Hola! Greetings from California, my darlings...

[bridgit]

And do feel free to cast any, each, all, and every conceivable aspersion one might muster. Post pics of sobbing families on the run. Post data/actuaries that support the meanest of contentions. Post a pic of Squeaky Fromme, or Duncan Hunter (that ought to do it); but you know what?

Still we're California,

We will in time right our neighborhoods sent tilting like the broken, cast off toys of pissy giants,

We will rebuild our freeways fallen from the skies,

We will gather our ashes, ashes, all fall down...we will cry,

We will watch with amazement as our hills go sliding away, with intact homes till they bust apart like broken dreams,

We will smirk as our governor, at the behest of his wife & dem adviser, endeavors to appear as compassionate as a dem as quickly as he can (no time to play, Arnold, get out there and make it work!)

We will thank our neighbor, western states most near and others beyond for their help, or kind thoughts in such times of great adversity as we would do for them,

We will survive the heat that dries the milk right from the udder' of our cows,

We will lift our bridges back up & into the air, pre-deadline and under budget,

As mentioned we will cry :cry: but then we will get our heads all the way around these matters then we will in time with our arms about each other and all who have chosen to stand, we will survive...

We will even survive...our sad little Nancy :(

So go for it = laugh, cry, stick a finger in my eye still...even when some say we are filled with little more than fruits & nuts,

We are California


The Heart Of The Matter

[malaise]

1. Thinking of all of you

:grouphug:

[bridgit]

2. friend...

:hug:

[Redstone]

3. No, there are NOT just fruits and nuts...there are also FLAKES!

(Knowing me as you do, I'm sure you see no need for me to uses the "sarcasm" smilie.)

Redstone

[bridgit]

5. pft, our kids that run the streets out here are tougher than you...

;)

[Rick Myers]

4. Godspeed to all in California!!!

We here in Minneapolis know you will recover!!!

Stay safe!!!

[bridgit]

28. we in this household have been with you & yours as well...

and in recent memory :thumbsup:

[MindPilot]

6. Great Post! Thanks for that!

Proud to be Californian.

[bridgit]

13. cheers...

:)

[Sugar Smack]

7. HOW ARE YOU??? You're very much on my mind.

That was such a beautiful post. K&R. Please tell me you're okay. I can tell by what you write that your spirit in particular will overcome anything that happens.

:hug: :grouphug: :cry: :pals: :yourock: :loveya: :applause:

[bridgit]

11. Sugar, we are on the flats up north and have had some contention...

previous but NOTHING like these folks down south as they are toughing it out moment by moment, it is a great sadness for so many :hug: :loveya: thinking of you always...

cheesy :pals:

[Sugar Smack]

20. I am seriously scared for KW.

She's got me hopping about in anxiety. I know y'all have the wherewithall to survive, but I'm still scared for ya's.

czarina.:pals: :pals:

[bridgit]

22. me too, southerners are on the run i just want it to stop..

:cry:

[KitchenWitch]

31. We are clear for now!

I have cut and pasted from the city's website

At this time there is no fire risk to the City of Irvine or its residents.

Residents are still advised to limit and be mindful of outdoor activities and keep their windows closed until air quality improves. There remain significant amounts of smoke and particulate in the air that could affect respiratory problems.

All Irvine Unified School District schools are open.

My family is going to head to Garden Grove for dinner again tonight, just to get further away from it for awhile.

I have not collapsed (as in gone to sleep for 15 hours straight) yet, but I am nearing it.

The nightmare is almost over.

[Gelliebeans]

43. Thinking of you

my offer still stands. We await as I can see the smoke coming toward us about 10 miles to the south. I am so exhausted trying to keep track of family and friends but so far everyone is safe even if we have lost property we have our lives and our pets. So much to be thankful for. :hug: I am the main contact for everyone so I have 2 tv's and internet streaming to try and get the latest.

The elderly couple that my cousin saved yesterday from there swimming pool as their house burnt to the ground were able to get to doctor today to get replacement glasses and prescriptions. My cousin is keeping this couple until they are able to make more permanent arrangements.

