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Balance
I will be the first in line to admit that achieving the fine balance between work life and home life can be sometimes challenging, at best.
Yes, work can be hectic. And, if you are a supervisor of any kind, have a high profile job or have wide and varied responsibilities, the frenetic nature of work life can multiply by a factor of many.
The folks I remain in awe of are those that successfully achieve that balance of giving their careers 110 percent when they're on the job, but being able to disconnect at the end of the day and have ... well ... a life.
Mayve Strong is one of those folks that I have the privilege of working with at the City of Farmers Branch. Supremely accurate with a calculator at work as our Chief Accountant, Mayve switches to a different instrument when she goes home - a clarinet.
As a founding member of the Carrollton Wind Symphony, Mayve has been entertaining the Metrocrest region and exercising her musical roots since the group's founding in 1995. And, she keeps it in the family - her husband, Jeff, is a bassoonist, and their three kids have played various instruments on stage with them through the years.
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Mayve Strong
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We have folks in our organization who travel regularly. They do a wonderful job for us, but they've always got a trip in front of them. Others play golf or hunt or fish or any number of other things.
The point is to do something. Not only does it help achieve that balance but it gives way to skill and activity to be enjoyed after the career is done and retirement years are ahead. In the meantime, balanced employees are typically much happier than others. They tend to be satisfied with their jobs and they stay with them for a long time. That's why I've always urged employees to find that elusive, but important sense of balance.
Travel? Golf? I do many of these things, just not in great abundance, but, I'm learning.
Perhaps, that's a hobby.
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City offices to close at 12 noon Christmas Eve & New Year's Eve
FARMERS BRANCH ~ As this year's Christmas and New Year's holidays fall in the middle of the week, and in an effort to afford employees extra time with their families, all City of Farmers Branch administrative offices, including City Hall, will close at 12 noon on Tuesdays, December 24 & 31. 
Many other City facilities will close early on those days, including the Community Recreation Center, Senior Center, Historical Park and Manske Library, which will close at 5 p.m.
All City offices and facilities will be closed on Wednesdays, December 25 and January 1 in observance of Christmas and New Year's Days.
  
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Home stretch
Few slots left for Santa to make house calls before Christmas Eve
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K. Kringle
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FARMERS BRANCH ~ With one week left before the big day, Santa Claus will be in town this week to make special house calls on good boys and girls (whose parents have made appointments through the Farmers Branch Community Recreation Center).
As of Wednesday noon, the Rec Center reports that time slots for St. Nick visits remain available on the evenings of December 19-21.
Visits are 15 minutes long and limited to an area within a five mile radius of the Farmers Branch Community Recreation Center.
Call the Rec Center at 972.247.4607 for information on costs and to schedule a remaining reservation.
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Christmas Tour of Lights
FARMERS BRANCH ~ The holiday night will be alight each evening with the Farmers Branch Christmas Tour of Lights, through December 30. The tour will be open each night from 6:30 until 9:30 p.m.
However, the Historical Park segment of the driving tour will not be open on Wednesday, December 25 (for the Christmas Tree Lighting Event and in observance of Christmas Day). The driving tour begins at Valley View Lane and I-35E and concludes at the Farmers Branch Historical Park. Admission to the Historical Park portion of the drive through is free with donations accepted by the non-profit groups working the tour.
  
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Santa Makes House Calls
REC CENTER ~ Santa is getting ready to make a round of scheduled house calls during available reservation periods through December 24. Time slots are limited so call the Farmers Branch Recreation Center now to reserve a time. Visits are 15 minutes long and are limited to within a five mile radius of the Rec Center. Call 972.247.4607 for more information.
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CARROLLTON ~ The Firehouse Theatre continues their holiday presentation, "Christmas Spectacular" with shows at the Plaza Arts Center in Carrollton, December 20-22.
For ticket availability and pricing, visit www.thefirehousetheatre.com or call 972.620.3747.
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 Derrick Birdsall
Dear Santa
This young man gets some assistance from Mom in composing his most importance correspondence of the season, during the rescheduled Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony last weekend. City officials say all Letters to Santa were diligently delivered to the Jolly Ol' Elf, himself.
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Volume 3 | Edition 51| Number 147 
is published weekly by the Communications Office
of the City of Farmers Branch, TX.
Two-time TAMI Award Winner for Best eNewsletter in Texas
Given by the Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers
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DECEMBER
Click on an event to find out more
Thru Dec 24
Call Rec Center
972.247.4607
DEC 24 & 31
Some facilities closing early
Call for details
DEC 25 & JAN 1
All facilities closed
NO GARBAGE COLLECTION
No Tour of Lights Dec 25
DEC 30
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Winter series on rose landscaping returns in January
REC CENTER ~ The Annual Landscaping with Roses Classes are coming back in January and February. Each class begins at 7 p.m. at the Community Recreation Center. All classes are free and open to all. Pre-register by calling 972.247.4607.
Jan 14 - Roses for the Landscape
Jan 21 - DIY Drip Irrigation
Jan 28 - The Informed Gardener - Are you really?
Feb 4 - Inspirations from Chandor Gardens
Feb 8 - Rose Pruning: Hands on in the Garden
Feb 11 - The Elephant in the Room: Rose Rosette Disease
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FARMERS BRANCH ~ Coming back from the holiday schedule, the Farmers Branch City Council plans to meet in regular session next month on Tuesdays, January 7 & 21 at 6:30 p.m. at Farmers Branch City Hall.
Meetings can be seen live on FBTV, cable channel 16 in Farmers Branch, and on replay at 6:30 p.m., seven days a week.
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Senior Center plans meeting on 2014 European trip
FARMERS BRANCH ~ The Farmers Branch Senior Center will host a "Travel Party" on January 10, to share information on a Paris, France to Normandy cruise, coming up in late October, 2014.
The nine-day trip is planned for the small cruise ship 'Avalon Creativity,' October 20-29. Details, deadlines and pricing will be discussed at the gathering. Call 972.919.8743.
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Brilliant blue lights illuminate the smokehouse behind the Dodson House in the Farmers Branch Historical Park. After several days down due to the icy weather, the Christmas Tour of Lights is now back up and operating at full capacity. Photo by Derrick Birdsall |
VIDEO GALLERY
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Chimney Safety
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Fire Department Dinner Brigade
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Dr. Gilbert's Diary
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Farmers Branch Business: Anything but Usual
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Check the latest weekly report on the five-year reconstruction of Interstate 635 that includes:
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Check the latest information on the 28-mile, $1.4 billion reconstruction of Interstate 35E from LBJ, through Farmers Branch, to U.S. Highway 380 in Denton County.
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About the City of Farmers Branch 
An historic community in the geographic center of the DFW Metroplex, Farmers Branch boasts a residential population of 28,800 and a daytime employment population of 66,000. Located on the northwest border of the City of Dallas, the City's 27 parks and lush greenbelts feature nationally-acclaimed, award-winning soccer fields, football facilities as well as baseball and softball complexes. The city's location in the center of the Metroplex and only 15 minutes away from both DFW Airport and Love Field, along with the 2,200 hotel rooms within the city, make Farmers Branch an ideal location for residents and for business. For more information on the City of Farmers Branch, visit farmersbranchtx.gov, visitfarmersbranch.com, lovethebranch.com or call 972.247.3131.
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