Why Words Matter

Posted on August 22, 2024 by webadmin

Words matter. In stories they can create a multitude of emotions. A writer essentially creates a picture with words. A reader can lose himself in a well written story as the writer weaves his magic spell. Have you ever been so into a story about a winter storm that when you closed your book, you were disoriented as you returned to 100 degree humid reality? Words can create a simple or a classy stylish setting – simple or sophisticated. Words let the reader escape into an alternate reality. 

Words call upon all the senses. They can make you cry or laugh out loud. Soothing words linked together can bring calm and a sense of well being. Action words can get your heart racing as you experience a situation filled with danger and adventure. Otherworldly words can transport you into another world where you feel what it is like to live on another planet and encounter other species. Words of nature can be warm and wondrous as you imagine the flora and fauna around you. Animals have their own set of related words. They speak of companionship and warm fuzzies. Some animals cry out for help and rescue, eliciting feelings of compassion and empathy. You are drawn to a cause greater than yourself. Words take us out of ourselves and let us experience whatever we can imagine. 

Once we have experienced the power of words in stories, we can bring their essence into our present. We can choose kindness over criticism. We can choose truth over misinformation. We can choose words of encouragement for our fellow man. We can use empathetic words to soothe the aching grief of a friend who has lost their soul mate. We can choose words that bring laughter and a sense of belonging. 

Words matter. Choose them wisely for your words have a ripple effect as they spread out to people you never knew who were touched by the words you spoke. 

Ruby Bonham
Writing Group
8-6-2024

Posted in Creative Work, Featured | Tagged | 5 Comments

New Lost & Found Location

Posted on August 13, 2024 by webadmin

For those looking to find what they have lost, or those who have FOUND something that someone else has LOST … There is a box located at the Clubhouse. The box has a brightly colored pink sign for those items. If you find keys, or other items of value, please drop them off at the Office.

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In Memoriam: Carole Hamby

Posted on August 12, 2024 by webadmin

The Timber Valley flag was lowered in honor of Carole Hamby, former member #99. Carole passed away on Tuesday, August 06, 2024. Carole and her husband, JW were original members of Timber Valley, helping to organize and build the park. They moved onto Lot #99 on September 24, 1998 and stayed on that lot until they moved from the Park in July 2023. They returned to their home in Las Vegas, NV after leaving Sutherlin. Carole is survived by her husband, JW.

Carole was admired for the beautiful flowers she grew & her wacky sense if humor.
If you would like to send a personal card to JW, please put it in Peggy Russell’s box (11). She will forward all cards.

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News from the Office

Posted on August 9, 2024 by webadmin

Overnight, the Office was taken over by Fairies! Poor Henrietta was kicked out of her window box as the Fairies made their village amongst the rose branches. Henrietta did make new friends while moving to the Office counter. She has befriended Betty Bumble Bee and Lila Ladybug.

Fall is just around the corner and maybe Henrietta can return to her cozy window box.

Kim

Posted in General Interest, Humor | 1 Comment

Squirrel Droppings – I got old

Posted on August 7, 2024 by webadmin

by Fred Prout

I may have mentioned that I live with a lot of older people. But I do everything possible to avoid joining their legions. I look around and see people with canes, walkers, rollators and electric scooters. One of my mottos is “ Ageing is mandatory, getting old is optional “ A state of mind.

In order to preserve my third or fourth childhood I have a certain regimen.
Physically I walk on the treadmill for a mile and a half. Eat breakfast and go to Planet Fitness to work out for 45 to 60 minutes. Physically I am in better shape than former football star Howie Long. I can still tie my own shoelaces.

Mentally I constantly read. Books, news, magazines. Anything to retain mental acuity. Word puzzles. A great mental exercise.

Socially I am involved with numerous activities. Interpersonal interactions. Concerts, games , shows. Whatever I can do to co-mingle with my peers. Exchanging ideas on whatever we can. Making ourselves think. Keep the brain juices flowing to keep from becoming a victim of time. The dreaded GETTING OLD.

In spite of all my precautions I recently got old.

Just briefly though.

How in the world did this happen?

The adage “ No good deed goes unpunished “ comes to mind. It seems my sweetheart was in need of what are called upper foundational undergarments.
There are many words for said items. If you use Boggle you will find upwards of fourteen different euphemisms. The most descriptive,of course, is the German word Holzemfrumfloppen. Really. I wouldn’t just make stuff up.

Anyway, we end up in the local department store. Head to the Ladies Intimate
department. What the British call Knickers and Knockers. I’m commanded to wait in a twelve square foot area in the event that I might somehow be needed. Yeah, right.
Pacing, standing and avoiding eye contact.TWELVE SQUARE FEET!!!

Now you older married men can skip this paragraph. Please don’t but you can. You have undoubtedly experienced it. You youngsters pay particular attention as your entire future may depend on what you learn. See, guys buying any of this stuff walk in. Two style choices. Three brands with one on sale. We grab the sale items in our size and fifteen seconds later whip out the card and poof all done.

Ladies? Ha!!! The choices are mind boggling. Sports bras. Underwire. Full Figure. Cross Strap. Lightly Padded. Wait, Underwire??? Seventeen different brands. Each one measuring differently. This 38 is not the same as that 38.
Then cup size. All different confusing letters. Why not use a scale like fried egg to lemon to cantaloupe and everything in between. It would be easier but we would miss out on the next part of the adventure.

Trying them on.

