Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you celebrating today.   We're doing something different this year - going out to "West Side Grill" in Gilroy.

Some interesting facts:  
Approx 254 million turkeys will be raised in the U.S. during 2012 (last year's brids were worth ~ 5 billion).  46 million ended upon U.S. dinner tables last Thanksgiving.

768 million pounds (348 kgs) of cranberries produced in 2012.

2.7 billion pounds of sweet potatoes.

Wow!

For many, Thanksgiving without football is as unthinkable as the Fourth of July without fireworks.  A tradition that began in 1934 (the 73rd game will be Detroit Lions takes on Houston Texans).

The Super Bowl of retail starts  . . . . . . 

BLACK FRIDAY starts on Thursday!

The Christmas Tree Farms are buzzing, the grocery stores are crazy and a huge family day starts tomorrow.   One of the biggest events in the U.S. is Thanksgiving.  Black Friday has become as controversial as our discussions in B.C. about whether to allow festive Christmas season and shelves to be stocked alongside Halloween. 

Anxious 'spavors' (a.k.a. saving searchers) do not have to wait until the traditional 4 am starting time on Friday.  Some stores are opening two or three hours earlier than last year, trying to get a jump on the competitive retail sales.


Backlash at Thanksgiving:
Bonus pay for working Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday is standard (but, consider the Median pay for full-time cashiers is about $8.89/hour).   Some places have been protesting the earlier opening times which fall on the eve of Thanksgiving . . employees asking for time with families.  . . Target opens at 9 pm this year - people have signed a petition titled "Target:   Take the high road and save Thanksgiving." 

Some protests are more about basic issues such as more full-time jobs and benefits.  Raley's says it is losing millions each year; besides cutting off coverage for retiress eligible for Medicare, the company wants to put everyone else - active workers and the younger retirees - into a new insurance plan.  Starting wage is approx $12/hour.

Raley's (Grocery outlets) recently held protests and strikes  - the main purpose is to ask for better health care; a significant share of costs have been shifted to the workers over the past few decades.  The main contention being health coverage for retirees over 65 being eliminated. 

There is a small Raley's just up the road from us in Morgan Hill - we spoke with some of the striking employees - a difficult time.   Because of being on strike, some do not get enough hours in for the month and will have no health care for the month of December. While on strike, 'should' employees cross the picket line and work, they will receive double their usual pay but stripped of any rights from the union and receive no benefits in the future.   While on strike, the employers are required to bring in people from the street and train them during the strike.


After almost two weeks, a settlement has been negotiated and the Raley's stores are once again busy.  

Uvas Pines RV Park in Morgan Hill

The RV Park is picturesque, about 10 miles SW of Morgan Hill, in the hills of gorgeous vineyards and farms (mostly horses).  The sites are roomy, treed with the Uvas Creek below flowing softy among oak trees (and poison oak).   A small park with approximately 40 spaces (almost all of whom are workers - a few large power projects are taking place so all RV Parks locally are full).

Uvas Reservoir

Just minutes up the road is this scenic 626 acre park and reservoir nestled below the Santa Cruz Mountains.  

Built in 1957, the earthen dam has the capacity to hold 9.935 acre-feet of water when full.  The water originates from the surrounding foothills as runoff from rainstorms.  During summer months water is released from the reservoir into Uva-Carnadero Creek.

A great place to let the hounds loose - a great old road flanks the dam and during the week, mid-day we have it all to ourselves.   Based on hoof prints, the area is popular for local horseback riders and runners.  Occasionally, I will see people fishing; a popular spot for large mouth bass.

Typical - Kylie grabs sticks and swims, Tazz dips her toes in.  The shoreline drops off quickly but some spots have mud up to the elbows (Kylie ran through it like it was dry grass).

Freeway trip to the closest Imax in Palo Alto.  20 Theatres in all.

Desserts, Hot Foods (Dogs, Nachos, Burritos), smoothies ....













The new Bond Movie!   Excellent.

Sat for fifteen minutes, no sound during all the movie trailers and ads (Great!).   Except, out of about 15 people, Marc finally went to ask what is happening - no movie and fifteen minutes late?

Technical difficulties (the projectionist didn't show up and no one noticed).   Had to "reboot" the Digital Imax system so another fifteen minutes, and someone manning the fort and we were off into action-packed entertainment.

Dogs have their entertainment too!

 MH Dogsports has a fabulous outdoor facility just under ten minutes away.  So, twice a week we have practise time.  

The equipment is fabulous with the newly rubberized equipment and a great, shady area for break times.   Rained hard yesterday but the field was just fine and surrounding the entire field is newly laid chips.

Tazz

Lessons are available for drop in:   most in the evenings and fully lighted with floodlights.

Kylie

So glad to have this (difficult to find and especially so close).   Found some places in the past year but the equipment has been quite unsafe and sometimes the footing is not great.  Kylie is doing great after a partial tear in her ligament but still not doing full courses.

Thanks to Marc for finding out about this place for us to play.

Marc continues to battle his bronchitis but slowing improving (night time being the worst) - he has gone to check out one of the local driving ranges today to see if he remembers how to swing his clubs!  Been a tough two weeks with no golf, no cycling!   And not too much moaning (LOL!).