Tickets Back

Wasted no time after the New Year to shop for tickets back to the LOS.  A number of airlines have some good deals from the west coast, especially Korean Air where you can get a RT fare for under $950, but I decided to stay with my regular airline (EVA) and take advantage of their special web fare for their Evergreen Club members where you can buy discounted fares with  mileage deducted from your account.  They have a tricky system where you can also buy cheaper tickets, but get no mileage or reduced mileage so one has to be careful that the lowest price may not be the best for your situation.  Going with EVA gives me an extra bag, use of the lounge, and priority boarding so I guess its worth the few hundred bucks more.  Besides, its for their class of seats between economy and business called 'Elite' Class which offers wider seats, more room between seats,  and a more quiet cabin area.

So I have about 5 weeks left here in California and will back in mid February.  In the meantime, I have a trip planned for Las Vegas in two weeks and tons of stuff to do, including filing my income tax for 2011.  At least I have a hard target now and light at the end of the tunnel.  

Weird weather continues as it hasn't rained since I arrived here in California last month.  This is the rainy season and we get our heaviest rainfall in January and February, but the forecast is for no rain in the next 10 days or so and weather in the high 60s.  There are fire danger warnings in the middle of winter as the grasses and bush from last year are extremely dry and no new grass has emerged.  I suspect that California will once again undergo water rationing like we did not to long ago.  There was a period where the water level was low for almost a seven year period and we were limited to 45 gallons per day, per person.  That included all showers, toilet flushes, washing machine, and garden watering.  I'm glad I am not on a meter here in the condo, and I don't have any plants or a yard.  Its going to be hot summer if it doesn't rain in the next few weeks.

Drought is not unknown to California and surely will return again.  Will the next year be the one that pushes an already weak California economy off the edge?