News from the West Coast Fire Front

The Chetco Bar fire in my area is currently not very active on our side, it's marching east.  The fire is enormous - 178,000 acres and only 10% contained. We've had 1,600 firefighters camping out in pup tents.  Our little town is only 7,000-ish!  Just yesterday they finally allowed the last areas that were evacuated to come back. Some were out of their houses for 2 weeks!! A quilting friend of mine was one of them.

Everyone is very tired and cranky from living in 'siege mode'. After we came back from being evacuated DH and I were hunkered down in our condo avoiding the smoke while having a broken AC! (5 days - we found out how much we depend on our usual ocean breeze). We had some borrowed fans and we didn't move about much.  It felt like hunkering down for the winter storms in NE.  Low light, can't go outside ... but it was hot!  Thanks so much for your inquiries as to how we're doing.
  

It seems like most of the US is fighting with Mother Nature - our fingers are crossed for the areas affected by fires, hurricanes and whatever else being thrown our way. 

I'm going to forget my troubles and quilt today. Quilting is a great stress reliever - I'm prescribing it for me!! I have to move my machine to the great room because I still have 2 twin beds in my sewing room.  Reluctant to put the extra mattress set back out in the storage area because of all the smoke.

BUT that means - tv and good speakers for music!!  More light - but my view today is smoke.  I can hear the ocean so I'm pretty sure it's still out there!!  :) DH just left for a golf outing - let the hullabaloo start!!

I went to the Dr this week.  That morning I was a fluffy senior in good health!  Then I got the new pneumonia shot.  All that fluffiness I offer and they put it right in my shoulder.  OMG!  My arm was tortured all day, then as it always happens with one part hurting - everything else got in the act.  When I went to bed (at 7:30! with a PM pill) I felt like a 94 yr old cripple.  Thank Goodness it was better when I woke up.  And better yet when I went to our "Woolies" meeting and laughed and sewed with friends.  I'm almost back to normal with just a little twinge when I touch it.  I'm certainly glad that I don't have to get another one of those!!