NATLE FYI

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

**I will be away from NATLE “HQ” the week of Memorial Day.  I’ll be hiking parts of the Appalachian Trail…actually hiking, though, not dropping off the grid like SC’s guv back in 2009.  Two friends and I will fly to Dulles on Monday and rent a car to take us into the Shenandoah National Park.  They’ve warned me that I’m allowed to have my phone, but under no circumstances can I bring the laptop.  I don’t have the easiest version of Outlook, but I’ve set up an OOO “rule” that I hope will work.**

The Spark Mill has the suggestions and corrections from the CEO Compensation Survey Working Group, so we should be able to distribute the deck to the participating executive directors by this afternoon or early next week at the latest.

We will not have a 4th Monday Zoom Series presentation this month, but stay tuned for information about June’s topic.  It will be an interactive idea-sharing hour with tips on where to save money and do more with less, be it funds, staff, or volunteers.  A Working Group met yesterday to brainstorm the program and will kick-off the discussion with their own favorite short-cuts and “no cost” ideas.  NATLE’s member TLAs represent the full range of staff sizes and budgets, but nuggets and gems can come from anywhere along that spectrum.  Save the date of June 23 at 2pmET and come prepared to share and learn!

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend!

P.S. In case you’re still here…I like chapters, but I don’t mean the DAR.  I like my books to have chapters.  Not only do they make for convenient stopping points, but they give the author a way to transition to another character or zip ahead in the timeline.  I finished Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None on Sunday afternoon and waddled upstairs to pick out my next book.  I randomly pulled down Herman Hesse’s Steppenwolf recognizing nothing other than the title, and thought, “Ooh good, a cerebral adventure and translations are not my usual go-to genre.”  I got through the preface where the “Editor” sets the stage with a description of the protagonist before leaving us to continue on with his memoir.  I gave it the ol’ college try – 35 pages – and it was like reading a super boring diary by someone who needs to write down every move and mood in his day.  I flipped ahead to see how many pages to the next chapter when, to my horror, it was endless.  No chapters and, skimming the text, it was just more tedious meditations.  I’m no glutton, so I’ll donate that book to the mini driveway library in my neighborhood – I’m sure it’ll appeal to someone.  I had been using Stephen Ambrose’s Citizen Soldiers because it was the right thickness for my nightly PT “T turns” and decided to give it a go.  It’s about the storming of Normandy in WWII and it’s roughly broken out by months.  Not exactly a lighter subject, but the chapters help me set the pace.

P.P.S. It’s true what they say about expired medicine.  My allergies came in hot this week and in a desperate move, I took a Benedryl from a box I found buried deep in the stash under the sink.  The expiration date was 2010 – I know, I said I was desperate.  Predictably, I had a miserable night with barely a wink of sleep.  Last night, I stopped at the store to refresh the supply with a new box and, hoo boy, what a difference.  My ears are still plugged and I sound a bit hoarse, but I can breathe again.  Hallelujah.

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

The Spark Mill has the suggestions and corrections from the CEO Compensation Survey Working Group, so we should be able to distribute the deck to the participating executive directors by early next week.

We have secured a major sponsor for the wine country tour through Napa (Friday, July 18).  Ashley Rochestie from Morgan & Morgan will join us for the tour and is looking forward to meeting the TLA movers and shakers for fine wine, a hosted picnic (details in the works), and visits to a few vineyards.  If you will be arriving in time to leave the hotel by mid-morning and interested in going, we need to know ASAP.  We have two seats left on the bus and will start a waitlist.  Send me an email with the number of tickets to reserve and I’ll keep you posted as the plan evolves.  (NB, this is not the Social Event – that will be Sunday evening and details are TBA.)

The number of registrations for the NATLE Annual Meeting (July 19-21) is ahead of past trends, so we expect a great turnout.  We’ll always have room for one more, but the more crucial piece is the room block which tends to sell out earlier than seems predictable.  Registering with AAJ (it’s free) will produce a confirmation notice with the link to reserve a room.  Don’t wait on this step!  The program has been designed for all TLAs, from small TLAs with no staff to large TLAs with staff members in charge of whole departments.  NATLE registration is open and TLA Presidents (at the time of the conference) can register for the AAJ conference at 50% off with a promo code.

