still has it today. When Rhonda was 13, she played regularly for her church’s youth choir; by the time she was 15, she was asked to play for a praise
Rhonda and Alice Gossip
“It’s a blessing to use my gift to be able to reach out”
band that performed across Texas. Rhonda wanted to improve her skills, so when she was in high school, she took piano lessons from a classically-trained pianist, learning to play Beethoven, Chopin and Rachmaninoff. She sidelined her musical activities so she could focus on her college course, but afterwards, she accompanied the Houston Police Department Gospel Quartet for three years.
Music even played a part in introducing Rhonda to her husband. In 1986, at the encouragement of a friend, she attended a Gaither Vocal Band concert. There, she began to chat with the man in the adjacent seat. One thing led to another, Rhonda says, and she and Alfonso Saldivar have been married for nearly four decades. They have one son, Scott.
During the busy years when she was a working mother, Rhonda put her music on hold once again. Many years later, however, she dusted off the ivories. When she and Alfonso joined West Conroe Baptist Church a few years ago, her piano skills caught the attention of several members. Today, Rhonda
playing her accordion
is the pianist for the church’s 8 a.m. service. She also sometimes plays lively tunes on her accordion at small-group get-togethers.
Even though she is officially retired, Rhonda stays busy. She occasionally substitutes for other optometrists while they are away from their offices, and she helps out with her two grandchildren, (Aiden [13] and Liam [10]), her daughter Michelle’s sons. She even puts her nimble fingers to good use by crocheting temporary breast prostheses for women who are recovering from breast cancer surgery.
Being a church pianist, however, is one of her life’s biggest joys. “People will come up to me and tell me how a rendition of a song blessed and spoke to them,” she says. “I am my own worst critic. No matter how much I practice, I will never be a great virtuoso as I would like, but it’s a blessing to use my gift to be able to reach out to someone on some level.” Rhonda finds the job personally rewarding, but not in the traditional sense. She refuses payment for her talents, choosing to build her treasure in heaven rather than on earth.
Rhonda
Welcome back to the Dear Gabby advice column. If you’re new to the great state of Texas, I think we’re finished preheating for this year. God made Texas summers to help us understand hell is no place to spend eternity. Southern hospitality also takes its vacation in the summer. I was barely speeding the other day, and a hot (feel free to use your imagination) police officer pulled me over. I lowered my window, and he simply said, “Papers.” So, I said, “Scissors.” I would have been asked to get out of the car on a cooler day, but an old lady with heatstroke would have required way too much paperwork, so he sent me on my way. Send me your questions by clicking on Dear Gabby at www.PostcardsLive.com/share.
DEAR GABBY
I love Tex-Mex food and would enjoy it three times a day, if possible. However, I always feel overstuffed when I get home, even when I order a senior portion of food. Unlike Chinese, Mexican food stays with you for a while. What’s up with that?
BURRITOS OR BUST
DEAR BOB
You had me at Tex-Mex. I can live without a lot of things, but Mexican food is not one of them. Your Mexican food addiction is nacho problem. It’s a math problem. You have to realize every four or so chips equals one tortilla. So, we pretty much just sit down and eat roughly 146 tortillas before our meal even arrives!
GABBY
DEAR GABBY
I had a wonderful childhood with the best parents anyone could want. Recently, I found out my “Daddy” isn’t my biological father, and I have children of my own who love him, too. He has always known I wasn’t his child, but I did not. How are adults supposed to adjust to a rug of this magnitude being pulled out from under them?
FORMER DADDY’S GIRL
DEAR DADDY’S GIRL
Being a “Daddy” doesn’t require paperwork. A friend of mine was told something that helped her through a similar situation. “There is your biological dad, and then there is your logical dad. Your logical dad raised you with love, support, and protection. He taught you how to be a good person and how to be a good parent in turn. You are your Logical Dad’s much-loved daughter – nothing can change that.” He deserves even more love than ever!
GABBY
CONFIDENTIAL TO “WORRYWART”: The Bible tells you “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew
Your generator, like your vehicle, needs regular maintenance.
