Brookfield Wannabe

In a recent blog, I talked about volunteering and giving back to the community. In an email the other day, I found out that my sister-in-law and her family are going to give back in a big way. At the initiation of a girl scout leader at her school, my 10 year-old niece got her family involved with a project that helps families devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The project is run by the Restoration Point Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on rebuilding and restoration in the wake of disasters. My niece and her family will spend a week in Pass Christian, Mississippi, one of the areas hardest hit by Katrina. With other families from her school, they will participate in a variety of projects, from construction of a daycare center to visiting the sick and elderly. According to my sister-in-law, the foundation works with low and moderate-income families; many are elderly, disabled, or have small children.

The new website for the foundation (www.restorationpoint.org) is not yet up and running, but a message states that you can learn more about volunteering or donating items by emailing the foundation at info@restorationpoint.org. If you would like to read stories from volunteers, click here or type in www.restorationpoint.blogspot.com.

SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE

Amy Montessori School is having an Open House this Saturday, March 10, from 9:00 a.m. to
12 noon. Open to children ages 2 1/2 to 6 years old, the school offers Early Childhood and 4K classes.
Teachers will be available to answer your questions. The school is located at 16945 W. North Avenue, slightly east of the intersection of Calhoun and North. For more information on registration or to schedule a school visit, call 262-784-8817.

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?

I didn't know that Brookfield had a Junior Football League, but apparently we do. I saw a sign for it while driving around town and decided to check out the website. The Junior Lancers provide organized football for grades 5 through 8.

NEW DIGS

The new location for Loaf and Jug in the Towne Centre (formerly in Stonewood Village) has been open for several weeks. My family and I had lunch there for the first time on Sunday. They are still serving the same great food and have retained a lot of the decor from the Stonewood Village site. The kitchen is quite a bit bigger, and there is a fireplace in the middle of the dining area. Although the restaurant has lost some of its "cozy" feel, the new space is bright and attractive, and the extra room makes maneuvering with a tray so much easier. But with the increased storefront visibility comes longer lines. I thought seating might be a concern, but even with the crowd that was there, tables seemed to be turning over at a good rate.

Now, we hit Loaf and Jug at about the same time as the after-church crowd, so the delay in getting our food may have just been bad timing. I carried out lunch during a recent weekday, and there were only a few people in line.

But I was there before noon. Overall, I like the new space, and I think the restaurant will do very well there.

FLOWERS AND MORE

I rediscovered a favorite florist, Gregory and Company. Years ago, my stepdaughter took dance lessons at a studio that was located on Greenfield Avenue. In getting to the studio, I'd pass a florist shop that always had beautiful displays in its window. It was the first time I ever saw lavender roses. I always made it a point to look in the window when I dropped her off for dance. The dance studio subsequently moved, and I never saw that florist again until the other day. Gregory and Company is now located in the Galleria West in the same building as Studio 890 and Emperor's Kitchen. I took a short tour of the shop and was pleased to see that it still sells beautiful flowers. The shop also sells unique vases, wreaths, and other gift items. According to the clerk, the store had moved from its Greenfield Avenue location to the shops at Old Toll Road but then had to move again because the building that housed those shops will be torn down.

If the "snow mountain" at the top of my driveway is any indication, this is the most snow that we've had in a relatively short period in some time. Although the kids in my neighborhood are loving it, the adults have a different view as they break out the shovels yet again. As you are digging out your sidewalks and driveways, remember to check around the side of your house and take a look at your furnace vent pipes.

I have to confess that I didn't think about these pipes until I saw a spot on the news the other day.

According to the news report, you should keep the area around the opening of the pipes free from snow.
Remove any snow that you can see that may have entered the front part of the pipes.

However, do not go so far as to disassemble the pipes. That should only be done by a professional. If the snow enters the pipe deep enough, the snow could cause your furnace to stop functioning and could cause carbon monoxide gas to be released into the home.

Remember too that even after the snow is done coming down, blowing snow can cause drifts to build up in front of the pipes. With the winds that we've been experiencing, it would be a good idea to periodically check the pipes.