1. real estate

Delray Villas Plat 4/5
homeowners association
NUMBER 303
Ramblings
www.delrayvillas45.com
Board of Directors Meeting
Date:
Tuesday, OCTOBER 14
Time:
7:30 pm
From the Editor
Linda Solomon
The leaves are turning and falling all around me.
But soon I will be in the land of the green - Florida.
I am looking forward to getting back to Delray Villas - to the flowering and greet trees, to the pool, to
light, summery clothes and to the many activities
that keep me busy in my Florida community.
There will be club meetings I will attend, friends
to meet and greet again, and the wonderful shows in
the clubhouse. There will be those activities in which
I participate outside of the community as well. A full
life - I am very lucky.
However, sometimes we become complacent living in a homeowners community where others take
care of our needs. We take for granted those things
that are available to us without our even thinking
about it. We forget to thank the people who make
this all happen - the Board members (both our Plat
Board and the Rec Board) none of whom are paid or
get any more perks for spending their own time making sure our community looks as beautiful as it does
or the venues for our pastimes are available and up
to the standards by which we choose to live.
Sometimes we forget to thank the people who actually do the work assigned to them - the landscapers, the people who keep our community buildings
clean and in good repair. We forget the company
workers who are paid by our Boards to do pest control or provide us with cable capability or provide us
with chemicals to make our pools swimmable or
provide the workers and equipment to make our
lawns and bushes beautiful.
I’m glad to live in Delray Villas and I hope to be
more diligent in thanking the people who make my
life here more comfortable.
OCTOBER
2014
General Meeting
Date:
Tuesday, OCTOBER 28
Time:
7:30 pm
From the President
Sy Weiss
Here we are in October which is a busy month for our
plat. Budgets will be presented for the 2015 year. This
month starts our homeowner meetings on the 4th Tuesday. If you are interested in running for the board you
can submit your name to Bernie Rosenberg in writing so
it can be placed on the ballot. You must be a member in
good standings according to our DOCS. A new board
member must take a class that is required by the state Certification Class. They will have 3 months to do so or
be removed from the board.
Our community looks great thanks to all our residents who take pride in our HOA. Just a reminder about
trash, garbage to be picked up is to be put in garbage
cans NOT plastic bags to keep critters away. Our maintenance staff will be putting bags back to the side of
your house, so please comply with our request. We are
planning to have a speaker at each of our homeowners
meetings through this year to make the meetings more
interesting. Homeowner meetings give you the opportunity to ask questions of the board so you know what’s
going on first hand instead of listening to all the rumors.
Just like playing telephone, by the time it information
goes around the circle, it’s a different story. Of course,
like in other places, we, too, have people living here that
thrive on spreading rumors just to try to create problems.
Again thanks to all our board members and their
committees, sometimes it’s not that easy a job as people
think my hat is off to all of you.
Sy
CAR POOL TO BOARD MEETINGS:
Please note that our next general meeting takes place in
October. If you would like a ride to this meeting or you
can provide a ride for a neighbor, please contact Iris
Pavey, 498-1375 Thank you very much. Looking forward
to seeing you at the meeting!
Ramblings. . .
PLAT IV/V
PAGE
2
PLAT IV/V RAMBLINGS
Editor
Linda Solomon 498-9338
President
Bill Kaplan
6675 Overland Drive
499-7893
Delray Beach, FL 33484
V/Pres./Coord. Anita Silverman
498-9208
498-9338 917-747-8660 (c)
[email protected]
FOR TRANSPORTATION CALL:
Advisor
Associate Editor
Phil Kullback
Rita Kullback 499-1958
Bonnie Siegel 498-9338
Advertising Manager Judy LaCorte 495-6899
Distribution
Joe LaCorte 495-6899
Harvey Lazaroff 498-8691
Contributors to the Newsletter:
Genia Kutner ~ Judy La Corte ~ Milt Markowitz
~ Diane Norman ~ Sharon O’Hallaran ~ Iris
Pavey ~ Carol Slotkin ~ Bob Townsend
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
President
Sy Weiss
381-4456
Vice Pres.
