Donna Harris, REALTOR® & ASP - Hill Country Austin Lakeway Homes

There have been many babies born around the Rain recently. I was wondering how many people are utilizing or will be utilizing Baby Sign Language?

I plan on taking the course. In the Dallas area, there is a course on March 13 at Presby Plano from 6:30-8:30pm that I am signed up for. There is also a course in May at Presby Dallas if you were going to wait a little longer. I wanted to learn as soon as possible so I can start showing my mom and help get my husband in the routine of using the signs, so I'm not waiting until the recommended age of 5 months. I don't think it matters when the parents learn it, it's about when the babies will start understanding it.

So, what other parents used Baby Sign Language and did it help you and your baby communicate that much better?

Here is the site to register for the class for the Dallas area, and I'm sure there are other places that offer the class, but one of my clients recommended this class.

Did you read my previous blog about how unhappy I was about the new HOV lanes that have opened on 75 Central Expressway through Richardson TX?

Even though I'm very unhappy with the way they did the lanes, others will need to know how to access the lanes. You would think that you could just drive and be in the left lane and wait for the openings, as this is how it is on all of our other highways and freeways. However, you would be wrong!!

For the main entrances into the HOV lane, you must actually exit off 75 Central Expressway and follow the signs. Huh? Does this even make sense? Sounds silly to me. Oh, and don't forget that there's even a different route during rush hour traffic in the mornings and evenings. RIDICULOUS!!

Anyway, here's a link to the graphics that will better explain what I'm talking about. Anyone from the area think these HOV lanes make sense?

The main North and South Highway through North Dallas, Central Expressway (Highway 75), finally opened the well anticipated HOV lanes (High Occupancy Vehicles). The lanes go for 14 miles from Highway 635 north through Allen and into McKinney.

You would think the HOV lanes would be a good thing. On the surface, they're fabulous. However, Donna not happy!! When Donna not happy, everyone will hear about it!! Plus, no one in Richardson should be happy because we got the short end of the HOV stick!

Here is part of what I wrote to my HOA president:

"I was wondering if you knew who we would contact at the city of Richardson about the new HOV lanes on 75. This is ridiculous that there is no place in Richardson where it allows us, their own residents, to get in and/or out of the HOV lanes. Since there is no way on while going south, we can't even take advantage of the new HOV lanes going up the high-five to 635. Going up north, we can't get in the HOV lane because there is no way out of it until Parker in Plano. I thinks it's very ridiculous as we all sat through the pains of the construction for all those months and we can't even utilize the improvement, and that's a bad word because it doesn't improve anything for me or anyone else in Richardson."

I actually did get a response back from my HOA president in which he forwarded me the response from the city manager:

"We have had a few other inquiries on this, so we will be posting an explanation on the City's website. It is not there yet, so I am trying to get the timing. I'll get back to you soon with a date. Directing Donna and your residents to the website explanation is probably the best first step.

As you may recall from our Council briefings on this, we did not like the lack of an opening in Richardson, but TXDOT insisted that they start the HOV in the current configuration. They have agreed to revisit our request for access after the current configuration has been open for a few months. What it should do, even in the current configuration, is reduce the congestion on the main lanes. This is not ideal, but it is in place and will hopefully have a positive impact for Richardson travelers as well as regional travelers. We will certainly keep working the issue."

Donna NOT happy!! We sat through all this contruction. We waited for the highly anticipated opening for months!! And now they tell us that we can't use the lanes. If you also disagree with this, please let the City Manager for Richardson TX know so we can make some changes. You can send all your concerns to Pamela Schmidt at pamela.schmidt@cor.gov

The Richardson TX Police Station has added a 4-legged addition of an 80 pound, 3 year old, German Shepherd, named Macho. The name Macho actually came from his native home in Germany.

Macho has traveled more than I have! He started his training in Germany, like I did (not training, but I was born there), and then he journeyed to Indiana. From Indiana, he trained in Allen TX for a while and now is on the Richardson TX Police Force.

Macho is even bilingual. He is spoken to in English, but his commands are given in German.

Let's here it for our newest Police Officer!

As part of the 2006 Bond money that was voted on May 13, 2006, Firestation #2 is getting a face lift. Actually, an actual facelift cost more than tearing down the old building and rebuilding something new, so that's what is going to happen.

The demolition is going to start this month and the rebuilding will being in March. It is supposed to be complete by January 2009. Many changes are taking place. It will become a co-ed facility as it currently does not have seperate sections for men and women.

It will also become a Green facility which is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). The landscaping will be not take much water to maintain and they'll also store up rain water.

The old facility was a 1 story building with only 5000 sqft. The new facility will be 2 stories and 9000 sqft.

This is a much needed update to the area!