esrosedotblog

Condo Board today.

I love to go once a month to report on the month's business and listen to the stuff people come up with.

Also to help them out. Rarely have to say no.

We are pretty easy.

But I think they know that nonsense will not be tolerated. But we do have a good time. I aim to be the "class clown". A serious one but still. Sense of humor and sense of proportion..

A friend who sits on the Board just drove past me getting mail and said he appreciated my membership. He is a past Chairman and knows whereof he speaks.

Some people who have moved here do not understand the idea of condo ownership.

I aim to teach them gently that their "property line" ends with the interior paint surface of their unit.

They cannot alter the outside structure in any way. None of their own paint jobs on the outside. Only approved landscaping in front of their patio wall. No fussing with the grass outside the line of their patio on the back and no expansion of that patio either.

There aren't many other rules. Well, there are but they make enough "good neighbor" sense that they do not get questioned.

Sometimes they want us to do more than we can about stuff. We are not gated so sometimes "outsiders" come in and cause problems. You know, steal bikes that are left unattended outside. Remove materials left in unlocked cars. Most anything that an idiot would let go. Or someone with blind trust.

I lived in a big city. This is nothing here.

We do have homeless who break into our pool bathrooms for some reason. Pry open the doors. I guess to sleep in there or something.

But on the whole we are pretty safe.

Today, we heard from someone who wants to put in an "illegal" porch light. Another person wanted us to do something about putting solar on our roofs. This is a new one. We explain each time that we are not candidates for solar. I forget why now. We do heat the pools with solar.

And so on.

I enjoy this work because I always have put in some public service time and now, this. It is my contact with normal life. I live in a rarified atmosphere and this helps me keep my feet on the ground.

I am the Treasurer of the Board. I sign the checks and read a report prepped for me by the professional managers we hire to do the real heavy lifting.

I comment as a Board member on each proposition. I try to keep a sense of humor. A friend just stopped by with his car to say that to me. He is an ex Board member.

I suppose this is boring to an outsider but it is how most of good government gets done. Small boards, committees, councils and so on all over the country in each little municipality and subdivision. When people talk about the "American System" this is what I think they are talking about. Grass roots democracy.

Believe me, the issues before the nation are nothing compared to the shock of finding non-owners using our pool (you cannot lock all the gates, egress). And so on. You get the idea.

Labels: condo

Condo Board meeting today.

We are struggling with the reality of a long drought in California and a state mandate to reduce water usage.

We are doing pretty well but there are consequences. The once fine but inappropriate deciduous trees which were planted when the complex was built, the early 60s, have had to find more water underground and have gone looking for it. They found the sewer lines.

So, out with the trees and in with some desert friendly fan palms which will be happy to grow without going deep. The idea of putting nothing in is a non-starter. People want their "trees". Our job is to find some that work better.

We are also in the process of rebuilding roofs which was postponed some to cover the unexpected cost of the new trees.

A domino effect on the budget.

A lot of other details of condo life were addressed, but the longest time by far was the landscaping problems and solutions.

I continue to enjoy my time on the Board. I am still the Treasurer and love to handle the money and sign all the checks.

I do not aspire to higher office.

I like the people I am serving with. I like the non-combative air of the meetings.

We get a good turnout of owners, maybe twenty or so. A small percentage of the total 146 but the interested percentage. A lot of owners are part time and are more than happy to let us run things. Especially since there has been no increase in monthly fees for two years and no additional assessment to cover unexpected costs.

Tranquil compared to a lot of Boards I know of. Or even our Board back over five years ago. The "fighters" all left or were voted out.

This is my second term. Unopposed. I act like I am going to stand for office again. Whether I do or not is less the point than the belief that any office holder should run a little "scared" of the electorate and their approval.

For example, I wave to everyone whether I know them or not. Sooner or later I get to know them. But the wave is purely for the vote. I am also a cynic and am willing to act accordingly.

I learned all this from my Dad who was on the School Board and held other offices all his adult life. Service. With a smile and a wave.

