Why So Long Between Blogs?

Hey Neighbors,

So sorry that it's been a year since my last entry.  Been busy.  Some of you know that just about the time of my last blog, I started working at the local CVS Pharmacy.  Had to supplement my interior design & corporate sign businesses that had taken a big hit with the bad economy.  I worked as a pharmacy tech, filling prescriptions for the pharmacists.  

Well, I wasn't there very long when I realized that working for a big retailer these days can be pretty daunting & demoralizing.  It seems to me that the same consultants that advise the fast food chains on efficiency, also consult for the pharmacy chains.  Well, what's the difference? ........Hamburgers versus Life Saving Medications???? Faster, faster, more, more.  It's all about the money.

My most memorable experiences are customers arriving at the pharmacy to pick up their medications, with no idea what they take, or what they need to refill.  "Give me whatever I'm supposed to get"  they tell us, as if pharmacies are in charge of your personal healthcare.  

No one ever walks into a restaurant and says, "Feed me whatever you think I should eat "   Hard to believe but this happens all the time.  It's a pretty stressful way to make $8.50 per hour with no benefits.  

Let me just take a moment to warn everyone that people are taking certain medications that warn against driving or drinking, and people continue to do both.  Sometimes at the same time.  So be careful out there when you're on the roads.............or even on the sidewalks for that matter.

My experience at the pharmacy has led to a new design project.  I was hired to design & outfit an independent pharmacy.  It is directly across the street from The Forest Country Club entrance on 41, near Phantom Fireworks. 

It's called ReVive Pharmacy, and besides providing prescription medications, it will offer home & office delivery, drug testing supplies, & homeopathic medications & supplements to treat what might be ailing you in a more natural form with no side effects. Here is the logo I designed for the business.

LOGO FOR PHARMACY

It's complete except for the outdoor electrical signs  The owner is simply waiting on some final approvals from the Feds before opening.

EXTERIOR OF PHARMACY

We started with a bare bones space.  Some of you may remember that a patio furniture showroom used to be housed in this space.

BARE SPACE BEFORE WE STARTED CONSTRUCTION

With my pharmacy training, I knew what was needed to create an efficient pharmacy space, I drew up a variety of floor plans & perspectives for the owners to consider.  We finally settled on one layout.

PERSPECTIVE TO ILLUSTRATE PLAN FOR PHARMACY

It has some retail space for products, an office for private consultations, & enough space to receive and fill prescriptions.

The design concept for the pharmacy grew out of a chartreuse green & white color scheme created to illustrate good health, cleanliness & life.

PHARMACY WITH PRIVATE CONSULTING OFFICE

  

CONSULTING OFFICE

Here are a few pics of the new pharmacy from the last few days.  Not your usual pharmacy, eh?

WAITING AREA FOR PHARMACY

Times being what they are, and the cost of opening a business so pricey, I was on a pretty tight budget for the build out.  But I love a challenge, & I've tried to be very creative with unusual objects that you wouldn't normally expect to see in a pharmacy. 

Well that's your sneak peek.  You'll have to wait for the Grand Opening in a month or so.

As for Forest Villas, some of us have been busy working to implement the changes to the Clubhouse Pool area.  (more about that in my next posting).  Some of the residents that had old roofs now have new ones.  Only one villa continues to have an old roof.  Possibly the villa is in foreclosure.  It's not posted on the MLS any longer.

LAST VILLA NEEDING NEW ROOF
IT'S ALREADY BEEN SIX YEARS SINCE THE FEW ROOF PROGRAM BEGAN

Some of our roofs, installed back in 2006, are due for a cleaning.  They are really dirty, and that is made apparent by comparison with the newly installed roofs.  A few of us are getting prices for having our villa, roof, walkway & driveway all pressure rwashed for a flat price.  I'll keep you posted on our results.

Another new development is the failure of many for the front lawn Queen palm trees.  The crowns on the palms fail to thrive, they stop sending out new fronds, & the complete tree begins to fail. 

QUEEN PALM WITH COLLAPSING CROWN

The trees are now more than 24 years old.  Their expected life span is 15-25 years.  So the HOA is probably facing an expenditure to develop a plan for replacement parkway trees. 

FAILING QUEEN PALM

The HOA spends about $5,000 every year to trim the Queen & Sabal palm trees.  A program to replace the failing trees with ones not requiring yearly trimming would save money in the long run.  Also trees that would provide some shade to our streets would lengthen the estimated life of the streets.

QUEEN PALM SHRIVELING UP

NAPLES STREET WITH PARKWAY DAPPLED SHADE TREES

Currently there are only three villas on the market.  Flo Westerman's villa sold recently, to the Wrights, who are transplants from down Island Park Road.

The shopping mall at 41 and Island Park recently sold at auction, so we're all hoping that we'll soon see some new businesses moving in, & the general appearance of the area improving.  I hear the Clam Bake is moving to the larger space formerly occupied by the Chinese restaurant.

Ale Mary's has folded in the other strip mall.  In it's place Cadillac Jack's has opened.  Haven't visited so I have no report on the food or the circus inside.

Across the street from the mall, GOODWILL is more than packed every weekend.  There was no way to get another car in the lot this past weekend.  You'd think that they were giving items away.  I guess it's a sign of the times.  GOODWILL has announced that they are opening more stores.  One will be in downtown Fort Myers.

The work on the 'flyover' connecting 41 & Alico Road to Metro Parkway/6 Mile Cypress continues.  The cost of the extension is $29.8 million, paid for by federal economic stimulus funds from the American Reinvestment & Recovery Act of 2009.

 The bridge over Alico is now complete.  It's hard to see the progress, although the State of Florida has announced that the project will be complete in the fall of 2012.  Don't hold your breath, we're on our second contractor.

BJ

This blog is in no way affiliated with Forest Villas HOA