I am proud to be a Californian. Love and affection for my fellow Duer's that have offered so much moral support for us. :grouphug:

[Wiley50]

8. I don't cast asparagus

Californians worked too hard to grow it

and besides

It tastes so good I want to eat it all

But I'd like to cast your crooks out of congress

[bridgit]

24. not so fast, i got my eye on that mouthy little blond chick of yours...

she gotta go too!! :rant:

[Wiley50]

32. Yeah...Her... I'd Love to shut her up myself. But

We vote on ES&S Accuvote touchscreens now

So that may take some doing

[bridgit]

33. you guys need: Debra Bowen, our Sec of State...

http://www.debrabowen.com she's making our black box turd-heads do the certification dance :thumbsup:

[Wiley50]

41. No Shit! I LOVE Debra Bowen! n/t

[bridgit]

48. she's tenacious...

[libnnc]

9. The only other place more beautiful than my Old North State...

California...

It is pure topographical poetry. A world unto itself.

:cry:

:grouphug:

[bridgit]

14. yep, blew John Muir's mind...

:)

[KitchenWitch]

10. We will be strong

[bridgit]

12. there's my girl...

:hi: :hi: :hi: :hug:

[KitchenWitch]

15. I am actually ready to collapse

but after some well deserved rest, I will be up and fighting again.

[bridgit]

18. yes'im, that stuff is harrowing...

get rest, go forward :loveya:

[babylonsister]

16. An undaunted, unbroken Californian with a great message!

Thank you, bridgit, for that, and stay safe! :hug:

[bridgit]

19. aw you...

it's our folks down south i worry about but yeah, 'the commonality of us' is vital :hug:

[robinlynne]

17. I'm 25 miles away from a fire, and I can smell it when I go outside. It is

hot and the sky is a strange color. The air feels strange when you breathe.

[bridgit]

21. yep, it permeates the atmosphere, stay safe...

:)

[truedelphi]

39. Robin I remember that from the Oakland fire

I was kitty corner across the Bay from that big one, and I first knew somthing was wrong when my then 14 year old came in saying, Mom there's gotta be something awful going on - I've never seen the sky like that.

I went outside and thought he was nuts - the sky a deep October azure - quite gorgeous.

Then I walked along the sidewalk and when I turned the corner, the sky was split precisely in two -like someone with a straight edge had mapped out two colors over head - one surreally blue and one BLACKER than any black you can imagine.

Later that day it rained paper - sheets from different books, and even one sheet from the bible.

Someone's life gone up in flames. And when it rained a day or two later, I could only think: "Damn You! Why didn't you rain ten days or two weeks ago - you could have prevented this and saved lives, you selfish clouds."

[bridgit]

53. the Oakland Fire...also a very bad one...

[XemaSab]

23. Nice post....

[bridgit]

26. nice post, Squeaky...

:wow:

[Initech]

25. This sucks.

I've lived in So Cal my whole life and I have never recalled the Santa Anas being this bad.

I live about 20 minutes from one of the major fires (the one that shut down CA-241).

These god damn winds have activated every allergy I've ever had, past, present, and future, and it just blows. I wish I hadn't just taken a vacation, because otherwise I'd get the fuck out of here ASAP.

[bridgit]

27. these Santa Ana' seem to be highly tenacious...

:(

[A HERETIC I AM]

29. One question...

Why are you trying to poke out that horsey's eye?

Do you hate baby jesus?

Ok, ok..that's two questions


Hee hee.

Gorgeous animals.

Nice post.

[bridgit]

34. heh-heh, i hear you, those are wild un-shod horses in a preserve...

they were very lovey dovey :)

[JuniperLea]

30. I dunno...

My sister rebuilt after the Arrowhead fires of 2003... she has evacuated Cedar Glen and doesn't know if her rebuilt house is still standing. I don't know that she has the heart, strength or will to do this again.

[bridgit]

35. i agree, it can be maddening...

[OzarkDem]

36. Hang tough, Californians

We're pulling for you, wish there were more we could do. We know you'll rebuild and stay.

I have two open bedrooms if anyone needs to stay a while.

[bridgit]

50. what a wonderful thought...

:hug:

[Xenotime]

37. Stay safe.

[bridgit]

54. good advise...

