52/379: Swelter

For Tuesday diner I discovered a couple of things I won't be buying again. One is the Idahoan roasted garlic mashed potatoes. I bought them some time ago, when they were on sale, in case I ever needed some potatoes really quick, and this turned out to be the night. They were quick all right, but I can make way better garlic mash myself from fresh ingredients, and it doesn't take that much longer, not to mention it's way cheaper. I have nothing to do with the time they saved me anyway. But I will say that compared to the various instant mashed potato products I've had in the past, these were like fine dining.

The heat wave from hell is underway, with the peak high of 92 now expected Thursday, the last day of winter. It was 88 Tuesday and will be 90 Wednesday. The saving grace is that the nights remain springtime cool, for now. But the sierra snowpack was only about 37% of normal for the date before the heat wave, and it's now melting fast. April 1 is the official date they measure the snowpack to see how the water supply is likely to hold up over the summer. Given how much heat is on the way, this could be the year it zeros out. Most of the reservoirs are full, but with no snowmelt on the way they won't be by August. Next year could be the year California agriculture crashes and burns. I just hope it doesn't burn literally.