C3 woodland estates

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WOODLAND ESTATES

850 West Middle Ave, Morgan Hill, California 95037-6107

Phone: 408-779-8991

Website: woodland850.com

E-mail: info@woodland850.com

A Community for Active Seniors 55+ July 2025

Board of Directors

President: Penny Parish

Vice President: Lani Dixon

Treasurer: Lenore Greene

Secretary: Leslie Mastalarz

Directors: Wayne Duren

Gary Jensen

Carlos Manzanilla

Board of Directors contact information: bod@woodland850.com (408) 779-8991

Park Management and Maintenance Staff

Park Manager: Gabriel Garcia Office Assistant: Sonya Beck

Woodland Estates includes a clubhouse, meeting area, kitchen, exercise areas, saunas, and indoor heated spa (open year-round), and an outdoor heated swimming pool (open May 1 thru October 31). The Social Club sponsors many events and activities throughout the year.

A greenbelt runs through the greater portion of the park, with tables, benches, and gazebos spaced along its length and there is an RV storage area for residents.

Pets on leashes are allowed.

Club House Office Business Hours: 8:00 am to 4 pm weekdays (FOBs are required for Clubhouse entry)

Park Governing Body

A seven-member elected Board of Directors guides the affairs of this resident owned corporation, assisted by a Park Manager and his staff. There is an annual election of Board members. A monthly Board meeting is held at the clubhouse and may be attended by shareholders. The Park Bylaws, Lease Agreement and Rules and regulations are the Governing Documents.

Woodland Estates Contact

Information

Woodland Residents, Inc.

Corporate Office

850 West Middle Avenue

Morgan Hill, CA 95037 408-779-8991 info@woodland850.com

After Hours Emergency Repairs

Call Park Manager 669-253-3265 manager@woodland850.com

Gabriel Garcia

Park Manager 408-779-8991 manager@woodland850.com

Sonya Beck

Office Assistant 408-779-8991 info@woodland850.com

Sue Lopez

Social Club President 650-868-4299 sweetsusie52@comcast.net

Jean Manahan

Sunshine Reporter 408-778-7397 jcmana1@aol.com

Woodland Estates Helping Hands

If you are in need of a bit of neighborly assistance, please fill out a request form located in the club house. A member of the volunteer team will contact you. You may also contact Patty Garcia at (408) 206-3691

From the Editors

Betty Davis & Mary Serion

What a joy it is to live in this community. Every day, I see people out and about enjoying the grounds, chatting in the gazebo and enjoying the WE amenities. Our clubhouse is a hub of fun and friendship. Members can be found at all hours of the day enjoying a friendly game or just lounging in the gathering space for a chat. These connections are vital to our wellbeing. I hope everyone in our neighborhood is enjoying this special bit of community that is ours.

-Betty

I look forward to reading through my copy of the Breeze every month (despite having gone through every word and picture in the stressful week leading up to putting it together!) so I can really absorb and enjoy the amazing stories and happenings that it contains. I love reading about the trips our residents share with us, the ongoing events offered here in our park and our community and the thoughts, history and ideas gathered to entertain, enlighten and inspire us. I’m glad every day that I’m a part of such a beautiful, friendly and active little corner of the world that you all make possible!

-Mary

Shout-Outs!

Attitudes of Gratitude

Well, Hello Beautiful! A note of thanks to Sara Percival for providing this amazing floral arrangement at the entrance on Leisure Drive. Talk about WOW factor!

Bravo to Terri Edgmon and Evelyn Kane for the impressive array of goodies provided at Coffee Klatch

Thank you to Debbie Brown for managing the Coffee Klatch for June

Lisa Unruh– your eye for art and beauty shows up in all the right places!

Wayne and Carol Duren to the rescue! They spent their Sunday delivering the Breeze. Wow– that’s dedication!

Many thanks to Cheryl Leonard for “un-retiring” to call Bingo In June so that everyone can still enjoy playing together when all 3 of her replacements were away!

Our gratitude to Swanee Edwards and the groundskeeping team for their constant care to provide us with such beautiful surroundings.

Shout-Out forms are located in the clubhouse. If you know of someone who deserves recognition, please fill out a form or email us at: webreeze2024@gmail.com

The Breeze Team

Betty Davis/Mary Serion

Co editors

Email: webreeze2024@gmail.com

Breeze Columnists/Writers

Dan Brown

Debbie Brown

Diane Hale

Caroline Rackowski

Craig Smithson

Jean Manahan

Lesley Waltner

Rosia Valencia

Swanee Edwards

Pete Loeser

Rose Hernandez

Steve Hale

Breeze Copy Editors

Penny Parrish

Board Liaison

Wayne Duren

Breeze Distribution

Lisa Unruh

Photographer at Large

TELL US YOUR STORY!

Our readers would welcome first person memoirs, profiles, and stories of events or places special to you. Please consider sharing. A member of The Breeze Editorial staff will help you on editing (including spelling and grammar) your draft article. None of us are professional editors but we can help.

Interested? Contact webreeze2024@gmail.com

Sunshine Report

Only one card was sent in late May, a get-well card to Leslie Mastalarz. We hope that means our residents are healthy and enjoying the peak of summer. Those medical appointments and calls to the advice nurse plus exercise, pickleball, walking & swimming must have paid off!

