Happenings  in July

First Saturday Irvington Farmers Market. 9-1 (through Dec) – 438-9088

Second Saturday – Downtown Urbanna Farmers Market – 9-1 – 758-2000

Third Saturday – RHHT Heathsville Farmers Market (April – October)– 580-3377

1 - US Air Force Heritage of America. Performance by the US Air Force Band. 7pm at the Irvington Commons. Free Admission. 438-9058

4 - Irvington Parade Beginning at King Carter Drive. 11:00 am

4 - Lewisetta Parade4 - Kinsale Parade4 - Ophelia Parade. Sponsored by the Afton United Methodist Church. Begins at Cockrell's Railway. 7 pm

4 - Richmond County/Essex County Annual Old Timer's Softball Game. Between the Warsaw Tigers and the Tappahannock Wildcats. Game begins at 7:00 pm. Richmond County Little League will be selling all of your favorite foods and soft drinks. Fireworks at 9:00. Admission free. 333-3059

4 - Popes Creek Plantation will be filled with 18 th century activities such as open hearth cooking, spinning, colonial games, and blacksmithing. 9-5. George Washington Birthplace National Monument. Free Admission 224-17326 -

First Friday Walkabout. Red, White and Blue celebration in historic Steptoe's District of Kilmarnock starting at 5:00pm. Sponsored by the Rappahannock Art League with a different theme highlighted each month. Call 804-436-9308 for more information.

7 – A Good Old Fashioned Fourth. Reedville’s main street comes alive with house decorations, craft fair, children’s events, food, live music, and a 5 K run/walk. Small boat show, parade and fireworks. 453-6529

7 – Annual fireworks buffet dinner cruise aboard the Smith Island cruise boat, Spirit of Chesapeake. Sail from the KOA campground off Sunnybank Road, 7:00 pm on Saturday, July 7. Buffet dinner served on board. Reservations required. Reedville. 453-3430 $

7 - Blowin' the Dust Off Musical Tour with Steve Bassett. A musical journey of Virginia's history. Belle Isle State Park. 7:00 pm. 462-0162 $ 9-14 - Weeklong Children's Theatre Workshop. Sponsored by Westmoreland Players this weeklong workshop will be conducted by professional actors from Missoula Children's Theater. Children will perform in play, "The Little Mermaid." Applicants must be between rising 1st grade and 12 th grade. Limited to 64 children on a first come, first serve basis. Cost is $20 per child, and $10 for each additional sibling. Call for an application at 804-529-6806

9 - Skipjack cruise aboard the Claud W. Somers. 10-1. Reedville Fishermen’s Museum. www.rfmuseum.org. 453-6529 $

14 – Ice Cream Social on “Second Saturday” at Historic Christ Church. Family fun with tasty ice cream treats in a historic setting. Colonial games and crafts. Children of all ages welcome. Christ Church, Irvington. 493-6855

16-20 – Children’s Introductory Model Making Class. Ages 10 and older. 10-2 each day. Advanced registration required. Reedville Fishermen’s Museum. www.rfmuseum.org. 453-6529 $

20-22– 6 th Annual Family Boat Building Workshop. 9-4 each day. Come to build a boat. Reservations required. Reedville Fishermen’s Museum. www.rfmuseum.org. 453-6529 $

21 – Early Potomac Exploration: A visit by Mr. Todkill and the boat of Captain John Smith, in celebration of Jamestown’s 400 th anniversary. Stratford. 493-8038 $

21-22 – Summer Flounder Bash. 1 st, 2 nd places for each species. Flounder and Croaker. Northern Neck Anglers Club. 730-7877

23 - Skipjack cruise aboard the Claud W. Somers. 10-1. Reedville Fishermen’s Museum. www.rfmuseum.org. 453-6529 $

26 – “Hands on History Day” at Historic Christ Church. Explore the history of Colonial Virginia through hands on activities with archaeology, 18 th century brickmaking, grave rubbings, and other exciting lessons. 10-2. Ages 6-12. Free event with lunch provided. Registration required. Historic Christ Church. fhcc@crosslink.net or 438-6855

28 - Blowin'The Dust Off Musical Tour with Steve Bassett. A musical journey of Viginia's history. Westmoreland State Park. 7:00 pm - 493-8821 $

26-8/4 – Kilmarnock Volunteer Fire Department Annual Carnival. 435-2473  

My computer guru sends me an email the other day and tells me I haven't posted anything on this blog. 

I don't ever have trouble talking but now this has put pressure on me and I don't know what to talk about.  I know this is a real estate blog so I should probably write about real estate but then I think people like to hear stories about Sam and Plaintiff. 

What I really like to talk about is fishing but I haven't had that much time because there really is a lot of interest in Northern Neck real estate.  I have had time to slip off a few times this year and I've had some decent catches including 2 cobia.   

I don't think I've told you all about the time Plaintiff bought my youngest son Gordon a cat for his birthday. 

Gordon was young, somewhere between 6 and 8 years old and he gets this cat for his birthday. Well I'm not a cat person after all I've got Sam. I don't allow Sam in the house so I don't see why this cat should be allowed in the house either. 

Gordon goes outside to play with his cat and guess what happens.  You've got it.  Sam spots the cat and charges Gordon and the cat.  The cat runs up on the roof.  I don't know how he got up there but he did and wasn't coming down as long as he could see Sam.

This became routine.  Gordon would go to play with his cat, Sam would charge them, and the cat would run up on the roof.  This really didn't bother me, like I said I'm not a cat person but it really drove Plaintiff crazy and this meant I was going to have to do something about Sam. 

The next time I saw Sam charge Gordon and the cat I went and got a ladder and rope.  I tied the rope around Sam, climbed the ladder and pulled Sam up on the roof. It was kinda funny.  Here's ole Sam up on the roof scared to death in the cat is walking around him like he's almost daring Sam to chase him. 

Well I come on down off the roof and leave Sam up there thinking I'm gonna teach him a lesson. 

Usually nobody dropped by in the afternoons but this day darned if three people didn't come by and one of them was the preacher.  All three asked, "What's the dog doing on the roof?" I told them but I don't think any of them understood the perfectly sound logic behind my actions.  I mean there were Gordon and the cat playing in the yard. 

It was getting close to dinnertime and I started the grill.  When the coals got just right I threw a steak on.  After I turned the steak I went inside to tell Plaintiff and the children dinner was almost ready.  No sooner than this had gotten out of my mouth I hear this loud crash.  Sam decided he was coming off the roof and jumps right on the grill smashing it to the ground.  When I get outside I see Sam running off with my steak. 

Sam and I continue to teach each other.  I never put him on the roof again and he never chased the cat again.