Annual TDA Meeting

TDA = Topinabee Development Association
The annual meeting was help today under the pavilion "downtown".  In the past months I have lived here, I have been attending the Library Committee meetings, and I helped with the "clean-up" day.  The work, of course, is never done but we have received a grant that is matched by additional government funds and construction will begin this fall or next spring adding to the park.  The park is really lovely.  There are two docks extending out into Mullet Lake.  One is for docking your boat and the other is for swimmers.  The park has a swing area for the children and public bathrooms.  The landscaping is lovely and the entire area is very well maintained.  As the meeting drew to a close, no additional questions or comments were received so we were adjourned until next year.  Now the fun begins!  My invitation to the annual meeting included the instructions to bring a chair, an appetizer to share and your own beverages!  I was thrilled to meet more of my neighbors and visit again with others I have already come to know and enjoy.  This is the first time I have ever lived in a small (very) community and it's incredibly fun! A well-known local personality entertained after the meeting.  (It's funny because he's the Supervisor (kinda like the mayor) of Indian River and spends his days being "political" and on his days off, sings and plays his guitar.  Another "small" community plus!)

The 4th of July week has been full of events.  I had an especially great time visiting with HC's sister, Jenna and her husband Stan who came up for a visit.  It had been some time since I had talked about HC for any length of time and I enjoyed the re-telling of many stories.  They loved Topinabee and the surrounding areas, my new home, and of course, the candy store.  I have eaten more ice cream in the past 4 days than the entire summer.  I so wish you would all come up!

My heart has been heavy the past several days with the death of JoAnn Porter.  She was a sweet, sweet spirit and I have been praying for Terri and the family.  Then to hear Terri's father has died also.  What a burden to bear.  It's at these times I so wish I were back in the SMBC community.  I totally trust you all are picking up my slack.  Please, please do it for me.

One final note tonight...I have just finished reading a book called Same Kind of Different as Me.  It is a true story written by Ron Hall and Denver Moore.  If you are looking for a challenging as well as inspirational "read", get to the bookstore and buy this book.  It hurts your heart, lifts your heart, hurts your heart again, then heals it.  There is good in people and in the world.  Maybe you've already read it and if so, recommend it to someone else.  We all are in need of learning more of God's saving GRACE.

Happy Dreams to all, JB