I also like the Tip Oneill philosophy that people want me to ask for their vote and to act like I will.

I have always done this kind of thing. Love it.

Labels: condo

But not bored.

Today was a special meeting of the Condo Board.

We had an emergency. Bad sewer lines in the old section of the complex and the need to replace them.

It all fell apart at about the same time.

Bad but not too bad to be fixed without an added assessment on the owners. We would do almost anything to avoid that.

The fees here are very stable and we believe sufficient for things like this.

It turns out that is true. We have the money.

Just enough.

It is hard to have a Board Meeting in the summer, so many people are gone. But we got a good turnout anyway and will be able to take our first step toward getting things corrected.

The problem is the roots of the trees. The wrong kind. Ficus.

These will be taken out and Mexican Palms put in to replace. These are very shallow rooted and far more appropriate for the desert.

We are told that this problem has been put off for years but we are biting the bullet and doing the job. That feels good.

Labels: condo, landscaping

Today was the monthly condo association board meeting.

I am the Treasurer.

Someone writes my report for me but I have to be able to answer questions. If I miss the mark our professional manager(s) are there to help bail me out.

We are in the final phases of some very major overhauls of our "working" papers. The incorporation, the rules, the other stuff that keeps us legal under the acts of California. And also, of course, keeping the people with pitchforks and torches from storming our castle.

We have about 150 owner members. They pay a monthly fee to the Board out of which we disburse funds for common core work. Landscaping, pool maintenance, the professional managers and so on.

There is lot of little shit in the budget.

I sign all the checks for funds outgoing.

We passed our budget for the next fiscal year today. We voted some extra money to remove some trees that the original developers planted right over the sewer lines in some lots.

The biggest issue in front of us right now is that a portion of our land is leased from the local indian tribe. This is quite common in the Valley.

The Tribe has a new leader and has let us know that all the land leases will almost double in the next five years.

While this does not alter the day to day operations it does give some owners a feeling of fear and doubt about whether they will be able to pay the new fees.

We are OK but some people on fixed income may not be.

The new lease will last for 34 years so in one way it is a good thing as it will bolster the resale value of units. Removing the doubt about the land fees and lending stability. The lease cost will be higher hut there will be a limit set.

I am on the sub committee negotiating with the Tribal members who own our land. It is s slow tedious process. They have over 70 stake holders who have to come on board.

But I like the work. I spent my work life teaching negotiation skills as part of our company's offerings. The real world is not always as predictable as the models hope they will be especially when there are so many people on the other side.

In the end it is all done by lawyers but we have to tell them what to do.

This is my second term on the Board and it lasts until the end of 2017. I like the work and could run again. Last time I was unopposed.

In any case, I want to do a good job while I am at it.

I have always done stuff like this in my life. This is not political but it has its political aspects. I do need votes after all. So I play to the crowd that shows up for our meetings. 15-20 people, different each time.

No meetings for the summer, July or August. Everyone takes off. In fact they already have. Those of us who stay are enjoying the quiet.

Labels: condo

Today was the monthly condo board meeting.

I read my carefully prepared Financial Report. Carefully prepared by our professional management.

Then we proceeded to wade through the matters of concern for the last month and the month upcoming.

This would include the matter of hedge height, 6 or 8 feet tall. Enough to see the view but not be seen by adjoining units. The request for a new tree at 1125 which we deferred. The use of leaf blowers, a perennial issue for people who are annoyed as shit at the sound until they find out how much it would cost to have the gardeners rake by hand. Landscaping concerns, always the longest dreariest part of the meeting. A lot of "not in my yard" here. Or "I will cut the fucking bushes the way I want them even if they do not belong to me".

The issues around pool maintenance, the concerns about "illegal" outdoor lights installed by owners on association owned structure and so on.

There is an ongoing issue with one owner who is a nuisance (nude bathing, assault and battery and so on).

We discussed the use of the regulation tennis courts for a newish game called pickle ball. New striping or striping overlaying the tennis striping. I sit this one out. The mind boggles.

