Pirates vs. RL

After all the rain we had it's no wonder we're getting some fires. It looks like they're getting the back fires under control, although they were burning really close to some of the houses that are up into the hills. Scary stuff. Our house isn't near the hills, but we occasionally get lots of ash all over the house, yard and pool.

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porridgebird.livejournal.com

How horrifying! Are you safe? Please stay safe! Sending good safe wet fire-retardent energy your way.

P.S. your icon is perfect!

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The bombers have been passing overhead, taking care of business, and the fire companies are superb in this part of the world (practice makes perfect?). I'm quite safe, in my air conditioned office. Not looking forward to going home to the unairconditioned house, however, and I hope it's not covered in ash, which sometimes happens. Thanks for the fire-retardent energy, though! Much appreciated, I assure you.

Yeah, that is the perfect icon, isn't it? I didn't really think of that, just that he's shocked and appalled about something.

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Oh dear! I'm glad you are safe, but sorry you are smoked out. It makes me appreciate the fact that it's rained so much here this summer that I never had to water the lawn, it's been cloudy and cold in the day and freezing at night, and the trees have almost lost their leaves. Oh Canada! And yes, that icon is perfect. Where's all that smoke coming from? Do stay safe.

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Thank you! We will.

They cancelled Back To School Night last night, as they'd evacuated a preschool (so cute!) and a couple of elementary schools' after school YMCA groups to the high school -- the kids had a great time -- we showed movies in the Cafeteria and our Principal barbequed hot dogs for them, something for which he is justly famous. Their parents picked them up by 9 or so. Today our students and parents were a bit on edge, and many of the students talked their folks into letting them come home. Of course there are those whose homes were actually evacuated or close to it, so they had some excuse, but all in all it wasn't that bad -- smelled of smoke a bit, but not too much, and there wasn't a lot of ash floating that I could see. There was one home that burned in the late morning, I think, in the hills, visible from the school, but that's all out of hundreds threatened. The firefighters really know their business.

It's getting dark now, but the bombers are still flying. Mom & I are off to go out to eat: she's been stuck in the hot house all day. All will be well. We've seen much worse in other years.

*knocks on wood*

You're in Oregon, aren't you? Beautiful country -- I lived in Portland for a few months when I was first married ('73?) and loved it, although I've never been so cold in my life, before or since, and we absolutely cheered when we moved back down and came out into the Southern California sun. I still have a soft spot for Portland, though, and the Pacific Northwest. It's truly God's country.

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porridgebird.livejournal.com

he's shocked and appalled about something

He's worried about you too!

I'm glad you are safe, and I hope the ash blows another direction. It's hellaciously hot up here today (yesterday too). Even under the trees here where I park, which is REALLY unusual.

Keep us posted ok?

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I do remember how anything that disrupted regular school functions was welcome when I was a kid. Those poor people who lost their home--my sympathy and prayers with them. But as you say it could be much worse. Hooray for firefighters!

Actually, I just visited Oregon this summer. My location is the middle of Alberta, Canada--much colder and norther and farther away from the sea. Frozen nose-hair country. I did live in Washington State for awhile--the desert side not the evergreen side. I do love the Pacific Northwest country.

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ladywarringford.livejournal.com

Was just about to write you asking about how things were in your neck of the woods. In my part of it, we could see the flames coming over the hill. And today... well, today was realizing that that white stuff falling from the sky was ashes wafting down onto us from said flames coming over the hills.

Can't say I wasn't expecting this. We got sooooo much rainfall earlier in the season, this couldn't help but to happen.

What annoys the crap out of me is when other people (who have lived here long enough to know better) act all surprised by it. As we do like to say, California has 4 seasons: floods, fires, earthquakes, and riots.

Glad you're well. We've been promised cooler, moister winds tomorrow, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for our brave people in fire retardant gear. And for those pilots as well -- try swinging low enough to drop water onto a fire when you can't see the power lines for all the smoke... and at night, no less! *shudder!* Now THERE'S some pure nerve and outstanding courage!

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Thanks for the good thoughts! It was warm enough here this evening so that Mom and I were able to sit outside at TGIFridays -- most unusual! It's a pretty night, the winds have died down, and it looks like they're getting the fires under control -- no more visible flames, at least, which were impressive enough this afternoon to inspire the original post. We've seen a whole lot worse over the years.

It appears that it's all over but the mopping up, so now I can pull out a cheerier icon. I hope tomorrow is cooler for you :)

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Thanks for the good thoughts. I think they've got it under control. Can't hear the bombers now, and they do fly at night when they have to. Looks like we escaped pretty lightly, really. We've seen some horrendous ones over the years.

