A Farm in the Laguna

A complicated day wound up being slightly less complicated when OilMan showed up for a doctor's appointment that wasn't until next week. The fact that he is the only person ever to suffer through getting a new crown this morning didn't help either. The fact that I actually had the very same experience a month ago and survived despite various complications seems to have slipped his mind.

It almost got considerably more complicated when he put the car in drive instead of reverse. He says this happens because my car (German) and his car (American) are opposites in terms of the way the controls are set up. I think perhaps that is true of both of us as well...it's a wonder we've functioned so well together for so long...or maybe that's why we have.

Between the hour of stark terror in the dentist's chair and the appointment that wasn't,  we managed to fit in our usual workout with Kathy, who rearranged her own schedule to accommodate ours. 

The drive through the flatlands of the Laguna de Santa Rosa was particularly picturesque. There are a lot of 
farms that have probably been there since the turn of the century, and I love all the old barns and water towers. The water towers seem a bit redundant with the roads and fields still showing signs of recent flooding, but they are nevertheless a sign of simpler times. 

Although the flooding in Guerneville and some of the little holiday enclaves along the Russian River was far worse than anybody had seen in many years, and did a lot of damage, the people are pretty resilient  The county has established several dump sites for the mounds of wet, rapidly moulding piles of debris in front of every house that was up to 6 feet deep in water. However, the local people have organized a call for anybody with a pick up truck  to meet at certain locations where they will be deployed by volunteers to help haul debris to designated dump sites. 

It seems to be another sign of the times that local people volunteering their time and services are taking charge when government  fails them. There are many  (most) people who have no means of hauling tons of filthy, ruined household possessions any farther than they can manage to drag them. Despite the fact that this must be a serious health hazard, the local and state government say they can't do anything until or unless a state of emergency is declared...by some other government agency.