Mx flies home tongiht:) Lots going on here so I'll be posting pretty randomly for the next week or so...Happy Spring all!

I did want to post some pics from our travels:





Our Laundromat




The bulletin board at the laundromat




Construction begins on Cielo

Last night was very special. Joe and I met for a cocktail at the newly opened bar and restaurant at The Ventana Inn. We started out the night by watching the sunset over the Pacific at the new firepit and then watched the moon rise over the mountains behind the Inn. We had a marvelous time just enjoying the moment. I love that the firepit is part of Ventana, the flames having a place of honor. A way of making peace with the summer fires. Almost a year after we arrived here to do the renovation and with all the ups and downs and major challenges, there we were, sitting in the new restaurant in the remodeled lobby of the Inn, joined by the guests. It's been so wonderful to see Ventana open up again [after being closed for about 5 months due to the fires this summer] and see the guests once again relaxing and having a wonderful time. Our dinner was fantastic and our celebration was even sweeter because we got to share it with all of the folks we have gotten to know that had now come back to Ventana to work. The evening had a little bit of of a family reunion feel. A family reunion with incredible food and really great wine:)

It's even more amazing to be typing this here at the beautiful library. A place that has had so many memories for me as a writer. Off and on over the past year I've gotten so much inspiration here, and refuge. During the worst of times, it was here that we watched the helicopters take water out of the sea to dowse the flames on the mountains behind the Inn, when Joe and I realized that the fire had taken a turn for the worse. So, to be posting this on a beautiful, sunny November afternoon and see the Inn receiving guests again makes me especially happy.

Today's sentence: The kiss revealed a secret to each of them.

Anybody out there know if there is a word for a surfer who slips into/out of their wetsuit on PCH? [or, any road for that matter?] Research coming up empty. I’m SURE there’s slang for it out there. And if not, let’s come up with a word. There should be a great word for that.

Here’s what I’ve been reading lately. “Holes,” [reading recommendation from Anne Hoppe, Editor at HarperCollins], “It’s Complicated: The American Teenager” and now I’m reading a compilation of 19th century fantasy short stories and a book in pictures called Century, picked it up at The Guggenheim. Fascinating. Up next? Bridge to Terabithia and Octavian Nothing.

And in fire news: There’s another one. Burning to the south of Big Sur.



The Chalk Fire [click to enlarge]



As the fire burns a barge sails north. [click to enlarge]

I took these pictures yesterday, on my way home to the barrel on Pfeiffer Ridge. Rumors say it was started by a random camper. But no official cause is known at this time.

We are headed home this weekend ahead of our first storm here in Big Sur, due Friday. Predicted rainfall? 1 inch. Not a lot by the standards of rain in Big Sur, but this season's rain has got lots of folks here spooked. So much so that many people I’ve talked to have decided to try and find work elsewhere in the valley. One of the waiters I talked to at The River Inn Restaurant said that they learned from the winter of 1982 which destroyed their cabins east of Hwy 1 and are putting in channels so that the mud can flow north up Hwy 1 and away from structures. And the Big Sur Writer's Workshop is no longer scheduled to take place in Big Sur for fear of the mud. It will now be held in Monterey. Uh, I guess Joe and I won't have a whole lot of company here this winter...

Last night Joe and I toured the damage. Generators shed light on the restaurant. Basically 2/3 of the restaurant burned-most of the damage occurred in the kitchen/restroom areas. Damage assessment continues today. Heartbreaking. The gift shop and meeting rooms did not burn. I'm going to post here from a reader who commented early this morning and it about sums up how we all feel:

"Last paying customer
My family was the last party to pay for their meal. Our waiter quietly told us that we would have to soon evacuate, seconds before the maitre D yelled at everyone to get out. Later, we could see plumes of black smoke billowing over the trees from highway 1. Oh, the irony to see the cielo burn after surviving such a raging firestorm."

