Hello, this is the June 2025 issue of the Connections newsletter. It will include a variety of news, funny jokes, and a self-created crossword puzzle … hopefully you feel this newsletter has enough variety to make it worth reading. Unfortunately, I don’t know what the content will be until I actually start writing this newsletter.
Congratulations! Our Oak Hollow Park neighbors did it! We successfully protested against the zoning change for the proposed car wash … next door.
It’s amazing how our neighbors … all came together! Let’s do it again.
Oak Hollow Park is a vibrant, connected community, where every resident feels valued, and every resident feels confident enough to get involved. We have a safe, walkable environment with active participation from residents in shaping the future of our neighborhood. Let’s work on campaigns to bring neighbors together!
May 3rd – Coffee meeting recap: (next event is June 7th)
For the 20 people that attended last month’s (May) Saturday coffee meeting, we enjoyed the Q & A with financial consultant Brian Thompson from Edward Jones (210) 824-7811. We talked about how the tariffs affect the stock market, the cost of insurance and convalescent care, to Wills, Living Trusts and so much more. We discussed “Real IDs, property taxes, and apps by insurance companies that monitor our driving habits.
The hour flew by … Now I am preparing for our next coffee meeting … Unfortunately, Mike Paul has a conflict and will miss our June coffee meeting, but on the Calendar at a later date.
AND we will talk about how some of our neighbors are saving money with HEB coupons.
Consider joining us for coffee on Saturday June 7th from 9am to 10am. Once a month, my wife & I host a coffee and conversation meeting with neighbors.
If you haven’t attended and would like to spend time getting to know your neighbors, text me, so I can make room for you.
Les Earls, text # (210) 442-9886. We also have chocolate chip cookies. Bring your spouse. 15331 Pebble Path.
Good luck with this self-created crossword puzzle … need to figure out the riddles for answers. Find answers at https://oakhollowpark.com/crossword-riddle-puzzle-answers/
Anybody else have old recordings in a closet?
This is for my (AARP) neighbors that used to own a VHS VCR. I found over 50 VHS disks in a closet with recordings from back in the day. I am curious what we have recorded. I imagine my daughter as a baby, our wedding, vacations, parties, our daughter growing up, and road trips. I barely remember myself over 30 years ago, it might be fun to look back. And, I just found an old VHS player in the back bedroom closet, so when time permits and when I remember, I got me some videos to watch and some memories to remember. Do you have any VHS recorded tapes in your closet?
Some things you do once a year, like re-register your car, pay property taxes, and some things every 10 years like renew your driver’s license, and renew your passport. So now it’s time to renew my passport. I remember 10 years ago, I made an appointment at the post office, I got both the photo and application there. They don’t tell you online that our local post offices don’t renew passports.
At the post office, I grabbed an oversized letter Priority Mail envelope and went to Walgreens for my passport photo. The passport photo ( 2 in a pack) was $18. I got home and I clicked the official state link:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew.html … I was on a roll.
I was able to complete the DS-82 form and print my completed application on my home printer. I put a check (payable US Dept of State), my completed application, my expired passport inside the Priory Mail envelope and drove back to the post office. It cost $10 to mail everything to National Passport – Processing Center, Post Office Box 640155 Irving, TX 75064-0155, and I got my new passport 2 weeks later.
Over the past couple years, I have had 6 trees that I had to cut down, leaving me with 6 ugly tree stumps in my back yard. And finally, they are gone. My neighbor was having a large tree removed by a tree service. I was impressed how quickly a couple guys removed that tree. The next day, they brought a “riding stump grinder.” And I asked if they could remove my 6 stumps when they got done next door. I left to pick up my daughter from school and when I got home the stumps were gone (and all cleaned up too). I got a deal (in my opinion). So, if you need some tree stumps removed call Patrick Samaniego at Quicken Tree Service (210) 812-9138.
Welcome New Neighbors:
Info you can use when you move into Oak Hollow Park. I remember moving into Oak Hollow Park like it was yesterday, although it was actually in 2005.
New neighbor, when you move in, you probably have the big stuff working, the roof with no leak, the HVAC system working with cool or warm air. The hot water is good. If you do need a “big fix” go online to nextdoor.com and look for contractor referrals. Also, after you are able to login to the Oak Hollow Park Families Facebook page, ask for recommendations. Read more tips at:
An elderly San Antonio man lay on his deathbed
He was surrounded by his wife, three kids, and a nurse.
With a deep breath, he began speaking: “Bill, you get the Alamo Heights houses. Mary, the houses in Castle Hills are yours. Tom, the Hill Country Village houses are yours. Debra, the town homes in Shavano Park are all yours. And my dear wife, you take all the homes in Fair Oaks Ranch.”
The nurse, wide-eyed, said, “Wow, your husband must’ve been an incredible man to amass so much property to leave behind.”
The wife sighed and replied, “What property? My husband has a paper route!” (do I see a smile?)
One day a fisherman was sitting on a beautiful beach, with his fishing pole and his solitary line cast out into the sparkling blue surf. He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the prospect of catching a fish.
About that time, a businessman came walking down the beach, trying to relieve some of the stress of his workday. He noticed the fisherman sitting on the beach and decided to find out why this fisherman was fishing instead of working harder to make a living for himself and his family.
“You aren’t going to catch many fish that way,” said the businessman to the fisherman, “you should be working rather than sitting on the beach!”
The fisherman looked up at the businessman, smiled and replied, “And what will my reward be?”
“Well, you can get bigger nets and catch more fish!” was the businessman’s answer.
“And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman, still smiling.
The businessman replied, “You will make money and you’ll be able to buy a boat, which will then result in larger catches of fish!”
“And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman again.
The businessman was beginning to get a little irritated with the fisherman’s questions. “You can buy a bigger boat and hire some people to work for you!” he said. “And then what will my reward be?” repeated the fisherman.
The businessman was getting angry. “Don’t you understand? You can build up a fleet of fishing boats, sail all over the world, and let all your employees catch fish for you!”
Once again the fisherman asked, “And then what will my reward be?”
The businessman was red with rage and shouted at the fisherman, “Don’t you understand that you can become so rich that you will never have to work for your living again!
You can spend all the rest of your days sitting on this beach, looking at the sunset. You won’t have a care in the world!”
The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, “And what do you think I’m doing right now?”
When Mom was on a business trip and Dad was left home alone with his toddler daughter for a couple weeks, he quickly discovered how adaptable she was. One of the cutest things? Her newfound obsession with tea parties. Every evening while he relaxed in front of the TV, she’d waddle over with a tiny plastic teacup and declare, “Tea time, Daddy!” He’d take a dainty sip of the clear “tea” and proclaim, “Wow, that’s delicious!” She’d giggle, glow with pride, and scurry off to refill his cup.
By the time Mom came home, he couldn’t wait to show off how their little girl had been taking care of him like a proper hostess. Right on cue, the toddler burst into the room with her tea set, handed Daddy a cup, and stood expectantly. He took a sip and smiled. “Still the best tea, I’ve ever had!”
Mom watched the sweet scene, then raised an eyebrow. “Aw, that’s adorable,” she said.
Then, with perfect calm, she added: “Just curious … have you ever asked where she gets the water?”
Dad shrugged. “Nope. Why?”
“She can only reach one place on her own,” ………. Mom replied, “The toilet.”
