Change in Zumba Class this week!

NOTICE!
Due to the wedding scheduled at the pavilion on Friday, Zumba is being moved to Saturday morning the 5th.  It will be from 8:30 to 9:30 AM, just before the meeting.
 
We hope to avoid people showing up Friday.
 Thanks, Karen

Last Chance to get Free tickets for Wine Tasting Event

Here's something you won't want to miss.  The wine tasting event described in this poster is this Sunday and here's a chance to get two free tickets!  The raffle ends at midnight tonight!  You don't need to purchase anything, all you have to do is click on the link below to enter the raffle. 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/f71ee10/

If you already have your tickets, get in the raffle anyway and take some friends!

I had a note from Liz Randall whose family has property across the road from us.  Liz and John came here soon after we moved to this house, and built their get-away home when their three youngsters were still in grade school.  Now all are grown up, Jason, the oldest, graduated from Lyndon State College and is now married with a family of his own; Lauren, the youngest, graduated from Keene University and is working on Long Island near the Randall's home; and Matt, middle child, has received his PhD in Environmental Toxicology from Maastricht University in the Netherlands.  Here's what Liz wrote:

On June 25, Matthew John Randall a 2005 graduate of Miller Place High School and son of Elizabeth (McDowell) and John F. Randall of Miller Place was awarded a Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology from Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.  Matthew has been offered a Post Doctorate position at the University of Vermont (UVM), Burlington, Vermont. 

Matthew began his PhD work at Maastricht University in March 2013 and has been residing in the Netherlands. He will return to the United States in August to begin his position at UVM.

Matthew graduated from Lyndon State College in 2009 with a B.S. in Natural Science and from the University of Vermont (UVM) in 2012 with a M.S. in Pathology. 

Our cousin her husband and two of her three children from Belgium attended and this is what she wrote:  "It was fabulous, Matt missed you, and he was very impressive - great presentation - and he was calm, organized and clear in answering the questions.  The defense was very ceremonial, with all the professors in robes, and a procession in and out.  The building and hall were very beautiful.  We were glad to be invited and participate."  

The pictures above are (top) Matt, center, after defending his thesis at his final exam at Masstricht University.  Below, part of the ceremony after the examination.

Our congratulations to Matt.  We know he's worked hard to achieve this degree and will no doubt put it to very good use.  It will be nice to have him back at UVM where he can perhaps get some "down time" at Joe's Pond this fall.

I just heard from Bob Noyes (the North Shore Rd. Bob Noyes) that earlier this week, he thinks perhaps Monday, around 6 a.m., he heard an unusual noise coming from the direction of the channel, and he's wondering if it was a moose.  I found this link of moose calls, and have asked Bob if this is what he heard, but haven't had a reply yet.

There are cows pastured not far from the channel, and sometimes they have an unusual bawl, but I expect Bob wouldn't mistake that sound; on the other hand some experienced hunters have to listen closely to distinguish between a bear and a bawling cow when the sound in off in the distance.  Some cows have a really guttural voice, not the soft "moo" one expects.

Nice weather again today - still holding for tomorrow.  Great weekend to be at Joe's Pond. 

Our nice weather is back, just in time for the weekend!  The Joe's Pond Spirits are smiling on us.  I haven't been outside much today - but we did our usual walk up Jamie and Marie's driveway around noon, and found this fairly large bear track in the road.  That's Fred's hand in the picture to show you how large the track is.  We could see where the bear had come out of the woods and crossed the newly dug ditch and then walked across the driveway which had been torn up earlier this week to dispose of old hardtop and hasn't been resurfaced yet.  There weren't many other tracks, but we could see that the animal crossed the road and  our neighbor's lawn, headed in the general direction of the head of the pond.  We didn't check West Shore Road for more tracks; we probably wouldn't have seen any at all except that the driveway had been recently dug up.

This was West Danville yesterday when we went to check the mail.  The weather was misty and wet, but everything is so fresh and green, it's a wonderful time of the year.  Fred got this pretty picture of the brook below the dam showing the new penstock coming out of the dam.  The water didn't seem to be terribly high, even though we've had quite a bit of rain in the past few days.  Things will dry out this weekend, though.  Now we hope the trend for nice weekends holds through the Fourth. 