Here's some photos taken today:



Cielo's kitchen



The Dining Room

More Cielo fire photos here....

Cielo, the restaurant at The Ventana Inn, is on fire. Looks like we will lose the restaurant [likely the gift shop and some newly renovated meeting rooms too]. It is thought to be an electrical fire and firefighters are hampered because of electrocution concerns. The restaurant survived The Basin Complex Fire only to burn now. Here's hoping they extinguish the flames quickly and that no one gets hurt.

Last Monday we ate at Cielo for dinner for the first time since the fire. The new menu was great. I had the Steak and Steak, Joe had the Salmon. We ate at the Bakery last night for the first time since the fire too. At the Bakery there is a photo gallery of fire images. They are amazing. If you are in Big Sur you have to stop and have a look. Actually, when I walked into the dining room and saw the flames all around us in the photos it was very emotional for me. Took me right back to the scary days when we weren't sure what would happen to the Inn.

I've read the coverage in the local papers since I arrived back in town this week and a few stories tugged at my heart. A woman, who lost her home of twenty years, commented that we were so lucky in the Big Sur Valley. That you could just look around at all the greenery and pretend that the fire never happened. And that's certainly true. The landscaping around the Inns and restaurants that most tourists have come to love has not changed very much. It is only when you stop and get a clear vista of the Santa Lucia Mountains, or notice a spot on the road where the fire burned so hot it turned the earth white, that you see the force of nature that was The Basin Complex Fire.

Another local story caught my eye. One about the tallest man in Big Sur, Mr. McQueen. He's 6' 8" and a little over seventy years old. He bought a bulldozer for $120,000 to save his house, business and property. He'd been fighting fires here in the 60s and decided to stay and fight the fire himself. He saved his property by bulldozing old firebreaks, keeping the fire at bay. He said he ordered the tractor one day and 18 hours later Caterpillar had it delivered to him. Now, that's service.

The last story has to to with Mike, an owner of The Bakery. He lost his rental home in the blaze and revisited it to conduct a fire ceremony in the fireplace, the only thing still remaining of his home. He lit a fire and made peace with his loss as he threw a stick, symbolizing the things he needed to leave behind to move forward after the tragedy.

Ventana still on track to open August 22nd.

The nest parked on highway one, just across the street from The Bakery this morning

I knew things had taken a turn for the worse during the fire a few days before we were evacuated. Not because of the nightly fire briefings at Big Sur Station but because the guy I call The Nest Man had packed up his nest on a trailer and had it ready to go. Today, it returned.



Mx during Spring Break inside The Nest in The Spirit Garden



A view from The Nest at Spring Break

And...tonight Cielo opens for dinner!

Cielo is currently open for lunch and will be open for dinner starting tomorrow at 6pm. Had a tasty lunch there today to celebrate Candy's birthday. Great Bacon, Lobster and Tomato sandwich.

Ceilo, the restaurant at The Ventana Inn, will re-open tomorrow! Cielo will be open for lunch tomorrow and will serve lunch and dinner starting July 22nd.

Looks like the fire's eased on the East side. I've been checking out Kelly O'Brien's blog, "Life in the Fire Lane: Life in the smoke and ash fall of the 2008 Big Sur Wildfires". Today's post "It Ain't Over Until It's Over" really hit home with me. Before we were evacuated, and under a mandatory evacuation for the second time Joe and I thought the fire danger had passed for us at the Inn. Ventana is scheduled to re-open August 1st.

From the Surfire2008.org blog: Very important for all Big Sur residents and businesses that sustained property damage to file forms with the OES [Office of Emergency Services].

When I asked a firefighter if he wanted me to email the photo I took of him last week, he asked me to send the picture to his mom. Today I got a message from her. She thanked me for sending the photo and said, "It brings tears to my eyes because I'm so proud of him."

