Moon Valley Tattler January 2023

BLOCK WATCHER

BY BLANCHE LUKES

Thank you to all the Moon Valley Neighbors for participating in the most beautiful Christmas Eve tradition . I will never understand the people who don t. I am talking about putting our the lighted candles and the bags by the curb on Christmas eve. If one is not home surely there is a neighbor to back them up If I recall the Neighborhood Association that organized this event has given us 24,000 bags and candles to line our streets in Moon Valley on Christmas Eve. What a glorious event. Some of our neighbors went all out on decorating their houses. Seeing cars bumper to bumper driving our streets, taking in this event is fantastic.

So Block Captains and leaders, reach out to these people. There may be a special need there. Isn’t that what Moon Valley is, a caring community. This traditions has been with us since the late 1960’s.! I think it is even more spectacular because we have no street lights. The streets are very dark and just standing on the curb and looking up and down the street is awesome. I mentioned to a friend as we we coming home from a community event earlier in the week, that years ago a friend drove us through our community as a treat. I would not venture out anymore, but this generous person just started driving through Moon Valley. What a gift! Now that is the gift of the Christmas Spirit.

A NEW KITCHEN FOR future HOLIDAYS

BY TOM SERTICH, KIRK DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

If you have a large family and love to get together, your house can be the new gathering spot for Holidays and special occasions. Although it is too late this Christmas, early planning in 2023 will get you that new kitchen in time for the holidays. Many people wait until it is too late to plan, design and build a new kitchen, which creates a lot of stress.

Although it seems like a long way off, there are many components of remodeling you must go through in order to achieve the final product. First, begin with choosing a topof-the-line remodeling company. If you go with the lowest bid, you will probably end up with a product you will be very unhappy with. Work with a company that has been around for a long time and has a good track record of producing quality products. Second, work with the contractor to design the kitchen of your dreams. Make sure your contractor is a good listener. Work with a design/build remodeler who can help you stay on budget while designing your kitchen. Third, enter into an Agreement with your remodeler so you can begin purchasing the products and materials you will need for your project. You will need the cabinets, countertops, appliances, backsplash, and tile for flooring ready so your project will not be slowed down due to backordered products. Fourth will be the construction process. An early start will assure you that your project will be done when you need it. When your kitchen is done, you should look at it and say, WOW!! that is exactly what I wanted.

Call Kirk Development Company 602 944-3658 (Design/Build Remodeler) for a free in-home estimate and get that kitchen you have always wanted. 42 years in business.

Flerish Thrift + Gift stores resell community donated goods to support Civitan Foundation, Inc. and the more than 300 individuals with disabilities they serve.

Flerish Thrift + Gift also works with Civitan Foundation, Inc. to employ individuals with disabilities who work to not only increase their career skills, but to also transform the donations Flerish Thrift + Gift receives into beautiful pieces for shoppers to enjoy.

Items We Need You to Donate

Happy New Year! No doubt there are many questions in your mind about this New Year. Often at the beginning of the year we look back on the last 365 days, we think about what went right, and what went wrong. About the mistakes we made or the things, thoughts, and words we wish we could “do over”.

I say, don’t beat yourself up about any of that. 2023 like any new year is a chance for new beginnings, a new blank canvas, and a time to celebrate. The Moon Valley Tattler has been showing up in your driveway, mailbox, or corner rack for 43 years. And like many other businesses we are so blessed to be here serving the community in many aspects of sharing great stories, great foods, services, and mostly just GREAT people. Moon Valley is a strong community with so many deep roots and history. As we start this new year, I want to ask you to dig deep, send in something you remember from the past, something you know, someone who lives here now we would love to know. Or something to share about that long-term business that still serves us today, past matriarchs that contributed to so much of who we are today. Take a minute and send us a story, a photo, or secret sharing some of the great history or knowledge to communicate with this great community we call Moon Valley.

Here are just a few quotes to add to your daily meditations: Opportunities don’t happen. You create them.”

--Chris Grosser

“Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.”

--Grandma Moses

“Before you can make a dream come true, you must first have one.”

-- Ronald McNair

“Don’t be distracted by criticism. Remember-the only taste of success some people get is to take a bite out of you.”

--Zig Ziglar

“What good is success if you’re not willing to share it?”

