Americana Cove

Let Freedom Ring For All Nations and Peoples

Jun 30, 2004

PRAYER FOR JULY 2004

Almighty and most merciful God, freedom is the keyword for this month.
Freedom from tyranny
Freedom of speech
Freedom for equality of man
Freedom for school vacations
Freedom for family and friends
Freedom for having family and friends visit
Freedom for relaxation
Freedom for time to show love and care for the needy and lonely
The greatest freedom we have is to worship you in every way
The beauty of your creation, in the sky, the air and on land and sea.
The opportunity to use the spiritual and physical gifts you have given so freely to show our love for others in all that we say, do and think.
We pray that we will appreciate, use and share these feelings in ways we have never done before.
Thank you God, for all of them. Amen.
John Whittredge Hill - Chaplain


FROM THE MANAGER: Dawn Simmons

MT. CURVE FENCE
The installation of Mt. Curve fence will begin the first week of July, weather permitting. Residents having buildings or landscaping sitting on the fence line will be asked to remove them prior to construction.
A temporary fence line will be strung during the removal of the old fence.

BATHROOM UPGRADE
Please note that both the ladies and men?’s poolside bathrooms are being worked on July 12, 13th. and 14th. Signs will be posted as to when they will open.
The contractors will alternate the work so the toilets can be used. They will be closed for showering as the glaze finish takes three days to cure.

Thank you


FROM THE TREASURER?’S DESK: Hubert Dorsett, Treasurer, Americana Cove

Over the next few months, I am going to be writing an article for each issue of the FORECASTER concerning the budget. The reason for this is that there seems to be so much confusion within the community about the budget and the items listed therein. I hope to dispel some of that confusion so that when November rolls around, all members of the community will better understand what they are voting for when they vote for (or against) the budget for the next fiscal year (FY).

Just as with the Federal budget, our budget is comprised of really just two issues. They are (1) discretionary items and (2) non-discretionary items. Non-discretionary items in the Federal budget would be items such as Social Security, Medicare, etc. - items that must be funded; the government does not have the discretion of not funding those items. Discretionary items in the Federal budget include defense buildup/new weapons systems, college tuition assistance, etc. The government has the discretion of funding those issues at some level or even not funding them at all. Such is our budget as well.

Non-discretionary items in our budget include insurance, principal and interest payments on our note to the bank, and all the items pertaining to running our community - such as administration costs, maintenance costs, payroll costs, utilities cost, etc. Within those items, there are, of course, discretionary bits and pieces; but overall, they must be funded.

Discretionary items would include items such as the front entrance refurbishment, adding more boat slips to our marina, replacing the fencing around our community - things of that nature. For purposes of these articles, I will call them Capital Budget items.

Our CPA has, for the past ten years, divided up our expenses into the following categories:
A. Administrative Expense
B. Cost of Sales Expense
C. Ground Maintenance Expense
D. Maintenance and Repair Expense
E. Payroll Expense
F. Utilities Expense and
G. Reserve/Replacement Fund

I will now explain what is funded in each of those categories.

Administrative Expense: This item contains those items necessary to administrate the business of our community. Management fees, flood and liability insurance, office expenses, professional fees and charges, property taxes, bank charges, and supplies. It also includes the interest paid on our note. We have very little discretion in these matters.

Cost of Sales Expense: This is basically our advertising. It is purely discretionary but essential to us if we are to attract new homeowners and fill up our empty lots (right now in excess of 70 lots).

Ground Maintenance Expense: This is self-explanatory - it is our contract with the grounds keeper/lawn maintenance contractor(s). This is discretionary only to the extent that we may want to change contractor(s) and/or hire our own people to do this function or even do it ourselves (NOT!).

Maintenance and Repair Expense: This includes equipment rental, plumbing, electrical, hardware supplies, pest control, and grounds work not included under Ground Maintenance purview.

Payroll Expense: This includes salaries, payroll taxes, unemployment insurance, and workmen?’s compensation insurance for our maintenance personnel, park patrol/front gate guards, and office personnel.

Utilities Expense: This includes Progress Energy, TECO (Gas), City of St. Petersburg Water and Sewage, waste disposal and telephone expense.

