Beneath the Wraps

            I enjoy looking at the memories that facebook reminds me for each day.   The thing I enjoy most is reading comments from friends who have since passed away - like yesterday morning for instance, I was reading thoughts to wish my husband and I "Happy Wedding Anniversary" for almost each year I'd been on facebook.   The last comment I read was from my mom.   I think that's cool.             Mom was not an avid facebook user.   She seemed to allow herself to get flustered with modern technology.   The year I started my facebook account was also the first year her children all wondered if there was some instability happening with mom's mind.   I don't know if that was the first year she'd been tested for Alzheimer's.   I do know she was tested at least twice, but the results didn't show Alzheimer's - but she was in the early stages of dementia.   Ma...

            I started two new classes on Labor Day - well, new to me.   The classes themselves aren't new.   One is in financing and the other is accounting.   Oh, joy.   It hasn't been a full week, and already I've gotten them mixed up.             The instructor who teaches finance is one I've already had before.   My accounting instructor is the most enthusiastic one yet.   She talks quicker than I can take notes.   She doesn't spend much time on the assignment but does seem to cover a lot of ground.   It is still overwhelming.             Now, I'm a visual person, which I think I have mentioned.   I love finding videos on YouTube that will help me understand whatever subject.   CrashCourse was great for economics and history, but it doesn't appear that there ar...

                We ended up NOT going to McMinnville.   Air quality has shifted.   Yesterday we were at a Very Unhealthy and McMinnville was moderate.   Now we're at Moderate and McMinnville as at an Unhealthy level worse than Roseburg - which seemed more breathable the last time I was there.   And forget Eugene.   As there is no direct line from Myrtle Creek to McMinnville, we'd have to take I5 and through Eugene - which may have been worse off than South Umpqua all along.                 This morning I read that I84 was/is closed due to the smoke ( here ).   That's crazy.   We are stuck . . . fires north of us (Washington and Canada) fires east of us (Idaho) fires south of us (California) fires to our West (Oregon) Schools have closed or are on delay due to the smoke.   Jenna had school.   That floors me.   I...

I remember the smell of smoke or stale air many times when I was in Utah.  It was usually cold outside.  We could shut the doors and stay warm and the smell would stay on the outside.  I've never had smoke follow me inside the house before.  I can't see it indoors, but I know that it is there.  We've been running the fans and airconditioners to discourage the smoke.  It has helped cut down the strength, but I still have a headache. True Value has sold out all dust masks:         Roland said he purchased the last bag less than 30 minutes ago.  The next supply won't be in until Friday.  The air is definitely cleaner with this on.  It is also very hot. We also have dust masks in our evacuation bags.  I had forgotten about that until just now.  We really need to go through our bags again.  Perhaps we will do that for family home evening.          If school should get cancell...

          Every time I sign onto facebook, I have been invited to donate to the relief fund for Harvey - as I'm sure all facebook users have.   I have never dealt with the aftermath of a hurricane or earthquake or tornado and hope I will never have to.   I don't know what it's like - but it sounds horrible.   It looks horrible.   I know that there are many who are suffering.   I'm certain that the current situation in Houston Texas is worse than my own in Myrtle Creek.             I do know what it's like to be surrounded by cold winds and how heavy snow can get.   I have had a small taste of a heat-wave.   I can deal with mold better than some.   I can actually better deal with strong and unpleasant odors as I have lost my sense of smell - although I can smell the smoke as it lingers through any air holes it may find - the opening and closing of...

          We saw deer all the time after we first moved to Oregon.   They had wandered into the city to escape the fires that were burning their homes in the forest.   I don’t recall having seen as many deer in the last two years combined.   The fires seem greater this year than in 2015.           Shortly after our move to Oregon, I made up three evacuation bags. We kept them in the closet door right next to the front door. I felt quite fortunate that we’ve never had to use them.           When we moved again, Roland added to the evacuation bags making them three times as heavy. Because of their weight and a extremely small closet, they no longer seem as convenience to get to.   We found five can openers among our garage sale treasures.   I figured we had enough that we could put one in each bag (as all three bags cont...

Bless the inventor of this product.   This is SOOOOOO cool!  I Love it!

    Miss Jenna is off for the next four days after having gone to school for three.  Why not just start school on the 5th?            I left the window open last night.  Big mistake.  It is not yet three in the morning and my eyes and nose are going ballistic.  I should have known better.      I found this map earlier last month.       It maps out 17 different fires that have been burning throughout Washington and Oregon.  Since then I have counted over 25 in Oregon alone.      The map shows a cycling path - an event that takes place each year and includes cyclists from all over the world - who come from different states and even other nations to participate. We live approximately where the purple dot is.     I have read that the Horse Creek fire is just twelve miles outside of Riddle.  That is not that far....

            I forgot to mention the office chair we had picked up at the yard sale, as the one I have been using seems to be falling apart.   I pushed it across the street with no problems, but got stuck with the loose gravel in our hillbilly driveway and stopped before I got to the paved cement walk that leads to the house.             I was reminded of when we had first moved in - there were items that had been moved into the house, but the washer, dryer, and dining set were still outside.   Roland had gone to McDonald's and we pulled the chairs around our dining table and had a picnic in our front yard                 Took these pics of the sunset last night: