Rain in the Ranch?

As of midnight last night, the rain total was 0.01 inches. Is that rain? Well, that is the number. But there is a 60% chance of rain today. If any of it falls on the weather station at the office, we will report it. And more importantly, Sunrise Ski Resort in the White Mountains reports 6-12 inches of new snow and still falling. That is great for skiers, but I look at it to track the snow pack which will melt in the Spring (just around the corner, really) and help refill our lakes. The Salt and Verde system currently stands at 61%, down from 78% a year ago. As you recall, we got almost no snow last year. I am pretty sure we have already gotten more snow across the high country than we got all last winter. And it is still falling. I am thankful. And we continue to use the weather station to adjust irrigation on a daily basis to make the best use of the reclaimed water we have.

Bad Sprinkler Heads

Here is yet one more reason to sign up on the MorrisonRanchLife.net portal. Bad Sprinkler Heads! OK, it is not the same as world peace. But what if you saw one of those little geysers and could just finish your walk and type in a quick note giving the address and location of the problem? Wouldn't that be great? Well, you can, on MorrisonRanchLife.net. We have a group just for that, along with the group for street light outages.

This is not what most groups will look like. Most groups will be clubs of some sort, with most members living in Morrison Ranch. But these two groups (sprinkler heads and street light outages) show the flexibility of the portal software. And it can do much more. So sign up on Saturday! The Council or the Higley Groves West HOA will pay the small monthly fee. It is free to you!

Nerdy!

I know this is off topic, but I have nowhere else to put it. Well, maybe one other place. Anyway.




Not as nerdy as I would like, but it will do. You can click on the box and take the test yourself.

It's Official

Higley Groves West residents will be able to join in the fun of the web portal, MorrisonRanchlife.net; the board approved this at the HOA meeting last Thursday night. You will remember (or be reminded by the large sign at the corner of Higley and Elliot) that the festivities will kick off on Saturday February 3. You can drop by In The Raw between 10 and 3 that day and sign up and get connected. Remember that this is free to you in the sense that you write no checks; the HOA picks up the minimal cost.

The Mister has already put together a group for a very unique purpose - to report a street light outage. You may have a group in mind that involves more people, like your neighbors to put together a garage sale or something, and that will work, too. It's a very flexible thing; but it will require some participation to utilize it fully. See you there next Saturday...

Lights! Camera! Post!

Yes, we really do have new, working lights for the monuments in Higley Groves West. (This seems to be the week of Higley Groves West posts. That is just a coincidence, but we will be looking for news elsewhere in the Ranch). These are Mantaray lights. You can see how they get their name from the low, round shape. These were expensive hummers, but the hope of the Board is that they will work while being relatively maintanence free. The former lights were cheap, and that is about all you could say good about them. (What is the value proposition for a light that costs $35 and is never on?) Only time will tell, but we are sure tickled to have everything working. By the way, mistakes sometimes happen in installation. If you see a new light fail to light at night, please comment here or call Cyndey at Rossmar and Graham so we know.

A snowball's chance in Gilbert

Some Good Snow-mari-man delivered snow to a couple of school bus stops in Higley Groves West yesterday. I didn't get there in time to see the festivities, but it is clear that much fun was had by all. That had to be a lot of work! Does anyone know who delivered? Anyway, thanks, Snowman!

Water Wise

We in Higley Groves West received a report from our landscape company today that says we are 7% over the recommended water use for the year. And I take that to be good news. Why good news, you ask? Because there is no allotment for water for the TREES in that calculation. We have over 2000 trees in Higley Groves West and they are getting to be a good size and need significant water. With that water, they clean our air and cool our environment. A great use for the water, in my opinion. I am going to try to get the calculations formally updated to include the water needs of the trees. But in the meanwhile, it looks to me like we are doing quite well on conserving our water. One of the reasons is that we irrigate the trees with drip lines, so we don't have to overwater the turf to get enough water to the tree roots. It would be nice if we had automatic systems to turn off the irrigation when it rains like the rest of Morrison Ranch, but the cost of adding that capability now hasn't seemed worth it to the Board. But the landscape company, the management company, and the Board work hard to keep Higley Groves West both green and water wise.

