Willowlake - August 2012 by Peel, Inc.

Willowlake

www.willowlake.siteblast.com

August 2012

Volume 9, Issue 8

The Official Publication of the Willowlake Homeowners Association

Ice Cream Social A Cool Event

On Sunday, June 10, 2012 the social committee held a fun filled ice cream social at the gazebo for our Willowlake residents. It was a great way to cool off from the hot, humid weather, to socialize with friends and to meet new ones. Residents, including board members David Bannen and Daniel Flores, enjoyed a variety of ice cream bars, cold drinks and bags of popcorn. We appreciate the support of Deputy Bruce and Deputy Nichols of the Sheriff ’s Department who attended the event and answered security questions from our residents. A big, big thank you to James Deitiker, our Social Committee Chairperson, for his time and efforts in putting this event together. Hope y’all had a good time! Watch for other social events planned for later this year, and we hope to see you there. By Linda O’Pry, Newsletter Editor Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc.

TEXAS ANNUAL TAX-FREE HOLIDAY

AUGUST 17, 18, & 19

Texas shoppers get a break from state and local taxes on August 17, 18 & 19 - the state’s annual tax-free holiday. Lay-away plans can be used again this year at some stores to take advantage of the sales tax holiday. The law exempts most clothing and footwear priced under $100 from sales and use taxes, which could save shoppers about $8 on every $100 they spend. Backpacks under $100 and used by elementary and secondary students are also exempt. The exemption does not include items that are reasonably defined as luggage, briefcases, athletic/ duffle/gym bags, computer bags, purses or framed backpacks. A detailed list of exempt and non-exempt items can be found at www.window.state.tx.us/ taxinfo/taxpubs/tx98.

Mark Your Calendar Aug. 16

Board Meeting

Aug. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

Waste/Recycle Pickup

Aug. 17, 18, 19 Tax-Free Weekend Aug. 27

Cy-Fair Schools Begin

Sept. 3

Labor Day Willowlake Watch - August 2012

IMPORTANT NUMBERS Willowlake All Emergencies................................................................911 Bratton Pools................................................... 281-988-7700 Cypress-Fairbanks Hospital............................. 281-897-3300 Harris County Sheriff...................................... 713-221-6000 Department of Public Safety........................... 281-890-5440 Fire Department (non-emergency).................. 713-466-6161 Center Point Energy - Power Outages Only.... 713-207-2222 Center Point Energy - Gas............................... 713-659-2111 Harris County Animal Control....................... 281-999-3191 Memorial City Hospital.................................. 713-932-3000 MUD #11....................................................... 281-807-9500 Poison Control Center.................................... 800-222-1222 Willowplace Post Office................................. 281-890-2392 Harris County Road & Bridge........................ 281-353-8424 VF Waste Services, Inc.................................... 713-787-9790 Harris Co. Public Health & Environ. Svcs...... 713-920-2831 District 5 Vacation Watch............................... 281-290-2100

2012 COMMITTEES

Architectural Control Chairman Mark Lackey................................... melackey@comcast.net Social Events Chairman James Deitiker.................................deitiker@sbcglobal.net Newsletter Editor Linda O’Pry.............................mermaid400@sbcglobal.net Yard of the Month.......................................................OPEN Neighborhood Watch Chairman Dave Bannen........................................... dbannen@att.net Gazebo Rental Randall Management.713-728-1126 Pool Chairman Lynn Piwonski................................LMP4040@yahoo.com Park Chairman Diego Lamacchia........................dlamacchia@hotmail.com

MANAGEMENT INFO Randall Management, Inc. Team....................... 713-728-1126 Manager Jane Godwin..........jgodwin@randallmanagement.com, ext. 11 Asst. Manager Miguel Trevino..... mtrevino@randallmanagement.com, ext. 15 Deed Restrictions Lucy Sandoval.............deed@randallmanagement.com, ext. 18 Collections Jennifer Phillips.. collections@randallmanagement.com, ext. 22 Answering Service After business hours for common area emergencies............................... (713) 850-4729 For information on your homeowner’s assessments, deed restriction violations or questions in general please contact: Randall Management, Inc. 6200 Savoy, Suite 420, Houston, TX 77036 Phone: 713-728-1126 Fax: 713-728-5015 www.rqsmith@randallmanagement.com

NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE

BOARD OF DIRECTORS President - Debi Bon.............................. debibon@sbcglobal.net Vice President - Nancy Kapell.............. nancykapell@yahoo.com Treasurer - Stacey Ward...........................w.stacey@sbcglobal.net Secretary - Daniel Flores.......................dsflores10@sbcglobal.net Director - David Bannen..................................dbannen@att.net

NEWSLETTER INFO Newsletter Publisher Peel, Inc.......................................................... 888-687-6444 Sales Office..........advertising@PEELinc.com, 888-687-6444 2

Willowlake Watch - August 2012

First Place Mother’s Day Out A ministry of the

Houston First Church of the Nazarene now enrolling for 2012-2013 (begins Sept. 4)

Tuesdays & Thursdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for ages 3 months to 5 years Open House: August 31, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

10001 W. Sam Houston Pkwy N

281.897.0300

SCHOOL BUS SAFETY

Willowlake

Cy-Fair Schools Back in Session August 27

The Cy-Fair schools will be back in session August 27, 2012. Please be aware of children walking and biking to and from school! Of course, we want all children to be safe and school buses are relatively safe. However, accidents and injuries involving school buses do happen. More often than not these injuries happen when children are entering or exiting the bus. Here are some safety tips for school bus riders: • Have a safe place to wait for the bus, away from traffic and the street. • Stay away from the bus until it comes to a complete stop and the driver signals you to enter. • Hold onto the handrails when entering or exiting the bus. • Once on the bus, take your seat and remain seated face forward. • Talk quietly so that you don’t distract the driver. • Never throw things on the bus and keep your hands to yourself. • When you exit the bus, take ten giant steps away from the bus. When you are closer than 10 feet from the bus, the driver might not see you. This is known as the DANGER ZONE.

•

If you forget something on the bus, do not return to the bus. The driver might not see you. • Be aware of the street traffic around you. • If you need to cross the street, cross in front of the bus, never behind the bus. Motorists should follow safety rules around school buses. Yellow flashing lights indicate that the bus is preparing to stop. Motorists should slow down and be prepared to stop. Red flashing lights indicate that the bus has stopped and that children are getting on or off. Motorists must stop their cars and wait until the red flashing lights are turned off. Here are a few more safety tips for motorists: • When backing out of a driveway or garage, watch out for children. • When driving through neighborhoods and especially in school zones, watch out for children. Children don’t always pay attention to traffic and don’t always know that motorists have trouble seeing them. • Slow down. Watch out for children walking or playing in the street. • Be alert and ready to stop. Children sometimes dart into the street.

Bashans Painting & Home Repair Commercial/Residential Free Estimates

281-347-6702

(yes.)

281-731-3383cell • Interior & Exterior Painting • Garage Floor Epoxy

Your newsletter is provided 100% free of charge to your hoa... and is made possible by the advertisers within. Please frequent their businesses and let them know where you saw their advertisement. While there, be sure to say “Thanks!” www.PEELinc.com

