SLBME smoke signals
Editors
Marina Searcy
Sue Snowdy
This Month’s Contributors
Bern Judson
BR-Body Recall is Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at 8:30 a.m. in the Clubhouse.
WE-Water Exercise is every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 9 a.m. in the pool.
RST-Resident–Led Strength Training is every Monday at 10:30 a.m. in the Clubhouse.
HB-Hand & Boot Canasta is every Monday at 1 p.m. in the Clubhouse.
BC-Balance Class is every Tuesday at 11 a.m. in the Clubhouse. Not held on the 4th Tuesday. Bring $5.
PO-Poker is every Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. in the Conference Room.
MJ-Mahjong is every Wednesday at 1 p.m. in the Clubhouse.
ST-Strength Training is every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. in the Clubhouse. Bring $5.
MC-Men’s Coffee is every Friday at 9:30 a.m. at the Clubhouse.
AL-A and L Committee is the 1st Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. in the Conference Room.
WC-Women’s Coffee is the 1st Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. in the Clubhouse.
DB-Dance Party with Buddy is the 2nd Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. in the Clubhouse. Bring $5.
MD-Men’s Dominos is the 2nd Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. in the Clubhouse.
SC-Social Committee is the 2nd Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. in the Clubhouse.
HH-Happy Hour is the 2nd Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in the Clubhouse.
BM-SLBME Board of Directors Meeting is the 4th Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. in the Clubhouse.
If
May 21 to June 21
Gemini is the third sign of the zodiac, and those born under this sign will be quick to tell you all about it. That's because they love to talk! It's not just idle chatter with these folks, either. The driving force behind a Gemini zodiac sign's conversation is their mind.
June 21 to
Cancer, the fourth sign of the zodiac, is all about home. Those born under this horoscope sign are 'roots' kinds of people, and take great pleasure in the comforts of home and family. Cancers are maternal, domestic, and love to nurture others. More than likely, their family will be large, too the more, the merrier! Cancers will certainly be merry if their home life is serene and harmonious.
30 Donna Govednik
Tidbit From The Office
Tidbit #1 - Discover the Wonders of Your Own Backyard! Sometimes adventure is closer than you think—right in your own backyard! June is the perfect time to step outside, breathe in the fresh air, and rediscover the beauty around you.
Take a moment to admire the plants, listen to the birds, or watch the sunset from your porch. You might be surprised at the hidden gems you’ll find—a blooming flower, a friendly butterfly,or evena neighbor out for a stroll. Try a "Backyard Challenge" this month: Spot three different types of wildlife. Enjoy a meal outside with family or neighbors. Take five minutes a day to simply relax outdoors. A little time in nature can refresh the mind and uplift the spirit. Send in a picture of your backyard discovery to the office, and we’ll feature it in the next edition of Smoke Signals!
Thank You,
Marina
(slbmeoff@charter.net)
What to Pack During a Wildfire Evacuation
Wildfires can be unpredictable and fast-moving, so it's essential to have an emergency evacuation kit ready at all times. Here's a list of critical items you should pack to ensure your safety and well-being during a wildfire evacuation:
