Signing Off

Living in Paradise and her husband, Mr. Living in Paradise, will be flying northward before sunrise Tuesday morning, to be closer to Santa and family.
As we battle the snowstorm expected Wednesday, we will be thinking of you all down here who are complaining how cold Tampa is.

Our wishes are for peace and harmony here in our community and in the world. Good health to you all, and have a prosperous and happy new year.

Don't forget to come out and help take down the clubhouse Christmas decorations on Dec. 27. Check the Information Room, or call Mary Willsey or Alice Disharoon for details.

Buy your tickets for the New Year Day Dance with Happy Days. Guy Hislop is selling the tickets for a mere $5. No membership to anything is required. Bring your drinks, a snack, and come have a ball.

See you next year!

Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year

The 35 or so carolers treated every street in Regency Cove tonight with their joyous voices and wishes for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. At some homes,I must admit that it was a little difficult for me to sing, because the tears in my eyes kinda caught up in my throat, and the music just couldn't flow. Watching Dardy wheeling his wife to the front door, as she threw kisses and waved. Others just clasped their hands to their hearts and repeated over and over "Thank you, thank you". Some were joined by the care-givers, probably family, who came out to call out their Thanks for the experience.
For me, this is the annual event that brings out the most feeling of community. I'm sure those of you competing in tournaments have your own warm and fuzzy moments, but this night has always been superior for me. Mary Willsey and soon-to-be-president Alice Disharoon have been preparing for this event for weeks.There is so much to co-ordinate with this: Thanks to Ed Scobee and Larkin Garage for arranging the use of the trailer. More thanks to Tim Reynolds for his help hooking us up with some music to blast the singers into a semblance of unison.Betty Ridge provided some harmony. Chet Hindman and Margaret Mohar played Santa, but Mary and Alice actually filled all the bags, or arranged for those goodies.
I was not involved with the party, but I saw Judy collecting gifts and giving out coupons for the big drawing. Thanks to all the volunteers who baked, or prepared sumptous goodies, who braved the cold and sang out their hearts for their neighbors.
You just gotta love this place!

Christmas Caroling

The absolutely best time of the year in Regency Cove is the night we dress up warmly, pile up onto golf carts, and drive the boulevards singing carols along the way. The purpose is to provide some holiday cheer to the shut-ins in the park, but truely, the holiday spirit begins with your little cluster of songsters in your cart, and the neighboring carts, and the residents cheering us along the way, from the apartment balconies to the boulevards. The cheering residents, in the past, have ducked thru houses on their streets, to catch up with us again, on the next boulevard.

This is truely the most joyous Regency Cove annual activity. Ladies are baking cookies for gifts to the shut-ins. If you wish to contribute, please deliver them to Mary Willsey or Alice Disharoon by Monday morning.

If you care to join in the caroling, please be at the hall before 6:00pm Monday. There is a great Christmas party that follows this event with a gift exchange (I think Mary calls it Dirty Santa). Bring a wrapped gift with a value of between $2-$5, also bring a snack to share. The gift exchange, or should I say "gift war" begins after the caroling is over. Bring your own beverage. This party is a hoot! Everyone is welcome, and everyone has a great time!
Other than the Christmas Day Church service, this is the last official Regency Cove party of the Christmas Season.

On December 27, the decorations in the hall will have to come down. We had a great group helping us when they went up, we only ask for the same volunteers to come help us take them down and pack it up for another year. Check your Outlook for time.

Hope to see you all at the New Years Day Party celebration. Tickets are available for $5, see Guy Hislop, or ask any Club Regency Board member, or the office.

Merry Christmas, God Bless Us, Everyone!

(Living in Paradise is going up north for Christmas. Give me a week or so to relax. Catch up with you in the new year.)

PS Please keep an eye on your neighbors. This can be a very lonely time of the year for some folks. A little bit of attention can go a long way, and make a huge difference in someone's life.

Wow, What A Blow!

Its shortly after midnight, Saturday morning, and the wind and rain are creating havoc on the bay. There is absolutely nothing in terms of boats on the water right now, thank goodness! Wunderground, the awesome internet weather site, is saying that Tampa has sustained winds of 26 mph, with reported gusts of 35 mph. The waves are absolutely furious right now. They are crashing with loud bangs on the seawall. The sidewalk is currently underwater, with the hard-hitting waves and the spray must be 8 feet high, or even higher. It is truely awesome!
The tide is 2 1/2 feet over MSL, that's 2 feet higher then normal. Occasionally I hear the wave spray landing on our deck, which is 30 feet away from the edge. This is a true test of our new wall and sidewalk.

Current Water Restrictions

Many of our friends are back with us for the winter and very confused about the current watering restrictions. We are still in our Emergency Water Use mode. By tomorrow morning, I will have the Sept. 1, 2009 revision in the office for you snowbirds.Here are a few restrictions in a nutshell:
There is no outside watering between 8am and 6pm.
Irrigation of established lawns is once a week, on your day only. Rain sensors are mandatory by new state law passed this summer.
Low volume irrigation (soakers and such) may not be used between 8am and 6pm.
Car washing is only allowed on your watering day!
You may hand water plants on any day, but no lawns or grass. This must not be done between 8am and 6pm.
If a lawn service has applied chemicals to your yard, they will indicate this by appropriate markings. You may not water during the restricted hours, but you may water on an off day.
If you apply your OWN chemicals, you are only allowed to water on your day, and during the designated evening/night hours.
Pressure washing your home is allowed for necessary purposes, which includecleaning prior to painting and sealing,maintaining warranties, and addressing a health or safety issues.
Fountains and water features are still restricted to 4 hours per day, pending certain conditions, which may allow them to operate for eight hours a day. Check the site below for more information. This is just a summary.
Paste this address into your address bar for complete restrictions.

www.TampaGov.net/WaterRestrictions

Christmas Dinner Monday

The doors will open for Club Regency's Christmas Ham dinner at 4:30 Monday afternoon. Don't forget to bring your utensils and drink. Coffee, of course, is provided. The Sweet Adelines are performing after the dinner.

With Age Comes Wisdom

A guy is about 80 years old and loves to fish.

