Pleasant Surprise - Hike Minutia

We were in the creek before the sun this morning. I was trying to give my girl one last romp before she's housebound for a week and a half.

Mabel was thrilled when a runny babbit jumped out onto the trail right in front of her. A good chase ensued. I was quite happy as I know she won't get much running in while I'm gone.

We wandered down to the runoff and were headed up the levy. Mabel in front, as usual. Suddenly a flock of Mallards took off from the creek bed parallel to the girl. She had startled them even though we were up on top of the levy.

This made no sense to me. Why would there be so many mallards in a dry creek bed? I worked my way through the shrubs near the levy wall... and I heard it before I got to the edge. Water in the creek!!!! I started running back to the end of the levy as fast as my pitiful feet could carry me. What a wonderful surprise.

Mabel dashed right through it at first...not even noticing??!!! She always visits with a homeless man in this area and she ran right into his tent, waking him up. In reality, I think she was trying to tell him about the creek. They both emerged and she led him down to the water's edge. I guess both of us Piscean girls get really excited when out old friend returns to town... we have to tell everyone!

I found a tennis ball and Mabel frolicked and dashed through the water, retrieving the ball. Since I had to get back and leave for the airport, we had to go... but not before doing one of my favorite things.

We chased the water to the downhill edge, watching, listening to the creek filling up. The sound the parched earth makes when it's finally quenched. The musical notes each crevice and dip in the rocks makes. The water was moving so fast, I stood on a giant rock, mid empty stream and watched it flood all around me.

Rock hopping back to the edge, my soul was flooded like my creek. Joy and gratitude overwhelm me.

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Packing My Bags & Photo Update

I'm FINALLY getting around to uploading the fire pictures. This first one is from the first day of fires. The smoke is coming from the Valencia fire. The following day, the smoke was coming from the left side... the Malibu fire.

Since the second day, the air of full of ash. It makes the sun glow a really intense orange. This photo was taken in my backyard around 3 in the afternoon. Now, the sky is so full of ash... It's so grey you can't even see the mountain behind my house. We are in dire need of rain or a gentle ocean breeze to get rid of all the muck.

Below is the photo of where the little red sports car went through the barricade. The car was in this post.



And finally, in all fairness to my mother, I decided to describe what's going into my bags:

- a huge tin of crackers from the Philippines... left behind in August by my college roommate.
- a tub of psyllium for same roommate.
- gigantic warehouse size pills for Mom: Mucinex, Nyquil, Vitamin C, Airborne, Multi Vitamins for Seniors, Tylenol PM.
- a large baggie of cinnamon (for my breakfast shake)
- vanilla bean paste (my breakfast shake again)
- two pairs of pants for Mom to take in or repair.
- an old bedcover of Mabel's so her Granny can put in a new zipper
- two very large gummy snakes and two gummy lizards (Halloween presents for little cousins)
- Almonds, a protein bar and an apple (lunch on the plane).
- bookkeeping for the business (Like, I've got something planned for every day so I'm really going to get around to that, right?)
- laptop for bookkeeping (see above)
- sudafed and chewing gum (to make my ears behave on the flight)
- my camera (photos of my cousins' kids)
- a photo of Mabel...I'm gonna miss my girlie!



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The Fire Inside

I've tried to post all day but kept getting interrupted. But here's the latest.

I know several evacuees. A horse acquaintance lost their home and barn but every one including the animals made it out. I know evacuees from both the fire in Lake Forrest and San Diego. My buddy Kris is still hanging in there and can no longer see flames from her backyard. School is still canceled so her kids are quite happy.

The closest fire to me is ten miles...Northridge / Porter Ranch area. But that means nothing with winds. Most of the fires have been caused by construction or power lines...totally innocent. A few were caused by idiots.

The weirdest thing these last two days has been all the ash and smoke in the air. Yesterday, my eyes were so full of toxic crap, I was convinced I was coming down with the flu. After chatting with several friends, I realized we all had the same symtoms and decided we were all suffering from "Smoke in the eye." Still, I went to bed at 8:30, exhausted.

