Beneath the Wraps

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:

Jenna LOVES to dress up in costume.   I had thought for a while that she had always wished she had blond hair, but she doesn't see it that way, though she did do chores in order to purchase a blonde wig which may look real from a distance, but the fibers themselves are polyester or some other form of plastic.   This is what she wanted to wear to school:             We had tried another bow - partly to secure the wig, but also to keep the strands off her face.   Long hair is just too bothersome right now, which is why she's had such short hair for almost a year now.   I tied a bow in scarf that Ooki had sent but it definitely did not go with her personality, though it did seem to match her shirt well                 but she did end up wearing the multi-pastel colored scarf rather than the bandana.   She did keep the...

            On December 24, 2014 my children decided to do white elephant gifts for what would be our last Christmas in Utah (only we hadn't planned for it to be our last Christmas together)   Jeanie recycled at least one gift that they had received, possibly both.                 They weren't wrapped, but left in black garbage bags, both huge.   One a bit bulkier than the other.   For some reason I was drawn to them - not knowing fully which to choose.   I settled on the flat one, figuring it was a painting of some sort.               Many people, when drawing white elephants, will allow a person to choose a wrapped gift or swipe an   unwrapped gift from somebody else.   I didn't know until later that Jenna had actually considered "stealing" the painting I had "unwrapped" but wanted the op...

The beds are dry Not all the river beds not all the way some have puddles It's hard to believe that they were near overflowing just four months ago. The haze comes and goes Lately . . . it lingers hard to breathe It's hot.   I think the smoke is holding in the heat I'm currently washing clothes It is hot enough to hang them on the line But won't the smoke defeat my purpose of having washed them in the first place. At least I have a choice to shut my door and keep the elements outside.   How horrible for those who have to deal with Hurricane Harvey and the mess left behind They can't close the door and leave it outside - the water and damage are still in their houses. Many possessions and loved ones gone. Should we have to evacuate, it will be due to smoke inhalation.   I don't think the fires will come. Why can't the elements even out so there are no floods...