-- Karl Malone

Help us share the great success in Moon Valley, Cheers to a HEALTHY AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Dawn Trapp

Estate Planning for your Incapacity

BY LIBBY BANKS, PLLC, THE LAW OFFICE OF LIBBY BANKS

As some of my previous articles have reminded you, estate planning isn’t just about who will get your assets on your death. It’s also about who will manage your assets and take care of you and your financial affairs if you become incapacitated. With proper planning, you decide that. Without proper planning a court may get to make the choice.

Incapacity means you are unable to make decisions for yourself. Incapacity can result from an accident, or arise from health issues, such as stroke, heart attack or dementia. If you are alive but can’t take care of your financial matters, a Will doesn’t help you – it’s only effective upon your death. You may have a power of attorney in place and believe this planning tool will effectively handle your affairs. But a power of attorney in Arizona only goes so far. Many clients who bring in their estate planning documents for review show me a power of attorney that is barely better than nothing at all. If there is a problem with your power of attorney, you don’t have one, or someone that holds your assets (like a bank) will not accept it, a probate court will have to appoint someone to manage those assets for you.

While you would probably prefer that your spouse or life partner manage your assets if you become incapacitated, the court will decide who will act for you. This can be a very big issue for unmarried couples. While the court may appoint your partner, it could also appoint a relative, and that may be the last thing you want or need. The court will also control how your assets are used to care for you until you recover or pass on. This public process is called a guardianship or conservatorship. It can be expensive, embarrassing, time consuming, and difficult to end. It does not replace probate at death so unless you plan ahead, your loved

The Revocable Living Trust is the best way to plan for incapacity. When you set up a Revocable Living Trust, you transfer assets from your name to the name of your trust, which you can control as the trustee. You name whoever you wish to take over as successor trustee upon incapacity and at death. That person steps into your shoes to take care of your financial affairs, without a court appointing them and without court intervention or constant oversight and scrutiny. All of your business stays private. If you recover, you resume your role as trustee of your trust.

The Revocable Living Trust is a better way to address incapacity than a power of attorney. The Revocable Living Trust: + Is readily accepted by financial institutions + provides detailed instructions and directions that a power of attorney does not + holds a successor trustee to a high fiduciary standard + allows your successor trustee to quickly and efficiently begin managing your assets to care for you and your finances

With a Revocable Living Trust in place, the successor trustee you have named will manage your assets if you are incapacitated.

But what about your health care decisions if you are unable to make them because of incapacity? You need three additional documents to assure you will be taken care of by those you want to be the decision makers. Those documents, called advance medical directives, include a Healthcare Power of Attorney (sometimes also called a Health Care Proxy), a Living Will, and a HIPAA Authorization. These important documents work together to allow your chosen person to direct your health care if you become incapacitated.

Be sure you are keeping these documents up-to-date. It’s a good idea to review your estate plan periodically and make sure it still meets your needs and desires, and is not so old that a healthcare provider will challenge whether they are still valid.

BY DR. PAUL STANTON SUPERINTENDENT, WESD

Greetings Partners and Community Members,

This is Dr. Paul Stanton, and I am honored to be the Superintendent of the Washington Elementary School District (WESD). As we begin the 2023 year, I want to take a moment to thank our incredible teachers, administrators, staff members, families and community members for their ongoing support of our students and District. I feel very fortunate to have such dedicated individuals part of our WESD Family. I am looking forward to all the greats things this year will bring as we continue embarking on this journey together. Happy New Year!

Mountain Sky Teachers Wins APS Supply My Class Awards

Our District is proud to recognize more WESD teachers who were honored with the APS Supply My Class Award! Congratulations to Mountain Sky Jr. High School teachers Stephanie Halls and Brittany Oddo. The APS Supply My Class program awards $500 to randomly selected teachers in APS service territory to help ensure they have the resources they need to support their students’ success. The WESD admires these teachers for all they do for their students and school community.

Mountain Sky Boys Basketball Wins District Championship

Congratulations to the Mountain Sky Jr. High School 7th Grade Boys Basketball team for winning the District championship! The team defeated the Palo Verde Middle School Panthers. The Mountain Sky 8th Grade Boys Basketball team also competed in the District championship but came up short after a hard fought battle against Palo Verde. We are so proud of all our students for displaying their talents and sportsmanship!