We heard a lot of fireworks last night, but didn't see them.  Someone was celebrating something, I suppose.  Or maybe they were hoping to scare the geese.  The pesky birds are still being a problem, and we're hoping to be able to get the Wildlife people here to do a roundup before it's too late.  We've been hearing that other communities and states have a problem, as well, and the Wildlife people are very busy with roundups; I guess we've just been fortunate this is only the second year we've had a big problem.  Right now the birds cannot fly.  The young ones are not strong enough and the adults are molting.  Here are some "goose facts" if you are interested.  Since the young return at age 2 to wherever they were born, this year's crop is likely at least some of the ones we had here two years ago.  The numbers increase rapidly, so it is imperative to control the nesting.  Hunting season here may not be enough.

Look who showed up yesterday on Island Drive!  Terry Powers sent these pictures:
 Yesterday morning at my camp on Island Drive, I found the following turtle sitting in my driveway. It was quite large and I think it's a snapping turtle. Have also included a video of it returning to the pond. I wondered if anyone else is seeing the turtle around. I was not aware that such large turtles were in the pond.

He is quite a good size, but not  unusual, I think - and don't they live a really long time?  Here's some info on turtles that may be found in our area: Turtle Identification  Click on the images to enlarge them for better viewing.

Here is a reminder from Helen Morrison -

 

Only 5 days left to enter you cat in Kingdom Animal Shelter's 2015 Cat Calendar Contest.

Email a photo to kas.calendar.photos@gmail.com

One entry per household.  Include your name and address.  Other pets may be in the photo but it must include a cat.  No people, no writing.  The top winner will be on the cover.  The other 12 winners will each get a month.  Last year's calendar was a huge success.  Voting begins on July 1 and goes until July 31.  Vote once a day.  The calendar will be ready for sale by Oct. 1 and will cost $12.  All sales' proceeds will go to the direct care of the animals.  If you would like to buy an ad for your business, they are $25 for a black and white ad, and $35 for a color ad.  They are business card size, four at the bottom of each month.  Contact Helen if you are interested:  563-2488

Click on the image above for further information/details.

The historic Old North Church in North Danville will hold its second lamplight service of the season Sunday evening June 29th at 7 PM with guest speaker Peggy Pearl. Peggy has been the driving force behind the St. Johnsbury History & Heritage Center which hopes to house many items of historic interest. Too often items from the past are lost and with them the true tenor of St. Johnsbury’s unique contribution to the present generation.  As a volunteer, Peggy’s work has been “a challenge of a lifetime.” With her volunteer staff, money is being raised for the Center’s home. Peggy spent over 35 years as a teacher on the staff of the Fairbanks Museum and is a leading authority on much of St. Johnsbury’s history.  The 182 year old Old North Church has been recently restored and those attending will appreciate its unique architecture and simple beauty. The service which will feature the choir of the North Danville Baptist Church and historic music. The service ends with a hymn sing with requests from the congregation.  Host pastor for the service is the Rev. Bob Sargent of the North Danville Baptist Church.

Hope you can join us.

Liz

529 Jamieson Road

Danville VT 05828

802-748-1456

Karen Keene has asked me to remind you that Zumba sessions will be starting on Friday, June 27th, at the pavilion, 9:30 a.m.  Be sure to bring a water bottle and wear sneakers.  If you have questions, call Karen at 229-8280. 

Our nice weather has ended, and today has been mostly cloudy with a few sprinkles this afternoon and more expected for the next several days.  The weekend looks promising, however. 

Just a reminder that Terri Persons is looking for good used clothing and household articles for the big Fourth of July sale in Cabot:

Wanted - good clean clothing for the Cabot 4th of July rummage sale.  We do accept household items, also, including  toys, books, etc .

Things we don't take are: Mattresses, TVs, Printers, Computers , Encyopedia, and please - only good, clean furniture.

We will be @ Cabot school gym from July 1st - July 3rd accepting donations, 10:00am - 3:00pm.

Sale is July 4th 8:00- 2pm.   $3.00 a bag for clothes; Yard Sale items by donation.

All proceeds support the Cabot PTSO...

Any question or if you need items picked up before then, call Terri @ 279-6818.  Thanks for your support.

We have had a number of people contact us about the flocks of geese on the pond.  As I mentioned earlier, the Goose Committee is very aware of the situation.  Richard Gagne is waiting to hear from Fred Pogmore who is with the USDA and was very helpful in 2012 when we were struggling with the geese.  The USDA will decide when is the right time to do the roundup.  Taking the birds in this manner comes under Federal jurisdiction, thus the USDA.  This means certain steps need to be taken according to federal regulations.  JPA has done what we need to; now we have to wait until we hear from the USDA. 

