Wow, today with a three day weekend combined--it is making for an interesting few days. Mary and I are going to make a drive to the coast--maybe Bodega Bay, and have lunch. We have to scale back, but at least that is something we can do to mark the day. It should be lovely weather for it. It has been rather dry and warm for about the last week, with temperatures reaching into the 70s. We should get a bit more rain next week, but I hope that's not it for the season. We still have a lot of space in the reservoirs that needs replacing.

I took a little hike yesterday morning around sunrise--out at the Lagoon Valley area in Vacaville. I am pleased to report that the lagoon is indeed a lagoon once again. It had completely dried up as of September, but it is filled up now. I got some nice shots with the digital camera, and took several with the B&W as well, but I haven't had a chance to develop those yet.

I went to the doctor on Friday, and although some of my numbers have improved, he was not happy with the way my weight loss has plateaued. It was the holidays. So I need to get those numbers moving back down. Ugh! I guess that's why I am trying to take more hikes and photo safaris. It would help a lot if I could get some more exercise in.

I was just doing some reading of my hometown newspaper--this week marks the 30th anniversary of the Linda flood. It's hard to believe it has been that long. I am also amazed by the fact that the Peachtree Mall is still standing. That place was almost completely underwater, and it has just never recovered.

It happened while I was finishing up on college in Chico (about 60 miles to the north of Linda, which is about five miles north of where I grew up). The winter of 1986 was very wet in northern California, and the rivers were all at flood stage. On February 20 the levee on the Yuba River broke on the south side, sending the water to the south. It inundated the towns of Linda and Olivehurst, and stopped about a half mile short of my parents' house. The Peachtree Mall sat in a bit of a basin located only a few hundred yards from the breach in the levee. The water nearly went over the roof of all the single-story stores. Only the two story JC Pennys was sticking up out of the water.

I had finished school and was working in a video rental store while interviewing with companies. I had a friend working there who was a pilot trainee, so I grabbed a video camera and he flew us down to Linda--where I got an aerial view of the devastation. It was really hard for my brain to process it all. Thousands of homes were submerged--as far as the eye could see. But the mall was the real heartbreaker. I spent SO much time there while I was going to Yuba College in Linda (the college was also hit by the flood). There was a pinball/video arcade in the mall called the "Flipper Flapper Fun Company." I spent many an hour in that place before, after, and between classes. One of the first trophies I ever won was from getting high score on a pinball machine there.

The mall reopened for a while, and a couple of stores have come and gone, as have talk of redevelopment, but not much has been done with it. It is largely abandoned. I have not set foot in it since the flood...I guess I've been afraid to. But who knows--maybe I'll make a drive up there next week, seeing as it is the anniversary and all.

Okay, so maybe that is kind of depressing. Anyway, I'm looking forward to taking a little drive to the coast with my honey today. Always love to take in that salt air!

Have a great week everybody, and hope to see you next week for the chat!