Lew Leon
495-9010
Secretary
Bernie Rosenberg
499-1673
Treasurer
Sheila Lane
381-7725
COMMITTEES
Alliance
Judy & Joe LaCorte 495-6899
Architectural Iris Pavey
498-1375
Inspection
Bob Green
496-5533
Interview
Lew Leon
495-9010
Lakes & Ponds Butch Herbst
445-2079
Maintenance Butch Herbst
445-2079
Herb Basson
637-8168
Parliamentarian Lew Leon
Pest Control Bernie Rosenberg
499-1673
Pool Assistants Russell Mayer
749-0872
Milt Schreiber
381-3894
Ramblings
Linda Solomon
*498-9338
Roads & Lights Joe La Corte
495-6899
Website
Bernie Rosenberg
499-1673
Alan Shwartz, co-master 376-4040
www.delrayvillas45.com
55+
Bob Green
496-5533
Welcoming
Rosalie Basson
*637-8168
Bernice Friedman *445-2079
RECREATION ASSOCIATION MEMBERS
Pat Lazaroff
498-8691
Joan Rosenberg
499-1673
Diane Weiss
381-4456
* Non-Board Members
DELRAY VILLAS WE CARE
The Jewish War Veterans are collecting cancelled
stamps for hospitalized veterans for recreation and therapy. Please contact George Hoppen at 637-8430
PLAT 4/5
Fran Jacobson
495-1312
Please give our dispatcher 48 hours notice when requesting
transportation. Call between 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, M-F
ONLY. A Waiver of Liability Release Form must be signed for
each trip, otherwise we will not transport you.
Hospitals we serve:
Delray Medical Center, Boca Medical Center, Bethesda Community Hospital, Bethesda Health City
FOR MEDICAL EQUIPMENT CALL:
PLAT IV/V
Marty Dreiblatt
David Goldstein
George Hoppen
865-0991
499-5098
637-8430
The Lions Club of Delray Beach members are collecting
old glasses, hearing aids & aluminum pop caps from
soda cans.
Drop-off points:
Harvey Lazaroff
Gene Rosenman
13892 Packard Terr.
13434 A Via Vesta
498-8691
499-2964
Board and General Meeting
ORDER OF BUSINESS*
Pledge of Allegiance and moment of silence
Roll call of the Board of Directors
Reading of last Board of Directors/General Meeting minutes
Correspondence
Reports:
Treasurer
Sheila Lane
Committees:
Alliance
Joe and Judy La Corte
Architectural
Iris Pavey
Inspection
Bob Green
Interviews
Lew Leon
Maintenance
Butch Herbst
Lakes and Ponds Butch Herbst
Pest Control
Bernie Rosenberg
Roads and Lights Joe La Corte
Rec Board
Pat Lazaroff, Joan Rosenberg, Diane Weiss
55 Plus
Bob Green
Web Site
Bernie Rosenberg
Ramblings
Linda Solomon
Welcome Committee Rosalie Basson, Bernice Friedman
Old Business
New Business
Good and Welfare
PLAT IV/V
Ramblings. . .
PAGE
Happy Birthday
OCTOBER
Birthstone - Opal
Libra (September 23-October 22)
Scorpio (October 23-November 22)
4 Yom Kippur
Happy Anniversary
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Clocks and Watches
China
Crystal and Glass
Electrical Appliances
Silverware
Wood
Desk Sets-Pen & Pencil
Sets
8. Linens and Laces
9. Leather
10. Diamond Watches
And Jewelry
01
07
11
13
18
22
16 - Candy Day
25
26
13-Columbus Day
3
29
30
31 - Hallowween
11. Fashion Jewelry and
Accessories
12. Pearls or Colored Gems
13. Textiles or Furs
14. Gold Watches and Jewelry
15. Watches
16. Silver Holloware
17. Furniture
18. Porcelain
19. Bronze
20. Platinum Watches and
Jewelry
Tony & Fran Costa
Bob & Sandy Green
Joe & Judy Piccolomini
John & Patricia Ventura
Mayer & Edzia Koblenc
Sidney & Shirley Israel
Alan & Jackie Skloff
Ray & Marie D’Allessandro
Michael & Miriam Rosenfield
Tadeuse & Jannina Wojdalski
Dennis & Sue Lester
Harvey & Pat Lazaroff
Happy Birthday
01 Ben Fagen
Frieda Klein
Iris Pavey
02 Rosalie Basson
05 Linda Masie Wicz
Joanni Mullaney
07 Abraham Russ
09 Gail Leavitt
Martin Nunberg
10 Ron Wright
Rena Farber
Maria Hanes
12 Haidah Winston
13 Natalie Markowitz
14 Dennis Michalic
15 Jerry Garf
16 Mildred Adamo
17 Roslyn Farrell
Jackie Skloff
18 Elaine Misonznick
19 Carole Handt
25 Alice Kaplan
27 Fania Keck
28 Lenore Rosenblum
Alan Skloff
29 Harvey Lazaroff
30 Irving (Butch) Herbst
Lew Leon
31 Betsy Dellisanti
Betty Rabinowitz, Gene and Jan Stern and their
family wish to thank all of the Delray Villas friends
and neighbors who sent cards, made telephone calls
and came to show their caring and support during
the family’s time of grief.
