Connections, what is the “connections” newsletter? Under the “Today” tab, I write posts of everyday life in the “Oak Hollow Park.” I try to talk to neighbors about “How can we bring neighbors together like we did a few years ago,” and issues we may be having with our 40-year-old homes. The “Connections” newsletter is my “summary” of the “Today” posts and including humor from my “Funny Jokes,” page.
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During my morning walk:
Yesterday, between 7am and 8am, I noticed neighbors driving really fast through the neighborhood. Most of the drivers seemed young and in a hurry. To bad every resident doesn’t get a printed monthly newsletter reminding neighbors to “slow down” when driving through the neighborhood and asking parents to remind their adult kids to do the same.
I also found several deposits of dog poop on or near the sidewalk, especially along Forest Spur and Pebble Peak.
Violators can be fined up to $500 per city ordinance.
Recently I asked over 20 neighbors
Asking if they visit the neighborhood website or the Facebook page. Not one said that they have ever viewed more than once a month. Some told me they looked once but the text was way to small on their cell phone and haven’t looked since.
I was told by others, I have contributed to this neighborhood for more that 30 years and now I have to ask for a printed copy of the newsletter, I won’t do that. … seems like more division in this neighborhood than before.
I believe giving every resident a printed newsletter every month would be helpful, without having to ask for it. It could put everyone on the same page.
A printed newsletter for every resident would help neighbors;
Resolve issues, most, before issues become problems because all residents would know what is expected.
About 50 of 295 households currently get a printed monthly newsletter.
Currently our monthly newsletter publishes details how our voluntary dues are being spent or will be spent and a Calendar. In fact, I looked at last year’s November “Pebbles” and it look similar to this year’s November issue.
Neighborhood issues that could be discussed in a printed newsletter are:
How to stop continuing problem of Dog Owners Not Picking Up After their Dogs.
How to stop continuing problem of Neighbors driving too fast in neighborhood.
Reminders for neighbors to turn on porch lights at night, darkness attracts vandals.
How to get more street lights in the neighborhood.
Help neighbors know what they should do when:
When neighbors don’t mow and maintain their lawns or they leave visible trash outside the trash bins.
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Get everyone on the same page!
Printed Newsletters for every resident: Until 2022, for several years, every Oak Hollow Park resident received a monthly printed newsletter.
With so much marketing attention being paid to digital efforts these days, it’s easy to overlook that people still do read offline. From books to local papers and newsletters, print publications continue to be a powerful source of information and entertainment. For example, while e-readers and platforms popular, print books still outsell digital by a ratio of almost four to one.
Today “25% of US adults aged 65 and over still get their news from print publications.”
How much would it cost to allow an outside business to print 295 double-sided (4 letter size pages, folded in half printed in black & white) newsletter for our neighborhood?
I went next door to the UPS Store; I was told $100 for 295 newsletters.
If you publish 12 issues per year, the annual cost would be at least $1200. Actually $900 considering we have been spending $300 for color printing the last 12 months.
The challenge would be how to raise $900 annually for the monthly printed newsletters. I noticed that nearby neighborhood associations are adding business card size ads in the monthly newsletters, enough to pay for their neighborhood monthly newsletters.
Seriously, I think we could raise $900 … that’s 22 extra ($40) memberships, benefiting every resident.
Other options to consider:
– Ask residents to ask their employers at work for their company to donate to our neighborhood for our monthly newsletters.
– We have several business owners that reside here, could they donate to our neighborhood for our monthly newsletter.
– Like other nearby neighborhoods, we are surrounded by local businesses, we could ask for enough donations to pay for newsletter printing.
“A fair deal” …
Imagine, a business owner could get a business size ad in 295 printed newsletters delivered to 295 families every month.
“$100 donation for 12 months of advertisement.”
Benefit … every Oak Hollow Park resident gets on the same page
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Talking about our different neighborhoods:
I had an opportunity to meet with 3 people that reside in different nearby neighborhoods. We talked about how their neighborhood associations communicate with their neighbors. I heard the same story from all of them.
Every year, during the Fall, their association board members create an annual budget. They determine how much money they need for the next year.
