Page 58 - Sonoma County Gazette April 2019

And The Rain Came! Yay?
My friends and relatives who are scattered all around the U.S.A have been asking me if I am considering moving away from California before the whole darn place is either burned to a crisp, or floats away to parts unknown! Yikes! That seems a bit radical to me, but almost without exception, none of them have lived in California—poor souls! You really have to experience California to “get it.”
As a significant body on our planet, Humanity is slowly showing signs of the “OOPS” factor—that awful wake-up thing that we self-correct all the time in the usual, and comparatively small, issues in our particular private lives! But, concerning climate change or environmental chaos? Huh? Resistance is one thing on an individual level where some folks just deny the obvious. But when powerful people and entities fake denial for dubious reasons (and critically influence the uninformed) well, that’s a different kind of dangerous, quiet, creeping crisis.
(Well, not so quiet if you personally encounter a Monsoon, or a lake or river Flood floats your home away, or Mudslides dump it into the sea, or Wildfire suddenly sweeps your material life away in an uncontrollable fury...)
After the awful Wildfires that swept so authoritatively through Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Lake and other Counties, we all fought our best fights, then held our breath waiting for Rain to come. Then when rain did come, we watched helplessly as slopes slid away—having lost their anchors! Lakes overflowed, sweet Streams and Rivers where we pamper ourselves in the summer sun became raging torrents.
So, what’s my point? Millions of words have been spent on these issues. Why go on and on... and on? Partly because I am daily astounded when I still hear denial and disbelief; and, partly because the rain is almost over and the fire “season” is almost here.
Is it Denial or Hope that I live in? I’m beginning to go through the motions that I dearly love about Spring. Gardening! I have a lovely, unique pink cactus on order at Cloverdale Nursery. I have started to rake the insulating mulch away from my garden beds and hedges and shrubs -- as if nothing has changed. Am I a cockeyed optimist? At 84, I might not have many Springs left ahead; but, nevertheless, I still optimistically project way into the future as I always have. I do what I can on the small piece of earth where I can do what I can about all that stuff I was just talking about.
Do we actually like living in reactive patterns? In so many ways, our reckless “progress” feels like a slow suicide. We dangerously mess with our own food chain, disturb the balance of natural predation and cut down the rain forests. We put together “Clean-up-the-beaches” groups while largely ignoring miles of debris offshore. Out of sight, out of mind...islands of plastic.
But, I digress. Back to that question: Should I “react” and leave my beautiful California? Well, I answered my friends and family: “...and go where?” Some are in Florida with its Hurricanes and potential Tsunamis. No! Others are in Texas with Tornados and coastal Flooding. No! Some are in the mid west with their Blizzards, Deserts and Droughts. No!
Why would I leave my California that has all of those, plus wildfires— all in one place? And, besides, the Rain came! This time...
