It's NOT a done deal minto.

I really wish Minto would stop touting their 6500 like its a done deal.  IT'S NOT.

They are approved for 2996 homes and 235,000 commercial development. I still think that is too much and not conducive to our area. People don't understand we have 2 more giant acres (5000 acres, and 5000 acres for Avenir and GL homes on top of this 3500 acres Minto owns).

We've been working and rallying. Getting petitions signed. Creating a Website. Banners. Magnets. Brochures. Flyers. Word of mouth. Grass roots at its finest.... Friends are working their tush's off.

This post really struck me today.... It's not from me or even to me, but a friends observation, that I too witnessed for just a minute while there at the rally today. My truck is now the notomintomobile.

I want you to read it. IT's NOT A DONE DEAL ... MINTO IS NOT A DONE DEAL. THEY DO NOT HAVE THE APPROVAL TO BUILD WHAT THEY WANT.

We were setting up the tent when a woman and her daughter came up to us. They introduced themselves and the woman said her daughter would like to know if she could join us for awhile. She had brought poster paper and markers to make her sign. She asked what to write and I told her it was her sign and she could put anything she wanted. She knelt on the sidewalk, made her sign, and stood with her Mom by the side of the road! She was telling us about her love of horses and horseback riding. I took a picture of a little girl who felt so deeply about something that she wanted to be a part of it and I took her picture so she could show her friends.

SAVE THE ACREAGE!!

This isn't our job and we aren't professionals. Most of us had never met before. We are just husbands, wives, parents, and grandparents who heard that a developer had bought a piece of property that came with a land use of 2996 homes and had applied to the county commission to change the land use in order to build 6500 homes and 1.4 million square feet of commercial. We started chatting about it and decided to actually do more than chat on a fb page. This isn't a social organization - we haven't had the time to even learn each other's kids names or much about each other except our deep commitment against overdevelopment. Each member's schedule is filled with family schedules also but are dedicated to seeing this through. Activities like this rally are helping us form friendships - these are really great people! Almost 200 petitions were signed today in four hours and many more petitions were taken for family member to sign and return at the meeting on Wed. Not one person I spoke to had heard about the meeting, but took the flyer I had printed about it and said they would drop by to vote. I am sunburned, windburned, my arches and back hurt, and I am sooo happy! Every car that stopped told us why they stopped to sign against 6500 and sooo many people thanked us. Some asked to join in the activities. I have never been prouder to call The Acreage my home

ARE YOU LISTENING Palm Beach County COMMISSIONERS?
ARE YOU LISTENING Governor Rick Scott?
more importantly,  ARE YOU LISTENING minto?

200 petitions in 4 hours.... We have another 800 plus signed as well. 

STOP the crap. STOP insisting we need more commercial and more homes. STOP implying that you can help us with drainage. or horse trails. or whatever nonsense. When we know you can't.. STOP IT> We don't want it. You will ruin the Acreage. We don't want a 1.4 million square feet of commercial. For those that can't visualize? The mall at Wellington Green is only 1.2 million.. :(

GRASS ROOTS!!! People might not be able to attend the commission meetings. But the overwhelming support we're receiving by all who are starting to understand that this IS NOT A DONE DEAL!!!!!

For more information please go to www.notominto.com

Mr. Rossbach!

Mr. Rossbach. We hadn't seen each other since 1978

 I received these pictures a few days ago and asked mrs. R if I could post them to facebook, "sure" she says.... LOL Little did she know I changed my mind and want to post them on here for a wider audience to appreciate and not get lost in the FB fray. The gentleman above is Mr. Charles Rossbach, he was my childhood ice skating coach from Cleveland.  Coaches and teachers through most of our lives come and go. Or at worst can't remember their names at all, which is the case for most of my teachers. But in rare instances some just  stick around in the back of your being, because their influence was memorable. In this instance, not only do I remember Mr. R but he was probably the most influential male figure in my early life.


I used to live in Cleveland, born there. At age 7 ish I started to ice skate. Not the weekend kind of skate. It seemed I had some promise (they all say that)  and we skated before school, at lunch, after school, and all day saturdays/sundays. Before school!!! wake up at 4 am skate till 8 am, go to school,  return to the rink that evening.  In the summers we went to rinks that were open, sometimes driving hours. I spent most of my young years at the rink, on the ice, and being taught by this man. When I think of my childhood, It's always with skates on, in the rink, doing figures, jumps, competitions, and Mr. Rossbach. When I think of my skills, talent, past athletic ability I think back to these days to how it started.

