The Ramble

I can see a patch of almost blue sky! It feels like it's been weeks since I've seen that.

I got to spend the night in my own bed! What a feeling! Yesterday morning that wasn't looking likely because the fire sprang up a block away, but was quickly pushed back again. Mostly it is moving away from us. The winds are going the opposite way that they usually would this time of year, which is truely a miracle. I am at my work, with the power back up and a lot of the smoke dissapating. I tried to come in yesterday, but I could only handle it for a couple of hours because the smoke was to thick for me to breathe. Onlya few of my friends lost their homes, and as of yet no one I know is dead. Unfortunately, the authorities fully expect to find many, many more than the already confirmed 13 dead. And the fire is not stopping, it's just moving away. Please pray it continues moving away until it can be contained. The last report has 455,000 acres burned, 1,071 homes burned, 32,000 still without power (think no air conditioning or air purifiers for people with breathing conditions, no news to know where the fire is, etc.) and the fire is still moving.

Good news! The winds, thank God, have stilled. The fire that came down from the north and that was starting to come west, has headed east, into a very sparsely populated area. The one to the south, no long fueled by the winds, is slowing down and also heading east. This is truely a miracle, because Santa Ana winds always last for several days, and these started just Sat night. My friends evacuated, but the men, and my roomie Bob, snuck back and spent the night saving their houses. Sean and Carol lost part of their fence, but they and the Carlsons still have their homes, thanks to the guys. And God. JR's house and Bunny's house are safe for the time being, as long as the winds are still. Please pray. The fires are no longer completely out of control, but it will take days to put them out, and the danger of the winds pulling them out of control again will continue until they are out.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire............... The good news is that JR's family didn't have to evacuate as of yet. The fire went south and the winds died down over the night. But they have begun again and the fire to the south is threating to merge with the one to the east of us and the winds are blowing southwest. This puts JR's, and now Bunnys house, where I have returned, at serious risk. The sky is soooooooooo orange and the ash is piling up. If the fires merge and shift west, it will be heading into the most densely populated area yet. So please pray that the winds stay calm, because if they do, the fires might burn themselves out more quickly. JR and I just ran to the store for Bunny and the shelves were bare of bread and bottled water. Even if they can contain the fires, it will be days before they can't put them out, and as long as they are burning, there remains the danger of the wind whipping them up and out of control again. This morning we heard that firefighters from Colorado are on their way here, which is great news because we already have every available fireman and forestry ranger on the lines and they need help desparately. So pray that they come quickly. Everyone, firemen and civilains alike, are exhausted, and this is looking like it could go on for days.

Well gang, this morning I gave the first update on the raging wildfires tearing through San Diego. It's gotton worse. I couldn't handle the rolling smoke at my apartment so I left. Last I heard, they evacuated the area but my apartment building is still standing last time I heard. I left with JR for my friend Bunny's house, but during dinner we were called to help JR's family evacuate. The firewall is creeping toward the side of their house. The ash and smoke have driven people to wear masks. Today driving across town was eerie. I was looking at houses backdropped by smoke and flame, but the windows were reflecting the last patch of blue sky. I saw a man wearing a face mask and smoking a cigarette. And everywhere ash, beautiful, stifling ash is falling. It feels like we are living in an ashtray. With the clouds of smoke, it seems it should be cold, but it's oppressively hot and dry. My nose feels like it is on fire. At least I know that my cat is being safetly watched by a friend and I took all the important stuff from my apartment this morning. My great grandmother's jewelry box, a picture of my little sister, a letter my brother wrote me in high school. My car registration (lets hope my wretched ugly car burns) and all six of my beloved stuffed animals. My roommates left to help my friend/coworkers evacuate this morning. They will spend the night at my wharehouse we work at, as long as that remains out of the path of the fire. Our other friends are with my roommates, who are hoping to get the all clear to return to our apartment. Otherwise they will spend the night at church. I was planning on staying at Bunnys tonight, but for the time being I need to stay with JR and his family. I'm on his computer now, and he is packing up his stuff. I'm happy (in the midst of all this) to note that he packed the pictures of us and the blankets I gave him on his birthday. In a time like this, you can surprise yourself with whats important. We don't know where we will be in the morning, but God was with the men (who's names I can't begin to know how to spell) in the fiery furnace and I feel His presence very strongly. Last I heard, we've lost hunderds of building and 11 people. Unfortuantly that was several hours ago and the numbers are all going up. We are going up to the roof now to wet it down and see how much more time we have. The firewall is about twenty feet but thats coming downhill and will climb when it hits the valley here and the trees. We might have hours or minutes. Sorry to leave you all like this, but this won't be my last entry, I know.