Needless to say, in spite of JPA having taken required action as soon as we realized there were a multitude of geese instead of just a single family, we are not going to be goose free immediately, nor will this be a permanent fix.  Other geese will undoubtedly find Joe's Pond a desirable spot to raise their families.  So frighten them off however you can, string twine, put out fluttering tapes, plant bushes along your waterfront or train your dog to chase them off - whatever works.  This may discourage them at least temporarily.  We'll keep seeking alternative methods to reduce the numbers.

Very pretty day today.  We were in St. J. most of the morning.  It's still a little tricky getting to where you want to be in St. J., but we didn't have any waits in traffic; we are careful to avoid Western Avenue and Main Street as much as possible.  Everything is torn up on the west side of the town, it seems.

Don't forget that Spirits of Vermont is not too far off, and it's going to be quite an event this year, even bigger than last year, according to the organizers.  Here's a rundown of the participants:
We have 11 restaurants, 4 wineries, 3 brewers, 4 distillers participating in this years Spirits of Vermont. The restaurants are Baliwick's, Brown's Bistro, Goodfellas, Kingdom Tap Room, Downstreet Eats, Sambel's, Bentley's, Burke Mt Confectioners, Crooked Mile Goat Cheese, Cabot Cheese, and I hope Hasting's.  The wineries are North Branch, Fresh Tracks, Grand View, East Shore.  Our brewers are Infinity, Kingdom Brewery (Newport), Foley Bros.  Lastly our distillers are Caledonia Spirits, Vermont Spirits, Dunc's Mill and Smuggler's Notch and Cider provided by Flagg Hill, and there's Sumptuous Syrups and Vermont Coffee Company.  Flowers are being provided by Flower Basket and All about Flowers. 

Click on the image to make it larger.

In case you've wondered what's been going on in our neighborhood on West Shore Road, the new owner of the property next door to us that Henretta Splain recently sold, has been doing some renovations.  The garage was taken down and the paved driveway, which was in bad shape, has been removed.  The work continues at least into tomorrow with more ditching - some of it having to be done by hand, so Connor Johnson is going to be there tomorrow to work with the contractor.  Right now it's a mess, but we have hopes it will look better in a few days.  Because the driveway is shared by Jamie and Marie with our new neighbor, and we are somewhat involved because the ditch runs along the edge of our property and leads to a culvert by the mailboxes at the end of our drive. 

It's a beautiful day here in the Kingdom.  The temperature is about 70 degrees, with a nice SE breeze and lots of sunshine.  Perfect day for the Grass Fed Boys concert at The Stage in Lyndonville.

Someone commented on the web site about the goose problem, and I just want everyone to know the goose situation has been monitored closely since early in the spring, and it was hoped there was only one family. The first complaints came from the big pond, and now that we've had reports of more groups, action can be taken - but where the pests were sighted really isn't a factor, it's numbers that must be considered.  They geese will range the whole of the pond looking for the best foraging, and while even one family can be bothersome, permission would likely not be granted for a roundup of so few.  The people on the committee have a good grasp of the situation and will do whatever is necessary and legal to control the goose population. 

Karen (Gruggel)Cobb sent this message yesterday:

Hi Jane!
Have followed the nesting Osprey in Maine via Blog, and finally caught feeding time of the chicks! They sure enjoyed the fish their Mother was giving them.
This photo taken by a friend of my brother's on the Eastern Shore of Maryland recently gives a beautiful perspective of the bird! Good luck with the Geese situation too.
Karen

I've been watching the development of the young ospreys in Maine carefully.  It's hard to believe they are nearly ready to begin testing those scrawny wings.  I saw one of the two older chicks pick on the youngest recently.  The third chick was hatched two or three days after the first two that are only one day apart.  When the older one pecked at the little one, it was brief, and the little guy just tucked his head down and played dead.  He wasn't hurt, and seems to be thriving - getting as much attention and food from the mother as the other two.  The adult female is constantly rearranging the nest, trying to pick up twigs and place them on the perimeter of the nest - I expect in anticipation of the young ones being able to move around more each day and wanting to keep them from falling over the edge.  I saw one of the older chicks picking up sticks just like the mother does - so I have to conclude they are learning every day.  Probably instinct is part of the process, but I'm betting they watch the adult and mimic her.  Once they have wing feathers, they will strengthen their wings and eventually follow one of the adults in flight, and according to what I've read, learn how to catch fish by accompanying the adult.  Within a short time they will be able to provide their own food.  Pretty nice we are able to watch them growing each day.  In case you haven't bookmarked the link, here it is again so you can watch.  Maine Osprey link.