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• Ensures Reliable Operation:
Generators may sit idle for long periods & can lead to deterioration & potential malfunction.
• Prevents Unplanned Downtime:
A generator failure during a power outage can lead to significant inconveniences & even safety hazards.
• Extends Lifespan:
Like any mechanical system, generators have a finite lifespan. Regular maintenance can help extend the life saving you the cost of early replacement.
• Optimizes Efficiency:
A well-maintained generator operates more efficiently, which can lead to fuel savings and reduced environmental impact.
• Warranty Requirements: Many generator manufacturers require regular maintenance to keep the warranty valid. Neglecting maintenance could result in a voided warranty,costing you more in case of breakdown
Giggles & Grins
Cop: So, I’m writing you a ticket for driving alone in the carpool lane.
Me: You’re going to feel really stupid when you look in my trunk.
Three of my favorite things in the world are eating my dog and not using commas.
I set up a complaint box at work. Everyone thinks it was HR, but it was actually me. At the end of the week, I take it home and my wife and I read about all the petty drama that’s built up all week.
A whale swims all day, only consumes fish and water, and is fat. A rabbit only eats vegetables, runs and hops all day long, and only lives 5 years. Meanwhile a tortoise doesn’t run and does nothing energetic, yet it lives for 450 years. And you tell me to eat well and exercise! I don’t think so.
I ate salad for dinner! Mostly croutons and tomatoes. Really just one big, round crouton covered with tomato sauce. And cheese. Fine, it was pizza. I ate a pizza.
I choked on a carrot this afternoon, and all I could think was, “I bet a donut wouldn’t have done this to me.”
Chrissy Wieghat, Meghann Barnes
Avery Johnson
Madilyn Abramski Proud Pre-K graduate!
Mrs. Stepanski & Bryson Abramski Kindergarten graduation
Greyson Grandchild of Denese & Peter Rancharan
Evelyn Joyce Williams Grandchild of Randy & Joyce Parrish and Ann Williams Charlie,
Allie, & Harrison Grandchildren of
Shelly Corigliano & Danny Ferraro
Texas Talent
Story by Amy Barnett
Submitted Photos
Meet this young singer/ songwriter the Texas Radio Awards recognized as the 2024 New Male Artist of the year.
Country singer Ryder Grimes of Poetry, Texas, set some pretty straightforward goals for 2024: Write more country music. Meet new faces. Play a lot more shows. He is doing all the above – and so much more. Postcards Magazine sat down with the rising country star to talk about some big wins this year, including taking home a major industry award and earning endorsements from companies that could not wait to align with this Texas Talent.
Last fall, you took home the Texas Country Music Association’s “Emerging Artist of the Year” award; and this year, you were named “New Male Artist of the Year” at the Texas Radio Awards. How did that feel?
Winning the TCMA award felt great! That was the first award I ever won, so it was neat to bring home some hardware. Then to win another award this year – it was awesome and such an honor! I’m so thankful to be in such a great “family” that is Texas. The folks in the music scene accepted me, the newcomer, with open arms and have been so great to me. I enjoy going to those award shows and seeing all my friends. I like to call it a family reunion, because truthfully that’s what it is--a family coming together, and I love it. It was super cool to bring home that award, a blessing from the Lord above for sure! I’m grateful to do what I’m doing!
Before you were winning awards and touring, you grew up in the
On winning the 2023 TCMA Emerging Artist Award, Ryder said, “There were so many talented musicians in that category, and it was an honor to meet all of them and share the stage with them, too!”
small town of Poetry, Texas.
Poetry, Texas, is still my home. I love this little community with all my heart, and I don’t plan to leave anytime soon. Even if I do leave, I won’t be too far away.
What inspired you to pick up a guitar and pursue music while growing up?
My mom and sisters always had music playing on the radio--my mom played mid-2000s country, and my sisters listened to a mix of that and hip-hop. My dad played guitar and sang. The music he played was ‘70s‘90s country, so I was surrounded as a child by all types of music and lyrics. As I got older, my love for music only grew deeper, and that inspired me to pick up the guitar and a notepad.
