Spring in Cali

As it turned out, I had a much better time and did more interesting things in California than I would have if I'd taken Friday off.

I embarked shortly after 5 am on Saturday, and enjoyed a glorious drive through the Sacramento Valley in the cool of morning. (Not that it got hot that day.) I split off I5, enjoyed pumping my own gas for a change, and headed through Chico and Marysville. As I neared Nevada County, my excitement level mounted. The land of my youth. Nostalgic.

I navigated up Red Dog Road (where we used to live), and took Pasquale Road to my grandparents. I had a feeling it would get me there, but had forgotten to remember how very windy it is. I think my parents bought their old '84 Bronco there, but that is probably not true.

I spent the day with my grandparents -- driving down to Scotts Flat Reservoir (the recreation area of which has undergone a lot of upgrades since I swam there in 1990); visiting Lost Mine Lake; eating food and showing pictures from my Mongolia extravaganza. Above all, my trip was an attempt to find my brain and not think very much about work for 3 days. This day was a good start.

Sunday morning I visited Nevada County Christian Fellowship -- the church my family first attended when we moved to Nevada City. They used to meet in the NC high-school, but now have their own building. Aside from that, a lot of things haven't changed. The worship style seemed very similar, and a number of the main attendees from 18 years ago still attend. That's pretty amazing, considering how many times my family has moved since 1992.

I wanted to see our friends the Salisburys, and was in no way let down. Bo even preached a dialogical overview of salvation and played the harmonica in the worship group. It was great talking to him and Denise.
I also had the ticklish thought that our old friends the Nunninks, whom I hadn't seen for 16 years, might be present... and as it turns out, Levi (my brother's old playmate) was one of the first people I saw in the parking lot and his wife the first person I talked to. It was, as Dad would say, a significant emotional event.

The grandparents and I, for lack of much else to do, went to the Teddy Bear Convention at Miner's Foundry. Now, I think I was more interested to look around the Foundry than to look at the teddy bears, and I daresay my g-parents weren't very enthralled with the stuffed beasts either. It is difficult for me to imagine how someone could be so incredibly excited about teddy bears. I just don't get it. The teddy bear circus out back was amusing, however.

On Monday I sorrowfully took my departure from the grandparents (which brings to memory that I very rarely cry unless for some selfish reason; that is a problem -- but maybe it is sort of normal). I didn't leave Nevada County until close to 2 pm. I drove by our old house on Red Dog Rd (it looks much worse than it did when we lived there -- it is even complete with a couple beater cars), our other house on Gethsemane Ln, the old library, the courthouse, NC Elementary. And then I took forever finding Mount Saint Mary's School, which I attended for 3rd grade. The day was sunny and wonderful, and I really would have preferred to stay there except on deeper analysis. Now that I am old and responsible and have a job, Roseburg is a better place to be. But someday perhaps I will return to the mountains.

On my way home I imposed upon my Uncle Dave (and his mother-in-law) for a short but nice visit. I stretched my three day weekend out as far as possible, but made it home before midnight on Monday.