No Grinches Here!
EE is getting in the holiday spirit as more and more homes, the Ramada and EE Park are beautifully decorated for the holidays and the monuments on Esperanza Blvd and Portillo present a delightful welcome as you enter EE. It's worth a quick tour around the neighborhood to see these lovely displays.  Terry and Donna Shay's (Circulo del Sur) massive display of several thousand lights (he doesn't keep count) is a "must see."  While on your tour, be sure to see the new and improved star in Esperanza Estates Park. Thanks to Barb Rydall, Hugh and Cynthia Gates, Ron and Ole McLaughlin, Bev Hebib and Doris Paulsen for working on the very elegant display of luminarias at the EE monument on Esperanza Blvd. A huge group of elves led by Mr. & Mrs. Claus (aka Joe & Barb McCalpin) installed the displays at the Portillo monument.

Join the Jingle Bell Party at the Ramada
Don your festive sweaters and jingling/flashing accessories. Bring your best holiday smiles and join your neighbors for a celebration Tuesday nite at 4:30 pm.  Even Scrooge would dole out a measly $6 for a beverage, grilled burger, chips and cookie, accompanied by the greatest neighbors in the valley.

New Time for Tennis
Hardy they may be, but even our tennis players have noticed the cooler mornings.  Tennis will now start at 8:30 a.m. They are always looking for new players, so join them on the courts any Friday morning.

Yip, Yip, Yip
You can hear the calls of the coyotes more frequently as the nights turn cold, and early morning walkers have a good chance of having one cross their path.  The Periodico is looking for photos of coyotes you may have spotted in EE or our general vicinity.  If you have any to share, please send them to droessle@mac.com. 

No Surprise...Craig Surprise to the Rescue
Kudos to resident wizard, Craig Surprise, for re-engineering the electrical system at the monument on Esperanza Blvd.  Craig was analyzing our electrical bills from Trico for the EE common areas and noted a discrepancy on the bill for the monument.  He found a problem and fixed it, resulting in a more usable service. He is also working to make our use of electricity in other areas more efficient, saving our HOA $$$.

Getting to Know You
Twenty-five enthusiastic new residents attended the Bienvenidos Committee's reception last week to get acquainted and learn about our wonderful neighborhood. We look forward to seeing them at future events and involved in EE activities. Thanks to committee members Cheri Day, Cindy Krantz, Stacie Meyer, Barb McCalpin, Joey Sourant and Cynthia Surprise for their efforts in welcoming new residents, and to Bob Krantz for acting as "official" photographer.

No Movie This Week
Movie goers will need to find other entertainment this Wednesday, but can look forward to a Christmas movie on Wednesday, December 17.

Books, Books, Books
If you are thinking about joining the EE Book Discussion Group, here is the list of the books the group will be discussing in the coming months.

Jan. 6        Wonder by P. J. Palacio

Feb. 3        Painted Girls by  Cathy Marie Buchanan

Mar. 3        The Art Forger by  B. A. Shapiro

Apr. 7        Before You Know Kindness by Chris Bohjalian

May 5        Whistlin' Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall

Hot Desert Appreciation
The Hot Desert crew goes "above and beyond" to help our residents and our HOA.  If you would like to contribute to a special holiday gratuity for them, there will be a container for that purpose on the Ramada counter at the holiday party on Tuesday and at the December coffee & donuts. 

Short Story Writers
Want to try your hand at writing a short story?  Glenda Martin is compiling a group of stories by EE authors.  If you would like to submit yours for consideration, contact Glenda at 393-7809.

Attention Monday Morning Memo Readers
If you read the MMM by going to the EE website rather than by opening your email, please be aware that the December 15th edition may not be posted to the website at the usual early morning time.  Those of you who receive the memo by email will receive it at the normal time on Sunday evening.

Board Meeting Next Monday
Take a break from holiday decorating, shopping and baking and attend the December HOA Board meeting on Monday, December 15, starting at 1:00 p.m. at the Ramada.

Sons of Orpheus Holiday Concert
The annual Sons of Orpheus Holiday Concert for the Green Valley area will be held at the Madera Clubhouse in Quail Creek on Sunday, December 21, at 7:00 p.m. The group is a male choir (including our own Jim Kitchak) that performs throughout the Tucson area, its highlights being the series of concerts at The Mission San Xavier Del Bac in early December. This year Orpheus will be joined by the Tucson Boys Chorus for a joint holiday concert at Quail Creek. Holiday favorites and some "tongue in cheek" numbers will highlight the program, along with U-of-A soloists and a new, young violinist. For ticket prices and reservation information, contact the QC Concierge at 520-393-5822.

What's Up in EE?

FIBER ARTS	1:00 PM	THURS	RAMADA
HOLIDAY PARTY	4:30 PM	TU	RAMADA
PM AQUA EXERCISE	3:00 PM	TU, THURS	POOL
TENNIS	8:30 AM	FRI	COURTS
PICKLEBALL OPEN PLAY	10:00 AM	SUN,TUES, WED, SAT	COURTS
PICKLEBALL LADIES ONLY	10:00 AM	THURS	COURTS