When did you know you would make music your career?
I’d say things “changed” for me when I released my debut single, “Velvet Chains,” that featured one of my dearest friends and Texas Icon Deryl Dodd on harmony vocals. I truly did not expect that song to do as well as it did. Bookings started to pick up more as the song gained popularity. I started to travel with my own band as a headliner and started sharing stages with some awesome people such as Randy Rogers, Wade Bowen, Mike Ryan, Josh Ward, William Beckmann, Joe Nichols, The Bellamy Brothers, and many others. The people I have met doing this as my career have been nothing short of amazing, and it seems like every weekend I am on the road, more great friendships start.
I got my first Top 10 hit on Texas Radio (#8) with my first single ever, “Velvet Chains,” and that shocked me.
After scoring that Top 10 song, you followed it up with your first No.1 song, “In My Boots.” Tell us about that song and the inspiration behind it.
I wrote the song from a guy’s point of view who is nervous to ask a pretty girl at the bar to dance. Our main character in the song also knows that if he doesn’t “act fast,” some other guy is going to ask the girl to dance. I wrote this song solo and to this day, it is one of my absolute favorite songs to perform in our live show.
And now, your new single, “8 Seconds at a Time,” is expected to make a run to the top as well. “8 Seconds at a Time” is a song I wrote a long time ago after a night of hearing family friends tell their rodeo stories. My dad and pretty much all his friends grew up on the semi-pro and professional rodeo circuit riding bulls, bucking horses, roping and much more. So as a kid, hearing a rodeo story around my household was a regular thing. I never competed in rodeo, but my respect level for cowboys and cowgirls is very high and “my heroes have always been cowboys,” as Willie Nelson once said.
When it seemed life couldn’t get better – it did. Tell us about the sponsorships you now have.
First – Ranch Fuel energy drink. It’s some dang good stuff. From the get-go, I thought it was the coolest thing. It’s clean, it’s tasty, it’s healthy--and the best part, in my opinion, is there are no artificial colors. I’m blessed to be on their roster of incredible rodeo athletes and western creators like Stetson Wright, Zeke Thurston, Ky Hamilton, Dale Brisby, and many more. I think it’s a perfect fit for me because they keep it real, just like I wanna do.
And I’m very proud to be a new member of the R. Watson boot family and COWI Brand. Both have shown nothing but love and support, and it’s been an honor getting to work with them! You can catch me rocking a beautiful pair of R. Watson boots and a slick COWI Brand cap not just on stage,
but daily! I love to support my sponsors 24/7/365. They do so much for me, and I am very proud to have them on Team RG.
Spring and Summer are heavy touring seasons. What are some of your favorite places to play in Texas?
I love being able to play on any stage, at any venue that I can, but I’m gonna go with Gruene Hall. I love the Hill Country of Texas; it has been a meaningful place to me lately as I do a lot of my writing down there, and pretty much all my songwriting heroes came from down there. I have a massive amount of respect for that place and everyone that has played there before me. There’s just something so special about a dancehall with no AC, constructed completely out of wood, that has been open since 1878 and hasn’t changed a bit. If you’ve never been to Gruene, please go see it; it’s magical!
Favorite place to play outside Texas?
Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa, Oklahoma! Cain’s is another one of those places that has such an incredibly rich history. Western Swing music was literally popularized and developed in that building, on that stage by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys in the ‘30s and ‘40s. Pretty cool stuff, right?! I played there back in January with my pal, Oklahoma’s own Stoney LaRue. It was already at full capacity when we took the stage that night, and let me tell you –
“In my Boots” is one of those songs that just makes you want to get up and dance, and that was my initial thought going into the writing process.
1,800+ people packed closely together in a room like that is the most electrifying thing I’ve ever felt. It was a beautiful night!
How do you prepare for a show like that?
