Newsletter & Calendar - June 2008

Do You Know Your Neighbors?
Did you know that one of the best defenses against crime in any neighborhood is the residents who live there? How well do you know who lives next door to you? Are there different people living there today than were there yesterday? In Johanna Woods, we make a practice of placing a ìNew Neighborî welcome sign in the yards of all new residents. If you have someone different living next door to you and you haven't seen one of those signs, it's time to call the office so it can be determined whether or not there is a problem. And don't confuse being a good and alert neighbor with being a nosy neighbor. They are very different things. Knowing your neighbor and their routines is not only helpful to the entire community, it can be a lifesaver for an elderly neighbor. If you live next door to an elderly, frail neighbor and you haven't seen them for a while there could be a medical problem that they need help with. Likewise, in this age of portable meth labs and indiscriminate crime, it pays to make sure we all know who is living next door to us. If you see something that doesn't look right to you, come down to the office and let's talk about it.

Maintenance Supervisor Changes
By the time this newsletter arrives, Johanna Woods will have a new old maintenance supervisor. Bob Brady, served our community faithfully and well for the last 3 1/2 years, but had shoulder surgery in mid-May. His operation went well, but the extended recovery period necessary after such a surgery was a concern to him, so he submitted his resignation effective May 19th. We wish him all the best. Kevin Spicer has rejoined the Johanna Woods staff in the lead maintenance position. Kevin worked in the community for several years as a helper and then as the supervisor for a couple of years after that. We welcome Kevin, knowing that his prior experience will help in this transition.

Cooks Corner
Ranch-Style Sirloin and Vegetable Kabobs

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless beef top sirloin steak, 1" thick
1oz package dry, Ranch salad dressing mix (original)
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium green or red bell pepper, cut in 1" pieces
1 medium yellow squash or zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced crosswise in 3/4" pieces

Directions:
Combine Ranch mix, water and oil in a small bowl and mix well. Cut the steak into 1" x 1" pieces and alternately place beef and vegetables onto four skewers. Brush the kabobs with the dressing mixture and grill over medium, ash-covered coals. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes for medium doneness, turning occasionally. Serves 4
Enjoy!

Lawn Care Basics
As we get into the mowing season, it's fair to say that we all appreciate how lovely and green everything looks. But, it's probably also fair to say that it would be nice if so much effort wasn't required to keep everything neat and tidy during Spring and Summer. Sadly, the grass just doesn't know when it's the right height and the weeds always grow better than anything else in the yard. Proper lawn care in Johanna Woods is mowing AND trimming around our homes, buildings, concrete surfaces and anything else in our yard. If it isn't trimmed, the job isn't finished!

Johanna Woods is Green Again!
How nice to see the dead limbs finally gone from our curbs and yards. And, how nice to see our community GREEN again after all the damage from the ice storm. It seemed like we would never get past all of the clean-up. Special thanks should go to the owner of Johanna Woods from all of us who live here, for taking such good care of our community. Not just after the ice storm, but in providing storm shelters for the community. Many of you have expressed your thanks and we have passed those sentiments along. If you don't realize by now how fortunate you are to live in Johanna Woods instead of ANY other community you can think of, you just haven't been paying attention! Thanks to all of you who work so hard to keep your home sites looking beautiful, too. We appreciate all of you.

School's Out!
And the children have taken to the streets and yards like flowers in May! Johanna Woods is an all age community and that provides us with some normal neighborhood challenges. And it requires that our residents of all ages work together to keep things peaceful and quiet. The kids just want to play and have fun, older neighbors prefer quiet and calm and no one wants their yards to be a passage way or playground. Especially if they have worked hard on landscaping, home-improvements or gardening. Parents, please talk with your kids often about where they can play, about making sure that trash from ice cream sandwiches gets into trash cans and about moving out of the street when cars are coming. After you talk with them, observe their behavior when you drive by and see if they are getting it or not. We can all enjoy a peaceful and pleasant summer, but only if we work at it and respect the property of others.

Johanna Woods Salutes Dad
Happy Father's Day! Dad's are so important to our community and our society at large. Every little girl needs a dad to teach her what to look for in a future husband. Someone that will work hard and take care of the family through the tough times as well as the good. Every little boy needs a dad as a role model of what a real man is supposed to be and how he should act. Someone who anchors the family and teaches that commitment is more important than feelings and that sometimes love comes in the form of discipline and teaching right from wrong. Dad has a big job. Thanks to all our dads for all you do. Your role in the lives of your children will affect the lives of your grandchildren, great grandchildren... and so on and so on and so on! Thanks! And have a great day!

2008 Preliminary Inspections are Done!
The initial 4-sided inspections of all of our homes are now complete! Everyone should have received their copy in the mail by now. If for some reason you have not received your inspection, you need to call the office so we can get you another copy. Re-inspections will follow soon so it will be helpful to know what needs to be done before that happens! One of the problems that we saw with some regularity during this inspection cycle was window screens that are starting to look threadbare or that have small holes or tears in them. It doesn't take long for small holes to become large holes or for small tears to become large shreds. Better to catch repairs early before they get worse. It's sort of like protecting your home from termites...by the time you see them, you are in trouble. Little things do make a big difference!