Back from the meeting....

....with no bloodshed! Tonight's Palace Annual Owners' meeting went along famously, with little or no arguments, and in fact, one of the pot stirrers even begged for no more controversies! And here I had prepared my special speech just for the meeting, with no need for me to deliver it. But I did anyway, in a greatly modified form, turning into praise for our Board, thanks for their efforts, and for that of the committees. I told the assembly that I had been approached by more than one Board member to serve but I respectfully, repeatedly declined, because "my heart is like a tiny china doll" and I could not take "the heat in the kitchen" which is where the Board finds itself. My remarks were well received and the newsletter complimented, which was quite nice to hear, of course!

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We are still going to have at least one more major assessment, which I am prepared for, that being the caulking, repairing of stucco, and painting of the building. A huge undertaking, much involved, but will hopefully put to rest many more of the leaking problems remaining. Somehow I avoided being on the Team making the color selections as I just finished that job at church. One of the non-resident owners is taking the job with help of Maureen, a woman with most excellent decorating sense. We will have three color choices to vote on, majority wins. The north end bulkhead needs to be repaired/replaced after the damage from TS Faye last August and they would like this done before the season starts again, for fear of additional erosion of our property.

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So, the good news is I got out of there with the same jobs I went in with, editor of the newsletter and on the social team---yippee!!!

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Saturday on my way to the Tupperware party at Wendy's house, I saw a sign for the Urgent Care facility in Oakleaf. Urgent Care----makes one think of cuts needing stitches, an ear infection, or a broken arm, right? Oh, no! This sign, under the name Urgent Care Center listed several items including Botox injections, laser hair removal, dermabrasion, and other seriously non-emergency health problems. What in the world??? I just had to laugh at the prospect of making a quick trip to the Urgent Care Center for a necessary laser hair removal!!!

"You mean these guys really lived?"

In the movie, "Secondhand Lion", a pre-teen boy is sent to live with his elderly great-uncles, uninvited, for a summer and hears the most amazing and fantastic stories about their lives. The stories were so "huge" that it was difficult for the young man to believe. At the end of the movie, an ancestor of one of the characters in the assumed "tall tales" shows up with his young son, who asked, "You mean these guys great-grandfather talked about really lived???" His dad turned to the now grown great-nephew who confirmed, both sadly and proudly, "they really did LIVE!", to the fullest.

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I took the movie to church with me to return to Suzanne, but when Cliff saw me with it, we began discussing the story. One thing led to another and I very nicely let Cliff borrow Suzanne's movie from me! Hopefully they get a chance to watch it and return it to the rightful owner promptly. And I also hope they enjoy it as much as Joanne and I did!

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My kitchen is smelling so good right now with my roaster back in the oven with last night's supper cooking once more. The last time I did this, I ended up the pork in my hair when it spit mightily at me. A good clean shot, too! That is not it for re-runs, however; I am also being entertained by "Godfather II" again this afternoon on AMC network. As much as I enjoy watching these two movies, the ads for upcoming "network" programming is getting on my nerves. I feel as though I have seen the entire show already through the trailers and promotions.

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Last night when getting my bedtime Diet Coke, I realized it was the only can in the box. My pantry showed no more cases in there, when I was certain more existed. It is heck to get old, and worse to know there was no more soda! Joanne offered to go get some but I told her thanks, but no, I would get some in the a.m. The final can lasted until this a.m. when I finished it off before my shower. On the way to church I stopped at Sonic and got my Route 44 Diet Coke. Ahhh! Tasted soooo good!

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I posted the new photos on the Flock Board to help fill in where the blanks were but one new family's photo just could not be made small enough for the Board without cutting off their heads or faces. After church I asked this family to pose once more for me in an attempt to squeeze them onto a four by four piece of paper! Brian also asked me to retake his photo because he sports a new, modern look and wants the Flock Board to reflect this.

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Immediately following worship was a congregational/voters meeting with much to discuss including a sharing of ministry and duties with an area congregation whose pastor, already part-time, is taking full retirement. There is a proposed plan for one of our members who has been trained in our Synod schools and served as a principal at a Lutheran grade school to become certified as a Staff Minister and work with our pastor and others in serving this congregation in some ways, and ours in other ways. Whew! A Greek sentence.....run on.....

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(Editor's Note: I deleted the portion here which would have connected this next paragraph)

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I am glad Justin came out of our family mess minimally scathed. In our household, having lost his brother in the midst of the foolishness sort of outweighed the rest of the junque going on. I should not say this definitively, only Justin really can answer that question and perhaps only time will tell. I rejoice that he remains in the faith and enjoys worshipping at Victory, where they make him feel welcome. Even "fighting" over who gets to sit with him when he goes to have supper before mid-week services! He is still quite the ladies' man, even if they are old enough to be his grandmothers! (So no one worries or wonders, what transpired at our congregational meeting in no way affects or reflects anything regarding Justin, but another young man going through similar things Justin did years ago....)

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And now, some Tylenol and pork roast!