The chaos of the fire pointed out many of my shortcomings. I don't save lives. I don't cook well enough to feed 60 firefighters at a time. I'm not an electrician. I don't build buildings or protect structures very well. But, I could stumble into the kitchen and make a fruit salad. I could support The Big Sur Auction. And, I could try and bring some comfort by telling the stories that came my way, emailing a few photos. Makes me happy that my bad fruit salad, fire posts and photos helped to connect people in some small way.

Took these photos on my way to The Big Sur Relief Benefit Auction yesterday. More Big Sur Fire photos here.





Officiating at the auction was Magnus Toren, the Executive Director of the Henry Millar library.

Alice, the owner of the The Ventana Gift Shop and Gallery, hosted the event at her art gallery in Carmel. Many in the community of Big Sur either donated time, food, talent or artwork to sell.

Joe and I purchased a copper etching by Hans Kaindl called “Friend Holding Friend” a beautiful piece that echoes what remains important during times of crisis.

Joe and I took a walk at Point Lobos State Park yesterday. Wonderful to hear the bark of the sea lions and watch the utter exhaustion of sleeping seals. Little by little trying to get back that “normal” feeling. Smoke is in the air at Ventana again today. Yesterday was clear and sunny. Restaurant should be open Saturday. Target date to open the Inn remains the first of August.

THIS JUST IN: [from www.surfire2008.org]:
“The opening is beginning. Tonight at 6:00 PM (Officially) Highway 1 will open from Palo Colorado Road to Coast Gallery - no restrictions, no mumbo jumbo.
Sunday, July 13 at 8:00 AM Highway 1 will be open clear through from Carmel to San Simeon.”



The statue of The Phoenix at Nepenthe means more today than it ever has.

This morning I got my cup of coffee at The Deli, the only place that has been open for breakfast in Big Sur since Tuesday when lots of residents came back to town. A guy with long blonde hair sat on the front steps. I’ve seen him every morning this week at The Deli. Today he said hi. His friend sat beside him, playing a guitar. A couple newspapers lay open on the ground at their feet. His friend sang the news from a few articles, one from The Los Angeles Times and the other from The San Jose Mercury News.



The Basin Complex Fire, on our way to Fernwood last night, as it burned along Devils Peak.

Last night The Fernwood Bar and Restaurant re-opened. Joe and I went to show our support. We’ve had many good times here. Most people sat at the bar, the restaurant only had a few tables full. The limited menu last night included your choice of a burger, a veggie burger, or fish and chips for $7. Beers were $3.

Three firefighters fresh off of the line sat at the bar, two of them brothers, all from Oregon. Mark, the bartender [and chess king], kept the firemen’s glasses full. They had gotten to know some of the locals here and pledged to meet up for a beer at Fernwood when it re-opened. One firefighter clicked through pictures of the fire on a laptop. I talked to his brother for a little while.

I asked him how they make dozer lines during a firefight. He told me that a Dozer Boss walks ahead of the bulldozer. The Dozer Boss marks the dozer line and the operator follows his path. I asked him about hot shots, how the injured firefighter, a hot shot from Alaska, was doing. He said he thought she was 19 years old and that she wasn’t great. The firefighters had all signed a card to send to her while at their fire camp at Molera State Park.

He explained that there are levels of hot shots. There are the smoke jumpers, people who parachute out of planes close to the fire to dig and clear brush. There is helitack, people who repel out of helicopters to fight the fire at the fire line. Then there are hot shots who usually hike up to the fire line and spend up to eight days fighting the fire there, they sleep next to the fire line too. Helicopters usually drop them food.

Stopped by Nepenthe again last night. Much lighter turn out. Many people are recovering from the fires and getting back into their homes. Many others have missed work. All the businesses are looking forward to the opening of Highway One. One man showed us his videos of the fires. Another relayed his story of staying to protect a house that he had built. It is located on the west side of Highway One. July 4th he said was the most memorable, watching the blaze descend the mountain behind Ventana. The fire roared and when it burned redwoods, the trees would explode due to the heated pitch inside. By July 5th the smoke and ash drove him out of Big Sur.

