By now, you’ve heard that the entire West coast is burning. It started here with a Gender Reveal gone wrong, and then continued Northwest and I can’t even tell you how many fires there are or how many structures lost. The skies here are yellow and it feels like the end of the world. I keep thinking about Chicken Little and “the sky is falling!”
This is the Bay area which is much worse than where we are:
Right Now:
This week was hard for a number of reasons so I plan to focus on self-care today. I am at the point in this pandemic where I am “done” with it but of course, you can’t be done with a pandemic until it’s done with you!
Halloween was cancelled for LA County and then later that day they walked it back and said it was not banned but not recommended. My neighborhood is always packed with van loads of kids and parents strolling around with wine. I want to join in but I don’t want to die so if we hand out candy I will probably do some sort of table setup and just supervise from afar.
This Week:
We are deep into the college application process and will continue to be this week and probably all of September and part of October. We visited a couple of schools this past weekend but most of the schools my daughter is interested in are out of state.
I just realized I need to read a book for a discussion this week. It’s Kindred by Octavia Butler. I better get on that.
It was announced on Thursday that the Cal State Universities will be virtual for Spring 2021. I expected it but at the same time it was like a punch in the gut. This decision affects my campus as well as my son’s. He is fine with it. I don’t know if that means I will remain at home though.
Reading:
As I mentioned above, I will be reading Kindred here pretty soon for a discussion but I just finished Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill and should have the review up soon. Wowie! That book gave me all the Halloween vibes.
I think I may also read Wendy Walker’s new one, Don’t Look For Me.
Watching:
Ratched comes out on Netflix this week (9/18)! Yes, that’s NURSE Ratched to you. I cannot wait! I need something to pull me away from the news.
Grateful for:
- We got our flu shots on Friday. Grateful to have gotten them early.
- Instagram cooking Reels. I’ve been browsing some simple meal ideas and it’s giving me hope. SO tired of planning what to cook but lately these short videos have been helpful.
- Like-minded friends who get where I am coming from politically. I am not at ALL into politics but for this election, how can you not be? I am voting for decency this term. Period.
Tell me something that is going on in your life. Something I can pray for or something great that has happened recently. I’ve felt very disconnected from everyone this week even though I try so hard to connect with others.
To be honest, I believe I am sick of myself.
Book Chatter 
It’s not easy to not be depressed right now. I completely understand. It’s why I “get away” on Sundays, from the news and social media. I afford myself a peek in on blogs like yours and a few others, but that’s about it. Today I’m reading The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett because I’ve never read even though years ago, I saw one or two of the movies. I thought I should correct that after a friend mentioned the series recently. As for good, my wife and I have been enjoying the series Endeavour. If you could keep her in prayer, I’d appreciate it. She has A-fib, but also unrelated, a condition called lymphadema – has to wear compression wraps to keep down water weight in her legs– and it’s painful at times and uncomfortable all the time. Thanks, Tina.
Definitely keeping your wife in prayer.
I know we will all get through this at some point. I just wish we had some leadership we could rely on. I’d be more confident about a return to normal if that was the case. Yesterday I was pretty good and keeping busy. Today, my bad attitude is back. This lack of sun and horrible air quality makes it worse. The fire is still not close to us but it’s burning towards us now so the smoke is worse. I feel like I am in a room with bad fluorescent lighting. Everything is yellow.
Am glad you are safe. California is sure taking a beating
You will LOVE kindred. It is horrifying but it really pulls you in.
I put out fall decor; something small but it made me happy.
Hope your week is better
I am writing my review of Kindred now. I didn’t love it. I didn’t NOT like it either. It left a little to be desired. Maybe I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to read it. Or maybe it went over my head. My brain is spongy from lack of intelligent conversation and bad air. LOL.