For example, let’s say the estimate is $6,000. They collect voluntary dues from 150 neighbors ($40 each), they are solid for the upcoming year. If you have 295 homes, that means if any of the remaining 145 neighbors contribute, wow great extra money, but if not, no problem. The goal is set!
Once a year, in the Fall, they all have a large meeting with all the neighbors that are available at a nearby school to discuss the proposed budget. They also meet in the same place for their monthly association meetings. I learned that in each of these neighborhoods, every resident receives a “printed newsletter every month” so all neighbors can be updated, keeping all neighbors on the same page. Sometimes their newsletters have surveys. Although they have their neighborhood website and Facebook page, their “main communication” is the printed newsletter. Please know many neighbors are too busy & not checking the website or Facebook page, but all (even the Seniors) will read the printed newsletter. I believe it would be a good idea for our neighborhood … for every resident to get a printed newsletter, like it was done in Oak Hollow Park for the prior 25 years, or until about 2 years ago when we stopped. Prior to a couple years ago, we had (black & white) newsletter printing in the annual budget. What do you think?
If you walk around our neighborhood like I do, you will notice that our neighborhood dog owners are “not picking up after their dogs,” and are leaving proof on a regular basis on our sidewalks. If successfully reported, violators can be fined up to $500. Too bad too many of our new neighbors don’t know.
Maybe posting guidelines in the printed newsletter (to every resident) would be helpful. Maybe posting stories from neighbors complaining about poop not being picked up. To report an animal-related issue in San Antonio, you can contact 311 by phone at (210) 207-6000, online, or through the 311 mobile app: 311: Available 7 days a week from 7 AM–7 PM and on holidays from 8 AM–5 PM
How do rental homes, and Airbnb’s (short-term rentals) affect a neighborhood market values.
More rental homes & some Airbnb’s are coming into the neighborhood. Research indicates that when a neighborhood becomes more than 10% rentals, the neighborhood will have a negative impact on market values by potentially lowering the overall perception of the neighborhood’s quality due to concerns about less consistent maintenance, higher turnover rates, and a perception of reduced community involvement compared to owner-occupied homes, leading to declining property prices. We cannot prevent owners from renting out homes in Oak Hollow Park, however, we can keep residents informed (in the printed newsletter) about the neighborhood’s stance on rentals and their maintenance. Post information in monthly newsletters to let all residents know they can report violators ( maintenance neglect and/or noise complaints) by calling 311.
If you drive (or walk) around Oak Hollow Park at night, you will find several really dark places, especially when neighbors don’t put on porch lights. And dark areas invite vadalism.
About 3 years ago, the City was talking about adding 10 more (City) street lamps, but apparently the proposal did not work out. Maybe someone here can revive that proposal. What do you think?
The main difference between a Homeowners Association (HOA) and a Neighborhood Association (NA):
Is that HOAs are mandatory for homeowners, while NAs are voluntary for residents:
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On Monday afternoon, I heard a sound outside, like someone firing a fire hose against my master bedroom wall. I walked out of the bedroom, through the living room and looked out into my backyard. The patio was flooded, I thought we had a freak thunderstorm, but it was 90 degrees outside! No such luck.
I had a water leak underground in my back yard. Fortunately, I know a guy and he said he could come over to fix my leak, in the next day or two. To turn off the water and wait.
The water leak explosion happened at almost noon, and for over 24 hours, I had to turn off my water from the street. Imagine, no water in my home, no water for the toilet, or to take a shower. Guess I take it all for granted. When my wife came home from work, she took us to Walmart, we bought some buckets and we took water from our pool. We put it in the buckets so we could flush our toilets. No shower, no dishwasher, no clothes washer, for at least 24 hours but the TV worked fine, and I saw the devastation of hurricane damage, and I felt a pang of guilt. The following day my water leak was fixed and every day since, and I feel very grateful.
Life has a way of humbling us. As we grow older, the drive to chase big dreams often fades, and we start to find more value in the little things. We come to savor the quiet moments, like the first sip of coffee in the morning or the gentle touch of a loved one’s hand. The simple pleasure of laughter shared over a humble meal or the calm of a peaceful walk in the neighborhood becomes more precious.
Growing older shifts our focus from grand ambitions to the everyday joys that surround us. We begin to appreciate the beauty in routine. It’s in these small, simple moments that we find true contentment. In the end, it’s not the grand achievements that define our happiness, but the simple, tender moments that shape our lives. Do you agree?