This just came from Helen Morrison about the "Bark in the Park" raffle today to raise money for Kingdom Animal Shelter in St. Johnsbury:  

Just wanted to let you know...we made $3200 on our Bark in the Park event.  That is awesome.  We had our five cash winners (courtesy of Community National Bank), plus we gave away three nice baskets of doggie treats and paraphernalia...one of which went to Bodie, the St. J Police dog [that played a major role in the raffle!] .  Thank you to all the Joe's Pond folk who supported the event and the Kingdom Animal Shelter.

.HDM

 We have had another report of bothersome geese, this time in the first pond, near the beach.  We certainly have a problem again this year after practically no geese around last year.  We don't know exactly why the change except two years ago when the problem was so severe, the geese were harassed unmercifully, so perhaps that had an impact on them the following year.  I have no idea whether geese "remember" bad experiences or not, but they have moved in on us again this year with at least three very large families we know of, and perhaps more that haven't been noticed yet.  Way too many when they congregate on lawns and leave an unthinkable mess.  Also, we certainly don't want the geese hanging out at the beach and causing the bacteria count to go up, and now we know they are searching out feeding spots all around the pond, it is even more important to move on the problem.

The JPA Goose Committee is ready to take action - authorities have to be on board, but we think we're in a better position this year than we were two years ago.  I'll keep you informed as to our progress.  

A couple of very interesting signs have shown up on West Shore Road.  Just about every summer there are concerns about speeding traffic on West Shore Road, and no manner of signs erected by the town seem to have an effect.  However, these just might have an impact. I got this picture this morning when I was returning from the JPA board meeting.  I then went to the website, www.DriveLikeYourKidsLiveHere.com.  Good information there.  I hope motorists take note of these signs and slow down.  Thanks, Dan and Karen.

Recent reports from the testing done at the beach are now posted on home page of the web site.  It took a little time for the process to get started, but Fred has been communicating with Eric Bach, health office for Danville, and Kelli Merrell, who volunteers to test the water weekly.  The water has tested okay, and we hope that trend will continue.  The word we have is that if there's no problem, we may not receive a report right away.  If there should be a problem, we will be notified immediately.  So - no news is GOOD news!

Not such good news at the upper end of the pond, however.  The geese are back and have young in tow.  Large groups (flocks or gaggles?) have been seen on various lawns on the West Shore where there is easy access from the water, i.e., no brush, rocks, or steep incline between the water and lush, well manicured lawns they find so appetizing.  The Goose Committee may consider a roundup; we'll keep you posted.  In the meantime, feel free to harass the pests with noise, dogs to chase them, firecrackers, etc., or, as Jack LaGue pointed out: 
 They don’t bother us since we have a steep bank to the lawn from the water but they do get on my Mom’s lawn.  We have had pretty good luck with two strands of bailing twine stretched between driveway stakes; one strand ~8” from the ground and the other ~16” from the ground.

 Reflective tape you can get at the hardware store will also work, we're told.  Apparently, they are nervous about anything that wiggles and shines or makes noise, and will find some other place to feed and poop.  They also don't like bushes - a predator could be hiding there.  That would seem like an ideal solution - shoreline plantings are recommended in the new Shoreline Protection Bill #526  that will go into effect July 1.  Some examples are in this Vermont Agency of Natural Resources bulletin.  I also found some common sense solutions on an Indiana Department of Natural Resources site.  It may be that by letting a few feet next to the water go "wild" with shrubs or decorative grass, property owners will not only be complying with the new directives, but will also be doing themselves a great favor by discouraging access by geese.  If enough people do shoreline plantings, the geese will almost certainly be discouraged from hanging out here in future years because they won't have enough area for the tremendous amount of food they require.

The pictures above were sent by Chico Carcoba at Woodbury Pond in 2012, when we were so pestered with geese here at Joe's Pond.  Chico said this method works at his camp.  He used a combination of twine and reflective materials, as you can see. 

