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Bodega Bay Beat by Joan Poulos - August 2017

This column almost never happened. My computer, in its wisdom, erased the first draft saying

The big news here is that the dredging will occur. The channel has silted up so significantly that some boats have a problem with entry/exit. This is really good news to the marine industry, which is so important to Bodega Bay.The Firefighters’ pancake breakfast was a big hit, as usual, but the fog pretty much obliterated the fireworks. Too bad we didn’t know, and postponed them. Two nights later the moon was absolutely splendid. As I mentioned in our neighbor column, the night that I will not soon forget was when the moon was not quite full, but it came up just as the sunset was fading. The juxtaposition of the moon sitting on a red sunset, with the whole scene resting on the very blue color of the tide, all of which sat on a gray frame of the vestiges of the fog coming in was wonderful and would make anyone with artistic talent rush to memorialize this moment.

There is nothing like an 108 degree temperature in Sacramento to swell the influx of tourists into our small town. The huge traffic lines were so great last week that some of our residents couldn’t even get out of their own driveways. It is always amazing, when you make the mistake of going to the post office on a weekend, to see the bumper to bumper line of cars on Highway One, none of which will stop long enough to let someone who wants to turn achieve that dangerous decision. One of my friends who lives along that road says he is constantly amazed that no tourist will stop long enough to let someone who lives there get into the traffic flow. (Leaving the post office and trying to go north is almost as bad.) We are lucky to have such dedicated employees who care about the locals.

Last week there was a water leak in the system and the PUD (Public Utility District) had gone to great lengths to notify all of us that the turnoff was coming. They gave us plenty of time to fill up pans and tubs with the water we would need during the day and proceeded to start work exactly as they told us they would. During the inconvenience they carefully posted signs and when it was only one lane they controlled traffic (on our very narrow little road,that was useful). We are lucky to have public agencies that care about those they serve.

It is somewhat more difficult to live in Bodega Bay when you are aging. Without a bank or a doctor or dentist you do a good bit of driving. If we could only get some form of public conveyance (even a bus with a schedule that would be posted and useful) it would be perfect. We continue to try to establish some kind of Meals on Wheels, or a local food bank so that those without a car can get the food supplies they need. The local Grange members who are among those trying to establish a charitable corporation have recognized this. They have done extensive research and have concluded that this is the way to get food to those unable to drive to Santa Rosa. Kudos to them for working on this project. The aging populace is energetic and involved in everything from our churches to our school to our community service. There are still some gaps .The nearest Senior Center is in Sebastapol. Several of us have explored initiating involvement with them, but all require driving (back to the need for public transportation.) At the next community meeting we hope to have this underlying problem addressed. It is interesting when your doctor stresses exercise as the remedy for nearly everything. Since we have no gym, many of us elect to go to Yoga. It meets at the community center three days a week, and the leaders (even the substitute when Vickie is gone) are excellent. Yoga is great for those of us who have managed to edge into old age, and still don’t feel old. In fact, several of us in this class are over 80 – and still kicking. The only caveat is, don’t wear precious jewelry. Last Monday I forgot to take off my gold earrings until I was in the middle of my version of downward dog. I quickly removed them and put them aside. Alas! I forgot to hunt for them when I left. If anyone from the children’s class (which followed us Monday) found some gold earrings I would love to have them back (and will pay a reward).

Looking forward, calendar the meet and greet the CHP is putting on Thursday, August 31 at Station 2.There is a new coast officer (David Adams)and if it is like last year there will be lots of complaints about the speeding across from the Grange (going to the Boat House for their excellent fish and chips.) We hope we are not going to lose Q (Quintin Shawk) as he has been most helpful when complaints have been made to him. It is always helpful to have a local guy when you have a sign-off ticket. Personally, I still don’t understand why they don’t ask Cal Trans to lower the speed to 25 from the community center to the entry to the park (where trailers and overloaded weekenders turn from Highway One to get to the campground. ) That is also a haven for bicyclists coming back from Occidental and is a mecca for heavy traffic going to Farmers’ Market or events at the Community Center. (It IS 25 right at the Community Center.) The only speed designation by the turn off from Highway One, is 35 ahead – a real invitation to speed up NOT slow down. Lots of wild life around now. Last week there was a doe with twin fawns (still had their spots) who walked down Westside Road. Those of us who tried to protect them but at the same time get to where we had to go were baffled by the arrogance of the doe (she must have been young-) Even the guys working on the PUD at the corner tried to get her away from the road. I finally got her to go up the hill. (She had the last laugh. When I got back from the postoffice she was right in the lot next to my house, eating all the beach peas and anything else in flower) The quail have made a come-back. We lost our quail when one of the residents had 13 cats which were allowed to roam freely. But yesterday, we had a family with 10 little ones, sauntering down the road. I just stopped and watched, welcoming them back. Spring is a time for rejoicing and enjoying the wonderful moon, the fog that comes and goes, and the truly comfortable temperature. Pick a project that gets you out of the house.

Grab a friend, pack a little lunch, head for the beach and ENJOY. Politics notwithstanding, it IS a WONDERFUL WORLD.

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