The “dog days” of summer were named for a star, Sirius, but we mustn’t forget that our actual dog pals need special attention now. Plenty of water, shade and walks early in the day or after the hot pavement has cooled down will keep them safe and happy.

Independence Day brings lots of celebrating with barbeques and our own Morgan Hill parade and fireworks. Let’s hope it will also bring us closer to unity and opportunity for all in America the Beautiful. Happy 4th, everyone, and let me know of anyone who would be cheered by a Sunshine card!

Would your friend or neighbor like a birthday, get -well, sympathy or thinkingof-you card?

Call or email me at: jcmana1@aol.com

408-778-7397

The Coffee Klatch Corner

June’s Coffee Klatch, besides being the usual enjoyable gathering, was highlighted this month by a very informative and interesting presentation all about “AI”, or Artificial Intelligence. The presenter, Joe Marenin, made this often confusing, technical (somewhat frighteningly so!) subject easy to understand and even wowed us with a couple of “live’” demonstrations. In just a few minutes, he had an AI creation of an 8-second video of a grandmother baking in her kitchen that looked so real, you could almost smell her cake baking. That was followed by having AI create a beautiful song based on a few points the audience provided (a classical song about Pedro the parrot!).

Joe, who, incidentally, is Cheryl and Lou’s grandson, made it fun to learn about AI and how it affects our lives every day, whether we know it or not, and spent plenty of time answering the many questions we had for him!

Of course, Terri put out an amazing array of goodies, along with Evelyn and a host of helpers that put on a great morning get-together and helped Debbie keep things rolling along.

Woodland Wanderers

On Tuesday, June third, twenty residents of Woodland Estates traveled to San Francisco to view the Bouquets to Art exhibit at the De Young Museum.

Sandy Lesnewsky prepared us for the exhibit by doing a presentation on many of the flowers that we would see and also some of the design elements to look for. She also discussed how to appreciate some of the ways the floral designers related their projects to some of the other

artistic masterpieces we would see that day. We were awed by the creativity that existed in the floral arrangements.

Another show at the De Young Museum was an exhibit of early Beatles photos that belong to Paul McCartney. Many memories came flooding back as we were able to see pictures of the Fab 4 in the early years at different performances and also on the Ed Sullivan show.

The view from the observation tower was fantastic as we were able to see many sections of San Francisco in a three hundred and sixty degree view. Everyone seemed to really enjoy our cultural get away.

I've been asked to write a little bit about the Fourth of July or Independence Day. Put simply, it is the federal holiday that commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America, at least on paper.

There was still the little bit of unpleasantness of an eight year war to make it so following the publishing of the declaration. It was actually a bit of "early spin" PR to justify our rebellion, sort of explaining we had been forced to take arms against our legal government. It was our Founding Fathers, those attending the Second Continental Congress, declaring that the Thirteen Colonies would no longer consider themselves subjects of King George III of England and listed the reasons that they were compelled to declare

Happy Fourth of July

themselves a free and independent state. Pretty big deal and our home team needed their mascots.

They came first in the form of a woman named Columbia, who first appeared in the 1738 Independence Day celebration. She was kind of a female "mom" for the United States. She also became known as Lady Liberty.

During the War of 1812 we picked up a male counterpart to Lady Liberty named Uncle Sam, first in newspapers and then in the 1816 book "The Adventures of Uncle Sam, in Search After His Lost Honor." (Apparently he may be still searching for it) Although popular belief is that Uncle Sam is modeled after a meat packer named Samuel Wilson, the actual origin of what Uncle Sam looked like is unknown and quite obscure. It is interesting to note, the drawing used to recruit soldiers for both World War I and World War II by the US Army used a drawing done by J. M. Flagg. His drawing was a modified version of his own face and a pose done by a soldier named Walter Botts, both were British. It first appeared on a British Lord Kitchener poster three years earlier than our recruiting posters.

Anyway, Happy Fourth of July from the Breeze Staff!

Riveted– the history of jeans

The "Co." part of Jeans purveyor Levi Strauss & Co. partially belongs to Jacob W. Davis, a Russian immigrant tailor. "Riveted; The History of Jeans," part of The American Experience series on PBS television, gives Davis his due. Davis already had a booming business in 1869 in Reno, Nevada, providing Central Pacific Railroad workers with everything from tents to horse blankets to wagon covers, as well as an early version of Jeans.

The first Jeans more resembled waist overalls. They had no belt loops and used ropes to hold them up. Davis used cooper rivets he already had in stock for his horse blankets to hold the Jeans together in the crotch area, critical for his all-men customers. Six of them typically did the job; the early jeans customers did not ask for much. Davis hired Levi Strauss, already established as a dry goods supplier in San Francisco, to supply him with Denim for his Jeans. Strauss also provided Davis with the money he needed to file a patent for their new business on May 20, 1873. The company first did business as Davis & Strauss. Davis would have never been able to come up with the money himself. He had already had ideas for three other patents but could not come up with the money. Davis filled orders for 200 pairs of Jeans right away. Davis was also able to double Jeans' sales for in Europe by inventing a unique orange double stitch pattern to set the apparel apart from others.