But you knew that already, didn't you?

An interesting article showed up in the Republic over the weekend. ASU is studying how front yard landscaping affects how people interact.

Scott Yabiku's theory is that desert landscaping, which has come to dominate new Valley housing for the past 20 years, reduces social interaction in neighborhoods. Grass and trees, he believes, promote community.

I think the expression is, "Duh". They go on to explain that it is more complicated than that. And, of course, it is. Having 8 year olds pretty much guarantees social interaction in the neighborhood. Having a bad attitude reduces the interaction. But we in Morrison Ranch have watched the street life, and it is noticeably more than other neighborhoods the same age and density. We think it is noticeable, anyway. Comment below if you have an opinion on this.

Snow in the Ranch?

No, but close. The first picture is Four Peaks, covered in snow, and the second is the Superstition Mountains, with snow on the top third. The Supes are about 5000 ft. high, and we are 1200 ft., so make your own guess about the snow level.

Rain in the Ranch

Just a quick note. The Water Expert reports .29 inches at the weather station throughout the weekend, mostly on Friday and Sunday. That is enough to turn off your sprinklers for about three days. Just remember to turn them back on! But really, why not save the water and money. Hopefully it will come up again. Sunrise Ski Park reports 12-17 inches of new snow. I watch that more as a measure of runoff in the spring, than as a chance to go skiiing. But that's just me.

Inquiring Minds Want to Know.

On the southeast corner of Recker and Elliot, opposite the church, there are a host of machines digging holes. "What is going on there?", you ask. No, we are not starting a new project. When we widen the road for Lakeview Trails North on the west side of Elliot, we must do some work on the east side to make the transition to the one lane road safe. This is part of that work. We are putting the large RWCD ditch underground. The bad news is that we are also going to replace the pipe as it goes diagonally across Recker. That means that the intersection is going to be A MESS for a while. Then it will be better than new. Hold that thought while you drive around the construction.

It IS Possible

Our entire office had lunch together yesterday for the first time in what feels like forever, and as we drove by the corner of Highland Groves, the Sixth Man said, "You know, every single one of those lights on the palms are working, and they are pointed in exactly the right direction, and they are precisely the right fixture." We were all sort of stunned and surprised. You mean, a palm light installation can actually be done correctly the first time? Has it ever happened before? His final comment answered that. "It only took 15 years."

Why Am I Not Surprised?

There is an article in today's Republic about a fellow who likes to talk on the phone:

It's a good thing Luke Johnson picked up the unlimited-minutes option for his cellphone.

The Gilbert man says he was out "to do something that has never been done before" when he dreamed up an idea to post his phone number on the Internet.

So began what he calls The Luke Johnson Phone Experiment.

Johnson, 27, recorded a plea for strangers to call his cell about three months ago and posted it on YouTube.com along with his cellphone number - (602) 435-3694.

His goal is to find out just how many people would call a number featured on the Web.

"I don't care what you say or why you called . . . but I'll try to answer as many calls as I can," the 27-year-old pledges in the clip, which has since made its way through cyberspace, landing in countless e-mail boxes and MySpace accounts.

As of last Wednesday, he had gotten 11,914 calls, many from callers in other countries. When it's daytime on one end of the line, it's nighttime here.

"It's been a love-hate relationship," Johnson, a 1998 Highland High graduate, said of the insistent calling. "I get calls day and night. I hear it in my sleep."

Johnson estimates his phone rings as many as three times every two minutes, although he usually gets more calls after a story about it hits a TV or radio station somewhere. He has been keeping track of the number of calls and has chatted with callers from Japan, South Africa, Thailand and the United Kingdom.

