“The Trump Thing,” or as it had been known for almost 250 years up until recently, the US Presidency. The Atlantic Monthly was not overjoyed with the ascension of Andrew Johnson to the presidency upon the murder of Abraham Lincoln in 1865. We are reminded of the magazine’s E.P. Whipple's 1866 assessment of Johnson, generally regarded as one the worst US Presidents: “Insincere as well as stubborn, cunning as well as unreasonable, vain as well as ill-tempered, greedy of popularity as well as arbitrary in disposition, veering in his mind as well as fixed in his will, he unites in his character the seemingly opposite qualities of demagogue and autocrat, and converts the Presidential chair into a stump or a throne, according as the impulse seizes him to cajole or to command. Egotistic to the point of mental disease, doubtless much of the evil developed in him is due to his misfortune in having been lifted by events to a position which he lacked the elevation and breadth of intelligence adequately to fill. He was cursed with the possession of a power and authority which no man of narrow mind, bitter prejudices, and inordinate self-estimation can exercise without depraving himself as well as injuring the nation.” I believe we could do with a modern-day E.P. Whipple to comment on the current state of affairs we are facing.
“Evening Dining in the Valley.” Work continues in Philo at the former home of Libby’s Restaurant.
Now for “The Nighttime Nine,” now including Bruxo, the brightly colored, high-end food truck owned and operated by Brooks Schmitt which will be moving between the AV Brewery Visitor Center (Friday and Sunday, 1-6pm), the Boonville Hotel (Wednesday, 4.30-8.30pm), and perhaps in Philo on Thursdays with an ever-changing pop-up somewhere in the Valley on some Saturdays. I like his thinking! He is presenting a constantly-changing menu featuring a range of cuisines and street foods from around the world, with the weekly menu information spread via social media.. Lauren’s Restaurant sees Libby (of Libby’s Restaurant in Philo fame) as the Guest Chef on Monday evening from 5-9pm; regular hours remain Thursday-Sunday, 11.30am-2.30pm for lunch, and dinner on Tuesday-Saturday, 5-9pm. Lizbby’s, the Mexican Restaurant in downtown Boonville, can be enjoyed Monday to Saturday from 10am-9pm, serving breakfast on Saturday, closed on Sunday. The Buckhorn is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-midnight, serving weekend brunch each day from 10am-3pm. They are open weekdays at 11am and are closed on Tuesdays. The Boonville Hotel continues with their family-style, prix fixe menu, Thursday-Monday evenings. Reservations: (707)-895-2210. The Q and Aquarelle’s new “Santa Maria BBQ” includes ribs and chicken, 4-8pm from Friday-Taco Tuesday. The Redwood Drive-In just keeps on doing what they do, with reliable hours 6am-8pm every day! Stone and Embers in The Madrones is open from Noon to 8pm, Thursday to Monday. In the Deep End, The Bewildered Pig is open Thursday-Saturday, 4.30-5.30pm Happy Hour with supper served from 5.30-9pm, Sunday brunch from 11am-2.30pm followed by dinner from 5.30-9pm. Check their “insane!” offerings on their Facebook page.
Public Service Announcements. #545. The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital will be at the AV Farm Supply on Highway 128, north of Philo, tomorrow, Thursday, July 13th, from 2-4pm and again on Thursday, July 27. Best to arrive around 3pm. New customers and their pets are always welcome. Call ahead at 462-8833 and the vets will bring your pet’s charts with them! #546. The AV Lending Library run by The Unity Club is open Tuesday and Saturday at The Fairgrounds. Tuesday 1.30-4.30pm and Saturday 2-4pm. #547. The County Dump is open from 9am-4pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Remember, no dead animals!. #548. The annual fundraiser for the AV Housing Association is this Sunday, July 16 from 4-7pm at Navarro Vineyards. Featuring BBQ and fixings by the AV Lions and live music. #549. The AV Museum and Historical Society’s annual open house and meeting is next Sunday, July 23 at 1.30pm in the Rose Room alongside the Museum. Refreshments will be provided and the event will feature the annual meeting plus a presentation of “Stories of the Valley,” entertaining and fun readings of Valley events and tales of Valley folks taken from old newspaper clippings. Meanwhile, the Museum is open every Saturday and Sunday from 1-4pm in The Little Red Schoolhouse next to the Elementary School on AV Way, a perfect place to visit to do in the Valley when you have a couple of hours to spare on a weekend afternoon. “The Best Little Museum in the West.” #550. This year’s Actually-Quite-Difficult Living Fair (officially titled The Not-So-Simple Living Fair) will take place from Friday-Sunday, July 28-30 at the Fairgrounds in Boonville.