Click here for all fire photos.

A trick of the light

Yesterday the setting sun filtered through the forest and bounced orange streaks of light through the charred Ventana campground. The light cast made this bush appear to be on fire, or painted orange. Later last night we had an orange crescent moon.

Click here for more of today's fire photos.



This is a jeroboam, a bottle that holds six bottles of wine, of Pesoni Pesoni. Every one who cared to enjoyed a free glass of wine from this bottle at Nepenthe’s re-opening last night. Very heartwarming to see everyone’s show of support for each other and the legendary restaurant.

Speaking of wine, here is some fire wine news about how the 2008 fruit may be affected by the fires. Northern California Vineyards impacted by wildfires.





More construction workers here today at the Inn as the renovation gets back on its feet. The fire slowed last night. Today the sun shines, no longer pink and veiled in smoke. Cloudy/foggy skies. The northern part of the fire is most active and so the firefighters have set up a fire satellite camp in Carmel Valley Village at the airport.

This from surfire2008.org: [excerpted from the Palo Colorado Fire Meeting last night]:

“We were updated on the condition of the firefighter who was badly hurt while hiking during fire operation. She was part of the BLM Alaska Fire Service, and a Chena Hot Shot. We were told that she was diagnosed with rhabdomylosis, a syndrome that causes severe swelling of the muscle tissue which overloads the renal system. Doctors were forced to remove all of the muscles in the front of her right leg in order to save the leg. We were encouraged to send cards and letters of support to:
 Angela Yemma, 
11550 Homestake Peak, 
Littleton, CO 80127”

The Fernwood Resort re-opens tonight. The Big Sur Health Center has reopened; hours are 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Click here for more updates on the fire at surfire2008.org.

“Daily Situation Report” from the Southern California Geographic Area Coordination Center Intelligence

All construction photos here.

After a pretty smoky night, Joe was out the door early to make sure the contractors were granted access into Big Sur at the northern road block about ten miles south of Carmel. Jaci, at the Big Sur Station MAF [Multi Agency Facility-a place that houses all of the information on the state parks in Big Sur], helped to facilitate the many passes we required for the contractors to gain entry tomorrow.

Quite a few challenges today. A big one was to get to the two wells that are down [out of 5 wells total] and assess their condition. Haven’t been able to because the area they are located in is very dangerous because of falling trees and hot spots. Joe and the Inn’s engineer, William, checked the wells out this afternoon and found quite a bit of destruction at the wells, melted pvc water lines and many trees with this ribbon wrapped around them and many more that had fallen. I don’t want to know when Joe and William go down there. I would be a hot mess until they got back.



Dustin, a firefighter from central Oregon.



Firemen worked hard today to get their equipment, gather, rollup and store the hundred fire hoses left from the firefight.



Firemen retrieving their hoses and pumps from the pool. As it turns out they didn't need to use the pool water to fight the fire. Our tanks were all drained, but they are filled now. Don't have potable water at the Inn just yet, but hot showers by tomorrow:)

I have such respect for the physical strength of the firefighters. This property takes a person’s breath away just walking the path from the lobby to the library. I couldn’t imagine what that was like during the fire with equipment, heat, smoke and ash.



A huge thank you to all the firefighters. They are truly amazing. This sign is located outside The Deli.



The Wedding Site



A view from The Wedding Site

These photos are for Dawn, from Texas, who wrote and told me she’d been married at Ventana four years ago, and for all former and future brides and grooms that will celebrate here at Ventana. The flames didn’t affect this side of the property and the Wedding site looks beautiful.

Big day today as the mail was delivered for the first time since the evacuation.

Most of us who have been through the fire now for a little over two weeks are getting really sick of sandwiches [all that’s been available to eat] and long for salads and veggies. Joe and I are going to sneak into Carmel for some tonight. Excited to eat vegetables? Yup.