Levi Strauss benefitted from the explosion of the Chinese immigrant population in San Francisco in the 1880s

and 1890s, providing one of its first core customers. Women started wearing Jeans in the 1930s, providing another main demographic customer. World War II created additional men and women customers, both overseas during the hostilities and in peace time afterwards. Motorcycle riders also regularly wore Jeans, as did members of the Peace Corps and fashion designers such as Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren. More recently, Hip Hop Music performers have jumped on the Jeans' bandwagon. Levi Strauss has found a need and filled it, Retail 1-A. The result: total revenue of $6.4 billion for the last fiscal year, ending Dec. 1, 2024.

References: "Riveted: The History of Jeans, The American Experience, Wikipedia. Jacob W. Davis, His Life and Invention, Wikipedia.

The Butterfield Fire Station, an all-electric state of the art that utilizes a battery storage system to capture excess solar energy to save back-up power as needed to be independent of the local energy grid in cases of local power failure emergency, was opened officially with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, June 7.

The twelve million dollar station, designed by COAR Design Group, was partially funded by a Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) Community Grant and constructed by local con-

Butterfield Fire Station Ribbon Cutting by Pete

After short remarks from the Mayor, City Manager , Fire Chief, and others the ribbon was cut, then those attending toured and enjoyed the Fire Station, trucks and equipment before having a free lunch provided for all. Activities included pet adoption, cooking demonstration, lawn games,

and a raffle giveaway. One welcomed bit of information was the rapid response EMP services for our area would continue to be provided out of the Monterrey Road CALFIRE Station as in the past.

tractor Kent Construction.
Morgan Hill Community News
Mayor Mark Turner
City Manager Christina Turner
Fire Chief Marcus Hernandez
The Ribbon Cutting took place with about 300 citizens Attending
Engine Number 1 also visited

Life with Lesley

Saving the World, One Towel at a Time

A few years ago, I was in Waikiki with my daughter Bethany and her two kids, Lillian, 11, and Luke, 8. We were staying at a very nice hotel right on the beach. The hotel had their own green-andstriped beachtowels for all the guests. Every day, we would pick up our fresh beach-towels from the hotel beach attendants and head for the beach. At the end of the day, we would bring our dirty beach-towels back and drop them in the big green bin designated for that purpose.

After a few days, as we walked along the beach, we noticed that some guests were just leaving their hotel beach towels on the beach, and some of these were washing up on the shore, having been blown into the sea by the wind.

These towels were coated in wet sand, making them very heavy. Luke and I decided to try and rescue these abandoned towels and bring them back to the hotel. But first, we had to shake off all the wet sand and hang the towels over a fence overnight to dry. Then we would go back the next day and collect these towels from the fence and bring them back to the hotel.

The hotel beach attendants were very grateful to us for this work, and we estimated that we had saved about five towels a day, adding up to fifty towels over ten days. Bethany titled our mission, Saving the World, One Towel at a Time.

Lesley’s article is meaningful for several reasons. She is sharing time with her grandchildren while reenforcing important values around stewardship, ecology, personal responsibility and more.

As “Nana” of two beautiful girls, and another on the way, I am very interested in how other “Boomers” are navigating the challenges of being parents to their offspring, while being fun loving “with-it” grandparents to the next generation.

If you have a story or memory you’d like to share, we’d love to help you get it reader ready. Email us at webreeze2024@gmail.com Include the word Grandparent in the subject line.

2. Question: How many people were estimated to be living in the Colonies when they gained independence?

3. Question: Which city hosted the first official Independence Day celebration on July 4, 1777?

4. Question: When was the first 4th of July celebration held at the White House?

5. Question: How many times does the Liberty Bell ring on each Independence Day?

Scam Alert Update

Okay folks, I have written about a lot of bad things where bad people try to take advantage… After researching AARP and the scams that are constantly evolving. I thought I would give you a few preventions to keep from falling victim. I have copied these and keep them posted on my bulletin board next to my computer. These have come from various articles in AARP magazine:

Spotting FAKE NEWS Stories:

Check the URL of the story: abcnews.com is a legitimate news source, abcnews.com.co is not. Anything that ends with something other than .com is likely to be a spoof.

If someone important is quoted, Google the quote. It can be tracked back to an event or a statement if it is legit.

Reverse search the questionable image on google. Right click the image and copy the URL. Go to images.google.com and paste the URL to find out where it came from. Check with these tools: Politics - Factcheck.org & Politifact.com

A History of Playing Cards

It is thought that playing cards originated in China, dating back to the ninth century, and resembled tiles similar to dominoes. Some people have suggested that playing cards first functioned as play money in gambling games, perhaps with dice or dominoes; but later they became games in and of themselves.

They were introduced to Europe in the early fourteenth century, perhaps by travelling tradesmen as well as soldiers. At this time, the suits varied: sometimes they consisted of different animals, or sometimes flowers, or even kitchen utensils.

