Welp, I'm about to fill up the tank just in case.

Parts of Lakewood are being evacuated.


If I have to leave, I'll let out the ducks, keep the window missing the screen open for the cats if I can't grab them, and the dog and I are headed to Cannon Beach, OR.

Good times. I'll check in and let you know if we've left. For now I'm just getting gas.

May you, your home, and your menagerie stay unburned--and then, when it's unnecessary, go to Cannon Beach for pleasure.

That goes for Tumwater and all others who may be in harm's way as well.

Dear Heart :)

Tank is full. I have about 3# of cheese plus hotdogs, chorizo, kielbasa, and tomatoes in the fridge ready to go. I'm a walking nitrate.

Thew some clean underwear in my purse. And my meds.

Winter coat for the coast.

5 S to 30 W to 101 S = Cannon Beach, where dogs roam off leash.

Right now I'm knitting a blanket for my daughter that I *will* finish in my house. At some point.

We're supposed to hit 95F on Thursday. No wind right now, but all that can change in seconds.

Good news, though! We have a new orca calf - mother (cow?) is the same one who pushed her dead calf for 17 days and 1K miles in 2018. Calf looks good, they say. Two others in the pod might be pregnant, too. Good. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/09/08/tahlequah-orca-southern-resident-killer-whale-gives-birth/5747567002/

I hope the pandas in DC are well.

Yeah it is good to hear about the whale and baby.

The baby panda is doing very well, and is starting to look like a proper panda! I heard about that poor mother orca. I'm glad that she has another calf to look after.

Good luck to you, Beth. I hope it all comes to naught.

Good thoughts and good wishes going your way for you, and for everyone (includes your close non-humans, too), Beth.

I feel for you and for everyone connected to you.

Remember to take your important documents!!

P.S. I am glad for the orcas.

RIGHT! Documents! Thank you!

ETA: I think I'll take my passport and leave the other stuff in the freezer. We used to do that in CA. Fridges make it through fires, right?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/2020 01:53AM by Beth.

You are welcome!!

Beth Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ETA: I think I'll take my passport and leave the
> other stuff in the freezer. We used to do that in
> CA. Fridges make it through fires, right?

It depends.

I, personally, would not count on it.

Also important: family photos and memorabilia important to you (the bracelet your Grandma gave to you, etc.).

Thanks! - jewelry box is in purse (it's a big purse)

I don't have many things - my daughter has all of the photos. When I moved out here from NJ on I think three or four buses, I brought one suitcase, my computer, my purse, and a canvas tote bag. I haven't amassed much since September 2012.

I've been afraid to buy things in case I'm homeless again.

When I went back East to see my kid, I brought back my guitar. That can burn up. I don't have a ton of clothes - probably will throw my hiking boots in the trunk. I have a tiny car.

Sending out good thoughts for gentle breezes and no assholes lighting off fireworks.

> Sending out good thoughts for gentle breezes and
> no assholes lighting off fireworks.

Good advice.

If I lived near you lot, I wouldn't touch fireworks . . . other than my impending gender reveal party, of course!

Yeah, those stupid idiots! Burning up San Bernardino and southern California.

They shouldn't be having babies.

It must be a big purse (underwear, jewelry box, everything but the kitchen sink)!

The bigger, the better. Never know what you're going to need. Even a book to read!

Still home. Sky a little hazy. Really tired. Hating that 9 pm notification thing. Haven’t checked news yet.

Stay prepared-

Smoke - and fires - everywhere. Eyes burning this morning. I think I'll put them out.

Thinking of all my friends in the west that, over the years, that have had to flee (and sometimes lose) their homes, and endure the regional smoke, real concern, and chaos.

News Flash! Just on the news: said closures and evacuations, around there, include Hwy 410, Enemclaw(sp), and Tacoma...

Covid-19 (BS)
Social Unrest
Western Fires

Take care Beth
And everyone!