Today, my eyes were better but my mind was not. There was so much ash in the sky, it covered the sun, lending an orange cast to everything. Just walking through the house, I would see an orange spot on the floor near an window and become convinced my house was on fire and go outside to check! (Everything smells like smoke, so that's no help.) I did this about eight times!

It also doesn't help that our media (radio, t.v. and newspapers) have all named this "Southern California ON FIRE" and all are doing 24/7 coverage of the various fires. (Thank God, I get East coast channels on my DVR... it's just too much!) Add in the constant sound of fire engines and helicopters going to and fro and maybe you'll understand my jangled nerves. But, considering how many families are now homeless, I'll take this fire inside my crazy head anytime over the real deal.

There was one bright spot today. Because the sun's rays were dulled by all the soot and ash, our temp only reached 90 instead of the 103 promised.

The winds will hopefully dissipate by sunset tomorrow and then our wonderful fire teams will get a handle on these infernos.

Check in later and I'll add some pictures. I'm just too tired right now. Oh, and THANK YOU to all who emailed to check up on me! I appreciate it.
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Devil Winds - Update 10 pm

Photo credit: Kristine Dery

I awoke at 4:30 this morning to shop door being slammed. The Santa Anas have arrived.

I certainly am not the first writer to try and explain this Southern California phenomenon, nor will I be the last. For the record, Janet Fitch's White Oleander is one of the best.

The winds blow in at hurricane force from the desert, earning the name "Devil Winds" for the hot, dry air that follows. They are devilish in more ways than one.

Of the four Los Angeles seasons known to Angelenos, Wind has earned his rightful place as one of them - the other three being Fire, Earthquake and Flood. There are rules about these seasons and when they occur. For example: Fire is a sneaky one, usually riding on one of the other three season's coattails. While Earthquake season is the least predictable, within days of a major quake, (which is quite often followed by Fire), there will be a rainstorm which often brings on a Flood. While Wind season typically occurs here in what's known as Fall and Winter to the rest of the country, it actually can appear at any time.

The last serious wind event did this to the tree in my front yard. I loved that tree. It was the only interesting thing about the front of the house. I had just returned from dragging two of my trash cans home from almost a mile away. (That's the other thing about Wind season - It always happens on a trash day!) I had found one of them around the corner early that Monday and walked a few more blocks looking for the other two. Returning home from an errand in the car, I noticed two cans in the middle of the street... everyone had gotten their cans in early, so they were mine. It was an uphill battle literally but I was hiking into 90 mph gusts. As I secured the cans, I looked at my beautiful tree and thought Well, she's hanging in there.

Not two minutes later, my next door neighbor was knocking frantically on my door, yelling that my tree had fallen on a car.

The Devil wind wreaks its havoc on everything. Patio furniture is tossed about as are automobiles and tractor trailers. Leaves that hadn't had a single thought about the oncoming of winter suddenly loose their will to live after being blown to bits and rapidly find their way to the bottom of the pool. Doors, windows and nerves rattle. Animals, human and otherwise, are on edge...waiting for the next gust and the damage that it brings. Sleep comes in fits and spurts. And then there is the heat. We are to hit 102 by Tuesday.

And sure enough, that pesky Fire has followed the Winds. This morning, there were two. Now, there are seven. [10p.m. update: Now there are 12 fires!] One is so close to my beady buddy, Kris' house, her hubby found warm embers in their yard. When we spoke this afternoon, she said the sun was mostly blocked by smoke and the air was hideous orange. The above photo was taken from her backyard.


It's going to be a rough couple of days. It's starting to make Baton Rouge look good...
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How Do I Explain This?

I've been licensing a stamp line created by one of the most twisted, humorous designers I've ever met -- JK Beard. I'm slowly getting all her products added to my computer products database. Which means, when I sell something that's not in the database, it gets entered.

With the last minute rush of Halloween stamps I've been selling, I'm just wondering... How am I supposed to explain to the accountant that I now sell "Pickled Brains?"

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