Happy Monday!

Don't forget! September's water bill is past due! It's not too late to pay!

Don't forget your water bill was due on the 15th! You can either submit payment to Oates Energy at www.oatesenergy.com or drop off your payment to the clubhouse. If you are making your payment to us, please make it payable to Courtney Bend. Thank you :-) Have a wonderful weekend!

Dentistry from the heart hosts free daylong clinic!

A Pooler dental office is offering free dental care to folks in need.

Dr. Matthew J. Allen, along with his team at Godley Station Dental will host their second Dentistry From The Heart (DFTH) event – offering the residents of Pooler, GA free dental care services on Friday, September 23rd.

Event registration will open at 7:00 a.m. at the offices of Godley Station Dental. Patients are encouraged to come early and will be seen on a first come, first served basis.

Free dental services will be offered to people 18+ and include the choice of one filling, cleaning or extraction per patient.

In the past nine years, Dentistry From The Heart events have contributed more than $10 million in free dentistry and helped more than 50,000 patients across the country. For more information, visitwww.dentistryfromtheheart.org

Alternatives movie nights!

 

         

Netflix/Qwikster

WIRED: It's been around the longest, and is the most familiar service. Massive offering of physical mail-away media. New game rental service sounds intriguing. Streaming to all iOS devices and Android smartphones.

TIRED: Can you say price increase? We don't like paying more money for the same service, and we're failing to see how splitting the companies in twain is going to benefit consumers. Streaming-only service still lacks selection compared to DVD catalog.

Amazon Prime

WIRED: Fast shipping on everything Amazon! What other movie service offers that? Lower yearly rate than Netflix and Qwikster. Works with over 100 different web-connected set-top boxes, including the ever-popular Roku.

TIRED: Smaller media selection compared to other existing services. Lacks the DVD rental option that made Netflix famous.

Redbox

WIRED: Cheap, cheap, cheap. DVD rentals average two bucks a pop, with anywhere from 50 to 200 recent titles to select from in each kiosk, updated weekly. Game rentals to roll out this year.

TIRED: No streaming service? Bummer.

Blockbuster

WIRED: The Dish Network acquisition could mean big things for Blockbuster when (or if) the companies get a game plan up and running.

TIRED: Brick and mortar is slowly dying, so the leg-up Blockbuster has on Netflix with in-store DVD exchange may soon be moot. Ripping off its two major competitors shows a lack of ability to innovate, possibly signifying that the company is still behind the times.

Hulu Plus

WIRED: Streaming to all iOS devices and some Android smartphones and tablets. Tons of TV shows that aren't out to rent on DVD.

TIRED: Despite taking your $8 monthly fee, you still have to sit through asinine commercials. "Hundreds," not thousands, of movies to choose from. Again, no physical media. Rights agreements sometimes complicate how many episodes are available for viewing on the site.

Android Market

WIRED: Rental ain't pricey, averaging around two to five bucks a pop. Streaming to Android phones is nice. Compatible with PCs.

TIRED: No physical media. Not functional across all Android tablets.

iTunes and Apple TV

WIRED: Purchase prices are par for the course, ranging from $1 to $3 depending on whether you want to rent or own. Ability to buy entire seasons of a show is convenient. Rumors and speculation have long suggested bigger plans for Apple TV's future, though Apple itself is staying mum on any potential developments.

TIRED: Lacks an "all-you-can-stream buffet" option, which can get costly if you watch a lot of flicks. Though its library is extensive, iTunes alone doesn't contain the esoteric indie films that Netflix totes. So if you're subscribing to Netflix and buying through iTunes at the same time, charges could add up fast.

Vudu

WIRED: Rentals and purchases stay on par with most other services, settling in the $1 to $5 range for rentals, and upwards of $5 for purchases. Titles available the same day they're released on DVD, unlike other services that require waiting periods. Streaming video available on iPad.

It's Hispanic Heritage Month

About National Hispanic Heritage Month

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402.

The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30 day period.

Source: http://hispanicheritagemonth.gov/about/

Luxury Hotels for You and Your Pets!

Pet friendly hotels now offer amenities from massages to gourmet food!