It’s a scary world out there. I am in a reading slump and have been binging The a Big Bang Theory. I miss reading, and am hoping to read The Vanishing Act or Writers and Lovers. We had a fun sleepover with our two year old grand baby and have been playing pickleball. We are hoping to try dining outside for the first time later today. Like you we are so tired of this pandemic and would like to get back to some semblance of a life. The fires are horrifying and I have been trying to ignore the news. It’s sooooo depressing. Your blog is always a highlight !!!
It can be very depressing to go through the day with all the news around us. I was sitting on the couch with my coffee this morning and the news had like 6 breaking news stories. I do like to be informed but the daily hits of bad news, people making poor choices, people saying stupid things, is making me angry. I am becoming an angry person which is not me at all.
That is why I am glad I kept blogging. I never even thought about stopping but so many have. If I didn’t have this outlet and the ability to connect with others right now, I’d be in big trouble I think.
Ah, Bryan is right. It’s so hard not to be depressed. I hope this week will be better for you. We’ve found that taking short drives helps us immensely. We hop on the Natchez Trace Parkway and drive about 30 miles in one direction or the other, pick up a meal at a favorite restaurant, and drive back. It’s enough to blow out the cobwebs.
Husband lost his only uncle to Covid pneumonia, this week, so it was not our best week, either. We took more drives than we usually do. He’s fine but my mother-in-law and, of course, David’s aunt and cousins could use some prayer.
I’m glad you’re safe. Gender reveal parties need to freaking stop. I know too many people who either have had a suitcase packed in case they need to run or are hunkering down because the air quality is so bad.
Kindred is so good. It’s a little terrifying, but you like that. I was in it for the time travel but enjoyed it also for the challenges the MC faced.
I will be praying for your family on their recent loss.
We take a lot of drives. Last weekend we drove some two hours away to visit two college campuses. One campus was a big no which disappoints me because it was the only California school my daughter was considering. The other school was more for her friend, who was with us but they both ended up loving it. It doesn’t have musical theatre though, only theatre so that doesn’t really work plus it’s a private institution and is $65K a year. I mean, come on!
I wish I could see some blue sky. I think that would help my mood a lot.
Thanks for the prayers.
Blue sky is always cheerful; apocalyptic haze, not so much. I’m glad you’ve been getting out. Driving helps me so much. I don’t know if I could tolerate the pandemic if I wasn’t allowed to take the occasional drive. Sounds like they can’t go more than about 5 miles from home in Melbourne, AU. That would make me bonkers.
We’re going back and forth between blue sky and what I guess is the far outer bands of Hurricane Sally, right now. Very breezy out there! OK, yep, I looked and it’s outer bands of the hurricane. Kinda gross outside, though. I don’t know about you but I’m really looking forward to fall weather.
I hope your daughter finds the perfect school and that it’s not too far from home (or beyond the budget). Both my kids stayed within about 3 hours’ drive and it was nice to have them near enough to visit regularly or for them to come home when needed but far enough away that they felt like they didn’t have Mom watching over their shoulders.
That’s how it is for my son. He is three hours away and it’s along the coast for much of the drive. Very pleasant drive in and out. The closest school, now that California is out is Arizona or Texas and the rest are East Coast.
I have a happy thing to share. An answer to much prayer. A good friend who had been on the heart transplant list got a new heart in the last week. He is doing very well and his family is so grateful for the gift the donor and their family gave to them and to our friend. Some amazing wonderful things can still happen in the midst of a pandemic. We were overjoyed. Oh and that Wendy Walker book looks good. You read it first and report on whether I should read it. Ha!
Oh!! That is excellent news. I am so glad your friend received a heart! It certainly puts things in perspective doesn’t it? There are some good things happening in the world, we just need to dig a little to find them these days.
I don’t even know what blue sky looks like anymore outside of photos. The smoke and smog are so bad. I am praying for the firefighters right now. And everyone, animals included, impacted.
My daughter wishes all the kids could dress up and stand in their yards or along the sidewalk, while the grown ups drive by and toss candy out the windows.
