Item 1: The first faint harbingers of autumn slowly wind their way into our little community bringing with them the seasonal weather changes. Days grow short, leaves turn brown, and it is time to wear sweat pants for the daily walk. It is all good.
September also brings us the conclusion of the six month major league baseball pennant race.The NFL begins its season on Labor Day with its deflated football scandal hanging around its neck like a pigskin albatross. At lest one pro game will be played this year in some foreign country (maybe Greenland) whose citizens will pay three times the cost of a ticket to see an actual American football game. They consider themselves lucky and fortunate. TV sponsors lick their chops in glee. As a waning fan I grow weary of the corporate charade.
Item 2: College football a sport I once loved to watch and follow is now mimicking its older brother, the NFL.The morning sports pages are filled with the sordid stories of arrests of all types, drug busts, dui’s, attempted robberies,etc.by these college football athletes. Many of them are on scholarship. What a sad state of affairs. I might persuade myself to watch one or two games this year.Stanford runs a clean program and their players know how to read and write.Maybe I will watch them.
Item 3: All is not lost. Tomorrow night, September 3, in Modesto at the Barkin Dog Grille at 7 P.M. a special treat is in store for fans of bluegrass music. Jason Winfrey, noted professor of philosophy at CSUS in Turlock, and singer-songwriter guitarist of one of the valley’s most admired groups, Red Dog Ash, will be performing a selection of bluegrass duets with his lovely 12 year old daughter, Ida, accompanying him on mandolin, guitar, and vocals. Talk about a treat! Ida has performed at other bluegrass functions and if you have seen her you know she is a talented performer.
To sweeten the pot, Jason has brought along noted local luthier and band mate, Gary Vessel who will accompany him for the second set. The two of them together will be performing songs from the Red Dog Ash catalog and maybe some new tunes. Come on down to the Barkin Dog in Modesto and join in the fun. Grab a hot dog, beer, get comfortable and enjoy the show.
Item 4: My sister, Maria Nadauld had a few open days on her calendar last week so she called her daughter, Megan and arranged to spend a few days in Sweden to see the sights. Megan and her friend had a gig scheduled at one of the notable cafes in Sweden and this provided Maria with an opportunity to see Megan perform in yet another country.
Five days later a tired Maria made it home to Hayward and was just too tired to unpack. She began reading the Chronicle and realized the SF Giants were going to be in Chicago this weekend playing the Cubbies at the iconic Wrigley field. Maria has made a bucket list to attend a game in ALL the major league ballparks and the venerated Wrigley Field in Chicago had not been checked of. Maria phoned Megan invited her to come along and two days ago flew out to Chicago to attend the Cubs Giants game.That poor suitcase will never get unpacked.
Item 5: Diogenes wandered the earth searching for an honest man.I don’t know if he found one or not. If he is looking for one during this election year all bets are off. Speaking of searching. I have been surfing the internet trying desperately to locate a facility that carries Rainier Ale. I mentioned this before in one of my columns and a few readers emailed me with possible locations but nothing has panned out. I did find Bev-mo on line in Turlock and read where a couple of people had bought Rainier Ale just a few months ago at the Turlock facility. That sounded like a promising lead so I hopped into my vehicle and made my way to the local Bev-mo. I have never been inside one before and was impressed by the size of the store and the multitude of wines, beers, and other forms of alcoholic delights. Right now all that really didn’t matter since I was just looking for Rainier Ale.
A young female clerk came over to assist me as I was eagerly scanning the beer lined shelves. She asked if she could help. I told her of my mission and she promptly checked her little hand held device and said, “We don’t show any Rainier Ale in stock.” I dismissed the negativity and kept searching the shelves. She followed me up and down a couple of aisles and said it again, “Sir I don’t believe we have any Rainier Ale in stock.” Just then my eyes spotted the warm friendly green colored 16 0z.cans of Rainier Ale nestled comfortably all be itself on the shelf. I reached down grabbed the six pack carefully and held it up to the overhead lighting to get a better view of my beloved ale. The young clerk smiled and said,“Very good.” I reached back in the slot where I got the six pack and it was empty. I looked to each side and then up and down the shelf. There were no more six packs to be found. I asked the young clerk if I could place an order for some Rainier Ale. She shook her head and softly said, “No sir we will not be ordering anymore.Sorry.” There was a long pause as I stood staring at the lone six pack looking so alone and barren in my two hands.The young clerk then reached into her apron, pulled out a Bev-mo dust rag and carefully wiped the lone tear that was slowly running down my forlorn cheek. “It will be OK, sir. There are other beers you can buy.” Her words had no affect on me.I thanked her for her time and walked over to the check out line.I cradled the six pack carefully under my arm and carried it out to my car. I laid it gently on the seat and even buckled the seat belt around it. I smiled. I would be able to enjoy my Rainier Ale. Not once but six times. Life is good.
Until October: Read a book, hug a child, pet a dog, stroke a cat, eat a bar of chocolate, and Ikiru!