It's dues time once again

A gentle reminder: Third-quarter 2014 dues must be paid by next Tuesday,  July 1.

As always, you can save the cost of a stamp by dropping your payment in the white lock box below the mailbox gazebo bulletin boards.

Checks should be made payable to THCA. Treasurer Jerry Gordon has sent out an e-mail to all of you who make use of that new-fangled modern communications form explaining the various ways to pay -- quarterly, semiannually, annually, etc.

Thank you.

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Summer activity means exterior washing, too

A typical case of mold.

Summer is here, and most of us will be spending more time outdoors. When we do, we may notice something unsettling about the exteriors of our homes.

Mold and mildew.

Given the frequency of such growths visible on many residential exteriors at the Terrace, it would be smart to include the outside of your house on the summer to-do list.

The telltale signs of exterior house mold include fuzzy or powdery spots, usually brown, black or green in color, or less commonly in a range of purplish reds.

It usually begins on the portion of your siding that gets the least sun, but once it takes hold it can quickly spread. Some molds creep into the insulation, some are even more invasive and can cause respiratory and all sorts of other illnesses.

Some homeowners try to remove mold with a non-commercial power spray, but the results are rather iffy. Better to hire an experienced commercial power-washer who can do the job of obliterating the mold without damaging the aluminum siding that covers Terrace homes. 

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Thanks, and a guide to spotting stroke

Our gratitude to our neighbors who sent notes and cards and/or called to wish me the best during my unexpected hospital stay. And, to those who expressed support for April during my treatment for a stroke before I returned home today (Thursday).

Luckily, I have no apparent lasting effects from the attack, and I had successful surgery on Wednesday to clean out a carotid artery that was more than 95% blocked, thus cutting off oxygen to my brain. (Which may explain a lot of my inherent weirdness.)

It continues to be wonderful to live among caring people.

-- Bill Dowd 

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WARNING SIGNS OF STROKE

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• From strokeassociation.org

The first four most common signs, forming the acronym F.A.S.T., are --

Face Drooping –- Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person's smile uneven?

Arm Weakness –-  Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

Speech Difficulty –-  Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like "The sky is blue." Is the sentence repeated correctly?

Time to call 9-1-1 -– If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get the person to the hospital immediately. Check the time so you'll know when the first symptoms appeared.

Beyond F.A.S.T.

Sudden numbness or weakness of the leg, arm or face.
Sudden confusion or trouble understanding.
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

If someone shows any of these symptoms, immediately call 9-1-1 or emergency medical services. F.A.S.T. is an easy way to remember the sudden signs and symptoms of stroke.

More information on stroke prevention and recognition is available online.

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Annual spring meeting scheduled

The annual spring meeting of the Terrace at Highpointe Community Association will be held Monday, May 5, at Faith Lutheran Church on Leversee Road (Route 40), opposite the city's Buckley Water Plant.

Please plan to attend. If you cannot, please give a neighboring homeowner your written proxy. That helps us have an official quorum.

As always, there is only one vote per residence.

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2nd quarter dues deadline is Tuesday

A gentle reminder: Second-quarter 2014 dues must be paid by Tuesday,  April 1.

As always, you can save the cost of a stamp by dropping your payment in the white lock box below the mailbox gazebo bulletin boards.

Checks should be made payable to THCA. Treasurer Jerry Gordon has sent out an e-mail to all of you who make use of that new-fangled modern communications form explaining the various ways to pay -- quarterly, semiannually, annually, etc.

Thank you.

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Let there be light -- on a different schedule

“My first memory is of light ... the brightness of light ... light all around.”  
-- Georgia O'Keeffe

 

Tired of the dark and gloom of winter?

There's not much anyone can do about it, weatherwise, but the powers that be can fiddle around with when we see daylight.

At 2 a.m. this coming Sunday (March 9) we go from Eastern Standard Time to Daylight Saving Time (note there is no "S" at the end of "Saving").

Don't forget to set your clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed Saturday night. You know darned well you'll never live it down if anyone finds out you're an hour off until you realize it.

P.S. We stay on Daylight Saving Time until 2 a.m. Sunday, November 2.

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City's pickup promise was ... well, garbage

Apologies to all who were inconvenienced by our online and bulletin board notices that said the City of Troy's DPW crew would pick up our garbage on Saturday this week.

Although most people had their blue recycling bins emptied, the City failed to come through on the promise it made to get around to us on Saturday for garbage removal.