• Hardi Plank Installation

• Custom Staining

• Wood Replacement

• Roofing

• Sheetrock Repair

• Gutter Repair/Replacement

• Interior Carpentry

• Faux Painting

• Cabinet Painting

• Door Refinishing

• Wallpaper Removal and Texturizing

• Window Installation

• Pressure Washing

• Ceiling Fan/Light Fixtures

• Fence Repair/Replacement

• Trash Removal

Willowlake Watch - August 2012

Willowlake

HEALTH BRIEFS

HOUSTON - TRAMPOLINES PUT KIDS AT RISK FOR SERIOUS INJURIES

May 2012

“About 100,000 children between 5 and 10 years old are injured annually on trampolines,” said Dr. William Phillips, professor of orthopedics and pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and chief of pediatric orthopedics and scoliosis at Texas Children’s Hospital. “Younger children and teens are also at risk.” Common causes of injury on trampolines can be from colliding with another person, landing improperly, falling or jumping off the trampoline and falling on the trampoline springs or frame. Younger children are at greater risk for fractures, while older children often suffer sprains and strains. “Kids don’t have to fall off a trampoline to get hurt, so using a net around a trampoline does not mean they are safe,” explains Phillips. “I’ve seen many children break bones landing on the trampoline itself.” LOSE WEIGHT TO SLEEP BETTER HOUSTON - Expanding waistlines are causing many Americans to lose sleep. Chronic obstructive sleep apnea, not visions of doughnuts, is keeping us awake. Obesity in the upper body, especially in the neck, can narrow the airways leading to the lungs, resulting in heavy snoring, pauses in breathing and frequent interruptions of sleep. “Most of our overweight patients say they snore excessively and don’t sleep well,” said Dr. Peter Jones, an associate professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and medical director of weight management at Methodist Wellness Services at Methodist Healthcare Systems. Patients in Methodist’s weight management programs need to lose 50 or more pounds. After losing weight, many report that their sleep improves. “Losing weight can be an important part of treatment for patients who have sleep apnea,” said Dr. Max Hirshkowitz, associate professor of psychiatry and director of the Baylor Sleep Disorders Center at the Houston Veterans Affairs Medical Center. “Even a 10 percent weight loss can reduce the number of times most patients stop breathing during the night.” THERAPY IS ‘NO SWEAT’ FOR EXCESSIVE PERSPIRERS HOUSTON - A little-known procedure at Baylor College of Medicine provides an alternative antiperspirant for those who sweat uncontrollably. Iontophoresis involves passing a mild electrical current through tap water to shut off the sweat glands temporarily. The hands and feet are soaked in a basin of water for 40 minutes in the comfort of the patient’s home. “The technology has been around since the 1950s, but it never gained widespread fame, in part because most doctors don’t know it is an option,” said Dr. Ramsey Markus, an assistant professor of dermatology at BCM. “It is a very safe and effective way to decrease sweating, especially in the hands and feet.” Markus said he prefers Iontophoresis for his patients with sweating in the hands and feet because it is less expensive and less painful than Botox injections, and it can be done regularly as needed in the home. Most 4

Willowlake Watch - August 2012

patients only require the therapy twice a month to keep the sweat glands from producing excessive sweat. MANAGING FOOD ALLERGIES HOUSTON - Food packages often come with the caution, “Warning: may contain peanuts,” and for good reason. It’s estimated that more than 1 million Americans suffer from peanut allergies and their reaction if exposed can be life-threatening. Other common food allergies are to cow’s milk, tree nuts, fish and shell fish, egg and even some fruits and veggies, said Dr. Celine Hanson, professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and chief of the allergy/ immunology clinic at Texas Children’s Hospital. Symptoms of food allergies can range from mild to severe and can affect various parts of the body, including the digestive system, the respiratory system and the skin. Hanson offers several ways that patients can manage their food allergies. The best tactic is to avoid foods that cause allergies altogether, Hanson said. But in addition, medications such as antihistamines and corticosteroids are available to help manage symptoms. Patients who suffer severe reactions, should keep a device such as an EpiPenR on hand so that they can administer an epinephrine shot. Allergy sufferers should wear a medical bracelet or necklace with information about their allergy, and schools, caregivers and even the parents of children’s friends should be notified of food allergies. At no time will any source be allowed to use the Willowlake contents, or loan said contents, to others in anyway, shape or form, nor in any media, website, print, film, e-mail, electrostatic copy, fax, or etc. for the purpose of solicitation, commercial use, or any use for profit, political campaigns, or other self amplification, under penalty of law without written or expressed permission from the Willowlake Homeowners Association and Peel, Inc. The information in the Willowlake Watch is exclusively for the private use of Willowlake residents only. DISCLAIMER: Articles and ads in this newsletter express the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Peel, Inc. or its employees. Peel, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of any facts stated in articles submitted by others. The publisher also assumes no responsibility for the advertising content with this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser. * The publisher assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of such advertising. * Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/correction. * Under no circumstances shall the publisher be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above. Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc.

DROWNING IS PREVENTABLE

Willowlake

WATER SAFETY TIPS AT

WWW.COLINSHOPE.ORG

PLEDGE

Take the Colin’s Hope Water Guardian Pledge I WILL constantly watch children around water. I WILL NOT become distracted. I WILL maintain a valid CPR certification. I WILL be on duty until relieved by an adult.