Loews Hotels, Nashville, Coronado
Sure, there's gourmet room service and luxurious bedding at Nashville's Vanderbilt Hotel, but you can also have your pup cut a CD in a professional recording session. After being shuttled to a recording studio in a limo, dogs work with a voice coach (!) and howl along with a musician or bark to their favorite karaoke tune. It's part of the chain's Vacation for Pets learning camps, which includes Su'ruff Camp at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort & Spa in San Diego where pups can learn to catch a wave.

The Peninsula Hotels, Beverly Hills, New York, Chicago
Humans have ergonomic chairs, so why shouldn't pets have the same for their bowls? That's just one of the perks at the Peninsula Beverly Hills, where they also receive monogrammed paw-printed towels and scented poop bags. At the Peninsula Chicago, treats include special room-service dishes like the Spaniel Spinach Salad with corn and chopped beef or Tabby Tuna Tartare. And the Peninsula New York offers a personalized menu option with the pet's preferred brand of food.

Kimpton Hotels, New York, Denver
Side-by-side massages are usually meant for two humans, but at New York's Muse Hotel, the "Hers and Furs Pet-icure" the second creature should be canine. Kimpton properties have always featured a special devotion to animals, and that dedication has only grown; today, each property welcomes the pet on the lobby activities board, and many have a resident pup. At the Denver's Hotel Monaco it's Tulo -- a cocker spaniel "Canine Concierge" named after Troy Tulowitski, shortstop for the Colorado Rockies.

Travel + Leisure: Most outrageous hotel concierge requests

One&Only Palmilla, Los Cabos
Your pet may not need a passport to travel to Mexico, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want one. Hotel staff will take your pup's photo for a "Dog Passport" (written in, um, "Paw-lish") and marked with a One&Only Palmilla passport stamp. Once you both make it through immigration, Fido will find gourmet menu offerings like organic roasted chicken, beef tenderloin, and steamed Pacific salmon. Pets can even relax in poolside doggie cabanas.


Rome Cavalieri, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel & Resorts, Rome
There are no toga-clad waiters serving your dog grapes, but the hotel does offer four-course pet meals of fish, game, or vegetable soup in Gucci dog bowls (and on golden trays to boot). When it's a little chilly in the Eternal City, order an Odilia Prisco Dog Haute Couture cashmere sweater with your pup's name written in rhinestones. But Fido may not want to wear it during his visit to La Domus Aventina, a nearby dog spa, for his green-clay and aloe vera skin-and-hair-revitalizing massage.

Hotel Indigo Atlanta-Midtown, Atlanta
Even pets have stressful days and (like their owners) need a happy hour. So every Thursday night this spring, this hotel obliged, serving chicken, steak, or vegan options for pups. Humans joined in, of course, and when they ordered one of the Hotel Indigo's signature drinks (a Greyhound, Salty Dog, or Yellow Lab), $1 was donated to the local Piedmont Park Dog Park.

Mandarin Oriental, Miami
Four-legged guests receive a luxurious plush bed, a golden Mandarin Oriental collar tag, treats, bottled water, and a bone-shaped place mat. But so they don't go hungry, culinary choices include grilled beef tenderloin, organic chicken breast, and gourmet desserts. Afterward, pups can work out with a certified trainer at the hotel's Doggie Boot Camp and focus on issues like excessive barking, jumping, or housebreaking. And for the stylish dog, there are bathrobes with the Mandarin Oriental logo emblazoned in blue or pink Swarovski crystals.

The Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa, Phoenix
Who doesn't like welcome gifts -- especially if they include a cookie, commemorative bowl, and placemat? The Biltmore also features a special room-service menu with Zen Yo, a hearty vegetable stir-fry with poached eggs, steamed brown rice, and salmon, which is perfect fuel for taking your pet on a walk around the property's 39 landscaped acres (the hotel provides a map of the trails).

Topnotch Resort and Spa, Stowe, Vermont
Reiki isn't just for humans. Here, pups can get a "Rover Reiki" massage on a magnetic dog bed. "Usually dogs are excited but calm down quickly as the therapist starts to work on them," says Alexandra Sharpe, the resort's spa director. "At the end of the treatment the dogs are usually relaxed and sleepy." Fortunately, they can then retire to an "Aero Paws" inflatable dog bed wrapped in soft fleece covers, with Mini-Bone cookies at turndown.

Happy Monday!

7 Steps for Planning the Perfect Vacation

1. TRAVEL/DATES: When you are going and returning and by what form of transportation? If you are travelling a fair distance with children you may to to plan and prepare some car travel games.