Two of my daughters went to Highland High School at the same time that Luke was there; I have never heard about a more social guy, before or since; nor have I seen anyone sustain such a high level of energy for so long. At football games, he would run up and down the track in front of the crowd with a Highland flag, again and again and again. There are too many stories about him to even remember; but I'll bet if you say the name "Luke Johnson" to a Highland grad, they'll smile and shake their head, and say, "Oh yeah, Luke Johnson..."

Maybe my girls could give him a call and catch up.

The Cold Snap - Literally

The aftermath of the hard freeze is just beginning. Unfortunately, we in the Valley of the Sun are not exactly set up for those kinds of temperatures. Today's AZ Republic has a front page article about the plumbers' surge in business:

The warmer weather expected to blow into the Valley this week offers little solace to residents scrambling to find a plumber to repair their busted waterlines.

The below-freezing marks will be replaced by lows in the 30s and 40s, but many Valley plumbers are booked at least through this week as they respond to frantic calls from residents with water flooding their homes or businesses. The freezing temperatures caused water sitting in those pipes to freeze, expand and then rip through the lines.

Those of us who were reared in colder climes know all about busted pipes, but it doesn't make it any easier when you experience it here. The Mister and I escaped that fate, but our plants are looking pretty frosted, especially the bougainvillea and honeysuckle. We could do an early pruning, but that's risky if it frosts again, which is likely.

One place that we expect to see some extra effect is the lake at Town Center. The tilapia in this lake have been dying - as they do every year at this time - due to the cold weather. The Water Expert has some folks coming out to clean up the dead fish three or four times a week; but I suppose that the hard freeze will take out a few extra. We have been getting some calls from residents, and I would like to reiterate that this is normal, it happens every year, we plan for it, and there are plenty of tilapia to replace the dead ones (they proliferate more than rabbits!) and keep the lake biologically balanced. In spite of our best efforts to keep the edges of the lake pristine, any time you visit you will probably see some dead fish.

Just in case you're wondering, according to this weather site, our recent lows were not record lows, only second best. The record low on January 14, 1963 was 22 degrees.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

The Mister has one of those fancy thermometers with a probe on our front porch and the readout on the top of his desk. When I got up this morning, it read 28 degrees even on our front porch, and a short while later, we memorialized the cold with this picture:


And there was still a thin ice layer on the top of the water in the fountain:


I hope everyone's plants survived, and no pipes burst, or any other of those cold weather maladies. It should be warmer soon, according to the forecast.

Changing an Old Face

Today's AZ Republic has an interesting article on Joe Johnston's makeover of The Liberty Market. I've said before, and still believe it to be true, that Joe is a natural restaurateur (see The Coffee Plantation, Joe's Real BBQ, and the Farm Grill) and I have complete confidence in his vision for Liberty Market. The change will be radical:

Twelve-packs of beer are probably out and wine and cheeses are likely in at the new Liberty Market.

Joe Johnston, the owner of Joe's Real BBQ, who purchased the market with his brothers last year, said they plan to have the market pull in customers from the entire town when it reopens next year, instead of only the immediate area around the store.

"I don't fault any of the previous owners for trying to adjust to the market as they saw it, but this is the direction we're trying to go," Johnston said. "This will be a broad demographic place."

The new Liberty Market probably won't sell beer at retail, he said. Plans call for an outdoor patio, a full coffee bar, soups, salads and sandwiches, wood-fired pizzas and a bakery, Johnston said. Coffee may be roasted on site. The retail portion of the business will offer items including fresh produce and cheeses, and it may sell wine and "lifestyle products" like apparel and cooking utensils.

"In our case, we feel Gilbert as a whole has a need for something more like this," Johnston said.

In its last incarnation, Johnston said he believes 80 percent of the store's revenues came from retail grocery sales, with the remaining from food service.

"We are probably going to flip that ratio," he said. "It seems like there was a lot more retail sales."

