# 320 - August 15th, 2012

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin... Apologies for my tardiness in sharing with you the list of August Birthdays for our Valley Seniors, but here it finally is - Kay Clark, Donna Reilly, Joe Hansen, Mark Fontaine, and Ellen Fontaine. Many Happy Returns to you all!

         This is going to have to be a brief but informative column on this occasion. Even Turkey Vultures suffer from heat exhaustion, and I don’t think many of you are aware of just how hot the inside of a skunk’s carcass is on day when Valley temperatures top 100 degrees, as they did last Saturday afternoon on Mountain View Rd near to the school playing fields where a few of my brethren and I struggled to devour such a creature in the midday sun. Anyway, I was stuffed and the heat had an adverse affect on me for a few days, so as a result this column will be relatively short…

       Let’s start with a couple of very applicable Quotes of the Week… This one from Charles Dudley Warner (1829 – 1900), the American essayist, novelist, and friend of Mark Twain, who very wisely pointed out, “Everyone talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it”… And as for Jane Austen (1775 – 1817), the English novelist whose works of romantic fiction have earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature and whose realism and biting social commentary have gained her historical importance among scholars and critics, apart from all that, she also came up with a perfect summing up on how I felt with my head deep inside a skunk’s stomach on a hot afternoon in the Valley, when she said, “What dreadfully hot weather we’re having. It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.” It is almost as if she was right there next to me!

       Public Service Announcements… Calendars and pens at the ready... #352 – The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital continue to make regular visits to the Valley and they return here tomorrow, Thursday, August 16. They will be at The A.V. Farm Supply from 2pm to 3.30pm and if you call them 48 hours in advance (462-8833) you can ensure that your pet’s charts are brought ‘over the hill’ and also order any medications your pet might need. New customers and their pets are always welcome… #353 – It’s the 3rd Friday of the month so that means the Grange Groove is back! Coming to The Grange on Hwy 128, at 8pm on Friday Aug 17 are the sounds of D.J. Mika Love Jive and his ‘eclectic dance wave mix’ so I urge you to get your dancing shoes on and join the crowd for a fun night out … #354 – The annual A.V. Lions’ Tri-tip bbq at Fairgrounds to benefit A.V. Ambulance is from4.30pm to 7pm on Sunday, Aug 19… #355 – The next Guest Chef Dinner to benefit the Senior Center will take place there on Friday, Aug 24 when the guest chef will be Star White from Pennyroyal Cheese. Your $30 ticket includes a $10 donation to the Center, a three-course dinner, and a complimentary glass of wine or beer, with further wine and beer available at the bar. For more details call 895-3609…

       Well now I think it’s time to take my leave – this skunk us taking days to digest… So, until we talk again - ‘Keep the Faith’; be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle; and may your god go with you… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture...

p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse either through the Letters Page or by e-mail at <turkeyvulture1@earthlink.net>

p.p.s. Hi, Silver Swan – behaving yourself? Hopefully not!

p.p.p.s. Hi, George – hope you and Sheila are well…