Americana Cove

Where Have The Snowbirds Flown?

Jun 05, 2001

Prayer for June FORECASTER
John Whittredge Hill, Chaplain

Dear God, as we are almost at the halfway mark for the year, we give thanks for your blessings that we have received. We might have said showers of blessings but the showers are still in our prayers and we do hope they are on their way here.

We especially want to remember all those in Mobel Americana who give of their time and energy to make this such a wonderful place in which to live.

We praise you, Heavenly Father, for the earthly fathers we have had. May you continue to bless all of those living as we remember them on the 17th
Amen

BOARD BITS
By Dick Nemi, Board Member

It?’s been pretty quiet in the park the last couple of weeks with very little to report. We have purchased ten new washing machines, and have placed four in the Laundromat in the pet section and six in the non-pet section. You will note that the new machines are set up for one dollar per load. The old machines will remain at seventy-five cents for the time being. I under stand that the old machines have been at seventy- five cents per load since they were purchased seventeen years ago. Can you name anything else that has not gone up in that period of time? With inflation, water and electricity going up it?’s still a bargain compared to Laundromats on the out side.
All the park signs have been painted, as they were all chipping and faded. I think it makes for a very good first impression that visitors see. We take pride in our community.
Most of you are aware that some of our maintenance personnel do odd jobs in the park after regular work hours. If you need to get in touch with them please do not call the office. Try to arrange to talk to them in person. The office personnel have no control over what they do after work and are not paid to take messages for them.
The last board meeting until September was held on May 16th Therefore I will suspend this column until fall, unless something comes up that I think you should be informed of. Until then, have a great summer!

WELCOME TO OUR COMMUNITY
By Rosann DeCola

M.ARTHUR. Eileen (Ont.)
124 Americana Ct.
(Previously Aubin Residence)

FERRIER, Oliver A & Katherine (VT)
685 Mt. Lancaster Ave (526-2510)
(Moved from 663 Mt. Key Ave.)
(Previously Covello Residence)

FRIEND. Marion & Natlvldad
7285 Mt. Fairfield Rd
(Previously Tommeraus Residence)

RIESDORPH. Frederick E &
WARD. Linda W.
7271 Mt. Arlington Dr. (520-0439)
(Previously Holman & Cutaned Res.)

SIEBEN, Pay & Joan (II)
7019 Mt. DeLeon Rd. (527-1766)
(Previously MA Property)

TOMASIAK. Joanne C. (Oh)
216 Mt. Piney Ave
(Previously Gibson Residence)

TURNER. David & Diane (Ont.)
7000 Mt. Arlington Dr.
(Previously Hoess Residence)

VESPERS MEMORIALS

The following gift has been made to Vespers:
In loving memory of
MILLIE BERDEEN
John and Nancy Hill
This will be inscribed in one of the Vespers hymnals as a permanent record.
Anyone wishing to remember a loved one may do the same by giving six dollars to the Vespers Treasurer, Jeanne Pavlik. Esther Louzon does a beautiful job of inscribing them. A notice of the memorial will appear in the Vespers column in the ?“FORCASTER?”.

SUNSHINE REPORT JUNE 2001
PEGGY HLJBRICH

DEATHS;
Millie Berdeen
Hilde Vanderhayen
Chick Dempsey
Lana Evans
Ruth Fay

NURSING HOMES;
Bob Evans Bay Pine V.A.
Jane Bryan Mare Manor
Mitzi Detzell Shore Acres
Mary Ping Suncoast Manor
Erna Wring Carrington Place
Anita Perrault Fountain Senor Properties
Milton Johnson Shore Acres
Carl Rosenquist Westminister Shores
Alice Connors Carrington Place

BIRTHDAYS;
02 George Cantos
03 Theresa Volk
07 June Layner
08 Leo LaForce
09 Julie Tricarico
15 Eileen Latendress
16 Edna Bolin
Marcia Cram
17 Gem Bassett
21 Alice Beaulieu
Doris Bolesta
21 Hilda Tschopp
23 John Bzowski
26 John Layner
27 Leni Lambert
28 Evelyn Dinsmore
29 Ellie Oliviera
Marilyn Breen

ANNIVERSARIES

08 Grace and Hugh Roberts    66	years

   Carolyn and Carl Watts    57	years

13 Millie and Jim Dye	     43 years

14 Mary and Drew Fairley     49 years

   Evelyn and John Dusza     54 years

15 Mary and Bill Gilfillan   54 years

17 Anne and Bill Kocher	     51 years

19 Mary and Cal St. Sauver   08 years

20 Midge and Orrie Bull	     53 years

21 Dotty and Gerry Kirby     43 years

24 Lucille and Bill Schatz   62 years

27 Eleanor and Bob Doyle     59 years

MAA Events Betty Chase. Pres.
On June 6, Wed. at 12:00 noon there will be a luncheon followed by bingo. Before the luncheon at 11:00 am Barbara Magada will sell tickets for a dinner and entertainment to be held on Sat. June 16. Dorothy Kolb is finalizing plans so keep watching the boards for details.

