Then my grandson opened the refrigerator and a glass jar of raspberry jam jumped out and broke on the floor. I didn’t fuss at him because I knew something else was working.

The next day I opened the pantry and an entire full bottle of Kayro syrup fell out and busted on the floor. I have no idea why I had an unopened bottle of Kayro syrup in my pantry unless I was previously planning on making a boat load of pecan pies for Christmas and got tired and bought them. I maintain that Mr. Sam makes pecan pies much better than I.

In any event I strewed sticky syrup from my pantry to my sink, right in front of the refrigerator that I had already cleaned the day before.

Clearly something was happening in my house. I put my mind to it and after several hours of rumination, I think I know what is happening.

Several years ago when my third husband and I were nearing the end of our failed marital experiment, I had started growing African violets.

My grandmother was the type that if you gave her a goldfish, you could go back the next week and she would have several aquariums. The week after that, she would be breeding many types of fish and I would be helping her.

Someone made the mistake of giving her an African violet. The next day, she had 20 and had pulled me along in her enthusiasm.

Long before marijuana “grow rooms” had become viable, I had set up my African violet “grow” room which consisted of steel shelving outfitted with fluorescent lighting. The violets had wicks in their pots and they sat on trays containing water and a fertilizer.

I have no idea why I started growing them in such numbers. At one point in time, a friend and I rented a booth at the trade fair. We laid out the violets on our table and sold NOT ONE. We became very aggressive about selling them on the second day and decided if we could get buyers to hold them in their hands, they were sold.

Huh! Still no sales. And it was hot as hell.

Finally, we realized that people probably weren’t buying because they didn’t want to wag a fragile plant around the trade fair.

Did I mention how hot it was?

The point of telling you about the African violets is that one of the more interesting things about growing them was that every morning I would walk into my utility room and find about four little violets on the floor. They would grow during the night and push those on the edge of the shelves onto the floor. My former husband at one point during our chaotic relationship claimed that I was so mean that even my African violets committed suicide rather than live with me.

When everything in my house started throwing itself on the floor last week, I remembered his long-ago  charge.

Have I been so mean in the past few weeks that items are throwing themselves on the floor rather than continuing to live with me? Has the former husband suddenly passed on and his ghost was haunting a house he’d never lived in?

I couldn’t remember any typically mean thing I had done that week. I couldn’t remember any local politician I had picked on although heavens knows some probably needed it.

No, if inanimate objects in my house were killing themselves rather than live with me, I had no idea what  meanness I may have perpetrated. Before I could deduce  the cause, the suicides quit and my house returned to its usual calm except when my grandsons were there.

But it was a nice stroll down memory lane  even if it meant reliving my final, almost fatal, marriage.

NO TYPING….Many of you have asked me how my voice to text is working out. It’s not working out at all because many of the words do not even resemble what I say. However, that may be due to my Texas accent and no amount of scrubbing will ever get rid of that.

For example, when someone calls in the middle of my writing I frequently find my telephone conversations in my column.  You’ve probably heard the adage, “if these walls could talk.” Well, sometimes my columns can talk often about things I don’t want in there.

Or sometimes when my texting goes crazy and every word in the sentence is wrong, I’ll let loose with a string  of cuss words. I try to catch them before I send it to the editor but my fear is sometimes they’re going to slip by editor Jean. That’s why I warn her every week. Maybe the program and I will eventually make friends and I’ll never  have to type again. But honestly I’ll have  to admit that getting used to the new  laptop is much harder than getting used to the speech to text program.

B.K. Carter is the owner/publisher of the Fort Bend/Southwest Star. She can be reached at beverly@fortbendstar.com. 

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Washington should be a slam dunk no matter which side of the aisle one sits on, as the oath of office is the same—swearing to uphold our Constitution.

Cutting to a Conservative’s core is about embracing freedom and, well, just pure and simple logic. The bigger a government, fiscal responsibility dissipates, intrusion runs rampant and freedom chips away at each and every one of us.

On the one hand, NY’s Liberal mayor mandated the size of one’s soda drink but then outraged with what a welfare recipient can spend his “free money” on (like no beer or lottery tickets).

