July 2017

Welcome to Summer!  I hope that you all get a chance to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather!

Rent is due on Saturday, July 1.  Because of the holiday and weekend, the grace period for making the rent payment will be extended. So to avoid any late fees, please make sure to have the rent deposit made by end-of-day Friday, July 7.  Please use the enclosed deposit slip, or make sure that you put your unit number on the deposit slip if you need to make up a new one.

For those tenants that use Cozy.co, please make sure to schedule your payments before July 5.  With Cozy.co you don’t need to worry about when the banks are open! If anyone wants more information about Cozy.co, please let me know.

Please make sure that you change the filters in the air conditioning.  If you are using standard filters, this should be done once a month.  If you are using higher end filters, they should still be changed every quarter.  Changing the filters will save you money, and will help keep the air conditioners running well.  If you need me to change your filters, or if you need me to supply the filter, please let me know.

Over the next couple weeks I will be power washing the units.  I will mainly focus on power washing the north sides of the units to get any mildew off.  I will also wash the entry ways into the units.   I will be able to work around any furniture or grills on the decks, but I may need to move some things around to do the washing.

I would still like to get rid of the satellite dishes that are unused around the property.  I started doing that last year, but found it was a bigger job than anticipated.  I didn’t know that they cemented those posts into the ground!  If you have a satellite service, and use any of those dishes, please let me know.

We still have 2 storage units available.  These are 10ft x 40 ft, and remained dry throughout the flooding.  For our current tenants rent will be $25 per month, and can be paid along with your rent monthly.  If you have any friends who need a storage space the rent will be $30 per month, and must be paid 6 months at a time.  Let me know if you want storage space, or if you know of someone who wants a storage unit.

Boil Water Advisory

I wanted to let everyone know that there is a boil water advisory for the entire city.  You can see the advisory on the City of West Plains Facebook page.

Here is the most recent information:

To clarify: We are under a BOIL ADVISORY. To stay risk free we recommend you boil your water for consumption. It is not mandatory. Our chlorine levels leaving the Water Treatment Plant were lower than normal.

The city expects this to remain in effect until at least Wednesday.

Please make appropriate plans to stay safe.

June 2017

We hope that you had a happy and safe Memorial Day holiday.  Summer is in full swing!  Now is a good time to change your furnace filters.  Having clean filters will save on your utility bills during these hot summer months.  If you need a filter, please let me know, and I will drop one by (or change it for you if you need me to).

Rent is due on Thursday, June 1.  To avoid a late fee please make sure to have your rent deposit made by end-of-day Monday, June 5. Please use the deposit slip enclosed.  If you need to make out a new slip, please make sure to include your unit number on the slip.

For those tenants that use Cozy.co to make their payments, please make sure that the payment is made before end-of-day Monday, June 5.  Once you schedule the payment I will get a notification that the payment is in process.  

Cozy.co is an online payment method that is free for you to use.  It allows you to schedule the payment to be paid directly from your checking account, and will automatically deposit in our correct account.  If anyone is interested in getting more information about cozy.co, please email me at the address below.

The flooding over the last month serves as a reminder that everyone should have renters insurance.  Our insurance only covers the structures and property.  Everyone should also have insurance to cover your personal belongings. Generally you can get renters insurance as an extension of your car insurance for a very reasonable amount.  

Thank you to everyone for taking advantage of the city wide cleanup days!  The property really looks great!  Please make sure that you pick up after your pets so that we don’t have a lot of flies and mosquitoes this summer.

I will post the contents of this letter on the  community blog at wellingtoncircle.blogspot.com.

We hope you all have a wonderful summer!

Severe Weather Update - April 28

We have really had some substantial rains the last few days, and the winds were really strong on Wednesday!

I've been working around the property today making sure that the downspouts are all secure, and working.  I added some extensions in order to avoid erosion around the foundation of any of the decks.  I also put some extra screws in to the spouts and bends that have been coming off recently to make sure that everything is secure.

We are supposed to get some substantial rains again tonight and for the next 2 days. I couldn't see any roof damage, but I hope to get the roofs inspected over the next few weeks.

Please be watchful of anyplace where there may be a leak, or if the water does not seem to be coming out of the downspouts properly during the rains the next few days.  If you see any problems, please feel free to call or email me immediately.

I also want to say thank you for picking up around the property during the city wide cleanup.  Everything looks great!

We hope everyone stays dry and safe this weekend!

