Monday, July 7, 2008

And the Fires Continue to Burn

The fire is now, they say, 28% contained and seems to be moving to the back country, but it is still pretty impressive. I took this at about 7 p.m., outside the convalescent hospital. There are wide plumes of smoke all across the ridges and ash continues to rain down through the air, covering everything and making the air dangerous to breathe for very long. It has burned something like 8400 acres, but thank goodness no major structures have been threatened. If the winds shift that could all change, but I will be gone from here by then.

I had a kind of quiet day. We had mass pandemoneum this morning. Alice Nan and Joe were leaving on a trip and Walt had to get instructions for what needs to be done in their absence (I am leaving, he is staying). Norm and Olivia were leaving to drive back home. Things had to be taken the convalescent hospital. Jocelyn and David were spending the day in church after David picked friends up at the airport. There were 8 sleeping here last night, and six trying to get packed or unpacked, depending on which, all before 11.

By 11:30, I was alone. Walt had taken Alice Nan and Joe to the airport, Jocelyn and David had gone to church, Olivia and Norm had left for home, with plans to stop at the convalescent hospital to see Alice once more before leaving. Walt was going to meet them there. I had the house to myself.

I watched the end of the Federer-Nadal battle at Wimbledon and the very emotional award ceremony that followed it. I started watching a Law and Order marathon, but then the power went out. I was very happy to have my battery operated fan!

It had been my hope that I could stop by and see Bri one more time before leaving. I left messages for both Tom and Laurel, but neither returned my call.

I was feeling kind of weepy, since I had hardly seen her at all this trip and had come such a long distance, but when I talked with Tom he told of their day from hell, which started at 3 a.m. with the dog being sprayed by a skunk, which filled the house with skunk smell. Then they can't air the house out because of the smoke in the air (or take Bri out for a walk), so the baby was fussy all day. The house has no air conditioning, but they recently installed a small unit, which works sort-of OK unless the power goes out--and their power went out just like ours did here.

So it was a horrible day for them. He felt bad about my not getting a chance to see Bri, and offered to have me come over around 8 in the morning, but they'll both be getting ready for work and the last thing they need is Grandma dropping by, so we'll just chalk this trip up to bad luck and hope that things go better next time.

Walt and I went to visit his mother around 6:30. They were already getting her ready for bed. Night starts very early for residents of a convalescent hospital. We did visit with her until about 7, by which time she was ready to get into bed, so we said our goodbyes and left.

We stopped at a place called "Sushi Teri," which we have been to before and I called "faux sushi." Most of their sushi seems to contain avocado and cream cheese and I just don't think that is a staple in Japanese households. However, we were entertained by an adorable little girl who looked like she might have been about 3. She had a pair of "training" chopsticks and she wielded them like a pro!

My "chicken terriyake combo" plate was very good and included 6 California sushi rolls.

If the power holds we're going to watch Twelve Angry Men, which Jocelyn and David have rented. I just reviewed the stage production this past year, with Richard Thomas and George Wendt and it will be interesting to see the movie again.

Then tomorrow I hit the road, with plans to be back in Davis before dark. Ashley reports Scrappy is gone, but Gizmo and Scooby are still there, and she has started squirting Gizmo with a water bottle whenever she barks. Hadn't thought of that...I will be diligent in following suit.

I've missed the little guys.

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