What kind of people would put liens on their neighbors homes after their neighbors had retained an attorney at their own expense due to a just concern that they had been railroaded by a few owners who had managed to get themselves on the board of directors during a period of time when greed ruled the day, profits were flowing, lots were flipping and nobody gave a damn who was running the association?

The same people who make interest on your money that they obtained with false assurances that they could protect you and the same people who are keeping your money that rightfully belongs to you. The same people who continue to squander your money on projects they can't complete? You be the Judge.

I would remind you all that Hurricane Ivan struck in September of 2004, almost two years ago and shortly thereafter these same unscrupulous fellows latched onto our association like an incubus draining the product of our hard earned work which continues to this very day with not one damned shovel of sand nor one sprig of sea oats planted on our beaches.

And in utmost arrogance they shake their angry fists in disagreement with Walton County authority and even unto the great state of Florida in their defiance with talk of a reverse takings lawsuit .

How much longer must we suffer ?

17 Hours to the start of Hurricane season.

We will soon see a lot of press as the season begins.

In one corner, subscribing to the theory that the Atlantic Basin is in a busy cycle that occurs naturally every 25 to 40 years, are Chris Landsea, science and operations officer at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, and William Gray and Phil Klotzbach of Colorado State University, who pioneered much of modern hurricane-prediction theory.
"There has been no change in the number and intensity of Category 4 or Category 5 hurricanes around the world in the last 15 years," Mr. Landsea said, in a telephone interview from Miami.
On the other side are Kerry Emanuel of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of the most respected hurricane scientists in the world, a team of meteorologists from Georgia Tech led by Peter Webster, an MIT-educated monsoon specialist, and Greg Holland, who earned his doctorate at Colorado State under Mr. Gray.
They study the same facts, but draw opposite conclusions.

Dear Retreat Board Members:

I have read your letter dated May 22, 2006 and would like to take this opportunity to respond to various issues that were brought up in that letter. There are two separate and very distinct issues here. One involves a complaint that was filed last November by a group of Owners alleging, among other things, that the vote that was taken on August 22, 2005 to install Geotubes should not have passed because it did not have the necessary 66 2/3% vote of the entire membership. The other issue has to do with the actual Geotube permitting process that was begun last October and still goes on to this day.

Regarding the complaint that was filed, as you know, depositions are being taken, a mediation session between both parties is planned for this July, and the case is to be heard by the judge this fall. The complaint has been discussed in previous correspondence and there is no need to dwell on it here. Both sides believe they are correct and a judge will ultimately decide who is right.

Regarding the permitting of the Geotubes, I think it only fair that everyone know the history of the permitting process. Your letter states some of the facts of the process but at the same time blames the County and State agencies for not granting The Retreat a permit to perform the Geotube installation work. To summarize, The Retreat has applied for three permits to do the Geotube work. The first application was during the emergency order period after Hurricane Dennis in 2005, the second application was for an Armoring Permit in January, 2006, and the third application was for a General Permit in March, 2006.

The first application to install Geotubes during the emergency order period was granted on September 6, 2005 by Mr. Gerry Demers with Walton County but was only for Lots 2,3,10,11,12,14,15,20,21,22,23,24 and the Common Areas in front of the pool and walkovers. The Retreat chose not to install the Geotubes at that time because the permit did not include all lots.

The third application to install Geotubes in March 2006, was denied by Florida DEP on March 31, 2006 because the “sand bag structure is defined as an armoring structure by Rule 62B-33.002(5), F.A.C., and therefore, is not eligible for a general permit.”

The second application to install Geotubes was indeed for an “armoring permit”. That application was sent in to Florida DEP the first week in January, 2006. Florida DEP responded to that request on February 2, 2006 advising that is was incomplete and asking for additional information including name and addresses of all Owners, copies of a signed and sealed survey plat, final construction plans, proof that the project had been advertised in the newspaper, and also an application fee in the amount of $29,300.

