Saturday, May 6, 2006: Still no rain, next 5 day forecast for temperature 95 to 98. Road construction is continuing, some of the pilings for the mile2 overpass are poured. They are busy removing the westbound bridge over the floodway. Construction pictures. All of our winter visitors are gone. There are a few motor homes here but don’t think any of them were winter visitors. If anyone back north has any news that you wish to share with the group, just drop me an email. Still now news on the lot rental rates. No other news from the park this week.

Saturday, April 29, 2006: We had 1 tenth of an inch of rain Tuesday night. There was a lot of thunder and lightning and some of the valley received quite a bit of rain. Temperature has been the 80’s this week, next 5 day forecast is for lower to middle 90’s.

Even as I was writing last week that I thought that they would not work on the mile 2 west bridge until they were finished with the floodway bridges, they were removing the inside 1/3 of both bridges. Guess I will just report what I see.

The trash dumpsters have been moved to the southwest corner of the park. I personally hope they will keep them there.

Caroline Robinson has sold her place and is moving back to Iowa this weekend. Dottie Mobley has sold her home and is moving back north shortly. Janet and Henry Bloom are leaving Monday to go north for the summer.

Louis & Marietta Breaux are having a BBQ Sunday. Louis had his knee’s replaced a few weeks ago and is doing very well. Dick Card has volunteered to supply & cook ham, mashed potatoes and gravy for a Mother’s Day potluck.

Saturday, April 22, 2006: Still have not had any rain. Weather is warm but not uncomfortable. Highs next 5 days expected to be in the upper 80’s to low 90’s. Even without any rain things in the park are still green. Not much else happening in the park. (My neighbor Home has a new coat of paint.)

The road construction is progressing at a fast pace, You will not recognize the area when you return in the fall. The north bridge across the floodway is finished, and all west bound traffic has been diverted to it and the old west bound bridge is closed. I think in another week the new east bound bridge will be finished. Shortly after that expect to see all east bound traffic using it. When all the construction across the floodway is finished these two bridges will be the frontage roads. By the end of June the old bridges will probably be gone and work on the new ones started. When all the construction is finished across the floodway the entrance and exit from the expressway to the frontage road and to mile 2 west will begin or end some distance from the east end of these bridges. Looks as if the bridge over mile 2 west may wait until after all of the bridges are finished over the floodway. Before next fall will let you know what to expect when you come back to the valley.

Saturday, April 15, 2006: I am planning on doing a newsletter this summer. Will try to include things that I think will be of interest to our park residents. I am sending this to a temporary list and will not send another to this list. To place your name on the permanent list email to list@mile2w.com with newsletter as the subject line. You do not have to leave a message. I will add the email address that you sent the message from to the permanent list.

I have updated the Units for Sale list on my web page, and have added units for rent to the list. If you have a unit for rent or sale here in the park, send me your information and I will add it. If you have any news that you would like to have me place on the web page or in this news letter send it to the above email address and I will try to post it to the web site or include it in the newsletter. I will not include any pictures with this letter. Any pictures will be placed on the internet with a link like the following so you may see or download the picture if you wish, that way it will not slow down your reception of this newsletter. www.mile2w.com/newsletter/checkpoint.htm

We have not had any rain this month, and the temperature is to be in the 90’s today. If you wish to see the most recent information on weather in the valley, you will find a weather icon at the bottom of my web page, just click on it and you will be taken to an Underground weather page with a complete local weather forecast.

Thursday, November 10, 2005: Haven’t been doing much with this page, will try to add something at least once a week for this winter. Quite a few of our winter residents have arrived. We have mostly a new staff in the office for this season, and we have a new Activities director. Delora Acosta. We will have our Veterans Day parade tomorrow afternoon, seems that I am to be the grand marshal? Our card games have all started with the exception of cribbage. We will start playing Bingo tonight. The weather is very pleasant, warm days and cool night. If you are here in the park or will be coming down, consider calling the office for tickets to the Mel Tillis show. Tomorrow, 9 –10 AM will be our first computer class for the season; the topic will be “Windows Desktop Your Way”. I have a projector now so that I can produce a picture from my computer that all can see, so should be able to give better instructions than in the past. We are moving the classes to Friday as was having several conflicts with other things that must be done on Saturday.

If anyone has news that they think would be of interest to our Paradise South family or friends back north, email it to me at“ news@elarnold.com “and I will post it here. If you would like to write an article on any of our park activities email it to me or use your note pad or about any word processor and give it to me on a disk.

The weather has cooled off some the last couple of days, We have had about an inch of rain. We are expecting some more showers to blow in today with the sea breeze. Some of our winter Texans have arrived, (Leona Mitchell, Bobbie Miller, & Muriel Lalonde), should be more in the next few weeks.