The best part was my report which showed our expenditures 20 dollars off the budgeted amount. Unheard of. A fluke. But one that I claim responsibility for. A hill climbed with out any effort on my part. Next month we could be going in the shitter because roof repairs come due. My moment in the sun.

That is about it.

We had a good turnout. 25-30 people. No one with pitchforks or torches.

I like doing this. It is interesting and I like my fellow members.

In fact, I like the owners who show up.

I make jokes which is appreciated. Not at anyone's expense. It just comes out. I am too old and have had too much experience to take any of this too seriously. Just enough.

I realized today that my Dad was always the Treasurer of things he was part of. The school board, the church. He was forever counting money at the house.

I do not do that today. It is all checks and bank accounts somewhere. Invisible.

Labels: condo

Today, the monthly condo board meeting.

I have been sitting on this for three years.I really like it.

We have 147 units, just the right number I think. Not to big not too small.

We get a good owner turnout to observe and participate in the meetings. Some sit quietly. Others have questions. Still others have ideas.

In my experience, the ones who ask the most questions and offer ideas end up being on the board. Eventually. Their attendance is a sort of try out or farm team league workout.

Once they get a presence they stand for election and usually, if they are prompt in getting their names into the hat, they end up elected.

There is no rule for turnover. It just happens.

This is my second term and while there have been some lifers in the past I think I will not be standing for a third term. But as I type that, even I do not believe it.

I am well suited for the job of Treasurer and I like to sign all the checks. It fills my need for some power and at the same time is very practical. It is the fundamental microscope on what is going on.

We have professional managers; a small company that services several other small associations like us. They are well informed and know their role. I like them.

In fact I like all my fellow board members. Their quirks and specialties are fascinating to me. They all contribute.

Best of all we have no assholes. This is a feature of many other boards I hear about. Not ours.

Steering the association is made easier by the fact that in California we have the Davis-Sterling act which was produced in answer to a host of problems with HOA associations in the state.

It is a wise and enabling legislation of proper guidelines and procedures. Not hard to follow, it actually enables good government while heading off bad behavior or incompetent leadership.

We also have attorneys on call when we get our heads into areas that look murky or portend trouble.

Right now we have a crazy owner who is rumbling at length in long incoherent letters about the failures of the board, the association, the professional staff, the neighbors, the dogs around her who bark just to annoy her and so on.

A good bit of governance is to ignore this type of provocation, invite her to come to board meetings and vent and, somewhat sternly, let her know we are not afraid of her and that her rights only extend the paint on her walls. We own the structure. She owns the interior. A fine point but often a key one. Owners do have a stake in the property itself but it is a joint ownership and no one gets to run the thing but us. And we are constrained both by the law, re-election and good sense.

I love it.

I am good at it. Long years of public service prepared me for all of it. I am not passive. I try to speak from the heart. I figure part of my job is to help people keep it cool and not make fools of themselves. If they insist, we will let them do that but we will not point and make fun or abuse them in any way.

I find that my parental stare is often enough to stop the nonsense. And I am not even the chairman. There are five of us and we all bring a good balance and good sense to the operation. If I say so myself.

Oh. Why "grass"?

Because it is the perennial (ha ha) issue at each meeting. My grass, your grass, watering grass, not watering grass, seeding grass, not seeding, weeds, bermuda, rye, on and on.

Why is this? I am not sure. We are fucking lucky we have any grass. It is a feature of the condo design and very unusual for this kind of development. The originator and designer of the units gave us plenty of space and filled it with grass and gorgeous landscaping. It is beautiful. It is one of the things that brought us here. But it is expensive to keep up. Mowing, watering (no water) seeding, replanting, pruning and all. The technicalities of good grass constitute a major in some agricultural colleges. Preservation of plant material is an art practiced by professional gardeners. Pruning alone would fill a sizable manual.

The drought mandate in California has required that we cut water by 35% and we have done so. With no harm to the grass!

Amazing.

But what remains is the belief that your grass is greener than mine.

Now not one person here owns the grass around their condo. But believe me that is a technicality. People want their grass to be in top condition. Their turf to be bountiful. And it is, for the most part.