He was sitting in his boat the other day when he heard a voice say,

'Pick me up.' He looked around and couldn't see any one.

He thought he was dreaming when he heard the voice say again,

'Pick me up.'

He looked in the water and there, floating on a piece of driftwood, was a frog.

The man said, 'Are you talking to me ?'

The frog said, 'Yes, I'm talking to you ! ! '

'Pick me up, then, kiss me, and I'll turn into the most beautiful woman you have ever seen.

I'll make sure that all your friends are envious and jealous because I will be your bride!'

The man looked at the frog for a short time, reached over, picked it up carefully,
and placed it in his front breast pocket of his fishing jacket.

Then the frog said, 'What, are you nuts? Didn't you hear what I said? I said, kiss me and I will be your beautiful bride.'

The old guy opened his pocket, looked at the frog and said, 'Nah, at my age, I'd rather have a talking frog.'


With Age comes Wisdom.

(Thanks,Don S.,for this contribution)

Children Coming to Christmas Carol

The children of Bayshore Christian School are coming to Regency Cove to sing Christmas carols at 11 am on Tuesday Dec 15. We will find out their route and let you know where to be to enjoy their singing.

Winter Greetings From a Snowbird

It's winter in Ohio


And the gentle breezes blow,


40 miles per hour at 10 below!


Oh, how I love Ohio


When the snows up to your butt;


You take a breath of winter air


And your nose is frozen shut.


Yes, the weather here is wonderful,


I guess I'll hang around.


I could never leave Ohio


'Cause I'm frozen to the ground.

Thanks Tom S. for writing. Why don't you get your frozen butt down here?

New Board Member and Officer

At the BOD meeting this afternoon, a new board member was nominated and chosen to fill the vacancy left by Ron Herb's resignation. Betty Ridge is now the newest member of the Board.
The office of president position went up for nominations, and the following two names were brought up, Susan Dunphy and Paul McCumber. A secret ballot was conducted by the directors and the results were announced by our manager Cheri. Paul McCumber is now the new president of Regency Cove. Susan will remain as vice-president. Rose and Sandy remain in their respective offices as Treasurer and Secretary. The new board photo....

President Resigns

At an emergency meeting this afternoon, the Board of Directors was called together, and Ron Herb announced his immediate resignation from the Board. Ron explained that due to his health concerns, he will require surgery sometime before Christmas.

The park has Ron to thank for his years of dedicated service to the park, while serving on the board. He has served as president for almost two years. He has been active with several activities, bowling and calling Bingo, and he has served as the Chairman of the Gasparilla Krewe.

Please offer your prayers for his speedy recovery, and send him your kind thoughts.
God bless you, Ron. Hope all goes well with the surgery.

Gasparilla Volunters Needed

The Board of the Gasparilla Krewe has been meeting to set up the schedule for this year's festivities on Feb 6. Ron Jeffries is again the Chairman of the Gasparilla Celebration. Volunteers are needed!

The Gasparilla Hearty Breakfast will be held on January 23, from 7:30-10:00 am. Tickets will go on sale this weekend: $4 breakfast tickets, will include eggs, potatoes, biscuits and gravy, orange juice and coffee.

Table cleanup volunteers are needed. Call Ron Jeffries to volunteer.

Final Landscaping Project

The final landscaping project of 2009 drew a few new volunteers today, and unfortunately, some blood. Five final Phoenix Sylvestis or Sylvester Palms were planted on Pelican Point, filling in the gaps. We have been acquiring these 6 foot palms for $5 each. If anyone is interested in purchasing their own palm trees at very low prices, call Palm Wise Nursery, in Plant City, at 813-601-3868. The owner, Cecil, is working there alone these days. Call ahead to be sure that he will be there.

Earlier today, Tony Sencich, Ron Jeffries, Ed Bedore,and Mike Ross (and even me)dug the holes, hauled the buckets of water, trimmed the new plantings, and set them into the ground. These Sylvesters are a beautiful palm when mature. They unfortunately have thorns that can exceed 3 inches in length, sharper than any surgical tool. We all took our share of punctures today.

Volunteer water carriers are still needed to irrigate the new plantings on weekends when the maintenance crew is gone. It would be great if the pool people would water their new palms. Another crew can haul buckets to Pelican Point on golf carts. Two new Chinese Fan Palms were planted, to enhance the pavillion on Sunset Point.

We need a crew. To volunteer to water, plant, paint, or otherwise serve your community, please call the office to offer your services.

Boaters Trip

This morning the Regency Cove boaters made their first adventure trip to the Hillsborough River.
See their new blog, use the link to the right.


Maybe this will work:
http://regencycovesportsmen.blogspot.com

Decorating Party Photos

Link to a Kodak photo gallery to see Char Haviland's photos of the day:
If the link doesn't work for you, copy and paste the address below into your address bar to see a slideshow.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=13ft1zop.2p5jxdc9&x=0&h=1&y=93wdn6&localeid=en_US

Christmas Decorators

If you happen to walk into the clubhouse anytime soon, you'll see the results of the 30 or more dedicated residents who came together Sunday afternoon to set up the trees, the creche, and decorate the hall for this wonderful Christmas Season. In the Information Room, there is a board for posting your Christmas card. There is no reason whatsoever to deliver 2 dozen cards or more to your neighbors. We are GOING GREEN... eliminating paper.

Outlook editor Judy Webb snapped a marvelous photo of the "Memory Tree" which is appearing on the cover of the December Outlook. All residents are encouraged to add a family ornament to the Memory Tree

Please link to Club Regency for more photos.

Christmas Lighting Contest

The Bayside West Neighborhood Association is having it 3rd annual outdoor Christmas Lighting Contest. Decorate your house and we will be around to judge the houses on the weekend of December 12-13. President Jerry Frankhouser will be in the park that weekend for house judging.