The geese do make an awful mess - and we suspected they contributed at least somewhat to the poor water bacteria readings we were getting two years ago.  Last year we seemed to have a reprieve from them, but apparently this year we aren't as lucky.  Enjoy the nice stretch of weather that is promised for the next few days, but don't forget to harass the geese.

We had news from Ron Gauthier (middle pond) today about the "Danville" loon family (the family in the third, or big pond being the "Cabot" loon family:
 

Noticed both loons back on the pond this morning. They appear to have one chick the size of a Easter chick today - may be larger tomorrow.  Ron

These little guys do grow quickly, but in the meantime, please be extra careful and watch out for them.  Please also warn visitors who may not realize we have loon families cruising the pond to be on the lookout for them and give them plenty of room.  With two families on the pond, there's a chance of their being in any of the three sections of the pond.

Some of you may know that Jane Larrabee was taken to the hospital on Monday.  We aren't sure when she'll be home, but if you wish to send her a card, I'm sure Garey will be happy to take it to her.  Her home address is, P. O. Box 58, West Danville VT 05873.

Garey said this morning she is feeling some better, and that is encouraging.

Beautiful weather today as we near the beginning of Summer on Saturday.  It sure looks and feels like summer today, but the overnight temperatures are still pretty chilly.  Great weather to be at Joe's Pond, though.

The Joe's Pond Association Board will be meeting on Saturday morning, if anyone has an issue or suggestion they would like to bring before the Board.  You can let me know (563-2381 or e-mail me at janebrown@fairpoint.net or contact any of the other board members).  We will bring it to the Board, or you can come to the meeting.  We are meeting at the pavilion at 9 a.m.  The regular Annual Meeting is scheduled for July 5th, at 10 a.m.

In case you were wondering how Bark in the Park works (see yesterday's post about that Kingdom Animal Shelter fund raiser), here is an explanation from Helen M.:

It is this Saturday after the pet parade in St. J.  One buys a tennis ball for $5.  Your name and contact info go inside.  We put all the balls out on the lawn of the park next to the Catholic Church in St. J.  Then Body, the St. J Police dog, picks 5 balls.  Two get $50, two get $100, and one gets $500....all courtesy of Community National Bank.  If anyone wants to buy a tennis ball or two or five, they can call me at 563-2488 and I will make it happen.

Thank you.

Helen

I found .30 in. of precipitation in my rain gauge this morning.  It rained hard during the night, and around midnight there was a rumble or two of thunder - although Fred said he heard thunder earlier in the evening.  I didn't hear it, but I was watching an old movie, "Random Harvest," with Greer Garson and Ronald Colman.  

I'd forgotten what a nice movie Random Harvest (filmed in 1942 set in 1918-1920's) is.  A bit stilted compared to movies produced these days, but a nice story.  I'm always surprised that I hardly notice when a movie is in black and white, if it's good; we're so used to vivid color on TV and in movies, it's kind of a welcome change to not have to see bloody wounds and vivid explosions.  True, b&w may challenge your imagination a bit, but that can be a good thing. Also, in the old movies, love scenes were protected by fade-outs and left to one's imagination; a far cry from the raw, writhing, naked, full-color passion scenes produced today leaving nothing to the imagination.  A good story line really doesn't need all the decoration.  

Even the way actors delivered their lines has changed dramatically (no pun intended!)  But then, the way people address each other in real life has changed considerably in the past 72 years since that movie was made.  Not only is the general vocabulary different, the way people interact is very different, too.  Manners seem to be lacking, or at least changing.  There are always exceptions.  Many years ago, a friend told me, "I'm 80 years old and I've earned the right to say whatever I want to."  And she did - colorfully, to whomever, wherever and whenever she felt the need to set things straight.  She was considered eccentric, and since then, I've known a number of outspoken, "eccentric" elders.  One day, the young people we hear talking in monosyllables and expletives will no doubt be considered eccentric, too, I suppose.  I wonder what their conversations will sound like.  I also wonder what movies will be like in another 70 years or so. It's hard to imagine either could be more explicit or extreme.

I apologize that on Monday I received a message from Bev and Steve Allen about the baby loons and neglected to post it.  Here it is:
 Good morning!

10:45 AM: our first sighting of the two Loon Chicks just off Butch and Sue Bouchard’s Camp!  The adults are diving for food, leaving the tiny chicks pretty vulnerable to predators and any boats that might be out on the Pond.  Folks need to be careful out there...

