Here I am over at my daughter’s home — like being a million miles from where I last lived!  I will definitely call this a whole new world.

I am loving seeing my family and being a part of their lives.  They have all included me in every aspect of their lives.  For sure, this is a new phase of my life.  Even though I love everything new about this adventure; I am out of my element.

Getting used to everything may be a little trying, but I can do this.  We do have a plan.  I will live with my daughter for a few months before getting on my own.  This will assist me on my way back to good health and get financially set.  This is a offer that not many would turn down.

There is a beautiful setting in the neighborhood of my daughter’s home.  The garages are in the back of the home.  There is an alley in the back of the house for parking cars in their garage and driveway.  The yards are all groomed so neatly.  Everyone has their own way of decorating their front yard.  Most of them have flower gardens, which really brighten up the area.  What I like about this whole area is that all homes are upper chalant.  In other words, there are not any old run down homes anywhere in the neighborhood.  When living in the Golden Triangle, you may have a million-dollar home with a falling down home next door.  The restrictions are not there for building codes.

Yesterday, I went into an older part of town in Plano.  There were definitely older homes, but not any of them were falling down and vacated.  It was still very neatly groomed.  Not what I remember from the Golden Triangle.  If only management would do something about the homes in the area that cannot be revived.  The whole area is so depressed.  There are so few additions with all new homes surrounding them.  What I remember is an area of beautiful homes surrounded by a large fence all around them.  But on the other side of the fence were these very run down homes.

A storm came through the Golden Triangle and left everyone devastated.  Some took the insurance money and walked away from the opportunity to revive their home.  The house may be sitting there completely empty and falling down.  No one around the city seems to care.  There are still blue roofs on homes all around the area.  These homes probably will never be repaired.  Why is this?  Because everyone accepts this as not their problem.  But what happens is it lowers the value of their own property, with having a dump next door to them.  I hate to see our area be so badly beat down.  Maybe it might be not knowing any better.  I just did not see any improvement or new areas being built.  We lost a lot.

Going into a city, even within the same state, that is thriving makes you feel hopeful.  People care how things appear.  Maybe not everything is perfect, as I will probably find out, but the perfect surroundings give you a warm and cozy feeling.

Another factor could be not having to travel for entertainment.  For instance, Port Arthur accepts that something spectacular cannot be done with Pleasure Island.  Port Arthur has a gold mine with this island.  More should be done with it.  I would have liked to see this in my lifetime.

I understand reasons for not wanting a casino being put on the Island, in a way.  Just to think of how much money would circulate within the city, if some form of entertainment would be placed on the island.

The religious groups objecting to having gambling brought into the area, should not be the only vote counted.  If you do not believe in gambling, then do not attend.  The economy would triple with an island of fun.  Too many chiefs and not enough Indians, is what I think about decisions made for improvement.  No change is not the answer.  Giving up too easy is definitely not in the area’s best interest.

I have lived in the Golden Triangle for more than 70 years.  As much as I would have liked to have seen improvement; I knew it would not happen.  My friends and my family all love this area, as I do.  Change is not always accepted.  It is just that it is so needed.  Most of us go on vacations to see magnificent places.  Why can’t you create an area to draw people in?

I do not like putting down an area that has been and still is considered my home.  When traveling to another area it is easy to point out fault.  The city officials need to take one area at a time and make it into a better place to live.  That would be a beginning.

Thank you for letting me vent on improvement of the Golden Triangle.  I love the area; but I see means for making this a better place to live.  Some day we will have a new direction.  Hope it is soon.

Fanny Morgan of Port Neches is once retired and now is a church secretary. Contact her at fan1007@aol.com.