Sacramento, CA

Today would have been a gorgeous summer day if it weren’t for the thick smoke that has filled the Sacramento Valley. The hundreds of fires that have been sparked by lightening are very unfortunate, and pose health risks to sensitive groups (those with heart coinditions and breathing problems) as well as small children.

I am sure the subject of the fires is all over the evening news, but since I do not watch local news I still have to get my information somewhere. I have been referring to the www.sparetheair.com website several times a day just to see if our air quality here in the Sacramento area has improved. It seemed to improve this evening, although earlier I dared not venture outside. Every time I went outdoors my eyes would water- not a good sign.

Young children should be kept inside when the air quality is really bad. They are included in the “sensitive groups.” I think many people forget that little children are more sensitive to bad air because they actually breathe in more air than adults do, and their lungs are still developing. I have had a number of children knock on my door earlier in the day asking if my child could play outside, and the answer was a kind, but firm, no- with a reminder that the air is just too smoky.

I truly hope that all of the residents that were evacuated from there homes will be allowed to return, and that they will be able to go on with their lives as they used to.

Thank you to the hardworking firefighting crews from all over the state who are working on putting the fires out. Be safe.

So lately I have not been leaving my bat cave very much, therefore I have not had a need to fuel up my GMC truck. However, I ventured out earlier today, and the low fuel light flickered on. I missed two gas stations that had fuel for about $4.49/ gallon, and ended up paying $4.59/ gallon instead. I do believe that today I spent the most per gallon on fuel that I have ever spent in my lifetime. So now I feel that I need to help other drivers as much as possible and share some gas saving tips. I am sure you are all probably thinking that I should help myself first by getting rid of my gas hog of a vehicle…but trust me- nobody wants to buy a truck right now.

My first tip for saving fuel money is to visit such sites as www.sactogasprices.com, and http://cbs13.com/gasprices to find the cheapest gas prices around town.

Second, rsimple maintenecne can make a huge difference: keep your vehicle well maintained, keep air in the tires per manufacturer guidelines, and slow down!

Third, slow down! The optimal speed for the best fuel efficiency is said to be around 55 MPH.

For more gas saving tips check out the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fuel Economy website: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/

Summer evenings are the perfect time to get out doors and walk. If you are like me, you might be concerned about walking alone for safety reasons. Or, you just might want to have a companion to walk with. The Sacramento Walking Sticks might be just what you need to get you motivated and out of the house.

The Walking Sticks is a group of people who have organized weekly walks in various parts of Sacramento, as well as outings to other cities such as Truckee and Santa Cruz. Walks are free, and membership is very cheap if you choose to become a member.

Tonights walk takes place in the Gold River area at 5:30pm. If you can not make this walk, do not worry as there are many more walks taking place this summer. Check out the Walking Sticks website for more information about their group and events: http://www.sacramentowalkingsticks.org/

This July will see the closing of the Sacramento Six Drive-in movie theatre. The drive-in movies is a legacy in it’s own right, and it is unfortunate to see this era of entertainment come to an end. If you have children who have never been to a drive in movie, take advantage of these final weeks of June and get out to the Sacramento Six!

Many of us have great memories of the Sacramento Six drive-in movies, and it is somewhat sad to know that the screens will soon go dark. What is in the works will be a new strip mall and new indoor movie theatres. As nice as this sounds, it seems to be a repeat of the same types of stores and the same type of expensive movie theatres that we have all over and around town. I really hope that a lot of people make an effort to get out to the drive-in to say good bye to the movies screens, the 70s-ish snack bar, and ultimately the end of an era.

More information is available at http://www.fandango.com/sacramentodrivein_aacet/theaterpage.

If you are looking for something fun to do this weekend for Father’s Day, you might consider the annual Crawdad Festival in Isleton. This is always a fun event, with a carnival, games, a beer garden, plenty of Cajun style music and food, and of course tons of spicey crawdads to eat!

Admission is only $5, parking is another $5, and children under 12 are FREE!

If you are interested in taking a bus from the Sacramento Convention Center, visit www.travel.meetup.com/1199 .

The Crawdad Festival begins Friday afternoon, and lasts until Sunday.

For more details, check out the official Crawdad Festival website http://www.crawdadfestival.org/

This summer, law enforcement officers who patrol our local rivers and Delta, will be giving out free Togo’s sandwich vouchers! As with most free things though, there is a catch. Only boaters that are caught wearing life jackets will be given the vouchers. And the giving away of free stuff is pretty random….still boaters should take whatever they can get. With gas prices being so high, any kind of a break is a good break, and a life jacket is always a necessary item to not only keep in the boat, but to keep on your person.

If you need a lifejacket, I personally recommend a local big box store. They are priced relatively cheap at Sam’s Club and Wal-Mart stores. For a loaner life jacket, you can check out the California Department of Boating and Waterways website, which lists locations that loan jackets out for no cost. The website can be found here: http://www.dbw.ca.gov/BoaterInfo/LifeJacket.aspx.

Keep those life jackets on, and good luck getting a free sandwich!

Our local Wildlife Care Association (WCA) is in need of volunteers to help care for the many wounded wild birds that are brought in to the facility. Volunteers can be as young as 16, and there is information about volunteering and other ways to help the WCA on their website: http://www.wildlifecareassociation.net/.

The WCA was formerly located on Auburn Blvd, near Interstate 80, but recently changed locations. They are now housed at McClellan Business Park, in the North Highlands area.

Please do what you can to help the birds and other critters that end up at the care center. Many are injured because of human activity, and deserve the chance to recoup and have a second chance at life. Just a couple of hours a week of volunteer time would be helpful to the WCA.