We have been hiding in the house with the cats almost continuously for 2 weeks, under an incredible blanket of thick smoke from the Camp fire. Every time it started to get to me, I chastised myself because we are actually 200 miles away from that tragic fire, and the only affect on us was smoke. Should have helped my mood, but did not much. The last week every day was worse smoke, as for whatever reason they said it was just piling up in the SF Bay Area. I have lived here since 1950, and nothing remotely similar to this has ever happened.

Today the long forecast, but never showing up, cold front finally moved in. Clean air when I went out to get the paper (did not have to hold my breath) this morning. I ran around and opened every screened window in the house, and turned on all of the fans. That lasted for 2 hours, and blew away the stale air, replacing with fresh. Then it started to pour down rain, so I ran around again shutting the windows and turning off the fans. It has been raining hard now for 2 hours - I even remembered to turn off our irrigation system. This storm is supposed to bring us 1 1/2 inch, and another on Friday is supposed to bring 2 more inches.

Of course, very unfortunately this same storm system is supposed to bring 6 -8 inches of rain to the "burned over" areas of the Camp fire and also the Carr fire and the Delta fire, and the "Mendocino complex", all of which burned in No Cal this Fall. In California, our worst disasters have traditionally been earthquakes, fires, and mudslides following the fires. This will hopefully not be as disastrous as it was last year in Southern Calif. I don't know if these storms will hit down there too, and I don't know whether to hope they do, or hope then don't because of the danger of slides.

Anyway, I decided to be thankful for what I can, which is the clean air and lovely rain we are getting. Hope everyone has a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

Jackie