Feel like I’ve smoked a pack today. Not great air quality and we are thinking about spending a few hours a day in Carmel just to escape the smoke for a while.

Thanks to all who feel like sharing their experiences at the Inn and Big Sur. Been wonderful to read about all the good memories and the good times people have had here.



Closing tonight’s post with a view of the scorched mountain from Cielo’s patio. You can see one bulldozed fire break that wasn’t able to contain the fire. There are three such breaks bulldozed into that mountain. I imagined what it must have been like to bulldoze that break. It is overwhelming to think that the person driving that bulldozer did so in thick smoke and ash, and needed an unwavering faith and keen instincts to get that job done. Yet again, I am amazed at how the firemen fought this fire.

It's quitin' time. Here's a little Wild Turkey for ya.



Click here for all fire posts.

Click here for all fire photos.

Leaving the plumes of the Gap fire behind on the road through San Marcos Pass, I traveled up the 101 to Carmel and then down south to Big Sur. The first fire truck I spotted was in King City. The Santa Lucia Mountains weren’t visible from Salinas.

Knowing there wouldn’t be any food in Big Sur, I stopped by the Safeway in Carmel on Rio Road and pulled up next to a white car splattered with ash. A sign on its door read “Fire Information.” After shopping for a few essentials–water, milk, cereal, a few bottles of wine [syrah and pinot noir], and some fruit–I walked up to a man with diagrams of the spread of the fire and learned more about what I was driving into. I met Rick Acosta. His nametag stated he was from Mt. Hood National Forest Service. Rick came down to California from Oregon and has spent the past few days as a liaison, explaining the fire’s movements to people evacuated to and living in Carmel. He explained that The Ventana Inn is currently under an Advisory Evacuation, due to hot spots still burning on the east side of Highway One.

I drove up to the road block on Highway One. Since Joe had put my name on a contractor list, I was allowed through the check point. Only residents and service workers with identification or passes are able to access Big Sur at this time. I was told I need to get a special pass from Big Sur Station to enter the area again.



Once through the road block, fog shrouded the Point Sur lighthouse and I took this photo. The fog a maritime ghost swallowing the lighthouse whole. Further down the road, by Molera State Park, grounded helicopters that I had photographed in the air so often over the past few weeks, many times flying right over our room at the Inn, sat for the night.



Nearing Ventana, with every twist of Highway One I realized just how lucky we are to be here still renovating, not rebuilding. Hand-painted signs of thanks to the firefighters sat propped up against mailboxes and barbed wire fences. Some had hand-brushed, some spray painted, some decorated.



As I drove up to The Ventana Inn the General Manager of the Inn, Jonathan Farrington, was driving down in one of the hotel's electric carts. We stopped and chatted about how lucky we are, first thing he said was, “Welcome Home.”

Joe was spraying a walkway with water when I walked up to our room. He wanted to get rid of the ash for me. We walked out across a bulldozed fire break to the fireline just in back of The Cottage, our home for many weeks. Two small fawns and their mother were making their way across the doser line at the same time. They foraged for food right behind a pile of mangled trees and brush that had been cleared by the bulldozers. The deer didn’t run when they spotted us. We looked at the fire’s fury while the deer grazed. The deer seemed happy to have company. It was sweet to have them so close, not fearful of us at all. I thought about what they must have gone through to survive.

Joe and I were on the way to the community meeting tonight when we ran into County Supervisor Dave Potter walking around The Ventana Inn with his assistant Kathleen. He asked how we felt being up here alone at this time and was very interested in the renovation of the property. He and Kathleen wanted to see the fire damage first hand and were on their way to the meeting too.



Concerns at tonight’s community meeting ranged from getting people into the area who work here but don’t have a Big Sur ID [or speak English] to the monitoring of hot spots overnight to how to get propane tanks up and running again [most folks have to contact their propane companies, and were warned that since those companies will be inundated with calls officials would try to find local companies that could help]. Residents were urged to keep to 30 mph on Highway One in order to avoid possible collisions with bulldozers or fallen trees, called widow-makers by some. Joe had talked to the owner of the Big Sur Deli who stayed during the evacuation to protect his property and he told Joe that the fire roared when it burned through the wilderness on the other side of Highway One across the street from his business. When the flames engulfed the redwoods, the trees exploded due to the hot pitch inside.

