Above the Fog Line

On good days, we've been having an hour of sunlight. On most days since Christmas, if not actively raining, the sky is gray from dawn until dusk, with only the occasional splat of a water droplet condensed out of the 97% humidity hanging coldly in the air. Such is the fog, although this fog season seems rather protracted.

I got fed up the moment I opened my eyes this morning, and when Bernie stirred, I didn't say, "Good morning" or "I love you" first, as I should have, and would have. Instead I said, "What is today? Wednesday? Good, let's go to Sonora and see some sunlight."

Sonora is a town in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, about an hour from here. The elevation is such that it is above the fog. That's only 1800 feet, but it's enough. It's a bitty little town, only about 4300 people, and there's not much there: some thrift stores, some antique shops, a few bars and restaurants; some art gallery kind of stuff, a cheap-leather-goods-made-in-India store, a kitchen store, a yarn shop ... There are other things in the town, but not in the "down town." Most of their income in Sonora comes from the tourist trade, as people flock to the mountains for the snow in the winter, and for the camping in the summer. I would not set foot in the place on the weekends -- it's probably a nuthouse of crowds. But I do know that Sonora has one thing I don't at the present season, and that's sun.

Bernie and I walked around, window shopping, wearing sunglasses, feeling nicely warmed by the sunshine. After about an hour and a half, we'd seen what was to be seen, and drove around the foothills for a while to keep the sun in sight. It had been almost 20 years since we were there last, so it almost all looked new to us. Traffic in Sonora was horrible and noisy, so we opted to come home for the main meal of the day.

I sighed as we descended again into the fog, but in the evening, the glob lifted for a little sunset light.

I keep telling myself that in a few days, the fog will hoick itself off and my towels will once again dry normally in the air, my nose will not feel as though it is freezing off, and the green stuff growing on the patio cement will go away.

Yes. Yes, I'm sure it will.