Washington’s Liberals argued the confiscation of guns from law-abiding citizens while they sold guns to the Mexican cartels that murdered more than 50,000. The Liberal finds no wrongdoing in publishing registered gun owners’ names after Sandy Hook, violating their privacy, but “Don’t you dare infringe on my privacy!” the Liberal would scream if all abortions or generational welfare recipients were made public, that would then be followed up with calling us all those nasty names.

The Conservative values life equally, fighting for our unborn, youth and our elderly, while the Liberal inflicts eradication—some with no issue even with after-birth abortions—while attempting to take away our right to protect ourselves. What differentiates three months from three months and two days in the womb or a 63-year-old compared to a 70-year-old who is now “no longer worth keeping alive”?

The Liberal doesn’t acknowledge our government’s unconstitutional intrusive searches and seizures, building an invasive database on us because “there is no content,” as Dianne Feinstein told us, or prematurely gathering DNA—until it impacts one of its own with the AP being harassed.

A Conservative’s transparency is that the rules apply to us equally. We want everyone to prosper by honest, hard work while upholding the law. Redistribution—in Liberal lingo—is taking from the worker and giving it to the one who wants the free ride, destroying motivation and one’s potential. Everyone loses.

Liberalism is counterproductive to freedom and in direct opposition to Conservatism and what America’s foundation is all about. 

For comments, contact Barbara J. Carlson at Barbara@FortBendBusinessJournal.com. 

Price Range:
$13.50 – $18.95 entrees

Menu: Your usual seafood offerings. Appetizers of note are the baked oysters, seafood fondue, crawfish bisque, & shrimp empanadas. House Specialties offer catfish, tilapia, or red snapper served blackened, grilled or fried, with various toppings and combinations.

Food: The food was fresh and served hot. The baked oysters were very tasty, baked with butter, fresh spinach, garlic and parmesan. The entrees were a different story. The grilled red snapper served with white wine cream sauce had no flavor and looked more like tilapia. The grilled tuna was equally bland and still very raw in the middle.

Service: On a moderately busy night, the wait staff was slow to come around and not very attentive. The waiter had to be reminded a couple of times about requested items. Although the food was hot when it came out, it was slow to be delivered to the table.

Comments: This restaurant is removed from the hub of restaurants in the area. It is small, but busy and offers a nice variety of seafood. The menu does a good job of stimulating your taste buds for some very enticing dishes. And while the food was hot and fresh, with the exception of the baked oysters, it all had no flavor. Not even the mildest of flavor. The items were not cooked to the specifications that were asked for, and it is questionable if the type of fish ordered was what was actually served. So for those reasons, this restaurant was a big disappointment.

Overall Rating: 2 1/2 stars.

If you have a favorite recipe you would like to share, please submit to denise@fortbendstar.com for consideration.

Over 50 young men and women from Fort Bend will soon be serving the country as new recruits to the military.  These 2013 high school graduates were recently recognized at Constellation Field in a community salute event conceived by Clements High School student Bonnie Worstell.

The recognition event at Constellation Field on May 28th is just one of the ways to say “thank you” to the young men and women from Fort Bend just now entering military service.  They officially join right after they graduate from high school, which for Fort Bend ISD is this upcoming Friday and Saturday at the Toyota Center, on Thursday for those graduating from the Stafford Municipal School District.  The Spartans will be the first class of high school graduates to do it at Constellation Field. Other Fort Bend graduations taking place this week are the ones for Needville ISD and Katy ISD.  Lamar CISD recently held theirs.

Singer-songwriter and  20-year decorated active National Guardsman stationed in Austin, Darby Ledbetter performed and intensified the Americana feel with his Emmy Award winning song, “I Won’t Let My Guard Down,” closing the event with the “I’m Proud to be an American” popular, hit song.

Event promoter Cher Binks reports that the special occasion was conceived by Bonnie Worstell, a junior at Clements High School in the ROTC.  Bonnie, who was working on her Girl Scout Gold Award, is credited for establishing the first time event and could set the stage for a yearly tradition.  “It’s because they made their decision to serve our country that we are free and able to make our own decision(s),” said Bonnie about her bold and exemplary effort. Bonnie’s friends who enlisted in the military had been met with negative reactions about their choice vis a vis others including going to college.