Reserve/Replacement Fund: This is a fund required by Florida Statute 719 for our corporation to build and maintain, to cover the replacement or repair of our current infrastructure items (sewage lines, water lines, electrical lines, roads, etc.). Co-ops such as ours, as well as condos, are required each year to budget funds for these items, unless the membership votes to withhold funding for that year. In case of multiple year withholding, the membership still must vote each year to continue withholding that funding.

All of the above (with the exception of the Reserve/Replacement Fund) are what we call the General Operating Budget. In the next issue, I will go into what percentages of our budgets for the past several year have been for each of the above items and project what Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 is beginning to look like with respect to those items in the General Operating Budget. I will also outline a proposal, developed by the Finance Committee, which I hope to have Board backing on prior to the formulation of the FY2005 Budget in which we freeze funding to the Reserve/Replacement Fund at a certain level (meaning we think our Reserve/Replacement Fund is large enough for now and we no longer will add to it until and when it drops to a certain level) and use those funds which normally would have gone to that fund, to instead, fund a structure of budgeted capital improvements in the Park. These capital improvements can include repair/replacement of current infrastructure items as well as new enhancements to the property. This budget would be called the Capital Budget and will be explained more fully in future articles.

One last thing - we now have $500,000 in the 9 month risk free Certificates of Deposit with Bank of America. $500,000 was their limit. The interest rate is 1.6%APY.
Respectfully Submitted. H. Dorsett


WELCOME NEW RESIDENTS
by Frances McVay

COOPER, Joy
7015 Mt. Arlington Drive
Previously Sabol

CRAFT, Daniel & Debra (OH)
332 Mt. Richmond Avenue
Previously Louzon Estate

HAMER, Barbara
6715 Mt. Pleasant Road
Previously Gamble

OWENS, Robert W.
7242 Mt. Essex Drive 521-9159
Previously Branscomb

RICHARDS, Terry J.
7101 Mt. Arlington Drive
Previously Hungerford Estate

SELLERS, Ronald & Marie (MI)
7018 Mt. Bristol Road
Previously Brownsey

THORNBURGH, William & Susan (WI)
7264 Mt. Fairfield Road
Previously Buffa

WHITE, Lawrence & Joann (NY)
7105 Mt. Deleon Road
New Home


COVE CORNER
By Ken Hopkins

A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME - A friend of mine (what the heck, it?’s John Bassett) (-Editor Note: who, me?) mentioned to me a couple of times that the name of the social organization of which I am the current president, MAA, is a misnomer. John insists that MAA stands for ?“Mobel Americana Association?” and since we are now doing business as ?“Americana Cove?” the correct name should be ACA. I don?’t know? Sometimes longstanding usage makes a name right. How about Freedom Ringer instead of Liberty Bell? How about Ancient Vapors instead of Old Smokey? Well, you get the idea. Mind you, I?’m all for change but I guess I don?’t see any overriding reason to make the name change (other than to make my friend happy. -Editor Note: make me happy!) I brought the subject up at an MAA council meeting and was greeted with several yawns. I?’m prepared to act upon the will of the people. Let me know what you think and I?’ll bring it up again in the fall.

MEMORIAL DAY - Wish I could have been there. From all accounts it was a fine time and our many veterans were properly honored. Thanks to MAA Vice President, Joan Mitchell for her hard work and enthusiasm with support from Betty Chase and a cast of thousands. They tell me they are already hard at work planning 2005. By the way, it was 45 degrees and raining on Memorial Day up here in Wisconsin. Yuck.

WAY TO GO BOLTS - As a kid in Chicago I grew up with famous hockey greats. Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Glen Hall were all part of the Chicago Blackhawk hockey team and world famous. It wasn?’t until last year, when my son took me to a hockey game (at ridiculous prices!) that I realized that Tampa Bay even had a team. ?“How can you play hockey in Florida,?” I thought. ?“The ice will melt.?” So it was with great fascination and enjoyment that I watched the Tampa Bay Lightning (nicknamed the Bolts) win their first Stanley Cup after 12 years of existence. Since I moved to Florida I have had the pleasure of watching the Bucs win the Super Bowl and now this. Way to go Bolts!