Putting “Oak Hollow Park” on the map …. A couple years ago, every time I searched Google for “Oak Hollow Park,” the results showed a different neighborhood, (not us) unless I searched “Homes for sale.” Since then, I have posted over 300 times with jokes, inspiring stories, and posts about Oak Hollow Park to create an identity. Today, if you search Google for “Oak Hollow Park San Antonio”, You will find our neighborhood. And now Santa can find us too!
HUMOR:
Show & Tell – A Teacher’s Story … I’ve been teaching for around fifteen years now. I have two kids of my own, but the best birth story I’ve ever heard actually happened in my own second-grade classroom a few years ago.
I’ve always loved show-and-tell, so I make sure to include it in my class. It helps the kids get over any shyness and gives them a chance to share something they’re excited about. Most of the time, it’s pretty standard stuff, pet turtles, model airplanes, and a picture of a fish they caught. I never put any restrictions on what they bring in; as long as they can carry it and talk about it, they’re good to go.
One day, Erica, a bright, outgoing girl, took her turn. She waddled up to the front with a pillow stuffed under her dress, holding a photo of a newborn. “This is Luke, my baby brother,” she announced. “And I’m going to tell you all about his birthday.” She began by explaining, “First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love. Then Dad put a seed in Mom’s tummy, and Luke grew in there. He ate through an umbrella cord for nine months.”
At this point, she was standing with her hands on her “belly,” and I was doing my best to keep a straight face. The other kids were completely captivated. “Then, about two Saturdays ago,” she continued, “my Mom started going, ‘Oh, oh, oh, oh!’” She put her hand on her back, waddling back and forth, groaning. “She walked around the house like that for an hour, ‘Oh, oh, oh!’”
By now, Erica was doing a hilarious duck walk, and I wished I had my camcorder. “My Dad called the middle wife,” she explained, “who delivers babies but doesn’t have a car sign like Domino’s.” She demonstrated how they got her mom into bed.
“Then, pop! Mom had a bag of water in there in case he got thirsty, and it just exploded all over!” She spread her legs with water spraying everywhere, and I was trying not to lose it.
“The middle wife kept saying, ‘Push, push,’ and ‘Breathe, breathe,’” she went on. “They started counting, but they never got past ten. And then, out came my brother! He was covered in yucky stuff they said was from Mom’s play center. I guess there are a lot of toys in there! Then the middle wife spanked him for crawling up in there in the first place.”
With a big theatrical bow, Erica returned to her seat, and I’m sure I applauded the loudest. Since that day, whenever it’s show-and-tell time, I always bring my camcorder, just in case another “middle wife” story comes along.
My OHP Home Maintenance Checklist for my 40 year old OHP home.
What am I missing? What maintenance do you do? When was the last time you walked around your home’s exterior? Homeowners should walk outside their homes, observe, and access anything that doesn’t look right. The same should happen inside.
The most important home maintenance tasks that I do for my home:
I change my HVAC air filters every month.
Every 3 months, I pour a cup of vinegar into my (attic) HVAC drain pipe to avoid blockage.
Annually, I clean my (outside) AC condenser with soap and water.
Annually, I clean leaves and debris from my rain gutter.
Annually, I lubricate my Garage Door track and rollers.
Twice a year, I clean the inside of my dishwasher drain, screens and reservoir.
Annually, I wash all my windows and screens, I also check for cracks.
I try to mow my front and back lawn once a month.
Annually, I trim trees, shrubs, and bushes away from my house.
Pool, I make sure my pool chlorinator always has chlorine tablets.
What am I missing? What maintenance do you do?
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Pay it Forward … I am sure during tough times, there are wonderful stories of hope and kindness between our neighbors happening every day. For example, a couple days ago, I had 3 errands to run and a tight schedule. As it was lunch time, I decided to drive through McDonalds for a quick simple bite. The line was long and with 2 order lines, I let a shiny little red sports car go in front of me. When I got to the window to pay, I was greeted with my ticket and “There is no charge – the car in front of you bought your meal.”
A huge smile came over my face and a chill. What a wonderful gesture to brighten my day. A simple act of kindness. So, I decided to pay it forward. I paid the ticket for the car behind me. Maybe their day was a little brighter also.