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend!

P.S. In case you’re still here…Look, up in the sky!  It’s a bird…it’s a plane, it’s Superman…no, it’s space junk!  Wear your hard hat this weekend as we expect a 50-year-old Soviet-era space probe to plunge back to Earth.  It looks like a giant marshmallow, but don’t be deceived.  This Venus-bound failure weighs half a ton and if it fell into your firepit, you wouldn’t bother fishing it out.  In fact, if it lands that close to your house, I’m afraid a lost marshmallow in the firepit would be the least of your troubles.  Vermont’s weather this weekend may not give me an opportunity to get out of its way, so if I end up as a speck of dust at the bottom of a crater, you’ll know it was quick and I didn’t see it coming.

P.P.S. I heard my neighbor’s lawnmower yesterday and that was all the motivation I needed to give my front yard its inaugural Spring trim.  (At least it will be a tidy spot for a crater.)

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

The deadline for submitting nominees to the NATLE Board is EOD today.  If you know of someone who may be considering a move to run for a Board position, please get their permission first and fill out the wufoo nomination form.

The Spark Mill has compiled the CEO Compensation Survey results into a draft slide deck that is now in the hands of the Survey’s Working Group.  As soon as they’ve reviewed and indicated any suggestions/corrections, we will distribute to the participating executive directors.

The number of registrations for the NATLE Annual Meeting (July 19-21) is ahead of past trends, so we expect a great turnout.  We’ll always have room for one more, but the more crucial piece is the room block which tends to sell out earlier than seems predictable.  Registering with AAJ (it’s free) will generate a confirmation notice with the link to reserve a room.  Don’t wait on this step!  The program has been designed for all TLAs, from small TLAs with no staff to large TLAs with staff members in charge of whole departments.  NATLE registration is open and TLA Presidents (at the time of the conference) can register for the AAJ conference at 50% off with a promo code.

The wine country tour through Napa (Friday, July 18) is taking shape and we have lined up the first winery, Alpha Omega!  We’ll ultimately have an itinerary with 2-3 vineyards and lunch.  We met with a potential sponsor on Monday, so once we receive their commitment we’ll be able to set the ticket price in the next few weeks.  We have two seats left on the bus and will start a waitlist.  If you will be arriving in time to leave the hotel by mid-morning and interested in going, we need to know ASAP.  Send me an email with the number of tickets to reserve and I’ll keep you posted as the plan evolves.  (NB, this is not the Social Event – that will be Sunday evening and details are TBA.)

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend!

P.S. In case you’re still here…It’s budget development time again at NATLE HQ.  I actually enjoy working on it, but it takes me a while to get motivated.  There are so many bits ‘n pieces to collect (ie. past year’s files to open) to bring all of the variables together in one spreadsheet.  I think of it as a puzzle that, when solved, is a complete picture.  I balance my personal checkbook every month and I’m always so gratified when 99.44% of the time there’s an exact match with the statement.  It makes me thankful I inherited my mom’s organizational skills.

P.P.S. It’s Sauvignon Blanc Day.  My wine intake has slowed dramatically since the height of the pandemic, but I still enjoy a glass when I’m out at a restaurant with friends.  It’s also National No Pants Day, but I’m sticking with SB Day, myself.

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

The Spark Mill has compiled the CEO Compensation Survey results into a draft slide deck that is now in the hands of the Survey’s Working Group.  Once they’ve reviewed and indicated any suggestions or corrections, we will distribute to the participating executive directors.

The Early Bird registration rate for the NATLE Annual Meeting (July 19-21) ends TODAY!  The program includes topics for everyone on your staff – membership, non-profit compliance, board management, graphic design & marketing, leadership academies, dealing with rogue vendors, and a TrialSmith / MemberCentral Update.  NATLE registration is open and TLA Presidents (at the time of the conference) can register for the AAJ conference at 50% off with a promo code.