About the 15th century, the cards were divided into four suits of Swords (equivalent to our Spades), Staves (equivalent to our Clubs), Cups (equivalent to our Hearts), and Coins (equivalent to our Diamonds). At first in Europe, the cards were made of thin cardboard and beautifully hand-painted, or engraved on wood or copper, which made them expensive and only affordable by the upper classes. Eventually, methods were developed to produce them more cheaply with stencils and better

(Continued on page 16)

Library Corner

Steaming to Bamboola

The World of a Tramp Freighter

Christopher Buckley Fiction, 2023, 291 pages

The subtitle of this book is a good description of what part of the book is about. But the real story is about the merchant seamen who spend their working lives on the seas on freighters like the Columbianna.

If you are interested in merchant marine life, or just want to read something different, you might like this book. If tramp freighters and the seamen on them are not where your interests lie, you might skip this book, but you’d be missing out on learning about a very different career and way of life!

The Hales have been to Paris only once before and that was in 1990. When a terrific promotion came along, I jumped at the chance to make five days in Paris happen. My goals were to squeeze in as many activities as possible, experience the newly renovated Notre Dame cathedral, and take a tour of the Versailles Palace. We did all the above and more.

Arriving at midday on March 30, we took Uber to our hotel in the Montmartre section of Paris. The Basilica of Sacre Couer (sacred heart) was only a mile walk away and so off we went. The cathedral is located on a hill affording it a spectacular view of the view of the city as well as of a beautiful church. Stopping for pastries and baguettes on the return to the hotel, we vowed to have an authentic, local experience when possible.

Hop-on hop-off buses are our preferred method of getting to know the city highlights and so we en-

April in Paris

joyed that on the 31st . Having purchased timed tickets in advance for Saint Chappelle church and the Louvre Museum, we made sure to time our stops properly. Saint Chappelle is on the same island as Notre Dame and so we made that cathedral our first stop. The interior and exterior are clean, bright, and awe-inspiring. The stainedglass windows in Saint Chappelle are centuries old but still clean and pure.

After seeing the Musee de Orsay, Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysees, Opera House, and other sites from the bus, we hopped off at the Louvre on our second time around. The museum is all we dreamed it would be and, of course, we got some good photos of the Mona Lisa. We opted for a half-

day trip to Versailles on the next day. I had seen pictures, but they did not match the spectacle that was the mansion and surrounding gardens.

The most famous area is the hall of mirrors, but each room was filled with paintings on the ceilings, beautifully inlaid floors, and ornate furnishings. The gardens are filled with flowers, forested areas, statues, and fountains. Upon returning to Paris, we enjoyed a Seine River cruise to see the famous structures and retrace the route taken by the Olympians during the opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics. There are even Olympic rings by the Eiffel Tower!

A nearly fourteen-hour day trip to Mount San Michel occupied all of April 2. It is a rock island near Normandy Beach that has an abbey built on the rock’s summit. The abbey was worth the over 475 steps we took to see it as many of the rooms retained the original construction that occurred in the eighth century. Because of its tactical position, the island also served as a fort. Before the road to the island was improved, the island was often cut off by high tides.

Our plane to return to the United States did not depart until mid-afternoon of April 3, allowing us more sightseeing time in the morning. The Orangerie Museum, Tuileries Gardens, and Place de la Concorde are all adjacent to each other. Because mass transportation is excellent in Paris, we were able to reach all these destinations easily. The Orangerie Museum is home to eight paintings by Claude Monet, “water lilies” that are huge and occupy each wall in two oval-shaped rooms.

The gardens were a delight as many bulbed flowers and cherry trees were in bloom and the gold-leafed tip of the obelisk at the Place de la Concorde shone brightly in the morning sun as our idyllic time in Paris ended.

Lunch Bunch

On Tuesday, June 10, seven friends enjoyed lunch at the Ginger Café in Gilroy. Everyone made sure to order a different dish– that way we could share with each other and try different dishes. We had chicken, shrimp, fish, beef, and tofu; quite a variety!

The service was great and the restaurant itself was clean and modern.

We all had a wonderful time. Mark your calendar for the 2nd Tuesday of each month. Join us!

Lunch Bunch meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 11:15 am. in front of the clubhouse . For more info, contact Diane Hale at (941) 875-2750

Woodland Estates

Activities Calendar

Poker Night

Sunday, 6:30 until ?

Call Lou Leonard

Phone: (408) 497-5620

Mahjong (Beginners)

Monday, 1:30 to 3:30 pm

(Intermediate, 1 year+)

Friday, 1:30 to 3:30 pm

Call Cheryl Leonard

Phone: (408) 497-5620

Bingo

Thursdays, 6:30 to 8 pm

Call Mary Serion

Phone: (808) 987-4597

Mexican Train

Wednesdays, 6:00 pm

Call Carol Latham

Phone: (408) 612-4813

Muscle Tone Class

Mon, Wed, Fri , 9:30 am

Call Julie Barraza

Phone: (408) 781-4755

Supper Club

4th Saturday of the month

Starts at 6:00pm

Call Cheryl Leonard

Phone: (408) 497-5620

Hand and Foot

Wednesday 1:30-3:30 pm

Call Cheryl Leonard

Phone: (408) 497-5620

Bunco

(At hostess homes)

Last Wednesday of the month, 1:00pm - 3:00pm

Community Calendar

Morgan Hill Community Activities

Centennial Recreation Senior Center Cafe

The cafe opens Monday through Friday at 9:00 am. Lunch is served at 11:30 am.