My Morning Walk … I’m a morning person. I like the freshness of a new day. Usually I’m out of bed by 5:30am. After a small breakfast and coffee, and some morning news on TV, I am ready to start my morning walk. I used to walk my 2 dogs at that time, but a while ago, they pulled one way and my knees went another so I take them to the McAllister Park dog park at least once a week. My doctor is pretty heavy on the “Do at least 30 minutes of exercise every day lecture.” So I walk for the exercise.
For me, morning walks are better than evening walks. The temperature is usually less than 80 degrees, but still humid. Sometimes the sky is relatively dark, so you can see the moon and some stars. If it is really dark, I carry my little flashlight so cars on the street can see me. You can learn a lot about a neighborhood when you walk through it compared to driving through it. I like the sounds in the morning. The sounds of neighbors getting ready for work, telling their families goodbye. Oh yeah, dogs barking, it would not feel like home if I didn’t hear dogs barking. Garage doors opening, cars starting, people leaving. I enjoy saying hello to other neighbors that are also walking, many with their dogs. I enjoy looking at the houses, their design and character. Some neighbors take so much pride in their homes and yards. Colorful flowers, plants & mature oak trees.
I try to be kind, but my wife is kinder and much more observant. We were eating a burger at a local restaurant. My wife told me there was a guy, that was sitting at a table, and he was eating ketchup and chili peppers. She excused herself, talked to him briefly, then she went to the food order line. She paid for a meal and drink and walked back to the guy and handed him the meal receipt. We were finished eating and getting ready to leave. We noticed him getting up to go retrieve his meal, and he had the biggest smile. I’m really proud of my wife.
Staying Positive … Staying positive when the news is gloom and doom can be hard, even for the most optimistic people. While it is true that bad news like the Corona Virus, fighting in the middle east, political unrest among our politicians, hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, flooding and rain damage is constant messaging that we get on the news on most days, we need an antidote. One that helps you keep a positive attitude to move forward with determination and hope.
As our daily routines shift and we adjust to a new normal, it’s important to give yourself permission to feel and just be. Staying positive is not about trying to see the silver lining in all of this. It is more about appreciating what we have, Ironically, when you go through a tragedy like we did with the Corona Virus, you appreciate it more. You start to realize just how fragile life is and that there are so many things to still be thankful for.
If you want to know how to stay positive through all of this, start with enjoying the little things that bring you happiness. Rather than focusing on the negative, create more positive things by taking action. Here are 3 tips for staying positive:
Practice Random Acts of Kindness, Look after your neighbors, and Support small local businesses.
KEEP Oak Hollow Park Beautiful … What influenced you to move to your neighborhood in Oak Hollow Park?
You probably looked at many other places before you decided to make this your home. But what were the factors that convinced you to say “This is where I want to live? We all have different reasons why we decided to make our home in Oak Hollow Park. Maybe it is because of our great schools in our area. Maybe it is because it is close to work.
Perhaps, you wanted an established neighborhood close to shopping, recreational activities, or medical facilities. Maybe it fit your lifestyle or you knew someone that lives here. Or maybe, it just felt right.
You know that feeling, the one you get when it “fits.”
Which brings me back, “What influenced you to move in the Oak Hollow Park neighborhood? … I am hopeful to post your story, who you are, why you moved here, what has changed, what do you like about living here.
Please look @ https://oakhollowpark.com/neighbors/ & read about neighbors that live here, stories from neighbors in Oak Hollow Park.
Today I posted “online” about Rick & Linda Somers, in 1982, why they moved here, what has changed, what they like, and some about them, before they moved here, & some after.
Back to my request:
I am hoping I can persuade you to share something about you, your family, why you moved here, what has changed since you moved here, and what you like about living here. Let’s talk about it. I am interested in publishing your story.
Read the articles from current homeowners, Richard Oliver, Elyse Allen, and Rick & Linda Somers, and myself @ https://oakhollowpark.com/neighbors/
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Knowing Neighbors makes a neighborhood a happier place to live
My wife and I have hosted monthly coffee & conversation meetings at our home since 2022. Neighbors are the people who live near us. Just like friends, they are important to our lives. Neighbors can help us when we need something, like when we need someone to watch our home, or collect our mail, while we go on vacation. Good neighbors also make our neighborhood safe because they look out for each other. It is awesome to see neighbors that make the effort to meet with other neighbors. A good neighbor means being friendly, helpful, and kind to the people around us. Sometimes, between sips of coffee, we talk about how things are in the neighborhood.
