Raindrops falling on my head…

The rain this week has been glorious. Lawns that were turning brown, owned by frugal water users, are getting a good long drink. Everyone in the San Joaquin Valley should be thrifty about how to use the precious liquid gold. The hand that rocks the cradle might rule the world but the land that has the water is land worth owning. I know it has been awhile since we have had wet streets but that is no reason people should forget how to drive. Slow down, avoid puddles and don’t be stupid about it.

Talking heads in Sacramento would have us believe the drought is over when Gov. Moonbeam ended the “drought emergency” last April. The fact that the proclamation came so very close to April Fools Day shouldn’t surprise those of us who keep track of that sort of thing. It will take more than one hefty, rainy season to mitigate six years of almost no precipitation. The amount of rain that falls in the valley, while nice, can’t recharge the aquifer fast enough to make much difference.

One would think someone who is supposed to be the adult supervision over the great State of California would know that. Brown is termed out and must leave the capital in January 2019. I shudder to think what kind of long-term decisions he will make in 2018. Shall we call them “parting gifts,” like those given to non-winner contestants on game shows?

On the old “Let’s Make a Deal,” game show they sent the people home with a year’s supply of Rice-a-Roni, the San Francisco treat. Never a fan of the tiny noodle and rice concoction, I always wondered how many cases constituted a year’s supply.

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The year is rolling along. It is strange to think January is almost half-gone when I still have Halloween candy to eat.

Will the year 2017 be remembered as the one where the NFL gave itself a big black eye because the team owners and the coaches refused to rein in a few over-priced troublemakers? Americans love their football but their sense of patriotism has made many fans switch-off the games and pursue other activities. If the San Francisco 49er ball club had stepped in and put a stop to its quarterback’s protest in the fall of 2016, it would have saved them a lot of grief.

Colin Kaepernick’s story of exactly what he was protesting has changed and evolved since the first incident. One story to emerge said he was trying to draw attention to the plight of African Americans. Never mind the biracial baby was a few weeks old when adopted by white people. I didn’t know he graduated from John H. Pitman High School in Turlock.

Now he can’t get a job with any NFL team no matter what he does. I still wonder what genius media consultant advised him on this matter.

I don’t truly understand the fascination with watching sports on television. I enjoy the pageantry of the fans and their apparent devotion to their team. I have been to a few NFL games. When Fred worked at MID, Freddie Valenzuela had season tickets for the 49ers. Several times, we used his tickets to see them beat up on the Los Angeles Rams, Fred’s favorite team at the time.

The tailgating parties in the parking lot were extensive. Running around in my LA Rams jersey, I had fun stirring up the 49er fans. I am probably lucky I didn’t get anything worse than name-calling and offers to have a drink and be shown the errors of my ways.

When the Oakland Raiders 2020 scheduled move to Las Vegas occurs, I wonder how much of its fan base will get mad and defect to another team. The Rams lost Fred when they moved to St. Louis and began playing football in a dome. Apparently playing in a domed stadium somehow lessens the manliness of the whole team. The team’s subsequent move back to Los Angles did nothing to win back my husband’s loyalties. He is a strange duck, my husband.

After a recent marital squabble, I was seeking sympathy and commiseration from a girlfriend. A few days later, she asked me if he was still mad about whatever stupid thing we were discussing. I realized at that point he is probably still mad at me for things I did on our first date. He knows how to hold a grudge.

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Happy 92nd Birthday on Thursday to Virginia S. Gendron! She enjoys watching golf games on television. For my money, I would rather watch paint dry.

Have a great weekend.

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Readers may contact Tami Jo Nix by emailing tamijonix@gmail.com or following @TamiJoNix on Twitter.