In support of its gratitude and respect for these young brave men and women entering the military, the Skeeters provided the event space for the celebration.  It was fitting for former Marine and Channel 2’s KPRC News Anchor Bill Balleza to serve as the emcee. Balleza recently received the Service Above Self Award from the nation’s largest need-based scholarship provider to U.S. families, the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, founded 50 years ago.

Also key at the event were Capt. Gene Clark, the national organization’s Executive Director of Our Community Salutes, Col. Scott Reval, Chief of Internal Review, 75th Training Command in Beaumont, former U.S. Navy Capt./decorated Naval Aviator and State Representative Rick Miller, who’s son is serving as a Navy Commander FA-18 aviator; and keynote speaker, Congressman Pete Olson, a decorated U.S. Naval Aviator.

Capt. Clark presented three Colin Powell Awards for outstanding school official supporters of the new recruits.  The recipients, nominated by a local military recruiter, were given to Viretta West, Hightower High School Principal; Richard Janacek, Needville High School Principal; and Leslie Flattery, Registrar of Seven Lakes High School in Katy.

The Fort Bend Star salutes you!

Since it’s barbecue season, I thought I’d share my favorite family recipe for a side dish that is always requested when brisket or other meat is smoking on the grill.  This one is for you mom.

Calico Beans

1 can green lima beans,

drained

1 can red kidney beans,

drained

1 can large butter beans,

drained

1 can black beans, drained

2 med. Cans pork-n-beans,

undrained

½ lb. bacon diced

1 large onion, chunked

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ tsp. dry mustard

½ cup cider vinegar

¾ – 1 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fry bacon until light brown.  Add onion & sauté until clear.  Add garlic, dry mustard, vinegar & brown sugar.  Heat to boiling for several minutes.  Add beans and mix well.  Transfer to large greased ovenproof casserole dish. Cover & bake for 1 hour.  Let set for 1 hour after baking to absorb liquid.

I am sick and tired of democrats using the phrase “investment” when all they are talking about is spending OUR money. Government doesn’t invest one red cent. This goes beyond the pale of political correctness. There is nothing correct about it.

Of course I’m sick of any politician that uses that phrase instead of spending. You noticed I said democrat, but some republicans use it too. Maybe republicans only use the phrase ‘spending taxpayer’s money’ when the congress is controlled by democrats.

You see, words mean things and when they say they are investing, that is just an out and out lie. They are just basically being dishonest, that is all. You and I invest. Government never invests. They spend and waste and increase the largesse of bureaucracies that waste more of our hard earned money, year after year, after year. And I do mean hard earned.

We work very hard for our salary and income and then we use some of that money to invest. We invest in stocks and bonds and real estate and mutual funds and 401Ks and our own small businesses and when we do, if we are so inclined, we sell that investment for a profit that we then take and invest in something else.

The government buys real estate in the form of commercial buildings and then, when they want to move out to a better building, they leave that building vacant, which in many instances could be sold for a profit. The Washington Times reports that over 55,000 vacant federal buildings and offices have cost taxpayers $8 billion to date. Not per year, but to date. So, the big fat bloated federal government is just cranking out our money paying for empty buildings and offices.

We don’t take money away from people like the government does and then call that money “invested” because I’m sending my kid to college with it. When you pay your kids college tuition do you say every semester, ‘here is that investment money’? No, you say I want to pay this TUITION BILL so my kid can get an education and hopefully make a better life for him or herself.

You notice that you never hear a local politician use that stupid phrase. Even school board members and superintendents don’t say ‘we need to invest more’ in our public schools. Mayors and city council members don’t say we need to invest in these streets or that water treatment plant. I think they know they are SPENDING our money and not investing our money.

Any politician that says investment when what they are really doing is spending our money is just lying to you because they don’t want to admit they are spending OUR money? What kind of person does this? Is this a person with integrity, honesty or leadership? No. I think not. They are charlatans that want nothing more than admiration and power.

Oh yeah, I’m also sick and tired of these career politicians dying in office. Mostly senators. Why do these usually democrat states continually reelect these old farts that are usually good for nothing.