Posted 10/05/2005

Our weather is hot, with low humidity; here in the park that is the only effect of hurricane Rita. It did cause damage to the beaches at SPI. We had several RV’s from SPI here in the park for a couple of days. They have left now except for Ben Diesanti, who said that he would be here for a week.

August 25, 2005

Monday, May 16, 2005: Not much news. We did get .7 inch of rain this afternoon. Temperature has been mild forecast for the rest of the week is in the low to middle 90’s.

Monday, April 25, 2005: We had .2 of an inch of rain last night, the only rain we have had this month. There have been a few cloudy days but for the most part the days have been sunny with mild temp. I have added a weather gizmo to the bottom of my front page so that you can always see the present weather here in the valley.

Most of the winter residents have gone back north. Janet Bloom said Sunday that there was some snow in Michigan, and a resident from Iowa said that Iowa had a little snow. We were in Louisiana most of last week but don’t plan on another trip until the last of June. Will try and report on this page, any news that I think would be of interest to those of you back north. If any of you have any news that you think the rest of our park family would like to hear, please post it on the message board, or mail it to me so that I may include It on the web site. I would like someone from back north to post information about the Illinois picnic to the message board.

Monday, March 21, 2005: It’s getting on to the end of March and all of our activities are winding down. I hope all of you enjoyed your time here in the valley. Those of us who make our home here in the valley wish all of you a safe trip back to your homes in the north, and a good summer. We hope to see all of you back with us in the fall or early winter. My wife and I will be doing some traveling this summer, but I will try to keep everyone up to date as to what is going on here in the park. If any of you back north have any news that you think would be of interest to the rest of our encore family email me and I will try and post it to this site.

Thanks to all who attended the computer group discussions this season. Hope to see all of you in the fall.

Saturday October 16, 2004: We just returned to the valley, have been back north for a couple of weeks. * Joe Szabo is not doing well. * Howard Brammell is getting a pacemaker. * Edna is busy organizing activities, (A Halloween party, a Labor Day parade and a Welcome Back Party). * Yesterday was a beautiful day here in the park, sunshine, pleasant temperature, and no wind. * Quite a few of our winter residents have returned. * Jack & Georgia Baskett are moving their mobile to another park on Monday. Jim and Donna Meloy, Howard and Frieda Brammell and Lowell Hauenstein have sold their homes. You can click on (park units for sale) to see other homes here in the park.

Monday September 27, 2004: Shirley Johnson is in the hospital * Joe Szabo is in the hospital * Kathy and Larry Smith have sold their mobile home and moved back to Mo. * Edna Ashburn, our park activities director has arrived to start planning the coming seasons activities. * Since last post we have received a couple of inches of rain.

Saturday September 18, 2004: Yesterday’s rain was 1.7 inches, and it looks as if we will have more today. Rain is in the forecast for each day through Wednesday. * I think three of the units that were for sale here in the park have been sold, also that all of the units that I show are still for sale. If anyone has any different information let me know. If anyone else has a unit here in the park for sale, let me know and I will take a picture of it and place it in the park units for sale album on this web site. There is no charge for this. By listing your unit here if there is anyone back north that wishes to see your unit they can view it at this web site. If you wish to have more than the picture of the front unit, just let me know and I will place the pictures on the web site and supply a link so that anyone that wishes can also see those pictures. All I ask is that if you sell your unit or take it of the market you let me know so that I may remove it from the web site.

Wednesday September 15, 2004: We received 2.2 inches of rain last week, looks like we may get some more in the next few days. Ivan is already causing high surf along the coast even though it is some 700 miles to our east. * They are striping and waxing the floors in the hall.

Sunday September 1, 2004: Sunday and Monday we had .7 inches of rain, and yesterday afternoon, (Tuesday) we had 3.5 Inches of rain. We have had rain often enough that we have not had to water this summer.

Sunday June 27, 2004: We have received 2 ½ more inches of rain. * Went to Progresso, Mexico this afternoon, thought that there would not be to much of a crowd, but found it much larger than we expected, Only parking place we could find was two blocks south of the Canada store.

Wednesday June 23, 2004: We just returned to the valley today after being gone back north for a week to find that we received 6 inches of rain yesterday and last night.

Sunday June 13, 2004: This last week we received a total of 3 ½ inch of rain.

Monday June 7, 2004: It was cooler today; we had about ½ inch of rain last night and this morning. Don Foster arrived back in the park this last week from his trip to Kansas. Quite a few of our other full time residents are on extended trips.

