Dale Pruitt announced that, after four attempts, he had installed a pergola crossbeam at #6 with large lag bolts. He left a ladder nearby and planned to add plant baskets, possibly wisteria, while offering to inspect neighbors’ repairs. Bev Lindqvist, president of the homeowners association, issued Notice 418 objecting that the beam and plant baskets lacked approval and that the ladder was a tripping hazard. Otis defended Dale’s work in dog-like posts, saying he had sat on the boards and there was no tripping. Mr. Halvorsen disputed details in Bev’s notice, stating the beam went up Monday and the ladder was placed by the maple Tuesday. He also supplied rainfall figures connected to the Association’s establishment. Bev acknowledged his records but insisted the ladder remained a hazard and that weather was unrelated to governance, while asking Sam to help organize the increasingly extensive files. Frank and Franny Dobrowski argued over the Association’s founding date, whether it existed at all, the correct rainfall, and whether Frank had the 1973 or 1974 Farmer’s Almanac. Bev then issued Notice 419 asserting that the Association was established September 12, 1974, criticizing the 1973 almanac, and claiming a Gazette weather page showed clear skies. The Dobrowskis challenged the location of the charter documents and the weather account. Halvorsen countered that the Gazette recorded 0.15 inches of precipitation on September 12 and that the week’s total was 0.8 inches. Bev maintained that the rainfall debate was distracting from Dale’s unapproved wisteria plans. Dale replied that wisteria remained undecided and offered to repair Bev’s loose downspout brackets and inspect a pooling gutter. The Dobrowskis continued arguing about archives, permits, Dale’s history of hanging things, and whether the trellis or its screws would hold. Otis reported receiving biscuits while Dale examined screws. Sarah Plimpton suggested the lag bolts matched hardware used on an Elm Street bench and linked the hardware delivery to a truck stop near the surveyor’s diner. Mrs. Bettencourt turned this into a Saturday celebration at #8 featuring eggs, biscuits, a corkboard, the drill, permits, and Otis as official biscuit taster. Otis eagerly anticipated eggs and biscuits. Mr. Higgins treated the gathering as a military threat involving a supply drop and vulnerable green chairs, while Otis focused on waiting there; Higgins said his perimeter would hold.