On Monday June 25 at 9:30 am Barbara Magada will sell tickets for the Fourth of July Dinner. This will be a catered meal so there wilt be a cut off date of Monday July 2 so final order can be made.

There will NOT BE A LUNCHEON in August. The kitchen kids need a rest before the season begins. If any one wants to organize a potluck or brown bag feel free to do so.

We hope everyone has a wonderful summer. God speed until September!!

NOTICES
There is located at the maintenance shed on Mt. Piney Avenue an air pump that you may use 24 hours a day to pump up your bicycle tires. Please replace the air hose on the hanger.

Forecaster
All items and other information for the Forecaster may be placed in the box just inside the entry doors to the Atrium. All items to be in BLACK INK. Deadline for July (now 5.OOpm); for general articles, the 19th of June; for event announcements, the 21st. Please note that the minimum font size is number eleven (11).

Please note there is no one delivering the Forecaster on Mt. Essex during the summer months. Please contact me if you can do this. Otherwise I can only suggest you pick up a copy at the laundries or the main hail.

Thank you from Lucille Ayotte. I wish to thank everybody for the beautiful cards and all the prayers for Roland. He would have appreciated it and so did I, very much, because he loved to send some himself. He always tried not to forget anybody; it made him happy to do it.

Thank you everybody for the memorial you gave him. I want to thank all my family for being with me at this moment. God bless you all.

I thank all my friends and neighbors in Mobel Americana for the cards and condolences I received on the loss of my life partner, Hilde Vanderhayen. Sincerely Harold Sturm.

The Forecaster can always use feature articles. I have a couple of residents who are willing to provide a couple of articles each year, but two or three more would be nice. Your choice of topics but articles cannot exceed three pages double-spaced, in length. Local history is one area which interests many people, but don?’t feel restricted about your subject matter. (Using a computer/electronic typewriter makes it easy to do your own editing)

Thank You, Friends
By Ann Berdeen
The death of my Mom, Millie, especially after being roommates and companions for nine and a half years, has left a terrible void in my life and an ache in my heart. I can?’t begin to tell you how much your beautiful cards and personal notes, sharing your love and your own sense of loss for Millie, have meant to me and my family. Those cards and notes are providing your words of comfort to my daughter in Virginia right now, and will be sent to other family members from Virginia to Maine. I'm so thankful to have friends like you.

I'm also extremely grateful to Dot Nemi for gently but firmly suggesting that we all needed a memorial service, and for organizing it on extremely short notice. It was wonderful. From the memories shared, it was obvious that to know Millie Berdeen was to love her.

Finally, to our friend of 50 years and park neighbor for 1+, Sandy Ripley, goes my undying gratitude. From spending days with Mom so that I could run errands, to bringing daily gifts of special foods she thought Mom might tolerate and plants and more, to practically living at the hospital for the six days Mom was there, and finally for being there with me, holding Mom?’s other hand, while she breathed her last, Sandy showed immeasurable devotion that I?’ll be thankful for forever.

Monthly Bridge Luncheon
Gerri Bassett

Summer is here so for June, July and August we will just play bridge. The one for June will be on the 20th, be there by 12:30 p.m. so we can start by 12:45 p.m.
Prizes will be given so bring a Dollar. Hope to see you there.
Gerri Bassett

NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME WATCH
UPDATE
BY Barbara Magada, Esther Louzon & Jim Chase - Coordinators
The next Crime Prevention/Crime Watch/Crime Patrol will be held on Friday in the Clubhouse June 8th, 2001 at 1:30 P.M.
Speaker confirmation not available yet, but will be announced at one of our future get-togethers. Hurricane Season is approaching us this month. Our meetings are always very informative. Please mark your calendars for this date, as it will end our season until October.
See you all June 8th.
REFRESHMENTS

FORECASTER STORIES ONLINE
By Russ Steele and Conrad Weiser
Mobel Americana residents away for the summer will be able to read the articles in each issue of the Forecaster on the Interne as a result of the efforts of Cliff Smith, Forecaster publisher, and these Writers.