WESD to Host the Future is Bright in Kindergarten Events

Come see how bright the future is in WESD Kindergarten! We are proud to offer our kindergarten open house events on Tuesday, January 24th, 2023,

from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Available at 27 locations, these events will provide future kindergarteners and their families with opportunities to meet teachers, explore classrooms, receive important information about our KidSpace childcare program, transportation services and school meals, plus more!

The WESD District is currently enrolling kindergarten students for the 2023-2024 school year. Our free, full-day program offers a developmentally appropriate, research-based curriculum that addresses reading, writing, math, science, social studies, physical education and art, with time for fun and interaction!

If you or someone you know has a child turning five before September 1st, 2023, we encourage you to join us! The WESD looks forward to meeting our newest kindergartners! To learn more about kindergarten enrollment, please call 602-896-6950 or visit https://www.wesdschools.org/kindergarten

Meaningful Employment

Tracy, Member

Person-Centered Learning

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ing it is

experience how

Accessible Camping Experiences

a place where

is really well trained and understand how

interact with Jacob in a way that’s respectful and allows him to fully participate, and grow, and learn things, but not at a rate or in a way that’s frustrating.

Community Exploration

Francis also asked and answered questions about fashion, style, and is interested in becoming a model through the FABRIC resources. She was thrilled to see the photography studio, make up and hair spaces, and the recording studio at FABRIC.

They got great people here, and you’ll have a lot of fun, & you’ll enjoy yourself.

Kathy, Camper

Transformational Growth

Overall, my time at camp has made me realize a new passion I have for individuals who are not always understood and accepted as they should be…I will always believe that no disability should define any individual and their capabilities.

Briella, Volunteer

Anthony’s Story

It has been a nine-year journey since he walked into my class at Civitan, just for the fun of it, to now, becoming sta , and teaching members how to develop their skills just like he did. He has found his calling.

Foundation

Moon Valley Tattler

Vicki, Mother

James, Father

“I love dressing the mannequins and doing the display cases. I love seeing my work on display. My favorite thing is when a customer buys one of my mannequin displays. It makes me feel proud.”

Merilee Adams, Art Director with Civitan

Let’s Talk About Body fat

BY ANDY FEIGUM, FITNESS DIR. AT ANYTIME FITNESS

There are three different types of fat cells in the body: white, brown, and beige. White fat cells are the ones most associated with body fat. It’s made up of large, white cells that are stored under the skin or around the organs in the belly, arms, buttocks, and thighs. These fat cells are the body’s way of storing energy for later use. White fat also plays a significant role in the regulation of critical hormones such as growth hormone, insulin, and estrogen. Brown fat is primarily found in infants as it aids in the regulation of body temperature although trace amounts can still be found in adults. Beige fat is the result of white fat being converted when the body is stressed through heat, cold, or exercise. Beige fat is currently believed to aid the body in converting fat into energy although more research is needed before scientists know for sure.

Fat cells can be stored in three ways: essential, subcutaneous, or visceral fat. Essential fat is necessary for a healthy, functional body. Subcutaneous fat is most of our body fat. It’s the fat that you can squeeze or pinch on your arms, belly, thighs, and buttocks. Visceral fat is found in the abdomen amongst the major organs. It can be very dangerous in high levels. A high body fat percentage, and in particular the presence of visceral fat, can increase your risk for a number of diseases.

To encourage the body to use fat as an energy source, make sure you are consistently using more calories than you consume. If you are unsure of how many calories you should be consuming compared to how many you are using or if you feel like your current exercise routine could use some updating, or if you just have questions about anything diet and exercise related, please stop by the gym and talk to me or any of our certified trainers, we are here to help you achieve any and all of your fitness goals!

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MOON VALLEY MAGIC

BY DEBBIE ERBSTOESSER

I never patronize a store on major holidays. I don’t think it’s right that people have to work and miss their time with family and friends, so I was super happy to see that Fry’s Marketplace was going to be closed for Christmas. I saw a manager and told him I approved! Actually, my exact words were, “It’s about bloody time!”

I am so committed to not shopping on a big day, that the year we ran out of butter for our Thanksgiving mashed potatoes back in the ‘90s, I used sour cream instead and it was so yummy that we add sour cream all the time now.