Here is the menu for the Community upcoming lunches and dinners at the Senior Center at the Veterans Building in Boonville. $6 donation from seniors; $7 for Non-seniors. Tomorrow, Thursday, July 13, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be Chicken Marsala with Banana Split Cake for dessert. Next Tuesday, July 18, the lunch will feature Kielbasa and Potato skillet followed by Cookies and Cream ice cream for dessert. All meals include vegetables, salad bar, and fruit, plus milk, coffee, tea, and lemonade. Maybe the best value for money you’ll get all week! Thursdays the Diabetes Workshop in English run from 1-3pm and 5.30-7.30pm in Español. Hosted by the AV Health Center; to register call 707-895-3477. “Young at Heart Exercise” with Linda Boudoures and Tai Chi with Karen DeFalco is Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-9.45am. Thursdays at 11am, is Kathy’s Easy-stretch Yoga class as part of the Active Life Club from 10am-2pm featuring games, crafts, and music. The Senior Center Community Bus goes to Santa Rosa the first Wednesday of the month. Sign up early at 489-1175. Remember, ALL ages welcome!
Topics and Valley events this week at The Three-Dot Lounge:
… The Red-eyed Raven is outraged! And he is not alone. Along with many others he is upset and perplexed at the disappearance of the Valley’s “Welcome” sign posts that toppled over this past winter during the heavy rains. As you may recall, these welcome signs, one outside Navarro, one just south of Boonville, were created four years ago by the Hendy Woods Community, and installed by a group of local volunteers. (Not very effectively it would seem!?!). The “AV Welcomes You “ signs are in English with a tagline in Boontling and their current whereabouts remain a mystery. However, I am reliably informed that Kathy Bailey, who played a major role in the Hendy Woods Community group, is on the case along with my own top investigative reporter, The Old Buzzard. So Raven and the rest of us can relax a little knowing that they will be returned to their rightful place in the very near future. Or there will be trouble.
…The local school students have departed for a summer of fun and frivolity, and perhaps even to find time to give a little help to their parents around the house and in the yard! I noted the usual four graduation ceremonies in the Valley, although there are just two that I personally feel are really meaningful, the one last for the 6th graders going on to “the big school,” and high school graduation. I am not against the pre-school graduation or the 8th grade event as such, each are lovely occasions, but with four graduations before our students are even 18, I feel we somewhat downgrade the significance of the other two ceremonies – each of which are particularly important watershed moments in a young person’s life. The joy on the faces of every child and parent at all four events is something both very special and even moving and, I must admit, in the past has even bought a tear or two to this curmudgeon’s jaded eyes.
…It was unanimously agreed by every 3-Dot customer that if you owe someone money, and repeatedly promise to pay them back but haven’t, then perhaps you should. Today would be a good time to accept the responsibility, “do the right thing,” and take care of this. Just sayin'.
I’m outtahere. I’ve got see a man about a sheep. So, be careful out there; if you break a leg don’t come running to me; stay out of the ditches; be wary of strangers with more dogs than teeth; show love to your pets, they will be faithful and true to, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you leave them in your vehicle; Keep the Faith; try to not let life get in the way of living; may your god go with you, and may your dog go with you too. A final request, “Let us prey.” Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture. Contact me through the Letters Page or at turkeyvulture9@gmail.com. PS. Keep wagging that tail, Fred. Hi, Silver Swan, behaving yourself? Hopefully not! Keep up the good work, Round-eyed Robin.
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