Beth! You sound well prepared. That is reassuring. I know you'll make all the right decisions.

But what a big fat mess.

You are sharing with us. So we are feeling your pain too, in a greatly scaled down version. Our skies here in Southern BC are hazy and the smoke-filled air was making me cough yesterday. All coming up to us from Washington. Unbelievable! It's a good lesson in climatology - or something.

I had to keep water in the car to glug while driving as the smoke was clogging my throat. Makes me extra concerned and sorry for the folks closer to the centre of things.

Take care!

Be careful of the oregon coast. Lincoln city was hit by a severe wind storm and I heard areas are being evacuated for smoke. Also, some of the roads may be closed. Maybe if you came down the coast you'd be OK.

In in Oregon City and am 7 miles from one of the 5 fires in Clackamas Co. They just said they have it controlled on the news, but that's close. We're at level 1 now but that could change. So far the heavy wind is working for us and blowing it in the opposite direction.

We don't have animals but our neighbors do, but we have a 96 year old immobile mom though that we would have to deal with. And then there's all my guitars and other instruments and gear!

2020 sucks so far!

Roy G Biv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We don't have animals but our neighbors do, but we
> have a 96 year old immobile mom though that we
> would have to deal with. And then there's all my
> guitars and other instruments and gear!

This very personally resonates with me. (In one way or another, I have been dealing with wildfires since before I entered elementary school for the first time.)

I am sorry you are going through this, RGB.

It hurts; it is scary; and despite increasing experience, in future wildfire events it never seems to get easier.

I feel for you.

Thanks Tevai!

I find myself wondering what Johnny the Smoke would do in these circumstances. . .

Wrong smoke :)_

Well, Mr. Smoke, at least the fires are producing the whole range of visible colors!

coming down the coast - cutting through Longview, WA, US 30 W, 101 S.

Good Choice and Good luck!

I'm so sorry, and I'm so sorry I'm focused on me me me.

Sorry - more myopic than usual.

Beth, most of us focus on me, me, me, especially, and understandably, in the tougher situations, such as your current one and others in the past, recent or otherwise. (Whew, that could be the most commas I've ever put in one sentence).

Survival instinct focuses ourselves on ourselves and that's the nature of the beast. It keeps us around to fight another day.

We can maybe stand 5 hrs of not hearing your progress but not much more than that. We'll be your check-in pals. Please!

Go, go, go if the word comes or just if you get an itchy palm. I read somewhere that's an omen to get the hell out. Or something like that.

Thank you all.

My car is packed just in case. Told my family and boss that they will get one message from me when we're about to leave, if necessary, then don't freak out if they don't hear from me for 5 hours.

Told my boss not taking work computer if I go.

The roads to Cannon Beach are still open and good - I have the map sent to my phone in case something changes on the way.

NOT LEAVING YET

A sign of optimism: I have some air purifiers being delivered tomorrow.

No power outages here. Winds < 10 mph

We have two ways to get onto I5. One is busy, and the other will get me there in four blocks, so I'm going THAT way, if I have to go.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/10/2020 11:41AM by Beth.

I've been through several major floods, but never a fire. I suspect the feeling is similar, except there is little danger that a flood will injure or kill you, even if your house gets demolished, if you don't panic or do something dumb. But the anticipation and preparation sound similar, and the stress is stratospheric.

Thinking happy thoughts for you and the menagerie.

Beth, thank you for thinking about me.

All my family and friends are safe and are well prepared for what ever happens.

Our nephew and his family lives in Bonney Lake, that Sumner fire was about 1-1/2 miles from their home.

They have two small kids, the youngest is just a month old, they took off for Sequim and will stay with his parents.

Last year was my 21st year in working in forest fires. I'm done now. My team is currently assigned to the Dolan fire near Big Sur in California. They have had burn overs and the crew had to deploy their shelters (last resort action), one is in serious condition. The fire ran and doubled in size yesterday, things won't stop until the weather changes and rain comes.