1. Important Documents
**Identification:** Passports, driver’s licenses, Social Security cards.
**Insurance Policies:** Home, auto, health insurance documents.
**Financial Records:** Bank account information, credit/debit card details.
**Medical Records:** Prescriptions, medical history, vaccination records.
**Legal Documents:** Wills, deeds, birth certificates.
2. Personal Safety and Comfort Items
**Clothing:** Pack a few days' worth of clothes, including sturdy shoes, hats, and gloves.
**Personal Hygiene Items:** Toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, sanitary products, face masks.
**First Aid Kit:** Include bandages, antiseptics, pain relievers, and any necessary medications.
**Personal Electronics:** Cell phones, chargers, laptops, and any necessary accessories.
3. Food and Water
**Water:** At least one gallon of water per person per day for three days.
**Non-perishable Food:** Canned goods, energy bars, dried fruits, and nuts.
**Utensils:** Can opener, disposable cutlery, and paper plates.
4. Communication and Navigation
**Battery-operated Radio:** To stay updated on emergency broadcasts.
**Extra Batteries:** For flashlights, radios, and other essential devices.
**Maps:** Physical maps of your area and evacuation routes.
5. Pets and Animals
**Pet Supplies:** Food, water, bowls, leashes, carriers, and any medications.
**Identification:** Ensure pets have ID tags with up-to-date contact information.
6. Cash and Valuables
**Cash:** ATMs may not be operational during an emergency.
**Valuables:** Jewelry, family heirlooms, and other irreplaceable items.
7. Emergency Tools and Supplies
**Fire Extinguisher:** A small, portable one can be useful.
**Multi-tool or Swiss Army Knife:** For various small tasks.
**Blankets and Sleeping Bags:** To keep warm if you have to stay overnight somewhere.
Before You Go
**Stay Informed:** Keep up with news reports and evacuation orders.
**Plan Your Route:** Know multiple evacuation routes out of your area.
**Tell Someone:** Inform a friend or family member of your plans and your intended destination.
**Secure Your Home:** Turn off gas, water, and electricity if time permits and it's safe to do so.
Being prepared for a wildfire evacuation can make all the difference. Having these items packed and ready to go can help ensure your safety and provide some peace of mind during an otherwise chaotic situation.
Stay safe and be prepared!
My Memories of Avila and the Lighthouse
By Jens Wagner
I was born in San Francisco in 1932 of immigrant parents. My father, Jens Otto Wagner, was born near Hamburg, Germany. He met my mother Phyllis in Wellington, New Zealand, and they immigrated to the United States in 1931. My father was a sailor. He began sailing as a youngster, eventually achieving the position of Chief Marine Engineer. In 1936, at my mother’s request, my father stopped sailing as a marine engineer for various steamship lines and took a job with the U.S. Department of the Interior in the Lighthouse Service. His first post was St. George’s Reef off the Pacific coast near Crescent City, California. This particular lighthouse was often referred to as “The Widowmaker” due to its rugged location.
In 1937, my parents, now with two young sons, left St. George’s Reef bound for duty in San Luis Obispo County at the Lighthouse Station in Avila Beach, California. We traveled down the coast by bus, arriving in time to meet our furniture which had been shipped by sea. To our surprise, we found that we would be joining two other families, the Morehouses and the Lewises, already in residence. Together there were six children calling this lighthouse station home. We lived there for approximately two years. The Avila Lighthouse Station compound consisted of three buildings, a cistern, and a whitewashed henhouse. The main building with its tower was the Morehouse residence and is still there. The other building, a duplex, was home to the Wagner and Lewis families. Built at the end of the 19th century in the Crafstman style, our part of the two-story duplex had three bedrooms on the upper floor and living quarters below. In the early 1940s, the Lighthouse Service was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard to consolidate surveillance and protection of the Pacific coastline. In order to make room for more housing, our home was pushed over the cliff and the Coast Guard built the barracks which are there today. The third building is still there and housed the foghorns. Everything to do with a lighthouse needs to be kept functioning properly at all times. Our fathers worked 8 hour shifts. This provided the necessary 24-hour rotation required to carry out the duties and responsibilities of operating and maintaining the fog horns and the tower light. Diesel and steam power were available for running the equipment which was all started manually. The tower light was kept clean and lit all the time. The foghorns had different sounds to identify our location for ships at sea. My bedroom was about 100’ from the foghorn building and I learned to sleep through just about anything! I don’t remember any accidents or rescues while we were there and that original Fresnel lense, I think, now belongs to the San Luis Obispo County Historical Society.
Most of the families living in Avila at this time were fishing families or families associated with Union Oil of California. Names that I remember are the Martins, the St. Johns, and the Gilmans. I also remember a native American Chumash who lived like a hermit near the current PG&E gate. Though he was reclusive, somehow my folks got to know him. He gave me a present once - an old coffee grinder. It would be a nice treasure today if I knew where it was!
The Wagners always walked everywhere unless we could catch a ride on the old small gauge railroad. From the lighthouse, we would walk down the side of the hill to approximately where Fat Cat Restaurant is today, then follow the tracks into Avila. The railroad tracks belonged to the Pacific Coast Railway and Steamship Company built 1873. It was still the transportation of that day. The Roundhouse was on Lower Higuera in SLO. From there, traffic was diverted to the two rail routes, carrying passengers and produce either from San Luis Obispo to Avila or south through the Village of Arroyo Grande to Los Olivos. The old PCR tracks, I believe, were ripped up during WWII to provide steel for the war effort. Some of the rolling stock was still around in the late 1940s and two of the passenger cars had been converted to an ornithological museum.