The cafe registration table is open at the times above.

Lunch reservations/information: (408) 782-1284

Suggested donation: $3.00 for anyone 60 and over, or $8.00 for anyone under 60.

Historic Downtown Walking Tour of Morgan Hill

Morgan Hill Historical Society

Sat., July 12, 2025, 10:00 am - 12:30 pm

(every 2nd Saturday of the month)

Free tour of 14 historic downtown Morgan Hill locations. Learn about the city’s history and architecture. Reservations are suggested, but not required.

Call (408) 779-5755 to register.

Park at the community garage and meet at 50 E 3rd Street at the plaza in front of the Poppy Jasper Glass Panel.

Farmers Market in Morgan Hill

Cal Train Station, 3rd and Depot Street Saturdays, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Parking access via Butterfield

Bingo on Tuesday Evenings

Morgan Hill Community Center

Line Dancing

Gilroy Senior Center 17000 Monterey Road 7371 Hanna St. Doors open: 4:30 pm Fridays at 12:30 pm Games start: 6:30 pm Free!

Sidewalk Saturday in Morgan Hill

Saturday, July 12, 2025

10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Third & Depot Streets

Santa Clara County Library Bookmobile

Bookmobile stops in front of the clubhouse 2nd and 4th Fridays each month .

Scheduled times are 11:30 am - 12:15 pm. This month’s dates July 11 and July 25

To order books, movies, and more, call (408) 883-6959. - Website: www.sccid.org

Community Calendar

Morgan Hill Community Playhouse

“The Prom”, Four fading Broadway stars in desperate need of a new stage and trouble brews around an Indiana small town.

June 20 to July 19, 2025

Go to SCVT website for times and tickets at: https://www.svct.org/tickets/

Morgan Hill Friday Night Music Series

Opening band at 6 p.m., Headliner band at 7:30 p.m.

July 5th, the Houserockers July 11th, Carnival

July 18th, Faithfully Live July 25th, Cheeseballs

Andy’s Orchard Tasting & Tour

1615 Half Road, Morgan Hill, Seniors $22.00

Go to Andy’s Orchard website or call (408)782-7600

For dates & reservations.

Morgan Hill Freedom Fest

July 3rd, Patriotic Singing at amphitheater at 6:00 p.m.

July 4th, Car cruise along parade route at 9:00 a.m., followed by 4th of July parade starting at 10:00 a.m. Fireworks on the Green starting at dusk.

Park Happenings:

Water Aerobics at the pool with Yvette, Terri & Tina Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 2:00 to 3:00

Coffee Klatch Friday, July 4th 10:30 am TBD

Food Trucks are Back!

Pre-Hispanic Mexican Cuisine, Wednesday, July 9th 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm

Ice Cream Truck, Friday, July 25, 12:30 to 1:30

Line Dancing @ the Clubhouse Fri., July 11th, 6 pm to 8 pm. Donation: $1 to $5 Beginners Welcome!

New Resident Welcome & Hobby Faire, Saturday, August 16 More information to follow.

Woodland Estates Activities Calendar

Walking Group

Monday-Friday, 7:30 am

Meet at Park Street Circle near clubhouse

Pickleball (All levels) Tennis Court

Tuesday 1:00 pm

Thursday and Saturday

Times Vary with season

Call Marisa Flynn for times: (408) 499-6590

Bocce Ball

Bocci Ball Courts Behind clubhouse

Tuesdays @ 10:00 Thursdays @ 6:00 pm

Call Teri Morton (408) 314-2468

Peeps Just Wanna’ Have Fun Crafts Classes

Wed., 10:30 am. Sign up on the class list in the clubhouse.

Call Barbara Schroeder (209) 480-3268 or Sandy Lesnewsky (831) 246-1091

A little reminder, we always post digital copies of The Breeze on the website, and we’ll e-mail electronic copies to those who request it, but have moved out of the park. All you have to do is make a request.

History of Cards

Cont. from pg. 11

printing using the printing press (invented in 1440), which made card playing become very popular. Since the population was now spending more time playing cards, of course the religious authorities of the day designated card playing and dice games as “from the Devil”, and people were prohibited from playing, except on Public Holidays.

There was even a concerted effort to stamp out playing cards completely in England in 1526, under King Henry Vlll, who wanted to switch men’s energy to archery. In 1591 several men were indicted for being absent from church and playing cards instead, and these men were sentenced to a week of working on the highways. As time went on, card playing became acceptable again, except by the servants who were prohibited from playing.

The cards were organized more like our modern decks in the seventeenth century, with each of the four suits consisting of King, Queen, Knight, and Valet (or Knave), and ten numeral cards in each suit, making 56 cards per deck. Each of the picture cards had characters who were elaborately dressed in the fashion of the day.

Originally, the King was mounted on a horse and the Queen was seated. Eventually the Knight was dropped from the deck, and the Knave became the Jack, making a total of 52 cards.