I've seen too many fires and have consoled many people. Actually all I've done is listen to their story, they just want someone to listen. I'm a good listener, at times I feel too dumb to offer good advice. Just listening seems to help.

Again, thank you for thinking of me, please be safe. The most important thing is for you to stay alive, all material things can be replaced, you can't.

You in Oregon now?

Yeah - I think it's forced to evacuate. When I get the text from the county or hear the blaring megaphone people in the street or see an airplane light blinking in the sky (sometimes I mistake them for stars, but I'll probably think they're embers now), I'm out!



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/2020 11:25PM by Beth.

My stupid neighbor who called the cops on me when I moved in but thinks I don't know it was her (she's guilty of a million other neighbor sins - one day I'll list them), well she saw me out back just now trying to get the ducks squared away. She stopped her car to chat while she sat inside her car and I wheezed outside because that's what the bitch does. Usually I don't walk to the fence; I just wave, but this time she pulled over, and I'm like, ugh. Be neighborly.

She is also an East Coast transplant and has kids in the Bay Area. After after talking about the devastation in CA, bitch said, "But we're fine here. I've lived here for..."

And I said, "Stop. Just stop. What you just described as 'unprecedented' is exactly that because IT HASN'T HAPPENED BEFORE, Jackie!"

Jesus, Joseph, and Mary!

Dog's taking a nap. Ducks are eating wilted veg. I'm about to do something unrelated to thinking.

I love you all, and I would really, really hate Jackie if she didn't give me opportunities to yell at her for being straight up stupid. (Her name's not Jackie. Apologies to all Jackies, Jacquies, Jacques, Jacquis, and variations thereof.)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/2020 11:18PM by Beth.

Did she call the cops on you because she is a Karen ?

She's a meddlesome witch. And she's stupid.

Fires here too. Two small ones 30 miles West. BIG BIG ASS FIRES to the East about 50 miles. Small one North of Hubbys work but he is working from home. That one is about 30 miles. The big problem is that there are not a lot of roads...... We won't even talk about air quality.

I am sorry, Susan.

My girl. Meet me at the beach. I love you dearly.

Can't go toward the beach. That is where two of the fires are :(

Baby girl. I am so sorry.

OR road conditions: https://tripcheck.com/DynamicReports/Report/RoadConditions/0

NOAA: https://airquality.weather.gov/sectors/pacnorthwest.php

NWS: https://www.weather.gov

Smoke/fire blog: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/p/forecasts.html

NW Interagency Fire Consortium: https://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/

Susan I/S Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Fires here too. Two small ones 30 miles West.
> BIG BIG ASS FIRES to the East about 50 miles.
> Small one North of Hubbys work but he is working
> from home. That one is about 30 miles. The big
> problem is that there are not a lot of roads......
> We won't even talk about air quality.

Where are you, in general terms, like N.Cal, Central Wash?

♥

Next time I see Jackie, I'm going to tell her to keep on driving.

Grudge, I got it.

I'd like to think it's the daily texts from my job, EVEN WHILE WE'RE WORKING, that have contributed to this freakout.

I took stuff outta my purse, and packed a suitcase. "Packed" = "threw a bunch of random crap in it." Now I won't be able to hit Jackie upside the head with it with much effect, but that's okay.

I forgot I have a day pack with a first aid kit, etc., etc., so that got tossed in the trunk yesterday after dumping more random shit in there.

And I guess that's it for now. Air purifiers haven't arrived yet. I think that's okay for now, too. The shit thing is that I'm supposed to see the dr next week and get a nebulizer. But that's okay, too. I can get the ER doctor who was like, "Get thee a nebulizer" to write a script if I need one right away. Insurance will probably balk, but I think breathing is a good thing.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/10/2020 11:39AM by Beth.