Monday June 1, 2004: This last week three of our park residents have been the hospital for surgery. Cliff Stewart, Lee Mathews, and Perry Reed. If any of you need their address so that you may send them a card just email me and I will send it to you. erville@elarnold.com

Friday May 28, 2004: Received the following from Leone and Jean Sheve: Hi, just a word to tell you about Cliff and Mary. They called tonight from Mayo's and Cliff will have a two bi-pass surgery tomorrow. A niece is coming in to be with Mary. Cliff was in good spirit tonight and knows he needs to get this taken care of. He will be in the hospital about five to seven days. If I hear more I will let you know.

Saturday May 22, 2004: No rain, and quite warm this week and today is windy. I have taken 3 pictures of a palm tree at Leadbetters, thought it was interesting. Here is the link to the page with the pictures. Just click on the thumbnails to see the larger pictures. ( http://www.elarnold.com/palms/Palms.htm ) If anyone has any news for me to post here, just email me.

Sunday May 16, 2004: During the last 2 weeks we have had less than 2 tenths of an inch of rain. They did have a lot of rain at Brownsville and some flooding. Not much going on here in the park. Two of the palm trees are dying, think they were struck by lightning last winter.

Tuesday May 11, 2004: Received the following from Carrol Dunlap : The date for the Illinois Picnic is July 8th 2004 to be held at the Reynolds American Legion Building ( Reynolds Illinois. ) There will be activities starting the evening of July 7th. (Probably Dinner & gambling at one of the Casino’s, or just visiting.) There will be activities on Friday also. Come and enjoy. For information Call The Kimball's (Emogene & John ) at 309 -537-3371 or The Fuhr's ( Darlene & Ivan ) 309-795-1723.

We just returned this evening from Coushatta, at Kinder Louisiana. While we were we saw a concert by Sawyer Brown, a fantastic show, well worth our trip.

Monday May 03, 2004: The last couple of days have been cool, temperature the last 2 nights has been near 50 degrees. Had a little rain the night before last. Last week was Jeri’s last week in the office for this season, and they have gone back north. A lady from one of the other parks will be here in the mornings. No other news at this time. If any of you have any news that you wish to share, email it to me or post it on the message board.

Monday April 25, 2004: Night before last we had ¼ inch of rain and last night and this morning ½ inch. The temp. today was in the upper 70’s with little wind. You might wish to check the message board there is a message there, posted by Nancy Leadbetter. Not many left here in the park, and several of them leave this next week.

Monday April 12, 2004: Temperature has been in the upper 70’s today, yesterday it was in the 60’s and low 50’s last night, we had a front go through night before last and wind changed to the north. There was a little rain, though not much. We had a good rain last week of over 2 ½ inches. There was an explosion in Nuevo Progresso, Mexican officials said a gas leak Saturday triggered an explosion at about 8:30 a.m. that leveled a two-story cement building containing a restaurant and clothing stores. The blast also flattened a neighboring three-level shopping center where a dentist office, pharmacy and souvenir shops were located. The explosion killed six people and fourteen more were hospitalized; three of them initially in critical condition, police said.

Witnesses said the ground shook and a thick cloud of dust filled the air in the shopping district located about two blocks from the international bridge over the river that separates Mexico and the United States.

Monday March 29, 2004: We had a hard rain this afternoon. When I went out to check my rain gage it contained over 3 ½ inch of rain. My neighbor said that we had a good rain about 2 weeks ago, so my gage showed the total of both.

Thursday March 25, 2004: Most of our activities for the season are over. I wish all of you going back north a safe trip and a good summer. Let us hear from you. If you wish just click on the message board and leave your news there, or click on the email box at the bottom of my front page and send me email. When someone has the date for the Illinois picnic please leave a message on the message board. I will try to keep you up to date on any news from here in the park, by posting here or on the message board. When I receive the lot rental rates from the office I will post them, there will be a link to them on the left side of the front page. The rates shown there at this time are still the rates for this last season. Again have a good summer and hope to see all of you next fall.

Wednesday March 17, 2004: I have been gone for the last three weeks, have been back north to Wichita, Kansas. While I was there I took some pictures of race cars what will be running at 81 Speedway north of Wichita, and at other tracks around Kansas. If you are interested in seeing them there is a link on the front page to the album.

Friday January 16, 2004: Ween Schaefer has provided me with the bowling results so I will be adding them to the web page, there will be a link to them on the front page, they are at www.elarnold.com/bowl.htm .

Tuesday January 6, 2004: Less Brown passed away this morning, it was very unexpected. * It has been very cold here today, the high was in the 50’s, and now at 9:45 pm it is in the near 40.

Thursday January 1, 2004: I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. The days have been the 60’s and low 70’s till to day and it was about 80, and not much wind. * There was a card in the hall for Glenn Sather who is in a nursing home. * Jen Foster has been in the hospital but is home now. * Bev Lattimer is in the hospital, may come home tomorrow.

To see past news click the following. http://www.elarnold.com/Blogger2003.htm