Instead of complying with Florida DEP’s request for more information, The Retreat’s attorney, George Mead, tried to go around the armoring permit by filing a general permit and after that was denied, attempted to proceed with no permits. That action led to a “stop work order” by Walton County and no doubt did very little to improve relations between The Retreat and the various agencies. If The Retreat ever expects to get a permit to install Geotubes, Mr. Mead, and the Board, should adhere to the permit process, supply the necessary information to all agencies, and work within the law rather that complain that the law is wrong and they are being treated unfairly.

Finally, the attorney for the Owners that filed the complaint against the Association never threatened to “sue the County if any of the requested relief was given”. Such non-truths only make the Board look more desperate in their attempt to circumvent the permitting process because they feel they are above the law and want to place blame elsewhere. No one is preventing The Retreat from acquiring the permits they need to install Geotubes except The Retreat itself. Mr. Mead obviously lacks the engineering skills necessary to procure permits and should leave that task to Mike Dombrowski with MRD Engineering who has worked with all these various agencies in the past and understands that there are no short cuts when it comes to the permitting process. In short, Mr. Mead is the reason The Retreat cannot get a permit, not a “minority group of owners”.

Jeffrey R. Hughes

Lot 26

The Pledge of Allegiance
A Short History

by Dr. John W. Baer

Copyright 1992 by Dr. John W. Baer
Mr. Bellamy retired in Florida.....

Francis Bellamy (1855 - 1931), a Baptist minister, wrote the original Pledge in August 1892. He was a Christian Socialist. In his Pledge, he is expressing the ideas of his first cousin, Edward Bellamy, author of the American socialist utopian novels, Looking Backward (1888) and Equality (1897).

Francis Bellamy in his sermons and lectures and Edward Bellamy in his novels and articles described in detail how the middle class could create a planned economy with political, social and economic equality for all. The government would run a peace time economy similar to our present military industrial complex.

The Pledge was published in the September 8th issue of The Youth's Companion, the leading family magazine and the Reader's Digest of its day. Its owner and editor, Daniel Ford, had hired Francis in 1891 as his assistant when Francis was pressured into leaving his baptist church in Boston because of his socialist sermons. As a member of his congregation, Ford had enjoyed Francis's sermons. Ford later founded the liberal and often controversial Ford Hall Forum, located in downtown Boston.

In 1892 Francis Bellamy was also a chairman of a committee of state superintendents of education in the National Education Association. As its chairman, he prepared the program for the public schools' quadricentennial celebration for Columbus Day in 1892. He structured this public school program around a flag raising ceremony and a flag salute - his 'Pledge of Allegiance.'

His original Pledge read as follows: 'I pledge allegiance to my Flag and (to*) the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.' He considered placing the word, 'equality,' in his Pledge, but knew that the state superintendents of education on his committee were against equality for women and African Americans. [ * 'to' added in October, 1892. ]

Dr. Mortimer Adler, American philosopher and last living founder of the Great Books program at Saint John's College, has analyzed these ideas in his book, The Six Great Ideas. He argues that the three great ideas of the American political tradition are 'equality, liberty and justice for all.' 'Justice' mediates between the often conflicting goals of 'liberty' and 'equality.'

In 1923 and 1924 the National Flag Conference, under the 'leadership of the American Legion and the Daughters of the American Revolution, changed the Pledge's words, 'my Flag,' to 'the Flag of the United States of America.' Bellamy disliked this change, but his protest was ignored.

In 1954, Congress after a campaign by the Knights of Columbus, added the words, 'under God,' to the Pledge. The Pledge was now both a patriotic oath and a public prayer.

Bellamy's granddaughter said he also would have resented this second change. He had been pressured into leaving his church in 1891 because of his socialist sermons. In his retirement in Florida, he stopped attending church because he disliked the racial bigotry he found there.

What follows is Bellamy's own account of some of the thoughts that went through his mind in August, 1892, as he picked the words of his Pledge:

It began as an intensive communing with salient points of our national history, from the Declaration of Independence onwards; with the makings of the Constitution...with the meaning of the Civil War; with the aspiration of the people...