I heard about CSU extending the virtual learning until the end of the year. That has to be hard, but given the way it’s spreading through those universities and colleges that are open, it really isn’t surprising. I haven’t heard any talk in our district about letting students back into the classrooms, although I think there’s a couple of private schools in the area that will be starting back in-person soon (they were able to get waivers).Their wait lists are miles long now–so many people want their kids back in the classroom.
Heart-Shaped Box was good, wasn’t it? I really liked it too. I hope you enjoy Kindred. I haven’t had a chance to read that one yet.
Mouse had her first dress rehearsals for Grease and LeCorsaire yesterday. The studio decided to perform the shows in studio the last week of this month, and Mouse and one other girl are the only ones performing from home (the show will be on Zoom–so no live audience). I am grateful they are being given that option because neither girl would be doing this otherwise, but there’s a part of me that is upset that the studio is going forward with in-person given the current state and public health orders. I’m sure there are those who think we are overreacting, but I don’t care at this point.
I hope you have a great week, Ti.
Many are of the belief the pandemic is all made up, as you know. I get mad when I hear someone say “you can go ahead and live your life in fear”. I am not afraid but I am not stupid either. That is usually my response. LOL. My filter has disappeared lately.
I am surprised about the performance being in person for some. Seems a little risky. I wonder what would happen if someone comes down with COVID. Will they then sue the school? I do believe there are liability issues involved. Food for thought.
I wondered about the liability issues too. I heard in the rumor mill that all but one parent of the kids performing in studio wanted the kids to wear masks while performing (including singing), but one parent refused, and so the other parent decided if they couldn’t all agree, then they wouldn’t push it. Just from what I could see on screen, I am glad we didn’t take a chance on going in studio to perform. Too many people in one place not taking proper precautions. Both of my husband and I have health issues and fall in the high risk category. I wish the situation was was different. I wish I could let her perform in-person with her friends. I came really close to giving in. I stressed and cried and was an anxious mess over it. Ultimately, we decided the risk wasn’t worth it. Maybe if they had considered an outside venue I’d feel differently.
Even outside, I still require my friends to wear a mask if we are not at least ten feet apart. That is what is holding up my book club right now. They want to meet in person, outside but some don’t feel a mask is needed then. I mean, no one loves their mask. I get hot and irritated but if it keeps the numbers low then we can open things up faster. Maybe. I think it would be really dumb now to ease up on things only to catch it and then die from it. Yeah, many are not dying now but who wants to chance that? Not me.
No one comes to our street for Halloween, but the business district at the bottom of our street does a HUGE thing for kids. I wonder if it will take place…. Our air quality is also bad (I know monitor 3 different apps each day), but our sky is a normal color; I feel so bad for those who are evacuated (during a pandemic!) and dealing with the fires.
I think I’ve said this before, but for some reason I love kids applying to college. I like hearing where they are applying and why, where they get accepted, and where they choose to go. I think it’s the promise and hope of it all so keep the updates coming!
The college stuff is appealing but the audition process during a pandemic is totally not. The plus side is that I am not having to fly her all over for these auditions. I wasn’t sure how that was going to work out so I am glad it’s not happening.
Gosh I have a lot of anxiety about the fires & the smoke and the areas that are burning. Sigh my parents are near the Yucaipa / El Dorado fire. Why anyone would use a pyrotechnic device (which started the fire) under such dry conditions is outrageous. It does feel like the world is ending … I hope the temps drop a bit as fall goes on … My sister’s family is in the Bay area …. Just stay safe Ti. I plan to read the Kindred too before Halloween. Maybe books & shows are the only escape right now.
The gender reveal thing is ridiculous. It’s completely unnecessary. The identity of that couple has not been shared but I imagine they feel horrible and the delivery of their child will be a reminder of the devastation they caused. Plus, they will have to deal with the financial aspect of fighting this fire to some degree.
I have a lot of anxiety right now but it’s mostly due to the college audition process. My daughter is handling it well but it keeps me up at night.
Hard to believe the college application process has begun. It’s heartbreaking for us to watch what is happening in CA, WA and OR. No “state of emergency declaration?” seriously?