I'm the long legged one in the middle.

Because of extenuating "fatherly" reasons... we moved  to Florida in the Late 70's  :( I was upset,  I remember trying to make deals with mom.... couldn't I stay and live with the Rossbach's. Not that they ever asked- just that I wanted to stay. The day we moved to Florida was the day my "ice skating" career ended. Life was over. no more ice skating. In 1978 the closest rink was down off Bird Road in Miami, it was awful. My mother finally relented in taking me the hour or so drive away. I remember the cardboard feel of the ice, the rickety walls. the terrible neighborhood, leaving the rink and it was 90˚ outside.  My grandmother tried to assuage me by saying the Fountain Bleu hotel had a rink and its much closer... ack! it was the size of a small swimming pool and perfectly round, you can't skate on that! That was it. There were no other rinks. So that ended Ice skating. When I turned 16 and got my first car, I saved to get new skates and would trek to the rink out West in Sunrise, but by then, volleyball, horseback riding, beaches, flip flops, and fun were my life. I tried. It just never was the same. The equation needed Mr. R.

My 4 legged mentors meeting Mr. R.!

What didn't end was my appreciation, awe, respect, all those good things you remember of a mentor, and in a deeper instance a father figure. My days were consumed on ice. Mr. R was the only positive father figure I remember so prominently.  It's remained with me all these years. Only recently when I saw him again did all this make me think back and the dedication toward something I loved -where it all started. I still have that drive and dedication. Now its just in the form of dairying. ;)

Me and Mrs. R

I reconnected with Mrs. R a few years ago [thanks FB] and follow their son Chip in his fun adventures as a World Class Coach- just like his dad.  I get a call from them a few weeks ago saying they were in Florida would I like to have a visit?

OF COURSE!!!

Mrs. R and I banter back and forth on FB and chit chat about her gardening, their monstrous RV, the trips they take, Mr. R, ice skating, Chip,  and I get to see as an adult how cool this family really is.  They've literally dedicated their lives to this amazing sport.

Mr. R is 80 years old, I couldn't believe it. He's just like I remember, except without the beard and sans skates. I don't think I ever saw him without them on. :) He  mastered the ginormous RV backing it in to the neighbors yard with aplomb. He's still coaching too! Though they said they could only stay awhile, I knew with some prodding at least the night! And what fun it was to catch up. To reminisce. To get to know them all over again. I got to teach the teacher all about goats, milking, who is who, what I do here, and what got me here. We talked about Cleveland days, the rink, the competitions, that life. We hadn't seen each other in 35 years there was so much to catch up on. That evening after dinner I brought some goats milk, eggs and soap for them to have. All the while thinking how I could keep them here another day!

My life has taken odd turns from those beginning days of Cleveland, all girl prep schools,  field hockey, privileged days, ugh! cold mornings and ice skating. It always makes me wonder what if we never left? Which really is one of the JOYS of life!

Thank you Mr. and Mrs R for the fun day, the visit, and thinking to come visit me. It was truly a treat and such an honor to see you two again. I can't wait till the next visit! Maybe I'll find a rink nearby (as they are EVERYWHERE now),  and just for old times sake get a lesson from Mr. R. I haven't been on the ice in 20 years. That should be fun! or disastrous!

ok i did it. i joined facebook.

I swore i wasn't that kind of computer geek. But then someone mentioned how it was a good way to promote yourself. Or your work. and well, i decided, what the heck.

Next thing i know i'm re-acquainting with friends from High School. College. Old jobs.

Actually its quite fun. Almost (sorta) really addicting. But so far in one month, i've reconnected to a freelancer that i loved to use way back when, he's a great guy, just in time, i might add for a big project. Reconnected with an old high school buddy that i miss. Met a few new people that i didn't get to know in high school. Who are pretty cool now. Keep more in touch with family. Even got my mother to join. I've even friended up with some clients i work with. It's kind of nice to see the human side of them. :)

All in all its fun. Its nothing like the "myspace" junk. It's people my age. Supposed adults. But a nice place to relax and see pictures of what everyone else is doing. going. etc..

I think i'll give it the two thumbs up!!!

If you are on there too, come find me!