THE AMERICAN RED CROSS - As some of you know, Beck and I are both Red Cross volunteers. There is a persistent story about Red Cross that during World War II the Red Cross charged GI?’s for coffee and doughnuts. I have met many former servicemen who harbor a grudge against the Red Cross for that reason. I thought I would take a moment and explain the circumstances. There was a time, during the war, when both English and Australian service organizations provided the same comfort services as the Red Cross. However, the English and Australian groups charged their servicemen for their provisions, while the Red Cross did not. Unfortunately, that created some jealousy and animosity toward the Americans. In 1942, Secretary of War, Henry L. Stimson wrote the Red Cross and asked them to discontinue their current practice of providing free off -base lodging and meals in order to lessen the animosity of the English and Australian groups. He requested that the Red Cross continue to provide those services but at a minimal cost. And that?’s how coffee and doughnuts came to cost the GI?’s a nickel.

WALKING SAFETY - It is always a delight to see how many of our residents enjoy a morning walk for exercise. Here are a few reminders relative to your safety while walking here in the park or elsewhere. First, authorities recommend walking on the sidewalk whenever possible; however, if forced to share the roadway, always walk AGAINST the traffic. It?’s just the opposite for bicycles who are categorized as vehicles and must ride WITH the traffic. As a walker on the roadway, you are much safer if you can see the oncoming traffic. Dress to be seen. Particularly important in the evening or early morning hours but at anytime make sure your walking clothes are bright, even reflective if you?’re out in the dark. If you are out in the dark make sure to carry a lighted flashlight or other visible signal. Walk with a partner when possible or at least make sure someone knows where you will be walking. Carry some form of ID when you are away from the Cove. Most of all, enjoy your walk and the beauty that surrounds us.

BANANAS - I was talking to a resident the other day. You know, one of those conversations that take place in the middle of the street and makes all the drivers crazy. As we chatted about the general situation of our community, I commented that I had heard some discussion of a 10 year plan for the Cove but that, in recognition of the advanced age of some of our residents, possibly a 5 year plan would be more appropriate. ?“5 years!?” he said. ?“Hell, I don?’t even buy green bananas.?”


SUNSHINE REPORT - JULY 2004
By Gerri Bassett

Deaths
Muriel Lapointe
Robert S. Waltz

Nursing Homes
Bob Ortel Carrington Place
Mitzi Delzell Shore Acres
Kay Brownsey Integrated Health Service
Dorothy Goldsworthy Fountains of Boca Ciego Bay
Doris Bolesta Freedom Inn at Bay Pines

July Birthdays
02 Nina Larsen
04 Dick Fay
05 Edwin Nos
06 Richard Fisher
Phyllis Conlisk
07 Loretto McNiff
08 Jim Mitchell
09 Gerry Kirby
10 Doreen McGrath
11 Vivian Linville
Clarissa Steakley
Dave Vogle
William Mullarkey
12 Adele Thomas
14 Cameron Shults
16 Barbara Higgins
18 Dorothy Kolb
23 Len Berg
25 Sara Corliss
Nancy Hubartt
29 Bill Swartout
31 Marie Costanzo

July Anniversaries
01 Lorraine and Howard Brown 54 years
14 Barbara and Jack Young 42 years
20 Doreen and Ed McGrath 47 years
21 Cecile and Bob Lescarbeau 14 years
26 Sharon and Jerry Miller 45 years
31 Loretta and Don Berg 50 years
William & Delores Mullarkey 50 years

Would you like your Birthday or Anniversary in the Forecaster? Let me know Gerri Bassett 525-6806.


DEAR FRIENDS....by Joan Mitchell.
As Vice president of MAA, acting on behalf of Ken Hopkins for the summer months, I was proud and honored to coordinate our Memorial Day, Veteran's Day service. Since that day, I have received daily compliments from many people, praising the program. Because of the support and assistance from many friends, I had the confidence needed to create, along with Betty Chase, Ferne Eppers, Dorothy Kolb, and Rex Eaton, a service that I felt would pay tribute to our veterans. I am so inspired that a few of us have already begun formulating ideas for 2005!
Veterans, please know that not just for a few days, a year, but always, we are fully aware of the great sacrifices that you made for us. Thank you and God bless you!

Brown bag Lunch June 9th, 2004
This lunch, hosted by Vivian Linville and Virginia Curtis, was a great success. Over 40 residents attended and enjoyed time together, as well as eating a Birthday Cake, supplied by Gerri and John Bassett for the June birthday people. The bingo had larger prizes than is usual at lunches, and the same prizes will probably be offered at the next brown bag lunch on July14th. So come on down, meet your neighbors, you know the ones who don?’t go north, and have an enjoyable couple of hours.