BIRTHDAY-ANNIVERSARY UPDATE
For those new residents or those who find errors, please complete by printing the following form and return to the Editor,
Linda Solomon.
Name
(first and last)
Birthday
Significant Other’s Name
(include last name if different)
Birthday
Anniversary
PLAT IV/V
Ramblings. . .
Committees reports….
ARCHITECTURAL
FOLLOW THE RULES
If you plan to do ANY outside work on your house or
property, be sure to get architectural approval first !!!
Approval is needed to:
1. Paint your house-even if it will be the same color
2. Paint leaders and gutters
3. Stain your driveway even if it will be the same color
4. Put on a new roof
5. Construct a new patio
6. Redo an old patio
7. Plant bushes or trees
8. Remove old bushes or trees
9. Install new windows
10. Create planting beds
11. Widen your driveway
ANY OUTSIDE WORK REQUIRES ARCHITECTURAL APPROVAL BEFORE YOU BEGIN THE
WORK
It’s a simple procedure:
Pick up an application from my patio (13675 Whippet
Way West) fill it out - sign it - return it to my patio.
Once the request has been approved, I will call you to
pick up the approval which then needs to be placed in
the front window of your house.
ANY QUESTIONS
Call Iris Pavey 498-1375
Architectural Chairman
You will find the holiday greetings on page 9. There will be
one more opportunity to send
holiday greetings to your
neighbors and friends in Plat
4/5 for 2014. The last Holiday
Greetings for this year will be included in the December issue of the Ramblings. Collection for the
2015 holiday greetings will begin in January. Thank
you to all who have contributed. We look forward
to seeing your names listed here again next year!
PAGE
4
WELCOME NEW
NEIGHBORS
James & Sharon Infantino
13645 Whippet Way East
Kevin Butler
6377 La Salle Road
Paul & Linda Montgomery
6050 La Salle Rooad
James Carillo
6284 Dusenburg Road
Michael Toscano
13640 Whippet Way West
Chester & Margaretta Arnold 6311 La Salle Road
SAFETY TIPS
by Dennis & Carol Michalic
Know the appropriate number to call:
 911 for a sudden or unexpected turn of events calling for immediate action. This would include such
crimes as incidents as crimes in progress, immediate
medical needs, or serious vehicle accidents.
 688-3400 is the number to call for such incidents as
past crimes, street conditions not requiring immediate action.
A Reminder:
Women, place your pocketbooks on the passenger
side of the floorboard while pumping gas. You can also
place the passenger seat belt through the straps of your
pocketbook to prevent a snatch and grab. If the machine
requests you see the clerk inside, make sure you take
your pocketbook with you. Do not leave valuables in
plain sight.
This does not only happen in gas stations. Many
times women place their pocketbooks in the child seat
area of shopping carts, and as they stroll down the aisles,
they may step away from the cart. They mistakenly believe that because the cart is near them, nobody can distract them or quickly take their pocketbook. Not true.
We recommend putting your purse in the large basket
area, keeping a close eye on your property. Don’t be
distracted by strangers as they will work in teams to part
you from your valuables!
It does not take long for a crime against you to occur.
BE ALERT AND ATTENTIVE TO YOUR SURROUNDINGS. USE COMMON SENSE.
PLAT IV/V
Ramblings. . .
PAGE
5
DELRAY VILLAS CLUB NEWS
Club Name
Date/Time
Where
Topic
Collation
AFTER 6 SOCIAL CLUB
Wednesday, October 1
7:00 PM
“A” Building
Planning for 2014-15 Season
Coffee and cake
Club Name AMERICAN-ITALIAN CLUB
Date/Time Friday, October 3
6:30 PM
Where
“B” Building, Viking Room
Topic
Welcome Back to all Members
Collation Wine & cheese, Coffee & Cake
~ New members welcome ~ Dues - $15
Club Name C.E.R.T.