This column expresses the personal opinions of Michael Fredrickson. If you would like to post your opinion online regarding this column, go to “columns” on our website. Register to post your comment on any column or article or write a SIGNED letter to the editor. Names can be withheld by request with a valid day time phone number. Email comments to Michael@FortBendStar.com.

The always prepared and articulate Judge Hebert told us that “we’re on top of our game,” as the County will meet its deadlines. The speakers provided us with a wealth of information, and the educational history of Houston’s three loops was exceptional.

As I suspected and questioned my deep concern, delays are anticipated with this administration’s invasive EPA regulations, potentially slowing down our county’s thriving growth and prosperity. Fort Bend has six of the top 10 developments with the highest national home sales, but will be experiencing a shortage of inventory.

If you haven’t read last week’s column in full on The Star’s website, I urge you to do so. We are in the crosshairs of the Obamacare train wreck and what I believe will be our historically most damaging and costliest fiscal fraud with government’s redistribution of Medicare’s “pot of gold” into Medicaid’s smaller pot, intent on creating further govt dependency while rationing will, indeed, begin. The Age 70 rationing marker is only the beginning. Living Wills will be ignored, and every estate planning attorney should be suing.

We need Conservative bulldogs that refuse to accept Washington’s “Go Along and Get Along” apathetic representation. We need to focus if we are going to save our Constitution and our forefathers’ brilliant vision for prosperity and freedom for the greatest nation. Our forefathers fought bitterly, some atheists and others from varying religious beliefs, but they were united in what was best for our nation.

It is long overdue to start hammering against this lawless, supercilious administration. This tyrannical exercise of power, singling out Conservative and religious organizations and revealing donors’ names, what they believe and what they do are illegal. Exempting specific groups—and politicians—from Obamacare is unconstitutional. This makes Watergate look like a kindergarten playground scuttle!

The Establishment is already pushing Christie as a potential 2016 front runner? We really want another flip-flopping McCain repeat?

Defund, squelch amnesty, fix your spending addiction and prosecute! Isn’t it time to listen to the public outcry?

How iconic as I joked last week, “Which useless politician are you talking about?”

For comments, contact Barbara J. Carlson at Barbara@FortBendBusinessJournal.com. 

I have definitive proof that Sugar Land has too many cops as I was stopped on my way home from the grocery store  Thursday night. I couldn’t believe I was pulled over as I was going under the speed limit. When I asked the nice policeman why he was stopping me, he said I was weaving within my own lane. Since I was driving a full-size Tahoe and had only a few inches on either side of my vehicle to fit in the lane I said, “I was not!”

The nice policeman said as he noticed my oxygen tubes in my nose that the streets were slick and he was wanting to make sure that I was okay. When he said that streets were slick, I said, “No they’re not!” I later checked and Sugar Land had zero precipitation that night, except maybe for all the sprinkler systems that continue to water the streets even when we, the hoi polloi, are under voluntary or mandatory rationing.

Then the nice policeman wanted to see my drivers’  license which I couldn’t get out of my billfold because of the hand neuropathy that I told you about before. He had to extract the drivers’ license from my wallet himself.

About that time another Sugar Land policeman arrived at the scene. “Did you have to call for backup?” I said, as my groceries lay melting in my back seat. He grinned sheepishly as he went back to his  police unit to check to see if I had any priors or outstanding warrants. When he returned my drivers’  license I reiterated to them that Sugar Land cops don’t have enough to do to be stopping 72-year-old ladies out buying groceries at a time when she knows there will be an electric cart available instead of being checked out to all the fat people.

I did have on a turban to hide my new hairdo. This turban may have been mistaken for a “doo rag.” And I had on top of the turban a hot pink “pimp” hat. Later I was telling a friend that I thought I had been profiled for my pink hat.  Seven-year-old grandson Jack was sitting in the back seat and heard this whole story. Later he told his mother that “BeBe” had been stopped by the Sugar Land police and they had to call for backup. He thought it was a hoot that the Sugar Land police are afraid of his BeBe.

But let this story serve as  a warning to you. Don’t go to Kroger’s on Highway 6 at night wearing a hot pink hat.