The true reason for allegiance to the Flag is the 'republic for which it stands.' ...And what does that vast thing, the Republic mean? It is the concise political word for the Nation - the One Nation which the Civil War was fought to prove. To make that One Nation idea clear, we must specify that it is indivisible, as Webster and Lincoln used to repeat in their great speeches. And its future?

Just here arose the temptation of the historic slogan of the French Revolution which meant so much to Jefferson and his friends, 'Liberty, equality, fraternity.' No, that would be too fanciful, too many thousands of years off in realization. But we as a nation do stand square on the doctrine of liberty and justice for all...

If the Pledge's historical pattern repeats, its words will be modified during this decade. Below are two possible changes.

Some prolife advocates recite the following slightly revised Pledge: 'I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all, born and unborn.'

A few liberals recite a slightly revised version of Bellamy's original Pledge: 'I pledge allegiance to my Flag, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with equality, liberty and justice for all.'

This space is left without comment in memory of those who cannot speak to us today.

3 Days, 13 Hours, 43 Minutes until Hurricane Season 2006 begins.

"Rooster" Lyrics by Alice in Chains
A tribute to all those who fought in the bloody jungles of Vietnam.

Ain't Found A Way To

Kill Me Yet

Eyes Burn With Stinging

Sweat

Seems Every Path Leads Me To

Nowhere

Wife And Kids And Household Pet

Army Green Was No Safe Bet

The Bullets Scream To Me From Somewhere



yeah They Come To Snuff The Rooster

Yeah Here Come The Rooster

You Know He Ain't Gonna Die



Walkin' Tall Machine Gun Man

They Spit On Me In My Homeland

Gloria Sent Me Pictures

Of My Boy

Got My Pills 'Gainst

Mosquito Death

My Buddy's Breathin'

His Dyin' Breath

Oh God Please Won't You Help

Me Make It Through

Alamo Flag
	The Mexican constitution of 1824 gave the people of Texas rights similar to those enjoyed at the time by the citizens of the United States, but every new Mexican government attempted to increase control over Texas. To call attention to this, Texans removed the coat of arms from the center of a Mexican flag, and replaced it with the date of the constitution. It was this banner that flew from the walls of the Alamo. For 13 days, less that 200 Texans held off an army of more than 5,000 men. The alcalde of San Antonio, an eyewitness to the last day of the battle, recorded: "The deadly fire of Travis' artillery resembled a constant thunder. At the third charge of 830 (Mexican soldiers) only 130 were left alive. The gallantry of the Texans who defended the Alamo was really wondered at by the Mexican army. Even the generals were astonished at how dearly victory was bought."

To the original thirteen who threw off the heavy hand of tyranny and risked all for liberty.
We give you our undying gratitude.

From Jeff Hughes, Retreat Owner

Dear Retreat Board members and Owners:

I have read your letter dated May 22, 2006 and would like to take this opportunity to respond to various issues that were brought up in that letter. In my mind, there are two separate and distinct issues here. One involves a complaint that was filed last November by a group of Owners alleging that the vote that was taken on August 22, 2005 to install Geotubes should not have passed because it did not have the necessary 66 2/3% vote of the entire membership. The other issue has to do with the actual permitting process that was begun last October and still goes on to this day.

Regarding the complaint that was filed, as you know, depositions are being taken, a mediation session is planned for this July, and the case is to be heard by the judge this fall. The complaint has been discussed in previous correspondence and there is no need to dwell on it here. Both sides believe they are correct and a judge will ultimately decide who is right.

Regarding the permitting of the Geotubes, I think it only fair that everyone know the history of the permitting process. Your letter states some of the facts of the process but at the same time blames the County and State agencies for not granting The Retreat a permit to perform the Geotube installation work. Just so everyone understands, The Retreat has applied for three permits to do the Geotube work. The first application was during the emergency order period after Hurricane Dennis, the second application was for an armoring permit in January, 2006, and the third application was under a general permit in March, 2006.

