South of Sunnyside

April in Fresno.

There’s a light breeze.
The high is in the high 70s to low 80s.
The canals are flowing at full capacity.
The air is clear.
People are outside, enjoying it.

Wait, what’s that? It’s not April? What the hell do you mean it’s June?

Rain is refreshing. But hail? That’s just…unacceptable. C’mon, Fresno, it’s almost April.

It feels good to get away every once in a while.

Last week I was able to get out of Fresno for a couple of days, and away from the stress of work, the neighborhood, and the seemingly endless line of dogs that keep finding their way (via Kim’s truck) into our yard. Yep, I left all of my stress behind. Nothing stressful about flying, or visiting family, or weddings (especially when your aunt is re-marrying the husband that once cheated on her).

Below are highlights of trip.

Good: My seat on the first leg of my flight was next to the only empty seat on the plane.
Bad: I can’t fit in a single seat (I’m too tall, that is), and having an empty seat next to me only offers more space to contort in.

Good: The hotel shuttle driver knew a shortcut around the traffic jam on the freeway.
Bad: That traffic jam was the reason I sat at the airport waiting for him…for almost an hour.

Good: Outside, the weather was cool and clear, with low humidity for most of the weekend.
Bad: Inside, it smelled like stale cigarette smoke. Everywhere. And some places were quite moldy.

Good: The food. Oh, the food…
Bad: I’m trying to diet.

Good: It’s legal to transport a frozen daiquiri from the local store (some are drive-through), as long as there’s tape over the hole designated for a straw.
Bad: A daiquiri in a Styrofoam cup spills easily, and doesn’t smell very nice the next day. Especially when it’s mixed with the dog poop that someone tracked into the car.

Good: My aunt had a TV at the wedding, so that the men could watch the LSU game.
Bad: LSU got spanked, so all the men were in a foul mood.

Good: My grandmother danced like it was her daughter’s first wedding.
Bad: She wanted to dance with me (and I don’t dance—ever).

Good: The police in DFW have Segways.
Bad: TSA said my toothepaste container was “too large to confirm,” though there was only two ounces left in it. I guess that’s not bad, in the sense that they’re concerned about safety, but it’s annoying.

I’m under two weeks away from an event that comprises my largest responsibility at work, but I’m taking a few days to get away…to my aunt’s wedding in Baton Rouge.

I’m ready (I think?) for the event, but stress has been accruing for some time. And it’s good to get away sometimes—I hear it can help to renew appreciation for Fresno to get away. I’ve forgotten that California’s restrictions on little things like smoking in buildings greatly improves quality of life for non-smokers; say what you want about Fresno’s air quality outside, I’ll take it over the smell of stale smoke any day (and won’t be surprised if I return with a sinus infection).

Oh, and that new cell phone law: I appreciate it now, after riding in a rickety 15-passenger van while the driver talked on hers. Is it too much to ask that at least one of the wheels be in balance?