Sometimes we talk about the good old days in Oak Hollow Park, but lately more about changes that could bring our neighbors together … if we all had a better way of communicating.
Sometimes we tell stories. For example: Like other day when my wife dragged me to the movies. About half way through … she nudges me and says, can you believe it, the guy sitting in the row in front of us is snoring. And I said, “You woke me up for that?”
Do you know any other original owners still residing in Oak Hollow Park? Who is missing?
At our last Coffee meeting, I was asked.
What happened to the idea of celebrating our surviving original owners, I pitched to a board member and several neighbors and it didn’t appear to be very important.
I also pitched the idea about creating a special day on our neighborhood calendar to celebrate our first Oak Hollow Park Founders Day, but that got ignored too.
Did you know our neighborhood was established in 1981 and has never been celebrated!
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I apologize if you are reading this on your cell phone. The image above is copy & paste, like other publications you have viewed.
A group of neighbors were talking about our OHPNA expenses from the past 12 months. We used the most recent 12 Pebbles Newsletters to compile this information.
This gives us an estimate of what the 2025 annual expenses will be. If our board decided to give monthly black and white printed newsletters to every resident, (less the $300 we spend already), we will need to add $900 to the annual estimate. Everyone can view the estimates and figure out what changes that would make sense.
Maybe every resident should be contacted and asked how we should spend our voluntary funds. Most likely, this connection would be an opportunity to increase membership.
I am hopeful we decide to give newsletters to every resident, every month, because me and other neighbors feel it will help everyone get on the same page with the same regular information. Also, it would be nice if every resident got a questionnaire, asking how we feel our voluntary dues should be spent. The bottom line is the only way to get every resident informed, is to deliver information on a regular basis to every resident. Of course if we provide monthly printed newsletters to every resident, we will gain more membership money.
For the last several years (except for last couple years) every resident received a monthly printed newsletter, when the voluntary dues were $25 annually.
Our Neighborhood Association dues ($40) is voluntary and only neighbors that contribute get a Directory, that was the only difference, not withholding the monthly newsletters.
But now we have so many new residents that don’t know the rules our neighbors have always followed because they are excluded from the monthly newsletter, with the rules to follow.
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I have lived in Oak Hollow Park for 19 years. I know several neighbors, some that are still here, and many that came and left.
My wife and I have hosted over 20 coffee meetings with neighbors in our home. Most of the neighbors we sit with are like me, in the “winter” of their lives. We’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly. We have made our fair share of mistakes. And, we have our fair share of regrets.
My parents have passed, and my wife’s parent (in late 80s) are hanging on. As often as possible we drive into Mexico to share some time with them before the time we can’t.
I used to think of my neighborhood … is like a large family, but not so much anymore. I don’t see the urgency to bring neighbors together, like we did a few years ago. Most of the neighbors (mostly seniors) … I have talked to feel there is a dis-connection in Oak Hollow Park. The heavy push to change everything to digital … online, regardless if it leaves many long-time residents behind with this push to eliminate old traditions like printed newsletters for all residents.
Bingo
Is it addicting?
Recently, a few neighbors invited my wife to go with them to a Friday night “Bingo” event at a local church.
She was gone for couple hours, did not win any money, but told me she had a very fun time, and is looking forward to going next week.
Maybe a Bingo event to raise money?
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I was talking to a couple neighbors. I was told by one particular neighbor that she was unable to find the old Pebble newsletters on the neighborhood Facebook page. After a brief look, I told her best I can tell, all the archive pages for old Pebble newsletters were removed from the Facebook page. I was asked where they were moved to. After a brief look, I said, they were copy & pasted onto the neighborhood website. The neighbor simply said, “We used to be able to see our monthly newsletters on Facebook at no cost to our neighborhood. Now we can only view the monthly newsletter on the neighborhood website, costing us $27 a month. I said, yes, that is true, but when our board members start using the website to its full potential, it will be worth the cost.