There were three piers then, as now. The business district was located in the area of the first pier where the Yacht Club is today; the second pier belonged to Union Oil for loading and unloading and the third pier is where the restaurant is now. The original first pier was probably built by John Harford who had also built one in the Spyglass area, but weather destroyed that one early on. The Old Custom House, the Canet General Store, the Post Office, a boarding house, and a bar or two were located near the first pier. In those days, the Old Custom House was a sandwich shop and ice cream cones were 5 cents! The Post Office was located in the Avila Market. Alice Canet was the postmistress and proprietress of the Market. From her, we used to get a “billie” can - equivalent to one gallon - of fresh milk from the Creamery in SLO. Fresh milk was a treat as our usual milk was canned, evaporated milk. We also bought meat at the Avila Market. And sometimes Dad would go out at night with the commercial fishermen. If the catch was good, he would come back the next morning with a couple of big fish - salmon, albacore, sometimes halibut and cod. Dad also had a garden on the lighthouse bluff. One year he grew 900 head of cabbage which he took into town and bartered for an old 1928 Model T coupe and 100 pound sack of potatoes. We thought it was a great deal because the Model T had a rumble seat and we got to eat a lot of the potatoes! Dad planted the rest. There was good soil up there on that bluff and I’ve heard there are wild vegetables growing there today….perhaps remnants of my Dad’s old garden. There may also be descendants of some of Mother’s cats. Mother loved cats and at one point we had over 25! We also had raccoons and skunks.
Avila was a close knit community although we had no church. We went to St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Pismo or the Old Mission Church in San Luis Obispo. Our first Christmas there, Dad made a Noah’s Ark for me. The lid lifted up so that the hand carved animals could be placed inside. “Noah” was a character cut from a coffee can label of the day. It was all quite wonderful! In 1938, I started first grade at the two-room Avila Schoolhouse about two blocks up the hill from town and the beach. Mrs. Lawrence was my teacher and taught the first four grades. Mrs. Ruda, our principal, taught the upper grades. We usually had 2530 children in school. If the weather was inclement, sometimes my Dad would lower the long boat into the water and we would navigate across the Bay to the first pier.
In 1939 or 1940, when the U.S. Coast Guard took over the Lighthouse Service, my father did not want to have a commission so we moved to San Francisco. There he took a job with the War Department as a stationary steam plant engineer on Angel Island ... to be continued.
Puzzles and Word Games you can
COMMON MEDS SMALL INCREASES
ADDERALL AMLODIPINE ATIVAN
BENZONATATE BIKTARVY CYMBALTA DUPIXENT
EMTESA FARXIGA GABAPENTIN
HUMIRA
KEYTRUDA
LEXPRO
LYRICA MELATONIN METFORMIN NALTREXONE NAPROXEN NARCAN OPDIVO
OZEMPIC PREDNISONE TRAMADOL
VIAGRA XANAX
Across 1.Carbonium, e.g.
4.Charm
9.“Gimme ___!” (start of an Iowa State cheer)
10.Trowel wielder
11.Flexible mineral
13.Believed
14.African conflict of 1899-1902
16.Not out
17.Big Apple attraction, with “the”
18.In attendance
20.Shiver from fear
22.Chill
24.Big time?
25.Wuss
27.Chemical ending
28.“The Republic” writer
29.Darling Down
1.Poets’ feet
2.Part of “the works”
3.“Good one!”
4.Morning, for short
5.Gandhi’s title
6.Conniver
7.Fa follower
8.Terminate
12.Chair part 15.___ bit 18.Companionless 19.C.I.A. director under Clinton and Bush 20.Charlie, for one 21.Page 22.Software program, briefly 23.“For Me and My ___”
26.Rocky’s greeting
The headline is a clue to the answer in the diagonal.
Heliport Wordoku
How to solve wordoku puzzles
You only need logic and patience to solve a wordoku.
Simply make sure that each 3x3 square region has only one letter from the word HELIPORT. Similarly, each letter can only appear once in a column or row
in the larger grid. The difficulty on this puzzle is medium.
Custom Community Magazines Since 1974
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please call
or 1-800-828-8242
Vents Seams
Ridge Cap and Outside Edge
Awning Edges Room Enclosures
