Lake Bosse Oaks

May.June 2009

W-O-R-D-S, by Debi Walter

Sep 14, 2009

We had some friends over for dinner tonight, and we taught them how to play a new version of my favorite game- Speed Scrabble. If you aren't familiar with this classic it's a word game! I love it because I'm a writer and naturally, I love words!

We live in a world made up of words. Words dictate to us daily what to do, what to eat, where to go, how fast to drive and interprets the choices we make with more words from the media. We write words, speak words and listen to words. We type them, text them and use them to record voicemail messages. When we're tired we stop speaking words and listen to them on the stereo or through the television. Words are powerful tools to help us do one thing - communicate!
Yet words alone are not capable of communicating well. They are powerless left to themselves. When was the last time you received direction, comfort or help from a dictionary? Everyone has one, but no one reads them, it's for reference only because all it has are words, in alphabetical order, no less!
What makes words meaningful and helpful is who is saying them. A meteorologist telling me we have a 100% chance of rain today causes me to grab my umbrella as I walk out the door. The information we gain through words are credible only if those speaking the words are credible as well.
We are blessed in our neighborhood to have a Board of Directors not only willing to serve us month after month, but who also takes our Covenants and Restrictions and helps us understand how these words are to be followed. (We were all recently given a fresh copy of the covenants that bind our community together.) Neighborhoods with homeowners associations are not guaranteed to succeed because they have a document of words to follow. No, it's the people who give the words credibility and livability.
We are grateful beyond words, to have a Board willing to serve us the way they do.
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NOTE: To learn how to play Speed Scrabble see the Bosse Kids' Page, this issue.

 

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President's Corner, by Angelo Intravaia

I would like to thank Tom and Debi Walter and all those who helped with the Easter Egg Hunt/Pancake Breakfast. We had a good crowd and the kids had a great time hunting for those eggs. The event was even attended by some of our resident's relatives who do not live in our subdivision, but then, that's what being neighborly is all about.

I received an email from Cathy Rapp, who is on the Architectural Review Board of the Cobblestone community off Magnolia Homes Road. They are thinking of replacing their signage and liked ours so much that she wanted the name of the contractor, which we gladly supplied. That's another example of how Lake Bosse Oaks is making an impact in our area.

Ethan McCain, our vice-president is hard at work organizing the festivities for our 4th of July celebration. We had a great turnout last year and hope it's even better this year. If anyone is interested in lending a hand, please let me or Ethan know as soon as possible.

The Board is still working on getting information about sod along our perimeter wall and we'll keep you posted as news comes in.

Happy Mother's Day and hope to see everyone on the 4th.

 

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"ARB" Wired, by Ethan McCain

I would like to reiterate in these very tough economic times we are all striving to improve our lives in any way possible. We are very proud of our neighborhood and want to keep it in the best shape possible. The Board of Directors is committed to maintaining our highly desirable real estate. This is why we are focusing our attention this year on improving our neighborhood on the inside of our beautiful wall.

This past year falling property values have made us aware of the fact that we need to maximize every dollar we can from our own properties. To do this the Board has passed out an excerpt of the Lake Bosse Oaks Declaration of Covenants and Restrictions, as amended, which are recorded in the Public Records of Orange County, Florida. This is not to threaten any particular homeowner but is only to serve as a way of reminding each of us of the rules and regulations our properties are bound by. This is the document the Board will be referring to as needed in the future.

We are encourage how most of you have been cleaning up your yards by cutting lawns and trimming back old dead shrubs and trimming trees. Thank you so much; this is a great start! Let's keep it going by making sure our garbage cans and recycle bins are put away by at least the next day after trash and recycle pickup day. Also let's help our neighbor if they are away by bringing their cans in as well.

Please remember - we are neighbors and desire to work together in any way we can in order to keep our neighborhood looking great!