The first application to install Geotubes during the emergency order period was granted on September 6, 2005 by Mr. Gerry Demers with Walton County but was only for Lots 2,3,10,11,12,14,15,20,21,22,23,24 and the Common Areas in front of the pool and walkovers. The Retreat chose not to install the Geotubes at that time because the permit did not include all lots.

The third application to install Geotubes in March 2006, was denied by Florida DEP on March 31, 2006 because the “sand bag structure is defined as an armoring structure by Rule 62B-33.002(5), F.A.C., and therefore, is not eligible for a general permit.”

The second application to install Geotubes was indeed for an “armoring permit”. That application was sent in to DEP the first week in January, 2006. Florida DEP responded to that request on February 2, 2006 advising that is was incomplete and asking for additional information including name and addresses of all Owners, copies of a signed and sealed survey plat, final construction plans, proof that the project had been advertised in the newspaper, and also an application fee in the amount of $29,300.

Instead of complying with Florida DEP’s request for more information, The Retreat’s attorney, George Mead, tried to go around the armoring permit by filing a general permit and after that was denied, attempted to proceed with no permits. That action led to a “stop work order” by Walton County and no doubt did very little to improve relations between The Retreat and the various agencies. If The Retreat ever expects to get a permit to install Geotubes, Mr. Mead, and the Board, should adhere to the permit process, supply the necessary information to all agencies, and work within the law rather that complain that the law is wrong and they are being treated unfairly.

Finally, the attorney for the Owners that filed the complaint never threatened to sue the County “if any of the requested relief was given”. Such non-truths only make the Board look more desperate in their attempt to circumvent the permitting process because they feel they are above the law.

DAfinancialblundertrustintomoneyneedoutpossible
accountsintereststinkinginvestigationwhattransfers
reviewyoucommunicatetruthbankchargestruthordareembezzleendscramis

The all seeing eye Photo by Shawn O'Neal Copyright© 2006 All Rights Reserved

Photo "MAD Sewer" copyright Shawn O'Neal © 2006 all rights reserved

Reprehensible
Egomaniacal
Toads
Rushing
Erratically
Amuck
Thunderstruck



Los Retreatas, a poem Copyright © Shawn O'Neal 2006, All Rights Reserved

Pat Green has provided the following for your consideration.

Subject:	The Retreat Update
Date:	May 23, 2006 6:53 PM

---

For those of you who have read the ponderous pontificating by the puffed up Puffins otherwise known as the blundertrust and who have an appreciation of things that are pure,
You will recognize this letter for the Pure Bull Malarkey that it no doubt is.

This letter is risible to the nth degree.

Notice how they have continued to operate with zero faults !

If humility was gas these guys wouldn't have enough to power a piss-ant's scooter around a BB .

NOAA came out today stating that they think we will have 4 to 6 MAJOR CAT 3 or higher storms this season.

You can start to see why I like Accuweather.com better ; - )

Hurricane season starts in 10 Days, but between me and You I Think I'll start keeping an eye out from tomorrow,

Number of lots for sale -- 17
Lowest price $ 950 thousand
Highest price $ 3.6 million

Number of homes for sale -- 6
Lowest Price $ 2.4 million
Highest Price $ 8.5 million


* numbers rounded up to the nearest hundred thousand

I was just down in Orlando where spidey lives.
I was telling him about what was goin on in my neighborhood.

he said " sounds like they need a web-slingin A-kickin"

Yes, even if I am elected to the board I will become a blunderhead as well.

A little humility is just what we need around here.

Remember what I always say,

If you can't take a joke, you are a joke.

I believe it is co-rect that any x-penditure over 10 % of the annual bud-jet must be voted on.

So at some point in the meeting after hearing the counsel of Thing One, one blunderhead or another has to make a motion to proceed to spend 100k to 150k for Geo Tubes even though the blunder trust knows they don't have the necessary permits to proceed.

Then another blunderhead has to "second" the motion and then all blunderheads vote on the seconded motion.