Can you help us pull together some of the opportunities to consider when working with your Boards?  A session during the Annual Meeting covers Boards: Obstacles & Opportunities and we’re seeking examples.  Have you devised immediate steps to turn a bad/tense situation around or new processes that prevent future challenges?  Have you tried a Board self-evaluation or implemented position descriptions?  Did they correlate with good outcomes, ie. membership or financial?  Or worked on board culture and created a list of board member expectations?  We’re looking for best practices, and periodic and measurable metrics.  Forward your ideas to be compiled for the discussion on Monday, July 21!

There are TWO seats left in the bus for the wine country tour through Napa on Friday, July 18, and I’ll start a wait list!  Our local, California Posse, is working their contacts to put together the itinerary with 2-3 vineyards and lunch.  We are also reaching out to potential sponsors so that we can minimize the ticket price.  If you will be arriving in time to leave the hotel by mid-morning and interested in going, we need to know ASAP.  Send me an email with the number of tickets to reserve and I’ll keep you posted as the plan evolves.  (NB, this is not the Social Event – that will be Sunday evening and details are TBA.)

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend!

P.S. In case you’re still here…“Made in Vietnam”?  Uh oh.  I didn’t want to pay an extra 46% to cover the tariff – or whatever % it was going to be on any given day.  I hadn’t read the fine print when I hit on the 5-piece rattan patio set for my deck, but that ended up as the least of the issues.  Up until yesterday, I’d been receiving calls from Lowes Customer Care – yah, the corporate department – every other morning.  Late last week, after I unpacked the box and found only enough pieces for the ottomans and side table, but no hardware or instructions, I called my local store to track down the rest of it.  Spending 20+ minutes on hold pushed my buttons, so I called HQ.  It took a week to find the second box, but it’s here, unpacked, and ready to assemble.  Just in time for a rainy weekend.

P.P.S. Isn’t it enough that I know what a “3rd and 9” means?  Do I really need to know the difference between a tight end and a wide receiver?  Who cares?  If you were glued to the tube watching the NFL draft this week, I hope your team got its pick.

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

The AAJ Council of Presidents meetings are held roughly once a month and all EDs are notified of the schedule with a link to register.  They run an hour and are a great way to learn about the boots-on-the-ground climate in DC, the federal legislative agenda, and discussions on timely topics, like initiatives re “statements”.  Always on the agenda is an opportunity for your leadership (or you) to chime in with any issues happening in your state**.

The session profiles are coming out in the e-blasts as the speakers are confirmed for the NATLE Annual Meeting (July 19-21).  The program  is designed with topics for everyone on the TLA staff!  NATLE registration is open and TLA Presidents (at the time of the conference) can register for the AAJ conference at 50% off with a promo code.

Congratulations to the Townsend Scholarship awardees, Deborah Neary (Nebraska Assoc of Trial Attys) and Karen St. Aubin (TLA of British Columbia).  We received five applications from well-qualified, all very deserving members and it was a tough decision by the Scholarship Committee – enough so that they requested permission from the NATLE Board to award two scholarships.  Thank you to all who applied and we encourage you to submit again in the future.

There are five seats left in the bus for the wine country tour through Napa on Friday, July 18.  Our local, California Posse, is working their contacts to put together the itinerary with 2-3 vineyards and lunch.  We are also reaching out to potential sponsors so that we can minimize the ticket price.  If you will be arriving in time to leave the hotel by mid-morning and interested in going, we need to know ASAP.  Send me an email with the number of tickets to reserve and I’ll keep you posted as the plan evolves.  (NB, this is not the Social Event – that will be Sunday evening and details are TBA.)

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend!

P.S. In case you’re still here…It’s the kind of weather when I consider switching the flannel sheets out for the percale as I lie there and roast in my flannel pajamas and look longingly at my motionless ceiling fan.  It’s too early for that and I should instead be turning down the heat as a first step.  Contemplating PJs makes me remember the days when I used to wear the one-piece, zip-up-the-front fleece jammies with built-in booties.  We’re going back multiple decades, you realize.  Those PJs were a source of entertainment all on their own.  I’d crawl under the sheets and swish my legs around to make the staticky sparks.  (I was an only child…I had to make my own fun.)  It’s a wonder my parents didn’t check on me one morning and find only a little grease stain in the middle of charred sheets.  I don’t court death that way anymore.  If I’m going to combust, it’ll be spontaneously and happen somewhere I’d call a “happy place”, like a tropical island.

