It’s just so darn convenient when it rains overnight – as it did Tuesday – and you wake up to a freshly washed world and take a walk in the beautiful hills with your dog pals while the mist swirls overhead and vanishes into the heavens.
A problem that’s not vanishing, unfortunately, is such a sad fact that county government has to have a public relations campaign called, “Pull to the Right for Sirens and Lights.” But I see it far too often. Drivers just don’t get out of the way, even though the rule is simple: pull to the right and get out of the way. If you’re not sure if the sirens are behind you, pull to the right anyway. That slight interruption could save someone’s life.
The life of the iconic American motorcycle brand Indian has been resurrected. The bikes, which were actually made in South County from 1998-2004, are back in full production. Produced by Polaris Industries in Wisconsin, the new models are styled beautifully, the tech reviews are great and the bikes are flying out of the limited number of dealerships. Hey, and it’s almost Christmas time. It’s a darn shame that Gilroyan Rey Sotelo and company couldn’t make a go of resurrecting the brand here, but that’s arrows shot from the bow and it’s nice to see the Indian brand back. BTW motorcycle lovers, a top of the line Chieftain is $23,000 and Hollister Powersports on San Felipe Road is a dealer.
Dealing all our local wines, is a downtown gem, the Morgan Hill Cigar Company and Wine Shop. Recently enjoyed a new addition bottled under the label “Tank House Winery.” Many an Italian farmer – like the renowned Garlic Festival Godfather Val Filice, a wonderful cook, had a tank house on the family property. So the Tank House name has a certain je ne sais quoi in these parts. The small batch wine made in here from grapes grown in the Lodi area by father-and-son team, Al and Joe Caviglia, is outstanding and the varietals – Syrah, Zinfandel, Cabernet and a blend called Barrel 24 – run from light and flavorful to an explosion in your mouth. Definitely worth a bottle or two on the holiday dinner table or as a gift.
What seemed like a gift from the gridiron gods – QB Colin Kaepernick – is going nowhere this season fast. What in the name of Montana-to-Rice is going on? Weird parallel between the Sharks and the 49ers this year. Both out of the gates like gangbusters, then “the troubles” begin. My buddy Ernie has a great idea for the Seattle game. Give Pete Carroll and the Seahawks noise fits and a taste of their own stadium medicine by bringing vuvuzelas, the small but mightily noisy instruments used by Brazilian fans at soccer matches, to the game at Candlestick Dec. 8. Good idea that Murph and Mac on KNBR 680 sports radio should propagate even if the game is meaningless in a few weeks. Not to worry, though, the Sharks will make the playoffs and the 49ers will win the Super Bowl next year when they began a new era playing in the Santa Clara stadium.
There’s enough needy folks to fill a stadium in South County, so care enough, please, to help out the needy by donating turkey, food, cash or canned goods to a helping-hand program like the St. Catherine’s Church Reachout food pantry, 17400 Peak Ave. It’s open from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for drop offs. The turkeys are on sale now, so if you can pick up a couple of 10- to 13-pound birds and some items to go with the traditional Thanksgiving meal, then all you have to do is make a short detour on the way home for a drop off. It’s a little thing, but it makes a difference.
A real difference maker in the lives of Morgan Hillites Matt Wendt and his wife Marilyn will be Gavin Bannon Wendt, their first child born on Nov. 15, 2013. Gavin weighed in at 8 pounds 5 ounces and measured 21 inches. Congrats to all!
Congrats, too, to the volunteers who keep a wonderful small-town tradition alive each year, spreading holiday joy throughout the kingdom … this marks the 39th year of the Magic Ship of Christmas. For the last 24 years, Phil Peterson, Scoutmaster for Troop 799 which benefits from donations and appearance bookings, has been manning the ship as Santa. The lighted fantasy ship will sail through downtown at the annual Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 7. If you want to book the ship, give a call to 408-782-4031, and you’d better hurry.
Seems we’re always in a hurry to get to next. That’s why I find this week’s poll question so interesting. Would you support a retail shopping boycott on Thanksgiving Day? I’m a free market guy and all that, but I think the store openings that keep backing up and gobbling up Turkey Day time are ridiculous. Midnight was one thing, now it’s 6 p.m. and pretty soon the “marketing geniuses” will push 100-inch LCDDLPQRSTUV televisions for $50, but only if you get in line before 8 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Enough already, eat, drink and be merry. Shopping can wait.
Reach Editor Mark Derry at ed****@ga****.com
