Saturday, April 01, 2006
Check the calendar, check the mapWhen you are born in California or move permanently to the state, the first thing you get is a California Bill of Rights, which basically says that you are entitled to sunny blue skies and 75F weather year round. And when I say sunny blue skies, I mean exactly that -- just vast stretches of blue and nothing else. Kids in California have no idea what it's like to look up at puffy white clouds floating in the atmosphere and imagine cow heads, space ships or Janet Jackson having another wardrobe malfunction. It's better for their mental health that way. There are other minor things also, like two "pho" (Vietnamese noodle) restaurants and Chinese supermarkets in every neighborhood, a Costco store every ten miles and an Ikea every fifteen.
Of course you also get a second bill which requires you to pay at least half a million dollars for the tiniest old shack about to fall over every time the ground shakes (I almost forgot, shaking is another thing you get for free). You must also pay a 20% price premium for very regular gasoline so that sheiks can build their castles in the sand and Alaskans can put up bridges to somewhere nobody lives (Alaskans get upset when you call them bridges to nowhere, and they retaliate by calling you ex-cats and dirty names like that).
But those sunny blue skies are beginning to seem like a cruel illusion, just like the Alaskan bridges. This March, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland and just about every city in the Bay Area broke records for the highest number of rainy days in the month. San Francisco had 25 days of rain out of 31, and San Jose had 21. Thunderstorms, creek floods and landslides everywhere. Precipitation is up 30% over average. I know it's not a lot compared to some other places, but doggone it, we pay for our beautiful weather, and we expect it.
March was supposed to come in like a lion and go out like a lamb, but it's pouring again today, and the forecast is for more of the same next week. So much for these dumb lion and lamb animals. How about weather for huskies? It is painful to watch the guys tiptoe around in the grass to do their business. Those dainty big feet are made to run a thousand miles through snow to Nome, not to dance around in wet mud.
One time many years ago we were traveling through the Southwest of the U.S., visiting New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. Those states have very similar landscape in places, and the trip was getting long and tiring. There were days when we got up in the morning and went out to the car, and looking at the unfamiliar surroundings, we often had to stop ourselves to think, where are we today?
So really, where are we today? What happened to our California? And if you have our Sun, we want it back.
- posted by Woofwoof @ 8:47 AM
Comments:
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Oh you have nothing to complain about. Here in CO, it's wet, and cold. I'm so sick of this weather. Where is spring?
# posted by 
: 01 April, 2006 16:57
: 01 April, 2006 16:57
Spring today up here!!!
Thermometer said 40!!!!! We went out to watch dog mushing, but the doggies got too hot. Bright and sunny. One of those days where you say, dang, I'm glad I live in Alaska. Nobody wore a jacket.
Ready to move up here yet? I think I owe you a beer . . .
Thermometer said 40!!!!! We went out to watch dog mushing, but the doggies got too hot. Bright and sunny. One of those days where you say, dang, I'm glad I live in Alaska. Nobody wore a jacket.
Ready to move up here yet? I think I owe you a beer . . .
Anonymous,
I was asking the same question, where is spring? All the trees and plants have come back to life, it's just wet every day.
John,
Let's see how April goes. If it's anything like February and March, we are going to row a boat to Fairbanks.
I was asking the same question, where is spring? All the trees and plants have come back to life, it's just wet every day.
John,
Let's see how April goes. If it's anything like February and March, we are going to row a boat to Fairbanks.
Sorry we are holding your Sun hostage here. Beautiful day, brilliant sunshine, high 60s. We are going out bike riding.
# posted by : 02 April, 2006 10:12
: 02 April, 2006 10:12
Keep your chin up woofwoof they say it's going to be 70 degrees on Memorial day!.My poor Daffs.and Tulips are battered to the ground,,and Sam I am will not go out ..the red squirrels have eaten large holes in the bird seed container.I went to Lowes and got a tin bin early this morning and every one was complaing about the rain.I was the only customer in the plant dept.Regards.
Connecticut,
Waaaah. I haven't been on a real bike in 4 months. It's sad we are cooped up inside, riding the exercise bike. It's just not the same.
Sam,
Thanks for the upbeat message. I feel better already. I'll go play that Beatles song, "Here Comes The Sun."
Waaaah. I haven't been on a real bike in 4 months. It's sad we are cooped up inside, riding the exercise bike. It's just not the same.
Sam,
Thanks for the upbeat message. I feel better already. I'll go play that Beatles song, "Here Comes The Sun."
Sorry, John and I are keeping *your* sun for the summer (we have to get rid of this damned snow somehow!!).
You can have it back in the winter. Hope you don't mind! :-)
You can have it back in the winter. Hope you don't mind! :-)
Stacie,
For John, no way no how. Not the way he keeps reminding me how *his* Fairbanks weather is better than mine.
But if you want to borrow the Sun for a while, that's OK. I understand you need the heat to dry out the dog poop.
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For John, no way no how. Not the way he keeps reminding me how *his* Fairbanks weather is better than mine.
But if you want to borrow the Sun for a while, that's OK. I understand you need the heat to dry out the dog poop.
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