We spend a lot of money on this. And the mowing.

It is easy to say that grass should be taken out and gravel put in. But it turns out that gravel is very expensive if properly laid. Four layers of sand, pebbles, black film to halt weeds, netting, blah blah blah. And then you have to keep people and dogs off it because it will not take very long for it to develop into an outdoor toilet. Piss smell for a long distance.

And and so on.

I have been on the board the longest and know the story and get to be the one to tell this every several months when a new group of environmentally minded water savers come in and want us to take the grass out.

We are not going to do that. At worst, we will let the dry turf sit and be brown waiting for the revival of water or not. If it turns to sand it would be better as desert than as some concocted gravel pit. And so on.

I go on and on about this you see. It is my job. When the naif comes in and wants to take the grass out, all board members turn to me. I recite the lesson for the day. I must do a good job of explanation or, perhaps, intimidation. It does not come up again from that person.

Labels: board meeting, condo

It is autumn and that means a return to monthly meetings of our condo board.

I sort of missed it while we were off. Only two months, but still. I still signed the checks and did my Treasurer stuff.

We had a good turnout of owners and some old and new problems to work on.

We continue to attempt the purchase of our entire east section, the land, from the Indian Tribe.

They are flummoxed by the death of original owners and big families so that the plot in question now has 63 separate owners. Fortunately we do not meet with all of them but since the tribe is reluctant to push, our committee is going to the largest owners to try for some movement.

It will work out. Slowly.

The rest of the stuff was pretty routine. A few permissions for rehab and an owner who is pissing off all his neighbors and breaking association rules.

The meeting lasts about two hours which is fine. Most of the work is done by a professional management company who are very competent to act. We give them direction and act as a buffer between them and owners.

It is nice to be back in the business of condo-ing. I have always been on some committee or other and I am happy to be doing this here and now.

Labels: condo

There have been a lot of films reviewed, but no personal news.

No political comments either.

I suppose that I am lying low.

On the personal front, we are back from vacations. Resettling.

I am back at the gym and not to badly out of shape. I kept up this morning pretty well and only looked at my watch about ten times. But I stayed with it. It will get easier.

It is time to renew some activities like the condo complex Board. Signing the checks has been normal but we have not met since June. No one is here and there is not a lot that requires our attention. But we are gearing up for the new season which begins in a few weeks.

There is an owner who is asking to do his own landscaping on common land. Not possible. Gotta get the Landscape Committee on that one. The expenses are under budget. I am ready for the next Treasurer's report as soon as our managers write it up for me. So much for that.

The family is doing fine. I am on dog watch this afternoon. Feed and short walk, while John is off on some business.

The weather is cooling and this morning all the doors opened to temperatures in the 70s.

Welcome autumn.

We even have a few falling leaves off the hibiscus and lantanas which do molt but not quite in the same way as back east. Seasonal but not dramatic. They turn yellow and drop. New small leaves break out and the next thing we know, in October, the bushes will be full again.

There are some tall sycamores on the other side of the complex which are going to have a leaf falling autumn and some of that has started. Love them every year.

So change. Cooler. Back to work.

Labels: condo, life, seasons

I see that I have not written about much except for the movies we are seeing.

That is partly due to the season. Hot and summery and blessedly not humid. It has been a great summer.

But I have to admit that I have not been out or in any more or differently than usual.

Mostly that the bloggable things are not coming along at their usual pace.

I do not suppose you want to know about my gym workout this morning or my food shopping experience at Ralphs.

Or my nap.

Some reading, mostly the latest saga about Captain Aubrey and his friend Stephen Maturin sailing the world on the warship frigate Enterprise.

My third time through.

Then there is the afternoon web run followed by supper and the evening dog walk>

Lively stuff. But perfect in its way.

Summer, when the livin' is easy.

And there is no one else here. I would say about half occupied. Maybe less.

Here is an old photo of the pool with the previous umbrellas. We have white/tan now. Not nearly so dramatic.

But the view has not changed at all. Maybe a stone or there but that can't be seen from our vantage point.