Latest technology is being used to spot the hot spots. This is the infrared photo that NASA took of the Basin Complex Fire. The areas in pink/magenta are were the fire is the hottest.



The pub was open for business and we shared stories with the folks who stopped by. While there, I learned that The Coastlands, a housing development to the south of The Ventana Inn, has no water because their water lines melted in the fire.



That's Craig playing the guitar.

UPDATES: Tomorrow at 10 AM Highway One will be open in both directions to residents and service workers.

It's hard to describe how I felt today.....but this sums it up pretty well....



Click here for all fire posts.

Click here for all fire photos.

07/08/08 UPDATE: Click here.



Escape Route at The Ventana Inn
Before the fire crews came in to fight this fire they figured out their areas of safe refuge. Then, they marked their escape route with this tape so if the smoke or fire endangered their lives they would be able to get out quickly. This escape route tape is wrapped around a tree across the path from The Ventana Inn’s Valley House.



Firefighting helicopter scoops water out of the ocean
The firefight continues today this photo taken North of the Point Sur Lighthouse.



PG&E restoring power at the entrance to The Ventana Inn



Clean up at The Ventana Inn's Cielo restuarant

Among the concerns for The Inn is the removal of the Thermo gel spray from the buildings, proving difficult at the moment. Biggest threat at the Inn other than a change in the weather? Falling trees. The upper campground’s burned trees could fall at any time. Very dangerous down there. Difficult to repair the fresh water collection reservoirs that were damaged in the firefight until the trees are abated.

Firefighters continue to be courteous and very helpful. Firefighters from Idaho have been on site helping with the removal of the brush that got cleared away during the firefight. The firefighters are also using chain saws to cut down trees in the Upper Campground.



Fighting fire on Highway One
This photo taken north of The Fernwood Resort. The striped tape indicates trees that might fall. This tape is seen in and around Big Sur today.



Ash on flowers
Because you know I’m The Flower Lady.

THIS JUST IN: Mandatory Evacuation lifts tomorrow morning! Back at the Inn tomorrow. Lots of cheering at the community meeting this evening in Carmel.

*Click here for the 07/07/08 UPDATE with photos and info. MANDATORY EVACUATION LIFTS 07/08/08! Lots of celebrating at the community meeting in Carmel on 07/07/08. Back at the Inn on Tuesday, 07/08/08!*

Click here to see pictures of The Ventana Inn before the fire.



This is a picture of the fire's aftermath just below The Cottage. We think [and hope] we are through the worst. There are still some hot spots in the campground but the general feeling among the firefighters today is that Ventana is out of immediate danger, which is weather dependent. Spotters situated on the property remain vigilant but the battalions of firemen that had once surrounded the property have moved on down the road.

All fire photos here.

Joe stayed at the Mission Inn again last night, our refuge in Carmel. Firefighters stayed there too.

Flames flickered on the east side of Highway One around The Fernwood Resort on the desolate drive to the Inn this morning. The ashy accumulation on the pavement and trees lent an eerie vibe to the usually tranquil drive up the hill to Ventana's lobby. The fire-retardant gel coating the buildings looked like a thin layer of day-old whipped cream, foamy and dried up, kind of blotchy in places on the redwood siding.



A deer below The Cottage



The Ventana Inn Lobby



The Ventana Inn Upper Campground

Joe says the smoke has cleared a bit since Wednesday.

Still no structures lost. In a couple of places the fire burned right up to the buildings. Most ornamental plants were cleared and those that remained were not destroyed.

No update yet on when we can return to the Inn for repairs. Maybe in a week to do some water source recovery. Lots of clean up to do.