Honestly, being to myself. Usually before a show, I’ll go lock myself in the back of the bus and just relax. A lot goes on in this head of mine, so I take about 20 minutes before
“8
Seconds at a Time” is raw and talks about the pains of chasing that gold buckle dream. It hurts, but in the end when you win it, it’s the greatest feeling ever in my opinion. You can relate it to a lot of things in life, not just rodeoing.
I head into the venue to go on stage to just relax by myself and get my thoughts in order. I usually warm my voice up and sing some of my favorite old country songs. Gotta build that energy up inside of me and let it all out when I walk up that ramp to go on stage.
A final question we always like to ask…. What is always in your tour bus fridge?
Ranch Fuel, water, and Coke Zero! They get you going!
Be sure to check out a Ryder Grimes show next time he is in town – or pick a city and take a road trip. Visit www.rydergrimes.com to learn more about this up-and-coming Texas Talent. And check out his singles and album, “Ready or Not,” wherever you get your music.
Elin Hilderbrand
Jodi Picoult
By Kim Bius
Fall Gardening Begins in Summer! The Garden Post
Fall gardening in Texas begins NOW! Yes, during the hottest part of the year. Texas gardeners know fall gardening actually starts in late July/August and begins with tilling the summer garden under, then adding 1-2” of enriched topsoil, compost, and/or humus.
For the “from out-of-state newbies” to Texas gardening, this will be inconceivable, but this is what is needed to get the seed in the ground and harvest before the first frost.
To help in planning your fall garden, the following chart is from Texas A&M and will make a great “timetable” guide. As you can see, a few crops, such as pumpkins and corn, should be planted from seed in early July to harvest before first frost.
So, what is needed? A full sun area (8 hours of direct sunlight) for in ground or container gardening; good drainage and a consistent supply of water (which is 4x a week during the heat of the summer); a sandy, nutrient-rich topsoil is ideal, with soil amendments such as worm castings, humus (aged compost),
and compost (as long been aged to a minimum
A black tarp over a fresh manure (compost) pile will increase the decomposition (release the nitrogen) and the heat will aid in sterilizing weed seeds in the manure so they will not germinate in your garden.
If we wait till the weather is “nice enough” to want to garden, we miss the timeframe required. Do not be intimidated, afraid, or inhibited from trying your hand at planting your own. There is no big secret--just consistency of care and maintenance--and the benefits far outweigh the work. A garden does not have to be a big production and can be as simple as planting a few pots or adding a few tomato and pepper plants to an existing landscape bed. The size of the garden will determine how many selections can be planted, and that is where the garden pros at your favorite garden center will come in handy.
Check out this website for additional info: https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/browse/ featured-solutions/gardening-landscaping/ fall-vegetable-gardening-guide-for-texas/
Do not be afraid to ask questions; many garden centers have a fall planting workshop you can attend for free. It’s fun, and there no mistakes, just lessons learned. Once you get the hang of it, you will become smitten with the garden bug, too--and we welcome you to the club!
Happy Gardening!
ELSA MAE
loved by Holly Hunt
COLLEY
loved by Shelby McVey
What’s Cookin’
Firecracker Shrimp Roll with Crab Aioli
Ingredients
6 soft sandwich rolls
2 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce
canola oil for frying
2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pinch cayenne pepper
For the Crab Aioli:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup lump crabmeat
2 cloves garlic, finely crushed salt to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper
¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs chopped fresh tarragon
For the Soak:
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp ground chipotle pepper
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp kosher salt
For the Breading:
1 cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup cornmeal
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp kosher salt
Directions
Step 1: Combine mayonnaise, crab, garlic, salt, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and tarragon in a bowl for the crab aioli. Stir to combine and refrigerate until needed.
Step 2: Remove tails from shrimp and keep chilled until ready to use.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Step 4: Whisk buttermilk, hot sauce, chipotle pepper, cayenne, black pepper, and salt together in a bowl.
Step 5: Mix flour, cornmeal, paprika, and salt together in a shallow dish for the breading.
Step 6: Slice partway through each sandwich roll, splitting it open. Scoop out some bread from the top to make room for the filling.
Step 7: Toast rolls in the preheated oven until crisp, 7 to 10 minutes.
Step 8: Soak shrimp in the buttermilk mixture for about 5 minutes.
Step 9: Heat oil in a pan over mediumhigh heat. Spread crab aioli generously over both sides of each roll; top with sliced lettuce.
Step 10: Toss shrimp in the breading to coat; shake off any excess. Fry shrimp in the hot oil until golden brown and crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towellined plate and immediately transfer shrimp onto the rolls. Sprinkle cayenne pepper on top.
CITYOFCONROE.ORG
From the Mouths of Babes
My 8 year old in the car today: Do you want me to throw the confetti in my pocket?
Me: No, not in the car! …Why do you have confetti in your pocket?
8 year old: It’s my emergency confetti. I carry it everywhere in case there’s good news.
Coach: What were you thinking on that play?
Player: Coach, I’m 8… we don’t think.
Coach: Touché, my friend.
Yesterday morning after his soccer game, my 6 year old asked me how come the other team gets to change the color of their jerseys every week, while we always have to wear purple. When I explained that, in fact, we were playing against different teams each week, his mind was blown.
A pastor giving a children’s sermon on vestments asked, “Why do you think I wear this collar?” One kid answered, “Because it kills ticks and fleas up to 30 days?”
My son asked why he can’t just quit school.
I told him that was against the law, and they would put me in jail.
That sweet, sweet boy looked me dead in the eye and said, “I’ll visit you.”
I let my niece out of her car seat and said, “You’re free!” She responded, “No, I’m free and a half!”
The Business Focus is chosen each month by random drawing from among Postcards contract advertisers.
Story by Wes Altom
Submitted Photos
Introducing a beautiful, extremely durable, and easy-to-maintain floor coating.
When it comes to concrete coatings for your home or business, many companies will say, “We’ve got you covered.” Cassie Quinlan with Stampede Coatings says a lot more. She boldly states, “We do NOT use epoxy; our coatings won’t chip, peel, delaminate, fade, discolor, or stain! Our product is mold, mildew, and bacteria resistant; stain resistant; chemical and abrasion resistant; and slip resistant. Stampede Coatings is the best and only maintenance-free option for your concrete!”
Cassie is also quick to note their LIFETIME WARRANTY, which covers peeling, chipping, delamination, fading, yellowing, and other discoloration. There is a LIFETIME WARRANTY on the UV stability as well. Cassie proudly proclaims, “Stampede Coatings are guaranteed to last without any touch-ups, re-coating, or any maintenance other than rinsing off with a hose!”
Cassie Quinlan Design Consultant
Not all methods are equal
While there are many other concrete covering options available to the consumer, they each have their shortcomings:
Epoxy and Hybrid Epoxy (cheaper base coat) with Polyaspartic Topcoat
Common Polyurea (diluted with fillers for lower overhead cost).
Direct To Concrete Polyaspartic (cures from outside in, leading to weak bond)
Stained Concrete (requires annual “color touch-ups & re-sealing”)
Stamped Concrete (requires annual “color touch-ups & resealing”, holds water)
Natural Stone Tiles or Pavers (extremely porous, which means mold & mildew)
Man-made Tile (SLIPPERY!!)
Cool Crete (also known as cool deck, spray deck = mold, mildew, flaking, cracking)
These other options require annual pressure washing (due to stains as well as the growth of mold, mildew, and bacteria), repeat professional maintenance (such as color/stain touchup or resealing), and most CANNOT be exposed to UV Rays or they will turn yellow and/or fade over time. Many have to be completely replaced every few years because they simply do not last!
The Stampede product difference
The coating is a proprietary Polyurea Polyaspartic that chemically bonds to concrete surfaces. It is 4 times stronger than epoxy. When applied, this coating essentially grows “roots” down into the concrete to become part of the substrate. It penetrates the concrete from 1/4” to 1/2” depending on the hardness of your concrete. The coating is 99.5% solid content, meaning there is no watering down of the coating materials. Says Cassie, “The beauty of Polyurea is that it bonds permanently and is flexible. In our climate, with extreme temperature fluctuations and expansive soils, it is absolutely critical that a floor coating be able to move slightly with the surface instead of becoming brittle and delaminating from the surface.”