I’m not closed for business . . .yet, though I have been writing MVM for 13 years. I just totally spaced the December deadline. November was my 13th Moon Valley Magic anniversary and I didn’t mean to miss it. We traveled for Thanksgiving, and we never do. Although it set me back in getting ready for Christmas, I wouldn’t change a thing. All five of us had so much fun with my sister and her family. It actually wouldn’t matter where we went, as long we’re together. Being with our adult sons is a blessing we don’t take for granted. When it’s over and they go back to their places, Gary and I are profoundly sad. Even though I try to give myself a pep talk about how lucky we are that they live locally, the melancholy comes anyway. Now it’s onward to a new year with all of its possibilities.

I hope your holidays were blessed too.

BY FROSTY KROENING

Dell Trailor’s Hillcrest 2 was begun fifty plus years ago. Members of Hillcrest Improvement Association decided to celebrate over 50 years of good planning and fun at the annual meeting. We began the celebration in October 2022 with a banner and poster.

Hillcrest 2 is one of many Dell Trailor developments in and around Moon Valley, Scottsdale, Sun City, and other locations. The inspiration for the style and building techniques came from Mexico where typhoons develop in the Pacific Ocean and strike coastal towns. Concrete blocks filled with vermiculite are sturdy and they insulate the homes very well in the desert. The Spanishinspired courtyards and wrought iron gates (all different) are striking entrances to the homes (also each a bit different in aspect and plan). Many of the homes are zero-lot-line built, meaning that one side of the home is right on the edge of the property line. This means that yards on one side can be large.

The best features of this intentional type of development are the central gathering spaces and eight cul-de-sac design which foster parties and daily walks where we get to know our neighbors very well over time. There is a sense of celebration and safety because people care and help each other. Other communities, though they do not have the same planning, do the same in Moon Valley. Block Watch groups are key to neighborliness and safety...and also fun! Dell Trailor and the builder had a creative idea about how to foster quality interactions between families. With 50 plus years of success and fun! We are grateful.

Hillcrest 2 is a senior community with 45-year-and-up people. We have residents 45 to the mid-90s. Some of the older residents are our most active participants! No child younger than 19 is allowed to live here. We do, however, love watching grandchildren play and swim with us. Hillcrest 2 is self-managed, meaning resident volunteers do the work. We are proud of these people who share their expertise in creating a quality community and try to keep dues low.

We are happy to be located in Moon Valley. Have you noticed that the moon is especially bright here? In fact, like a spot light creating shadows at night!

Please share your stories about your neighborhood in and near Moon Valley.

Our assisted living is about the whole family and the whole

Of course, we can help you with your daily needs. But did you know you will also have options for fitness, activities, healthy fine dining, and more?

And assisted living services are tailored to you, so you’ll get just the right amount of help you need, when you request it. No matter if you need a little help or a lot, you’ll be amazed by the difference.

Remember in the film “The Usual Suspects” when Benicio del Toro utters the famous lines: “He’ll flip ya. Flip ya for real.” We all thought he was portraying a criminal being interrogated by the police. I suggest he was actually playing a real estate investor, getting in early on the home “flipping” craze.

In recent articles I have stated that “flipper” activity is probably down, because the cost of money is too high, which cuts into the profitability of such enterprises. This was just a supposition on my part. I didn’t really do any actual research. It just makes sense.

Maybe I was wrong. I still see the ads on TV. “I’ll buy your home, pay you out in cash and you can live there for up to 6 months while you find a new place to live.” Boy, does that sound promising. Some even offer to let you remain in your home rent free. It probably depends on how well-healed the investors are.

What is “flipping?” My definition is when an investor buys a house, fixes it up a little or a lot (perhaps), and markets it for a tidy profit.

FHA has flipping rules in place. Homes resold within 90 days of purchase, by the “flipper,” are difficult to finance with an FHA mortgage (some exceptions apply). Homes resold within 91 to 180 days of purchase, where the selling price is 100% or more higher than the purchase price require a second appraisal. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not as restrictive, but the underwriters closely scrutinize “quick resale” transactions as well. This explains why the seller gets to remain in the home for an extended period after the sale. Even if they are not charging rent, someone is there to stifle vandalism, and they legally get past the flipping restrictions imposed by the lenders.

Don’t get me wrong, flipping is not all bad. We bought our current home from a “flipper.” For the most part, we are happy with the purchase. Frankly, we were between a rock and a hard place. We had sold our previous home and only had so many days to vacate. The renovation work was pretty well done. It appears the flippers were experienced.

