Bayside West Announces Regency Cove Decoration Winners

Ann Frankhouser, Secretary of Bayside West Neighborhood Assn. awarded the Regency Cove maintenance crew a First Place Blue Ribbon for Best Neighborhood Decorations for their wonderful job of Christmas lighting this year. Bayside West Treasurer Sandy Ross was on hand to witness the honors.

An anonymous committee of judges viewed the park and designated the final winners.

Although many residents were considered in the judging of  Homes category, the La Cava residence won the honors. Unfortunately they were not at home when Ann delivered their Blue Ribbon prize this afternoon.

Congratulations to our staff and to the LaCavas, and to all the residents of Regency Cove who get to enjoy the beautiful and festive illuminations.

Pick Up Coupon Books

The Office staff is waiting for residents to pick up their new maintenance fee coupon books. Richard C. Commons, P.A., CPA has been engaged to handle our bookkeeping beginning Jan. 1st. Your payments will now be sent directly to First Community Bank. There was a slow start in the clubhouse as residents trickled in at noon today. Tomorrow will be the last day for this pick up, beginning at noon again. If you don't make it, we'll have to pay for the postage to deliver it.

Remember... do not mail your maintenance check to the office any more. Wait til your coupon book arrives. There will be no late fees charged this month as this transition occurs. Any questions on maintenance billing, call 727-461-9770.

Christmas Quotes

“Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people once a year.” – Victor Borge




“I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included.” – Bernard Manning



“I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. Mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked for my autograph.” – Shirley Temple



“You know you’re getting old, when Santa starts looking younger.” – Robert Paul



“Oh, for the good old days when people would stop Christmas shopping when they ran out of money.” – Unknown Author



“What I don’t like about office Christmas parties is looking for a job the next day.” – Phyllis Diller



“The one thing women don’t want to find in their stockings on Christmas morning is their husband.” – Joan Rivers



“Christmas at my house is always at least six or seven times more pleasant than anywhere else. We start drinking early. And while everyone else is seeing only one Santa Claus, we’ll be seeing six or seven.” – W.C. Fields



“Mail your packages early so the post office can lose them in time for Christmas.” – Johnny Carson



“The worst gift is a fruitcake. There is only one fruitcake in the entire world, and people keep sending it to each other.” – Johnny Carson



“Aren’t we forgetting the true meaning of Christmas? You know… the birth of Santa.” – Bart Simpson, The Simpsons



“The proper behaviour all through the holiday season is to be drunk. This drunkenness culminates on New Year’s Eve, when you get so drunk you kiss the person you’re married to.” – P.J. O’Rouke

Cleaning For A Reason

Just received this email from a resident:
Cleaning for a Reason

If you know any woman currently undergoing chemotherapy, please pass the word to her that there is a cleaning service that provides FREE housecleaning - once per month for 4 months while she is in treatment. All she has to do is sign up and have her doctor fax a note confirming the treatment. Cleaning for a Reason will have a participating maid service in her zip code area arrange for the service. This organization serves the entire USA and currently has 547 partners to help these women.
 It's our job to pass the word and let them know that there are people out there that care. Be a blessing to someone and pass this information along. http://www.cleaningforareason.org/

You may not know someone going through chemo, but someone on your email list might. Please pass this information on to your family & friends.

Last Night of the Cruise

Regency Cove seems very far away. Regency Cove IS very far away. I am on the last few minutes of the internet connection package we purchased, on the last night of the 7 day cruise. The party is over, our bags are out in the hallway, or gone away already. We made new friends, and partied with old friends. All the hustle and preparation we made for this week, and now its a memory. We are still so far in the Gulf that no land is visible.

Hope things are alright at home. A few more days we'll share another Christmas holiday with our neighbors, and then another year will have ticked off the clock. I just can't believe how fast life is going. Must be having fun. Hope you are too. Merry Christmas. Caroling is tomorrow night. Hope to see many residents there.

Clubs Celebrate Christmas

Commodore Chuck Paramore  telephoned members of the Regency Cove Yacht Club to personally invite them to the complimentary Christmas luncheon this Saturday at noon. A delicious meal of Chicken Cordon Bleu will be served. This French delicacy involves a piece of chicken, stuffed with ham and cheese, and baked until it reaches perfection.. A dance will follow the meal, with entertainment by Fatu.

The Friendship Club's December Dinner on Dec 13th consists of baked ham with Regency Cove's secret raisin sauce. The dinner includes all the fixings, and a delightful ambrosia dessert. Members only need to contact Linda Siddens for ticket sales, or memberships for 2011.

Look ahead to the Annual Christmas Caroling event. Please sign up in the Info Room. If you are aware of a neighbor who has a difficult time getting out, please call Mary Willsey or Alice Disharoon. They will make certain that the carolers make a visit, and a goody bag is delivered by Santa and his "seasonal wife".  A party follows in the hall after the singing. Bring a $2 wrapped gift for the drawing, and of course, homemade cookie donations are ALWAYS appreciated.

Board Meeting Today

Take a deep breath. Do it again. Can you smell it? Can you taste it? Its fresh air.

There was a wonderful breath of fresh air at the board meeting today. No long speeches. No lengthy explanations. No recap of all the wonderful things this board has done. Betty Ridge presided over the meeting and kept things moving well. Business was discussed efficiently. There was at least one contentious item regarding the employee Christmas bonus, but it was handled quickly with a board vote after some discussion.

Today's agenda actually included old and new business again. One item handled is that an enclosure will be put in the hot tub area, allowing residents to legally use the hot tub if the pool is closed. The hot tub will be accessible 24 hrs a day, which I think is absolutely NUTS, but that's my opinion. That's just asking for trouble. Besides, you and I are paying to heat it for the one or two people who may actually take a midnight soak. Remember last year's January freeze? Heck, if any fish start floating in the bay this year, we can pop them into the hot tub to warm them up a bit.

The boaters will finally get electricity at the storage yard so they can charge their boat batteries without bothering the neighbor next door. The annual meeting will be on March 16, 2011. And Chet Hindman was made Vice-President today! A few other things were discussed that would be better not mentioned in this open forum.

The Town Hall meeting will be publicized when the date has been determined. Keep looking for those coupon books. New payment options begin on January 1, 2011. Do NOT send your check to the Office.

Support Your Local Board Members

Recently, there has been a change of command in our board of directors. Our VP Betty Ridge assumed the office of president after Paul's untimely resignation. There may be an election of the Board of Directors soon to establish a board-determined president to carry us through to the Annual Meeting in March. Or maybe not. We'll see what happens in the days to come.

I do have, however, a very strong recommendation to the shareholders of Regency Cove. Support your Board of Directors. They are forced to make unpopular decisions every month. Just think of yourself in that circumstance. Its a tough and unrewarding job. How would YOU handle the pressure of making decisions that just might put you out of favor with many of the residents? Their job is not to sit there and agree with eachother, but to make tough and  thoughtful decisions. That's why we voted for them.

Just in case a new vote for president happens soon, I can only recommend that an experienced and well-seasoned board member assumes the office of president. Inexperienced presidents cost us money with frequent calls to the corporate attorney, and board meeting mistakes. Let's cut it out. I hope the new board takes advantage of the educational opportunites available (ROC Forum, and CAI to a lesser degree). We want the board to make the best decisions for Regency Cove. To all nine of you...Keep up the good work!

Give a hearty Thank You to every board member you see in the days to come. In three more months there will be elections again, and no telling who might be on the board in March of 2011. We're always looking for a few good men and women.