Is this a valid email from Adobe re Flash Player

Absolutely fake.  If you still have the email.  please do the following:

• Start a new email
• Add the phishing email as an attachment
• Send it to phishing@adobe.com

The malicious email must be sent as an attachment, not forwarded, to maintain specific information needed for forensics.

spam, any flash update are done automatically (if you chose this option)

or it will be asked to you through the browser, or go directly to the flash download page