May 2017 Newsletter

I hope you are all enjoying the wonderful warm weather!  As we get into grilling season, I want to remind you to please make sure that your grill is located as far away from the building as possible, and that the back of the grill is facing away from the building.

This letter is early so that I can let you know that this week is the city wide Spring Cleaning week.  During the normal trash pickup this week the garbage collectors will take any large items that you want to carry to the curb.  So if you have anything in your garage, or on/under/around your deck that you would like to get rid of, please take it out with your garbage this week.

Rent is due on Monday, May 1.  To avoid any late fees, please be sure to have your deposit in by end-of-day Friday, May 5. Please use the deposit slip enclosed. If you need to make up a new deposit slip, please be sure to print your unit number on the slip.  We  appreciate everyone making the effort to get their monthly payment in on time.

For those of you that make use of Cozy.co for your payment, please be sure set everything up before the 5th.  We will receive a report from Cozy letting us know the status of the payment.  If anyone would like more information about Cozy.co please email me at bpgroe@gmail.com.  This is a free service to you, and would save you the time it takes to make that trip to the bank every month.

I have already mowed a couple of times this spring.  Over the next few weeks I will be spending a couple of days doing some cleanup around the property (trimming and spraying some areas).  I am hoping to get in a pattern of mowing every 10-14 days, but right now while the grass is growing so fast I will probably be mowing about once a week.  Please make sure to have everything picked up off the grass.

I post all of the monthly letters on a community blog at wellingtoncircle.blogspot.com. You can subscribe to the blog so that you will get an email notice of updates.  I will try to also post on there when I plan to mow so that you can have 24 hours notice.

Have a wonderful week!

April 2017 Letter

March 30, 2017

It has been a wonderful spring here in the Ozarks!  I hope that you are all enjoying the beautiful weather!

Rent is due on Saturday, April 1.  To avoid  any late fees please make sure to have your deposit made by end-of-day Wednesday, April 5.  Please use the deposit slip enclosed that has your unit number printed on it.

For those residents using Cozy.co for payment, please schedule your payment to be delivered before April 5. We will get a report as soon as your payment is scheduled.  If anyone would like more information about Cozy.co payment please email me at bpgroe@gmail.com.  This is a free service to you.

As the weather warms up it becomes more crucial that you clean up after your pets.  Especially dog deposits should be picked up, and dealt with by the owners.  Now that we are back into mowing season it is more important to keep the lawns clear.  Please also clean up around and under your decks.  

We encourage anyone who would like to plant some flowers or have pots out around the outside of your unit.  We only ask that you keep the grass and weeds out of the flower beds.  I will mow as close as I can to the beds, but I can’t be pulling weeds and/or grass from them.

Please make sure that all outdoor grills are as far away from the unit as possible.  The back of the grill should be pointing away from the unit.  Heat from a grill can damage the siding, and/or cause fires.  

Before we get into air conditioning season is a good time to check and change your furnace filter.  If you have any problems or concerns with your heating and air conditioning system, please let me know before the weather turns too warm.  Filters should be changed every month.  If you need a new filter, please let me know.  

As we come into the Easter Season, if anyone is looking for a church to attend, I highly recommend First United Methodist Church.  Diana and I attend the 11:00 service, and would be glad to welcome you.  Palm Sunday is April 9, and Easter is April 16.  We hope to see you there!

March Letter

It seems like Spring is here!  If we do happen to get any wintery weather in March, please be careful!

Rent is due on Wednesday, March 1.  To avoid any late fees please make sure to have your rent deposit made before Sunday, March 5.  Just a reminder that the banks close early on Saturday, so please make sure to get your rent deposit done in time.  Please use the deposit slip included with this letter.  If you need to make up a new deposit slip, please make sure to include your unit number.

For those of you that use Cozy.co to make your payments, you don’t need to worry about when the banks are open.  I will get a report of the deposits as soon as you schedule them.  If anyone else would like more information about Cozy.co, please let me know.

During the Spring months we usually don’t expect the furnace/air conditioning units to work as hard.  Therefore this is a good time to change out your filters.  If you need a filter, please let me know.  I will also be glad to come in and change the filter out for you if you want.

We are getting close to grilling season!  If you set a grill out on your deck, please remember to put it as far away from the unit as possible with the back facing away from the building.  If you put the grill too close to the building it can cause damage to the siding, or cause a fire.