First wander around to find someone to open the dressing room. I understand this. You certainly don’t want to just do this on the sales floor. Remember I’m still pacing my assigned twelve square feet. There are usually more trying oners than rooms. Guys the best thing that can happen to you is that someone tries to cut the line. Your time pacing will go by much quicker. Ladies kicking and scratching. Yelling and screaming. Each room has a card with the number of items to try. Double that number for the amount of jiggling and tucking. Remember. Be invisible. No eye contact as you pace your assigned area. You are in enemy territory.

My sweetheart finally emerges from the room. I surreptitiously check my watch. WOW!!! Less than two hours of pacing and only three trips with different choices. FREE AT LAST. My twelve square feet expands to infinity. We can pay and leave. Might even make it for dinner.

Then it dawns on me. I spent all that time lurking in their private, personal domain. Not one single woman has glared at me silently snarling “PERVERT”. “GO AWAY”
I obviously had the look of an over the hill, not to be concerned about, OLD MAN! How ego deflating. But I’m sure I’ll get over it in time. On the way out of the store we pass the shoe department. I eye the display of Sketchers Step Ins and secretly gloat: Eat your heart out Howie Long. I can still tie my own shoelaces .
I’m not so old after all.

Fred Prout

Posted in Creative Work, Featured, Humor | Tagged | 4 Comments

Writing Group and “A Charmed Life”

Posted on August 6, 2024 by webadmin

by Ruby Bonham

The Writing Group meets every Saturday morning at 9:30 in the Card
Room. Anyone can attend and contribute their own style of writing or just
listen. We have a core of five members with others that attend when they
can. The group has been meeting for nearly a year.

We usually start with a ten minute free write. We have a small can
full of words. We each draw one or two words and write something using
those words. The results bring a lot of laughter and encouragement for each
other. A couple of weeks ago we drew one word that we all would use.
Each person wrote two or three sentences about that word then passed their
paper to the person on the right. We each added our sentences and passed
the papers until they came back to the original writer. It was interesting to
hear the “mini” stories. Having done this we decided to take our own papers
and create a story using the elements created by the group. The word used
was “charm”. Charm can be used in several different ways and the results
reflected this. Creativity takes many directions and we encouraged each
other to give it a try.

My first sentence stated: 1) each charm told a story like chapters in a
book 2) the first charm represented graduation 3) the next was the first job
after college graduation 4) the next was a new house 5) the final charm was
a baby carriage – an empty carriage.

Following is ‘A Charmed Life’ created from my collective paper.

A CHARMED LIFE

Kari lovingly touched each charm on her bracelet.  Every charm had a story, like chapters in a book.  As she held the first charm she became lost in the memories.  Her Dad had given her the bracelet with the first charm, a graduation cap, when she graduated from high school.  She remembered how proud he was of her and all the love the bracelet represented. Continue reading →

Posted in Creative Work, General Interest | Tagged | 3 Comments

News Flash – Chair Volleyball Expands

Posted on August 3, 2024 by webadmin

News Flash….The Intergalactic Association of Chair Volleyball LTD has authorized Timber Valley SKP a second weekly event. Due to the phenomenal success of the Sunday game, we have added a second chance to hone your skills and experience abundant laughter on Thursdays at 2PM. All are welcome and it’s FREE! See your Team Up calendar and see you there.

Ken Smedley

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Eisenhower’s Matrix

Posted on August 3, 2024 by Jackie Deal

by Jackie Deal

What would Amber say? Amber is my black and white tuxedo cat. Beautiful shimmery, black with just enough white. What does she say? Amber wisely seldom, almost never, says anything. Would that I could learn from her. I’ve just been to a meeting where I said too much. Amber would know better.

The only time she talks is when she wants her treats. Those teeny, tiny, fish flavored treats. (She recently refused to eat the chicken flavored ones.) Those treats, some people have said, they’re like cocaine for a cat, they’re her daily delight. She meows when she want them. She wants them and right now!

Why can’t I learn from her? I recently read; I’ll tell you who it’s attributed to after I describe it. There’s a four-way matrix for decision making. The first is things that are important and urgent. (Now then might be a good time to speak up.) The second is things that are urgent but not important. That one’s a little harder for me to comprehend.) The third is things that are Important but not urgent. And the forth is things that are neither. (I tend to waste my breath on those.)

Think about it. There are dozen of examples in our everyday life. We spend far too much time agonizing over the fourth dimension. What about the other three? I’m going to try to apply that to leading Jacks and Jill’s in the coming year. We need to focus on first of all the important and urgent things and probably the others will fall into place.

Who developed this matrix? A man who used it in making decisions relating to World War II and the presidency of the United States, General Dwight D. Eisenhower. If it was good enough for him, maybe it’s good enough for us.

Posted in Creative Work, Featured, General Interest | Tagged | 1 Comment

RV Living and Electric Use

Posted on July 31, 2024 by webadmin
Posted in Announcements | 1 Comment

In Memoriam Karen Tetrick

Posted on July 27, 2024 by webadmin

Timber Valley’s flag dipped to honor Karen Tetrick who passed July 23, 2024. Karen was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 29, 1941. She and Bob were married Jan 20, 1973. Bob says they experienced a bad snowstorm in Utah and he was a day late for their wedding. They were married Jan 20 instead of the planned Jan 19.

Karen was a second grade teacher. She obtained her M.S. in Media Sciences from the
University of Utah and then served as a Media Coordinator. She retired in 1998 and they went RVing. At first they had a van and the women got to sleep inside while the men slept in a tent. They decided that wasn’t quite right so they got a Class A in 1977. They traveled all 49 states, to Alaska twice and into seven provinces. They traveled several years to spend Christmas in Mexico with friends.

Karen is survived by her husband Bob, their daughter Carrie and two grandchildren, Carlie and Colin. Bob is remaining in the park, lot 63.

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