P.P.S. Now there might be life on a planet that’s over a hundred light years from Earth?  Somehow, they detected a gas that might indicate that we are not alone.  I just hope we don’t spend too much money tracking down E.T. only to find out he simply partied hard and drank his PBRs too fast.

**I’m saying “state” since I’m not aware if the provinces participate.

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

Thank you to everyone who attended the Town Hall on Wednesday!  We had 25 members come together for a very engaging conversation about the AAJ Partnership for Progress program.  The session was not recorded, but I made notes to capture the sentiments, like, an orientation on the PFP would be helpful for new, as well as seasoned, EDs, including better communication about the guidelines and expectations.  A summary will be shared with AAJ and we’ll work together on a follow-up program via Zoom.

The headcount for the wine country tour through Napa on Friday, July 18, jumped to 31.  We have a “black car” van tentatively reserved with room for 38.  IMPORTANT: If you’re arriving in San Francisco in time to leave the hotel by mid-morning and interested in going, we need to know ASAP.  This number will also help us approach potential sponsors in an attempt to minimize the ticket price.  Send me an email with the number of tickets to reserve and I’ll keep you posted as the plan evolves.  (NB, this is not the Social Event – that will be Sunday evening and details are TBA.)

The brochure for the NATLE Annual Meeting (July 19-21) is updated as session titles, speakers, and sponsors are confirmed.  The program includes topics for everyone – Brian Yacker will give us the latest in non-profit tax compliance, and we’ll also cover membership trends, leadership academies, graphic design and marketing for membership orgs, planning for ED/staff vacuum, and much more!  NATLE registration is open and applications for the Tommy Townsend Memorial Scholarship will be accepted until EOD TODAY!  Also, TLA Presidents (at the time of the conference) can register for the AAJ conference at 50% off with a promo code.

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend!

P.S. In case you’re still here…I stepped out of my comfort zone on Monday evening and attended a semi-monthly gathering of The Neighbors.  It’s a play-reading group in Burlington, Vermont, that just celebrated its 135th anniversary.  I’d asked about how to break into the group during a Drinking Gourd dinner last month, knowing that it was by-invitation only.  I’ve described the Drinking Gourd in this space before – a chef and his dessert-making wife host a monthly 5-course feast for the belly and soul.  It’s like a therapy session with the bonus of an amazing, plated meal served around their dining table set for 12, all for just $40.  Everyone is politically like-minded and eventually the conversation always comes around to the local, state, and federal scene.  As I’d hoped, two of the Gourd regulars are also Neighbors.  Irene was my “in”.  At 7pm, without more preamble than an introduction of the three of us guests, the first of three one-act plays was set.  The fun comes not just from the fact that the plays for the evening are known only to the readers, but the readers don’t even know who else has been assigned a part.  Props like tea trays and feather dusters and pillbox hats are not required, but certainly add to the comedy and theatrics of the actors who all read from their seats.  An article about the group appeared in Seven Days, a Vermont weekly, observed that “there’s a lot of gray hair now” – about what you might expect of a group founded in 1890 for “men and women of unusual intellect and culture”.  Looking at the faces (and hair) of the people sitting around the main room of the c.1850 carriage house, I firmly anchored the low end of the age spectrum.  Since this was just a recon mission for me to maybe expand my circle, I appreciated the welcome and easy conversation with the established members during the intermission without feeling like I was getting the hard sell.  In the old days, the gathering broke up in time to catch the last trolley of the night.  Now, despite an aspirational quitting time of 8:30, readings regularly drift past 9 or 10.  That might be my biggest barrier to making it a habit…this old girl likes her sleep and is usually curled up in bed by 9 with a book.

P.P.S. Sky watchers might see the micromoon this weekend.  It occurs when the moon is at its farthest from earth (251,650 miles) and looks the smallest.  Mini Moon, anyone?

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

Town Hall next Wednesday, April 9 at 2:30pmET (1:30pmCT / 12:30pmMT / 11:30amPT):  If you participate in AAJ’s Partnership for Progress program, the NATLE Board of Directors urges all participating EDs to attend.  Whether you’re new to NATLE and this program or an old hat, this NATLE-only session will provide historical perspective, answer your questions, and address your concerns.  An email was sent to the 49 participating TLAs’ EDs yesterday with a link to an .ics file for your calendar.  I’ll send a few reminders Monday and Wednesday a.m.  (If you don’t know if your TLA participates, I have the list.)