We have spent lots of money on the home in the last five years, but all on upgrades we wanted to make. We really haven’t had to repair shoddy workmanship.

My only problem with “flippers” is that during a hot market, like we experienced for the past several years, they make it difficult for “first-time” buyers to be successful. Homes in that price range become scarce. And, it is hard to compete with a cash buyer.

If you are in the market for a different home, I wouldn’t shy away from a “flipped” home. Just be aware with whom you are dealing, and do not waive a home inspection! In today’s market, you might find a real deal. Get pre-qualified and start looking. You will be glad you did.

Surgery: No added Benefit

For musculoskeletal conditions, conservative care is your best bet.

Musculoskeletal means anything involving the muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones, joints or soft tissue. Your doctor of chiropractic is an expert in treating musculoskeletal conditions without drugs or surgery. But too often, surgery is a suggested treatment route for MSK conditions, even though the research suggests surgery is no more effective than nonsurgical treatment.

A 2022 review and analysis of previous studies evaluated the potential benefits vs. harms of various interventions with and without surgery for nonfracture musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions in adults.1 One hundred studies involving a total of 12,645 patients were selected, representing 28 different conditions at nine body sites including the neck, low back, shoulder, pelvis, hip and knee.

The review authors sought to estimate the benefits and harms of various interventions with and without surgery by looking at outcomes for patientreported pain, physical function, quality of life, and serious adverse events (SAEs) for some of the more common musculokskeletal conditions.

Except for some spinal conditions, pain data on nine of 13 conditions, function data on 11 of 11 conditions and quality-of-life data on nine of nine conditions found  no clinically relevant differences between interventions with and without surgery. For SAEs, 13 of 16 conditions with data; and for death, 16 of 16 conditions, found no differences in harms between surgery vs. no surgery.

Of the remaining four of 13 conditions with pain data, while surgery appeared to lead to a greater improvement of at least moderate effect size for cervical disc herniation (three studies), lumbar spinal stenosis (five studies), sacroiliac joint pain (two studies), and chronic low back pain (five studies), it did not demonstrate greater improvement in either function or quality of life.

In addition, only 14 percent of studies comparing surgery to placebo surgery, nonsurgical intervention or no intervention demonstrated statistically significant and clinically relevant benefits for surgery.

This isn’t the first time research has suggested most musculoskeletal conditions should be treated nonsurgically, rather than surgically. Per a 2021 study, “The low certainty of evidence does not support recommending surgery over nonsurgical alternatives for most MSK conditions with available RCTs. The lack of supporting evidence for surgery was recently confirmed by an umbrella review of meta-analyses.”2

The study notes that MSK conditions are the second most common indication for surgery worldwide, exceeded only by unintentional injuries. A previous systematic review suggested MSK surgeries have fewer supporting RCTs compared to other surgical procedures, and that less than 1 percent compared surgery to not performing the surgical procedure.3

And the authors of a 2017 study stated, “By quantifying benefits and harms and assessing risk of bias, our study adds weight to previous research and suggests that, for many conditions, best practice nonsurgical interventions are viable alternatives to surgery. Even for patients where nonsurgical treatment is not sufficiently effective, evidence supporting the effects of surgery is missing. For some conditions, surgery is even recommended against by clinical guidelines and does not provide additional benefit to nonsurgical treatment.”4

Interestingly, some studies have demonstrated that  even after surgery, the costs5 and need for further nonsurgical care6-7 can be high, suggesting that undergoing successful surgery in terms of improved pain and function is not necessarily associated with reduced societal burden of MSK conditions; or does not necessarily result in the surgical intervention being more cost-effective as an alternative or in addition to nonsurgical intervention.6, 8

These results, when combined with previous research, further support nonsurgical interventions as first-line care for musculoskeletal conditions for

pain reduction, increased physical function, improved quality of life and fewer serious adverse events.

References

Skou ST, Poulsen E, Bricca A, et al. Benefits and harms of interventions with surgery compared to interventions without surgery for musculoskeletal conditions: a systematic review with meta-analysis. JOSPT, 2022;52(6):312-344.

Blom AW, Donovan RL, Beswick AD, et al. Common elective orthopaedic procedures and their clinical effectiveness: umbrella review of level 1 evidence. BMJ, 2021;374:n1511.