DID YOU KNOW? Submitted by Conrad Weiser

As you walk up the steps to the building which houses the U.S. Supreme Court you can see near the top of the building a row of the world's law givers and each one is facing one in the middle who is facing forward with a full frontal view - it is Moses and he is holding the Ten Commandments!

As you enter the Supreme Court courtroom, the two huge oak doors have the Ten Commandments engraved on each lower portion of each door.

As you sit inside the courtroom, you can see the wall, right above where the Supreme Court judges sit, a display of the Ten Commandments!!

There are Bible verses etched in stone all over the Federal Buildings and Monuments in Washington, D.C.

James Madison, the fourth president, known as "The Father of Our Constitution" made the following statement:
"We have staked the whole of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God"

Every session of Congress begins with a prayer by a paid preacher, whose salary has been paid by the taxpayer since 1777.

Fifty-two of the 55 founders of the Constitution were members of the established orthodox churches in the colonies.

Thomas Jefferson worried that the Courts would overstep their authority and instead of interpreting the law would begin making law....an oligarchy....the rule of few over many.

How, then, have we gotten to the point that everything we have done for 220 years in this country is now suddenly wrong and unconstitutional?


DUPLICATE BRIDGE- By Gerri Bassett

Howell Movement

Sunday May 23, 2004

1.) Joan Dell?’Angelo & Don Delzell
2.) Gerri & John Bassett

Sunday May 30, 2004
1.) Betty & Tom Davis
2.) Esther Israel & Marion Davis

Sunday June 6, 2004
1.) Joy & Bill Slepin
2.) Esther Israel & Betty Davis




THANKS FROM THE THOMAS FAMILY
Many thanks for the prayers, calls and cards for Bob during his recent surgery. We really appreciate all your friendship.
Terry, Kaye, Sarah, Bobbie, Bob and Sue.


THANK YOU - from Peggy Hubrich. To all my friends, I thank you for all the cards, visits and calls during my surgery and recuperation. Also for the food and errands. I certainly appreciated all the small necessities and help which one needs when they are down. God Bless you all.


FROM THE EDITOR - I received a note from Mary P. Pollock, who reminds us all that there is a recycling dump across from Mangrove Golf Course. They take glass and plastic, and almost any solid waste you can think of. Why not take a monthly trip and take your neighbor?’s recycling materials as well. It will help the environment and cut down the waste going to the incinerator and the waste disposal sites. She also reminds us that there is free mulch there for the taking.


PILOT or FLIGHT ATTENDANT
submitted by Lucy LaBerge

Announcements by Pilots and Flight Attendants

All too rarely, airline attendants make an effort to make the in-flight"safety lecture" and their other announcements a bit more entertaining. Here are some real examples that have been heard or reported:
----------------------------------------
As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Ronald Reagan, a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: "Whoa, big fella. WHOA!"
---------------------------------------
After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in Memphis, a flight attendant announced, "Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted."
_____________________________

"Welcome aboard Flight 245 to Tampa. To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don?’t know how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public unsupervised."
_________________________

"In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with more than one small child, pick your favorite."
_______________________________

Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than this airline."
_______________________________

"Your seat cushions can be used for flotation; and, in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments."
_________________________

"Should the cabin lose pressure, oxygen masks are in the overhead area.
Please place the bag over your own mouth and nose before assisting children... or other adults acting like children."
_________________________________

"As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings.
Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants.
Please do not leave children or spouses."
__________________________________

Overheard on a flight into Amarillo, Texas, on a particularly windy and bumpy day: During the final approach, the Captain was really having to fight it. After an extremely hard landing, the Flight Attendant asks you to remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened while the Captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!"
___________________

Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing:
"We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal."
___________________________

An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the Passengers exited, smile, and give them a "Thanks for flying our airline." He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment.
Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane. She said, "Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question? "Why, no, Ma'am," said the pilot. "What is it?"
The little old lady said, "Did we land, or were we shot down?"
____________________________

After a real crusher of a landing in Phoenix, the Flight Attendant came on with, "Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Capt. Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we'll open the door and you can pick your way through the
wreckage to the terminal."
__________________________

Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you?’ll think of us."