The headcount for the wine country tour through Napa on Friday, July 18, is up to 22.  Planning for the van/bus, lunch reservations, and admission to 2-3 wineries is happening now, so we need to know if you are interested.  IMPORTANT: If you’re arriving in San Francisco in time to leave the hotel by mid-morning on and interested in going, we need to know ASAP.  This number will also help us approach potential sponsors in an attempt to minimize the ticket price.  Send me an email with the number of tickets to reserve and I’ll keep you posted as the plan evolves.  (NB, this is not the Social Event – that will be Sunday evening and details are TBA.)

The brochure for the NATLE Annual Meeting (July 19-21) is updated as session titles, speakers, and sponsors are confirmed.  The program includes topics for everyone – Brian Yacker will give us the latest in non-profit tax compliance, and we’ll also cover membership trends, leadership academies, graphic design and marketing for membership orgs, planning for ED/staff vacuum, and much more!  NATLE registration is open and applications for the Tommy Townsend Memorial Scholarship will be accepted until April 11.  Also, TLA Presidents (at the time of the conference) can register for the AAJ conference at 50% off with a promo code.

Travel Alert:  If you don’t already have a passport or REAL ID, the deadline to have one for domestic travel is May 7th.  A valid passport will still be accepted beyond the deadline if you don’t have the REAL ID card.

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend!

P.S. In case you’re still here…If I said I wanted to get off this roller coaster, you might ask if I mean the political one, the weather ride, or the money market.  I don’t think I’m alone in saying D.C. is bonkers these days and that affects Wall Street, but the weather is a close 2nd.  I woke up to 6 inches of heavy wet snow on Saturday morning and *poof* it was gone by Tuesday in the 63-degree temps.  Ushering in these temperature swings have been the high winds that wreaked havoc in the mid-country.  I’m eager to use my new deck, but haven’t bothered to set up the bistro table.  My dad even called to suggest I hold off, picturing me getting swept away as I carry out the tabletop that would act like a sail.  As much as I want to get off this wild ride, I know we’ll be back on solid ground eventually and I just need to hold on.

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

An announcement about the wine country tour through Napa went out on Wednesday.  IMPORTANT: If you’re arriving in San Francisco in time to leave the hotel by mid-morning on Friday, July 18 and interested in going, we need to know so we can order the right-sized van/bus, make lunch reservations, and prepare the 2-3 TBD wineries.  This number will also help us approach potential sponsors in an attempt to minimize the ticket price.  I’ll resend the blast on Monday and we hope you’ll get in on this fun “extra”.  Send me an email with the number of tickets to reserve and I’ll keep you posted as the plan evolves.  (NB, this is not the Social Event – that is going to be Sunday evening and details are TBA.)

The first version of the brochure for the NATLE Annual Meeting is uploaded and will be updated as session titles, speakers, and sponsors are confirmed.  Join us in San Francisco (July 19-21)!  The program is designed to include topics for everyone – membership trends, leadership academies, graphic design and marketing for membership orgs, planning for ED/staff vacuum, and Brian Yacker will join us again to give us the latest in non-profit tax compliance!  NATLE registration is open and applications for the Tommy Townsend Memorial Scholarship will be accepted until April 11.  In early sponsorship news, Ringler Associates has committed to covering the Membership Luncheon and we have a first-time sponsorship to help with the A/V costs from the Milestone Foundation.

You must also register with AAJ via the AAJ Convention page – it’s FREE and ensures you have the badge that is required for admission to events like the Opening Reception and exhibit hall.  The confirmation email contains a link to make reservations within the room block.  We strongly recommend that you make hotel reservations ($299++/night) if you are at least on the fence about attending.  The room block rate cut-off isn’t until June 25, but it usually fills quickly and rooms can be cancelled up to 72 hours prior to check-in.  TLA Presidents (at the time of the conference) can register with AAJ at 50% off with a promo code.