Prehistoric Canoe Found at Weedon Island

1,100-Year-Old Prehistoric Canoe Found in
Pinellas County, Florida
Buried in the sand along the shoreline, a prehistoric pine canoe was found on Weedon Island Preserve, located on the southeast region of the peninsula that is Pinellas County on Tampa Bay.
An early mode of transportation, the canoe is attributed to the late Weeden Island Culture (alternative spelling) of Florida Gulf Coast dwellers. Measuring 39-feet, 11-inches in length, but believed to have been upwards of 45 feet in total, the pine canoe holds the distinction of the longest prehistoric canoe ever found in Florida. The canoe features a raised bow that indicates the canoe was used on open water. Under the canoe, a pine pole, used perhaps for paddling, poling, and/or docking the canoe, was also unearthed and dated to the same prehistoric period, approximately 1,100 years ago.
Local Pinellas County resident, Harold Koran, discovered the canoe while fishing among the Weedon Island Preserve’s mangroves. Many other investigators and archeologists from across the state have been called in.Only a pre-excavation dig was
performed, along with thorough radiocarbon dating and wood sampling, which confirmed the wood as pine, a prevalent local timber after which the county of Pinellas is named.

“This discovery expands our understanding and the significance of the not-well-known people of the Weeden Island Culture,” said Dr. Bruce Rinker, Environmental Lands director for Pinellas County. “A tremendous thank-you is owed to
the team involved with the research and documentation of this discovery, including Dr. Robert Austin, Dr. Donna Ruhl,and the Friends of Weedon Island, who helped provide supplies and radiocarbon dating.”

Using Strong Words

The next time you cut your finger chopping vegetables, or hit your thumb with a hammer, go ahead and let out a few expletives. British researchers at Keele University reported that swearing may increase your pain tolerance. It was discovered that swearing may trigger a fight-or-flight response that aids in reducing your body's perception to pain. Go figure.

Blessed Thanksgiving To All

(This is the 500th post of this blog. I'm glad that this is a special occasion)


The newest issue of Time magazine, coming out in a few days, will feature a cover story entitled "The Decade From Hell". In another month, our nation will be closing up a tumultuous decade, one that began with the worst terrorist attack on our nation, proceeded into multi-military conflicts in the Mid-East, and is ending up with the financial ruin of many of our primary businesses, industries, and, oh hell, the nation, as well. Unemployment is unprecedented, in MY lifetime.

It may be difficult to reflect upon the reasons to give Thanks on this day. Indulge me a moment while I consider this:

I have a wonderful husband who loves me, supports the things I do, and tolerates all the time I spend away from home, working on boards and committees, avoiding housework. I have a loving son and a family who miss me, and love the days we actually get to spend together. I have friends, here and back home, who know me and understand me, and love me in spite of myself. I live in a wonderfully diverse community. There are movers and shakers, whiners and complainers, and a few folks just hiding out all alone, but we all co-habit the same lovely residential community, and respect eachothers' individuality. I am honored to be serving on the board of directors with 8 other individuals who each have a passion to serve their community. We are just as diverse in our thinking as the community we serve. We have a manager and maintenance crew who are industrious and flexible, able to respond to emergencies, sudden demands, and resident needs, at the drop of a hat. I belong to a church; I am able to worship, hold hands and pray with my friends and neighbors, whenever I want.

My "Decade from Hell" may include some unexpected job transitions, an eventual retirement, a bout with malignant melanoma, my mother-in-law's death, my mother's death, and a move to Florida, involving a total change in life style. It truely is NOT any sort of decade-from-Hell... It's just 10 years in the life of..... little old me.

All considered, I am truely blessed.

I hope that you all are able to find some comfort in your reflections on this Thanksgiving day, and the decade. The official future predictions are: It can only get better! God bless you all, and have a meaningful day. Its not about the food, today is all about Thanks.

Palm Tree Update

A huge THANK YOU goes out to the volunteers who planted the 11 palms today: Barb and Jerry Williams, Roger Des Rosiers, Manny Maldonado, and Mike Ross. In a little over an hour the seven Sylvesters were planted on Pelican Point.


Barb Williams christened her new golf cart acting as water girl, shuffling buckets up and down the point.



There are actually 4 new palms at the pool, these three Chinese Fans, and a Sylvester on the other side of the pump house. These should eventually provide some cool shady spots around this area.



We will need volunteers to bring water out to the Point this entire weekend, if it doesn't continue raining. Call Sandy Ross to help out.

Volunteers Needed to Plant Palms

Through a remarkable donation to the park, we were able to pick up 11 beautiful palms today at a palm tree nursery in Plant City. Eight of the palms cost $5 each, those are called Sylvester Palms, and they were placed on Pelican Point. Three remarkable Chinese Fan Palms were also purchased for $20 each. If the economy wasn't so bad, they would normally wholesale at $49. The Chinese fans will grace the pool area, and soften the landscape there.




I had a delightful field trip out to the dump with our maintenance man Mike Barnes this morning. This will be another story for the Outlook sometime soon. After the truck was emptied, we continued on to Plant City. The owner Cecil met us with the tractor and helped get the trees over to the truck for Mike to load. Despite fire ants and some nasty thorns, our brave Mike loaded the the truck to the top.




Volunteers are needed tomorrow morning on Pelican Point, at 8:30 am to plant and water them. Please wear long pants, long sleeves, GLOVES, and eyewear, and bring your shovel. If you can't dig, stop by and bring refreshments or some words of encouragement. We LOVE our volunteers in Regency Cove. Watch tomorrow for photos.

OUR BLOG

Approximately one and 1/2 years ago, our blog was born. There were many that were against it, for whatever reason. However, with almost 42000..forty two thousand.... hits since its birth, obviously the majority are very interested in its content. Thats over 2300 hits per month, and 78 his PER DAY. Keep up the good work "Living in Paradise".

Sinkholes Already?

This photo was taken Saturday November 21, 2009 on Pelican Point. Can you believe it?

2010 Census to Begin Soon

WARNING: 2010 Census Cautions from the Better Business Bureau
Be Cautious About Giving Info to Census Workers

With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data.
The big question is - how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice:
If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don't know into your home.
Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census.
REMEMBER, NO MATTER WHAT THEY ASK, YOU REALLY ONLY NEED TO TELL THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS.
While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION. The Census Bureau will not ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers, nor will employees solicit donations. Any one asking for that information is NOT with the Census Bureau.
AND REMEMBER, THE CENSUS BUREAU HAS DECIDED NOT TO WORK WITH ACORN ON GATHERING THIS INFORMATION.. No Acorn worker should approach you saying he/she is with the Census Bureau.
Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in person at home. However, the Census Bureau will not contact you by Email, so be on the lookout for Email scams impersonating the Census.
Never click on a link or open any attachments in an Email that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.
For more advice on avoiding identity theft and fraud, visit http://www.bbb.org/

Gasparilla Planning Meeting

Arrrgh! Its that time of year again. Captain Ron Jeffries is calling for volunteers to meet in the hall Thursday, Nov 19 at 2:30pm. The Gasparilla Planning Krewe is having its first meeting of the season to outline the upcoming activities. Please stop in. EVERYONE is welcome!