Another innovation was that the picture cards became double-ended, to avoid the need to turn the cards rightway-up, which would have clued-in your opponents to the fact that you had picture cards.

At the time of the French Revolution (1789-1794), the lowest card, number one, became the highest card, the Ace, symbolizing the equality of the peasants to the King. The division of the four suits into two suits of red and two of black around this time made the playing much simpler.

In England the government put a tax on playing cards, and the decks could not leave the factory until this tax had been paid. The Ace of Spades was hand stamped to show that the tax had been paid, and this is why the Ace of Spades still has elaborate designs and has become a

• King George III

• 2.5 million

• Philadelphia

• July 4, 1801, when Thomas Jefferson was president

• 13 times

How did you do? ________ 5=100% 4=80% 3=60% 2=40% 1=20%

Puzzles and Word Games you can

SPORTS Summer Birdie Game

ARCHERY

BADMINTON

BASEBALL

BOXING

CRICKET

CYCLING

FOOTBALL

GOLF

GYMNASTICS

ICE HOCKEY

JUDO

KARATE

RUGBY

RUNNING

SKATING SOCCER

SURFING

SWIMMING

TABLE TENNIS

TENNIS

TRACK AND FIELD WRESTLING

Across 1.Actor Pitt

5.Make over

9.Place to hibernate

10.Face shape

11.Pakistani language

12.Darn, as socks

13.Goes on board again

15.Kind of tax

16.Philosophical doctrine

22.Centers of activity

23.Germany’s __ von Bismarck

24.Crude group?

25.Snaillike

26.Work station

27.Joie de vivre

Down 1.Smudge

2.Hard to find

3.Adjutant

4.Chicken order

5.Aquiline facial part

6.“... happily __ after”

7.Clammy

8.Cutlass, e.g.

14.Life story, in brief

16.Walk heavily

17.Easy gait

18.Top guns

19.“__ do you good”

20.Ancient gathering place

21.Cut

How to solve sudoku puzzles

The headline is a clue to the answer in the diagonal.

July Sudoku

No math is required to solve a sudoku. You only need logic and patience.

Simply make sure that each 3x3 square region has only one instance of the numbers 1-9. Similarly, each number can only

appear once in a column or row in the larger grid. The difficulty on this puzzle is easy.

TRIVIA TEASER

We're All Good

1. "Good Ol' Boys," sung by Merle Haggard, was the theme song for what TV show? a-"B.J. and the Bear," b-"The Dukes of Hazzard," c-"Our House," d-"Carter Country."

2.In which Coen Brothers movie did John Goodman play Vietnam vet Walter Sobchak? a-"The Big Lebowski," b-"Barton Fink," c-"O Brother, Where Art Thou?," d-"Fargo."

3.What is the name of the attorney played by Julianna Margulies on "The Good Wife"? a-Susan Rakoff, b-Anne Osborne, c-Caroline Julian, d-Alicia Florrick.

4. "Good Lovin'" was the first #1 song for what band in the 1960s? a-The Rascals, b-Paul Revere and the Raiders, c-The Turtles, d-The Troggs.

5.What poet wrote that "good fences make good neighbors?" a-Robert Frost, b-William Dean Howells, c-William Carlos Williams, d-Ezra Pound.

6. What European explorer discovered the Cape of Good Hope? a-Jacques Cartier, b-Bartholomeu Dias, c-John Cabot, d-Henry Hudson.

7.What TV clown spoke only once on TV, during the final telecast of Howdy Doody's show, by saying "Goodbye, kids"? a-Cliffy, b-Bozo, c-Clarabelle, d-Krusty.

8."Different is good" was a slogan used to promote what fast food chain? a-Wendy's, b-Domino's Pizza, c-Taco Bell, d-Arby's.

9.What detective was introduced by John D. MacDonald in the 1964 novel "The Deep Blue Goodbye"? a-Thomas Linley, b-Peter Wimsey, c-Travis McGee, d-Nero Wolfe.

10. What actor was the subject of Gene Fowler's 1944 biography "Good Night, Sweet Prince"? a-Errol Flynn, b-John Barrymore, c-Glenn Ford, d-George Sanders.

QUOTES

Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.

Leon J. Suenes, cardinal

You can always find the sun within yourself if you will only search.

Maxwell Maltz

Always listen to experts. They'll tell you what can't be done and why. Then do it.

Robert A. Heinlein

Appreciation is a wonderful thing; it makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.

Francois-Marie Arouet de Voltaire

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act but a habit.

Aristotle

Never say anything about yourself you do not want to come true.

Brian Tracy

What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.

Nelson Mandela

The best revenge is massive success.

Frank Sinatra

Speech is the mirror of the soul; as a man speaks, so he is.

Publilius Syrus

The impossibles are often the untried.

Jim Goodwin

The Lighter Side

Then and now

A tour guide was showing a tourist around Washington, D. C. The guide pointed out the place where George Washington supposedly threw a dollar across the Potomac River. "That's impossible," said the tourist. "No one could throw a coin that far!"

"You have to remember," answered the guide. "A dollar went a lot farther in those days."

Water Formula

Little Johnny's teacher asks, "What is the chemical formula for water?"

Little Johnny replies, "H-I-J-K-L-MN-O!!"