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Yeah, those pilots are amazing! We were watching them all afternoon.

Eeep! I'm hearing sirens again...

The fire was closer to Oak Park (which was evacuated) until just after noon when the wind shifted and it started coming our way again. So the firemen lit that back fire all along the hills south of the school -- it was very impressive! There was one area that was close to a couple houses, but the fire trucks were there too -- we could see their lights flashing -- and had it controlled in a few minutes.

That's enough excitement for this week, I think. And cooler weather tomorrow wouldn't come amiss.

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I do remember how anything that disrupted regular school functions was welcome when I was a kid.

Oh, yes. That is, was, and ever shall be the case, I think. From a kid's eye view that's the best thing about natural disasters. Did you ever see the movie Hope and Glory? It was a kids eye view of WWII, and was such a wonderful blend of comedy and drama.

You live in Alberta! Wow, that's really God's country. I haven't been there in many years, but visiting Banff and Lake Louise was one of the most memorable vacations I've ever taken. But yes, cold in the winter I bet!

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I haven't seen that movie, but it sounds good. As far as living in Alberta goes, from the top of the Administration Building on a very clear day one might see a little wrinkle of mountains. I live in the parklands of Alberta--prairies and lakes--where the chief landscape is the sky. But we do get a terrific sky. Oh, the cold. Last year was my first year back in Canada for some time. My car was not amused. At 40 below it said, "Urgh." Wait wait wait. "Urgh." Wait wait. "Blat." Wait. "Blatblatblatblat." Bad smell. Now I have a block heater so we shall se if this winter is better. But my eyelids will still freeze together by the time I get to the car.

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Heavens, you know I can barely imagine 40 below. I've lived in Southern California all my life (except for that brief stint in Portland), and have the attendent thin blood. I have vacationed in Northern Nevada and Colorado in the Winter, and there was a lot of snow, but I don't think it ever got lower than the teens while we were there (and it was a dry cold, and felt much warmer than the 30's and 40's did in Portland). Brrrrrrrr...!

The thought of the challenges of living in such a climate boggle my mind. I am way too spoiled.

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My poor husband is a southern Californian. But as he says, after two weeks of -30, anything higher feels toasty warm. It is a dry cold here, too, so that helps. Most of the winter is sunny, and when the frost is two inches thick, it is most incredibly gorgeous.

And no smoke or smog! I guess we get used to whatever trials we have to bear.

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shyaway.livejournal.com

Aieee! Just opened AOL's news page to the 'thousands of people fleeing the wildfire' report - I hope you're still all right. *hug*

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Thanks so much for the hug and the concern. I'm fine, and the fire has moved south, out of our immediate area. It is only 20% contained, however, and is burning in the hills headed toward areas where there are many small ranches and expensive houses -- lots of people and animals being evacuated. The weather is changing for the better, though, so hopefully the fire fighters will be able to get it under control today.

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hereswith.livejournal.com

That sounds really scary, watching the fire get closer and closer, are you still ok? *big hugs*

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It seemed to be going in the wrong direction for a bit, certainly, but they got it under control. The fire is still burning south of us, and there's a lot of smoke and some ash coming down. Ah, October in Southern California! (Fortunately it's not like this every year.)

Thanks for the hugs! All is well, with me, at least.

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hereswith.livejournal.com

Must be terrible for those in its path, and all that smoke and ash... But I'm glad you're well.

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Must be terrible for those in its path, and all that smoke and ash

The air quality is pretty bad today,though I've certainly seen worse in past years. And it always is awful for those people who live up in the hills and mountains close to us. Many of them have ranches -- horse property -- and evacuating the animals is always a huge production. There have been tragedies in the past, but our local fire crews are very very experienced with this sort of thing, and if one lives in the hills I expect one is always on the alert to some extent.

Thank you again for the good thoughts.

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I hope you stay safe!!! *hugs*

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Thank you! I wasn't in any danger, myself, really, but the little 4x8 mile river valley where I live and work is surrounded by high hills/mountains that are suscepttible to brushfire, densely populated at the lower levels, and easily visible from the school where I work. It's was scary seeing this wide swath of flame seemingly headed down the mountains toward the houses, but the fire department had it all under control, apparently. The fire is pretty much out, now, thank goodness.

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Let's hear it for the fire department!

I have a friend in LA and she's told me they've advised people to stay in because of the smoke. It's got her sneezing and coughing so I figure it's pretty close. She tells me they'll be okay if it doesn't jump the 101 so I'm hoping for a quick dousing.

*hugs*

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The fire fighters are AWESOME.