Harris IA, Sidhu V, Mittal R, Adie S. Surgery for chronic musculoskeletal pain: the question of evidence. Pain, 2020;161:S95-S103.

Siemieniuk RAC, Harris IA, Agoritsas T, et al. Arthroscopic surgery for degenerative knee arthritis and meniscal tears: a clinical practice guideline. BMJ, 2017; 57:j1982.

Kroslak M, Murrell GAC. Surgical treatment of lateral epicondylitis: a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Am J Sports Med, 2018;46:1106-1113.

Kiadaliri AA, Englund M, Lohmander LS, et al. No economic benefit of early knee reconstruction over optional delayed reconstruction for ACL tears: registry enriched randomised controlled trial data. Br J Sports Med , 2016;50:558563.

Multanen J, Uimonen MM, Repo JP, et al. Use of conservative therapy before and after surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome. BMC Musculoskelet Disord , 2021;22:484.

Skou ST, Roos EM, Laursen MB, et al. Cost-effectiveness of total knee replacement in addition to non-surgical treatment: a 2-year outcome from a randomised trial in secondary care in Denmark. BMJ Open , 2020;10:e033495

Back To The Present Moment

By Jena Ritchie, Moon Valley Chiropractic

It was the year 2000, Y2K still headlined the papers, PlayStation 2 was just being released, and Moon Valley Chiropractic had just opened its doors at 7th Street and Coral Gables in Moon Valley Plaza. That was more than two decades ago. Dr. Jamey Reichow was an aspiring Chiropractic Student. Community service was already a passion and he could often be found volunteering services to local school athletes, or offering his time to Help for Brain Injured Children.

In 2007, Dr. Reichow was actively treating high performance athletes for our professional Arizona sports teams. He also frequently cared for Olympic athletes, weekend warriors, and patients of all ages and abilities- ranging from infants to the elderly. Upon meeting Dr. Gary Grover in 2010, Dr. Reichow quickly became a pillar of the Moon Valley Chiropractic team. Dr. Grover had already retired once before from a pioneering chiropractic career and the two became great business allies, fast friends, and even golf partners.

Longtime local resident, Cary Kruse shared he “was sad to see Dr. Grover retire, but he and Dr. Reichow are two of the very best Chiropractors he’s ever known… each very professional and pleasant.” They have complementary personalities and a similar work style. Both are family-focused, community-oriented sports enthusiasts, and are genuinely concerned with diligence toward patient care priorities.

Fast forward to the present moment, Dr. Jamey Reichow diligently continues his service to the Moon Valley Community for more than decade now. He commits to carry forward the enduring legacy of the Moon Valley neighborhood namesake chiropractic clinic; keeping pace with industry advancements and conscientious treatments plans that are personalized to the unique needs of every individual patient. Ushering in 2023 and beyond, Dr. Reichow says “the mission remains the same!”

To schedule an appointment with Moon Valley Chiropractic, please call our office directly at 602.298.0292. Wishing everyone a healthy, pain-free, and prosperous New Year!

box of confidential documents to take to a shredding event. Bring any amount of paper for shredding to ABCO Shredding Services located at 2640 E Rose Garden Lane, Suite 4, in Phoenix 85050.

You may watch the shredding of your documents 8am until 2:30 pm M –F or just drop them off from 8am until 4pm. Either option will have a Certificate of Destruction on your receipt. The cost for paper shredding is only $.55 per pound or a minimum fee of $15 if the weight is less than

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by Paula G. Cullison

Jay Keene took the words of the Bard, William Shakespeare, to heart: “All the world’s a stage; and all the men and women merely players.”

I met Jay a few years ago when he joined the Literary Salon at Desert Foothills Library. No matter the theme of our discussions, Jay would always add a reference to a play or film.

Theater arts found him or he found it many moons ago. Now at 94, Jay reflected on his life and times recently during our long coffee talk.

Jay, a self-proclaimed Francophile because he is fond of Paris and its culture, is in fact a world traveler. He has visited 48 countries where his first stop is the local theaters and museums. Jay’s Irish eyes sparkle as he recalls some of his favorites.

I hung on to every word of his recollections, as I recalled my own international travel experiences. We also shared our love for the wonders of New York City, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Broadway

A Baltimore native, Jay spent 30 years of his life as a professor of Theater Arts at Queens College of the City of New York from 1962 to 1993. That campus is located near the NY World’s Fair where I worked the summer 0f ‘64 while I was at college. Our paths could have crossed many times.