[merh]

38. from someone who lives where others say I get what I deserve

and who knows what it means to survive and rebuild because "this is home"





I say hello California :hi:, I understand more than you know

and I love the Californian that posted this OP and a whole bunch of others living in that glorious state.

You all are in my thoughts and prayers. :grouphug:

:hug: :loveya:

[bridgit]

40. merh!

:bounce: i know you know, Hon :pals:

[Booster]

42. California really does have it all. I'm in Pasadena and away from

any fire, but all I can say to anyone who is happy to see us "get what we deserve", I challenge you to drive the Pacific Coast Highway from the bottom of CA to the top and not come away saying "God damn, that was awesome". It's especially sad that our most beautiful areas of So. Ca. are burning; Malibu, Lake Arrowhead and San Diego. We will rebuild and we will stay.

[bridgit]

44. i agree...

[salin]

45. as one who benefitted

as a five year + temporary resident of California, I thank all who made my stay so enriching. I pray for the safety of all (though that is not because I once lived there, but because I am human and weep for those in distress.

Know that many folks across the country (including in "red" Indiana) have great concern for those in harms way out on the west coast.

[bridgit]

57. thank you, salin...

:hi:

[YvonneCa]

46. Thank you for the great, positive...

...words about our state. We Californians are strong...and we can send a message to the country through our strength during a difficult time.

[bridgit]

47. absolutely...

no doubt about it

[bridgit]

49. a.m. kick...

:kick:

[Mountainman]

51. For all the crap people sling at us, they still hope we come with good ideas that spread to

the rest of the country. "It always starts in California first."

[bridgit]

52. i believe that to be true in great measure...

:hi:

[Hell Hath No Fury]

55. NoCal says "Hang Tough!" SoCal --

Something I wrote from another post:

"We in CA live in an incredibly beautiful place -- and sometimes Mother Nature exacts a toll for that pleasure. We understand this completely. Earthquakes, fires, landslides -- it's what we live with to be here."

There is something about California that just gets into you, deep. It is like living in the world's environmental "candy store". The deserts, the redwoods, the alpine lakes, the agricultural lands, the shoreline -- all within a few hours of each other. The landscape is always bold and in your face. No matter where you live in CA, you are constantly, deeply in contact with Mother Nature.

I was driving home to San Francisco from Lake Tahoe on Monday -- I crossed the Bay Bridge just after noon. It was a classic autumn day for the Bay Area -- warm, still, with a blue sky so clear that the Marin headlands looked so close they could be in your lap. As I drove, I looked over at Coit Tower sitting atop Telegraph Hill, with the Golden Gate bridge in the background and I fell in love with San Francisco. I have lived here all my life and have driven across that bridge thousands of times in 47 years, yet my City -- and my State -- still has the ability to take my breath away after all of this time.

Californians have a true love affair with their State. It is sometimes tempestuous, and frustrating, and challenging, but, like any true love affair, as necessary as breathing.

So, "Salud!" to all my fellow Californians, take care and stay safe to all those in SoCal, and, to all of those who are Californians in spirit, "Home is calling you, come join us!" :toast: :hug: :hi:

On edit: a taste of California

[bridgit]

56. most true, friend, as it turns out we were over the Bay Bridge at aprrox...

that time, round 1:45p, on our way from Sac to Redwood City therefore...

sending all our love & energies to SoCal, and to all that will accept them agreed, Salud! :toast: :hug: :hi:

[Swamp Rat]

58. ...

:hug:

[K8-EEE]

59. Hi from Los Angeles (cough, cough, wheeze!)

We just had the most lovely weekend in Solana Beach, it was almost impossible to believe when we got home and turned on the TV, that beautiful place had to be evacuated just one day later!

The air is awful (several thousand times worse than usual) but even when my eyes are stinging and my throat is sore and it looks like nighttime during the daytime -- there's nowhere I'd rather live than SoCA!

Thanks for the post!

[Hekate]

60. So beautifully said about our beautiful state. Every single time I top the Conejo Grade going north

....on 101 and take that long slope down the grade on my way back home to Goleta, when my eye catches that curve of coastline and I feel the air change, my heart rejoices in me. The Central Coast is my home -- here, this place.

Thank you, Bridgit. That was beautiful. (You have the same name as my sister, btw.)

Hekate