July Fox Talk
Digest
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 6 2001
Deadline for Submissions:
1st of each month
Editors: Maurice & Ruth Dean
147 Foxboro Drive

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Articles:
Homeowners Assoc.
Recreation Centre
Ponds
Wildlife

Events:
Calendar
Past Events
Pancakes
BBQ & Happy Hr.
Special Events
Golf

Social:
Christian Women's
Care
Recipe

Notices:
Foxtalk
Driving Fast
Pool
Joke
Barbecues

LOST?

Following up on last month's comments (I haven't lost my focus) I want to dispel another myth that women seem to have about men. This is the completely unfounded, but apparently deeply engrained conviction that males are simply unable to ask anyone for directions. We are presupposing here that it would be on one of those very rare occasions when they may be, for lack of a better word, lost.

Well, I, a reasonably normal, well balanced, perhaps slightly delusional, male can state unequivocally, that asking for directions is usually utterly futile. It is virtually a given that the first person approached for directions will be a stranger to the area and it is extremely likely that the person does not speak my language. It is a given that the directions, if available, will necessitate so many "left here" and "right there" that one will lose track after the first sentence. It is also a very, very firm rule that the instructions will be completed with the phrase "You can't miss it!" even though said instructor knows darned well you will miss it.

One example to illustrate the difficulty, involves being unable to locate one specific hotel on a relatively small island in the Mediterranean. We were not lost you appreciate, we knew which island we were on, but having driven by the same traffic directing policeman several times it seemed seeking directions was in order. Whipping out the old phrase book a passer-by was prevailed upon. Passer-by then whipped out his own phrase book to advise us that he was a stranger to the area. Actually we then had a nice conversation, in English as it turned out he was from the UK. It was a bit sad really because he was lost and, unfortunately, we were strangers to the area.

Another example, which highlights another problem, (that of interpreting someone's written instructions) concerns a visit to a nearby city. The instructions and map neglected to cover recent road work activity which involved the removal of all road and street identification markers. A few miles further on, when it became apparent that a turn had been missed and after some prodding, I think that is the word, it became necessary to ask for directions. Being an old hand at this kind of thing, and very comfortable with it too, the person approached was not just a passer-by, oh no, we asked directions from the driver of a "pizza delivery" car. Turned out it was his first day on the job and he was a stranger to the area. All was not lost because he had a real map.

Annual Golf Tournament on August 9th .
Jim Arbuckle

While we have not changed the format of our tournament, we decided that it was time to give a little something back to the community. The profits from our tournament will go towards HOPE SPRING CANCER SUPPORT CENTRE in Kitchener. Some of our residents are volunteers at Hope Spring. The Centre receives NO government funding, relying on the community for their funds. We believe that all of us can afford the little extra that we have placed in the fee. We also think this helps your prize team to continue their fine efforts on our behalf.

Application forms are available in the Centre in a folder marked Foxboro Green Golf Tournament.

Should you have any question or concerns, please contact one of the committee.

Upcoming Special Events
Marg Macdonald, Secretary

We have outing plans organized through the fall months, plus some new onsite activities.

* August 26th - The Foxboro Community Celebration BBQ:
We will be serving beef burgers, salads and desserts. This will be a catered event. We honour our community volunteers at this event so be sure to be there!

* Bingo:
Eagerly awaited by an enthusiastic group, bingo is being planned for cool weather so look for that in October!

* Oktoberfest:
Blanche Douey will be spearheading the organization of a gang to go to Oktoberfest, an event eagerly anticipated by many.

* September 6th - Yoga:
The Fall session begins at 1 p.m.

* September 19th - Niagara Butterfly Garden and Winery Tour:
With buffet lunch at Queen's Landing. There will be a sign-up in August. We hope for 48 on this outing, which would fill the highway coach. Mark your calendars today!

* October 23rd - Casino Niagara.
Twenty dollars will take you to Niagara and give you ten dollars of tokens with which to play. For those who wish to see the colours and take in the sights this will be an inexpensive and trouble-free way to go! We are finalizing the details now.

* November 22nd - "One of a Kind Show"
in Toronto by highway coach from Foxboro Green. This will be the chance to buy gifts for "those who have everything" or for those who love "odd things". Again we are looking for 48 to fill the coach.

Ruth Cooke and her hardworking committee look forward to your support, hoping that these activities will make your living in Foxboro a continuous adventure!