I will begin walking the property the first week of March to pick up garbage or litter in preparation for mowing.  Please make sure that you pick up all the garbage around your unit, especially around where you keep your garbage cans.  We want to keep your neighborhood as clean as possible.  If anyone has larger pieces that they need hauled to the garbage, please let me know.

A copy of this letter will be posted on wellingtoncircle.blogspot.com.  I will post notices on this blog to let you know what is going on in the neighborhood.  For example I will use the blog to give advance notice of when I plan to mow the property.  You can subscribe to this blog so that you will receive email updates when a new post is published.  You can also use this blog to contact me about issues or concerns that affect the entire neighborhood.  

Enjoy the beautiful spring weather that is forecast for the next few days.

January 30, 2017

The year is already flying by! January has gone by quickly, but February is always the longest month of the year!  We still have a couple months of winter to come.  Please be careful getting around the property if there is any snow or ice on the ground.

Rent is due on Wednesday, February 1. To avoid any late fees, please make sure that the rent deposit is made before Sunday, February 5. Please use the enclosed deposit slip.  If you have to make up a new deposit slip at the bank, please make sure to include your unit number on the slip.  For those residents who use Cozy.co, I have not included a deposit slip. If you would like more  information about our online payment method (Cozy.co), please let me know by sending an email to bpgroe@gmail.com.

During the winter months your furnace is working extra hard to keep your place warm.  You can reduce your heating costs by changing your filter every month.  If you need a filter, please let me know, and I will drop one by.  Please also be very careful with portable space heaters or candles during this time of year.  We want everyone to stay safe and warm in their units.

We encourage all residents to carry renters insurance.  Our insurance covers the structures, but you need to carry insurance covering the content of your unit.  Typically this can be done as an add-on to your automobile insurance.  

We have 2 storage units available to rent (Numbers 2 and 4).  For residents the rent on these units is $25 per month.  If you know someone outside of the neighborhood that is interested the rent will be $35 per month, and we require 6 months payment at a time.

Please do not take garbage out to the street on any day but Tuesday (when the garbage will be picked up).  With the woods around the property there are wild animals and stray cats that get into any garbage that is left out, and they can make a real mess.  If your garbage is not kept in your garage, please make sure that you have it in a can with the lid on tight so that animals can’t get into it.

If we get any significant snow in February or March, we will have someone come through to plow the main driveway.  Typically the parking areas clear off within a couple days.  I will spread salt out as needed to clear these areas.  Hopefully none of this will be needed!  

Feel free to contact me at the numbers below if you have any questions!

December 30, 2016

Happy New Year!  We wish you all a happy and prosperous 2017!

As always rent is due on Sunday, January 1.  To avoid late fees please make sure to have your rent deposit made before Thursday, January 5.  Please use the deposit slips included with this letter.  If you need to make out a new deposit slip, please be sure to include your unit number.  

Some residents have signed up for Cozy.co to make their payments.  I have not included deposit slips for you.  Cozy.co is a free service to you that makes paying rent much more convenient, and keeps us informed on when payments will be made. If anyone would like to know more about Cozy.co, please let me know.

Please use the garage and designated parking spaces as much as possible.  We are getting into the snowy season, and we will have someone come out to plow the main drive if there is more than a few inches of snow.  They may not be able to complete plowing the snow if vehicles are parked in the way.

We still have a unit open on the South Side.  This is a 2 bedroom, 2 bath with an oversized 2 car garage.  The place has been totally repainted, and thoroughly cleaned.  Rent is $650 per month.  December is a tough time to get renters in, but I expect that this place will move quickly after the holidays.  If you recommend someone that passes the background search, and signs a year lease, we will credit you for a $100 discount of your rent the first month after they move in.  So let us know if you have any friends, coworkers or family members looking for a great place to live.

We also have a storage unit available.  For residents the storage unit rent is $25 per month.  Please let us know if you have any interest.

During the cold weather furnaces really work hard to keep the units warm.  Please make sure to change your furnace filter every month.  If you need a new filter, please let me know.  I normally carry the filters with me in my pickup, so feel free to stop me when I am on the property to ask for a fresh filter.  Of I will be willing to come into the unit to change the filter if you would like.

If we do get any significant snowfall, we will get someone in to plow the central drive.  The sun normally does a good job of clearing off all the south facing drives.  I will get ice melt on the areas that tend to freeze to try to keep them clear of ice.  

We hope you had a wonderful holiday, and look forward to serving you in the coming year!

November 30, 2016

I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday.  