R GUARDIA ATE N W

LAYERS OF PROTECTION

CONSTANT VISUAL SUPERVISION

LEARN TO SWIM

KEEP BACKYARDS & BATHROOMS SAFE

LEARN CPR

WEAR LIFE JACKETS

MULTIPLE BARRIERS ON ALL POOLS & HOTTUBS

VISIT US CHECK POOLS/HOTTUBS 1ST FOR MISSING CHILDREN ONLINE Willowlake Watch - August 2012

Willowlake

Kids’ Corner

The parents of an 8-year-old boy who was away at camp for the first time had not heard from him. So they finally telephoned their son and were both relieved-but also disappointed to discover that he hadn’t missed them at all. “Have any of the other kids gotten homesick?” inquired the mother. The boy replied, “Only the kids who have dogs.”

What NOT to Say to Your Wife

Halfway through a romantic dinner, my husband smiled and said, “You look so beautiful under these lights.” I was falling in love all over again when he added, “We gotta get some of these lights.”

Willowlake Watch - August 2012

Questions & Answers By Marilyn vos Savant

SUNSCREEN EFFECTIVENESS

QUESTION: Sunscreen manufacturers recommend that their products be applied 15 to 30 minutes before exposure to sunlight. If you first apply a sunscreen when you’re already in the sunshine, how is its effectiveness altered? ANSWER: The effectiveness is delayed at least 15 minutes while the product dries. This can be significant exposure depending on the time of day and the fairness of one’s skin. And if you do this repeatedly-say, over the course of a weeklong vacation-you’ll build up a low level of UV radiation damage without even noticing it. There’s no such thing as a safe suntan, including “base” tans intended to delay burning. If one’s natural skin color has changed after UV exposure, the skin has been damaged.

PET TIP QUESTION: Fans help cool people by promoting evaporation of perspiration, but dogs don’t perspire. So, do fans help cool dogs? ANSWER: Because dogs have sweat glands only on their noses and the pads of their paws, fans provide little cooling, if any. But if you wet the dog first, a fan is beneficial. Just remember that as soon as your pet dries off, you’ve got to wet him again!

Willowlake

Kim’s Cooking Corner Strawberry Shortcake Growing up, mom used to make strawberry shortcake as a treat for dessert. I believe firmly that the very best shortcake has a biscuit-y texture and not a sponge cake one. Since strawberries are back in season, I couldn’t resist sharing this very favorite recipe! TOPPING: • 3 quarts fresh • ½ C sugar strawberries, cleaned, • Whipping cream stems removed & sliced • Vanilla BISCUIT: • 2 1/3 cups Bisquick • 1/2 cup milk baking mix • 3 Tbsp sugar • 3 Tbsp butter, melted Heat oven to 425°F. Stir baking mix, melted butter, milk, and 3 Tbsp of sugar in a mixing bowl until soft dough forms. Drop 6 big spoonfuls on to a greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 6 biscuits.

DIRECTIONS: Put the strawberries into a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of sugar (depending on how sweet the strawberries are to begin with) and mix into the strawberries. Set aside at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes. After the strawberries have been sitting for 20 minutes or so, take a potato masher and mash them just a teeny little bit. Not too much, just enough to get more juice out of them. Whip the cream, adding a drop or two of vanilla and a teaspoon of sugar. To serve, break up one biscuit per person into big pieces into a bowl or cut them open. Ladle strawberries over the biscuit. Add a dollop of whipped cream. In the dog days of summer, we have also topped these with Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream instead of whipped cream.

Willowlake Watch - August 2012

Willowlake

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

PEEL, INC.

Professional Group

Willowlake

832-478-1205

I am very pleased with the David Flory Team. They kept me updated and were always courteous. I purchased this house through David Flory in September of 1986 and now he has sold it for me in September of 2009, 23 years later. The first contract came in the day I listed and within a few days I had three contracts. Thanks to David and his team! - Helen Nicholson Each Office Independently Owned and Operated

#1 Realtor in Willowlake*

David Flory

#2 Realtor in Houston & Texas** #7 Realtor in United States**

281-477-0345

Selling Over 500 Homes A Year

Direct line:

www.SuperDave.com 8

Willowlake Watch - August 2012

*According to information taken from the HAR MLS Computer **Realtor Teams per Remax 9/2008, 3/2009