No pool for you!

This morning it was overcast and quite gloomy, a carry-over from last night's storm. Phooey! This meant there would be no water exercise class today, much to my chagrin. It was the birthday of one our friends and I looked forward to seeing her and extending my good wishes to her. Oh well...

Our goofy weather did not deter other excitement here at our property, however. Starting early on, the trucks and equipment we'd been expecting was busily addressing the damaged tree located just behind our detached garage, on The Club property. The crane and other equipment was parked in our parking lot, entirely blocking access to the north parking areas. It seemed everyone who needed to get out did so by moving their cars before the machinery arrived.

 Here is the tree as seen on July 4th

The chipper and crane in place, already at work

 There are men everywhere, even up in the trees!

It's getting less and less tree-looking...

She is good that way

I have declined to serve on the Board for my building but sometimes find myself in the mix of things. For one thing, I am usually around during the day, and for another, I know how to use the computer. This week we are anticipating the removal of the damaged tree on the adjoining property requiring the equipment access to our parking lot. I have been asked to be the person who notifies our residents of the time frame and expectations so they can be sure to get their cars out of the garages in advance of being blocked in. Besides sending out the e-mails to everyone, I also posted a notice near the mailboxes for all to see. I hope that does the trick so no one is parked in once the machinery arrives. Certainly Connie will call folks to remind them if the cars are still there. She is good that way.

Another exciting job I do is send out notices announcing the elevator being shut down for an hour or so to allow for monthly maintenance. Connie usually checks with my next door neighbor to make sure Jack, wheelchair-bound, has no appointments at that time, and she finds out from me what my schedule is because she knows the stairs are not my friend. Especially the stairs which go up! I believe Connie also checks on the north end of the building where an older lady resides on the top floor, because she is good that way. 

One day she got herself into a mix-up at the pool. While Connie really has no beeswax about what goes on there, she does use the 'public' restroom connected to the cabana. More than once she has asked (told) the pool attendants to move the reclining chairs and swap them with the umbrella table. Connie claims our residents are in danger of tripping over the recliners and perhaps falling into the pool. I don't know that any Palace folks actually have tripped over them, but that was the reason Connie had for moving items around NOT on our property. The pool folks have the chairs and tables where THEY want them to be and are not willing to obey direct commands from our maintenance lady. Well, one day before Marlena came on duty the umbrella table and its chairs were relocated, and the reclining chairs moved. A battle of wills it was going to be. 

Marlena asked me what she should do, since she was sure it was Connie whom moved things around but didn't see anyone do it. My inclination was to run away and avoid this mess, but I did not. There is no sense going nose to nose over stuff like this. Marlena just had the staff move everything back to where it was and I didn't hear anything more about it. But tomorrow, with the work going on, I bet all the tables and chairs will be moved around to allow for the workers to have full access under the tree branches. Hopefully no one will trip over a chair and fall into the pool! 

A good pool day

Even though the cabana/Club is closed on Mondays, I was quite glad to see the lifeguard, Casey, walking around. That meant, besides his company, I could enjoy a cold soda when I needed one. He has access and ability to write up slips for purchases. Life is good!

Several of my friends and acquaintances came and went as the day progressed, many of them using the kids' pool on the far end. If I really wanted to, I could go to talk with them down there but that inhibits the fun kids have with splashing and such. I just stayed where I was and called my mom from the side of the pool.

One lady I needed to speak with did not come out today. My neighbor, Kay, has asked me to co-host a meet 'n greet with her for a Congressional candidate for our district. My unit is larger and better suited for such an event, plus she's already done one with her son on his farm for this same lady. Her name is Glo Smith, and drew national attention when her campaign signs were vandalized, painting over her black face with white paint. Yea, way to go, Jacksonville---NOT! She is running against another black woman so some would say Glo is an 'Uncle Tom' for being a successful business woman. Ugh, hate that kind of thinking!

Justin is excited about the whole event, doing planning of menus and such well in advance, his head spinning with ideas. I am more concerned with the logistics---room, getting the house cleaned, making sure we have enough food and drinks (no alcohol is served), and so on. He is all about the menu!  Kay is delivering the invitations on our property, our territory for the event. I will be making them up and she will get them printed. There are still a few details, or many, to work out before we are set on a date, etc. It is quite exciting!