Community Calendar

July 2001

Tues.	3rd	9:30 a.m.	Rec. Centre Committee Mtg.
Mon.	9th	7:00 p.m.	Board of Management Mtg.
Wed.	11th	11th	Soc. Committee Mtg.
Fri.	13th	9:00 a.m.	BBQ and Happy Hour 2
Mon.	30th	7:30 p.m.	Ponds - Town Hall Mtg.

August 2001

Thurs.	9th		FG Annual Golf Tournament
Sun.	26th	9:30 a.m.	FG Celebration BBQ

Past Events
Marg Macdonald

Shunpiking Mennonite Tour on June 7
All who tripped the countryside reported "A wonderful afternoon!". Warren provided an excellent overview of Mennonite life. He also entertained with jokes that were so "awful" that everyone roared with laughter. The weather was magnificent. What a day!

Home Hardware Warehouse Tour
Thank you, Jim Ainsworth, for arranging this tour for Foxboro! Those who love tools and equipment were in "seventh heaven" all afternoon. Again good reports on this outing!

A very special thank you to the "Bobs" - Price and Leppington - for organizing the Friday night BBQ's. Luck was with them as the first Friday date had to be cancelled and would have been rained out, but the next Friday many came and the sun shone throughout. Well done!

Canada Day 2001
Two hundred and sixteen signed up as of June 30th, so this will be the largest BBQ ever held in Foxboro. The line dancers are now performing at a semi-professional level. They'll be kicking up their heels for us July 2 - in fact, by now you will have seen them! A full report in July.

BBQ and Happy Hour 2
Bob Price
The Community BBQ and Happy Hour 2 was attended by over seventy people. By all the favourable comments we have received, a great time was had by all.

The next BBQ and Happy Hour 2 is planned for July 13th and after eating we hope to extend the fun into the Rec. Centre.

Watch for the sign-up sheet after Canada Day.

Pancake Breakfast
Ron Wilkinson
Once again the men of Foxboro planned, prepared, and served up, an excellent Pancake Breakfast to 141 residents and guests. Omega 3 eggs, honey baked ham, and pancakes with local maple syrup, were prepared "on order" and served piping hot on preheated plates. As one resident remarked, "this breakfast is like Foxboro Green, it just keeps getting better".

Any function, open to the community at large, operates as an adjunct to the Social Committee. It is our practice, following each breakfast, to obtain Social Committee approval for the purchase of various items for the kitchen, using the proceeds from the breakfast. The purchase of an additional 100 cup coffee maker, two griddles, bowls, measuring cups, can openers, extension cords etc. means we no longer have to borrow from residents. Any remaining money has been given to the Social Committee.

The June 2nd breakfast netted us a profit of $117.77 and, not having any specific needs, the money has been given to the Social Committee for community use.

We thank you for your support and encouragement.

Ron Wilkinson, Al Keith and Allan Groves

Our Wildlife
Ruth Dean

Living in Foxboro Green we have the pleasure to watch the beautiful wildlife surrounding us.

Maurice and I have both rabbits and chipmunks that have decided to take up residence beneath our deck. Hey, it could have been skunks, so we are thankful that we have the less odoriferous creatures.

I asked Geri Soloman if she would be kind enough to make two signs for us. To my great delight, these are what she created. Geri is a very talented lady.

Our residents are really pleased that at last they have an official "Entrance" and "Exit" to their abode.

Christian Women's Club
Mary Boucher
On June 11th a group of Foxboro Green ladies went to Stratford to hear Maureen Wills, who was the keynote speaker.

Pictured from left to right: - Audrey Darbyshire, Willie Lootens, Rita Hill, Elsie Hall, June Davies, Mary Boucher, Eileen Fairweather, Betty Huehn, Marion Schwartzentruber, Betty Riedlinger & Jean Usaty.

Inserts: - Maureen Wills and Faith Mundy.

Pictures are courtesy of Mary Boucher. Thanks Mary!

Driving Too Fast on Our Streets?
Bob Price

The posted speed limit in Foxboro Green is 30 km.. Over 40 km. is too fast. There are a handful of residents using Foxboro Dr. and Golf Links Dr. who travel between 50 and 60 km.

Now that the good weather is here, there are more people walking, including our grandchildren, so it is up to us to monitor these inconsiderate people who are endangering our pedestrians.

Rec. Centre Barbecues
Bob Price

If you wish to use the BBQs at the Centre, then feel free to do so but please make sure that before you leave that they are cleaned, unplugged and covered.

Thanks to the Social Committee each BBQ has a butane lighter and grill brush. Also there are water bottles kept in the kitchen which can be filled and used to control "flare-ups".