Zoë Tummillo is a Business & Marketing Consultant/Trainer/Commercial Writer, dba COMMUNICA- TION CONCEPTS, in private practice since 1974. In addition to Commercial work, she writesSenior Momentum: A Series of Situations; “Pieces of My Path. essay memoirs of growing up first-generation Italian American; andSenior Momentum: Front And Center!. Email Zoë at writingservice@earthlink.net
Rides to Medical and Social Services Appointments ~ Call to arrange rides - FREE for members of the Cloverdale Senior Community Center, 311 North Main Street, Cloverdale, 707-894-4826 Elizabeth, cloverdaleseniorcenter.com
thru Apr 17 ~ AARP Free Tax Preparation Tax-Aide program offers free tax preparation and e-filing at ten sites throughout Sonoma County. FREE, , aarpca2. org/sonoma-napa, taxaide4sonomaco@yahoo.com
thru May 22 ~ Windsor Senior Center, 9231 Foxwood Drive, Windsor. Eight Wednesdays @ 1–3p
Apr 5 - Apr 19 ~ April’s Senior Ballroom Dancing ~ A different great Band each Friday. $9 sign in at Person Senior Wing, front desk, Finley Auditorium Community Center, 2060 West College Ave., Santa Rosa,, 707-543-3737, Billie Erkel
Apr 11 - Jun 13 ~ Get to Know the Village ~ Village members and volunteers share their talents, support, fun, and friendship. Free, 10a, Village Network of Petaluma, 955 Petaluma Blvd. South, Petaluma, 707-776-6055, VillageNetworkofPetaluma.org, info@villagenetworkofpetaluma.org
Apr 27 ~ Senior Expo of Santa Rosa ~ Join Santa Rosa Recreation and Parks for a day of health and wellness. Free, 9a-12p, Person Senior Wing - Finley Community Center, 2060 West College Avenue, Santa Rosa, 707-543-3730, srcity.org
Sebastopol Area Senior Center 167 N. High St.Sebastopol, 707-829-2440, sebastopolseniorcenter.org
thru Apr 8 ~ Vintage Chateau Senior Apartments, 333 N. McDowell Boulevard, Petaluma. Eight Mondays @ 10a–noon
Blood Pressure and Glucose Screening - 3rd Thursdays, 12-1 p.m. *when volunteers are available. Suggested Fee: $3 Wisdom Counts Member; $4 Assoc.Members
Apr 3 ~ May 22 ~ Windsor Senior Center, 9231 Foxwood Drive, Windsor. Eight Wednesdays @ 1–3p
Apr 11, 25, May 9 ~ Heart Connection Group ~ Join the facilitated group to gain greater personal connection and learn to listen with compassion. $5, Free for Members. 1:30-3p, Sebastopol Senior Center
Apr 19 ~ SPEAKING OF DEATH ~ Meet, drink tea, and share in matters of life and death. Facilitated by Tess Lorraine.
Apr 4 ~ iPhone Workshop ~ Join us for iPHONE courses
Apr 11 ~ TED Talk at The Sebastopol Senior Center ~ Dr. Jon Jackson: Home delivered meals paid for by your insurance company. Members Free/Non- members $5, 2p
A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. 8-session program focuses on preventing falls. Includes chair exercise, group discussions, mutual problem- solving, safety strategies, exercises and a home safety evaluation. Two-hour class offered throughout Sonoma County. Courses are FREE, with a suggested donation of $20 for materials, and no one is turned away. REGISTER @ djacoby@ schsd.org or 707-565-5936
Rides To Appointments ~ Over 60, live in the West County and need a ride to medical and social service appointments? CALL five business days in advance of your appointment, Dean Brittingham, 707-829-2440 or emaildean@ sebastopolseniorcenter.org.
Senior Dining Sites Council on Aging 30 Kawana Springs Road, Santa Rosa, 707-525-0143. 60 and over Donation of $4.00 Reservation must be made 24 hours in advance
Cloverdale ~ Cloverdale Senior Community Center, 311 North Main St., Mon.-Fri., 12p, 707-894-4826, cloverdaleseniorcenter.com
Bethlehem Tower ~ 801 Tupper, SR, 707-525-0143, M.,W., 12p
First United Methodist Church ~ 2150 Giffen Ave., SR., 707-525-0143, Mon.-Fri., 12p
Healdsburg Senior Center ~ 133 Matheson St., 707-525-0143 M.,T.,W., 12p
Rohnert Park Senior Center ~ 6800 Hunter Dr., Ste. A, 707-525-0143 Mon. - Fri., 12p
Russian River Senior Center, 15010 Armstrong Woods Rd, Guerneville, 707-869-0618, Debra Rianda 12 - 2p every Wednesday & Friday
Sebastopol Senior Center ~ 167 High St., 707-525-0143, M.,W., F., 12p
Silvercrest Senior Housing ~ 1050 3rd St., SR, Margaret DeMaria, 707-525-0143, 11a
Zoë Tummillo has been writing about senior wisdom for the Gazette for many years. If you want to read more of her insights, visit SonomaCountyGazette.com for all her archived articles.
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