DEAR RESIDENTS - LET'S KNIT AND CROCHET
by Annette Solomon

Following are two patterns for newborn preemie baby caps. You may use these or you may use your own patterns.
PATTERNS FOR STOCKING CAPS WITH THE LITTILEST HEADS IN MIND
All Children's Hospital will accept tiny stocking caps for their PREEMIES. The nurses put these caps on each of the little ones heads when they're taken out of the incubator so that they don't lose body heat. The moms take the caps home as a remembrance of how tiny their baby was at birth. Head sizes run from about that of a small orange. You change the size of the caps by changing the size of the needles.
KNITTED CAP
Size 4 single pointed needles or size 4 double pointed needles -1 skein baby yarn, pompadour or cotton peaches & cr?¨me.
1. Cast on 84 stitches. If double pointed needles are used, divide evenly.
2. Work in K2, P2 ribbing for 6 1/2 inches
3. K2 together across row
4. Knit even for 2-3 rows
5. K2 together across row
6. Repeat row 4
7. K2 together across row, 11 stitches remain
8. Cut yarn, leaving a long end, and draw through stitches. Pull tight. Sew seam if using single pointed needles. Add pompom, if desired.

CROCHETED CAP
Size 6 or G hook -1 skein pompadour yarn or cotton peaches & cr?¨me
1. Chain 34 stitches and turn
2. sc in each ch starting with 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, turn,
3. sc in each stitch across always picking up the back of the stitch to make a rib effect
4. When piece measures about 6 1/2 in. or 60 rows, or 32 ridges, slip stitch together. Cut yarn and draw tightly through stitches to close top of cap.
These caps may be made in any color but preferably in soft pastel shades or variegated yarn. Red may be nice for the Christmas season.
Footnote to Annette: Linda Lou appreciates the kind comments about the June Forecaster.


PRACTICE YOUR ABC'S
Submitted by Linda Lou Fairbanks

Act silly
Believe in Magic
Create adventures
Daydream every chance you get
Enjoy life as much as possible
Find time for fun
Goof off
Hang upside down from trees
Imagine...
Join clubs
Keep it simple
Love all creatures
Make plenty of time for friends
Nap when you can
Open your mind to new ideas!!!
Play when you feel like it
Question the answers
Run with the wind
Sing favorite songs
Take days off
Uncover your talents
Venture out
Walk on the wild side
Xpect the best
Yield to the moment
Zzzzzz peacefully at night


POTPOURI - compiled at the Editor?’s desk with additional contributions from many, including Lucy LaBerge, Conrad Weiser, Marilyn Waltz, Kay Sebek et al.

Thought - Are you are one of many who say, ?‘no more birthdays for me?’? Have you also thought it?’s your friends and relatives who will miss you.
Word Definitions -
Paradox :>Two physicians.
Words to Live By - Genius is 2% inspiration, 98% perspiration. Thomas Edison.
Things to think About - Whilst we deliberate how to begin, it is already too late to begin. Quintilian (c. A.D. 80)
Truths -Marriages are made in heaven. But so again, are thunder and lightning. Old Times - I?’m just afraid the Volkswagon car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business.
Groaners -
I worked in the woods as a lumberjack, but I just couldn?’t hack it, so they gave me the axe.
WOMEN - submitted by Lucy Laberge

Behind every successful woman is herself
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A woman is like a tea bag...you don't know how strong she is until you put her in hot water
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coffee, chocolate, men. Some things are just better rich
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't treat me any differently than you would the queen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm out of estrogen and I have a gun
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Warning: I have an attitude and I know how to use it
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Of course I don't look busy... I did it right the first time
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I can be one of those bad things that happens to bad people
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How can I miss you if you won't go away?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't upset me! I'm running out of places to hide the bodies
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And last but not least:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you want breakfast in bed, sleep in the kitchen


WHEN I AM AN OLD HORSEWOMAN
submitted by Nora Adell Andrews
(author unknown)
(a take off of the 'when I am old I shall wear
purple..../with no disrespect)