Editor's Note: At the June Social Committee meeting the poor condition of the BBQs was discussed. It was decided that a notice should be put into Fox Talk stating that after private use residents should leave the BBQs in pristine condition.

NOTICE

How would YOU like to edit and publish
our local newsletter???

Naturally you would change the style. Remember "a change is as good as a rest".

There have been three editors since the first newsletter was published in November 1995 and each one of us developed our own particular style. Wendy Wilson started in 1995, Maureen Wills took over the reigns in November 1996 and finally we "picked up the flag" in November 1998.

It was originally called Fox Tales, then Foxboro Newsletter and since May 1996 it has been known as Fox Talk.

We (Maurice and Ruth) the editors of Fox Talk have decided to retire and we would like to do so within the next two months.

It's time to have someone else at the helm.

Don't be shy, step right up and grab the ring!!! The newsletter is waiting for your touch. It is available immediately.

Contact either
Gail Hovey or Ruth Dean
634-8349 - 634-5471

Homeowners Association
Graham Macdonald
Community Restructuring: The Chair, Peter Schmidt, subject to Board approval at their upcoming July 9th meeting, has established a Committee for Community Restructuring which will evaluate methods of simplifying the governing structure of the Foxboro Green Community, and will provide a recommendation with associated costs and cost trade-offs to the Condominiums. Issues to be dealt with include the requirements of the new Condominium Act and its impact on our bylaws including insurance matters, and fall back scenarios in the event of one or more condos withholding approval. The Committee will organize and moderate public meetings and provide information to the condominiums and the residents. Craig Robson has been engaged to provide professional advice and necessary documentation for a formal decision making process. It is hoped that approval from each Condominium Corporation, to go forward with a restructuring process, can be achieved by the end of September, 2001.

The committee members are:
Peter Soloman (President WCC 319),
Hanne Pedersen (Vice Chair, FGHA),
Brian McKelvey (President WCC 285), Graham Macdonald (President WCC 261 and committee Chair),
and Len Budden, (President WCC 278).

Conveyance of Assets: The documents directing the transfer of remaining assets from Foxboro Green Inc. to the Condominiums have been signed by the directors of the Condos after a review by FGHA legal counsel. This paves the way for the imminent registration of the final condo.

Next Board of Management Meeting: July 9th, at 7 p.m. in the Rec. Centre.

Recreation Centre
Ron Donaldson - Convenor
Insects and Air Conditioning - 'Tis the Season!

Open doors invite insects into our Centre and they create problems with cleaning and the efficient running of our air conditioners. Recently some of our "pool belles" had to clean bugs out of the pool during exercise class. Overloaded air conditioners break down and are costly to repair. Let our systems do their job - please, do not prop open any outside doors and remember the doors to outside from the pool area are for emergency use only.

Cleaning
Additional cleaning of the ladies' dressing room has been arranged for Monday mornings.

Decorations
The artificial floral arrangements in the Centre have deteriorated badly. They are being refurbished or replaced under the capable direction of Charlotte Burnstine.

Bulletin Boards
Steps are being taken to expand our mailroom bulletin boards and to remove the problematic easel.

Mailroom Access
To facilitate interruption-free sorting of our mail, a cord will be placed across the doorway while sorting is being done. Please honour this arrangement.

Recreation Centre Committee Meeting
The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 3rd at 9:30 a.m. in Salon A.

Pond Progress and Plans
Marg Macdonald
Your pond committee has been working diligently to restore the health of our storm ponds and to try to improve the condition of our lake.

1. Buffer Zone: The buffer zone of vegetation around the edges of lake and ponds will be increased in width to at least 10 feet wherever possible. The buffer areas will be marked with stakes with a label "Regeneration Area". We have been excited to observe the vegetation growing around the ponds since the mowing was stopped. We have many little willow saplings coming up as well as dogwood and more cattails and sedges. All of this vegetation slows the run off flow, reduces erosion, filters the water, and absorbs nutrients and pollutants before the water enters the pond. Have you noticed a plant with an arrow shaped leaf (point up) growing in the shallow margins of the lake? That is arrowhead, a very desirable pond plant, an excellent oxygenator with an attractive white flower!

2. Algae control: There is little algae growth at this time. However, the wave action created by the mills is being inhibited by the amount of weed in the channels around the island. We will be cutting some weed away with special equipment being provided (at no cost to the community) by the company which sold us the mills. The Macdonald dinghy has been repaired and is ready to sail the lake in search of weeds! The Sun Valley pond has an algae cover now. We have decided to try the bubbler there to see if the oxygenation will retard algae growth.

