February 2002 Table of Contents

ROYAL PALM FRONDS
Betsy Bracey

Our return from a six months sojourn in New Zealand was welcomed by both Woody and me. We missed our homes but even more we missed our friends. What a special place we all live in! Nevertheless, we thoroughly enjoyed our extended stay on North Island (Abaco Journal, October 2002), the six weeks spent birding Australia as well as the six weeks tour of New Zealand's South and Stewart Islands, which provided us with some of most beautiful scenery to be found anywhere. Woody's bird list leaped by more than 450 new and rare species and my knowledge of the world expanded by a large margin. "Down Under" is a fascinating mix of European charm sparked by South Sea Island exotica.

A tour of Royal Palm's grounds proved very rewarding as RPCA Directors had given Sally Schiffmacher the go-ahead to continue with the landscape improvement plan. The results are well worth the effort. New lettering on our walls and the repainting of our unit signs were needed and look great. A remarkable improvement is visible in the tennis pool area. A cement walkway now leads to the renovated and extended pool decking which allows sufficient room for several chaises. It has become a comfortable, well protected place to lounge and swim even on windy days. Lovely plantings soften the impression and enhance the ambiance. Well done!

Our maintenance crew has kept the buildings and perimeter walls freshly painted and having new roofs has allowed them more time to attend to every day chores rather than to be constantly patching leaks. Also well done.

Several of the Marina Drive overhead lights are not operational but this has been addressed and will hopefully be corrected directly as it gets mighty dark when the moon isn't up.

During the two weeks since our return we have seen Ginny and Al Shew, Ginny and David Cosman, Director Diane Gerlach, Kay Kaplan, Bill and MaryLou Nielsen, Bonnie and Jimmy Nielsen, Claudia and Peppino Campi, Sharon Laughlin and Dennis Dudley, Lorna and Bill Firstbrook, Bobbie and Bob Williams (wedding date set for April 5th ( Congratulations, Bob) Beth Williams and her girls, Sally and Bill Schiffmacher, Karen and Director Mike Meyer and Karen's Mother, Marion, Angelica and Roger Smith, Jackie and Stewart Carroll, Gae and Mike Meeson, Kathleen and Director Bill Draper, William Blair, Jill and Michael Rohan, Florence Gillet, Cathi and John Cash; new owners of 2432, Carol and Bud Maloch; new owners of 2336 & 2436, and Woody and Betsy make 45 owner/occupants in residence. Not bad for the first weeks in January. We expect President Jerry Hill and BJ to arrive within days. Director Hagen and Peggy Peters will arrive in two days time with Dena in tow (much adored miniature Dachshund). We understand that Peggy has broken her foot so all dog walkers are invited to share Dena's dailies.

While the weather has been cool, the days are sunny and nights are so clear that you can't begin to count the stars. We thought we left sparkly skies in New Zealand but here they are right above us! One can see the moons of Jupiter and Saturn's rings easily and with Woody's birding scope we can see even deeper into the heavens. Just gorgeous. It's time all of you returned to share the beauty that most of us never quite find anywhere else.

February Table of Contents