Nothing to Write Home About...

Before I start I must put in a plug for the book I am currently reading for review:

The Year of Living Happy will be available on October 2nd.

My current Crazy World

I don't know where it started, but there was a time in my early years (1970 something), when if a person was asked, "How are you doing?" and the reply would be, "Nothing to write home about."

*According to Webster Dictionary: It is an idiom and was quoted in a book from 1970 Birds of the Trees.

Enough of the Rabbit Trail. I have been off the grid sorta speak..."Oh my another idiom".

School started on August 15th for the children after two days of in-service for me and my coworkers.

We had the biggest fire begin July 23rd and was contained on August 30th. The Carr Fire burned almost 230,000 acres and over 1,000 homes were destroyed. On the heels of this disaster on August 9th  the Hirz Fire began. At over 46,000 acres it has mostly burned forested land, but the worst news of all was the day the  Delta Fire joined up to the Hirtz Fire and they became one.
The Carr fire was contained on August 30th with the final report given on Sept.4th. Sadly that was the day all deaths, property damage and number were filed, but so many lives had been touched it will be years before we heal from this disaster.
The Hirz Fire ended on Sept 12th, but it has the adjoined twin, the Delta Fire, which is only 70% contained and it is estimated that it will continue to burn until next Saturday, Lord Willing.

The largest affect of this fire season to our community was the smoke. Every single human, animal, plant and even the soil have been affected by the smoke and ash. Today was the first day since July that I have been able to see Mount Lassen from Pier 1. I could see the foot hills from my current house setting location.

Blue Sky in the North

We have had indoor recess nearly every day since school started. It is hard enough to keep track of my recess duty and five reading groups without the challenge of... is the air quality going to keep us in again...likely so...

However, the past two morning have been amazingly clear. I sat outside and watched the ducks, while the dogs sat at my feet.

Duck Duck and Lucky Duck give me eggs

Giant Gold Fish in the pond

Happy Dogs

There is also a cat at my current local. The 30 pound monstrosity knocks on the front door rather than walking around the house where he has a personal entrance.

Cat that will knock on the door

The dogs and cat love to be with me at night inside for TV time. However, as I don't have TV at home and there aren't that many movies on my list this may not happen as often as the critters would prefer.

...then sit his 30 pound self on my chest

I am enjoying the late summer tomatoes and strawberries. I may get a few pears and there are some squash as well on the vines.

Fresh Strawberries in September

Last weekend was the Shasta County Renaissance Faire and I went to see my son as the great fighter for the Realm in the Savage Lands.

A bit rough after a day of Baulking at Blokes 

Son and Mum

Meanwhile: in a land far away

This Fashionista...

Moved and has been trying out new furniture.

Liking this big girl chair Dad

I am looking to clear skies and cleaner air as we march into the season of Autumn. My favorite Season has gotten better in the wake of our Summer devastation.I told one of my customers that it seems we will all be appreciating the normal fall air and weather as we would the health after an illness. You don't know how precious something is until you have to do without it...especially clean, fresh air.

Shalom ~ Godspeed

Changes In the Wind

This was the quote on my calendar for the month of September

September 1st and my calendar says, "Day Off". I was really ready for a day off.

August 13th was the day I started back to my school job. After two days of "In-service" the kiddos came back to school on August 15th. We have had a shortage of staff for the  after-school care in my district, so I decided to start working after school again at a different school in my community.

According to a real estate web page called Trulia there are 82 schools in my area. My district has nine schools and I think I have the best of both worlds. My day job is at the largest school where I teach reading to the kiddos in K-5 who need a little extra encouragement. I also get to be a crossing guard in the morning and supervise one recess and the lunch crowd on our patio. After school I take a short drive to one of the smaller campuses and supervise 20 ~ 2nd and 3rd graders to do homework and some fun after school activities.

Last weekend I was fighting my first "kid cold" of the year. I hope it will be the last.  

September 2018 is looking like an adventure with change. I have been house setting a lot since July and I now have a house setting job that will be 5 weeks at one location. The adventure part is living with Chickens, Ducks, Dogs and Cats all in one location. I've cared for all of these animals at one time or another, but this will be a fun and relaxing adventure for me. There is a relaxing little pond with 100's of gold fish that is for the ducks to swim and frolic.

I still continue to work a little at Pier 1.The glitter of Fall is upon us in every corner of the store. Last weekend we brought out a few of last year's Christmas pillows and it was fun to see them get picked up at amazing discounts. (I have a say I was excited that one of them followed me home too.) 

Last Year's Pillow

The Carr Fire is 100% Contained, but the smoke and smoldering is still a part of our day in Redding. As the map shows, the devastation from this fire will be with us for a long time. The Hirz Fire just came up this week and it is another 38,000 acres burning strong above the Carr Fire.

New Fire in upper right

This is my phone map . After 20 minutes of internet searching I could not find a map like this to use. It seems odd that the general public can only find this on a fire website. Google Earth does not show this view online.  The area in Red has been destroyed by the fire.

On July 8th my son took a hike to Whiskeytown Falls:

On August 24th a young woman named Bethany posted this Picture:

Sadly this is our new reality.

229,600 acres of damage. Over 1,000 residences destroyed and 200 more damaged. Many animals lost and there is no accounting for all the wildlife lost and their homes destroyed. Our area is known for the wonderful boating, fishing, skiing and other outdoor recreation. Now we are know internationally as the people with the awful fire damage. I'm not going to get into a political statement here about my opinion of "forest conservation", but this makes me so sad.

Back to the Beginning 

"If we had no change, we would have no butterflies." I am that butterfly in the wind. I have been through many changes and even more lately. A year ago my BLOG spoke of the hurting in my heart from our loss of Taylor. This year my heart is lighter, but there will always be losses to walk through or help another walk through. That is our human journey. Some people have January as a time for beginnings, others it is Spring time and others Summer. For me the new beginning is September 1st.

I am anticipating new understanding of myself as I walk through the crunching leaves of Autumn. I look forward to our amazing rainy season.  I love the cooler evenings to sit outside and leaving my window open as I sleep.

Namaste~ Deena