A way to include our calendar has not been worked out, but all copy of the current issue is displayed on the Mobel Americana home page. Our readers are urged to access our site at www.neighborhoodlink.com/stpetersburg/mobel then click on the Forecaster.

Information about Mobel Americana, including a recent history and a list of officers, is also available on our park home page.

Potpourri - from the Editor?’s desk (additional contributions from Gent Bassett, Lucy Laberge and Nancy Hubartt)

Thought ?— (credited to Gene A. Howe) Families with babies and without babies are sorry for each other.

Advice for idiots I Idiot stories (real ones) ?— At a good ?— bye lunch for a departing worker due to " downsizing " our Manager spoke up and said ?“this is fun. We should do this more often.?” Not another word was spoken. We just looked at each other like deer staring into the lights of an approaching truck. (What did I say?)

Dilbert?’ rules of order ?— Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars, and I thought to myself, where the heck is the ceiling?

Chinese proverb ?— Children are natural mimics, who act like their parents despite every effort.

You?’re getting marvelously mature when ?— you?’re on vacation and your energy runs out before your money.

Fun definitions ?— Gossip: A person who will never tell a lie if the truth will do more damage.

Things my kids taught me ?— (from Beverly Kennedy). If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42-pound boy wearing Batman underwear and a superman cape. It is strong enough however to spread paint on all four walls of a 20 x 20 foot room.

Love is what makes you smile when you?’re tired.

Remember when ?— (from John Stewart). Getting a foot of snow was a dream come true.

OK, ?‘fess up. May 2nd, Florida State Trooper parked at Americana Drive and Court Somebody on a bicycle ran a stop sign maybe??

Talked to my Mother in Vancouver recently. Told her my son Bruce and daughter-in-law Kate were staying at her place. By the way I said to her, did you know I let another couple stay there, a Mr. & Mrs. Dove. No, she said. I told you not to rent it out without telling me. Well I said I hated to evict them, they were just cooing away at each other. Oh, she said, as the penny dropped! (Yes, a dove made her nest on top of the window al r conditioner, just under the carport roof. All hatched and gone now.)

Our thoughts are with Bert Couture and family. Bert has just gone through a lung operation for cancer and now has to take chemotherapy etc. Bert has done a lot for the park, presided over the Cue Club when it started and is a past member of the MAROA Board. He'll be back in the thick of it.

Great planning by the phone company
Each year they wait until the Northerners have left, then issue the new books. By the way don?’t forget to put your old phone books at the collection site on Americana Drive.

Hey Board, how about another tread mill in the exercise room! It seems to be the most popular piece of equipment.

Duplicate Bridge
Gerri Bassett Director

Howell Movement
Sunday April 29, 2001
1. Beverly Hamel & Joan Dell?’Angelo
2. Agnes & Jerry Howland
3. Harriett Gilbert & Esther Louzon

Sunday May 6, 2001
1. Gerri & John Bassett
2. Eleanor & Earl French
3. Anne Kocher & Jo Waldron

Sunday May 13,2001
1. Esther Louzon & Joan Dell?’Angelo
2. Elizabeth Copeland & Don Delzell

MOTHER?’S DAY CELEBRATION
Written by Arlene Elwell, (typed by Peggy Hubrich)

ANOTHER FUNFILLED EVENING!
Excellent dinner with Mrs. Mobel Americana in charge.

It was enjoyed by many.

Betty Chase was voted Mrs. Mobel Americana. . Was there any doubt? The meal was excellent, followed by really good entertainment.

Our Gals really decorated those hats. The judges must have had a hard time picking out the winners. Bill Hart was the coordinator of the entertainment. He did a great job. Don Delzell described each and every chapeau. Bernice Boone?’s towering creation won 1st prize. Peggy Hubrich?’s hat was all lavender and pink. She won 2nd prize. Kay Jones reminded us about the Melodears with her hat. It had been worn many times when the group performed. She was the 3rd prizewinner.

The judges were Bill Hart, Rene Renaud and Ed Higgins, they did a great job.

Then a wonderful surprise, four women from the Sweet Adeline?’s sang a variety of songs. We all appreciated their performance.

Topping off the evening, Sunny Knutson and Peggy Church!!! They were great. Sunny has played for us many times, loved it! Thanks Sunny Peggy has reacquainted herself with a former hobby, playing the saxophone. They spent many hours practicing, we were the lucky listeners.

Verbal thanks to all who helped put together another great evening.

The singing and playing continued the next day at the pool Wonderful way to mark the day, Mother?’s Day.

FATHER?’S DAY
On June 17, our special day will take place .yes; it?’s Father?’s Day. Please don?’t plan on a clubhouse celebration.

