December 6, 2013
Dear Everyone:
Baby, it’s cold outside!
The other day I needed to walk across the street to “The Clubhouse” to
sign the order for new mailboxes.
The Association president was waiting for me in “the office”,
wearing a down jacket and asked, “Where’s your coat?”
Hadn’t thought of it.
Suddenly realized that it really is getting cold around here.
In fact, the local temperature dipped below freezing last night.
I’ve even taken to leaving the heat on all night, albeit lowering
the setting, of course.
This makes me very glad that I don’t have to trudge off to work in the
pre-dawn chill anymore. I
used to put my coat in the
dryer for a few minutes in the morning as I
gathered all those things that are necessary to get from home to work
(phone, lunch, MP3 player,
Kindle, gloves, etc.)
That way the coat would be toasty-warm for the two minutes it
took to get out to and into the car, start the engine and turn on the
heat.
Now I’m debating whether or not a coat is necessary to cross the street
to the “Fitness Center” in “The Clubhouse”.
After all, it’s only a minute or so.
And once you’re inside, there’s no place to hang a coat, other
than draping it on one of the pieces of exercise equipment.
It’s not like you want to wear a coat while pounding away on the
treadmill. I’ll have to look
into that.
As for “The Clubhouse” itself, this is a structure that was originally
intended to be the Sales Office when the community was first built.
There is a swimming pool, and state law requires that there be at
least one restroom in proximity to the pool.
So The Clubhouse contains two restrooms, which can be unlocked
with the same key as the gate to the pool.
There’s also a large space that used to contain a “scale model”
of the area, showing where the units were located and color-coded to
indicate the floor plans.
This is where the Association meetings take place every other month or
so.
It even has a complete kitchen with refrigerator and range.
People now use this for large parties.
This is a great idea.
Instead of crowding everyone into your place, and annoying the
neighbors, you can reserve the clubhouse in advance.
You put down a deposit, but get it back when there is no damage
to the premises.
Of course, you do have to clean up the place afterwards.
Many decades ago the comedian,
Phyllis Diller, said, “The only
way to have a clean house every day is to throw a party every night.”
In the movie
Rosemary’s
Baby, after a party, the husband announced:
“The only solution is to move.”
In this case, neither.
Just use all disposable plates and utensils and the nearest
dumpster is right across the street.
Easy.
The “Fitness Center” is another space across the central atrium, but
still in the Clubhouse. This
is (presumably) where the people employed by the Sales Office did actual
work back then. Now it
contains a treadmill, cycle,
elliptical and some weight machines.
And there is another “office” where the Association keeps
records, a desk and a fax machine.
All terribly convenient, especially for me.
As for why the Association president was wearing a down jacket?
Because “up” doesn’t keep you warm.
Love, as always,
Pete
PS. “Jeannie” has come down
with a cold. Send Get Well
Cards and warm wishes.
P.
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