Summer in January!

That's more of a grimace. Though the numbness eventually takes away the pain.

As some may recall, this time of year last January was quite the storm. This year we're in a cloud of high pressure, with days in the 70s and low 80s, nights in the 30s. Great, right? I mean, most of the rest of the country is freezing in record Arctic colds! But, believe it or not, the sun is not so welcome here in northern California. Other than the fact that last year's drought already gave us a six month summer, we're getting even less rain this year. Even less rain means more drought, which means an even worse fire this season than last year. Given that my family always makes fun of me for even announcing that I smell smoke, I don't know if my nerves could take it. But hey, at least every time I say I smell smoke, I actually do. I have a good nose!

Here are some lovely shots Alex took from our day at the beach in January. It was great being there while it was so deserted. Even if the water was freezing!

Another great thing about the beach being practically deserted is the fact that there aren't many people around to be blinded by winter-pale skin...

We also saw part of a dead crab. My inexplicable fear of crabs has been passed down to Alex, as you can see in this glimpse of our flight.

And... this is what a recession looks like. The store at the end, Mervyn's, is going out of business. If you look closely, you'll see this one has already been shuttered. It's been sad, since for years that was the only affordable clothing store. We'll miss you, Mervyn's!


I'm excited for Tuesday! There's an event going on downtown that afternoon that I'm planning on attending. Anyone else planing on celebrating the Inauguration?