And “you know who’s” comment about science basically being a joke yesterday, did not help. Climate change is a real thing. It’s true though, California has burned for years but when there is no rain, everything dies and then we have winds and down lines and well, you know the rest. Of course this chain of events was caused by a gender reveal gone wrong.
I hope the fires continue to stay away from you but the situation is not good. I was reading about the snowstorm in CA and how that had some adverse effect on the winds in CA and caused more devastation. 😦 I am still hoping for the best for my friends in WA, OR, and CA who are really affected and hope that they escape unscathed.
Nothing is going on in my world, except I feel more behind than ever on things. I’m not sure if it is a lack of motivation or just too many things to do at once.
The one fire that was causing most of our smoke issues is now moving West, closer to us but still a ways away. I would love one day with good air.
The pictures of the skies in California, Oregon, and Washington are downright freaky! The sky should never be an orange or red color. End of story.
I guess I don’t understand why Halloween would be a big deal. As long as you wear masks and let the trick-or-treaters get their own candy, contact would be minimal. As for walking around a neighborhood, it shouldn’t be any different than going to the store or walking a busy path, IMO. Making a party out of it is probably a thing of the past unless you party with your family. But I don’t see Halloween in general as being an issue.
I think it depends on your region. Here, Halloween is a big, big deal. Kids travel in packs as do the parents. I get hundreds of kids in waves. Van loads. They share candy and my city is not big on masks. They fight it so I doubt anyone would be wearing one unless it was part of their costume. When I open my door I have about 10-15 kids on the doorstep at a time and often not from the same family. I would have to police it. I really don’t want to do that.
You’re right… it’s so hard not to be depressed now. My heart is breaking for the entire west coast. I got some good news today though. There is flooding in Sanibel after all the weekend rain (from Sally), but a neighbor sent photos from around our new house and it’s dry! I’m so relieved.
I also started rereading The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher, a favorite from decades ago… a comfort read that seems to be holding up after all these years. Take care, Ti!
That really is good news about your friend’s house. I will take comfort in knowing her home was spared. I will take good news in any shape or form these days.
I’m glad y’all are out of the path of harm with the fires. Here’s something good I can tell you! I was playing with my little godson this weekend and we came up with several terrific pillow fort innovations. I was proud of us! I came up with using the laundry hamper to make vaulted pillow for ceilings, and then he came up with the idea of using the laundry hamper to make a second story of the pillow fort. WE ARE DOING GREAT TBH.
Praying that the fires are put out soon and the air clear again! I feel so bad for everyone dealing with them. I have family and friends in California and Washington. Praying you and your family stay safe!
I never thought I’d have an air quality app running on my computer, but after last week’s nearby fire, I’ve been monitoring the AQ before leaving the house to get our mail. Today is the first day in a week where it’s safe to be outside. I have family in SoCal (Manhattan Beach and San Diego) and the air is terrible down there right now. I wish we could all go to sleep tonight and have it be 2021. By then, I hope the fires will be a distant memory and we will be excited about a new president. Until then, I guess we continue to live in a bubble and stay as safe as possible. I like your comment about Halloween and not wanting to die. Like you, I’m not living in fear, but I trust the scientists and doctors and will continue to shelter-in-place as much as possible.
Take care, Ti!
I feel so exhausted. I am determined to do better this week than I did last week. I’m setting aside the news. I’m setting aside the discussions about the virus I’ve had with others. I’m setting aside political talk. I’m not even going to fret about the approach of hurricanes. Self-care. Yes.
I wish, no, I should follow your lead. But social media for work allows me to catch all the nastiness and then it sits with me. My worst time of the day is when I first wake up. The dread. Goodness!! I am looking forward to some new shows coming out though so I will dive into those and try to forget the rest. My new shows in case you were wondering, Ratched (think Nurse Ratched) and The Haunting of Bry Manor, installment two of The Haunting of Hill House.
I’m pretty sure that flu shots aren’t even available here yet. Thanks for the reminder to check.