Happy Thanksgiving and a joyous “Turkey Day” to all! What a great concept and a hearty “well done!” to whoever thought of it (?). Family, friends, food, drink, and football. It doesn’t get much better than that, making this the Mother-of-All national holidays in my book. I hope you enjoy this depiction of a typical Thanksgiving Day at the home of the Grim Reaper’s family.
This week we decided to forego the usual Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant (yet surprisingly reliable) Rumors from my favorite gathering place in the Valley, in favor of some questions for readers to test themselves, and others perhaps, as you all sit around stuffed, recovering from the vast amount of food you’ve devoured. So feel free, go ahead and enjoy the Turkey Vulture Turkey Day Quiz. (Answers at the end.)
1. How many people were aboard the Mayflower when it landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620?
a) 35
b) 88
c) 102
d) 145
2. At the first Thanksgiving which of the following was approved table manners?
a) To eat with your hands
b) To spit on the floor
c) To throw bones into the fire when done
d) All of these
3.a. True or False. Thanksgiving is always the last Thursday of November
3.b. True or False. Indians attended the first Thanksgiving feast.
4. What is America’s favorite dessert on Thanksgiving?
a) Sweet Potato Pie
b) Pecan Pie
c) Pumpkin Pie
5. Which two teams in the NFL traditionally play at home on every Thanksgiving, one since 1934, the other since the 70s?
6. How many degrees can a Turkey see for?
a) 360
b) 270
c) 180
d) 90
7. One year after the pilgrims had arrived at Plymouth Rock half of them had died. So, as they sat down to the first Thanksgiving, what was the ratio of men to women at that historical event?
a) 2:1
b) 5:1
c) 9:1
8. Who pushed for the Turkey to be the nation’s national symbol?
a) Benjamin Franklin
b) Abraham Lincoln
c) F.D.R.
d) George W. Bush
9.a. True or False? Male Turkeys are the ones who make the gobbling sound.
9.b. True or False? The Pilgrims brought beer with them on the voyage to the New World.
10. Fish, fowl, peas, pumpkins, veal, beef, turkey. Which of these items was not on the very first Thanksgiving Day menu?
Obviously we need a relevant few words for The Quote of the Week and, with the eating part of the day being of paramount importance (although spending time with friends and family does come a close second), what better sentiments than those uttered by English novelist and essayist, Virginia Woolf who brilliantly said, “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well..” I can’t argue with that, nor would I even try. Eat, drink, and be merry!
Public Service Announcements. #545. The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital have no more visits this month but they will be at the AV Farm Supply on Highway 128, north of Philo, on December 1 and 15. New customers and their pets are always welcome and previous visitors should be aware that they can call 462-8833 and the vets will bring your pet’s charts with them. #546. This Saturday, November 26, it’s Open Mic at Lauren's Restaurant in Boonville. Dinner served 5 to 9 before the Open mic at 9 pm, sign-up at 8.30pm. All are welcome. musicians, singers, poets, writers, impressionists, magicians, comedians, actors, fire-eaters, pole dancers, sword swallowers, ventriloquists, raconteurs, exotic dancers, animal callers, etc. No clowns, apparently they would scare any kids who might be there, and no mimes, please; they scare almost everyone else! For more information call 895-3869. #547. The next Barn Sale, and the last one until the spring, will take place over the weekend of December 3/4 from 9am-3pm at The Big Barn on AV Way just north of Boonville. #548. The Mendocino Bookmobile returns to the Valley next Tuesday, November 29. They are here on alternate Tuesdays for 45 minutes at: Navarro Store 9am (for just 30 minutes before heading out to Comptche); the Floodgate 12.30pm; Philo 1.30pm; Boonville (Apple Hall) 2.30pm. Phone 463-4694 for further details. #549. The AV Museum is open Saturday and Sunday, 1pm-4pm in The Little Red Schoolhouse next to the Elementary School on AV Way, a perfect thing 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.”
Here is the menu for the Community lunches and dinners next week in the Senior Center at the Veterans Building in Boonville. The Center asks for a $6 donation from seniors for both lunches and dinners and charges $7 for Non-seniors for lunches and $8 for the dinners. Tomorrow, Thursday, November 24, there will be no lunch as the Senior Center will be closed in observance of Thanksgiving Day. However, next Tuesday, November 29th, they are back open and will serve an evening meal at 6pm that will feature Ham and Potluck potatoes with Carrot cake for dessert. All meals include vegetables, salad bar, and fruit, plus milk, coffee, tea, and lemonade. Maybe the best value for money all week! Tai Chi is available every Tuesday at 11am; Thursdays at 11am is Kathy’s Easy-stretch Yoga class. Also Thursdays, the Active Life Club runs from 10am to 2pm featuring games, crafts, and music. The Senior Center/Community Bus goes to Ukiah on Mondays and Santa Rosa on the first Wednesday of the month. These trips fill up fast so don't forget to sign up early at 489-1175. ALL ages are welcome! Hope to see you there.
Time to take my leave. I have to see a man about a sheep and a turkey. So “please take me drunk, I’m home.” 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 you; 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.” Sometimes poking, often stroking, but almost always humbly yours, Turkey Vulture. Contact me through the Letters Page or at turkeyvulture9@gmail.com.
PS. Skylark, read any good books lately? Hi, Silver Swan, behaving yourself? Hopefully not! Everything cool with you, O.J.? Of course it is. PPS. A word to the wise. If there was a day to indulge in at least two of the Seven Deadly Sins, this Thursday is it. Two of my favorites come to mind and I encourage you to join me in a sizeable portion of Gluttony and healthy amount of Sloth.
Quiz Answers.
1. (c) 102.
2. (d) All were acceptable. Rather like Thanksgiving at The Nest where guests are encouraged to partake in each of these “manners.”
3.a. False. It’s always the 4th Thursday of November, even when November has five Thursdays.
3.b. True. Easily outnumbering the Pilgrims, more than half of who had died over that first year.
4. (c) Pumpkin Pie, although Freshly Squished Squirrel covered in a creamy entrails sauce is the pie of choice here at The Nest.
5. The Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys play at home on this day every year, which for the hapless fans of the Lions, in recent years anyway, has generally meant a miserable Thanksgiving.
6. A Turkey can see for 270 degrees around it. This would explain why you’ve had little luck when trying to creep up and capture a wild one for dinner. I suggest you just buy a fresh one from Lemons' Market!
7. With only 51 survivors by the time of the first Thanksgiving Day Feast, there were just five women remaining and the ration of men to women was 9:1! I couldn’t possibly comment.
8. Benjamin Franklin. a great man and a true visionary clearly.
9.a. True. Females do not.
9.b. True. Ya gotta like that.
10. Beef.
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