Thank you very much,
Ethan

 

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THE NEW GUY
BY JOSEPH WALKER
There's a new guy in the office.
I don't know his name, but he seems nice enough. He's pleasant, but kind of quiet. He seems bright. He smiles a lot.
A few days after he started here he asked me to provide some information for a project he's working on, and he asked nicely. It took me a few days to get the information, and he was nicely patient. And when I delivered it to him, he thanked me. Nicely.
So clearly he's... you know... nice.
When we walk by each other in the hallway we smile and say hi. Actually, he says, "Hi, Joe." I just say "hi" because... well... I don't know his name, and I'm embarrassed to ask. I mean, he's been here for a couple of weeks. I SHOULD know his name.  But I don't. So I just say "hi" when I see him. And I smile.
Last week I overheard one of his colleagues talking to him. I listened for a minute to see if his name was mentioned. The new guy mentioned the other person's name a couple of times, but the other person never called the new guy by name. ÂIt occurred to me that maybe the other person didn't know the new guy's name either.  Maybe nobody in the office knows his name. He's just... the new guy, and he's doomed to be the new guy even when he's not new anymore because nobody knows what else to call him.
I passed him in the hall again yesterday.
As usual, he said "Hi, Joe."  And as usual, I just said, "Hi!" Well, actually, I said "Hey, how's it going?If someone says "Hi, Joe" and you just say "Hi" back, it sounds like you don't know his name -- which is a bad thing, especially if you really DON'T know his name. So you have to say something else, something that sounds warm and familiar -- like you DO know his name -- without... actually KNOWING his name.
(By the way, I understand that President Obama is masterful at this.  Because, let's face it, there's no way he could know the name of every person who knows HIS name.  So he is often in this situation, and he has to make it seem like he knows the names of people he doesn't really know.  And they say he's great at it.  Which is comforting, in a way, to think that we're really not all that different from the President of the United States when it comes to not knowing the names of all of the people we say "hi" to.)
But I digress.

So anyway, I pass the new guy, he says "Hi, Joe" and I say, "Hey, how's it going?"  And I move on down the hall feeling pretty good about how well I'm coping with not knowing his name, when I hear a familiar voice behind me.
"I don't know you!"
It was Sylvia, one of the kindest, most genuine people I know. Sylvia is friendly, gregarious and warm, a welcoming mother figure to everyone in the office.  She had been walking a few paces behind me, and evidently she didn't know the new guy either.
But rather than just smile and say "hi," Sylvia did what Sylvia does. Not only did she announce that she didn't know him, she asked him his name, told him her name and engaged him in conversation -- clearly an interpersonal tactic aimed at getting personal information out of him. Before long they were chatting like old friends about some things they had in common.
And suddenly for Sylvia, the new guy wasn't the new guy anymore.
He was Mitch, a colleague with children, hobbies, interests and a little shared history.
I was stunned -- and a little embarrassed -- by the ease with which Sylvia negotiated that transition.  Turns out it doesn't take much to turn an unfamiliar face in the hall into a friend.  You just have to get over yourself and reach out a little.  Ask a question. Learn a name.
And just like that -- no more new guy.

 

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ADOPT-A-TREE Program
Orange County, Florida Orange County Mayor Richard T. Crotty along with Orange County Cooperative Extension will host twelve (12) tree adoptions during 2009. The programs are free for all Orange County citizens and are designed to encourage adding trees to our environment.
Adding trees to the landscape has many long-term benefits. Along with the obvious advantages of shade and beauty, trees provide oxygen, filter, pollution, and create habitats for wildlife. Adding trees also replenish lost canopy due to storm damage, age, and development. And of course, pride of ownership, a sense of accomplishment and increased property value are added perks.
The Adopt-A-Tree events will be held the following dates and locations from 8 a.m. until Noon (or when all the trees are gone):

May 16th Magnolia Park,
2929 Binion Road, Apopka, 32703

 