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend!

P.S. In case you’re still here…It took me a while one morning this week to figure out why my pullover felt odd, like the neck was too tight.  Turns out, I’d pulled it on backwards so the tag was tickling my throat.  In my defense, I get dressed in the dark and my nearly-blackout curtains are to blame.  I like to ease my eyeballs into the daylight.  There’s nothing else that makes me grumpy like having to squint and feel my way around the bathroom, tipping over my toothbrush and grabbing the lotion instead of the toothpaste.  I love my vitamin D, but I take it in gradual doses.

P.P.S. Speaking of sunlight, if you’re in the eastern U.S. and an early riser on Saturdays, you may see a partial solar eclipse.  Hope you didn’t toss your special glasses from the total eclipse last April!

P.P.P.S. File the tax returns…check.

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

The CEO Compensation Survey results should be available as a draft next week.  I'm happy to share that version so you can tell me what may be missing.

The links to the Annual Meeting registration and room block via the AAJ Convention page are accessible.  We strongly recommend that you register with AAJ (it’s free for NATLE members) and make hotel reservations ($299++/night) if you are at least on the fence about attending.  The room block rate cut-off isn’t until June 25, but it usually fills quickly and rooms can be cancelled up to 72 hours prior to check-in.  TLA Presidents (at the time of the conference) can register with AAJ at 50% off with a promo code.

The NATLE Annual Meeting in San Francisco (July 19-21) is designed to appeal to those TLAs hoping to bring staff.  The Planning Committee has put together a program that will include topics for everyone – membership trends, leadership academies, websites, non-profit tax compliance, graphic design for membership org, planning for ED/staff vacuum, and the popular idea exchange from Miami continues!  NATLE registration is open and applications for the Tommy Townsend Memorial Scholarship will be accepted until April 11.  The “fun times” committee is working on a wine country tour through Napa for Friday (7/18) and we are hoping to attract sponsors to help minimize the ticket cost.  Ringler Associates has committed to sponsoring the Membership Luncheon and we have a first-time sponsorship to help cover our A/V costs from The Milestone Foundation, so if you already work with them, please share the love and say “thank you”!

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend!

P.S. In case you’re still here…Much like Miss Muffet, I was minding my own beeswax at my laptop one afternoon this week when a not-too-big, but big enough, spider came along. He must have been camped out in the track lighting above my desk and decided to stretch his legs.  As my eyes adjusted to the much-closer-than-my-screen critter, I readied a handy tissue and quickly restored my sense of being the master of my domain.  I skipped the curds and whey, which to me just sound nasty.

P.P.S. The bagel in the burning bush has vanished.

Good Morning and Happy Pi Day!

I’ve been hitting the refresh button on the AAJ Convention page – the links to the Annual Meeting registration and room block were to be open yesterday – but it’s not quite ready.  I’ll let you know. In the meantime, the Planning Committee for NATLE’s Annual Meeting in San Francisco (July 19-21) has designed the program to appeal to those TLAs hoping to bring staff. The brochure is in development and topics will include membership trends, leadership academies, websites, non-profit tax compliance, graphic design for membership org, planning for ED/staff vacuum, and the popular idea exchange from Miami continues! NATLE registration is open and applications for the Tommy Townsend Memorial Scholarship will be accepted until April 11. The “fun times” committee is working on a wine country tour through Napa for Friday and we are hoping to attract sponsors to help minimize the ticket cost.

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend!

P.S. In case you’re still here…Some people have pets who bring them “presents”. I’ve heard of cats who will deposit still-alive mice at their person’s feet with a look that says, “I’m giving you a chance to prove your worth by taking the next step to rid the world of this scourge.” Or more likely, a slightly macerated mole with, “See, I’m a mighty tiger. What have you done today?” No, instead my gift is in the form of half of a cinnamon raisin bagel, toasted thank you. Also, thoughtfully, it’s not on the doorstep of the back patio where I wouldn’t see it for another few weeks. It’s in the burning bush outside my kitchen window – high enough up and perfectly centered for the best viewing. Bagels are heavy, so I have to think it was hoisted in place by a squirrel. I choose to think of it as a present, but it may simply be that it was the best place to stash the cache.