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The manufacturer of the product Stampede uses is Penntek Industrial Coatings, located in Rochester, MN. The product is developed exclusively for Penntek Dealers such as Stampede Coatings and is not available from retail or contractor suppliers. Of all Penntek dealers, Stampede Coatings has the most tenured relationship with the product.
A proven track record
Stampede has completed well over 6,000 installations and has never had a single warranty claim.
They are also A+ Rated by the Better Business Bureau and take pride in their customer service. “You will never have to wonder whether or not Stampede Coatings
is going to take care of you,” said Cassie.
Headquartered in College Station and Aggieowned by Mark and Kacie Adair, Stampede Coatings has been in business for 8 years. Over the last 4 years, they have grown from a single market area (with Cassie as the sole salesperson) to 4 market areas, 5 sales representatives, and 10 crews! This means that, in addition to her role in sales, Cassie has been busily training others and serving as the “go-to” source for answers and information as the company has grown. Stampede covers a 100-mile radius around College Station. They also have locations in Temple and Tyler to service their other market areas.
From start to finish, Texas Remodel Team made this remodeling experience easy. Tim Fox is personable, professional, straightforward, and great to work with. The project foreman Rich was here throughout-checking in-and was prompt and personable when returning texts. Texas Remodel Team's group of craftsmen is amazing. They are pros and it shows. Tim and staff hire the best master craftsmen. We chatted briefly with everyone who was in and out of our home, and again, personable and so professional.
Stampede Coatings was honored to be named to the Aggie 100 in both 2022 and 2023 (Aggie 100 is designed to honor the 100 fastest growing Aggie-owned or Aggieled businesses in the world.)
Types of spaces
Since it definitely sounds like this is a business that is “going places,” let’s highlight some of the places and spaces where Stampede Coatings are used: PORCHES
CARPORTS
SHOPS
BARNS
WALKWAYS
WAREHOUSES
POOL DECKS
ATHLETIC FACILITIES
BOARDING KENNELS
COMMERCIAL KITCHENS
COMMERCIAL BATHROOMS
FAN CAVES
CRAFT ROOMS
Healthcare facilities, vet clinics, and schools love Stampede Coatings because of the ease of cleaning and germ and bacteria resistance factors – things Casie points out that help inspire confidence in potential customers.
Free onsite inspection and quote
While some companies limit their sales approach to providing quotes over the phone, Cassie notes Stampede’s commitment to detail and service, “I will actually come out to visibly inspect the concrete, test the
hardness level, moisture content, answer questions, and discuss color and texture options with you. I am here to help my clients find a solution that will best suit their needs.”
Stampede Coatings also has a new referral program. Anyone (prior purchaser or not) who recommends another customer that completes a purchase receives a $150 check. In order to qualify, referrals must contact Cassie directly for a free quote (with the purchaser stating who referred them), not through the Stampede office.
About Cassie
When she was a little girl, Cassie’s family moved to Conroe from Refugio, Texas. She lived in the Conroe - Lake Conroe area for most of her life, raising four sons in Montgomery. She moved to the BryanCollege Station area in 2017. Cassie enjoys meeting new people, gardening, cooking, being outdoors in general, learning about architecture, making memories with her grandbabies and spending time with family.
One important fact is that before Cassie began working for Stampede Coatings, she was a customer:
Stampede Coatings installed my garage floor coating, and it made a huge difference in the overall appearance, keeps the moisture out of the garage, and keeps the entryway into the house from the garage so much cleaner! I have spilled motor oil, 2-cycle premix, gasoline, diesel, and many other chemicals and products -- only to find that they clean up easily without staining. I can honestly say, with ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY, that the quality of the product, workmanship, level of respect shown by everyone at Stampede Coatings is second to NONE!
Cassie invites you to contact her to learn more about the Stampede Coatings difference and how to improve your property.