Labels: condo, life, summer

We have been at a our current condo address for five years today.

It doesn't seem that long.

It is a little strange that in the same week, our old house is back on the market for 50% more than we got for it. But they are asking a lot.

That is history, though.

We are here and very happy with it. There is enough space and there is no maintenance at all. I do a little gardening in the front patio but it is pretty small potatoes and when I need some help I buy it.

There was a time when it was a puzzle to me why anyone would want to live in a condo. But when we found this place, I changed my mind almost immediately.

It has separate units and is not anything like the stereotype.

And, I have been able to keep a hand in by being on the Board and signing all the checks. Almost like my own house only not my money.

Labels: condo

Not a normal Saturday.

First a Meeting. That's normal.

Then a meeting of the condo board, normal for a third Saturday.

It was hot but we still got a good crowd. We did not move inside. We are too cheap to pay the rent!

But it did hurry us along.

A lot of nice stuff happened and I gave my Financial Report with ringing and resounding joy as we are in positive territory as we head into our ninth month. Our Fiscal Year begins in October.

We tentatively approved the budget for the next fiscal year as we will not meet again until September and we handled some security issues which we do not do much about. People are on their own with their cars and so on. It is not gated and we do not have security personnel.

Also some talk about where and how to manage in the drought. We have a lot of trees and bushes which we will do our best to preserve but we have already let go of the grass. No seeding this year. Minimum water. And a prayer.

Then home and a nap and on to a normal day.

Today's "movie" were more Teen Wolf Season Four episodes. I am a third through.

This series still just stops me cold. I am transfixed. As you know, I am not a teevee fan of any kind but I get this one totally.

Labels: condo, teen wolf

It is the third Saturday of the month and, hence, the condo board meeting.

It went well as it almost always does. A good turnout. Happy owners.

We somehow manage to sail through any contentious issues with grace and dignity.

A lot of that has to do with history. A good board over time.

Also, affluence.

Not to be ignored.

We have a comparatively low fee structure. Not the lowest anymore since we bought one of the land leases, but pretty low.

We have a good management company doing the day to day.

Good neighbors, stable resale value and none of the problems that beset some associations such as neighbor fights. Not our province anyway. Fight on if you wish. And they know we will let them too as long as the general good does not suffer.

A good chairman. A great treasurer if I say so myself. And very importantly owners who show up at our meetings and do not fail to put in their ideas and words. We listen. They get to comment both before and after the meeting.

So on we go.

I am at the beginning of a budget cycle. The chair and I will prepare rough budget drafts for a special meeting in August (I think).

Then on to the next fiscal year.

My term is over at the end of this year but tradition is that, if I want, it can be evergreen and I can serve again.

I will probably do that.

Labels: condo

No movie today

I went to a condo board budget meeting instead.

We needed to review the cash situation for the remaining 6 months in our fiscal year. Some funds got slotted for other categories.

Our income is fixed with the owners fees paid per month.

In our case we are not spending as much as planned so we took a bunch of money and put it into drought amelioration measures. Take out some flowers here, replace some turf with gravel there.

We will get an OK for our recommendations at the next board meeting.

We are an "old" condo development which had/has a lot of landscaping in and around it.

All of this takes water which used to be abundant.

We must quickly change over what we can to be more drought resistant. In some instances, plants are OK if they are wisely pruned and limited in their water use.

The State has mandated a 35% cut in consumption. We have reached about 25% and need to go even further.

We have no control over residential usage. They all have their own water meters.

I saw a guy out with a hose watering his brown lawn which is not his. It is ours. People are a little nuts out here.

Labels: condo, drought

The California drought is quite real.

We can feel or see the effects daily.

The first and most shocking sight are the bare mountains to the north. No snow cover. None. A wisp near the top might be snow but I am not going up there to check it out.

The other water we cannot see or detect is underground. Huge natural aquifers and settling basins for our share of Colorado River water. About 150 miles away. Huge canals built as work projects during the depression. You know, the big depression.

We are dealing with it in our condo association. But not very well.

