Usually Fridays at the West zone neighborsgo office are, for the most part, laid back and have a different feel than other days of the week.

Last Friday, however, was much different than any other I’ve experienced as Cub Scout Pack 857 of Denton Creek Elementary took the office over. Eleven Scouts ages 6- to 7-years-old visited our office as part of their first-year requirements of visiting a newspaper office.

I had a major airhead moment today. Major.

Around this past Friday or Saturday, my “Service Engine Soon” light came on in my Chrysler Sebring—or S.S. Sebring as I call her. Panic came over me when the orange lights glared back at me from my dash.

I put it off for a couple of days because most everyone I asked said “oh, it’s probably nothing” in an overly-relaxed tone. Since I knew I was about to head to Oklahoma City for the holidays, I was not relaxed much less overly relaxed.

When I told my mom, she didn’t have a relaxed tone at all. It was more of persistence to get my car checked. Well, I put this off until today since this week was a busy week. I had several meetings to go to causing me to utilize my usually reliable S.S. Sebring. So, throughout the week, I drove from the Garland office to downtown and vice versa, and also to Plano—all these voyages were overcast by the glaring orange lights. I even got gas, ran other errands and bought more Christmas presents.

Today was the day I told myself. I got to work and told Courtney Flatt my car woes and we headed to a nearby car shop. The guys at the shop were happy to assess my problem, while I was hoping it wouldn’t be too expensive. Courtney and I watched the employees at the car shop drive my car into the garage and check the ‘ol S.S. out.

Surprisingly, one of the guys drove my car around to the front of the building just a few minutes later. He hopped out and came inside with a smile on his face, so I was like “oh great…” He said, “you’re good to go” and handed me the keys. Confused, I said, “well—what’s wrong with it?”

His response and diagnosis still makes me a little embarrassed, but I know Courtney and I got a huge kick out of the whole ordeal.

“You didn’t put your gas cap on all the way.”

Pennsylvania Dreadhead Christie Morgan says she is “still catching my breath after spending [last week] in Garland and Rockwall.”
Christie was in town for Head Dreadhead Jason Castro’s “An American Christmas” concert with Patti LaBelle on Dec. 6. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend but Christie’s detailed account of the evening makes me feel like I was among the large crowd gathered at the Garland Special Events Center.

You probably have heard the news—Rockwall’s favorite American Idol Jason Castro will be performing a holiday concert with the legendary Patti LaBelle at the GarlandSpecialEventsCenter Saturday evening.

For Jason, this is a pretty big deal. It’s one of his first gigs following his stint on Idol. His first show took place in my stomping grounds—Oklahoma—on Nov. 29.

Since I moved to Valley Ranch last year, I’ve driven past Ranchview High School tons of times but never actually went inside.

That changed last week when neighborsgo contributor Cindy O’Steen, campus receptionist at Ranchview, invited me to the school’s production of Into the Woods, Junior.

Then I realized what made last weekend different—it was the Dallas Cowboys bye week.

To celebrate Veteran’s Day, I attended a ceremony honoring veterans at Coppell Middle School West.
Principal Rhonda Carr welcomed those in attendance that included an audience chock full of students, faculty, visitors and veterans. Carr called the gathering one “to offer love.”

I do!

I recently went to Oklahoma City to visit my baby cuz, Avery. She lives in Arizona with my aunt and uncle, Kappi and Matt, so we don’t get to see her a lot. 

It's OK though, because when we do hang out with the diva toddler—she wears my sisters and I OUT!

Fun times were had by all! (She especially enjoys BUBBLES!)

(Note: I also have four other amazing cousins…they’re just a bit older than Avery! But like her, they also enjoy bubbles…)