Between 4 to 7 blunderheads have to vote yes for this to take effect.

Then the blunder trust di-rects the contractors to move forward even though They KNOW there are no permits.

I x-pect we will soon know the details of this vote.

I bet Thing Two was quite blue .

Hey Kids,

I wanted you to know that for now I will refer to the board as the blunder trust.


When I say Blunderheads That means board members
boardmembers = Blunderheads
A boardmember is a blunderhead


The President of board will be the chief blunderhead

President = Chief blunderhead

Association board Attorney is now Thing One

Association Insurance attorney is now Thing Two


Attorneys = Thing One and Thing Two

These are my vocabulary terms invented for my blog so study up so you can keep up.

Let's have some fun!

Lawmakers from Florida and California led the fight to maintain the long-standing drilling moratorium, contending that energy development as close as three miles from shore would jeopardize multibillion-dollar tourism industries.

Your exit strategy:

A. Find a new attorney.

B. Consider getting new bids on the association management company contract.

C. Call your insurance company and tell them to settle before they settle for you.

D. Remove the liens and return the hard earned money of the property owners because:

1. You assessed (we think improperly) for the specific purpose to install Geo-tubes.
2. You have no way to perform any work per that specific assessment.
3. You cannot provide a future date when you will be able to perform this work .
4. You are continuing to keep owners money in bad faith.
5. You have liens on owners property for work that you can't perform.
6. You tried to proceed in bad faith without permits.

E. Resign

F. Don't let the door hit your rear on the way out.....

Restoration resumes with just two weeks until the start of the 2006 Hurricane season.
Destin and Walton County’s beach restoration project is back in business: By late Monday afternoon, the dredge Liberty Island was preparing to begin pumping sand onto a Walton County beach near the Whale’s Tail restaurant.

	The campaign (press release below) by the surfrider.org dovetails into the whole Lobbying/Seawall manufacturers/dredging companies triangle. last time I checked there are a heck of a lot more people in America than there were in 1975. The boomers continue to change society every time they enter a new stage of life.... As more and more retire with more wealth than the generations before them they are buying second homes on or near the coast and they want to go to the beach...... Only the rich and very rich will be able to afford the costs and risks of owning Gulf front property in the USA. This is going to set up a classic middle class vs. upper class fight about getting access to the beach. Beach renourishment gives an avenue for more access through more government control. So politics makes strange bedfellows one more time.
	Florida Open Beach Act Initiative: Beach Access Chapter(s): Florida - state wide Description: The Florida Open Beaches Act would ensure that citizens are able to access Florida beaches, all of which are designated as public shore land under the Florida Constitution. A key feature of the act addresses the increasingly problematic issue of gaining perpendicular access as the coast becomes more further developed. Among U.S.'s three largest coastal states, only Florida does not have a comprehensive law to protect citizens' access to public beaches. We scored an important victory in early 2005 by securing a legislative sponsor for the act. We continue to gather public support for this act. Contact Email: edavanzo@surfrider.org

With 16 days to go before the season begins here is the latest...

One in Six Americans Could be Directly Impacted by 2006 Hurricane Season
AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center Forecasts Potential Ripple Effect for All Americans

Joe Bastardi On the 2006 Hurricane Forecast

STATE COLLEGE, PA, May 15, 2006-The AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center, led by Chief Forecaster Joe Bastardi, today released its 2006 hurricane season forecast. An active hurricane season appears imminent, which could have major repercussions for the U.S. economy and the one in six Americans who live on the Eastern Seaboard or along the western Gulf of Mexico.

For the 2006 Hurricane Season-which traditionally runs from June 1 through November 30-Bastardi and his team are forecasting that six tropical cyclones will make landfall in the U.S. Five of these landfalling storms are likely to be hurricanes, with three being major hurricanes of Category 3 or greater.

