Bus Trips - Spring 2014

First Quarter 2014 CyFair ALL bus Trips

January 21 (Tuesday)

Join us for a guided tour of the Texas Hill Country. Sights include Blanco River Road tour, Central Texas Bonsai Exhibit, Devil’s Backbone and Driftwood Estates Winery.  The cost is $5.  Lunch will be additional at a popular BBQ establishment in Lockhart, the BBQ capitol of Texas.

Note: This trip is non-refundable

February 23, (Sunday)

We will enjoy a musical (“Anything Goes”) at 2pm at the historic Crighton Theater, built in 1934, in downtown Conroe. Madcap antics aboard the ocean liner as a stowaway is in love with an heiress who is engaged to a lord.  He is aided in his quest to win her by various assorted characters.  Cost is $15 plus dinner after the show at Ryan’s Family Steakhouse. 

March 12, (Wednesday)

A Preservation Houston guide will take us on a morning walking tour of Broadacres. Broadacres was among the residential neighborhoods developed near Rice University in the early 20th century.  Its breathtaking oak allées and landscaping were the work of William Ward Watkin, the supervising architect of the Rice campus, and many of Houston's finest architects (John Staub, Birdsall Briscoe and Watkin among them) designed the houses that line North and South boulevards.  The tour explores the architecture of these gracious homes and the stories of the oil, cotton, lumber, banking and railroad leaders who built them.  After lunch at a local restaurant we will visit Houston Museum of Contemporary Crafts, one of the many museums in Houston’s Museum District. The cost is $10 plus lunch.  NOTE: This walking tour will last approximately 90 minutes without access to bathroom facilities. There will be uneven sidewalks. Please keep this in mind before signing up for this bus trip.

Sign Up & Refund Policies - January 2014  
click here

Advisory Board Minutes - December 2013

The ALL Advisory Board met on Wednesday, December 11th.  The Fall Semester will end with a holiday party on Friday, December 13th.  Much of the meeting was a discussion on the upcoming Open House / Registration on Saturday, January 11th.  It was decided that we would hold a planning meeting on Wednesday, January 8th.  Susan Chapman and Stan Wylie agreed to organize this event.  The meeting was adjourned at noon.
Advisory Board Minutes, December 2013 - Click Here

ALL Holiday Party

What:  ALL Holiday Party 

When:  Friday, December 13th from 11:00am-1:00pm

Where:  HSC 105 & and 106 (our regular classroom)

Bring:  A dish to share with friends....finger food, hors d'oeuvre, dessert (your choice)

Join us for fun with friends.  Santa will have gifts for those that attend.

See You There !!!

Tool Box Class

Everyone needs a tool box......or magazine rack.......your choice on this project.  This was another fun woodworking class with head woodworm Gene Chism.  Check out some of the finished projects - click here.

Make-A-Clock Class

What time is it?   Its not Howdy Doody time.....but time to once again have fun in woodworking class.  Gene Chism cut the wooden clock face and prepared it with the proper cutout for the clock works.  Class members decorated the face of the clock to their personal liking.....painted, decopodge, etc.  These woodworking classes are fun because you get to "visit" while your hands are busy working.  Check out the finished clocks - click here.

Advisory Meeting November 20, 2013

The ALL Advisory Meeting was held on Wednesday, November 20th, 2013.  Review the minutes of the meeting by clicking the link below.  We hope that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday with family and friends.  The Fall Semester will continue for a couple more weeks....through December 13th.  We are planning on a holiday party similar to what we had last year.  Please mark your calendar for Friday, December 13th for a potluck get together from 11:00am-1:00pm.  Bring a dish to share.......either savory or sweet.  With a little of "this" and a little of "that", we will have a great variety.  Iced tea and water will be provided.  P.S. Santa has dropped off a bag of goodies for those that attend.
November Minutes - Click Here

Don Quixote Class

Professor Laura Taggett gave us an exciting review on the book "Don Quixote".  Her probing questions helped us see the story within the story.  Her explanation of "metanarrative" likened to layers of an onion.  In Don Quixote you have the story of the old crazy man, then you have the narrator telling the story about the old crazy man, then you have the underlying sub-story that the narrator wants you to perceive.  Perhaps it is commentary on life in a troubled social system and how men with values are always needed within any society.  Review Laura's outline to see common themes running throughout the book.
Laura's Presentation - Click Here
Additional websites you may want to review.

1.  Overview of medieval chivalry: 

          http://usna.edu/Users/history/abels/hh315/Chivalry.htm

2.  Overview of Don Quixote's place in history:

          http://www.royalhonor.com/book.htm

3.  Contextual information regarding Don Quixote:  

          http://www.college.columbia.edu/core/node/1764  

If you want to re-read the book, you can download the entire book for FREE at this site:

          http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/996

Click on this link to review chapters I - IV   Click Here

Producing A Novel

Jim Lower was with us again to talk about producing a novel.  Do you have a burning desire to write and publish a book?  Of course the first step it to develop an idea into a manuscript.  But then what?  Jim gave the class members several ideas on both writing a manuscript but also on how to get the book published through the both traditional publishers and newer electronic publishers.  The last step is to sell your book.  Review Jim's presentation to learn more about the process.   Click Here

Basics of Photography (and then some)

The photography class with Dick Cummings has come to an end.  For the first four classes Dick led the discussion talking about general tips and techniques, books to own, magazines, where to buy stuff, repair shops, and local photography schools in Houston.  There was in-depth discussion about the Exposure Triangle, Depth of Field and White Balance. The last class was a review and critique of student photos....certainly a learning experience.

Click on this link to see Dick's suggestions - Click Here
PowerPoint Presentation of Class Photos - Click Here
PDF of Class Photos - Click Here

Charro Bean Soup

In Texas, Charro Bean Soup is a favorite at every Mexican restaurant.  Elsie Markuson shared her recipes with us...both a full version and a simplified version for those that like shortcuts.  This recipe makes a big pot that can be shared with friends.  Add a salad and chips and you have a complete meal.
Elsie's Recipes - Click Here
Pictures from Class - Click Here