The teacher, puzzled, asks, "What on Earth are you talking about?"

Little Johnny replies, "Yesterday you said it was H to O!"

Fast Drinker

A man goes into a bar and seats himself on a stool. The bartender looks at him and says, "What'll it be buddy?"

The man says, "Set me up with seven whiskey shots and make them doubles." The bartender does this and watches the man slug one down, then the next, then the next, and so on until all seven are gone almost as quickly as they were served. Staring in disbelief, the bartender asks why he's doing all this drinking.

"You'd drink them this fast too if you had what I have."

The bartender hastily asks, "What do you have, pal?"

The man quickly replies, "I have a dollar."

Answers to 'We're All Good' 1-b, "The Dukes of Hazzard" 2-a, "The Big Lebowski" 3-d, Alicia Florrick

4-a, The Rascals

5-a, Robert Frost 6-b, Bartholomeu Dias 7-c, Clarabelle 8-d, Arby's 9-c, Travis McGee 10-b, John Barrymore

July 2025 Calendar

NATIONAL ICE CREAM MONTH.

DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH.

NATIONAL ICE CREAM MONTH.

NATIONAL HOT DOG MONTH

NATIONAL WATERMELON MONTH.

NATIONAL PARK AND RECREATION MONTH.

NATIONAL GRILLING MONTH.

NATIONAL INDEPENDENT LIVING MONTH, IDFA.ORG

Events

1, Canada Day.

1, International Joke Day. Celebrated to encourage humor and laughter, often marked by sharing jokes on social media and in communities.

2, World UFO Day. Recognizes the fascination with extraterrestrial life, often tied to the 1947 Roswell incident; encourages sky-watching and discussions on alien existence.

3, Battle of Gettysburg ended, 1863. The Civil War’s turning point, a 162-year milestone, but significant for its lasting impact on U.S. history; Union victory halted Confederate advances. (Note: Slightly outside 150-year range but included for prominence.)

3-11, Dog Days Of Summer.

4, Independence Day. 249th year. Celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

5, Bikini debuted, 1946. The modern bikini was introduced by Louis Réard in Paris, a 79-year milestone that revolutionized fashion and cultural norms.

5-27, Tour De France.

7, World Chocolate Day. Commemorates the introduction of chocolate to Europe

in 1550; celebrated with chocolate-themed events and indulgence globally.

10, July full moon. Buck Moon.

11, World Population Day. UN observance highlighting global population issues, such as sustainability and reproductive health; marked by awareness campaigns.

12, Malala Day. Honors Malala Yousafzai’s advocacy for girls’ education, recognized by the UN on her birthday; promotes education access worldwide.

14, Bastille Day, 1789. French Revolution’s storming of the Bastille.

15, World Youth Skills Day. UN day to promote skill development for young people, addressing employment and economic growth challenges.

16, Apollo 11 launched, 1969. NASA’s mission to the moon began, a 56-year milestone; led to the first human moon landing, a landmark in space exploration.

16, National Hot Dog Day. U.S. food holiday celebrating hot dogs, typically with cookouts and promotions by restaurants; date varies but often mid-July.

17, Disneyland opened, 1955. Walt Disney’s first theme park debuted in Anaheim, California, a 70-year milestone for global entertainment and pop culture.

17, World Emoji Day. Celebrates the cultural impact of emojis, first popularized in the late 1990s.

18, Nelson Mandela International Day. UN day honoring Mandela’s legacy of peace and equality, encouraging 67 minutes of community service.

19, First Women’s Rights Convention, 1848. Seneca Falls Convention.

20, Moon Landing, 1969. Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon 56 years ago.

22, World Brain Day. Promotes awareness of neurological disorders and brain health, organized by the World Federation of Neurology.

22, Pi Approximation Day. Celebrates the mathematical constant (22/7 in date format); marked by math enthusiasts with puzzles and educational events.

24-27, Comic Con. San Diego.

24, Pioneer Day (Utah). Commemorates Mormon pioneers’ arrival in Salt Lake Valley in 1847.

25, Korean War began, 1950. North Korea’s invasion of South Korea started the conflict, a 75-year milestone shaping Cold War geopolitics.

26, Islamic New Year.

26, Americans with Disabilities Act signed, 1990. U.S. legislation prohibiting disability discrimination.

28, World Hepatitis Day. UN day raising awareness about viral hepatitis and promoting prevention and treatment access.

28, World Nature Conservation Day. Highlights the need to protect natural resources and biodiversity, encouraging sustainable practices globally.

29, International Tiger Day.

30, International Day of Friendship.

31, National Mutt Day, Web: nationalmuttday.com. Also celebrated Dec. 2

31, World Ranger Day. Honors park rangers’ role in protecting natural and cultural heritage, raising awareness about their challenges and contributions.

July is UV Safety Month

Find the right shades to protect your eyes

Sunglasses aren't just a fashion statement -- they prevent eye strain, improve vision in bright light, block ultraviolet rays, and help protect the fragile skin around the eyes from skin cancer. They also shield your eyes from floating debris like dust, pollen, and insects. Whether you're scrounging a convenience store rack or browsing in a high-end department store for your next pair of shades, here's what to look for:

propriate for very bright conditions.