When I am an old horsewoman, I shall wear turquoise and diamonds, and a straw hat that doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my social security on white wine and carrots and sit in my alleyway of my barn and listen to the horses breathe.
I will sneak out in the middle of a summer night and ride the old bay gelding, across the moonstruck meadow, if my bones will allow.
And when people come to call, I will smile and nod as I walk past the gardens to the barn and show instead the flowers growing inside the stalls fresh-lined with straw.
I will shovel and sweat and wear hay in my hair, as if it were a jewel.
And I will be an embarrassment to all, who will not yet have found the peace in being free to have a horse be a best friend.
A friend who waits at the midnight hour with muzzle and nicker and patient eyes. For the kind of woman I will be when I am old.
Warning: When I am an Old Man...
When I am an old man I'll wear plaid
And a pink tie with a hula girl that wiggles when I walk.
I'll go to the beach in my black socks and high top pennies And admire the ladies through my one-way mirrored sunglasses.
I shall spend my children?’s inheritance on fast horses, fast cars and slow women
And I will say I have no money for birthday gifts.
I will turn the TV on as loud as I want
And watch football games in my boxer shorts.
I'll drive my RV everywhere
In search of a 15 cent cup of coffee and piece of pie.
I will give the waitress my phone number
And tip her well if she takes it.
I'll call my children "collect" from exotic places, And say, "Send money.
I'm learning to wind surf."
But now we must be responsible.
We must pay our mortgage and taxes
And mow our lawns.
We must subscribe to The Wall Street Journal
And put the kids through college.
But maybe I ought to practice a little now
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised When suddenly I am old and start to wear plaid.


THINGS TO REMEMBER - submitted by Lucy Laberge

Having a sharp tongue can cut your own throat.
If you want your dreams to come true, don't oversleep.
The smallest good deed is better than the grandest intention.
Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important.
The best vitamin for making friends, B1.
The 10 commandments are not multiple choice.
The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.
Minds are like parachutes... they function only when open.
Ideas won't work unless YOU do.
One thing you can't recycle is wasted time.
One who lacks the courage to start has already finished.
The heaviest thing to carry is a grudge.
Don't learn safety rules by accident.
Jumping to conclusions can be bad exercise.
A turtle makes progress when it sticks its head out.
One thing you can give and still keep...is your word.
A friend walks in when everyone else walks out.
AND FINALLY... The pursuit of happiness is the chase


FORECASTER INFORMATION

FORECASTER GUIDELINES: All items and other information for the Americana Cove Forecaster may be placed in the box just inside the entry doors to the Atrium, or sent electronically. All items are to be in the original type, no photocopies please, in BLACK INK on full size paper- 81/2?” by 11?”. Deadline for July for all articles is the 19th of June. Font size is number twelve (12).
SUBMISSIONS: If you can send me your items by email, either as an attachment, or as part of the email, you will save yourselves money in both ink and paper. Thank you for your cooperation.
EMAILS to the EDITOR: If you are sending me an email for the first time, it would be very helpful if you could give me a call first (526-6046) to tell me what your email address is. I tend to get a lot of spam mail and I simply delete all unknown senders. I have lost a couple of items this way. It is unfortunate, but?… once I know your screen name I will have a reference for the future. My apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused.
FORECASTER CALENDAR: Deadline for entries to the calendar are always the 17th of each month. Since there are multiple entries every month we must have a little more lead-time to make sure everything gets submitted on time. Please note that all submissions must come from, or be approved by the MAA.


TODAY'S USELESS FACT - What should you do if a bat gets in the house?
Submitted by Gerri Bassett

Relax and enjoy it might be the best advice. A one-ounce brown bat, the kind most likely to show up in a North American house, is capable of eating five hundred mosquito-sized insects an hour all night, but is virtually incapable of doing any harm to a human being. Its only defenses are tiny teeth and a fierce appearance. A frightened bat makes a chirping sound and tries to look ferocious.

If you feel that you must try to get rid of it, turn on the lights; bats have very good vision, and the extra light will help it find the way out. Close off the room from the rest of the house and open windows or doors to the outside, then stand against the wall, out of the bat's flight path. Chances are the bat will leave if it is there by mistake.

On the other hand, bats may choose your house because it is a likely hunting ground, In which case it would be wise to let them stay. They are only there because there is enough food to feed them. Besides mosquitoes, bats like Japanese beetles, gypsy moths and other night-flying Insects, especially the ones that vex gardeners.

Bats are also site-faithful, which is why artificial bat roosts may or may not attract them. They prefer places with vertical temperature gradients, like chimneys, attics and shutters.