Rent is due on Thursday, December 1.  To avoid a late fee please make sure to have your deposit in by end-of-business on Monday, December 5.  We are still offering an online payment at Cozy.co.  This is a free service to you, and will hopefully make the rent payment process easier for you.  Please let us know if you would like additional information on this service.

Please make sure to bring your garbage cans in as soon as possible after the garbage has been picked up.  I have noticed some cans sitting out for several days.  Please do not leave your can sitting by the road side.

We still have a unit available to rent.  If you have a friend, family member or coworker that you would recommend, we will give you a $100 credit on your next month’s rent once the person has signed a year’s lease, and moved in.  The unit will be available in early December.  It is one with a double car garage, so I expect it will go fast.  If you have anyone to recommend, please let me know!

We also have a storage unit available for rent.  It is clean, and dry.  For residents the rent for the storage unit is $25 per month.  Please give me a call if  you would like to rent the storage area.

Now is a good time to change your furnace filters!  I will be glad to provide a clean filter for you!  Just let me know by email, or stop me sometime when I am around the property.  I usually carry the filters in the back of my pickup.  Changing the filters regularly will help your furnace run more efficiently, and save you money!

It is also a good time to replace the batteries in your smoke alarms.  Especially if you are planning on bringing a tree in for Christmas it is a good idea to make sure your smoke alarms are working properly.

Thank you all again for your patience and understanding regarding the new asphalt on the driveway.  Please let me know if you have any concerns about the property, or suggestions for improvement.  Any emails that you send to me at bpgroe@gmail.com will be treated with the strictest confidence.

We hope that you all have a Merry Christmas, and we wish you all a prosperous New Year!

November 11, 2016 - Driveway is Complete!

I apologize for so many updates this week!  I just wanted to let you all know that the driveway is done!

Pace Construction arrived onsite at 11:30, and got right to work on putting down the new asphalt!   This was a quick job for them, and they were done by about 2:00.

You will notice that the driveway has been widened out so that it is the same width down the entire length of the property.  Hopefully this will make it easier to meet another car.

The drive will be open again tomorrow afternoon.  Right now there is a tape across the end of the driveway.  I am hoping to get in tomorrow to sweep out the parking areas, and clean up just a bit.  Then I will open it up for access.

Thank you all for your patience as we tried to get the contractor onto the property.  This is a small job for him, so it is a very low priority.

Let me know if you have any other issues.

November 10, 2016 - Driveway Update

Another Delay!

Even after explaining the disruption that has been caused by these multiple schedules and delays … Pace construction has postponed the driveway work once again!

The plan was that they would be in today to lay the asphalt.  Now they are saying that they will be on S. Howell early (7:30) tomorrow morning (Friday, November 11).  They assured me that they will be there.  However I am not inclined to believe it until I see their equipment.

Once again, I apologize for the inconvenience.  I am calling as often as I can, but I don’t have a lot of influence on when they show up.

If I hear anything else, I will let you know as soon as possible.

Brian

Driveway Update - November 7, 2016

Well ... we are making progress, but the driveway still isn't done!

Last week Pace Construction finally got in to finish digging up the old asphalt, and the dirt work that was required. This at least gives everyone a good base to drive on.  I realize that the base is a real mess, but at least they got rid of the big pile of dirt in the middle of the drive!

I just talked with Pace Construction, and they said that the asphalt work will be done on Thursday (probably in the afternoon).  I will plan to be onsite late Thursday morning to make sure that cars are out on the street.  Once the asphalt is down you should not plan on driving onto the property until Saturday morning.

I understand how frustrating this is, and I appreciate your patience as we get this work done.  As you can tell, I have very little control over when the contractor comes to do the work.  They have given me about 3 different schedules, and have missed most of them.  I will continue to pester them until this job gets completed.

November 3, 2016 - Driveway Work is Beginning!

Well, it is 2 days behind schedule, but the driveway work is beginning today!

The 'dirt work' is being done today.  This means that there are a lot of big trucks and diggers onsite.  You should be able to get by the work today to get in and out of the property.  Once the gravel is down later today you will be able drive on it which will help pack it down.

Pace Construction is expecting to lay the asphalt on Saturday morning.  You will not be able to drive on the asphalt once it is laid.  Any vehicles that you need for the weekend should be parked on the street either Friday night or VERY early on Saturday morning.

