Monday, March 21, 2011 — Light as a feather

Well, that's not me we're talking about, even though I am beginning to lose weight. It's my new Mac Air I'm writing to you on at this moment. I had quite a weekend. I guess you'd better add "weatherwise" to that declaration.

My plan was to drive down to Marina Bay Friday, stay overnight and leave Saturday morning for Deborah's hosting of Tapestry Weavers West. I was really looking forward to it and had all kinds of things to talk to members about because I am now working on the web site for TWW. It is still in its infancy, but in a few weeks it should really be up and running with some useful content that Alex and Jan have begun to send me.

Thursday night before my planned departure I was awakened numerous times by violent cracking and lighting up of the sky. I can't remember hearing such big thunder except maybe in the old days of summer afternoon storms at Echo Lake. We don't seem to get that same consistent weather pattern up there any more. Anyway, these were big, "wake you up" thunder and lightning cracks, so close together it was no use trying to count. So I was a little sleepy by Friday morning but rose to do all the errands and arrangement making for our Alger Street construction project before I could leave. The time finally came when I could get away and I headed out. Before I got to Albion, the storm seemed to be following me south. And it didn't let up for more than a few minutes the whole way down. But, there were moments to remember. When I emerged from the Navarro forest and was just passing the Pottery Makers and the old ranch with the three beautiful rose toned outbuildings across from it, the sky opened up and over the old ranch ( now turned immaculate vinyard operation), a magnificent double rainbow came into view, connecting the hills above the ranch with the hills just beyond. Do you ever get tired of discovering rainbows? Not I. Little did I know then that this was just the beginning of my weekend adventure with mother nature on the way to and in the city.

As so often is the case, I had a chance to see a rainbow again just down the road. Then things closed in again and it was slosh and spray all the rest of the way. When I hit Cloverdale and Highway 101 and began to keep company with trucks and more cars, the spray factor became intense. Everyone was driving more slowly and definitely more carefully than usual and I made it to Marina Bay but decided to head straight to Berkeley for a little dinner at Britt Marie on Solano Avenue before taking myself and the dogs to our little abode. I parked across the street, cracked the rear windows for the dogs and took myself over to BM for my favorite of their salads, a yummy cucumber dish, followed by a nice piece of albacore and some TeaJava. Half way through my meal the entire population of the restaurant stopped looking at the skylight that was making such a racket with heavy rain and then hail hitting it. There were several really loud thunder and lightning hits and everybody began heading for the front door and window to look outside. By the time I left, Solano Avenue had a coating of almost three inches of hail. And it was not going anywhere. It looked so slippery. And I have become a little skittish about taking falls. So I asked a very kind looking man if he would walk me across to my car. We waded through successfully and the helpful man bid me a safe trip home. The first slowly executed venturing onto the side street was quite safe feeling and the icy covering didn't even seem so thick. Then I turned onto Marin Boulevard and it was wild. Thick coating just like Solano and people were just creeping along. I crossed San Pablo Avenue and the white miraculously disappeared.

When I got to the bottom of Buchanan, just before the on ramp, there were police cars and something going on. I barely glanced to see what that was about because I was so intent on not sliding around on the white covering that suddenly showed itself again. Gone again after the ramp. But that's actually when it got really exciting. Between the Regatta Exit and Marina Bay Parkway the sheets of rain and lightning suddenly became so intense it became impossible to see. I and about six other cars pulled over to the shoulder and stopped while it did its thing. I followed the others when they ventured out again for the short way to my exit. There was not much hail on the actual freeway. Perhaps because the rain was sending it to the curb. But as I turned onto Marina Bay Parkway ..... there it was all over again. It looked like flat icebergs floating on a black sea. I inched my way to Commodore Drive and made it through the gate and to my parking place. Amazingly, the roadway inside the gate was almost clear of hail. It definitely appeared to me that the storm hit Fort Bragg first and then just followed me down all the way.

The next morning was a little scary because heavy rain came down in sheets and occasional lighting up of the sky was still happening. I decided to have breakfast at Gillman Grill and take stock of things. But before I turned off on the Gillman exit, I had my answer. That poor old Highway 580 is so rutted and pocked and was so full of seemingly heavy cars and trucks, all bent on spraying as much back to the cars behind them, that there was less visibility than the night before. Just one big soggy spray like a continuous water fountain. I sat and ate my breakfast and eventually became aware of the fact that I didn't have the nerve to buck those conditions and drive over the Bay Bridge and then down Highway One to Pacifica. That ride is sometimes full of surprises on less explosive days. I felt terrible chickening out and missing the meeting. But I know I did the right thing. Apologies to all I had hoped to talk to and visit with that day. I'm back home now and I'll try to get your pages up on a first come, first serve basis. Certainly by the end of April, things should be looking up for the site. Thanks to all who have answered the call so far.

Saturday night I ventured out to Berkeley again in rain that was far less severe. I joined some of my family for an evening at the Freight and Slavage to see the Swedish group Vassen. Wonderful sound. Lovely music and a thoroughly entertaining evening. Last night I had a delicious dinner with Mike, Jenny, Chuck and Leah. Today I cleaned the town house and picked up my new Mac Air. And I can now tell you that by the end of this little bit of using it for the blog, I am thoroughly convinced I made the right choice by buying this little eleven inch beauty. It's a real computer as opposed to the iPad. And yet it is a feather weight. I just became completely tired of trying to travel with that big fifteen incher. The old one is most likely destined to help solve the computer shortage at Pacific Textile Arts.

Fun to go down to the old homeland and haunts, but, Oh so good to be back in Paradise.