A Change in Scenery, A Change in Attitude

I was out walking yesterday, enjoying the incredible day we were having, clear blue skies, temps just under 80 degrees, when my thoughts turned to how just one year ago, on that very day, I was still living in California, and recalled those hot summer days, the temperatures in Bakersfield stuck at 115 – 120, of how we would still have another good two months to go before these hot summer days moved into what we called “paradise season”…the cooler, 80 degree weather of ‘fall’, november and December, when low 70’s, mid 60’s temps would move in for several months and make living in the central valley bearable. The long summers of Bakersfield, the Central Valley, WERE long and hot, hot, hot. And to make matters worse, Bakersfield held the undisputed title of “worst air quality in the NATION”. Anyways, as I breathed in the fresh clean air here in the NW yesterday, and today, and everyday now, as I walked through the lovely neighborhood we now live in, inhaling the heavy scent of pine, I also breathed out a long sigh of relief, to be here, now, at last. All things DO come to an end. If I were to list how many times I would tell myself “this too shall pass”, that list would be miles and miles long. But it gave me comfort and made it easier to move from day to day over the years.

When I read of the major earthquake in the San Francisco Bay area yesterday it brought back the memories of those times… the always present, nagging ‘knowing’ that at any time, the BIG one could hit! Knowing first hand how everything can change in a heartbeat, in a split second, and be FOREVER changed, I also breathe a sigh we are now far removed from California. Aside from earthquake danger, we in Bakersfield lived under the fear the Lake Isabella Dam would breach and cover the city in 30 ft of water within hours. In my googling I’d read funds were not available for the needed repairs, how studies from 5 or 6 yrs earlier (at that time) had detected serious repairs being needed but that no work was slated on the dam for several more years. I did read, more recently this article on the Sacramento Corp of Engineers website:
“An operating restriction is currently in place, limiting the lake’s normal storage capacity, to reduce the risk of the seepage and seismic concerns while a permanent solution is investigated. USACE has implemented increased surveillance and monitoring; stockpiling of emergency materials; warning sirens in the town of Lake Isabella; installation of additional instrumentation for monitoring; and continued public outreach with Kern County and the local public. In 2013, following the signing of the Record of Decision in December 2012, the Corps entered the Pre-Construction Engineering and Design phase of the project. A number of procedural tasks must still be completed in preparation of physical construction, which is scheduled to begin in 2017.”

So it appears nothing is currently being done PHYSICALLY to fix the problems at the dam, since discoveries were made in 2006. The Corp is just taking measures to lessen the damage IN THE EVENT OF, and IN THE AFTERMATH OF, the dams breaching. Even living in the SW of Bakersfield, where I read we would have a good two hrs of warning if the damn breached, trying to plan an ‘escape’ route was an exercise in futility. The panic caused by such an event, from ANY major catastrophic event, would make usingthe freeways/and/or any singular roads, unusable. I have to believe most Bakersfieldians are either totally ignorant of the looming fiasco hanging, literally, over their heads (the dam is due east, up in much higher elevations), or have adopted a zen attitude that allow them to ignore its presence.

I think that when living in California one must live in a constant state of denial. Live in the moment, which in itself a good philosophy but considering the ramifications long term it isn’t always the best solution, well its NO solution at all except in preserving ones state of mind… the Buddhists feel when one can’t change a situation one CAN learn to change ones attitude towards such a situation, in order to preserve peace of mind. Unfortunately I was not always very good at that, I am more a realist, what gives ME peace and optimism is knowing I’ve taken steps towards prevention of, and minimalizing any damage done, in the aftermath of, any emergency. THAT gives ME peace of mind.

To that end all the years we resided in Cali I was in the habit of collecting water in used milk gallon jugs, adding a few drops of bleach, and storing in the garage, in accumulating Emergency Food stores, large containers of your basics, including medical supplies, batteries, radios, books on surviving crisis or catastrophic events, you name it. I had quite a little section of our garage organized and well stocked for just such an event. Rod and Corey would laugh at me, all my ongoing endeavors, and at how I was addicted to a show on tv called Preppers! Well scoff if they will, I always felt he who laughs last, laughs best. LOL I actually learned a lot from these often overly zealous folks but a good bunch of it was things I’d never thought about and that could prove helpful at some time, when needed.

I haven’t felt the need to watch this program (is it still even on?) nor to further my emergency stores (though what I DID collect is still in storeage in my cellar) since returning to the NW. Somehow just being here, with access to more ‘open’ roads, being in the ‘vicinity’ of our lake cabin, amongst family and friends, has all contributed to the sense of calmness and optimism I was lacking the past ten years.

All this isn’t to say our time in Cali was depressing and fraught with fear, LOL, because it wasn’t! I have many, and mostly wonderful, memories of our years in the Golden State. I felt grateful, for one, that Rods job allowed us to travel throughout the State, Bakersfield was a central hub really, within two hrs drive in most cases, of the amazing beaches that line the California coast, the attractions of Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, San Francisco,Santa Barbara, as well as the smaller beach communities I especially liked to spend time in, such as Pismo Beach, Summerland, and Morro Bay. Rods 'area' extended into Nevada, where we would spend several days a month when Diverified's crews were put to work there. I strangely enjoyed the surreality of Las Vegas...talk about an "escape", LOL. The State of California is beautiful to behold, the many natural delights it has been gifted with, though endangered, remain for most to enjoy. I simply found the California of ‘today’ a much different version of the California I visited in the past and that I spent an entire summer exploring (backpacking) back in 1970. But then what hasn’t changed since the 70’s, other than the state of war this country still finds itself engaged in. Besides, my reasons for being there, and my state of mind, were very different then.

As Jean Paul Sarte once said,“The more sand that has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.”