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Around Town

Scott's Spring Corn Fest - this year the Zellwood Sweet Corn Festival has been cancelled. In it's place you may want to visit Long & Scott Farms in Zellwood. Every Saturday during the month of May from 10a - 5p you can enjoy triple sweet gourmet corn, a giant slide, playground, mazes and a hayride - all for one price. $10 adults and $8 children ages 3 - 16. Under 3 are FREE. For more information call 352.383.6900 or visit them on the web at Long and Scott Farms.
Winter Park Farmers' Market - Every Saturday until 2p. this is strictly a farmers' market and does not include the typical flea market trinkets. However, you will find a large selection of fresh produce, crepes, coffees and live plant booths. It's located at the Winter Park Historical Museum on New England Ave., one block east of Park Avenue. For more information call 407-599-3275.
Orlando Parade of Homes - Now through May 17th. Preview new and remodeled homes, town homes, condominiums and custom homes in Orange, Seminole and Osceola Counties. Go online to preview the Parade of Homes Guidebook. More info: 407-629-9242. FREE.
International Fringe Festival - Held in Loch Haven Park May 14th - 24th, this event provides a venue for theatrical performing artists to display creative talent through their novel performances. For more information visit their website at: orlandofringe.org
Latin Sundays in Old Town - Every Sunday in May from 2 - 8pm enjoy authentic Spanish food while enjoying a live Latin band on the main stage. More info: 407-396-4888. Free admission for concert
Memorial Day Celebration - On Monday, May 26, 2008 join the community and the City of Sanford as they remember, reflect and honor the American Soldiers who served our country. Immediately following the parade is a tribute at the Veteran's Memorial Park on the waterfront with a honorary guests, a 21-gun salute and a fly-over by the Sheriff's office. The Memorial Day Parade will begin on 1st Street in Sanford at 10am and travel through the historic downtown area. This year's parade theme is "Sanford Remembers." Call 407-330-5697 for more information and to verify times and location.
Red, Hot and Boom - An annual event held on July 3rd at Crane's Roost Park in Uptown Altamonte. The festivities begin during the day and last until the grand finale - a spectacular fireworks display.

 

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Restaurant Reviews, by Debi Walter

This month's featured restaurant is:

Highland Manor Restaurant 604 E. Main Street, Apopka. Ph 407.886.6226. (formerly the Captain and the Cowboy Restaurant). The Manor is closed on Mondays.

Nestled in secluded grounds and surrounded by ancient oaks, the Victorian elegance of Highland Manor provides an unforgettable backdrop for any occasion. Weddings, reunions, anniversaries, a corporate event or just to relax in sumptuous surrounds while you sip a drink at the bar or sample the cuisine of award winning chef and co owner, John Mooney.

Blending southern hospitality with old world charm, the mood at Highland Manor is laid back and welcoming. We want you to fall in love with this beautiful home just as we did, we're passionate about what we do and about providing you with a wonderful experience.

 

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How To Play Speed Scrabble

You'll need a set of Scrabble tiles and 2 to 5 players.

1. Tiles face down between all players.
2. Each player picks 5 tiles.
3. Turn tiles over and create individual scrabble-style crosswords.
4. When you've used all your tiles say, "Pick Two".
5. Everyone takes another two tiles.
6. The player to successfully use all their tiles wins and earns an extra 10 points on their score.
7. You can rearrange your scrabble crossword as often as you like.
8. Tile selection stops when there are not enough to go around.
9. Same word rules apply as in classic Scrabble.
10. Everyone totals their points, sub- tracting any leftover tiles.

Have fun!

 

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Why is it that our memory is good enough to retain the least triviality that happens to us, and yet not good enough to recollect how often we have told it to the same person?

Francois de La Rochefoucauld(1613-1680
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Smart Mosquitoes

When my grandson and I entered our vacation cabin, we kept the lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting pesky insects. Still, a few fireflies followed us in. Noticing them before I did, Billy whispered, "It's no use Grandpa. Now the mosquitoes are coming after us with flashlights."
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When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied, "I'm not sure." "Look in your underwear, Grandpa," he advised, "mine says I'm 4 to 6."
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NEVER ASSUME...
A second grader came home from school and said to her grandmother, "Grandma, guess what? We learned how to make babies today." The grandmother, more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool. "That's interesting," she said, "how do you make babies?" "It's simple," replied the girl. "You just change 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'."
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