According to the article, he has a study session with Gilbert's Design Review Board today; and then he will have a couple more reviews by them before he will be able to start renovations in earnest.

You may have noticed that Joe and The Mister are cut from the same cloth when it comes to Gilbert. They are both interested in preserving the feel of Gilbert even as they radically change the look. The telling quote is at the end of the article:

The exterior will largely be left alone, but substantial remodeling work is planned for the inside. Plaster walls and the plaster ceiling will come down, exposing a wooden roof and brick walls. That will also show the 1918 outline of the building and the late 1950s expansion, Johnston said.

"We really want people, when they come in, to understand the story of the different eras in which Liberty Market operated," Johnston said.

Not Scary Until the End

The typical horror flick has the moviegoer sitting on the edge of their seat for the entire film, until the end, when all the details are wrapped up. I read an article in the East Valley Tribune this morning that uses the opposite formula, calming and assuring until the very end, when the cure seems worse than the disease. It has to do with whether there's a mountain lion hanging out at the Riparian Preserve on Greenfield and Guadalupe (not so far from my house, as we live on the greenbelt in Higley Groves West):

It could be another East Valley urban myth, to join the ranks of an elusive Mesa alligator. But seven reports of a mountain lion at Gilbert’s Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch has experts on watch.

“If it’s as shy as it seems to be, it doesn’t seem to be much danger at all,” said Scott Anderson, director of the Riparian Institute at Greenfield and Guadalupe roads.

Seven visitors, including an Arizona State University professor and bird watchers, have separately called in sightings of what appeared to be a juvenile mountain lion near pond No. 6 along Greenfield Road.

They all reported it walked away from them when spotted, park ranger Scott Cleaves said.

The ranger said that in the six months since the institute began getting calls about a big orange cat, he has never seen it himself, but he takes the calls seriously based on the specifics given by witnesses.

It's good to take it seriously; that's what we would want our park officials to do, even if it seems unlikely to be true. So they've been watching.

However, the Arizona Game and Fish Department recently surveyed the park for several hours and came up empty, Cleaves said. No scratchings, paw prints or other evidence has been spotted by officials.

Cleaves added that because the park is filled with rabbits, birds and feral cats, a mountain lion could survive without harming neighborhood pets, and easily live unnoticed since it would come out at night when the park is closed.

I have great confidence in the handling of this situation. Mountain lions are quite common in Tucson, so it isn't as though they are talking about space aliens.

Personally, I am not bothered by these reports; remember, I grew up in Wyoming, where the population of critters of all sorts far outweighs the population of humans. Common sense says to stay away from a dangerous animal, don't provoke it, and yes, it is probably more afraid of me than the other way around. But the tips at the end of the article are downright frightening; you can read them at your leisure, but here's one as a sample:

• Fight back if attacked: Many potential victims have fought back successfully with rocks, sticks, caps, jackets, garden tools and their bare hands.
Since a mountain lion usually tries to bite the head or neck, try to remain standing and face the attacking animal.

After several tips that tell me not to crouch while gathering instruments of defense, they end by telling me to remain standing and face the animal while it tries to bite my head or neck? Whoa, now that's a scary thought! I'm hoping the mountain lion has taken up residence with Mesa's pond alligator - in the land of myth.

What's Not to Like?

The AZ Republic has an article today talking about the number of tourists in the Valley, drawn by the different events like the Bowl games, the Phoenix Open, and spring training. You can read it at your leisure; the numbers of visitors are certainly impressive. Of course, it's these events at this time of year that cause many of these visitors to actually move here. But why wouldn't they want to, when they see an Arizona sunset like the one captured by The Water Expert last Friday evening? (Remember to click on the picture to enlarge it.)

