Greetings one and all. If you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin. It’s the hottest ticket in town! I’m referring to the Dinner and Bingo Night held on the second Tuesday of each month at the Senior Center in Boonville. Last week, sixty-three (63!) Valley folks, seniors and non-seniors alike, and including a permanently-smiling Bruce McEwen of AVA fame, were in attendance for a lovely dinner of fish and chips and a lively evening of Bingo. It was all in a good cause. It will all happen again on September 14th, a few days before The County Fair. That will be a week when I’m not sure the Valley will be able to handle all the excitement!
Talking of excitement and lively evenings, there will be an important benefit on Saturday, August 21st at The Grange for the AV High School Sports Booster Club — Soccer/Futbol Program. The school district has virtually no money for high school sports these days and the various teams have to put on fundraisers for themselves in order to buy new equipment and uniforms, etc. The highly successful boys’ soccer program — the one that has been to the play-offs six years in succession after winning the regular season title in five of those years — has been wearing the same shirts and shorts for six seasons now and, to be blunt, they look more than a little shabby. For this upcoming fall 2010 season the team has a squad of 33 boys. Yes, that’s 33 young guys who will be involved in sports after school as many as five days a week. They need some new stuff. With your support this can be achieved. There will be an alumni tournament at 1pm on Saturday afternoon at Tom Smith Field beside the high school and following that, at 7pm, there will be an evening of Mexican food and drinks with local DJ Emilio and his Sonido Ritmo Azteca providing the sounds. Even if you can’t make it to the event you can always buy a ticket for a $10 donation — available from Coach Steve Sparks (895-2460), or at Lemons Market in Philo and ‘All that Good Stuff’ in Boonville. All proceeds go to the soccer program and your contributions will be very much appreciated, I’m sure.
Public Service Announcements. #548: The Dance Groove returns to The Grange this Friday, August 20th at 7.30pm. #549: Bluegrass music comes to the Valley this weekend at the Golden Old Time Campout from Friday through Sunday, August 20th-22nd — see flyers for details. #550: A useful reminder that the AV Lending Library, run by The AV Unity Club, is open Tuesdays from 1.30pm to 4.30pm and on Saturdays from 2pm to 4pm at The Fairgrounds. #551: An early-ish heads-up on the next visit to the Valley by the Vets from Mendocino Animal Hospital of Ukiah. They will be here at 2pm on Thursday, August 26th at the Farm Supply in Philo. #552: And let me give you the dates of the County Fair so you’ll know: it’s Friday through Sunday, September 17th-19th.
Topics under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge — “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley.
…Several people have written or stopped by to thank me for bringing attention to the continuing noise pollution caused by Golden Eye Winery’s Narrows Vineyard in the Floodgate area of the Valley. Are the Golden Ears listening, I wonder? (With all that noise perhaps they can’t hear!)
…I was reminded by a couple of regulars that it’s the blackberry picking season along Highway 128 and the tourists are out there once again picking fruit, and getting covered in poison oak no doubt. I wonder if those CalTrans workers I saw picking opposite the Methodist Church in Philo are OK? I also wonder if they were on the clock or not. Meanwhile Blackberry Jerry and Bill Owens, two of the Valley’s ‘professional’ pickers, know exactly where to go and not get affected by such things and these ‘experts’ find the best berries I’ve had. I urge you to buy some if you get the chance. I should also mention rookie picker Spike Matson who gets his berries from a bountiful patch behind the Fairgrounds. I see a very good future in the berry-picking business for this young fellow.
…I made my monthly pilgrimage up to the County Dump last week and was very pleasantly surprised to see the place in good order and to be greeted by a polite, efficient, and personable young man by the name of Matt. Despite comments to the contrary in last week’s AVA, and even though my favorite Dump Guy, Bill, is no longer working up there, everything seemed to be in order. Besides, Bill could represent the US in a talking competition and sometimes you just wanted to drop off your stuff and get out of there quickly. Matt will allow you to do this and at the same time remind you that ‘no dead animals’ are allowed and advise you to leave that particular item to Vultures like myself, nature’s garbage collectors.
…I was unable to attend the Airport Party last Saturday but by all accounts it was another success with many, many Valley folks taking flights over the Valley before enjoying the food and drinks at an excellent pot luck. Speaking of which, the topics of flying and food are covered in this Quote of the Week from Jean Kerr, author of the humorous book ‘Please Don’t Eat the Daisies,’ who said, “I feel the way about airplanes the same way I feel about diets: It seems to me that they are wonderful things for other people to go on.” I agree!
Time to take my leave. But first with the hot weather now with us, please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle. Otherwise, be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; and may your god go with you. One final request, “Let us prey.” Poking and stroking egos wherever necessary and, as always, humbly yours, Turkey Vulture. PS. Keep the Faith. PPS. Contact me with words of support/abuse through the Letters Page or by e-mail at turkeyvulture1@earthlink.net. PPPS. Hi, Silver Swan. Behaving yourself? Hopefully not!
Be First to Comment