3. Special request: With the best of intentions some residents have offered to bring in plants from other waterways in Ontario (from cottages). However, we are concerned about the introduction of undesirable plants (e.g. purple loosestrife) or animals (zebra mussels) into our lake and ponds. Local animals do bring vegetation in from wetlands on neighbouring property but so far the more insidious aliens are not a part of our system. Many aliens have entered North American waterways when people have emptied their aquariums into local streams, storm drains and sewers, introducing species that do not belong, and which subsequently infest the waterways. In fact, the curly leaf pondweed gradually choking our lake is one of these. We ask that all residents be vigilant in protecting our water areas.

4. Special thank you: The residents of Sun Valley, using ingenious hose lengthening techniques, have managed to save the new sod laid by Foxboro Green Inc. following dredging.

5. The Learning Process: The Ponds Committee is learning a great deal about how our ponds and wetlands work and what nature is trying to do. We are using resources of our residents, suppliers, government agencies and professionals to develop a strategy for the remediation and naturalization of our water features. We are proposing to engage professional help to assist us to stabilize the banks and water quality of the Sun Valley Pond. We will have 3 quotes on the planting around the ponds upon which we will base our planning and budget requests for next year.

6. Town Hall Meeting on Ponds: We will be holding a Town Hall Meeting on Ponds on Monday July 30th at 7:30 p.m. in Salons A & B. Light refreshments will be served. We ask that everyone who is interested, who has questions or concerns to please attend. We need input from everyone so that we know what you would like to achieve with our ponds. Remember to mark your calendar "Pond Town Hall", July 30th. We look forward to seeing you there.

Care Committees
In June we welcomed to our community Maureen and Richard Potvin, 185 Golf Links Drive and Norm Argue and Grace McAninch, 16 Woods Edge Crt.

Best wishes and flowers were given to Pam Linnemann after her hospitalization while Ron Wilkinson and Bob Webber received greetings following surgical interventions. A gift was given to Marilyn Hoffman.

A giant thank you to Larry Skitch who has donated his special equipment, a reacher, an extra-long shoe horn and a sock-aide to the Care Committee for anyone needing this equipment during their post-operation recovery. This equipment is available through Marg Macdonald. There are also walkers, crutches, and a high toilet seat available within the community. Please call if you could use any of these items.

Have YOU completed your emergency medical information sheet and placed it in your refrigerator? We hope that every resident has completed this activity.

Recreation Centre and Pool
Marg Macdonald Summer is here. We look forward to visits from our grandchildren and great-grandchildren!

A few reminders:

* Diaper aged children are not allowed into the pool. Babies' diapers are to be disposed of at home. Our garbage is emptied only twice a week and therefore diapers may sit for many days. You can imagine the rest!

* Again we ask that everyone shower with soap before entering the pool. Makeup, sun screens and lotions create a scum line around the pool and hot tub.

* Turn off the lights when you leave rooms.

* Children must be supervised at all times when using the Centre. Just three weeks ago the toilet in the ladies change room was found blocked by toilet paper. Children do have fun doing odd things!

* Our Pool and our Recreation Centre are extensions of our homes. We must treat these facilities with the same love and respect that we do our own homes.

Hot Pepper Jelly
Lil Good
4 each of seeded and chopped green and red peppers (2 cups)
1 to 3 chopped jalapeno peppers
1 1/2 cups White vinegar
6 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 oz or 170 ml liquid pectin

Chop all peppers in blender or food processor. Blend smooth and put in colander to drain off the liquid. Pour pulp into large pot.

Add sugar and vinegar and heat mixture until the sugar dissolves. Bring to boil and boil for 3 minutes.

Stir in pectin and return to full rolling boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Skim off foam.

Pour into hot sterilized jars to within 1/4 inch of top. Seal.

Divorcing After 45 Years

An elderly man in Phoenix calls his son in New York and says, "I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough".

"Pop, what are you talking about?" the son screams.

"We can't stand the sight of each other any longer", the old man says. "We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her", and he hangs up.

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. "Like heck they're getting divorced", she shouts, "I'll take care of this."

She calls Phoenix immediately, and screams at the old man, "You are NOT getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?" and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. "Okay", he says, "They're coming for Thanksgiving and paying their own fares.... Now what do we tell them for Christmas?"

Submitted by Betty Riedlinger

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