The Electronic Age

When The Mister started his own farming operation about 30 years ago, he followed in his father's footsteps when it came to communications. He kept in touch with his employees by radio; each vehicle was outfitted with one, and there was one in the small office, as well. They used the code handed down from his father's generation - "Ten-Seven at home" meant The Mister was off the air at the specified location, and "Ten-Eight" meant he was again available on the radio. As a matter of fact, those early radios had two frequencies, so The Mister could switch over and talk to the Morrison Brothers Ranch office or his father or uncle or their employees. This was especially helpful the day that he had a trailer jack-knife on him and flip his truck on its side in a ditch; he had plenty of help in mere moments because of the radio.

The next innovation was "the mobile phone" or "cellular" - a long way to describe a portable telephone as big as a briefcase. They were insanely expensive, of course; I was not allowed to share his number with just anyone, lest we have to pay the per-minute charge for incoming calls. And even I was not allowed to call him "just because"; there needed to be a specific, important reason. "It's time for lunch, and I made enchiladas", was important enough, but not "where are you and when do you think you'll be home?"

Somewhere along the line, with California's help, we dropped the -ular and started calling them "cells" and the phones themselves began shrinking, and the prices dropped enough that even I had one (used only in case of flat tires and the like), and now we think nothing of using them to catch up with the latest news of our kids, and they have great ring-tones and games and internet connections, and sports scores...

I could go through a similar process with our computers - oh, how we prized that Cromemco that could keep track of every cotton bale! and had less computing power than most of today's wristwatches and all of today's cell phones - but you've been there, too, and you know what I mean.

It's important to keep up with the media in communication, like using instant messaging to "chat" with one of my offspring, or text-messaging to do the same, or even like using a blog to communicate with my neighbors. I see that even the stereotyped accountants are stepping out of their dimly lit offices and looking through their black-rimmed glasses at new ways of communicating. Today's Wall Street Journal (subscription required) has an article about Ernst and Young recruiting young accountants through Facebook:

Ernst & Young LLP needs more than 5,500 college recruits for internships and entry-level jobs in North America this year. So it is trying to reach them in their natural habitat: a social-networking Web site.

The accounting firm is among a growing number of employers experimenting with newer forms of Internet recruiting to attract tech-savvy young people. Some are creating pages on social-networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. Others have started recruiting-oriented blogs.

These approaches supplement older forms of online recruiting, such as posting job openings and descriptions on job boards such as Monster. Recruiters have joined networking sites such as LinkedIn as individuals to search members' résumés, post jobs and contact candidates.

Ernst & Young went a step further. In July it launched a page on Facebook with information and discussion boards aimed at college students; the company paid an undisclosed fee. Employers seek "new ways to reach out to the college audience," says Dan Black, director of campus recruiting for the Americas at Ernst & Young. The approach poses risks as well as rewards. Companies that solicit public feedback are likely to get negative as well as positive comments. The sites can also connect detractors who otherwise wouldn't have met. What's more, employers must continually update their sites to attract visitors.

Still, recruiting consultants and a growing number of employers think the advantages outweigh the risks.

"It's a very good thing for communicating with potential job seekers," says Mark Mehler, a co-founder of CareerXroads, a consulting firm that advises on staffing strategies. "You're reaching the student in their lair."

Now that's innovative, and smart, in my opinion.

So if Morrison Ranch wanted to carry on the tradition set by the forefathers of being on the cutting edge of technology, I wonder how that might look. Oh yes, a web portal for residents to use to communicate with each other! Coming February 3rd....

He's Right

The East Valley Tribune has an article about the new restaurant going into a troubled building in downtown Gilbert, and the new owner is quoted as saying, “Let’s be honest: They’ve sat here and watched four concepts come and go. I think the city of Gilbert is absolutely yearning for something successful to happen here. I bear that burden.” It sounds rather melodramatic, but as The Mister pointed out, he's right! I do yearn for a successful restaurant in that spot; I have patronized every failed eatery so far with the vain hope of continued success, and that they would "get the kinks out" eventually. You know what I'm talking about:

A steak and fish restaurant with Midwestern food and hospitality is just what downtown Gilbert needs to revive a building many have called cursed, says an East Valley entrepreneur.