Date/Time Saturday, Oct..27
10:00 AM
Where
“B” Building - Ceramics Room
Featuring
Topic
Hands On Field Operations
Club Name
Date Time
Where
Topic
Collation
Club Name
Date/Time
Where
Topic
Collation
Club Name
Date/Time
Where
Topic
Collation
Club Name
Date/Time
Where
Topic
C.O.P
Wednesday, Oct. 1
9:30 AM
“B” Building - Viking Room
Training
Breakfast
DEBORAH
Thursday, Oct. 16
11:30 AM
“A” Building
Entertainment
Bagels and Coffee
MEN & WOMEN SOCIAL CLUB
Tuesday, Oct. 21
7:00 PM
“A” Building
Great Entertainment - Dues $10 p/p
Snacks, coffee & cake
NA’AMAT USA
Thursday, Oct. 6
9:30 AM
“A” Building
Speaker on elections - There’s no
Scroll so please remind your friends
Collation
Bagels and Coffee
Club Name GUYS AND DOLLS CHORUS
Date/Time Tuesdays (weekly) *
10:00 AM
Where
“B” Building - Viking Room
Topic
Fun Songs for everyone
Call Mel Goldstein at 381-0131
Plat 4/5 Board Events
Board Meetings: 2nd Tuesday of each month
Next General Meeting: October 27
Speaker: TBA
Delray Book Club
The Book Club meets on the first
Monday of every month at 1 PM in
the Ceramics Room of the “B” Building. Books will be available at the Hagan Ranch Library. You must ask for the book by its title. Below is
the list by month for discussion:
October 6 - The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and
Sweet by Jamie Ford
November 3 - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel
Society by Mary Ann Shafer
December 8 - The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grisson
If you have any questions, contact Leslie Boardman
at [email protected] or by telephone: 561-808-7600
or 215-208-3652.
Scrabble Club meets every Monday and Thursday
from 2-4:30 PM in “A” Building. You do
not have to own or bring a Scrabble board
to play along.
Need information? Please contact
Leslie directly at 561-808-7600
or 215-208-3652.
Welcome Back
Luncheon
&
Scavenger Hunt, After 6 Style
Sunday, October 26, 2014
1:00 PM
New members welcome! ($10/year)
PLAT IV/V
Ramblings. . .
PAGE
6
Words of Wisdom
Get Well Wishes
by GENIA KUTNER
On behalf of the residents of Plat
4/5, sincere wishes for a quick return to health for:
Marcel Baillargeon
Phil Kullback
Rita Kullback
Aaron Widawsky
While we celebrated Grandparents’ Day last month, Genia
is devoting her column to that wonderful relationship grandparents and their grandchildren. This month, she sent
along a words of wisdom written by the late Sam
Levenson. It is his “Ethical Will and Testament to his
children and to children, everywhere.”
CAROL’S CORNER
Photos by Carol Slotkin
Carol always provides us with a
wonderful photo of
one of our
“neighbors,” either flora or
fauna.
NOTICE !!!
If you are a new owner who has an inherited
title or assumed title to your unit through a transfer
of title and you have not completed the required
application forms, please contact Lew Leon,
Chairman of the Interview Committee at (561) 495
-9010.
ATTENTION ALL HOMEOWNERS
If you are planning on selling or
renting your home, our Governing
Documents require that you notify
the Association prior to the sale or
start of the rental date.
The forms for the Owner(s) and the Application
Forms for the Buyer(s) or Renter(s) may be obtained from Lew Leon. Call him at (561) 4959010.
In Memoriam
Plat 4/5 offers condolences to
the family of Jerry Rabinowitz (Plat 11)
His wife, Betty
and his brother and sister in-law
Gene and Jan Stern
May his memory be for a blessing.
PLAT IV/V
Ramblings. . .
Talk of the Town
by BOB TOWNSEND
o
IS THAT ALL THERE IS?
ne of the most haunting and captivating songs I
had ever heard was “Is That All There Is?”
Come on now, you know the song. It was recorded by Peggy Lee a half a century ago and then was
redone by Bette Midler. I always liked Bette Midler’s
version better.