Old friends…..By the way, while there I ran into Jim Stokes who briefly served as Republican County Chairman.  He was at Kroger’s because Randall’s  across the street had made him mad over a $1.38 quart of milk.

I was not surprised as I have had experience with Jim’s frugality before. At one point,  even though candidate filing fees are used by the party to pay for their primaries, he tried to avoid paying his filing fees by collecting signatures. At the last moment he discovered he didn’t have enough signatures in order for his name to be on the ballot. Served him right, although he is a likable chap.

In a previous column I said I was not going to write my column any more because I didn’t feel like going to parties and galas and collecting dirt–put in a nicer way–gossip. But I have discovered that no matter where I go even if it’s to Kroger’s for groceries late at night, I’m going to run into something or somebody that gives me fodder for a column. Ain’t life grand!!

B.K. Carter is the owner/publisher of the Fort Bend/Southwest Star. She can be reached at beverly@fortbendstar.com. 

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Local Boys Scout troops led the flag observance at the 150 acre park, a first phase of what will be a 420 acre amenity, which serves as a testament to those who have stood bravely on the front lines of freedom.  From Congressman Pete Olson’s office, on this day he asked for remembrance of the heroes “we have lost from the 22nd Congressional District and their families: LCPL Garrett Gamble (USMC), SPC Jarrett Griemel (USA), Sgt. Joshua Ward (USA), and HM3 Zarian Wood (USN).”

A visit to Memorial Park today more clearly shows its transformation from agricultural land to a naturescape with thousands of native trees planted by Keep Sugar Land Beautiful over six years ago, and later more they donated together with the Apache Foundation. The park has memorials in distinct areas to recognize Fort Bend County veterans.

Just down the street from Sugar Land, Missouri City’s Quail Valley Proud held its 12th annual Memorial Day Kids, Bike, Dog and Wagon parade joining many more communities in Fort Bend and nationwide to thank men, women, and their families for dedicated service and their support of the United States Armed Forces…so that we may live freely.

This Boy Scouts leader lends his support at the 5th Annual Memorial Day observance in Sugar Land. Boy Scout troops played a principal role in the ceremonies held.

Sugar Land Mayor James Thompson shows his appreciation to the local Boy Scouts, who played a principal role in this year’s 5th annual Memorial Day event at Memorial Park on University Boulevard.

“Spotted” at the 5th Annual Memorial Day observance in Sugar Land at Memorial Park were Mayor James Thompson and his wife, Gay, paying homage to the nation’s fallen heroes.

A patriotic topper is what 11 year old Nicole Judy of Sugar Land has on her head this Memorial Day! She joined her mom, Kelley, at the 5th annual observance held at Memorial Park.

With Sugar Land city councilmember Harish Jajoo for at this year’s Memorial Day event are Bill Mallet and his son, Liam Mallet, from Boys Scouts Troop 447.

At Sugar Land’s Memorial Park for the patriotic observance this Monday from “down the street” are David Fries (left), Savannah Fries (center) of Missouri City joined by Peggy Calavaza (right).

Popular and active couple Sugar Land councilmember and local attorney Amy Mitchell and Jake Messinger patriotically observe this year’s Memorial Day at the Sugar Land annual event.

I got so many cards and letters from readers begging me not to quit that it dawned on me that I had left the wrong impression in my last column when I ended it with “goodbye.”

Actually I was sort of “ticked off” after I had written the column that  had I been speaking, my “goodbye” would have been delivered in  a “ticked off” voice.

Many of my readers probably already know that  my cancer has  reoccurred, and I am undergoing chemo therapy at present. Cancer is a nasty disease and some weeks I feel better and other weeks I feel lousy. I have neuropathy  in my hands so bad sometimes I can’t type.

I’ve only recently got a computer that works with spoken text. In other words I can talk into a microphone and it (mostly) types what I’ve said. I’m not used to  writing this way, so it will take me a little time to get used to.

Meanwhile I will be taking “intermittent” summer vacations. In other words I will write columns when I feel like it. Thanks for all your cards and letters and prayers.

B.K. Carter is the owner/publisher of the Fort Bend/Southwest Star. She can be reached at beverly@fortbendstar.com. 

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