"The 2006 season will be a creeping threat," said Bastardi. "Early in the season-June and July-the Texas Gulf Coast faces the highest likelihood of a hurricane strike, possibly putting Gulf energy production in the line of fire. As early as July, and through much of the rest of the season, the highest level of risk shifts to the Carolinas. From mid-August into early October, the window is open for hurricane strikes to spread northward to the more densely populated Northeast coast. At the very end of the season, southern Florida also faces significant hurricane risk."

"There are few areas of the U.S. East Coast and Gulf of Mexico that will not be in the bull's eye at some point this season," said Ken Reeves, AccuWeather's Director of Forecast Operations. Ironically, though, the region that was hammered the hardest last year-the central and eastern Gulf Coast-has one of the lower probabilities of receiving another major hurricane strike in 2006."

Added Reeves, "This is not to say that hard-hit New Orleans has nothing to worry about. Because the city's defenses have been so compromised by Hurricane Katrina, even a glancing blow from a hurricane elsewhere could spell trouble for the city."

How the 2006 Hurricane Season Will Compare to the 2005 Season
Following on the heels of 2005's record-shattering hurricane season, 2006 will feature fewer storms, but will still be a season of above-average storm frequency. "There were 28 named storms last year, and we are expecting far fewer storms during this season. But keep in mind that it is not the number of storms that is significant, it is where they make landfall that sets the tone for the season," said Reeves.

Last year, there were eight tropical cyclone landfalls in the U.S., including two separate strikes by Katrina as the storm crossed the Florida peninsula and then plowed into the central Gulf Coast. Four of these were major hurricanes-Category 3 or stronger-at one of their landfalls: Dennis, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. The AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center forecasts six landfalling storms-five hurricanes and a tropical storm-this year, with three of the hurricanes being major upon landfall.

Said AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center Meteorologist Bernie Rayno, "With the exception of the southern tip of the Florida peninsula, almost all the damage wrought by last year's storms in the U.S. occurred along the Gulf Coast. In recent history, it is the Gulf coast and the East Coast from the Carolinas southward that have borne the brunt of U.S. hurricane strikes. Because of this, people may be unaware that portions of the Northeast coast have been severely damaged by major hurricanes in the past, and that there is a dramatically increased likelihood that over the next five years the Northeast could be hit by a major hurricane. This could be the year."

Rayno also noted that in general, the fast-moving nature of tropical cyclones in the Northeast will leave little time to protect property and lives. "Preparation is the key, since time is a perishable commodity when a hurricane is approaching the coast."

Added Bastardi, "Because it has been decades since the Northeast was hit by a major hurricane, some residents in the Northeast have become complacent regarding the threat of a hurricane. It is for this reason that we have been warning of elevated danger from hurricanes in the Northeast since March, when we first identified that patterns that could lead to such an occurrence this year or in the near future."

Said Reeves, "Last year's hurricane season had a tremendous impact on the U.S. economy, with the flooding of New Orleans, severe damage to many Gulf Coast communities, and the huge jump in energy prices that resulted when oil and natural gas production was disrupted. While the effects from last season will not be exactly repeated, there are many scenarios that could lead 2006 to be another costly season for the U.S.-another major strike in the western Gulf could again hamper energy production, or a hurricane along the heavily developed Northeast coast could lead to widespread property damage and put many lives at risk."

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. "
	Washington Irving

The Honorable Cindy Meadows our South Walton County Representative, and we are lucky to have her, was there for the County along with three other people from Walton County. Representative Meadows explained that it would send a bad message to other beach owners to allow the work to go forward without proper permits and the County cares more about the beach than that.




Government representatives urged the Retreat to put sand out there to protect the beach and dunes from further erosion but the Retreat did not indicate any interest in pursuing that option.

A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest.
~ Irish proverb

An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy.

~ Spanish Proverb

The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother
~ Henry Ward Beecher

How to Lose Influence and Agitate Authorities by Cale Darnage

Chapter I review; The Five Key Fundamentals


Let's review the five chapter KEYS in order:

1. Tell the authorities that They do no know and do not understand the laws that They enforce daily.

2. Let the authorities know that you intend to do what you damn well please with or without their permission.

3. Proceed to carry out the unauthorized activities per number two above.

4. When you are stopped by the authorities go to step number five below.

5. Invite the authorities over for a free meal and ask them what you can do to accomplish your plans without fines and/or punishment.