Michael Savoie of Fountain Hills is preparing to open the Grainbelt Grillhouse on Jan. 23 at the northwest corner of Page Avenue and Gilbert Road. The restaurant will be the fi fth in seven years in the stone building at what’s considered a prime location in downtown Gilbert.

His assessment of the reasons for failure?

Savoie said he’s heard all the talk about the building being cursed, but the past restaurants either opened before people began going downtown, or were not a good fi t for the Heritage District.

I am not a restaurateur, so he is probably correct about the reasons. My reasons are a little different: good food, but the poor service didn't match the high prices; not great food and way too loud of an atmosphere, not good food, very very poor service. Hmm, I guess that shows what's important to me in a restaurant - good food and service. On that front, the new restaurant has lofty goals:

A native of Omaha, Neb., Savoie said he wants to bring authentic food and an atmosphere that will make custom- ers feel warm and comfortable, as if they’ve “just stepped in from the cold.”

The entire restaurant has been gutted as it undergoes $125,000 in renovations, which will include a wood floor and a front seating area with a bar and live music. There also will be a carpeted eating area with a view of downtown activity, which will include a park in the coming years.

Savoie said his employees will be knowledgeable about Gilbert so they can offer directions or answer questions — a key part of his restaurant philosophy.

The Midwest is known for its polite nature and eagerness to help out, Savoie said, and his restaurant will capture that feeling. The waiters and waitresses will help pick out a menu item or take special orders, he said.

I'll be yearning for their success.

Expanding the View

Yesterday I posted about some of the things we are looking forward to in Morrison Ranch. Today, I see an article in the AZ Republic that offers a similar overview for Gilbert:

There are two constants in Gilbert - growth and construction.

Look for more of both in 2007, as Arizona's fast-growing community has several major projects in the offing, from those promising to enhance your health and recreation options to those requiring you to maneuver around orange pylons on roads.

Also, there will be new people in key leadership positions.

First item is the new hospital:

Banner Gateway will open with 167 beds, a figure that will top 500 at build-out. Patient rooms will be private and will feature bathrooms, sleeper sofas, Internet connections and an entertainment system with a flat-screen television.

And of course, Big League Dreams gets a mention:

For nearly two years, talk of bringing a Big League Dreams sports complex to Gilbert was heated. Now, it looks like the $33.6 million multi-field project soon will become a reality.

Big League Dreams LLC, of Chino Hills, Calif., entered a private-public partnership with Gilbert in May 2005 to build scaled-down sports fields with facades of major-league stadium backdrops.

Concepts for the park include a Chase Field, Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, Wrigley Field and the Polo Grounds.

If you've looked at the site lately, next to Highland Groves, you will see they definitely have some stadium walls going up. I am not privy to their timetables nor setbacks, so I have no idea how they think it is going; but in my own experience, it seems to take forever to see anything, then you see something go up all at once, and then it takes forever for the insides to be finished. I expect we are just about to the "going up all at once" phase.

There will be traffic changes as well, thankfully including finishing the widening of the Superstition out to Power:

Major projects include widening Williams Field Road near Higley Road, and installing more than a dozen traffic signals.

Gilbert commuters also will see more freeway options appearing in the Southeast Valley. U.S. 60 will be wider between Gilbert and Power roads, and the new, large U.S. 60-Loop 202 interchange in east Mesa will open completely.

I know we have election fatigue and are wary of the buildup to 2008, but Gilbert has elections for the town council in March; it's a chance to make a real difference on a local level:

The primary isn't until March, but already we know the council will have at least one new member.

That's because longtime councilman Larry Morrison announced he would not seek re-election. Morrison cited the increasing demands of his job as a reason.

So now a field of nine candidates has qualified to run for four council seats that are up for grabs. Incumbents Les Presmyk, Dave Crozier and Steve Urie are running to keep their nonpartisan seats.

Among those challenging them are former councilwoman Linda Abbott and three members of the local Republican precinct.