In it, Peggy Lee (and then Better Midler) sings
about a fire that destroyed her home when she was a
young girl. Then she talks about going to a circus – the
greatest show on earth – when she was 12. And then she
falls in love only to have her lover leave her. After the
tragic fire, after the circus and after the jilted love affair,
Peggy Lee (and then Better Midler) asks:
“Is that all there is to a fire?
“Is that all there is to a circus?
“Is that all there is to love?”
I had a tragedy in my life. When I was a young man
fighting (that’s right, I was a prize fighter) for the New
England Diamond Belt championship, I was knocked
out by a dude by the name of Joe Soucy. Now that may
not sound too devastating to you, but it was traumatic as
hell to me. I found it very difficult to live with myself
for months afterward. I certainly wasn’t left asking myself, is that all there is to getting knocked out?
I never really cared about dealing with circuses, but
when I was a kid, about 7 years old, my parents took me
to a baseball game. It was a doubleheader, our beloved
Boston Red Sox (I came from Massachusetts, you know
that) against the now-defunct Washington Senators. In
the first game, the famous Splendid Splinter, Ted Williams, hit two home runs to lead the Sox to victory. In
the second game, the infamous Mickey Owens, a journeyman catcher, came into the game as a pinch hitter in
extra innings and belted a grand slam homer for a Sox
sweep. Those games certainly lived up to any expectation a kid could have about baseball. Certainly no cause
to question is that all there is to a baseball game.
Then I fell in love with Ronnie. She didn’t leave
me. We got married and, well, we just celebrated out
20th wedding anniversary so obviously I’m not asking is
that all there is to love.
So there you have it. I’ve had a life that’s lived up
to expectations. Until now.
Just recently, I went whale watching. If you’re a
regular reader of Ramblings, you probably recall that
last month I wrote about my summer vacation, a trip
PAGE
7
back to Massachusetts where I came from. Last month,
I talked about walks on the beach, the good part of the
trip. This month, I’m reflecting on whale watching on a
ship out of Boston Harbor, the bad part of the trip.
Ronnie and I had been talking about going to watch
the whales for a very long time. We just never got
around to doing it. We decided to do it on our 20th wedding anniversary. It didn’t live up to expectations. In
fact, if you’ve ever read Moby Dick, the reading of it
was a whale more thrilling than the trip out of Boston
Harbor.
We saw one whale. It was a humpback. He – she?
– was affectionately named by the crew of the ship.
What was it? Scratchpad? Wristwatch? Solitaire?
No, it was Shuffleboard. Shuffleboard was the
name given to the whale. What kind of a name was that
for a whale? Why not Moby? Or Dick? Or The Humpback of Notre Dame?
We saw a bit of a tail, a bit of a (hump) back. That
was it. Ronnie whacked her head on a railing trying to
get up to see a bit of Shuffleboard’s tail and nearly
knocked herself overboard. And, at the end of the day, I
was left to ask myself, “Is that all there is” to a whale
watch?
In the song after each disappointment, Peggy Lee
(and then Better Midler) asks, “Is that all there is?”
and then notes:
“If that’s all there is, my friends, then let’s keep
dancing
“Let’s break out the booze and have a ball
“If that’s all.”
I can’t even do that. I can’t break out the booze
and have a ball. I’m an alcoholic. I’ve been sober for
21 years. And, to be honest, I was never that much of a
dancer anyway.
(continued from page 8, Alliance Report)
parental authorization is not mentioned in the amendment as it is the law of the land. Dr. Jessica Spenser
presented the case against voting for amendment # 2.
She states that the intentions leading to the preparation
of amendment # 2 were probably good, but the result is
an amendment too broad and too vague. She stated that
all drug use starts with marijuana. Among the loopholes is that the requirement to be a caregiver is simply
that the caregiver must be 21 years old. No medical
training, no screening, no relationship, nothing except
being the age of 21 allows someone to be in charge of a
marijuana recipient. A prescription is not needed nor
are there restrictions as to where a pot shop can be located. No parental consent is needed and there is no
limit to the amount of marijuana possessed. Dr. Spenser
closed by stating that the amendment lacks oversight
and control.
PLAT IV/V
Ramblings. . .
Alliance Happenings
Judy La Corte
Fire/Rescue Chief Doug McGlynn told us that the
call load increased this month to over 2300 calls. The
King’s Point Condominiums averaged 24 calls per day.