While walking the dogs past the east side walkover with my Son we noticed 3 college aged lads running from the top of the dune down to the beach.

We then walked down the walkover to the beach and saw these same three playing the hit the ball into the retreat dunes and try to find it game. in front of lots 3 and 4.

I asked one of them if he lived here and he said no and that they were staying at the INN at Blue Mt.

I also asked him if he knew it was against FLORIDA LAW to stomp on the dunes and he said they did not know that.

I told him and his friends to please take their game back down in front of the Inn at Blue Mt.

After they saw we were not going to leave right away they left.


We have no stay off the dune signs on the dunes on that end of the retreat beach.

Here is an excerpt from Julia Ward Howe's original 1870 Mother's Day Proclamation:

From the voice of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with

Our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm!

The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."

Blood does not wipe our dishonor,

Nor violence indicate possession.

As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil at the summons of war,

Let women now leave all that may be left of home

For a great and earnest day of counsel.

Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.

Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means Whereby the great human family can live in peace...

SOOOOOOO WIDE !

these are from today.

Wide to the East and Wide to the West

You have to walk up the slope of the beach to get to the walkovers

Did I hear you say Black Palms ?
Yes Dahling, BLACK PALMS, There all the rage this season... haven't you heard ?
Very Chic dear.

Click on the photo for more blackness

They had free food but they didn't invite me : - (
The Dep and The Wildlife Folks were there. Nice Car DEP.










A few board members were there.
The association attorney Mr. Mead was there.
ECAM had a person there.

It's good to see that they are talking to these officials, even if they feel they need to have their (you and I pay for it) attorney present.
And the guard posted at the gate to keep out anyone not approved by Charlene with ECAM/the board was very paranoid behavior.

Nice chap. I asked him if I might be on the list but he said "It's already Done"
Nothing posted in the neighborhood about this meeting either.

We are not a traditional neighborhood in a suburb of some big city.

We are a gated neighborhood in a "vacation resort" area.

And because of this we have people that:

1. Live here full time in their only home .

2. Live here as their primary domicile but with some rental, vacation, and/or investment home or condo elsewhere

3. Have their 2nd or 3rd or more home here to visit when they want to.

4. Have a lot or two or three here as an investment to sell down the road

5. Have a lot that they want to build on some day or have started building on as a primary or extra home.

6. Have a second home and a lot or two as investments.

7. Are building their Gulf-Front Dream home

And because of these differences, we look at issues differently.

90 lots and 90 owners does not come close to understanding this matrix.

Dr. Bill gray

Information obtained through March 2006 continues to indicate that the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season will be much more active than the average 1950-2000 season. We estimate that 2006 will have about 9 hurricanes (average is 5.9), 17 named storms (average is 9.6), 85 named storm days (average is 49.1), 45 hurricane days (average is 24.5), 5 intense (Category 3-4-5) hurricanes (average is 2.3) and 13 intense hurricane days (average is 5.0). The probability of U.S. major hurricane landfall is estimated to be about 55 percent above the long-period average. We expect Atlantic basin Net Tropical Cyclone (NTC) activity in 2006 to be about 195 percent of the long-term average. This early April forecast is based on a newly devised extended range statistical forecast procedure which utilizes 52 years of past global reanalysis data. Analog predictors are also utilized. We have maintained our forecast from our early December prediction as the Atlantic Ocean, although cooling slightly with respect to climatology, remains anomalously warm and central and eastern tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures anomalies have continued to cool. Currently, weak La Niña conditions are observed. We expect either neutral or weak La Niña conditions to be present during the upcoming hurricane season.

Reports of yellow fly sightings in the Sandestin area have been reported.

And these demon-flys from hell like the color black so think twice before you put on the black.