This was our afternoon sky, just before The Five came on. No rain that I know of, but lots of wind and bluster!

All quiet now....

Even the washer has stopped for the day, having done several loads of sheets, towels, and other items from the guests. The folding can wait, but not too long. I am always in a funk when my guests leave, but it was good to be with the church family today to help me recover. 

Here is a shot of last night's super moon. I had told my sister, Kerry,  I likely wouldn't get a good shot because I stink at moon pictures, but this one is pretty good!

Thursday at Bible study at Victory we heard some very sad news about our friend, Marilyn. It was discovered that she had some sort of growth on her heart and had surgery to remove it. Not knowing what the growth was, cancer or whatever, they couldn't treat until it could seen/removed/treated. During the procedure, another surgeon was called in (not good) to check it out. It was determined to be cancer, and it had spiraled itself around the heart and in the tissue. There was nothing they could do.

Her first few days afterward were rough, as you might imagine after having ones chest cracked, and then to find out they couldn't help her....well, it was truly heart-breaking. She is well loved by her family and her friends, and we feared for her survival. I even put her on our church's prayer chain, so tenuous was her situation. We got word today via Facebook that she is doing much better, and hopes to soon have the ventilator removed. Reports are that she is alert and reacts to family when they speak to her. Thanking the Lord for sparing her this long, at least until her brother and family can get here to see her. Prayers for comfort for Marilyn and peace for her family will be greatly appreciated. 

A time to say 'good-bye'

The day began with a nice, big breakfast at Grumpy's, one of our established places to take our CO visitors. After breakfast, we met back at my house where Michael and Judy got them loaded into the van to head to Orlando. 

 This is Chris and me in the dining room. He promises he'll be back next year! 

 Jacob, his second time helping us with VBS, standing with me in the dining room. He is also a fan of the Packers!

 Jayson, his second time visiting me, was here last year with his brother, Jackson. He is such a joy to have around!

Sweet Noelle, her first visit to help with VBS, wants to be a preschool teacher some day

A group picture of the students and Michael, who rarely poses for photographs. This is a treasure!!

Justin captured me standing on the porch waving good-bye as they drove off...Jayson had asked me to not cry because he would cry and then Jacob would cry and it would be a big mess. So glad Justin was home for me to wipe my tears into his chest when they left.

Inspiring artists!

Last night my neighbor, Judee, posted this photo of her most recent painting which was inspired by one of my sunrise photographs. She did a great job, didn't she?

Judee is a student of well-known artist/teacher named Hercel, who is presently in a rehab center after suffering a stroke. The class continues to meet even though he is not there. They have been so well taught by him that they can carry on in his absence. He can likely critique their work on-line or if they take it to him at Brooks! 

The death of me!

Earlier this year it was the delivery of my new dryer which nearly finished me off. The delivery guys had to remove the washer in order to get the old dryer out and the new one in. I was a nervous wreck over that! Now, it's my new washer. Ordered last week from Home Depot, I had to wait until my guests are here to have it installed. The fine print on the purchase receipt said the faucets must be operational before the guys will install the new equipment. NUTS!! My hot water faucet is/was inoperable but we could shut off the water to the unit to accomplish the install. Nope, not good enough. The plumber had to come. Two days in a row my mouth was so dry I could barely swallow, but the plumber got the faucets replaced without incident but not without some effort. Then, today, the washer was coming.

Yesterday, because we were having the water shut off, I had to let my houseguests know that there would be no water for a while and told the young men that the plumber would have to access the bathroom in their room to shut off the supply. They barely moved a muscle despite people going in and out of the room. I was busy wringing my hands, ready to wring out water if called upon. Such a Nervous Nelly I am when it comes to water, and rightly so!  The plumber who came, Pat, brought his son to be the helper. He told his son to turn the supply back on very slowly once he had the faucets in place. Just as the son started turning the water on, the doorbell started ringing frantically. Oh, my heart! It was just Connie, coming to check on the progress. Both Pat and I jumped a foot when she did that, and ended up laughing, since the faucets did not leak. Whew!! I was so relieved to have it over. They moved my old washer into the foyer, where they observed my young lady guest sleeping on the air bed. 

When the plumber was leaving, after I paid him, I told him I needed the proper spelling of his name so I could put him in my Will. He said, "Just don't leave me this place!" Plumbers just don't like us here for some reason, and I know what the reason is!