2023 Jan 16 | flooding, parents in Salinas for MLK weekend



Ogii trying on a new unique dress.



A coworker was in Korea for Christmas and brought back some chocolate.



Ogii made some great dinner.



Guest bedroom ready for the parents.



Google Maps said the highway was closed here. It must have been from this car crash, although it's open now.



Nice rainbow.



I think I'll take the stairs.



Nothing but rain in the forecast.



I asked the clerk at the hotel if she had any duct tape, since I needed it to fix a rip in my rain pants. She said no, and she was actually looking for some herself. I asked her why, and she said she wanted to tape her just-finished jigsaw puzzle together. I told her to wait a few minutes and I'd go get some. But I figured duct tape wouldn't work very well for the puzzle, so I bought myself some duct tape and her some puzzle glue.



Her puzzle.



My rain pants.



Bad flooding on highway 101 around Gilroy. That's what we drive through to get to San Jose and San Francisco, so hopefully the water goes down.



Even worse around Sacramento.



Dinner in the rain.



I guess the zippers in my raincoat zip downwards to keep the rain out, but for one, it's just weird, and for two, I'm always worried they won't be completely closed and whatever is in there will fall out (since if the zipper isn't closed all the way, the open space is now at the bottom rather than the usual top).



Pretty sunrise.



A big tree down.



Flood warning around Salinas.



The Salinas River is in the red area. If it floods, Monterey basically turns into an island.



Reading how to set up sandbags.



The local fire station had them.



A pile by their door.



The sand was out here.



Although the water is almost over the road.



It's even starting to come across here.



The sand.



I shoveled and Ogii held the bag.



We had to hurry because the water was coming across the road now; don't want to get stuck out here.



We were the last people to get the sand before they closed the road. Although there were other locations with more sand.



Taking the bags out of the truck.



To the back patio.



And placing them along the back sliding door.



That should work.



A few for the front door, too.



One of the biggest disappointments during COVID was that Five Guys stoppped serving peanuts. Now they're finally back.



Although there are still supply problems; no Coke options other than regular.



I very rarely get a weekday off. In fact, I hadn't planned taking Friday off, but I came back from work early to avoid the flooding. And every time I do have a weekday off, I swear a neighbor has some kind of construction or other noisy activity going on right when I want to take a nap. This time, it was plumbing.



Eggs are in short supply right now.



Due to avian flu.



I don't know if cage free really makes the birds have a better life, but it's a nice idea.



A lot of sand bags at this location.



Gotta be careful which roads to take now.



Not too much rain.



We wanted to get some mochi donuts for the parents, and I was worried there might not be any in San Jose. I did not need to worry.



We drove up to San Jose to pick up Dad and Mom. We went here to get the donuts.



Lots of restaurants in a small space.



Fun cow.



The donuts.



There's not even a clerk; just a self-service kiosk.



They even have som weird corn-dog type things.



A Peruvian food place here as well.



Uh oh, I don't think this is the road.



Nope, it's the street car route and/or sidewalk. Very confusing.



Mural of workers.



We ate at Teske's German restaurant.



Lots of food.



Mom got the biggest one.



And some dessert.



Mochi donuts for breakfast.



Which one to choose?



We had planned on going down to Big Sur one day and over to Yosemite the next, but all of the flooding made us stay home.



Even though the water is going down around us, many of the roads are flooded or closed from rockslides.



Gave Dad this book; it's one of our favorites.



Time to make Ted Lasso cookies.



They broke in the mail, so Ogii is putting them back together.



Mine.



It doesn't look so good.



Working on theirs.



This sign is supposed to only have the green sprinkles around the border.



Mom didn't pick out only the green ones.



In fact, I can't even tell which way is up.



Monica picked out only the green ones for her sign.



Dad and Ogii.



The finished cookies.



Ogii in her new hoodie.



Checking out the water. Normally this creek bed is completely dry.



Watching some football.



And playing poker.



German last night, Spanish for lunch, and Italian for dinner.



No more flood warning.



Although there are some areas where the fields are still flooded, even though the highway is not.



And highway 1 is still closed at Notleys Landing.



Mom and Ogii cooking breakfast.



All of us eating.



Good thing we didn't plan on going skiing at Yosemite; it's closed from too much snow.



Ogii showing Mom her new jewelry box.



Some neighbor's have a flying pig decoration.



Rather than going far out, we stayed around home. We went to Refuge in Carmel Valley. Even they say be prepared for weather interruptions.



No kids, no phones, no talking.



In the hot pool.



They have bathing suit dryers; I've never seen those before.



Then we went to Cannery Row.



Lunch at Fish Hopper, which juts out into the ocean.



Nice views.



Neat lights.



We got a big drink.



While watching big waves.



And sea otters.



Our food is here.



Ogii and Mom shared the crab legs.



Normally I don't like crab at all.



But these were really good.



Dessert.



Ogii trying to finish off the drink. I don't think she's going to make it.



Now she needs a nap.



Watching more football. We also watched all of Good Omens, all of Chernobyl, and Maverick over the weekend.



Good thing we didn't go to Yosemite. One of the roads there was closed by a rockslide.



Ogii making dumplings for breakfast.



Everyone on their phones.



Some poppies.



I made steak for lunch.



Beef versus buffalo.



Gas was 56789.



Dad bought Ogii some scratchers.



We're right by 420. I guarantee the 420 sign will be gone.



Yep. Both of them, in fact.



We got some cookies.



Ogii enjoys hers.



While I napped on the drive home.