False Alarms account for 15% of the total.
Captain Calise told us that the new Sheriff’s Office at
the site of the old library on Atlantic Ave will be ready
in February or March. There has been a reduction in
residential burglaries but an increase in vehicular burglaries, many by smashing a window when valuables are
in sight. A common method of stealing from a vehicle is
to watch for someone pumping gas, then going to the
side of the car away from the pump, open the unlocked
door and remove whatever valuables are in sight. We
were advised that crooks can move into communities
that don’t do background checks. Once in residence,
they bring in their friends in crime & commit burglaries
whenever the chance arises. He ended by telling us to
call the Sheriff’s Office whenever we see something that
just doesn’t look right.
AT&T will hold a Tech Rally at the South County
Civic Center on Thursday, October 9 at 9:00 AM. They
will provide technicians to explain, one-on-one the use
of ipads and other similar devices, (phones, tablets). The
event is free, but limited to the first 60 people who make
reservations by calling 495-9670.
Senator Maria Sachs introduced a session on Medical
Marijuana, with two presenters, Ben Pollara the campaign manager for United for Care, who is for the
amendment and Dr. Jessica Spencer, who is against it.
The Senator explained that certain strains of marijuana
have an effect on some severe types of epilepsy, not responsive to other forms of medication. In fact, Charlotte’s Web, a term for one strain of marijuana, was
named for a young girl, Charlotte Figi, in Colorado who
had a significant reduction of epilepsy seizures after her
first dose of medical marijuana. Twenty-three states and
the District of Columbia have now made Medical Marijuana legal. However, its use is still a Federal felony,
which so far has not been prosecuted. Mr. Pollara says
that anyone should be able to fill a doctor’s prescription
for medical marijuana. Prescription drug overdoses have
caused 12,000 deaths annually, while he claims that no
one has ever died from marijuana. He believes that
medical marijuana will lead to less addiction, not more.
Some of the benefits of medical marijuana are pain
relief and reduction of epilepsy seizures. He states that
(continued on page 7, column 2)
PAGE
8
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Gardening Tips of the Month
OCTOBER
Vegetable gardening hits high gear by mid-month
when the first refreshing cool fronts start to penetrate the
peninsula on a regular basis. Vegetable choices include
broccoli, turnips, spinach, onions, carrots, cauliflower,
beets, radishes, mustard, cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, parsley, celery, peas, summer squash and lima
and snap beans. Most herbs should be planted out now.
Strawberries also can be planted. Annuals include: coleus, marigold, torenia, vinca, impatiens, salvia, portulaca, cosmos, ageratum, gloriosa daisy, celosia, verbena,
wax begonia, calendula, alyssum, snapdragon, nasturtium, hollyhock, cornflower, pansy, candytuft and larkspur.
The last big fertilization of the year should be applied
to all plants this month. A high quality all-purpose fertilizer should be fine for most trees. I have used Lesco 122-14 with good success on most plantings. Lawns benefit from a good application of Lesco 16-4-8. But any
good quality fertilizer with trace elements should do the
job. Apply lightly and evenly and water in after application.
The dry season begins mid-month. As soon as you
can, it's a good idea to check irrigation systems before
their winter workouts. Fungal problems appear with the
cooler weather, so make sure watering is restricted to the
morning hours between 2 and 10 a.m. The dry season
will last through May, so some supplemental irrigation
will be necessary for lawns and bedding plants.
Insects are still with us, but populations will fall as
the cooler weather arrives. We never get a complete
break like the winter-bound folks in the north. Caterpillars will be active on cassia, oleander and bougainvillea.
Mites, thrips, scale, army and sod webworms will be
active. Check for infestations once a week
PLAT IV/V
Ramblings. . .
Sharon’s Read
submitted by SHARON O’HALLORAN
The Fever Tree by Jennifer McVeigh
As she was doing research in the British library Jennifer
McVeigh came upon information she had not previously
known. One thing was a diary of a doctor in the diamond
mine camps in the 1880s of South Africa. In those frenetic
times of mining diamonds Cecil Rhodes kept the information
about an outbreak of small pox among the native miners hidden from authorities, fearful that the knowledge would cause
the collapse of the economy in Kimberly, South Africa and
perhaps his own ruination as well as that of his colleagues.