And last, but not least, some new schools are opening; the closest one to Morrison Ranch residents will be Higley's new High School:

Five schools are scheduled to open in Gilbert for next school year but only one will be in the Gilbert school district.

Gilbert Public Schools plans to open the first phase of a new elementary school, which will house about 450 students and relieve overcrowding at Spectrum Elementary.

Chandler Unified will open Perry High and Riggs Elementary in fast-growing southern Gilbert, which is included in that district.

At Higley Unified, Williams Field High and Chaparral Elementary open in August.

The only thing certain in life is change; looks like we'll certainly have plenty of that in 2007.

Let The New Year Begin

Actually, 2007 has already begun, whether I'm willing to allow it or not. For all my talk about how things always take longer, it seems like Time never does; in other words, the calendar moves on at a rapid pace even if I'm not ready. We are looking forward to several things in this year, and so I thought I'd share some of them.

The Web Portal
This is one of the most exciting things to unfold in 2007 - February 3, to be exact. You can read The Mister's explanation of the portal here, or my initial explanation of it here. We really need group leaders to start the ball rolling; it takes a tiny bit of training to learn how to work the site for the first time, and it isn't all that difficult. If you have a group that you would like to manage on the portal, please email or call you HOA representative, or email me and I'll pass it along. I'll remind you that residents of Higley Groves, east and west, need to agree to the terms in order to partake of this service; all other Morrison Ranch residents will have access from the moment they close on their home.

Lakeview Village
As posted here before, there are two potential grocers (Basha's and Frys) negotiating for the spot that Albertson's vacated. We should have a final word sometime this month or early February, and then it will take about 6 months for the grocer to remodel the store and get open. Our understanding is that either one will also operate the gas pumps as well.

Once the grocer is determined, the rest of the center will be leased. As I've mentioned several times, this is a prime site, and will grow more valuable with each new resident that moves in behind it in Lakeview Trails North. Albertson's problems were national, not with Lakeview Village.

Sadly, the Zone Cafe is having some of the same problems as Albertson's, which is to say financial issues as a company nationwide, and so they will not be moving in next to Garlic Jim's. We hope to have another dining option available this year.

Lakeview Trails North
This large residential community has continued its construction even through the holiday season. The wet utilities are completed and the dry utilities are about halfway finished. The most notable thing is that everything is right on schedule (when have you ever heard me say that?!). The models should be starting to go up in April, and the builders will no doubt be selling homes by then.

Lakeside Groves
We hope to be under contract for this residential community (located east of Recker and south of Elliot) with three different sized lots by the end of the year.

Highland Groves
The remainder of the common landscaping will be installed shortly, and things are looking very nice in this community. Both fountains are working, homes continue to be sold, and no doubt the residents are ready to say goodbye to the construction traffic. The Morrison Homes and Ashton Woods homes should be all sold by the end of the year, and the U.S. Homes product will be very close behind.

We expect to be under contract for the condos to be built next to Superstition Springs Community Church (where the big dirt pile was) very soon, and then the builder will begin the process of getting permits from the Town of Gilbert.

Desert Place at Morrison Ranch
This year should also see a contract for the residential portion of this community located in the southwest corner of Sossaman and Guadalupe. As you know, we received our zoning from the City of Mesa last year.

We may also see the first industrial user here.

Miscellaneous
The tank lights shone brightly all through the holidays; we still have to get the red aviation light affixed to the top. These are not just for Christmas, but for year-round.

I have every intention of cleaning up all the scanning and getting the paperless office truly less paperful (you know what I mean). There is, of course, all the financial work to be done to satisfy Uncle Sam for 2006, and that takes a good part of my time. Nevertheless, I grow more efficient all the time.

The Mister says that I always make unreasonable Do-Lists that have no chance of getting accomplished. I'm sure I actually finished one once in 1985, but that's beside the point. This list belongs to our entire office, and we will be working hard to see the fruit.