Usually we complain about elected officials reneging on promises. In this instance, it was unelected City employees -- i.e., people we pay to provide a service.

Add to that the poor snowplowing performance by City trucks and we've all been underserved.

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Garbage collection reset for Saturday morning

Our normal Friday-morning garbage collection has been switched to Saturday morning due to the heavy snowfall.

That information came in response to a call to the City of Troy's Public Works Department on Friday afternoon.

The dispatcher on duty told me she did not know an approximate time because all trucks had not yet been plowed out and some pickup routes would have to be doubled up.

-- Bill Dowd

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Is there someone you need to check on?

Don't forget to check on your elderly or shut-in friends, relatives and neighbors during horrendous weather such as this.

It only takes a moment, and there probably will be nothing wrong, but it nevers hurt to make the effort.

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Your board, committee members for 2014

Wondering who does what to keep our community moving?

Here's the current list of the "worker bees" volunteering their time and talents for 2014:

• The Board 
President Claire Steiner
1st Vice President Trent Cox
2nd Vice President John Victor
Secretary Colleen Walsh
Treasurer Jerry Gordon

• Architectural Committee
Claire Steiner
Bill Dowd
Jerry Gordon

• Grounds Committee
John Victor
Dick Harte
Sid Legg
Bob Malphrus

• Beautification Committee
Colleen Walsh
Paula Fox-Murphy
Florine Rogers

• Nominating Committee
Bob Hayward
Paula Fox- Murphy
Dick Harte
Trent Cox

• Rules Committee
Joe Claeys
Bill Dowd
Jerry Gordon

• Webmaster
Bill Dowd

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Paint the town red tonight, relax at home Thursday

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all on The terrace.

Your worker bees have checked with the U.S. Weather Service as well as our local TV meteorologists (the former was necessary because the latter tend to deal largely in Doomsday scenarios) and the consensus is:

Don't drive on New Year's Day or Thursday if you don't have to.

Temperatures are expected to dip as low as single digits, and some blustery winds may accompany the incoming snowstorm.

REMINDER: Although some trash collection routes in the City of Troy have had their pickup days changed in anticipation of the snowfall, ours has not.

You still need to put your trash cans and recycling bins out Thursday night for Friday morning pickup.

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In the spirit of the season, for you

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Scenes from our 2013 Holiday Party

Thanks to Jerry Gordon for providing these images -- and an alibi for the attendees -- from the Terrace Holiday Party.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Get-well cards for Nadeen

Our neighbor Nadeen Thompson is a patient at Samaritan Hospital, being treated for double pneumonia.

If you would like to have a get-well card reach her quickly, you can drop one off with Claire Steiner at No. 3.

Thanks for you kindness.

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'Tis the time for giving -- to the Association

A gentle reminder: First-quarter 2014 dues must be paid by Wednesday,  January 1.

As always, you can save the cost of a stamp by dropping your payment in the white lock box below the mailbox gazebo bulletin boards.

Checks should be made payable to THCA. Treasurer Jerry Gordon has sent out an e-mail to all of you who make use of that new-fangled modern communications form explaining the various ways to pay -- quarterly, semiannually, annually, etc.

Thank you.

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Par TTTTTT -- Have you signed up?

A reminder: If you plan to attend the December 13 Terrace Holiday Party at Tammy's residence, be sure you have signed up.

The registration sheet, a bit worse for wear by being assailed by inclement weather, is on the mailbox gazebo bulletin board.

Hope to see you there.

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Happy Thanksgiving to all at The Terrace

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The mail won't fall through

For the observant among us, it must have been noticed that we have had an improvement in the mailbox gazebo.

The badly rusted supports for the package-sized mailboxes that were threatening to collapse have been removed and the boxes anchored into the structure itself.

Thanks to our usual "worker bee(s)" for the improvement!

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Terrace resident Lewis Hall passes away

The following e-mail was sent to Terrace residents this week by President Kay Duclos.

Dear Fellow Residents:

I am sad to report that Lewis passed on last weekend due to his illness.

I have been in touch with his daughter Naima who is presently here to make immediate funeral arrangements for burial to take place in Chicago.

There will be a memorial service to take place on Saturday, December 7, at the Hilton Garden Inn on Hoosick Street. I expect we will hear more about this in the coming days.

I have offered our deepest sympathy to Naima and the family. A memorial contribution will be sent as soon as we learn the wishes of the family.

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A new documentary on the City of Troy

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