From this research comes Ms. McVeigh’s first novel, a
work of historical fiction set in Victorian England and in
South Africa. Frances Irvine, a young woman whose mother
(deceased when she was very young) was from upper middle
class society and whose father was an Irish merchant, and
therefore not acceptable to her mother’s family. Frances lives
on the fringe of her mother’s family. She is allowed to visit
her cousins, attend balls, always outside looking in at the life
she wished to have. Her father made sure she had no skills
except embroidery and pressing flowers and painting fire
screens preparing her for a marriage where she would be
decorative but not useful. All of this came to a sudden end
with her father’s death and the discovery that he was bankrupt
after investing too much in the TransCanada railway, which
failed. So there she was, no skills and no future. She desperately hoped her uncle, her mother’s brother, would take her
into his house where she could live out the fictional life her
father had prepared her for. That was not to be. Her choices:
living with her father’s sister in a cramped home in northern
England where she could be the spinster relative fallen on
hard times and taken in as governess for her aunt’s many unruly children or she could marry Edwin Matthews a young
doctor who had once lived for a brief time as an adolescent in
her home and whom she considered quite beneath her.
Edwin’s education was sponsored by her father and he is a
doctor in South Africa trying to establish a practice.
Frances embarks on a voyage to South Africa, truly believing that if Edwin had not proposed her uncle would have
taken her in. She bitterly resents Edwin and continues for
much of the novel carrying this mistaken idea in her head. She
has a shipboard romance with William Westbrook an irresponsible handsome man who is supposedly a relative of one
of the richest diamond mine owners in South Africa. She is
seduced by him and fantasizes that they can have a life together. When the boat docks she learns William is engaged
and she must carry out her obligation to marry Edwin. She
resents Edwin, hates her life which she sees as being cast into
a miserable existence in a wasteland. She rejects the offer of
assistance offered by the wife of the Dutch farmer who owns
the cottage she and Edwin rent. She is angry that she cannot
keep her white dresses clean in the dusty land. She resists
PAGE
9
learning anything useful, instead pining for William. She
wonders about Kimberly, asking Edwin to take her to the mining camps, less to see the camps than to see William. He does
and she is soon caught up again in her fixation on William. At
the camps Edwin embarks on a mission to bring the issue of
small pox to the attention of government officials. He is
blocked by William and William’s uncle, the actual owner of
the mine. As Edwin struggles to make others aware of the
spread of small pox, Frances succumbs to her fantasies about
William and runs off to be with him. It is then that she realizes that he is a thief and a liar and a brutal man with no conscience. Realizing what she has lost she attempts to return to
Edwin, pleading for forgiveness and hoping for redemption.
Edwin’s response, “return to England, you have no place
here.” It is only then that she learns the truth about her uncle
and the timing of Edwin’s marriage proposal
However, Frances makes a decision to seek redemption by
returning to the Dutch farm family where she and Edwin lived
in rented cottage. She asks them to take her on as a servant
and where she will struggle to learn the skills she scorned
before and also to speak Dutch. This, she feels, is still better
than living with her aunt as a spinster governess. In the end
she has to find her own redemption and her own forgiveness.
The book is rich in description and conveys a sense of
place and time. It is also a picture of a woman’s world in Victorian England and the contrast between the upper middle
class women who are merely decorative and the pioneering
women who immigrate to South Africa. One of the most interesting parts of this story is the friendships Frances makes with
other women who are also immigrating to South Africa. It is
then you realize how lonely Frances is as she pretends to be
someone she is not, hungering for acceptance in the world of
her cousins. However, one of the difficulties with this book is
that the major characters: Edwin and Frances are not that likeable. Edwin can be stiff, holding his emotions close and
sometimes frugal to a fault and somewhat of a know it all.
Frances is naïve and foolish, seeing only what she wants to
see and thinking only of herself. McVeigh’s description of
small pox and its symptoms and resulting death is horrific in
its authenticity.
Reminiscent of Gone with the Wind, Frances is waiting for
“tomorrow.” Unfortunately, McVeigh tidies the book up
neatly at the end with a too pat resolution. But the book is a
rich and dramatic story that holds your interest and makes one
rethink Cecil Rhodes place in African development.
FAMOUS QUOTES
Delray Villas Plat 4/5
Ramblings
HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION NUMBER 303 MONTH __SEPTEMBER
PAGE AD-1
Delray Villas Plat 4/5
Ramblings
PAGE AD-2
HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION NUMBER 303 MONTH __OCTOBER
Hair Care & Styling
in the convenience of your home!