Club Regency Thanksgiving Dinner

The clubhouse earlier this evening held 200 Club Regency members and guests for the annual Thanksgiving meal. For photos and additional information, please visit the link below:

http://clubregency.blogspot.com/

November 11 Veterans Ceremony

A huge Regency Cove thank you goes out to Mary Lou Mittel for organizing a wonderful Salute to Veterans ceremony last Wednesday! Within a matter of days, Mary Lou put together a solemn and very personal program that truely touched the hearts of all who attended. Our park has the distinction of having surviving veterans who served the Armed Forces of two nations. The U.S. and Canadian vets again served side-by-side this Veterans Day (Rememberance Day in Canada) to share stories, songs, and living memories in the clubhouse.

I don't have all the names of everyone who participated. (A family emergency pulled me away just the night before.) I wish to thank everyone who shared their talents or fought their shyness to contribute to this moving occasion. Next year, may it be ever greater.

Thank you Ed Bedore, for running back home for your camera, so we have these shots for posterity.

Block Captains Get Ready

All block captains will be required to pick up handouts on Friday. Ruth will be getting in touch with you today. You will have 3 days to pass out the budget items to all the shareholders, and by Monday morning, return any leftovers to the Office. They need to be in the mail Monday morning. Thanks for your service!

Interesting Facts About the Bay

Tampa Bay is the largest open-water estuary in Florida, encompassing nearly 400 square miles, and bordering 3 counties, Hillsborough, Manatee, and Pinellas. The bay's sprawling watershed covers a land area nearly 5 times as large, at 2200 square miles.

More than 100 tributaries flow into Tampa Bay, including dozens of meandering, brackish-water creeks, and 4 major rivers (the Hillsborough, Alafia, Manatee and Little Manatee).

A single quart of bay water may contain as many as 1 million phytoplankton-microscopic, single-celled plants that are an essential thread to the "who eats whom" marine food web.

Mangrove-blanketed islands in Tampa Bay support the most diverse colonial water-bird nesting colonies in North America, annually hosting 40,000 pairs of 25 species of birds, from the familiar white ibis and great blue heron to the regal reddish egret, the rarest heron in the nation.

Each square meter of bay sediment contains an average of 10,000 animals - mostly tiny, burrowing worms, crustaceans, and other mud-dwellers known as benthic invertebrates. The most numerous creatures in the bay sediment are a primitive, fishlike invertebrate about 2 inches long called branchiostoma. One of the organization's most tangible success stories has been its oyster dome program.

We are so fortunate to live in a very healthy and prolific area of marine life in Tampa Bay. It is our responsibility to care for and nurture our marine neighbors, both flora and fauna. We need to stop dumping our fertilizers and pestisides into the bay, with our run-off. There are still areas in Regency Cove where rooftop run-off runs directly into the bay. All the Florida-Friendly literature tells us to divert our rooftop waters into the ground to filter out impurities. If anyone still has a gutter-line draining directly to the seawall, and our beautiful Bay, please consider redirecting your over-flow through the ground.

There is a link to the right directing you to Florida Neighborhoods for landscaping issues.

Honoring Fort Hood

"Members of the Fort Hood family in Texas are doing what they do best when they are not on the front lines to protect the United States of America: They are tending to each other -- patching the wounds, sharing what must be shared, and figuring out what all military families must figure out: how to move forward.

"This is what happens in every military community that has taken fire and lost soldiers, at home or overseas, and Fort Hood is the big dog of military communities. The largest active-duty armored post in the U.S. Armed Services sprawls across 350 square miles tucked in among the hills and lakes of central Texas. Fort Hood has long been known as "The Great Place" for reasons of size, scope and spirit.
"All of that is under a tough spotlight today as military and civilian members of The Great Place remain wrenched by Thursday's carnage caused by one of their own. They are wondering why this happened, and they are wondering what it will take to move forward.
They will move forward. This is what the military does, and they help each other.
With trouble on post, with military men and women deployed in troubled places, and with Veterans Day approaching on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, all of us can help. Do so, please.
Send donations:
--- The Central Texas-Fort Hood Chapter of Association of the U.S. Army has set up a "Community Response to 11/5 Fund" for anyone wishing to make monetary donations to help support the families of the victims involved in Thursday's shooting. Make checks payable to the Central Texas-Fort Hood Chapter, Association of the U.S. Army, and send them to Community Response to 11/5, P.O. Box 10700, Killeen, TX 76547. Donations are tax-deductible. The tax identification number is 530193361.
0r:
Chaplain's Fund Office, Building 44, 761st Tank Battalion Ave., Fort Hood, TX 76544-5000. Make checks payable to "CTOF" (Chapel's Tithes and Offerings Fund) with a note on the memo line stating "Nov. 5 Tragedy." "

http://www.thetowntalk.com

Finance Committee Meeting Sunday

A Finance Committee meeting will be held in Goodwin Hall on Sunday afternoon at 3:30pm. Please try to attend.

Budget Meeting

Another of the series of 2010 Budget Meetings is scheduled for Tuesday at 1oam. This whole process has been an uphill battle for the board of directors. Hopefully this will be the final meeting. Once approved by the board, it will be mailed out to the membership 14 days before the December meeting.

Nov 11 Veteran's Day

It has been many years since Regency Cove has honored its veterans on this holiday designated just for them. We have nothing planned for this day. If there is anyone willing to share the responsibility of a small program in the hall on the morning of Nov 11, I am sure I can find a few other people, and board members to join in. We could use a color guard for posting the flag, and maybe a speaker.