If you drive on the new asphalt too soon you have a possibility of getting tar on your vehicle, and will affect the integrity of the new asphalt.  We have been told that there should be no traffic on the new asphalt for a minimum of 24 hours, and the longer we keep traffic off the better it will set up.  So depending on when they finish laying the asphalt you should plan on leaving your cars on the street until Monday morning.  You can leave cars parked in your parking areas, but they will NOT be able to be moved out until Monday morning.

Thank you for your patience with this work.  It has been a big task to get the contractor onsite!

October 31, 2016 - Monthly Letter

Happy Halloween!

Rent will be due on Tuesday, November 1.  To avoid any late fees, please make sure to have your rent deposit made before end-of-day on Saturday, November 5.  Reminder that banks close at Noon on Saturday, so make sure that you have your deposit in before then.  Please use the enclosed deposit slip, or if you make up one please make sure to include your unit number.  

We have set up an account with www.cozy.co where you could make electronic payments of your rent.  You all received an email explaining the process.  If you need more explanation please let me know.  This is a free service to you, and will make the monthly payment process much easier.  You will have complete control over when a payment is made from your account.

The painting is done, and the doors look great!  Thank you all for your cooperation and understanding as this work was going on.  

Fixing the driveway is a project that is costing Diana and I over $9,000 to complete, but we want the property to be nice for you.  I talked to the contractor on Friday, and the current plan is:

• Pace Construction will be onsite Tuesday and Wednesday to finish the grading and gravel work.  They will work on one side of the driveway at a time, so you will be able to drive onto the property while this work is being done.
• They are expecting to do the asphalt work on Thursday.  You will not be able to drive on the asphalt for at least 24 hours.  You should have any vehicle you want to use on Thursday or Friday parked on the street Wednesday night. You will not be able to drive back on the property until Saturday.  If you try to get on the asphalt early you will likely get asphalt on your car, and ruin the integrity of the new drive.

In order to avoid this type of problem happening again, I have asked the garbage truck to not come down the main drive any more.  Everyone needs to take their garbage cans to the street each Tuesday morning.  We appreciate everyone’s understanding.  I will also be posting a “No Trucks” sign at the entrance to the property.

Check out the new blog at wellingtoncircle.blogspot.com.  This is where I will put all relevant information about what is happening around the property.  Please post a comment on the blog so that I can see everyone that has access.

There is a storage unit available.  Because of issues with the storage units in the past, I am removing all electrical connections in the unit except the overhead light.  We will require a new storage unit lease which will define what the storage unit can (and cannot) be used for.  For residents rent for the storage unit will be $25.  Non-residents rent is $35 per month.

Please make sure to disconnect all hoses from outside spigots!  

If you need a new furnace filter, please let me know.

October 27, 2016

The doors are finally done!  Thank you all for  your patience and cooperation.  I think that this really makes the property look nice.

It took a little longer than I hoped it would.  David had to put 3 coats of the blue on to make sure that the original color didn't show through.  Then it took another day to do the 2 coats of white for the trim work.

Last week my daughter got married in Columbia, so we had to leave on Thursday before I could get the weather stripping back in.  I apologize for the delay.  I understand that the wind was really whistling through the gap in the doors!  I was able to get in on Sunday, and get the weather stripping put back in place.

If there are any problems with the doors, please let me know.  I understand that any little scratch on the door will cause the original white color to show through.  I have some of the blue in my storage unit to touch up any spots that need it.

Now we need to get the driveway done!  I will keep you posted on how that is coming along.

October 13, 2016

Work on the driveway is going to begin today!  

They should already be on the property tearing up the current drive, digging out about 12 inches, and putting down gravel for the new drive.  They are going to work on a side at a time so you should be able to get by them by driving on the other side.  

Once the gravel is down you will be able to drive on that area.  In fact it will help to pack it in for you to drive on the new gravel.

They will be coming back either next week or the week after to put down the asphalt (weather permitting).  At that time you will not be able to drive on the newly laid asphalt for at least a day.  I will hopefully get a couple days notice before they come.

Beginning next Tuesday you will need to take your garbage to the street on Tuesday mornings.  I am going to post a sign saying "No Trucks" on the drive.\

October 7, 2016

Welcome to the Wellington Circle blog!

I will admit that I have started a blog like this a couple times, but never got any feedback so the blogs went by the wayside.

That is a hint!  I really want your feedback about what is happening around the properties, or comments about the posts.  Feel free to comment here to let me know how things are going.  This might be a way to get to know your neighbors!

I've also set the blog up so that you will automatically get an email when I upload a new post.  I promise not to flood your email boxes!