Curtailing the watering of grass is not just a matter of cosmetics. The grass holds down the sand and the watering keeps the grass there.

Our solution is to irrigate lightly. A lot of the grass is already brown.

Speaking of which, Governor Brown wants a reduction of 25-35%. Good luck at measuring that. For those of us who started reductions long ago, this figure is basically a wipe out of water use.

I am not whining. A conversion to desert landscaping is not that hard to do. It is a little pricey, but not many people have the money to spend on it.

We offer an incentive to people who want to do the part in front of their house. Some have done this but it is a mess in my opinion. First of all, they all look like something out of a kids book. Lined up cacti and pretty gravel. River stone. The nearest river? The same fifty miles I mention above. Desert stone, shale, is not as pretty for some.

I am surprised to be a bit of a holdout. We have gone to no cactus inside our small patio. Also one whole section is going to be 12 inch and 18 inch balls made of different materials. I hope it looks good. We will be trying them out today.

I do have a cactus garden as well. It needs water. Some. In the back of the unit, another patio with very green "tropical" plants. I have done nothing with these either. Just water them more sparely.

This problem will be the subject of many condo board meetings. One citizen has already squealed to the mayor that we are watering at night. This is just wrong. So we are getting a visit from some bureaucrat at the next Board meeting.

I hate to sound bratty about this but I hate intervention by small clerks and "regulators". It is just fucking annoying. But I will be nice. And quiet. And listen. And be judicious and, well, if possible a good citizen in a bad drought.

Did I mention that as we cut the watering of grass some owners now go out and use their hose for their own piece of grass? Which is not theirs. It belongs to the HOA.

Labels: condo, drought

The Board of the condo association met today.

Its regular meeting. Every third Saturday.

I did my Treasurer's report without serious incident and we had a good two hour meeting.

There is not a lot going on right now. A troublesome owner who will be warned, a need to take some action on neighborhood issues (the area larger than hours where we are located) and so on.

I still like participating in this activity. It feels like I am needed and I get to handle a lot of money. None which I get to keep.

We are professionally managed yet we do need to be active as a Board to review issues of daily concern. The troublesome neighbor who runs naked from time to time. The landscape committee who gets criticized by someone for every bush. It is actually very nice and in every meeting someone thanks the Board for being even when we haven't really done any specific thing for them.

Labels: condo

Yesterday's condo association meeting went nicely.

It was both the annual meeting and a board meeting following.

We got a good turnout. Maybe 35 people and half of them stayed for the board.

I was re-elected Treasurer as expected (and desired) and the new chairman is a good guy who I like.

My reports went, as they usually do, unquestioned. There were a few questions about the items in the budget but these were more a matter of how rather than why.

There is some latent concern in the compound about security but most of the issues involve foolish behavior. Leaving items in their cars, parked on the street all night, is a main one.

Everyone has a garage but many are filled with shit that they brought and can't fit into their unit. Maybe from a house. Maybe just because they can't throw stuff away.

There are public storage places for this but that is not a popular statement to make in these discussions. The problem will remain and shit will get stolen and we will continue to detach from the problem as being between them and the police. And their own bad habits and laziness.

We have a new landscape contractor who got outspoken praise from people who came. They are doing a good job. We have some lovely open spaces with beautiful landscaping which has now grown into fully mature growth so very often the issue is removal of old trees that threaten the structures or some similar decision. Trees are a focus point for most people. The ones who love them and the others who don't want "the mess". We are for the trees and do what we can to preserve the vegetation.

The landscaping is one of the main features that attracted John and me to the complex. Very few others have as much open land or as verdant surroundings.

Labels: condo

I leave pretty soon for the annual meeting of the condo association.

I am not feeling entirely secure with my financial report but that is a good thing. I am the treasurer and probably the only person who scrutinizes it other than the professional managers. I am not always sure about the terms and conditions.

Of course, they, the pros, will chime in if there is a problem and I will have a quick prep meeting with my counterpart before the meeting.