~source used: "The Book Of Science Questions and Answers"
by C. Claiborne Ray


THIRTY THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW....AND NOT WANT TO KNOW submitted by Lucy LaBerge

1. Money isn't made out of paper; it's made out of cotton.
2. The 57 on Heinz ketchup bottle represents the varieties of pickle the company once had.
3. Your stomach produces a new layer of mucus every two weeks - otherwise it will digest itself.
4. The Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper.
5. A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top.
6. Susan Lucci is the daughter of Phyllis Diller.
7. Every person has a unique tongue print.
8. 315 entries in Webster's 1996 Dictionary were misspelled.
9. Warren Beatty and Shirley MacLaine are brother and sister.
10. Chocolate affects a dog's heart and nervous system; a few ounces will kill a small sized dog.
11. Most lipstick contains fish scales.
12. Ketchup was sold in the 1830s as medicine.
13. Upper and lower case letters are named 'upper' and 'lower' because in the time when all original print had to be set in individual letters, the ?‘upper case?’ letters were stored in the case on top of the case that stored the smaller, 'lower case' letters.
14. Leonardo da Vinci could write with one hand and draw with the other at the same time.
15. Because metal was scarce, the Oscars given out during World War II were made of wood.
16. There are no clocks in Las Vegas gambling casinos.
17. The name Wendy was made up for the book Peter Pan, there was never a recorded Wendy before
18. There are no words in the dictionary that rhyme with: orange, purple, and silver!
19. Leonardo Da Vinci invented scissors.
20. A tiny amount of liquor on a scorpion will make it instantly go mad and sting itself to death.
21. The mask used by Michael Myers in the original "Halloween" was a Captain
Kirk mask painted white.
22. If you have three quarters, four dimes, and four pennies, you have $1.19.
You also have the largest amount of money in coins without being able to make change for a dollar.
23. By raising your legs slowly and lying on your back, you can't sink in quicksand (and you thought this list was completely useless).
24. The phrase "rule of thumb" is derived from an old English law, which stated that you couldn't beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb.
25. American Airlines saved $40,000 in '87 by eliminating one olive from each salad served in first class.
26. The first product Motorola started to develop was a record player for automobiles. At that time, the most known player on the market was the Victrola, so they called themselves Motorola.
27. Celery has negative calories! It takes more calories to eat a piece of celery than the celery has in it to begin with.
28. Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying!
29. Guinness Book of Records holds the record for being the book most often stolen from Public Libraries.
30. Back in the mid to late 80's, an IBM compatible computer wasn't considered a hundred percent compatible unless it could run Microsoft's Flight Simulator game.


HOOKED ON PHONICS!

Avoidable \uh-voy'-duh-buhl\: What a bullfighter tries to do.
Baloney \buh-lo'-nee\: Where some hemlines fall.
Burglarize \bur'-gler-ize\: What a crook sees with.
Eclipse \i-klips'\: What an English barber does for a living.
Eyedropper \i'-drop-ur\: A clumsy ophthalmologist.
Heroes \hee'-rhos\: What a guy in a boat does.
Misty \mis'-tee\: How golfers create divots.
Paradigm \par'-uh-dime\: Twenty cents.
Pharmacist \farm'-uh-sist\: A helper in agriculture.
Polarize \po'-lur-ize\: What penguins see with.
Primate \pri'-mat\: To remove your spouse from in front of the TV.
Relief \ree-leef'\: What trees do in the spring.
Rubberneck \rub'-er-nek\: What you do to relax your wife.
Subdued \sub-dood'\: A guy, who works on one of those submarines.