“I am personable, kind and reliable.”
Licensed Stylist
Call: Selma
SEASONAL RENTAL
3 - 4 Winter Months
Delray Villas, Plat 4/5
Beautifully furnished on a large lake
Clubhouse, pool, gym
For details and viewing:
Call 561-498-9208
(954) 299-7577
D & L Maintenance





Power Washing - Houses - Driveways
Painting - Interior - Exterior of Homes
Repairs - Cleanups - Cleaning
Yard work
...and more…..
Call Len (DV resident)
561-674-1954
631-905-8149 (cell)
Delray Villas Plat 4/5
Ramblings
HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION NUMBER 303 MONTH __OCTOBER
PAGE AD-3
Delray Villas Plat 4/5
Ramblings
HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION NUMBER 303 MONTH __OCTOBER
PAGE AD-4
Please - PATRONIZE OUR
ADVERTISERS!
Thank them for supporting the Delray
Villas Plat 4/5 Ramblings they will
appreciate your business.
“Kenny” The Handyman
Budget Rates
Professional
Home Maintenance & Repair
Free Estimates
561-558-0992
Delray Villas Plat 4/5
Ramblings
HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION NUMBER 303 MONTH __OCTOBER
Law Offices of Gary Gonzalez
Specializing in Wills, Trusts, Family
Law & Traffic Citations in Broward/
Palm Beach
SPECIAL: $249 WILL/TRUST
PO Box 21841, Fort Lauderdale, FL
33335
Phone: 305-724-3895
[email protected]
Sy and Diane Weiss
Eden Funeral Services
Pre-Arrangement Consultants
Now Serving Dade, Broward and Palm Beach
Counties
Diane Weiss
Sy Weiss
754*264-2823
754-264-2822
PAGE AD-5
Ramblings
Delray Villas Plat 4/5
HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION NUMBER 303
MONTH __OCTOBER
PAGE AD-6
DENISE FLASTER,
Realtor
Thinking of selling? The market is changing and prices are on the rise. I
am a Realtor with over 11 years of experience. I am a Delray Villas Plat
4/5 full time resident.
Your home will be seen on multiple websites including Realtor.com,
RA.com, Homes.com and Facebook, Craigslist and MLS.
Buying? I can help you get the best deal out there!
954 383-3622 Cell
561 405-0602 Office
[email protected]
A pet loving Realtor for our pet friendly neighborhood
SERVICE FROM START TO FINISH
I JUST SOLD! 6129 Dusenburg Road - 2/2 Water
Denise and her Therapy Dog Oscar
I JUST LISTER! 13310 Via Vulcanus - 2/2 Water
Ask me about my
discount commission specials!
Delray Villas Plat 4/5
Ramblings
HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION NUMBER 303 MONTH __OCTOBER
PAGE AD-7
Delray Villas Plat 4/5
HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION NUMBER 303
Ramblings
MONTH OCTOBER
PAGE
AD-8
Ramblings
Delray Villas Plat 4/5
homeowners association
6675 OVERLAND DRIVE
Delray Beach, FL 33484
OCTOBER 2014 - Issue 303
CELEBRATORY GREETINGS:
NAME
ADDRESS
TELEPHONE NO.
MONTH/YEAR for Publication
PRINT your celebratory note on the lines below. Enclose check for $2.00 per celebratory note. Send to Linda Solomon 6675 Overland
Drive, Delray Beach, FL 33484. Larger spaces than lines on page 3 are available for and increased fee (see below for schedule).
Schedule of fees for more than 2 lines:
Business card (1/8 page) $ 5.00
1/4 page
$10.00

1/2 page $15.00
Full page $20.00
We will design the graphic for the background of the card .
Examples: Balloons for Birthday, Couples for Anniversary,
baby for birth announcement for a grandchild or greatgrandchild, etc.,
These fees are exclusive to Celebratory Greetings for Plat 4/5 residents only. Fees for any advertisements of goods or services
are determined by another schedule. (See Linda Solomon)
ANNUAL HOLIDAY GREETINGS:
Name
Please enclose a check for $3.00 payable to Delray Villas Plat 4/5 to cover the cost of the three month Holiday Greeting and send to
Linda Solomon.