Please leave a comment below, call my home (see directory under Ross) or stop in the Office with your offer for help. If you won't offer to help, we'll never be able to pull it off. Just offer to give a little of your talent. Thanks. LiP.

New Boat Launch Fees at County Parks

This may not impact many Regency Cove families, but look whats in store.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE USE
October 28, 2009



New Regional Park Fees Start Nov. 1

Residents and visitors using Hillsborough County’s Regional Parks will be charged an entry fee and boat launch fee beginning Nov. 1. This is first time these fees have been implemented in the Hillsborough County parks.

The fee structure is modeled after other local, state and national park systems. Entry fee is $2 per vehicle (up to eight people) and the boat launch fee is $5. Frequent users of the parks are urged to purchase an annual pass that is good for one year from the date of purchase and good for any Regional Park in the system. The annual entry pass is $100 for a family or $50 for individuals. The boat ramp fee annual pass cost $100. Both can be purchased at: http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/parks/resources/forms/about/upce731.pdf

The fees were implemented to avoid closing the Regional Parks two days a week, which was proposed in the draft budget County Commissioners reviewed. Park users voiced their opinions during budget public hearings last August and September and wanted to keep the facilities open seven days a week. The Board of County Commissioners heard these concerns and in September approved the fee structure proposed by the Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department to keep service at proper operational levels without compromising public safety.

Regional Parks include: Alderman’s Ford; E.G. Simmons; Edward Medard; Eureka Springs; Lake Park; Lake Rogers; Lettuce Lake; Lithia Springs; Upper Tampa Bay; and all Wilderness Park sites.

More information is available at www.hillsboroughcounty.org/parks or by calling the PRC office at (813) 635-3500.

Next Budget Meeting

The next Budget Meeting will be Nov 3, 2009 at 10 am. If anything, these meetings sure have been colorful! Plan to attend.

To Cheri and Ed Scobee:

I wanted to write out a card to thank the maintenance staff for their help setting up the Club Regency Dinner yesterday, but I got caught up with the budget stuff this morning, and just plain forgot.

I was the chairperson for the Oct dinner last night, its been about 2 years since I last did this. I made a HUGE mistake, and forgot to submit the drawing for the room set-up. I have to tell you, Cheri and Ed, that your maintenance staff was SO POLITE and RESPECTFUL to me, and those of us setting up the clubhouse at the last minute. Richard and Bobby made sure that the room was set up to the specs I was given a week ago.

I am so proud of the caliber of service we receive from our staff. Moments before her Monday departure, Peggy made copies of Halloween Dance tickets for us to sell at the dinner. It is just amazing to me that our staff will, at the drop of a hat, make adjustments in their busy days to accommodate the activity chairmen, to make our events successful. You all went out of your way to make the Sept 11 Memorial Service beautiful and so memorable. I can't begin to thank the Guys for all the preliminary and on-going work on Blvd 7 to make the Grant Project successful. Our tropical garden is so beautiful.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are amazing.

Sandy Ross

Fall Hit Florida Today

For any of you in the northern states who follow this blog, you may be interested to learn that Fall hit Florida today. No, our leaves are not changing colors, or anything like that. In the last few days our afternoon temeratures have dropped from 94 degrees to 66. Driving home Wednesday from a conference in Pinellas Park, my dashboard thermostat registered a whopping 96 degrees outside, at 3pm. This was not typical October Tampa weather.

Yesterday, a front moved in. Air-conditioners all over the city were shut off and windows opened to allow the cool and dry breezes into our homes. Anyone with windows left open overnight had a rather brutal awakening to temps in the low 50s early this morning. We actually had our HEAT on this morning, because we were so cold. During the day, it did warm up to mid-60s, and a few residents made it out on their bikes in warm coats and hats.

We've been waiting for this for weeks... "Hey, I'll do a little weeding when it cools off a little". Well, its here. Its time to clean up outside.

OK, I know you northerners have had frost warnings and even snow already. I don't want to hear it from you. You're SUPPOSED to have crappy weather up there... that's why you can't wait to return here. We're waiting for you, snowbirds! Hurry home. The weather is fine, well, cooling off a little.

Club Regency Dinner Tomorrow

If you bought your Spaghetti dinner ticket a month ago, don't forget that Club Regency's first sit-down dinner of the season is tomorrow night. Committee members are due at the hall at 4pm. The doors will open at 4:30 and dinner will be served at 5:30.

Boulevards 8,9, Canal and the apartments, and the Cul-de-sac are hosting this event. The committee will decorate at 10 am, and no reserve seating (other than the committee table and disabled seating) will be allowed.

The Happy Hoofers, a chorus line variety show will provide the entertainment for the evening. We look forward to seeing everyone together again at our supper table!

8 Perfect Sleep-Better Foods

If there are any other insomniacs out there, I thought I would share with you this article I received tonight from a friend. Its from Mens' Health magazine.


By David Zinczenko, with Matt Goulding - Posted on Mon, Sep 21, 2009, 4:24 pm PDT

Forget what your mom told you: A glass of warm milk before bed might actually keep you up, rather than lull you to sleep. See, the protein in the milk will boost alertness--and unless it's skim, the fat will slow your digestion, making your rest more fitful. Not exactly the best shut-eye remedy. (Sorry, mom.)

Nothing makes it harder to fall asleep than knowing how important it is to fall asleep. So when the pressure's on, try chowing down on one of these snacks before bedtime to ensure some serious shut-eye; they're all hand-picked and approved by the Eat This, Not That! nutrition team. These 8 sleep-better foods and drinks have been shown to induce feel-good relaxation chemicals, calming your nerves and slowing your racing brain. You can thank us ... tomorrow morning--after a long, restful night.

NONFAT POPCORN - Pop a bag half an hour before bedtime: The carbs will induce your body to create serotonin, a neurochemical that makes you feel relaxed. Skipping the butter-fat will slow the process of boosting those feel-good chemicals, and, as mentioned above, will also slow digestion in general.

OATMEAL WITH SLICED BANANA - Sleep is inspired by the hormone melatonin, but stress or excitement can disrupt melatonin's release. Bring your brain back down to earth by whipping up a bowl of instant oatmeal and topping it with a sliced banana, which is rich in melatonin.
Related: Something else that helps you sleep: A good workout, early in the day.

