Treasure Hunt equals treasured memories

The annual Fiesta Treasure Hunt! Ahhhh, yes. What great memories......good times.

For years a dear friend, my children and I were avid treasure hunters. From the time the first clue was published in the Irrigator, until the treasure was found, we would go out nearly every night and scour the town.

We even went as far as to wait in front of the Irrigator office, late at night, hoping to be the first to get our hands on the newspaper. It was so freshly printed, the ink would rub off onto our fingers.

We would sit in the car, read the clue and then the lively discussions would ensue. Each of us had theories about what the clue meant. We would dissect the clue, trying to decipher if it was literal or if the clue held double meanings.......

What fun. A great time for family. An opportunity to have the kids learn investigative skills and critical thinking. The chance to learn more about the history of Patterson. They never thought about it that way, and actually, neither did I. We were just having fun.

While out searching, we would meet other folks doing the same. Sometimes, we would discuss our theories. Sometimes, we would guard our notions of what the clues meant. After all, we wouldn't want to give our brilliance away!

Little did I know at that time, that one day I would be working at the Patterson Irrigator, and ultimately responsible for the clues. That dear friend who hunted with me and my kids, for those many years, is now the author of the clues. We are co-conspirators again. Having almost as much fun as when we were hunting........but getting a lot more sleep!

It was so nice of you, whoever you are.......

Kind words of appreciation can change my mood from apathetic to enthusiastic. Every once in a while, I find myself getting weary of the almost daily flow of opinions, complaints and suggestions that I receive from our readers. Isn't it human nature to express a grievance? Yet, when we're pleased with something, how many of us take the time to express our pleasure?

This morning's mail had a letter in it from an anonymous reader, who signed themselves, simply as "The Family from..........." and then added their address.

Enclosed in the letter was a money order for $50.00. Here's an excerpt of the letter:

"Dear Patterson Irrigator:
For many years we have received PI for free. We are sending you ....... to pay for a subscription. .................We understand the hard times that newspapers are facing. We enjoy your publication and have for many years and appreciate your service to our local youth, education and small businesses.
...............electronic media can never replace the actual newspaper.
Keep up the great work!"

WOW. That's like a B-12 shot right in the arm!

For those who do appreciate what we do, everyday, in good times and in bad, we thank you. We also promise to continue to bring you the news that affects you the most, your local news.

Thanks for reading, whether you hold it in your hand or view us online. You're the reason we do what we do.

It really does flow downhill!!

It's one of those sayings I've heard for years......but until today, I had never seen it demonstrated.

The PI potty rooms came to a rather messy standstill on Thursday afternoon. Thanks to our good neighbors around the block, we all were able to continue our routine with occasional visits to our neighboring restrooms.

But we can't depend on them for ever, so I spent the better part of Saturday here, watching and learning about the city's sewer system and the underground world that harbors all the secrets that go down our drains. My kids will tell you, this stuff fascinates me. Here's what I learned:

The PI's drainage seems to be lower than the city's pipes. I'm no engineer, but even I can understand that water and whatever that water carries, needs gravity to flow out and away.

Without volume and velocity, the liquid tends to flow too slowly to fully flush (pardon the pun) the sewage into the main line where it will be carried to it's final destination, the water treatment plant.

So that's when I realized "OH, so that's what they mean when they say '&@it flows downhill'". It's not just about hierarchy, it's a fact of nature.

The Fiesta needs You!

What a busy week or two! This town starts buzzing every year about this time, as we all gear up for Fiesta.
Patterson puts on one of the best parties in the state every year. The volunteers who work to be sure everything is ready put in thousands (no exageration) of hours to bring three days and two nights of fun for families, singles, and seniors.
The Fiesta needs our help this year. Last night's city council meeting was a real eye opener for me. This economy has taken a toll on all of us. But non-profits are getting hit the hardest, as people start pulling back their donations.
The Fiesta board is faced with some tough decisions as they plan this year's 39th annual event.
When I heard Rich Greer talk about what choices have to be made as far as cutting back on their expenses..................well it just made me sad.
Can you imagine no fireworks? Or how about no hot air balloons? It just wouldn't be Fiesta without those things, for me at least.

So please, if you love the Fiesta and enjoy any part of it, please consider a donation. If everyone who attends could give $1, or $5, that would amount to tens of thousands of dollars.