All of the standing rib roast was devoured on the Mother?’s Day extravaganza. Maybe next year.

For whatever reason, Father?’s Day always takes me back to the ?“Chicken Every Sunday?” era. It took each one of us kids a long time to figure out why Dad always wanted the neck and/or the back of the chicken.

Yes, it is Dad?’s special day. But there are those times when I feel we are not getting the proper amount of respect.

Take, for example, some things that take place in the sports world. Any super play calls for a close?—up by the TV cameras. Here he is, the hero, slurping on a Gatorade, throwing out that big grin and saying, ?“Hi, Mom!?” What ever happened to Dad?

Then there is the felon who is heading for the Big House. Undoubtedly, he will look at the camera with a ?“tell Mom that I love her.?” It?’s just not fair.

Listen to this. When my children (yes, they?’re adults) drop in, more often than not, their first words are ?“where?’s Mom??” (What am I, chopped liver?)

Then there are the lovely grandchildren...thirteen of them. Guess what. Maybe you can tell me. Why is it that they always want to go to Grandma?’s house? There are times when one or more of these tykes stop by. Their first stop is the refrig-erator (their claim is that we have the best leftovers in town). After taking a bite or two of whatever, they may look my way with a ?“Hi, Grandpa, I didn?’t even see you. Hope they love me just a little!

But the worst is yet to come. It happens when we visit one our children?’s family. Just as we are getting out of the car, here come the grandkids with that screeching ?“Grraaammmmaaa!?” Boy, that really hurts.

For some time, I?’ve been wondering why some people would chuckle and point to me. Finally figured it out. It had to be my wearing apparel. Remember.... Father?’s Day is very special to grandkids. It gives them the opportunity to pick out the best for Grandpa. First is the traffic stopper . . . a shirt with fuchsia polka dots. Then there?’s the Bermuda shorts with decals of every fish on earth. I?’m sure you wouldn?’t want to hear about the underwear.

All of these things and much more came to mind on our day. It?’s not always easy but we wouldn?’t have it any other way. I shall always be thankful to the Lord above for giving me so many kids to love. HAPPY FATHER?’S DAY
John Layner

BAD TRUTHS AND GOOD LIES
From the Editor
I guess we were all brought up to tell the truth and not tell lies because as children we lived in, what for us, was a simple world. However as we all know the real world is not simple. Let me ask you a question. Do you tell lies? Oops, if you said no, well that?’s at least one for this year.

In life there are times when to tell the absolute truth some harm will arise. For example you visit someone after a horrible car crash and through their bandages they ask how their spouse is. You know they?’re dead. Will you tell the truth or will you lie! Did the Dutch family that sheltered Ann Frank and her family tell the truth when the Gestapo asked if they had any Jewish people in their house. Of course not! When someone asks how are you, do you tell the truth or do you save them from boredom by lying and saying ?‘fine?’.

So as you can see there are?’ good lies?’. Now how about bad truths. You find something out about someone that occurred in their past. It?’s an isolated incident and has no relevance to their present life. Do you go around spreading this?’ truth?’ or do you keep it to yourself? What point are you making if you start the gossip mill running? Are you doing good or harm? Idle chatter is for idle minds. Is your life so empty that that is all you can do? Come now, all of us have a conscience and a soul and we know right from wrong. So let?’s take the higher road and be better persons.

FROM THE EDITOR
My thanks to Dick Linville for getting the May Forecaster completed while I was away in Minneapolis.
And a great big thanks to Russ Steele and Conrad Weiser for getting the Forecaster its own web site where you can access the Forecaster from the World Wide Web (WWW ?— for those of you who do not know what these letters stand for) ?— see details in this issue.
Maybe someone from Pinellas County could come down and explain to us why there is a difference between watering at 3 am and 5am. I have serious doubts that these groups, who decide on watering times, have any idea of what they are doing!
And fools step in where angels fear to tread ?— so here goes.
I understand the April 18 MAROA meeting was pretty lively. The present management group made a spirited presentation to have its contract extended and apparently promised to put in place an on?—site property manager. I think that would be great. I?’ve never had a real problem with the sales effort and the promotion of the park but feel that the property management problems have not always been dealt with in a timely and informed manner. This comes not only from what I have seen myself but also from numerous comments. Having had in my career the responsibility for managing rental units I know it is paramount to have at your fingertips the detail of what the problems are, how they are being dealt with and ensuring that all action is carried out in a timely and fair manner to both tenant and landlord. I know you can never please all of the people all the time, some never, but hey that?’s life. Good professional management is always preferable to the owners trying to run things, if only to prevent the owners from being abused by residents, when trying to do their best, and there is no other alternative, and also to avoid any possible conflicts of interest. So let?’s see what the Board does with the presentation and whether or not they can come to an agreement with the present management. I personally have faith in the Board. And as I and others have said before, being a Board member is not an easy job and they need our support, and if necessary our constructive criticism and suggestions. But don?’t forget the word ?‘constructive?’. Anyone can complain but if you don?’t have another idea, keep your mouth shut.

NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINE RECYCLING
All newspapers are to be placed in the newspaper bins. Please do not put brown paper or plastic bags in the newspaper bins. The bins are only for newspapers.
A magazine bin is located at the storage compound on Americana Drive. Please take all your magazines to this bin.

Aluminum Cans and Scrap Metal
Please put these out on Tuesdays only or take to one of the Old-timers Aluminum sheds. Do not put in the garbage compactor. It is for household garbage only.

Yard Brush and Tree Trimmings
Place all yard brush and tree trimmings at the side of the road separate from the garbage and it will be picked up. Do not put it with the regular garbage. This only increases the amount we must pay to have hauled away.

Help the Boy Scouts ?— There is a shed at the Americana Drive compound where you can place your old phone books. By keeping as much as possible of all these materials out of the garbage we save on garbage hauling costs as well as generating some funds, not only for us, but for the Scouts as well.
Bertram Zanaglio,
MAROA Board member

FOR RESERVATIONS CALL PHYLLIS BURG
528-8119 621 Mt. NEW CASTLE, ST. PETE

JUNE 2001
JUNE 2, SAT. - MOUNT DORA, a leisurely day of shopping, browsing & lunch on your own. . $22
JUNE 8, FRI. - HOLY LAND PARK in Orlando, includes transportation & admission...$36
JUNE 9, SAT. - ?“FOREVER PLAID?” matinee at the Show Palace in Hudson with lunch included. . $53
JUNE 10, SUN. - ?“CIRQUE du SOLEIL?” spectacular performance of ?“LaNouba?” with lunch on your own at Downtown Disney. . $95
JUNE 14, THURS. LUNCH BUNCH, Food, Fun & Friendship. . $TBA
JUNE 20, WED. - NEW! CHANNELSIDE IMAX ?“Into the Deep?” w/lunch at The Colonnades & time to browse. . $42
JUNE 22, FRI. - YBOR CITY TOUR with lunch at Spaghetti Warehouse & Ybor City Brewing Co. tour. . $32
JUNE 23, SAT. - DISNEY THEME PARKS, transportation only special. . $25
JUNE 25, MON. - WINERY TOUR at the Rosa Fiorelli Winery & Vineyard in Bradenton. Includes lunch. . $34
JUNE 27, WED. - BISHOP PLANETARIUM, visit Snooty the Manatee with lunch at Miller?’s. . $38
JUNE 28, THURS. - ?“NEVER TOO LATE?” at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theater in Ft. Myers matinee w/meal...$51
JUNE 30, SAT. - KIRK ORGAN CONCERT celebrating Independence Day, w/lunch at Luby?’s . . .$36
JULY 2001
JULY 6, FRI. - SHOPPING WITH GAIL, at Eagle Ridge Mall in Haines City with lunch at Gift Mill. . $33
JULY 10, TUES. - STERUNG CASINO, 5 hour Gambling Cruise from Cape Canaveral with meal, entertainment & beverage/cocktail service while gambling included. . $22
JULY 11 WED. - WORLD OF ORCHIDS W/LUNCH & TOUR OF DISNEY?’S WIDERNESS LODGE. . $45
JULY 12, THUR LUNCH BUNCH, Food, Fun & Friendship. . $TBA
JULY 13, FRI. . BLAZING PIANOS, Entertaining matinee performance w/meal. . $40
JULY 14, SAT. - RED BARN FLEA MARKET with lunch at MILLER?’S. . $34
JULY 16, SUN. - ?“SNOWFLAKE PROM?” matinee at the Stage Door Dinner Theater in Plant City. . $49
JULY 17, MON. - TOUR of MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE in TAMPA with LUNCH. $30
JULY 19, THURS. - BASEBALL GAME, Rays vs. Angels, afternoon game (12:15) w/upper deck seat...$20
JULY 21, SAT. - ?“JOSEPH and the Technicolor Dreamcoat?” matinee at the Show Palace Dinner Theater. . $53
JULY 27, FRI. - TARPON SPRINGS with lunch at Pappas. . $36