2. DESTINATION: Where are you going? Write down the places you are hoping to get to. It’s not always easy deciding on a place that makes everyone happy though. He wants serenity, she wants good shopping. He wants to read a book, she wants some action. To improve your family vacation planning, read through some of these different Family Vacation Ideas to get inspiration to satisfy everyone’s needs!

3. ITINERARY: What would you like to do on your holiday? Sometimes this needs to be left to spontaneity but you could at least have listed interest points of the area so when you come to a day where everyone doesn’t know what to do, you could pull out the list, compare it with the weather and decide on a fresh activity. Make sure it is a list that has been prepared by the whole family so there are activities there that everyone is interested in. If you do want to make the most of every waking moment with new experiences then definitely plan out your days. One idea our family loves that allows you to rest, be active, read books and explore new places are sailing holidays!

Another point to remember is that your kids will want to be active all day and you’ll be dying for an afternoon siesta every day! Make the most of caravan parks and Hotels or Resorts that offer kids activity programs so that you can have a bit of a break too.


4. COSTS: You can itemise these into the following categories and make an accurate estimation of each. Make sure you do your research well so the amounts are as accurate as possible.
For example, if you are driving, work out how many kilometres you will be travelling to and from the destination. Don’t forget to allow for miles travelled during that time. Then work out how many tanks of fuel that will be and how much it will cost.
A family vacation becomes very stressful if you run out of money before you get home. Having fun on your vacation doesn’t have to be expensive though. Check out these cheap vacation activity ideas 

• Transport:
• Accommodation: You can get some cost effective vacation planning tips for accommodation from www.beachvacationrentalscout.com
• Food: (you will probably be eating out a lot more so factor that in. Go by what and where you might eat each day per person)
• Special Activities: (theme parks, park entrance fees, zoos, hire of bikes or other sport equipment…)
• Spending money: (special treats like ice-creams, a gift or two, souvenir)

5. BOOKINGS: Make a list of all the companies you will need to make bookings with: car hire, flights, hotel, caravan park etc…and their contact details.

• Company:
• Cost Due:
• Contact Details:
• Address: (if necessary)
• Special Notes: (about arrival or baggage or meeting place)

6. PACKING: Under this section, make a list for each member of the family and think about what they would need day to day from each room of the house. Less is best so learn to give items a few different purposes if possible.


Obviously the list will vary depending on your accommodation type but here are some areas to think about when planning what to pack on the family vacation. It’s good to make these lists permanent. Keep them in your Family Planner as they will make organizing your next family vacation much easier.


Family personal items:
Kitchen: (cooking, cleaning, food, matches!!)
Laundry: (buckets, pegs, ropes, washing powder)
Bathroom: (soap, towels)
Bedroom: (bedding, pyjamas!!, pillows, mattresses)
Shed: (chairs, table, stove, lights, torches, tents, outdoor gazebos)
Special Activity needs: (eg. boots & backpack for hiking), CAMERA!!


If you would like some of the work done for you then check out this comprehensive CAMPERS CHECKLIST from the Organized Womans Family Planner. An important item a friend of mine has started to always pack is what she calls her "Surprise Bags". They are a great distraction for children. This is just one of the items that I think you should include in aHoliday Travel Survival Kit.

7. CARE Of PROPERTY: Depending on how long you’ll be gone for and what you have on your property you may want to organize having your mail collected and bins put out (especially the first week when they are full or they will stink when you get back! Dad always used to have them put out so it looked like someone was around the place). Do you need pets fed, lawns to be mowed? 


For more information on planning the perfect family vacation visit: Planning the Perfect Family Vacation

WIN $100 OFF November's Rent!!

5 Completely FREE Ways to Make Your House Your Home

1. Spend Time in It: It's almost a badge of honor these days to rattle off your itinerary for the day which leaves little or no time spent at home other than the 6 hours of sleep you try to weasel in. You can't have the feelings of a safe harbor within your walls if you're never there. If it's merely a place to lay your head and hang your coat then it will never mean anything more to you than a coat rack does. Saying no to things in the outside world can be hard, but sometimes it's worth it for your home, peace and comfort in the long run.


2. Use Your Space: So you're at home. That's what we just told you to do right? Chillin' watching television, staring out the window. What more do you want? Well, lots actually! Use your table, sprawl out on the floor, cook, bake, clean, paint a picture... do something that forces you to interact with the things in your home. So often we're on auto pilot that forcing yourself to break the home-dinner-tv-bed routine can awaken your senses to how you'd like your space to function or embrace your hobbies and habits.


