# 322 - August 29th, 2012

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin... Is there a tastier and more succulent whole bbq’d chicken in the Valley than that served by Ricardo from his outdoor grill at the Drive-In on weekends? I didn’t think so, but I thought I’d ask…

         ”The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” was a phrase coined by Fanny Fern (1811-1872), the American newspaper columnist, humorist, novelist, and author of children's stories. Many loved ones of mine would no doubt agree… But Ricardo’s chicken is perhaps best summed up by these words from Virginia Woolf (1882-1941), the English writer regarded as one of the foremost modernist literary figures of the twentieth century, who knowingly commented, “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well” - I think ‘Ginny’ must have been at the Drive-In recently… Moving on…

       Public Service Announcements… Calendars and pens at the ready... #131 - It’s the final live music show of the year at the Navarro Store with world-renowned electric blues harmonica player Charlie Musselwhite performing this coming Saturday September 1 at 5pm, with support bands on stage beginning at 3pm. As always, Pablo will be ‘putting the meat to the heat’ on the grill and one cannot help but think this is going to be one of those magical Valley nights… #132 – The annual Labor Day Flea Market takes place at the Senior Center parking lot over the long weekend of Fri – Mon, Aug 31 – Sept 2. With lots of bargains and Shirley Hulbert carrying on the family tradition of serving up a tasty sausage and gravy breakfast from 8am to 11am and the snack bar open until 5pm each day, I imagine many of you will be there. And call 895-3682 if you’d like a space to sell your wares… #133 – The monthly Barn Sale on A.V. Way just north of Boonville, has moved to the first weekend of the month, Saturday/Sunday, Sept 1 & 2. Lots of bargains can be found, particularly if you’re looking for furniture or school clothes, and each day goes from 9am to 3pm… #134 – The Yorkville Ice Cream Social, always a wonderful afternoon, is this coming Sunday, Sept 2... #135 - School starts on Tuesday, September 4… #136 - The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital continue to make regular visits to the Valley and they return here twice in the month of September. Those dates are Thursdays, Sept 6 and 20, when they will be at The A.V. Farm Supply from 2pm to 3.30pm. If you are a previous client you can call them 48 hours in advance (462-8833) to 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… #137 - An early heads-up for a benefit dinner that Libby's Restaurant in Philo is having for the Elder Home on Sunday, September 30. There will be two seatings, at 5:00 and 7:00 pm, each serving a three-course meal, with tickets going for $30 per person, drinks to be purchased separately. Seating limited so pre-purchase your ticket at Libby's, All That Good Stuff, Lemon's Market in Philo, or call the EH at 895-3889…

       Moving quickly on to a few of the topics and Valley events under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge - yes it’s “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley where people gather and share their thoughts about Valley life...

... It would appear that there are simply not enough firefighters for all the fires that burning. Volunteers are desperately needed to begin training a.s.a.p. Call Colin Wilson at 895-2020 for details. It’s a noble cause if ever there was one…

… One Valley wine-owner always gives a case of wine to every Valley fundraising event, and when attending in person, he makes sure a couple of hundred dollars finds its way from his wallet to the donation jar. He does this very surreptitiously so I do not wish to give out his name, suffice it to say that it is greatly appreciated by many and I find that his off-dry Riesling goes extremely well with a Thai chicken curry…

… The adult soccer league’s big game, El Classico de Michoacan, featuring our two best local teams, took place in front of a crowd of over 150 people in Boonville last Sunday afternoon. After this fierce rivalry saw five red cards handed out by an overly officious referee, the game ended in a 3-0 victory for Valladolid over rivals La Lagunetta, so-named after the rural town in the state of Michoacan that is the home of the majority of the Valley’s Mexican population. Valladolid, the team of the Ferreyra family and friends, who hail primarily from Michoacan’s major city, Morelia, deserved their win, which has resulted in the two teams now tied at the top of the league standings with a couple of months to go…

... From our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, comes another in his insightful series - ‘The Approach of the Apocalypse’... Buzzard reports, “I could go on and on about all that is wrong with the world, and I often do, but this week how about something a little different – some actual classified ads that will not appear in this newspaper elsewhere…

- Free Fox Terrier - 8 years old, Hateful little bastard. Bites…

- Free puppies – Mother is a Kennel Club registered German Shepherd; father is a Super Dog, able to leap tall fences with ease…

- Cows and calves for sale: Never bred. Also 1 gay bull for sale.
”

       Well now I think it’s time to take my leave. 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. On the sheep, Grace...