Tuesday, December 22, 2009

No Snow but we Have our Usual--Fog

No, it isn't snowing. It did briefly last week--but because we've had lots of rain, we're experiencing fog all over the San Joaquin Valley and it does creep up here in the foothills at times during the day. Fog is what we experience most from around or after Thanksgiving usually until March. There is nothing scarier than driving in fog. I've done a lot of it.

When we lived on the coast there were times that I drove in the fog and had no clue where I was. Coming home from a party with a car load of women (no drinking involved) we were driving out in the country and we had to stop and someone get out to read the road sign to make sure we were indeed headed in the right direction. What I hate is when you are following someone and they pull over and once you pass they drop in behind you so they can follow.

A friend of mine once followed someone right into his driveway on a foggy night and had no idea the person had left the freeway.

Though the fog situation hasn't changed, on the 99 freeway these days (major highway through the San Joaquin Valley) when the fog is really bad, the highway patrol drives slowly back and forth at a much slower pace to keep the idiots who think they can still drive 70 when they can't see a thing.

Thinking about fog makes me realizes using fog in a mystery would really work well. In fact the situations I described could be used as part of a plot.

For me, now that the fog has settled in I'm settling in too. I'll go as far as town, 17 miles down the road, but that's it.

Now that I've been thinking about it, what can I do with fog in the book I'm writing now?

Merry Christmas one and all--hope you have appropriate weather for you holiday pleasure.

Marilyn

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