We will have a new board after the meeting. Two people are leaving and two coming on. A third has resigned too late for an election so one will have to be appointed.

So. An almost totally new board.

I could be chairman but I would like to remain in my present Treasurers position. The signer of checks.

But I am willing to let it happen and unfold and see what we shall see.

I will report forthwith.

Does that mean after the meeting?

Labels: condo

We had a condo Board meeting today. Right here at this pool.

It was a pretty good one too.

I am amazed at the lack of conflict when anything is discussed. And that includes the 20 plus owners who observe and stay for the full time, about two hours.

Some have questions or points to talk about. The pool maintenance, trimming of the trees (not until January, an elusive fact we keep repeating) and so on.

I think we do a pretty good job as do the full time professionals who we hire to do such things as landscaping and pool maintenance.

In a place like ours, the pool work is an important part of it all because it is our major amenity. That and the view. No one wants to lose their view. But they also do not want to have the trees near them pruned. Actually, there is no connection. We do not prune for the views and while a lot of people bought for their view we do not do anything in the interests of their sight lines.

We also discussed some local crime which we do not regulate. You gotta call the cops on your own. And, for keerist's sake don't leave valuables in your cars that are parked on the street because you filled your garage with unopened packing cases left over from your move.

And so on.

Some questions or comments require only a routine response. New people, same questions, same response.

We are on budget! Mostly because we are in the first month of the new fiscal year.

I am the Treasurer and I think that the Executive Committee did a good job of building this year's budget. But there is no amount of propaganda which will counter the fact that month by month we will be on budget or not.

It is important mostly because we set the fees on an annual basis. Monthly payments. Booklets are printed. It is a done deal until next September.

I still like the whole process a lot and enjoy it all. Even the bickering of which there is surprisingly little.

Labels: board meeting, condo

Autumn starts today somewhere.

We used to have it when we lived in Boston.

No more.

If we want to see leaf color we could drive up the mountain.

Any one of them.

I am not really nostalgic about leaves. Colored or otherwise.

There are some maple trees in our condo landscaping. On the other side. The original section.

It is surprising to see that they perform pretty well. Autumn and colors included. I think that there are three trees.

I would get to see them when walking the dog.

Which, I will be doing again by the end of the week. We go Friday to pick up Marcus.

Las Vegas. Where we got Booker.

If Marcus is half the pal that Booker was we will be well served.

I have no intention of comparing them. It is not Marcus' job to replace Booker. He will be himself which will be plenty.

Labels: condo, dog, seasons

John returned home this morning.

He drove his rental car back, turned it in at the airport and was home before I left for my condo board meeting at 9AM.

Nice timing.

I was glad to see him of course. I had to get used to his being around again. It took about five minutes if that.

Good thing because I took off for the monthly condo board meeting. It takes place across the street, at the east pool. Outdoors of course. The heat is turned down now. Lots of chairs and tables.

Nice businesslike setting.

We skipped last month but we probably should not have. There was some stuff that happened we are a little late out of the box for. I won't be so ready to vote yes on the summer vacation next year. Live and learn.

The meeting was not momentous. There were people there with some problems. Stolen items from cars which is not our business. A complaint about a neighbor's tree hanging over a wall. Cut it off. Up to you and the neighbor, we do not adjudicate neighbor issues.

The biggest item was the review of comments which have come in for the new architectural guidelines. At least an hour.

We are about to publish the final drafts and so there were some last minute additions to vote on.

I read my financial report which is pretty cut and dried. We are only 700 dollars shy on budget versus actual for the year after 10 months. Good news. It is all written for me but I do consult with the professional manager before the meeting. I sign the result and recite it. Moment in the sun.

Some agenda items drag on. We are trying to buy out the last of the lease for the property under our east side tract. Less than half the condos. The seller is the indian tribe and so it moves very slowly as there are many "owners" who have to sign off on it.

There is no doubt it will happen.

There were condo owners attending who had questions and complaints which were heard. Some were "just watching" us. And we were done in record time. Two hours. Early enough for me to get home and have my morning nap pretty much on schedule.

Labels: condo, life