The Rotary Club of
Ojai
 

Ojai Rotary Reminder Newsletter
September 29th, 2017

REMINDER - FIFTH FRIDAY LUAU
 
President Mike and “Luau Lisa” Malone hosted the Sept. 28th Fifth Friday event with hospitable aplomb. Their capacious backyard with its shady oaks and a cool pool with cabana and outdoor bar/kitchen island made a lovely sanctuary on a lovely fall evening for several dozens of their best Rotary friends to gather up in warmth and camaraderie and Ginger’s deliciously evil Mai Tais. We were serenaded by a wonderful melodysmith, who played soft-rock classics impeccably on his guitar.
 
 
 
As Mike told us about his decision to buy the property one year ago, “I wanted a place with a pool and a big backyard to do more entertaining and that’s exactly what we got.” We concur.
 
Making a welcome return was Ojai’s Pitmaster General Marty of Marty’s Catering. He manned the oak-fired helm with choice servings of chicken, vegetable skewers and moist, succulent pork loin served with mango salsa, his secret barbecue sauce, Hawaiian rolls and a delectable rice pilaf.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
There was a motive to the meeting madness as engineered by Deirdre Daly and her tireless party crew; Prez Malone was feted with a chocolate/chocolate chip bundt cake with accompanying cupcakes of astounding richness in anticipation of his birthday coming Oct. 3rd. He is alleged to be turning the big 3-0; no one was a word otherwise as we tunefully belted out “Happy Birthday” in violation of long-standing copywright laws with great, if lawless, gusto.
 
 
 
 
Lerie Bjornstedt presided over one table with updates on her various bridge games. Bridge is regarded as the most brain-straining game of all, to which we attribute Lerie’s astounding powers of recall and sharpness. Tony and Anne Thacher talked about their European river cruise, as well as tales of Old Ojai, particularly the Penthouse Magazine interview with the Barretts, a swinging couple who managed to be both seedy and classy as owners of a reputed brothel, in which the dearly departed David Mason wanted to play piano. Deirdre laid traps for unsuspecting members, who, in a state of inebriation, made promises about serving key roles in her coming Presidential administration. She also brought a friend and potential member, who hopefully wasn’t scared off.
 
 
 
Other attendees Marilyn and DeWayne Boccali, freshly returned from a riverboat trip to Tennessee, where the sweltering humidity made them grateful for Ojai’s dry furnace-like heat. Bob and Darlene Daddi were also making the rounds; Darlene in a shoulder sling after what some suspect was a skateboarding mishap. Her claims that she tripped over a low wall at her house were in doubt. Jim and Dottie Combs and Ren and Victoria Adam were in full luau regalia, giving Lisa Malone cover as she chastised the less fashionably dressed of us who did not display the requisite “aloha spirit.”
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pater familias Dr. Carl Gross was joined by his daughters Taundra and Carin, with sons-in-law Bob Roddick and Bryant Huber. Bryant was finishing up his final day as a manager at Ojai Community Bank, optimistic about his new career at Bank of the Sierras after the completed takeover and a hectic day under the new regime. Bryant and Carin’s daughter June was sweetening up the place with cosmically adorable energy, to the adoration of the masses.
 
 
As the evening wound down amid the twinkling of lights and the sparkle of friendship in the service of others, we reflected gratefully on the blessings of Rotary, and good barbecue and mai tais. It was Aloha spirit at its finest.
 
Coming Up Next Week:  Kim Maxwell
 
 
 

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