1 CUP OF PLAIN YOGURT WITH 2 TABLESPOONS MIXED NUTS - Scientists in Slovakia gave people either 3 grams each of two amino acids (lysine and arginine) or a placebo and asked them to deliver a speech. Blood measurements of stress hormones revealed that the amino acid-fortified speakers were half as anxious during and after the speech as those who took the placebo. Yogurt is one of the best food sources of lysine; nuts pack tons of arginine. Because both contain alertness-inducing protein, you're best off eating this combo a few hours before bed (or even at midday, before a big, stressful presentation at work). It'll reduce the residual stress you feel later in the evening, meaning you won't replay your day over and over again in your head as you try to fall asleep.

A PILE OF SESAME SEEDS - Sesame seeds are one of the best natural sources of tryptophan, the sleep-inducing amino responsible for all of those post-Thanksgiving turkey comas. Hold off on the turkey sammies, though-the protein in the turkey might offset the tryptophan's benefit.

A HANDFUL OF PRETZELS - Pretzels are a low-calorie, low-fat source of carbohydrates, which will make you feel sleepy, but won't pack on the pounds or give you belly-aching indigestion.

1 GLASS OF WINE - It's called a "nightcap" for a reason--a glass of wine really does take the edge off. University of Toronto researchers discovered that one alcoholic drink caused people's blood vessels to relax--but two began to reverse the effects, so limit your intake. Relaxed blood vessels means lower blood pressure, slower heart rate, and greater ability to relax in general.

A 4-OZ GLASS OF UNSWEETENED CHERRY JUICE - Cherry juice has serotonin-inducing carbohydrates, which will help relax you. Down the cherry juice an hour before bedtime, in case you feel a small jolt of energy from the sugar. There's not enough to keep you up all night or destabilize your blood sugar levels.

RED BELL PEPPERS - Researchers at the University of Alabama fed rats 200 milligrams of vitamin C twice a day and found that it nearly stopped the secretion of cortisol, a hormone released in your body when you're stressed. Calorie for calorie, red bell peppers give you more vitamin C than any other fruit or vegetable.

So now you have it, Folks ... oatmeal, bananas, cherry juice, with red peppers and pretzels. Unfortunately you can only wash it down with ONE glass of wine!?! Boy, do I have a problem with that!

2010 Budget Meetings Continue

The second posted board budget meeting was held today in Goodwin Hall. These are not the workshops where the actual budget will be projected on the wall for all to see. Right now, the members of the board and Cheri Scobee, our manager, are doing the mundane line-by-line discussion of income vs. expenses.

Cheri prepared three detailed versions of a proposed budget for today's meeting: one with no maintenance fee increase, with and without the $3ook extra bank loan. She also drafted versions with a 3% and a 5% maintenance increase. Today's meeting was a little under four hours, and really just skimmed the surface.

Our park is no different from most all governing bodies in the nation during this dreadful recession. Our income is decreasing, and we need to cut our expenses. Exactly how we do that is the topic of discussion at these budget meetings. Difficult decisions need to be made.

Please share your ideas with members of the board, and give us your support as we present our solutions to these difficult decisions to the membership. The next meeting is scheduled for October 20 at 1:00pm. Shortly after that, the budget will be mailed out to the shareholders.

Believe Half of What You See

There are several outrageous emails in local circulation that need to be addressed. No, there will be no free Ericsson laptop for emailing 20 of your friends. Michelle and Barack Obama did not appear at a government function looking like a green-suited pimp with his bare-belly mama. There is no planned federal tax on guns, and despite many hopeful wishes, ogling women's breasts will NOT increase men's lifespans.

Sorry Guys!


Even if you have been exploring the world-wide web for a decade or more, you may occasionally fall for a prank or a hoax. Many of these things circle the globe for years, grabbing new takers every time around.

I remember when I was still teaching (pre-2003) a school official actually posted an email near our time clock warning us, just before Spring break, of killer spiders on airline toilet seats. Not one to have my butt bit, I checked it out on Urban Legends.com, and I posted my rebuttal right over the principal's warning. It was clearly a hoax.


Be sensible before you foreward outrageous emails. No one wants to look foolish. If you have read something questionable, go to Google.com and type in "urban legends". About.com is the site I prefer, but Snopes.com is right up there. You could spend an evening perusing the top 25 urban legends, and kick yourself for believing the crap that you get in emails, and just have fun looking at all the photos circulating the web.
The latest one I got tonight was actually, partially true. Pyrex dishes, they say, are exploding with sudden temperature changes. The Chinese reformulated the patent so they say.


So all I can tell you is wear safety goggles when you takes your casserole out of the oven, and never, but never, sit on an airline toilet seat because you never know what's gonna get ya.

Update on Georgetown

In case you haven't heard, Debartolo Development, with the Avanti Group and Christian Tyler Properties purchased Georgetown on October 2 for $30.5 million. This same group bowed out of the contest two years ago when the bidding frenzy topped $125 million. They are quite pleased with their bargain purchase.
The Trust for Public Lands became involved as the property took a nose-dive when the economy tanked, and the land went into foreclosure. TPL has been attempting to protect the precious 10.8 acres of wetlands and 34 acres of submerged land, i.e. sand bars and beach waterfront from unscrupulous development. The plan now includes the development of a "passive park". This mean protected public lands for public use, but no swimming pools or baseball diamonds. There was mention of beach access and a kayak launch. (Hey Hey, the Regency Cove kayakers will just LOVE this.)
Public access is anticipated to run through the commercial marina area on the southern boundary of the 80+ acres. No formal plans have been acknowledged yet by Debartolo. We will keep you informed. This information was shared at the Bayaside West meeting this evening.

Bayside West Meeting

On Monday night at 7pm, there will be a meeting of our Bayside West Neighborhood Association. President Jerry Frankhouser has several speakers lined up for an informative meeting.

"We will have update from TBARTA, Tampa Police, Georgetown, the overhead on Gandy, information from the Coast Guard Aux. and Walmart. I hope to see you there."

The Annual gargage sale is coming up on Oct 24. It should be a great day for neighborhood bargains, so come to the meeting and learn how to get a map of the local sales.