Cassie Quinlan Design Consultant
CALENDAR
Huntsville
21st Annual Shot in the Dark Night Golf Tournament huntsvillewalkerchamber.com Sugar
Barry Manilow smartfinancialcentre.net
Brenham
Peter, Paul & Mary Tribute Concert thebarnhillcenter.com
Houston Santana and Counting Crows toyotacenter.com
Jefferson Texas UFO Con facebook.com/texasufocon
Deep Purple woodlandscenter.org
Stone Temple Pilots and +LIVE+ woodlandscenter.org
Montgomery County Leadership Summit LMCLeadershipSummit.org
Sammy Hagar woodlandscenter.org
mlb.com/astros/tickets/concerts
Mustard Seed Moments
by Wes Altom
A Leopard Doesn’t Change its Spots
Most modern-day sources recognize this as a “proverb,” but only a few attribute the saying to scripture.
Can an Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.
– Jeremiah 13:23
I’ve heard this saying all my life…and found it quite troubling. It’s not bothersome at all if you always apply it to judging others. But…if you’re self-contemplating, it can make your situation seem quite hopeless.
Only when you come to look beyond yourself can you recognize that, while we cannot change our spots, He can.
Yet now he hath reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unspotted, and blameless before him.
– Colossians 1:22
It’s not about the spots…or even the leopard. It’s about the spot-remover.
Accepting entries for the 15th Annual Photo Contest
Deadline to enter Oct. 30, 2024
Rules & entry form: samhoustonmemorialmuseum.com/events/
samhoustonmemorialmuseum.com
ILegal Corner: LADY BIRD DEED VS TRANSFER ON DEATH DEED
By: James M. Bright, Attorney at Law
The following is for informational purposes. It should not be construed as legal advice.
n my practice, I’m often asked, “how can I pass title to real property when I die without going through probate?” There are two popular accepted ways of accomplishing that goal. Those ways are through a common law approach called a “Lady Bird Deed,” hereinafter called “LBD” and a statutory approach called a “Transfer On Death Deed,” hereinafter called ”TOD.” A few of the similarities and differences in those approaches are made subject of this discussion.
For sake of clarity, for purposes of this discussion, the person who currently owns the real property and wishes to pass it through one of the above approaches shall be referred to as the “grantor.” The person receiving the property shall be called the “grantee.”
SIMILARITIES
With both of these approaches, title to the real property is passed to the grantee, but the grantor retains a life estate in the property. This means that grantor will continue to have exclusive possession of the property until his/her death, but grantee will have possession after grantor’s death.
* Grantor shall be entitled to cancel the LBD or TOD at any time during his/her lifetime
* At the present time, Medicaid claims (MERP) in Texas can be avoided. MERP considers probate assets only, and because title to the real property would no longer be a probate asset, it will, unless the laws change, be protected.
* No homestead tax breaks are lost by the grantor.
PRIMARY DIFFERENCES
* TODs can name contingent (alternate) beneficiaries if the primary grantee predeceases the grantor, while a LBD is restricted to only one grantee.
* Title companies may be reluctant to issue title policies on a sale within 2 years with a TOD because the sale may be subject to a 2 year “claw back” power for payment of debts. This period of time could be shortened by a probate action, but because avoiding probate may be the reason for the TOD, it could be self-defeating.
* A power of attorney may be used to create, modify or renounce a LBD, but not a TOD. If this power is used, the power of attorney should be crafted with great care, and the power to sign LBDs should be clearly spelled out.
* A TOD must be filed in the real property records before the death of the grantor. In the case of a LBD, the deed can be filed after the death of the grantor.
* LBDs can offer a general or special warranty title to the property while TODs cannot.
LBDs and TODs are just two of the tools that can be used to avoid probate and to have your property pass in accordance with your wishes after your death.
You are encouraged to speak with an attorney of your choosing who has demonstrated expertise in estate planning and probate law to find the best way to settle property issues and to protect your loved ones after your death.
FLAT FEES FLAT FEES
