# 414 - July 9th, 2014

Greetings one and all – if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin… Even though I generally cool off by gracefully swooping up and down over the Valley I did stop at several businesses on Monday morning to see how they were dealing with this most recent heat wave we’re enduring. All were doing ok, although the coolest place was undoubtedly the Philo Post Office. Visitors are welcome but if you’re going to hang around, Carol and Sheila ask that you bring your own chairs!...

       While we’re on the topic of the post office and the hot weather, here are a few comments for your Quotes of the Week. Obviously such a topic as the post office is only going to have one kind of comment and these two do not refer to our local branches, which both do a tremendous job… From comedian Emo Philips we have, “The way I understand it, the Russians are sort of a combination of evil and incompetence - sort of like the Post Office with tanks”… And this from Johnny Carson - “Mail your packages early so the post office can lose them in time for Christmas”… As for the weather, how about this from humorist Kin Hubbard, “Don't knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn't start a conversation if it didn't change once in a while”… And finally, this from one of the best, George Carlin, who wisely noted, “Weather forecast for tonight: dark”…

       I will take this opportunity to inform those of you perhaps unaware of the two local guys who are going through tough times as a result of tragic events over the past week or two. Both Volunteer Firefighter and tree-trimmer Charlie Paget-Seekins (injured seriously when he fell out of a tree) and carpenter Mark Pittner (sp?), who has suffered a stroke, are battling through, and now that more of you know, hopefully even more support and positive thoughts will be passed their way… Meanwhile, my commiserations are with the A.V.A.’s major contributor, Mark Scaramella, on the passing of his brother, Hugh, who lost his battle with cancer last weekend… 

       Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #613 - The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital will be visiting the Valley twice in July - tomorrow Thursday July 10 and then again next week, July 17… #614 - Because of the holiday weekend, this month’s Barn Sale, always at The Big Barn alongside The St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church Refectory on A.V. Way, was put back one week - it’s now this coming Saturday/Sunday, July 12/13, 9am to 3pm on both days… #615 - The Mendocino Bookmobile will not be here for its regularly scheduled visit on July 15. They next visit the Valley on Tuesday, July 29. They are normally in the Valley on alternate Tuesdays for 45 minutes at each of these places and times: Navarro Store 9am; the Floodgate 12.30pm; Philo 1.30pm; Boonville (Apple Hall) 2.30pm. Phone 463-4694 for further details… #616 - I am not sure if it’s Drumming night at The Grange tonight. Those guys have never contacted me and the interest in contacting them is minimal on my part so I just announce the evening as the 2nd Wednesday, which it almost always is… #617 - I am sure virtually all of my readers are very well aware that Monday, July 14 is Bastille Day - one that commemorates the beginning of the French Revolution with the Storming of the Bastille on the 14 July 1789. Sort of France’s July 4th. Anyway, to celebrate, our local French restaurant, Coq au Vin, is having a special evening of classic French dining, etc. Reserve your spots now - 895-9255… #618 - “The Increasingly-tough-to-make-it-through-the-Week Living Fair’ as it is known to many of us, but officially it’s ‘The Not-So-Simple Living Fair’, returns over the weekend of July 25-27... #619 - I have no idea whether there is ‘Boonville Art Walk’ that I should be mentioning around this time of year… #620 -

       As a bonus P.S.A. here is the menu for the Community lunches over the next week at the Senior Center at the Veterans’ Building in Boonville… The Center asks for a $6 donation from seniors and charges $7 for Non-Seniors… Tomorrow, Thursday, July 10, the lunch, always served by Marti Titus and her crew at 12.15pm, will be Breakfast for Lunch - featuring Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Biscuits, Gravy, Barley Salad, and Cinnamon Roll cake for dessert … Then next Tuesday, July 15, the menu will feature Sausage Skillet, Noodles, Carrots, Apple Spinach Salad, Freeka Salad, with Strawberry Yogurt Cake for dessert... Remember, all ages are welcome!... Hope to see you there…

       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 (and surprisingly reliable) Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley, a location that sees people get together and share their thoughts about life in A.V. and where we subscribe to the Winston Churchill philosophy that “A lie will get halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to put on its pants”… So I’ll put my pants on and continue…

… A good friend of mine, a dedicated animal lover, is looking for anyone who would be willing to house 6 goats and/or 5 alpacas and 2 llamas - “any/some/all - whatever!” The more permanent the situation the better but she'll work with the person(s) just to be able to get them off her land which is what they have to be in the very near future. Call Cherie at 586-945-9005, although she lives closer than that sounds - in Caspar in fact…

… Many thanks to the MacMallard for her note this week that includes this remark of gratitude - “Thank you, Turkey Vulture, for speaking up for those of us who eat meat and watch television.” You’re welcome, Mac, see you for steaks and HBO on the 48-incher!...

… The annual Olde Time 4th July event presented by the A.V. Education Foundation was once more a big success, particularly if you were in the Parade and were one of the prizewinners - which everyone was… Well done to everyone involved in putting on what is generally accepted as being one of the Valley’s most enjoyable family gatherings…

… Another unqualified success last weekend was the book-signing event held by the A.V. Historical Society and Museum to celebrate the launch of the new book by Wes Smoot and Steve Sparks. 109 copies of ‘Then and Now - an Anderson Valley Journey’ were sold and signed in two hours and it is now available at the Museum or through the Society website at www.andersonvalleymuseum.org (Click on membership; then click on shop at the bottom - you can email a request and they will mail you a book). It is also available at various local stores (Lemons’ in Philo, A.V. Market in Boonville, and the A.V. Brewery), and hopefully soon at wineries around the Valley and on-line in the near future too - but getting it from the Museum itself, or through the website, would mean more money for the Historical Society as all proceeds from such sales go to that fine organization…

… From our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, comes another in his insightful series – ‘Signs that the Apocalypse is Approaching’… Buzzard reports, “We are beginning to see an increase in the annual visits to the Valley of those fast-driving tourists, particularly ‘Mr. Convertible Sports Car’ in his mid-sixties with the Twenty-Something Blonde in the passenger seat, who would probably rather be at a beauty/tanning salon, and certainly wouldn’t spend a minute of her time with the boring guy sitting next to her if he drove a pick-up. These are the types who get drunk, talk loudly, and tip poorly; the kind that speak only of themselves, interrupt others, and try to tell a story that ‘beats’ the one told by the previous speaker. We’ve all met them before and now it’s the season for their appearance in the Valley. I suggest we all try to smile and walk away. I’ll do my best, but if it gets too much I know I can rely on your help to get them to the Hanging Tree on A.V. Way before dropping them off for the hungry pigs on Ornbaun Road! After all, if we do nothing then more will come and that would surely be a sign that the Apocalypse is very near…”

       Well now I think it’s time to take my leave... Besides I’ve got see a man about a sheep… So, until we talk again – ‘Keep the Faith’; be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; be wary of strangers with more dogs than teeth; 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”… Poking and stroking but humbly yours, Turkey Vulture - hoping you enjoyed the read and, who knows, you might miss me when you’re gone…(?)

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. Keep on wagging that tail, Fred…

p.p.p.s. Is that ‘lafter’ I hear, Carroll?...

p.p.p.p.s. Keep up the good work, Round-eyed Robin