*Check the labeling to ensure that the lenses fully block UV rays. The tag may say it offers 100 percent UV protection, UV absorption up to 400nm, or UV400 protection. If the glasses aren't labeled with the protection level, choose something else.

*Choose lenses that block enough (but not too much) light. The amount of light that filters through sunglasses is called visible light transmission, or VLT. Sunglasses with 20 to 40 percent VLT are good for all-purpose use, but lower than 20 percent may only be ap-

*Check the label to see if the lenses are polarized. This anti-glare coating can reduce eyestrain and make objects appear clearer in bright light, which makes it especially useful for outdoor activities. But polarized objects can also make it difficult to see some screens and car dashboard controls, so they may not be the best choice in every instance. Both polarized and non-polarized lenses can be equally effective at blocking UV rays, so it's good to have both options on hand.

*Look for larger lenses that provide more coverage. Wraparound sunglasses are also a good choice and can block UV light along your temples.

* If you wear glasses, consider investing in a pair of sunglasses with prescription lenses or buy sunglasses that are designed to fit over your regular glasses. Make sure that your prescription sunglasses or over-the-glasses sunglasses provide appropriate UV protection. *

Shingles vaccine may stave off dementia

If you needed another compelling reason to get a shingles vaccine, look no further: The two-dose series of shots may also help prevent or delay dementia.

A new study published in April in the journal JAMA examined data from the health records of about 280,000 older adults across Australia, comparing a group of individuals who received a free shingles vaccine with another group that was slightly too old to qualify for the free vaccine program. Researchers found that over a period of 7.4 years, the vaccinated group was about 20 percent less likely to be diagnosed with dementia than the unvaccinated group, showing correlation but not causation.

According to the New York Times, it's the most compelling evidence to date that the shingles vaccine may reduce

dementia risk. While researchers have noted the link between the shingles vaccine and dementia in previous studies, they also had to account for healthier lifestyles and other characteristics that are known to lower dementia risk.

Researchers theorize that the shingles vaccine prevents the neuroinflammation that occurs when the varicellazoster virus, which causes both chicken pox and shingles, reactivates after decades of dormancy. The vaccine may also deliver a protective effect when it activates the immune system.

But even without the anti-dementia benefits, the shingles vaccine is a good choice for most older adults. Shingles rashes can be excruciatingly painful and if left untreated, can cause complications like postherpetic neuralgia, or intense nerve pain, or permanent eye damage. *

Health in the News

USDA moves to stop cattle parasite

The United States Department of Agriculture halted halted imports of live cattle, horses, and bison through the Mexican border after New World screwworm was detected at Mexican farms. According to CNN, the burrowing parasite can cause infections and death in affected animals, and can devastate herds and spread to humans. The USDA says that it will reevaluate the import ban on a monthly basis.

Energy drink ingredient linked to cancer

New research shows that taurine, a common additive in energy drinks and naturally found in meats, fish, and eggs, is associated with increased risk of blood cancers. According to Fox News, leukemia cells can absorb taurine, which can promote further spread of the disease. Researchers say that methods to block taurine absorption in cancer cells may improve treatment outcomes for leukemia patients.

Hearing loss increases dementia risk

People with confirmed hearing loss are 32 percent more likely to develop dementia, say researchers from multiple universities in a new collaborative study. According to WTOP News, hearing loss overworks the brain, which diminishes key brain structures over time. The researchers say that early diagnosis and treatment is key to lowering dementia risk.

July 2025

SHOPPING & SERVICES DIRECTORY MHBGROUP

Community Magazines Since 1974

info@mobilehomeboard.com www.mobilehomeparkmagazines.com 1240-C Mtn. View/Alviso Rd. • Sunnyvale, CA 94089 (408) 744-1011 or (800) 828-8242 • Fax (408) 744-0870

Reader Response

From time to time we like to reach out to readers to gather feedback. This time we are looking to learn more about what advertisers or services you would like to see in your magazine.

You could let us know any of the following: A specific business (we would need their name and contact info), a type of business that you would like or a company you have used.

We do all of this to make sure we are providing you with access to companies that can help you in any number of ways. This is critical to the success of the magazine for both readers and advertisers. That is the partnership that has worked for over 40 years and still works today.

We would like to offer an incentive to any new advertiser you help us to get to advertise. For any new advertiser who wants to come on board we can offer a 10% discount on all 6 and 12 month ad contracts. The only condition is that they have never advertised before. We want new companies who can learn the benefits of advertising in your magazines.

We can be reached by email at readerresponse@mobilehomeparkmagazines.com or via phone (800)-828-8242 x3107.

13 Years Experience

Knowledgable of City Codes for Your Community

• Bath & Kitchen Tile

• Plumbing

• Window Replacement

• Repair Dryrot

• Siding & Skirting

• Decks & Awnings

• Water Heaters

• Painting Interior & Exterior

• Leveling/Earthquake Bracing

• Awnings

• Handrails

• Power Washing

• Roof Repairs Metal or Composition

• Deck Recarpet

References Available

Francisco Herrera dshomerepairs26@gmail.com

- LindaP.

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