Joe headed back up to Big Sur last night. He was allowed in at 6AM this morning to tour The Ventana Inn and do a damage assessment. Will have an update on the damage and a better guess of when we can get back in later today.

This from the IC Commander, Mike Dietrich, at yesterday's community meeting now taking place at Carmel Middle School-formerly attended by us at Big Sur Station:

"Fire is down to Highway One between the Pfeiffer turnout and the post office/ deli area. Firefighting efforts saved the Ventana Inn and the River’s property in a substantial fire fight."

The big story is the approaching weather change. A heatwave, with potential lightening strikes. Also at issue is the people who have stayed to defend their property, now running out of food and supplies. A controversial incident happened on Friday:

"in which local residents at Apple Pie ridge were setting illegal backburns. Another resident reported the activity and the sheriff’s department gave orders to stop the activity immediately. The burns continued and an arrest was made."

The time estimate for letting people back into Big Sur is now measured in terms of weeks, not days. Fire containment is still being estimated for the end of July.

An update on the status of Ventana as of yesterday.

Good news, no buildings lost at The Ventana Inn. Came very close, and firefighters are still battling to save it. Winds have died down. Campground burned. Water main broken and none of the water wells work at the moment. Plants/trees around the buildings were removed for fire protection. Foam covers the buildings. Big problem is smoke damage so far.

We keep hoping that we'll continue to hear good news about the Inn today, we are taking it hour by hour. Joe goes back up on Sunday to assess the damage.

Had a great time catching up with a good friend this morning.

Happy 4th!!!!! Woohooo! Have a WONDERFUL, relaxing weekend! Here’s to good friends, great bbq and good war movies.

Still no buildings lost at the Ventana Inn. Firefighters continue to battle the blaze at the Inn today. Updated photos of the fire here. Now that we’ve had a good night’s sleep at home and the first of the smoke-scented clothes are in the wash, I’ve had a little time to reflect on some of the funny things that have happened over the past few days.

When I’m nervous/anxious I engage in the sport of hampstering, activities that neither improve my plight nor bring me closer to resolving my situation yet keep me distracted, much like a hampster. I began hampstering on Wednesday night, the night of the evacuation. I did things like flossing my teeth, twice. I rubbed lotion all over my body, every inch, making sure I didn’t miss a spot [wish I could say I do the same with sunscreen, but alas, I’m doomed to be called “spot” for the rest of my life for the artwork I create every summer “sunscreen on and not-on skin” my favorite medium]. And then came the weirdest part. I put on my pajamas. As I pulled them over my face I smelled the smoke. I took a deep breath. I took another breath. I wanted to write down exactly what I smelled. Exactly. What. I. Smelled. I didn’t want to forget the smell, like I ever could. But I wanted to describe it fully. I kept whiffing and writing like I was a lunatic. I finally boiled it down to a couple sentences and then, only then, did I collapse on the comfy Marriott bed.

When Joe was sick this week he wasn’t hungry for anything. So I set out in search of soup on the smoky almost deserted night that was last Monday. One restaurant had ginger carrot. Hmmm. Another restaurant had curried lentil. Really? Really? Can’t we just get a simple soup for a guy who isn’t feeling well? Our fave soup, most amazing chicken soup on the planet, wasn’t an option as The Bakery and many restaurants closed due to the fire. People stood on the porch of The Bakery to get a better view of the flames and the water-dropping helicopters and figure out where the hot spot in view was close to. Spooked by the flames and a frisky fire but in the spirit of the birth of our country and getting poor Joe a descent soup, I soldiered on. The Roadhouse had tortilla soup, just right. So Goldilocks, or should I say amber-shimmer locks went back to the Inn and Joe had the soup that helped him feel a little bit better.

About the last thing we feel like doing is smelling any more smoke. But, Joe's picking up a few steaks tonight and we will prolly go check out the local fireworks up on a hill somewhere close by.