3. Speak Kindly: Homes are places where love and memories are made. Do your best to make them kind, wonderful thoughts. We're not going to tell you the words you should or shouldn't be saying, but tone, attitude, and spirit go a long way to making your environment one that is comforting and a refuge away from everything else.


4. Music Matters: It's easy to think about music while we're doing certain things. It's a no-brainer to listen to music at the gym or during a morning commute. But kick out the jams at home, too! Some of the strongest memories you can make often involve music. Open the windows, add a breeze and choose your tunes to match or make your day.


5. Entertain Without Worry: Quite often when we have friends and family over to our homes, it's easy to spend our time apologizing or talking about the things that aren't quite right that we still plan to fix. Spend time with others in your home, just enjoying your home as it is right now. Don't worry about the dust they might see or the things that didn't get done. One of the hardest things we can learn is to let go and enjoy being us, wherever we are, without worry or concern.

Click Here to For More Articles like this from Apartment Therepy

The Importance of Changing Your Air Filter

How often should you change your air filter

• Check your filter every month especially during times of heavy use (Winter and Summer)
• At a minimum, change the filter every 3 months. A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder to keep you warm or cool - wasting energy.

Why you should change your air filter

• When you don't change your air conditioner and furnace filter regularly the filter loads up with all sorts of contaminants like dust and pet dander, if you have a pet. As the filter starts to load it slowly reduces air flow through your furnace. The reduced air flow causes the blower to work hard, which in turn increases your utility bill.
• When air flow starts to be reduced it causes the blower to work harder, which can cause it overheat and quit working
• reduced climate control- When air flow gets reduced it takes longer to heat or cool your home. Also rooms that are the farthest away may not even heat or cool at all because of the conditioned air not satisfactorily reaching them.
• Changing your air filters can improve indoor air quality by trapping dust, pollen, smoke and other indoor pollutants. When the filter gets dirty any small air leaks in your duct work can pull dirt

***Please remember we provide air filters for free in the clubhouse! Maintenance can change them out for you also***

This deal is not meant to last!

Courtney Bend Apartment Homes...designed to surpass your expectations! Elegant apartment homes between Hilton Head Island, Beaufort and Savannah. 














For Rent: 3BR/2BA Apartment in Hardeeville, SC, $1,067/month

New Rules of the NFL

NEW RULES/POINTS OF EMPHASIS

Kickoffs: Due to an increasing number of injuries on kickoffs, several rules have been changed to make those plays safer for both the kicking and receiving teams. The kicking team's restraining line has been moved to its own 35-yard line. The kicking team formation for kickoffs has also been adjusted so all players other than the kicker must be lined up no more than five yards behind the restraining line.
Existing unnecessary roughness rules have been standardized and protection for defenseless players has been expanded, including additional safeguards for defenseless receivers, players who receive "blindside" blocks and quarterbacks, kickers and punters on changes of possession.
Illegal "launching," which has been defined as a player leaving both feet prior to contact to spring forward and upward into an opponent and delivering a blow with any part of the helmet, has been prohibited.

Roughing the passer rules have been clarified so hits to the head of a passer by an opponent's hands, arms, or other parts of the body will not result in fouls unless they are forcible blows.

Two adjustments were made to instant replay procedures in the interest of competitive fairness:

1. The replay official will now initiate reviews of all scoring plays throughout the game from the booth, allowing confirmation of all scoring plays and providing more flexibility to coaches in the use of their challenges.
2. Teams will now be penalized 15 yards for initiating a challenge after a foul that prevents the next snap. This prevents a team from challenging the previous play if it commits a pre-snap foul.

Dead-ball personal fouls by either team at the end of a half will now be enforced on the ensuing kickoff of the third quarter, eliminating the extension of a half after a five- or 15-yard penalty enforcement that includes a dead-ball personal foul against the defense. This ensures consistent enforcement for all dead-ball personal fouls on both the offense and defense in these situations.

Field color: Absent prior approval from the NFL, the surface of the entire field must be a league-approved shade of green, preserving the uniform appearance of all NFL games.
All rules that encourage player safety will continue to be strictly enforced, including runners grasping the facemask of defensive players, horse-collar tackles, chop blocks and clipping. The focus will be on eliminating these tactics from the game.