Seawall is (almost) Complete

Although the final walk-through has not be done, some of the final items on the punch list are being completed. The last vestige of the construction project left the park late yesterday afternoon, the construction storage unit. It was loaded on the back of a very large truck, and quietly rolled out of Regency Cove. Hooray! We have our parking lot back!

In reviewing the archives of this blog, I came across the photos taken the day it was delivered, on August 29, 2008. It has been a remarkable year for our park, and we should all be very proud of our beautiful waterfront.

Octoberbest Luncheon and Dance

Join the Yacht Cub as they celebrate the Fall season!


Saturday October 17, 2009
12:30pm

Sign up in Information center and purchase tickets from Warren and Marie (831-3144) or Susan.

Menu: Italian sausage/ or grilled chicken, potato salad and beans, rolls and butter, and beverages

Dance to the music of Perfect Fit. Sure to be a blast!

First Club Regency Dinner

On October 16, Club Regency is hosting its first sit down dinner of the Fall season. Boulevards 8, 9, Canal, the Cul-de-sac, and the apartments will be hosting this event. (Hope to see you at the planning meeting on Oct 12, at 1:00 in the clubhouse).





Tickets are available by calling any board member: Mary Willsey, Alice Disharoon, Sandy Ross, Judy Webb, Carole Hindman, or Linda Siddens.


The menu consists of pasta and sausage or meat balls, salad, bread, and dessert. Entertainment will be provided by the Happy Hoofers, a chorus line variety show.

Tickets are $5. You just can't beat the price. Bring your utensils and drinks.

Gandy Blvd Overpass

Jerry Frankhouser, the president of our Bayside West neighborhood association, has been in periodic contact with the FDOT team that insists on building a 20-30 foot median overpass down Gandy Boulevard. Jerry just learned that the results of the FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation) teams' presentation which was held here at Regency Cove, has been officially published that no residents offered any resistance to the idea, and apparently, we as a community agree to the building of the overpass.

This is astounding to me! Jerry requested copies of the written comments that were submitted during the meeting, but unfortunately, those comment cards have been lost. FDOT can't explain what happened to the cards, but they were not their responsibility.

Is this true? Is it possible that the residents of Regency Cove have silently accepted the despicable outcome of a two story concrete monstrosity right outside our front gates? What does it take to get you readers to respond to this very important cause?

F

Florida Resident Owned Communites Unite

Our board of directors have been involved with a Pinellas county group for the past two years. The group is called ROC Forum. It is comprised entirely of resident owned communities, much like our own. When I stumbled across this group on the internet a few years ago, we were able to save almost a thousand dollars on board training. Our attorney, Ellen De Haan, offered a half day training at $250 an hour. I found this group who charged $10 per person for a full day training, AND we each got a lunch. We have utilized ROC Forum's Board Trainings for the past two years. Just think of the savings!!

In several counties south of us, similar ROC organizations exist and carry on educational seminars, for the resident owned communities in their areas. We are currently joining forces with the Resident Owned Communities theoughout the state to achieve this goal.

Seminar: Intro to CA Living

Community Association Institute (CAI) has posted their schedule of Fall seminars. This one comes highly recommended by the board of ROC Forum, for all board members, anyone interested in running for the board, or anyone interested in being active in their community association. Find out what your board can and cannot do. Your $10 registration buys you breakfast and a book. Mail in your reservation early, this is sure to be a sell-out.


Introduction to Community Association Living
A program for Association Leaders and Homeowners

DATE: Thursday, November 12, 2009
LOCATION: Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
12600 Roosevelt Blvd., St. Petersburg
TIME: 9:00am – 12:00pm
COST: $10.00 per person/Continental Breakfast Included
INSTRUCTOR: Ellen Hirsch de Haan, Esq.

The program will provide a basic introduction for homeowners new to community association living and a great resource for volunteer leaders. The program will also focus on the rights and responsibilities of a community association homeowner and volunteer leader. An Introduction to Community Association Living introduces the participant to the roles and functions of community associations such as providing services, managing physical assets, and advocating for fellow homeowners.
After attending this class, participants will have a greater understanding of exactly how a community association works and how you can enjoy and benefit the most from community association living.

SPACE IS LIMITED – RESERVE YOUR PLACE NOW!

#1 - Complete Information
NAME________________________________________________
ASSOCIATION__________________________________________
STREET ADDRESS_______________________________________
CITY/STATE/ZIP_______________________________________
PHONE__________________________ FAX____________________________
EMAIL____________________________________________________

#2 – Sign up additional attendees from your association
NAME (S)_____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

#3 – Calculate Payment (make check payable to Suncoast CAI)

__________ x $10.00 per person = _____________________
TOTAL ENCLOSED_______________________________

#4 – Send application and payment to:
Suncoast CAI: 6528-A Central Avenue, St. Petersburg, Florida 33707
PH: 727-345-0165 FX: 727-345-0170

Participants will receive a copy of Introduction to Community Association Living.

This program is an excellent investment for your community association!!

Board Meeting Tomorrow at 2pm

The monthly meeting of the board of directors will be held tomorrow at 2pm. A few items to be discussed will be promotion of the park, rent increases, and the new home on B9-L23.

Georgetown Purchase May Be Just a Dream

Several Regency Cove residents attended the site selection team public meeting downtown tonight of the Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program (ELAPP). Eighty-four acres of the Georgetown waterfront property were in the running with several other sites to be purchased for public recreational use.

Representatives from several of our neighboring neighborhood associations were in attendance, giving Georgetown the highest representation present, a total of 38 individuals. An additional 45 emails were sent to the panel from those who could not attend. Many people spoke up to give their reasons why Georgetown should be selected. Jerry Frankhouser, our Bayside West Association president pointed out that there are NO parks in our association area. He is just to the left of Chet in the photo.

The Cone Ranch, around 12,000 acres in size, the last ranch in northeast Hillsborough County was closely represented, with 21 supporters. The panel took public comments for almost an hour, and then began to rank each of the sites. A variety of environmental criterion were set, and each site was scored on each item. These ranged from ease of acquisition, to public interest (we scored high here), to environmental importance and cost, to name just a few. After a very long deliberation, Georgetown scored 57 points, but the Cone Ranch sailed past us with 73 points.

