# 121 - July 30th, 2008

Greetings one and all and welcome once again to the next few minutes of your life – how does that feel? Reading this stuff when you could be doing something so much more worthwhile? Exactly, I know what you mean – guilty pleasures are good for you…Anyway, as promised last week it’s a return to a some old T.V. favorites and none are more favored than a good old Valley Quiz…(Answers at the end)…
1. Which vineyard would you find on Hwy 128 at mile marker 20?...Meanwhile, what’s at mile marker 8?
2. Who are the two realtors currently working at North Country Real Estate here in A.V.?
3. Which of the following mass murderers is the odd one out?
a) Charles Manson b) Ted Bundy c) Jim Jones d) Leonard Lake
What about a Quote of the Week? This time we turn to the American social critic and witty commentator, Alexander Woollcott…”All the things I really like to do are either immoral, illegal, or fattening” – certainly words to live by, wouldn’t you say?
Now on to another regular feature – The Wine of the Week…I was particularly fortunate to be at a small gathering a few miles up the Philo/Greenwood Rd when a bottle of 2004 Baxter Zinfandel was opened. A large glass of this dark red nectar soon found itself clasped between my claws and seconds later the contents were trickling past my beak and permeating my taste buds, before cascading down my gullet – class, eh? It was excellent. Made with grapes from the Francis Fashauer Vineyard on Mendocino Ridge, it is in limited supply but I can assure you that if you buy a bottle and pair it with any red meat or, in my particular case, some fresh raspberries and French vanilla ice cream, then the word “orgasmic” might just enter your mind…
That’s all very well but unfortunately life is not all Zinfandels and ice cream is it? – There is always the “Whine of the Week”!…This time it’s not so much a whine but rather an ongoing concern which may possibly not exist, although I sense that it does. Please read on…I have always been amazed at the incredible generosity of the Valley’s numerous organizations and various individuals when it comes to giving out scholarships to our High School seniors upon graduation. Tens of thousands of dollars are donated and the students are surely extremely grateful. I have often wondered how this gratitude is expressed. One can hopefully assume that, at the very least, a letter of thanks is sent to the donor and it would be considered ‘normal’ in the “real world” for the students to follow this up in some way, may be with an appearance at the organization’s meeting or a progress report in an e-mail perhaps. As for future contact then the sponsor(s) would surely appreciate an annual update on the student’s academic progress. The student could surely manage this at some point - it would seem rude to not to…
If none of these gestures occur then it is a poor reflection on the students and the school and, in my humble opinion, it would be something that should be addressed…Having said all that I am aware that in the past week or so, one of the students, Sara Guerrero-Leon (Aigner), did make an appearance at a meeting of the Independent Career Women (I.C.W.) and thanked the group for their scholarship that will support her during her upcoming studies at U.C. Berkeley. She talked about her studies and goals and I’m sure her attendance was much appreciated by the I.C.W. members. This should not be a “big deal” for the student and we should not go overboard with praise for Sara –shouldn’t her gesture should be the norm? Common courtesy, good manners, and a modicum of decorum surely still have a place in our society; my own wine-slurping habits notwithstanding. However, I think Sara’s attendance is well worth mentioning, “well done, Sara” - and hopefully she is just one of many who also “do the right thing”…
Now regular readers over the past couple of years will no doubt fondly remember The Turkey Awards given out sporadically for various “services to the community” in and around The Valley. These have included “Best Strawberries”, Best French Fries”, “Best Super Chicken Burrito”, “Best Pint of Beer”, etc. Well, over the past three weeks I have been frantically researching the “Best Meat Lovers Deli Sandwich” award and I must say I found that the standard in these parts to be exceptionally high, To qualify for the award the sandwich must be made-to-order, cost less than $7 (it’s a sandwich for god’s sake!), be available on a French roll, and come with the basic but crucial ingredients – medium cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, mustard, and mayo. Other extras are nice of course but to keep this on a somewhat level playing field I have been keeping to just these basic requirements…After my extensive research and commitment to duty (not to mention a second round of sandwich-eating to ensure the final results were totally accurate), I can now announce that the winner, in a very close race, is…the Roast Beef Sandwich at Lemons Market in Philo…Superb – very good beef (lots of it too); fresh and tasty produce, good cheddar cheese, and all on an very fresh roll. As I mentioned above, all of the Valley’s deli departments produce a high quality product for a reasonable price – that would most certainly include The A.V. Market, The Navarro Store, and the Yorkville Mini Mart. (N.B. Boont Berry Farm doesn’t do a meat sandwich (booo!) and The Boonville General Store has a delicious Tri-Tip Sandwich but it is $8.95)…So, hungry readers, if in doubt about lunch today, visit one of our local deli departments and order up a sandwich – you can’t go wrong! Trust me on this; you can thank me later…p.s. Non of The T.V. Awards have ever been, nor ever will be, influenced by any form of “bribe” and freebies are never accepted – this can only be described as cruel but fair!
Just time for a “quickie” – as the Bishop said to the Actress… Public Service Announcement #133: The Vets from Mendocino Animal Hospital will be at Digg Garden and Landscape Supplies (formerly The A.V. Farm Supply) tomorrow – Thursday, July 31st from 2pm for a couple of hours. Grab the chance if your pets have the need – the Vets will not be here in August…
Well, that’s all for now…Be careful out there; remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle; think good thoughts, try to enjoy life despite the fact that living sometimes gets in the way, and may your god go with you…Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”…Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…
You can contact me with words of support/abuse by e-mail at
turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net
Quiz Answers…
1. At mile marker 20 you would be at The Corby Vineyard and at 8 miles you could turn off at the Paul M. Dimmick campgrounds…
2. Mike Shapiro and Jimmy Humble…
3. The answer is b) Ted Bundy – he is the only one not to have lived in the Valley at some point…Have a good night’s sleep…..