COMMENT - COMMUNITY BUSINESS - by John Bassett

On June 9th I met with some members of the Board of Directors, at their request. This was in relation to a series of questions I had raised about item 4 of the current mail vote, the one about combing partial lots, in fact it is small lots that the question is addressing as there are no partial lots.
After some discussion I agreed to forgo raising the matter in the Forecaster, it would have been a series of questions and answers, (with the Board supplying the answers obviously) because I was satisfied that my concerns were for the most part under control. Of course the obvious question is, why are my concerns any more important than any other shareholders?
Well, my concerns are not any more important, and as one Board member said, Town Hall meetings are a better way to do this. To which I heartily agree, but in this case there had been no Town Hall meeting. Perhaps by the time this issue comes out there will have been such a meeting. I am not however trying to suggest that the Board indicated such a meeting would be held in this instance, because that was not said. Sometimes time and circumstances do not allow for a meeting, being either a Board or Town Hall meeting.
In principle I agreed with the Board that there is a need to do something with the smaller lots.
The fact is, the Board is faced with some big questions on what to do with the smaller lots, mostly quad lots, because since MAROA was formed in 1994, unit sizes have become larger. Some kind of plan has to be developed to fill the quad and smaller lots. With this vote the Board hopes to have the authority to act as necessary. I will admit I voted against this proposal, not because I disagreed with the principle involved, but because I had concerns about the legality of how the question was framed. I would much preferred to have had a by-law proposed, transferring the right to change, combine or whatever, concerning the spaces/lots to the Board. Perhaps later this year when we can get a members?’ quorum this can be done.
The second issue that came out of the meeting, and the most important to me, was what role should the Forecaster have in reporting on, or commenting on, the activities of the Board, and/or should the Board use the Forecaster as an information vehicle.
I believe the Forecaster has a role to play in reporting the activities of the Board, and commenting on such activities or decisions. One comment that was made was that the Forecaster started out simply as a reporter of social activities. Probably true, but over time changes occur in the way things are done, how we live etc. etc. I think there is a role for the Forecaster, but I?’m going to leave it to the residents to comment. Are you satisfied with the Forecaster the way it is, or do you want it to simply stick to social activities? Just put your comments in the Forecaster box.
I also believe that the Forecaster should be used by the Board to spread the word about the activities planned or completed in the community. There was at least one suggestion that meetings are enough. To which I disagree completely. Politicians, and whether our Board members like the term or not, that is what they are, should use every available medium to get the message out. Many members/residents, including Board members, miss meetings for legitimate reasons, health problems, some can?’t hear well, and some simply misinterpret what they hear. The written word provides an opportunity to issue a clear message, and the first part of the Forecaster has been, and is, available to the Board and Manager to report on activities. And up to now most Boards have availed themselves of this opportunity, some better than others, but to my knowledge there have been no exceptions.
In any event we are, I hope, all working toward the same purpose, and that is to make life in this community as satisfactory and enjoyable as possible for everyone.

COMMUNITY NOTICES

AIR PUMP: There is an air pump located just outside the maintenance shed on Mt Piney Avenue. It may be used to inflate and/or check pressure in your bicycle tires.

NEWSPAPERS and MAGAZINE RECYCLING: There are newspaper bins located on Americana Dr and Mt Piney Ave for your convenience. All newspapers should be placed in these bins. Please do not place brown paper or plastic bags in these containers. They are for newspapers only! If you wish to recycle your magazines, there is a storage bin on Americana Dr, clearly marked for magazines. Please deposit magazines in only this bin! And, for those pesky phone books- you are asked to please take them to the Mt Piney dumpster. Please do not put them in with your trash. Thank you for your cooperation and thank you for recycling.

ALUMINUM CANS/CAN TOPS and SCRAP METAL: We have a very active ?“aluminum?” collection program here in the community. Sales of aluminum and metal contributes to our many social activities and every little bit helps! Please put cans/metal out for collection on Tuesday mornings (early!) or you may take them to one of the Old Timers Aluminum sheds. We ask that you do not put them in the garbage compactor. This is for household garbage only. Making the effort to sort these items from your regular trash really makes a huge difference and we appreciate your cooperation. You may also place your saved can ?“tops?” in the jar on top of the wastebasket in the clubhouse.

YARD BRUSH and TREE TRIMMINGS: Pick- up days for brush and tree trimmings is on Tuesday and Friday. Please place items at the side of the roadway, away from your regular trash. It must be contained in trash bags, plastic containers or bundled/tied.

DUMPSTER: The dumpster at the Mt Piney location is for those residents who have scrap materials from work they have completed themselves. Contractors doing renovations or repairs to your property are responsible for removing their own materials from the community at their own cost.

TV AERIALS: Please check your outdoor aerial to make sure it is firmly secured. Any looseness could result in damage to your home or property if it tears away from your home and falls. And, as we are coming into our thunderstorm season, winds can be high.
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ICE MACHINES in the CLUBHOUSE: This notice is for all residents and guests. Please do not use the ice machine in the kitchen area for your own personal use. You may use the ice machine located on Mt Piney Ave in the laundry room. The Kitchen Krewe reminds us for sanitary reasons, it isn?’t wise to be walking in and out of the kitchen at any time! From: Betty Chase, Kitchen Manager