There will also be points of emphasis on several existing rules this season (although the rules themselves have not changed).

Source: the NFL
 Check out when your favorite team is playing at: 2011 NFL Schedule

Bluffton Block Party this Saturday 9/10/11

Everyone is invited to our all-American Block Party. Enjoy Live music from the Hilton Head Quartet, The Steppin' Stones and The Blue Dogs.


Take time to appreciate and thank our military men and women as well as police, firefighters, EMS and others who protect our liberty and to celebrate the freedom and privileges their sacrifices guarantee.


This event will benefit Operation R&R-Hilton Head and be emceed by Radio Host, Mark Robertson from 98.7 The River.
The Hilton Head Quartet will start us off with the National Anthem, followed by a special Honor Guard Presentation of Colors by Bluffton Police and Fire and a live performance by John O'Gorman in tribute to 9-11.


The VIP Air Conditioned Tent will house big screen TV's for College Football fans, libations and appetizers. Tickets to the VIP Tent are an additional $100 and can be purchased from the State Farm office located next to Publix at Buckwalter Place. To reserve your VIP Ticket call Davida at 843.837.2886 or email Davida@KevinSevier.com.


The Okatie Ale House will be cooking up burgers, dogs, brats and chicken. Jersey Joe's is serving up pizza and Pino Gelato's healthier, lower in fat and calories version of Ice Cream. The Kids Zone will have bouncy houses that will keep them playing for hours! 


Admission to the event is $5. Military and their immediate dependents are FREE. Bring a chair but please leave your pets and coolers at home. Rain date is Sunday, September 11, 2011 from 1 - 6:00 p.m.


For more information contact Kimberly Tatro at Kimberly@LowcountryBusinessCircle.com or 843.301.1037
Bluffton Block Party Website
Thanks to all our great sponsors for their support in making this event possible!


Buckwalter Place is rapidly becoming the focus and nexus of a significant amount of economic, commercial, governmental, entertainment, social, technological, educational and cultural activity in southern Beaufort County. 


For more information on Buckwalter Place, please visit the website at www.buckwalterplace.com. To view more project related articles, please visit the blog at www.buckwalterplace.com/blog

Sun City to Remember September 11th

                                                                

While Americans everywhere were rocked to their core by Sept. 11, native New Yorkers took the assault on their great city even more to heart. Neither time nor distance has diminished its memory for many of us and now, with the 10th anniversary of the event approaching, Rhoda Kantor, a former New Yorker and Sun City resident, took it upon herself to make sure that the terrible event of a decade ago is remembered by those of us here in Sun City.

“Just to show that we have not forgotten 9/11,” Kantor said.

Kantor, in conjunction with Executive Director Sue Sweeney and Lifestyles Director Jackie Bates, put together a program of remembrance that will incorporate branches of the military and residents.

The Sept. 11 ceremony begins at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 11 at the 9/11 Memorial in front of the Purrysburg Fitness Center in Town Square. Larry Bonner, the Commander of the Sun City Veteran’s Association, and Kantor will be the masters of ceremonies.

Representatives from the Bluffton Township Fire District, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office with its K9 Unit, and the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air Force will be honored. Members of the Color Guard from each of those branches will present and post the colors. The Army Brass Quintet will also be playing.

Larry Della Vecchia, a Sun City veteran, will ring a bell four times throughout the ceremony to recognize and give a moment of silence for each plane that went down that day. An actual piece of the Twin Towers, loaned by a Sun City resident, readings and invocations will be part of the ceremony.

Residents and attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs. The ceremony is free and open to everyone.

Happy Tuesday!

We hope everyone had a great 

Labor Day Weekend! 

Labor Day Hours

ATTENTION RESIDENTS:

OUR OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED MONDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2011 IN OBSERVANCE OF THE LABOR DAY HOLIDAY.  WE WILL RE-OPEN TUESDAY

SEPTEMBER 6, 2011 AT 8:30AM.

WE ARE SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIANCE THIS MAY CAUSE.  SHOULD YOU HAVE A MAINTENANCE EMERGENCY PLEASE CALL 1-800-779-1075.

WE HOPE EVERYONE HAS A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY WEEKEND!

THANK YOU,

COURTNEY BEND MANAGEMENT

Free Ice Cream!!!

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