I will begin posting my monthly letters here, along with any seasonal related notices that I have.

That reminds me...
Fall is here, so please make sure that all hoses are disconnected from outside spigots.

Why Wellington Circle?
All of the duplexes are owned by either Wellington Circle Ventures, LLC or Welling Circle Properties, LLC.  The name comes from our time in Boston when we lived on Wellington Circle.

Online Payment of Rent
All of you should have received information about how to setup an online payment account through cozy.co (Yes...it is cozy.co not cozy.com).  As long as you are making payments from a bank account this is a free service to you.

Once you setup an account you can either setup an automatic payment to be made, or you can go into your Cozy account each month to setup your payment.  This will also accommodate partial payments if that is needed.

We will be able to see when payments have been setup, and when the payment is actually made for each unit.  Cozy will provide you with a transaction history so there is never any question about when the payment is made.  The transaction history will also be helpful for you if you ever need to show payment history for any reason.

If you haven't received an invitation from Cozy, please let us know and we will make sure that one is sent to you.

S. Howell Driveway Repair

The big project for this fall is the damaged driveway on S. Howell.  I have contracted with Pace Construction to do the work, but they have been doing some state roadwork near Mountain Grove.  As long as the weather stays nice they are not going to get in here to do the drive.  At this point they are saying mid-October for the drive.

This will be done in 3 steps:

1. The will tear out most of the old driveway, and dig down about 12 inches for the roadbed.
2. They will put in a gravel bed of about 10 inches.  Once this is in they said that things need to settle for a couple days.  You will be able to drive on the gravel, in fact that will help to pack it down some.
3. They will come back in to put on several layers of asphalt.  This will be hot mix that will need to cool for at least a full day, and maybe 2 days to get all of the tackiness out.  So to protect the drive and your cars you will not be able to drive on this for 2 days once the asphalt has been laid.  You will need to park on the street those days.

I will upload a new post when I have specific dates when this work will be done.

Once the new drive is in, we will not allow the garbage truck to come back onto the property.  We are going to ask everyone to take their garbage cans to the street every week.  We feel that this will also contain some of the spillage that occurs when the garbage is picked up.  We can provide numbers to put on your cans if necessary.

Please respond to this to let us know your thoughts about this plan.

Friday, October 30, 2015

Some excerpts from the monthly letters that I am delivering today:

Happy Halloween!  I hope that you all have a chance to enjoy the beautiful weather we have been having!  It has really been a great fall.  Remember to turn your clocks back one hour on Saturday night. Remember the old saying:  “Fall back, Spring forward”.

As we approach colder weather, please make sure that all hoses are detached from the outside spigots.  

Rent is due on Sunday, November 1.  To avoid a late fee please have your rent payment deposited by end-of-day Thursday, November 5.  Please use the enclosed deposit slips, or be sure to indicate your unit number on the deposit..  If you would like me to pick up the rent please contact me to arrange a time.

I was in touch with the company that did the paving of the central drive last year, and they promised that they would be out to make repairs next week. I will keep you posted as I am able.

I am planning on mowing the yard one more time before the cold weather sets in.  Now that most of the leaves are down I will try to get out early next week to get this done.  Thanks to everyone for keeping the grass clear so that I can get out into the yard.  

I included individual contact information in each letter. Please make sure that I have correct contact information on file for you.  If possible I need home phone, mobile phone and email address.  

Have a great Halloween weekend!

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

I hope you are all enjoying this fantastic fall weather.  Fun Fact:  If you are up early over the next week you can see Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Mecury in the Eastern sky 30-60 minutes before sunrise.  They are really spectacular to see.

The weather report says that we will be getting our first frost on Saturday with early morning temperatures in the low 30's.  Please make sure to detach all hoses from the outside faucets, and if you have any plants that you want to save you might want to cover them or bring them inside.

I am planning on mowing once more later this month.  I want to wait until most of the leaves are down.  I intend to mow things very short so that the leaves will not stick.  I am also going to clean up along the back side of the property (South).  Please make sure that everything is up off the grass over the next few weeks.

On Friday I will be coming by the property with my trailer to pick up some of the bigger things currently laying around the property (basketball goal, old metal chairs, etc.).  I will try to contact the owners of the items if I know who they are.  If you have anything that you would like me to haul away (old satellite receivers for example), please let me know.  If you don't want something hauled away, please make sure that it is put up in a spot where it is obvious that you want to keep it (your garage for example).

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.