Cheers!

Steve & Bev Allen

 

We completed and mailed our U. S. Postal Service survey today.  A friend commented that whatever is decided about the hours the post office window will be open to the public, those of us that use the West Danville post office should feel fortunate that being in the store, the mail boxes are available as long as the store is open.  Absolutely a plus.  It's important for everyone to complete the survey and mail it in so the best possible decision can be made.

Don't forget the Bark in the Park raffle on Saturday, for the benefit of the Kingdom Animal Shelter in St. Johnsbury.  Contact Helen Morrison if you'd like to support the shelter and have your name on one of the tennis balls in the raffle.  Her number is 563-2488.

 Also, don't forget that Terry Persons is looking for donations for the July 4th Rummage Sale in Cabot, put on by parents to benefit the students at Cabot School.  Give Terry a call (279-6818) and she will arrange to pick up your donation, or you can drop it off.  Here is more information: 

 We will be at the Cabot School Gym from July 1st - July 3rd from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm daily, accepting donations. We will not accept computers, TVs, printers, encyclopedia, or mattresses.  We are looking for good clean furniture and we really need clothes.  To have items picked up before July 1^st  or if you have questions, call me, 279-6818.  Thank you, Terry Persons.

Every day when I walk up Jamie and Marie's driveway, their cat,
Rico (see photo), comes galloping to meet me.  This has been going on for a while.  Normally, you don't touch Rico more than once, briefly, otherwise you're apt to get a quick bite or lightning fast swipe of a paw with claws out.  I'm still on guard when I pet him, but he's more intent on rolling in the driveway and then letting me brush the dust off his fur - a process he seems to thoroughly enjoy. He's an exceptionally sleek cat, and has a definite oriental look about him.  He was a stray and Jamie and Marie weren't sure he would ever be a good pet, but he's proven to be quite a character.  He used to beat up their other, older kitty, Tillie, but now that their dog, Otto is full grown, he keeps Rico in line.  The two are great pals, but Rico has definitely met his match; Otto barks to warn Jamie and Marie that Rico is going after Tillie, and once picked Rico up in his mouth and carried him down the stairs.  Otto knows Rico is not allowed upstairs where Tillie has her "quarters."  Rico was unhurt, but is careful to behave when Otto is around.  And yes, this is the same guy that has bloodied our Woody a few times.  Rico is a street fighter, and although he's a good bit smaller than Woody, he's very agile.  Woody can be quick, but can't compete with Rico.

I don't think Woody would like it that Rico has become friendly to me, but since he wisely stays away from Rico, he's not apt to find out.

Those of you who use the West Danville Post Office probably received the same Customer Survey Notice from the United States Postal Service that I did today.  Our personal mail comes through Cabot, but all the Joe's Pond mail I receive as secretary of the Association comes through the West Danville Post Office; therefore, I have concerns after reading the notice saying the hours at the West Danville Post Office will be changed, and what is being considered is that it be open two hours in the a.m. and two hours in the p.m. 

Please take time to read and respond to that Customer Survey.  When I spoke to Diane Jejer about the change, she said it would mean extra travel for her and would be a very cumbersome way to operate.  A better solution would be a block of four hours, either in the morning or afternoon; not split up into two-hour segments.

Although I'm sure reducing hours will be inconvenient for lots of us, I understand it's inevitable and better than closing the post office entirely, which is something that has happened to other small-town post offices in the recent past.  I definitely understand Diane's point - I can't imagine going to work twice a day.  That pretty much ruins the day for anything else, and in bad weather, going out on the highway extra times each day is not in anyone's best interest; but also, I personally would find it frustrating having to time visits within a short two hour window.  I have hard enough time remembering the window is closed at 11:30 every day through lunch.  It would be a lot more convenient to simply know the post office is open only in the morning, or only in the afternoon. 

Perhaps if lots of people fill out the survey and offer ideas and comments, it can be worked out.  There is also to be a meeting on July 23 at the post office at 6:30 p.m. for people to ask questions and express their opinions and concerns, so mark your calendars and plan to attend if possible.  Perhaps a reasonable solution can be agreed upon that will work for both staff and customers.

If you have questions, I'm sure either Diane or Garey will be glad to explain the impact this change will have on them and us as customers.