So, greetings from smoke central. For those of you who don't live in the San Diego area, a brush fire, aided and abeted by strong winds, is ripping through east county. Last night JR and I came out of the homecoming afterparty at our alma mater to find a thin layer of ash falling. But since we couldn't smell smoke yet, no panic. This morning at about 6 AM, I woke up hacking on smoke blowing in my window. The road is closed off about two blocks from my apartment. The Rodeo, about a block away is full of horses belonging to the people forced to evacuate. The sky is orange and gray. The ash is still falling like innocent snow. The winds are the worst part, dragging the ash across the town. The area affected is a mostly rural area, and the hardest part is getting out all the livestock. Everyone is pitching in, bringing horse trailers and halters to help. Two people are confirmed dead. The santa ana winds (to the non-locals, santa ana winds are a local weather type. They are a dry wind that comes ripping out of the desert. The are gusty and unpredictable and they are a fireman's nightmare) are giving the fire wings. It is completely out of control and heading our way. We have all packed bags in case of evacuation, but I don't think we will need them. At least I hope not. But to be prepared, we have figured out who is carrying each cat and where we will meet if separated.

So yesterday was my boyfriend's birthday, and I don't know about him, but it was happy for me. We both ditched work early and went down to Coronado, where the weather was perfect. We splashed around and got very sandy, then sprawled out in the sun. We were almost washed out to see by a rogue wave, but we managed to hang on to all of our belongings and survived.

So, a couple of people I don't know gave me a great food for thought this weekend and didn't know it. Sat I got back my photos from the developer and there was one photo I could not identify. My best guess is that it was a shot of a string of christmas lights or something with no flash. So, as a lark, I passed it around at Mike's birthday party with the question on the back "what do you think this is?" Now, Mike is really, really smart. Recruited for think tanks smart. Serious smart. And most of his friends are of the same IQ bracket. And they were apparently under the impression that this was a legitimate puzzle, complex but with a definate answer. The answers scribbled on the back by the time it got back to me made me see the picture with ten pairs of eyes. "An ariel photo of a candlelight march" "Fireflies" "The lights of a house as viewed from the gate". And now I own a beautiful piece of thought-provoking art. A picture I would have thrown away.
(Incidently, I was almost strung up by my toes when I told them that I didn't know what it was and there was no winner of this contest. But really I know what it is now. It's all of the things they said. Could be, anyway. And who's to say it isn't? And high inteligence doesn't necessary mean you get it.)

So the weekend didn't look promising at the start. About 10 Am on Friday, I memo-ed my boss to let him know I was about to throw up. (He thoughtfully memo-ed me back "Not Here!"). So I went home to die. See, I would rather have my foot cut off without chorloform than throw up. That fact alone keeps me from drinking to much. However, the nasty little bug, which I later found out hit a couple of my friends at the same time, was short lived. So Sat afternoon, I started craving a mushroom and avocado omelet. JR took me out for one and I discoved IHOP's pumpkin pancakes. Wow. Try them, they're fababaloo (as my Jr High girls say).
Sunday, JR and I made plans to do nothing and it was everything we hoped it would be. We laid out at Lindo Lake and talked and dozed and tickled. Then it was off to Mike birthday party at Ciao Bella's, the best Italian restaurant ever in the existance of the world and food and Italians. The owner hugs and kisses you and somewhat molests you every time he comes by the table. "Bella, here-a is your water. Mooo-a!" So the weekend ended well after all.

So I'm on my lunch break from my job at Reefer Seal, where I am the Account Coordinator. My title should be "Den Mother", because my average day consists of handing out bandaids, batteries and hugs to the techs here in the wharehouse. (Today, just for fun, I made Lukey wear a flashing belly button light. No one noticed for hours.) Occasionally, I, oh maybe write a quote or dispatch a work order. Actually, we are in the process of taking our company national, so I am on hyperdrive right now. I thrive on feeling productive.
Tonight my boyfriend, JR (he's soooo cute, *blush) is picking me up for dinner, then we're off to Bible Study. JR is a fairly recent addition to my life, and I am pretty sure I am going to keep him around for a long, long time. I am happier to see him than anyone else, his touch feels better than anyone else's and if you locked me in a room with him and nothing else for days, I would be perfectly entertained. He listens to me ramble about my scattered life, puts glow in the dark stars on my wall and holds my hand through any rough patches in my day. In turn, I get him dirty and rumble his clothes, introduce him to scary people (my friends) and kiss him as often as possible. I take his sweatshirt and put stuffed animals in his truck. What can I say, the relationship just works.

(*Drumroll)
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