I suggest you keep 4 or 5 types of anti-itch remedies on hand because each person reacts a little differently.

Also , we understand that these yellow satan's only live for 24 hours and they move slower than a black fly so keep a fly swatter handy when you're on the porch.

They will appear as a slight blur in your peripheral vision a few moments before they strike.

Gotta go now and put my white shirts in the dryer.

scroll down the page a bit...

http://www.sowal.com/photos-041505.html

	1	426392m		17/03	A	140 EAST ST. LUCIA LANE	4,116	3	3/1	$5,990,000	2005
	2	428770p		17/04	A	43 ST. LUCIA LANE	6,167	4	4/2	$8,500,000	2006
	3	414641m		17/05	A	54 TORTOLA LANE	2,400	3	3/1	$2,400,000	2001
	4	413192m		17/05	A	61 BERMUDA DR	4,650	4	3/1	$3,500,000	2001
	5	408138m		17/05	A	LOT 22 WEST ST LUCIA LN.	4,200	6	4/0	$6,975,000	2006

4 weeks till the 2006 Hurricane season begins


4 months till the two year mark since IVAN struck (Sept. 2004)

I think John Willis has outdone himself with his retreat Gulf front home.
Located between the Ballard and the Flautt houses just east of the beach club this house has great presence and great views of the Gulf .

Meanwhile Jakes old home, located across and to the right of the East walkover, is getting a makeover with new rooms a pool and more...


Remember , if you have any property to insure, do it this month.
Insurance companies will not write policies if a named storm is anywhere near florida.

As we can see from the recent court ruling tilting in favor toward private property owners that do not want beach renourishment in front of their 3 properties in south Walton county we may be seeing a backlash toward the current form of what I will call "beach democracy" whereby whats good for most of the folks is deemed to be good for all of the folks on the beach.

We have the court saying that the city of Destin might have to begin eminent domain proceedings against these three owners to complete the renourishment project along the entire project area.

I doubt that the 315' Dredging ship is going to "hang out" in the Gulf waiting for that to happen.

I wonder how the city would try to describe those high value Gulf Front lots as "blighted".

One upon a time
This neighborhood so fine
with a future as bright
As the sand was white

Got caught up
In the speculation
And forgot
The real relation

Why we are all here
Used to be so very clear
But when we fight
We lose our sight

And the blind
Lead the blind
And everyone falls
Into a ditch

But there is a path
That leads the way back
To the gentle pace
That created this place



Once Upon, Copyright Shawn O'Neal 2006 , All rights reserved.

Now that Turtle Season has begun and all the huge machines have left the beach to nature
many are wondering whats next?

The county is sure to have, in my opinion, a different perspective and therefore a different response to any "post storm emergency periods" than it did this last hurricane season.

Likewise the DEP and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

We had a much milder version of the multi-agency co-ordination communication difficulties ala New Orleans as Walton County had not been used to this level of storm activity for many years.

Watching SEASIDE rebuild their beach walkovers is but one observation.
These walkovers were each unique including the stairs desending to the beach.
Now the new stairs on each beach side walkover are all the same. Different times different response.
The expectation of more storms is evident .

Everyone in the real estate business and in tourism needs a mild season this year.
For many it will be a make or break year.

As we enter the 20th month since hurricane IVAN struck, the retreat beach remains a beach without new sand, seaoats, fences, tubes, or walls.
The Beach club and Homes still have dunes in front of them.

There are matters to be mediated if possible or decided at trail if necessary to determine the validity of voting and assesment matters.

I question the current wisdom of having the annual owners meeting during hurricane season.
Another thing that seemed fine in the past.

When we choose to live by such a powerful and untamed force of nature and call that the price of living in Paradise, when we love This Gulf of Mexico that is full of Sharks, Jelly fish, Man-o-Wars, Red Tide, and Rip Currents because it has pretty emerald colored water and pretty white sand beaches then I can choose to Love the retreat with it's Pygmy rattle snakes, Yellow flys, and a few Neighbors that don't see eye to eye.