The fire must still be going, 'cause WOW, there are bombers and helicopters going right over the house -- they are LOUD! They fill up over here, at a little lake we have, and at a helipad/water station in the hills to the north of the valley. Heh! Maybe they'll reduce the water table a bit, which would be a good thing in our particular area.

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I've been seeing all of that on tv. I keep a close eye on things--I have an actor I run an official website for who supports a charity up in the hills. I was so afraid it would burn last year, but Big Bear was spared. Fire is such a scary thing.

*hugs*

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Fire is such a scary thing.

That's sure the truth. We've seen some bad ones over the years. I think they've gotten better at fighting the fires, but this year may be particularly bad because we had so much rain. We'll just have to see.

I heard there were 3,000 fire fighters here from all over the country to battle this blaze. Amazing guys.

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Wow! That's a lot of firemen! ;) I'd heard things might be worse this year because of the rain. At first, that statement confused me, but then they explained and it all made sense. They also said that because people had been more diligent in clearing around their homes that it seems to be helping curb the fire. Always a good thing.

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They also said that because people had been more diligent in clearing around their homes that it seems to be helping curb the fire.

There was a picture in the L.A. Times today of a nice house surrounded by green lawn in Box Canyon, and the landscape was burned to a crisp all the way around it, clear up to the edges of the property. Amazing that the house was spared.

Yeah, all that brush is bigger because of the rain, but it still gets dried out come fall. But maybe we'll get some rain pretty soon, which would lessen the chances of more fire. I've seen years where they predicted terrible brushfires, and because we got early rain it never happened.

Interesting place, Southern California.

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That is so Canadian to say it's a dry cold. snicker. Never had the eyelids freeze together but the moisture in the nose crackles when it freezes, kind of neat actually. Good weather to dry clothes outside in, they sort of freeze dry and go nice and soft. However unlike your dry cold, the damp out here on the coast is not so pleasant, even for those with the webbed toes.

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the damp out here on the coast is not so pleasant, even for those with the webbed toes.

*shivers thinking about it*

Beautiful country, though.

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Have been watching the news and wondering how you and the other Californians in the group were doing. They had footage of the Simi Valley and I think that's your way, isn't it? Glad to hear things are hanging together. We've had another fire in Burns Bog in this area and the region was under a lot of smoke and ash for a while but it's back under control now. Not the same as you watching the flames on the hills but a taste of it. It's good that people are being more pro-active about clearing out the fuel supplies around the houses. Happy to hear you are coping and the fire crews are winning the battle.

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My southeastern Washington state friends never believed me about the nose-hairs. And it really is a dry cold. The snow is like fine diamond dust that glitters and crackles when you walk on it. And the lakes crack like gun-shots at night while the temperature is going down.

Brrr! Cold, damp, frozen webbed feet. My sympathies. At least you thaw sooner. I remember my senior class trip being postponed in May due to three feet of snow.

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Sorry to hear there was a burn in your neck of the woods, too.

Simi Valley is indeed where I am. The fire moved over to Thousand Oaks on Friday, though, over the hills from us.

Haven't heard any helicopters today, so I guess all is well. Thanks for the good thoughts.

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Thing is, out here we only get a real winter one year in 20. For the nose hairs, I had to go visit family up country or go up the mountains. All in all, snow might be pretty but we usually have the heavy wet miserable type. I don't care for it much and hate the ice it packs into even more. However, I expect I'll be shovelling this winter if the forecasts are right. Blech. Good grief, I'm turning into a snowbird.

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Oh that kind of snow. Heart attack on the half-shell for shovelling. We'd get that kind in Washington, but it never lasted for more than a few days. I hear Arizona is nice. But while we're dreaming, I hear the Caribbean is nice too.

BTW, what are you doing up at this hour of the night? I know what I'm doing. I'm writing Will Turner's first sword fight. Why am I up doing such an idiotic thing? I have no idea! Right now I'm leaning towards temporary insanity. But permanent insanity is also a strong possibility.

Good very early morning.

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shyaway.livejournal.com

the fire has moved south, out of our immediate area.

Glad to hear that! How bad was the damage in the end? It sounds as though the firefighters did a really impressive job...

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I'm up as I'm writing a ghost story based on a plot bunny Order of Chaos put out for adoption. There was one that followed me home and made a nuisance of itself until I got busy and started on it. Should be doing homework and all that stuff and getting ready for work but here I am.

Looking forward to your description of the sword fight. BTW, like very much the pencil drawings you've posted, Gibbs especially. All those whiskers are so much fun and he has such an interesting face and body language. What are you re-working on the Captain Sparrow? The only thing that might need ita tiny bit, to my eyes, is the nose. The eyes have expression as does the hand on the gun. Faces are such fascinating things, and like you said, the eyes are the key.

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