I didn't stay til the end, we left around 9pm, after 3 hours of meeting. It doesn't look like there will be a public park in our neighborhood any time soon.

Photos of the 9/11 Ceremony

A nice crowd of patriotic residents showed up early this morning to honor the memory of the victims of the tragedy that occurred 8 years ago. Ron Herb led the Pledge of Allegiance and welcomed everyone. Father Bob's tribute told of the unification of the citizens of the United States, much like a family. Certificates of Appreciation were awarded to the Police Dept. and Tampa Fire Rescue, along with platters of homemade cookies, to thank them for the care and concern that they show to the residents of Regency Cove. To conclude the ceremony, two buglers played a haunting rendition of Taps in echo, and there were moist eyes everywhere to be seen. Thanks to all who participated! More photos can be viewed in a photo album on the web page www.regencycove.com under the heading "Activities".

9/11 Ceremony on Friday

There will be a short but very moving ceremony at the flagpole this Friday morning at 8:45am. After a brief welcome, we will observe a minute of silence. Father Bob Goodwin will deliver a short tribute about the events eight years ago.

Representatives from Tampa Fire Rescue and the Tampa Police Department will be honored, and then the program will conclude with guest buglers Randy Fillmore and Sean Gherig playing Taps in echo.

It has become a common practice to wear red on Fridays as a show of patriotism. You are encouraged to wear something red, or red, white and blue to this solemn and patriotic event.

The Future of Georgetown

Good-afternoon Neighbors!

As a concerned neighbor, I want to invite you to an important public meeting regarding the future of the Georgetown waterfront property on South Westshore Boulevard in South Tampa as a potential public park.

On September 15, the Site Selection Committee for Hillsborough County’s Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program (ELAPP) will decide whether to make a portion of the Georgetown waterfront a priority for acquisition. The committee will consider public comment in this decision process, and supporters of the efforts to preserve a portion of Georgetown for public access are encouraged to attend.

Date: September 15, 2009
Time: 6:00pm Place: Planning Commission Conference Center, 18th Floor, County Center, 601 East Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, FL

If you cannot attend, but would like to show your support for this ELAPP acquisition, please send your letter or email of support to: Forest Turbiville Hillsborough County, Section Manager Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department 10119 Windhorst Road Tampa, FL 33619

Turbivillef@hillsboroughcounty.org

Thank you for your consideration to lend your support to this unique opportunity to conserve a waterfront treasure for future generations of Tampa citizens. We appreciate you sharing this information with your associations as we welcome their attendance and support.

Jerry Frankhouser, PresidentBayside West Neighborhood Association, Inc
www.baysidewest.50megs.com
813-507-9664

More on Venomous Snakes

There are 45 varieties of snakes in Florida, but only six pose a danger to humans. One of those venomous varieties is the Pygmy Rattlesnake. Only one species of the Pygmy is thought to dwell in central Florida, the Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake. For the second time in as many months, another resident caught and killed what is believed to be a Pygmy Rattlesnake. This time it was on or very near the seawall.

The Pygmy is also known as a Ground Rattlesnake, the average adult size is 12-24 inches.This is a small snake, but very thick for its size. The top of the triangular shaped head is covered with 9 large scales. The body color is light to dark gray. The tail is slender and ends in a miniature rattle so small you will rarely hear it.

"If you find a snake and you do not know whether or not it is venomous, the safest thing to do is leave it alone. Florida snakes are not aggressive and, unless they are cornered, most will flee when humans approach. Occasionally, you might encounter one that is reluctant to leave because it is basking in the sun to get warm. Among snakebite victims, an unacceptably high number are bitten on the hands and arms when they are handling the snake. Do not catch a snake and do not handle one unless you are sure it is not venomous.

"For a short time after a snake is killed, its reflexes may continue to work. Those reflexes typically cause the body to writhe slowly for awhile, but they can cause a convulsive contraction and a bite, so you should not handle a freshly killed venomous snake." (see source below for more information)

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/herpetology/FL-GUIDE/Venomsnk.htm


A Post Script:
Last year, my better half bucketed a snake he found in the drywell of our boat, docked over in Pirates' Cove. It was curiously marked with a gray and black pattern down its back, It elevated and rattled its tail, although we never heard a sound. It was about 14 inches long, but very slender. We took the bucket (and snake) to the Weedon Island Preserve, and happened upon a summer school reptile class. Our snake-in-a-bucket was identified by the teacher as an infant Black Racer, one of our friendly and useful reptiles. A very intelligent and well-spoken 10 year old informed us that Mother Nature gives these friendly species the ability to mimic the more dangerous ones (i.e. rattling a tail) for survival reasons. We brought our snake home, and let it loose in our garden.

As far as I am concerned, be very respectful of anything that rattles

its tail at you.

Mike with baby Black Racer

BBQ Party

Chuck and Virginia Davis are hosting the September 12, 2009 barbeque party, at 1:00pm on Sunset Point. Many issues of the Sept. 2009 Outlook were accidentally printed with an incorrect menu. This FREE party ( donations welcome) will consist of delicious barbecued pork, hamburgers and hotdogs, baked beans and cole slaw.
You are asked to sign up in the Information Room, or call the Office by September 9th to let them know how many people are coming. Your delicious side dishes and desserts are ALWAYS welcome.
There will be some friendly music provided by the Davis family and friends. Should be an absolutely GREAT summer weekend treat. Please remember to RSVP!

Save Your Cancelled Stamps

One of our residents is collecting cancelled postage stamps for benefit of the disabled and mentally challenged, through the Sons of Norway Lodge in Las Vegas. She is asking that you please tear off these stamps and drop them off at her house, B 13 L 33.

This organization will take the stamps and sell them to stamp collectors and money is then donated for the disabled and mentally challenged.

If you have any questions, see Charlene at the above address.

From the President

Regency Cove President, Ron Herb, through a written notice, announced to the board members this weekend that he is taking a medical disability leave. He will soon be having surgery. You can read his entire message in his column "From The President" in the September issue of the Outlook, coming out tomorrow.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you Ron. Relax and heal. Do what the doctor tells you.