A veteran, Jay enlisted in the US Army in 1946 to receive college tuition benefits, namely, a BFA in Theatre Arts from The University of Arizona in 1952 and MFA from the Yale School of Drama in 1955 where he studied costume, scenery and lighting design. His Master’s thesis was in Theatre Architecture.

In 1955 He started teaching design at Stephens College in Missouri and then Skidmore College. I learned that Jay was one of the founding members of the US Institute of Theatre Technology while he was teaching at Skidmore. In 1962 He became the resident designer and professor at the newly opened Queens College Theater - CUNY.

In 1969 Jay took a 6-month Sabbatical to study European theatre, and spent the month of April in Paris. During this time, he caught the travel-bug; and thus began his international travels. Retiring in 1993, Jay moved back to Arizona.

Paula G. Cullison, a long time Moon Valley resident, is a local travel writer and photographer. Her article on Anne Lorimor who set the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest person and the oldest woman to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro @ age 89 appeared in the Moon Valley Tattler Sept 2019. Anne has since hiked the Inca Trail in Peru @age 92. Contact:paulacullison@aol.com

Flat Tires

BY LEON TRY ME BIKE SHOP

Bike riding is fun until you get the dreaded flat tire. What to do? Riding home with a flat is one choice. Not good for the tire or rim. Pushing the bike home is a lot of work. Locking the bike up and walking home is a easy solution. Calling for a ride that take your bike also is a great choice. Airing up the tire at a station sometimes will get you home. Better way is to fix the flat. Bring a extra tube,pump and few hand tools. Front wheel is a easy fix. Rear wheels can take more time. E bikes have a extra power wire to disconnect. But this isn’t difficult it is about 3 inches from the rear axle. It is easily unplugged . Don’t forget to plug it back it has 2 arrows to line up you can do it. Make sure you check for what caused the flat. Or you get to fix it again. You can fix it walking home is no fun. May there be no flats in your life.

Rookie Mom: You Are Opulent in Currency

BY BRIGHID CONSTABLE

I really like this idea: “You are opulent in currency.”

Sometimes we think the word “currency” means “money” because that’s when we mostly hear it being applied. (I mean, who wouldn’t want to be financially wealthy?)

But, I invite you to rethink the word “currency.”

In Energy Education, their definition is: “Electricity is the classic example of an energy currency.

An energy currency is simply some transformed form of energy that came from a primary source, but is easier to use, transport, or store.”

Therefore, when I think about what energy currency I can “use,” it’s something I already have that’s for free… and that I want to share with others selflessly.

For example, I am opulent in kindness, open-mindedness, silliness, love, family-driven intentions, and authenticity.

People can feel that from me and it’s what I give to them. Conversely, the joy that I feel from others in what they value is what they give to me.

So for this new year, I say we scrap the goals and get clear on what we already have so we may share that currency with others.

Because I truly believe that it’s in this giving that we then attract what we’re meant to have.

With that, I hope that your days in 2023 are filled with ease in receiving what you deserve.

Did you know by donating one pint of blood, you could save three lives? The Red Cross is still experiencing a critically low blood supply nationwide. As a part of their service-driven mission, Jackie Briggs and the team at Locality Homes are co-hosting another community blood drive with Jaime Kinman of Guaranteed Rate on Saturday, January 28th at North Redemption Church on the Southwest corner of 7th Street and Thunderbird. Participation in the blood drive requires registration at www.mvblooddrive.com and you can choose a time between 10am and 3pm for your donation. There is an emergency need for platelets, the clotting portion of blood, which must be transfused within five days of donation. Nearly half of all platelet donations are given to patients undergoing cancer treatments – a disease all too familiar to millions of Americans and their families. Blood adonations also help children and adults with blood disorders, traumatic injuries and more. Your donation makes these treatments possible and creates a lasting impact for the recipients and their families.

Come show your support by donating blood and receive a free Moon Valley hat in appreciation! Did you know you can give blood up to 6 times per year? To stay informed of future blood drives, community events, and service opportunities, sign up for the Locality Homes newsletter at www.LocalityHomes.com and connect on Instagram or Facebook @JackieBriggsAZ . We hope to see you at one of our future events!