Reconsidering

Northern California has the best of everything, except traffic. But it's unholy how expensive it is here. We've considered all our options and simply can't figure out how we could make it work to retire here. Even if we implement my audacious crime scheme. Which isn't going to happen because my potential partners refuse to cooperate. It doesn't matter - I'm far too nervous for crime anyway. And of course it's wrong. Not that that's stopping anybody these days.

February in northern California
The first of the Spring strawberries from Oxnard are showing up in our farmers' market! And they are magnificent - SO delicious! These strawberries make me swoon. Later in the season they will still be good, but nothing like they are now. The first strawberries are the best... bursting with flavor, plump, juicy, sweet, and pristine. I've been reveling in these strawberries. And I'm trying not to be a brat about it, but the 75º temperatures this week have been pretty wonderful too.

February in the rest of the country this week
One word.
Snow.
Lots and lots of snow.
And cold. And abject misery.
The husband's boss happens to be Finnish. He hails from the Arctic Circle neighborhood for crying out loud. But he now lives in Dallas and this week he was complaining bitterly that Dallas was far colder than Finland. He feels defrauded.

In spite of this week's weather, one of my husband's colleagues managed to get himself to the East Coast and ensconced in a hotel near the airport. That evening he decided to venture across the street to a restaurant. He bundled up and pysched up and off he went. He said he wouldn't have made it there if it had been another 100 feet further. He told my husband, "you know, it's extremely expensive living in California, but I've gotta tell you... it's worth every penny."