I'm in WA.
Which is nothing compared to the rest of the West Coast.
But nah, Climate Change is a liberal snowflake hoax!
Just like the "pandemic" and the "white privilege"

I think I just saw a bat, but it was by itself and probably too big to be a bat. But it would be nice to have bats. Not like that crazy horde under that bridge in Austin. eff that ish.

But I'd like to see a bat. From a reasonable distance. Preferably not rabid.

I believe all bats are rabid.

If you get bit you have to assume you will get rabies. Therefore, you must always go get the shots preemptively.

Hopefully, you won't come across any, especially in view of all the other challenges going on in your neck of the woods just now.

My advice, not that you asked for it, don't cozy up to the bats!

and become one long level of hair-on-fire anxiety so bad that you can't panic anymore. I mean, you couldn't have a panic attack *if* your hair were on fire, which might be the case at some point, and I wouldn't. even. notice.

Nope.

Panic is my baseline right now, and that's kind of liberating. Of course I'll wake up in the middle of the night yelling, because that's what's been happening the past ican'trememberhowlong. Before the fires.

I called someone in OZ today. I thought about their fires.

Veterans and friends of Vets take note: If you miss a C&P exam on or after 3/1/2020 until the far far future because of COVID issues including concerns, the VA is NOT NOT NOT supposed to deny your claim for failure to report. I don't care if you went on vacation and got stuck in OZ. Preserve the date you filed your claim, make an affirmative declaration to some VBA/VAMC/C&P Contractor that you'd like to postpone your exams because you are concerned about COVID. "COVID" is the key word. If someone asks you if "you would like your claim rated based on the evidence of record," your answer is "NO." Okay? No. Get those retroactive payments to your date of claim and don't let some lazy, exasperated exam scheduler person be like, "Well, we've rescheduled you XXX amount of times..." Tell them *I* said "So what?! Do your damn job. Keep the exams in open status. I will call *you* when I can reschedule."

K? Hear me? I've seen waaaaaay too much BS recently where people are asked if they want to withdraw their claims or have their business rated without an exam.

No. Do not.

They're getting exams done as they're able. The mental health ones can be done over the internet - ask for one if it's not offered. Then we can do a partial rating on the mental health condition if it's a grant or increase and you will start getting $ even though the other stuff that requires an in-person exam hasn't been examined.

If you get a rating at 30% or above, add your dependents right away. Even if the other stuff is on hold.

Go ahead and let your exams get in the pipeline. Right now we're using more contract examiners than VAMCs. They're allllll about telehealth.

And for real, I will help you. I'm seeing some shady shit - not illegal shady shit, just I'm-tired-of-waiting and worn down shit, like it used to be when we had an enormous backlog and we worked mandatory OT at some places for 3-4 years.

That's going to happen again once the exams start pouring in. But you know what? I'll be okay with that. Maybe not three years of that mandatory 20+ hours a month, but we do want to get these claims done. BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE PEOPLE WE'RE HIRED TO SERVE.



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 09/11/2020 03:20AM by Beth.

Yes - the date we receive the application is the date of claim. If the claim isn't approved for however-long, ***assuming there's a grant*** the benefits will be paid retroactively to the first day of the month after the date of claim. Sometimes earlier if you file a claim within the first year of being released from Active Duty.

Lots of rules, but the main thing to remember is to preserve your date of claim.

Can't write more at this moment.

There are also Veteran Service Organizations that can help navigate this process. Google VFW, MOPH, DAV - there are also state ones. VSOs and VA have encrypted email and IM (the have va.gov email addresses), so I often reach out to the VSO if I can't reach the veteran if the VSO has been granted the ability to talk to me and gotta go.

PEOPLE WHO ARE SERVICE CONNECTED FOR Mental Health: COVID is exacerbating mental health conditions. If you are already service connected to a mental health condition, file a claim for increase. You will get an exam. We can do a telehealth exam and rate it, get you money if you are granted and increase without you leaving home.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/11/2020 03:56PM by Beth.

Dear Portland and environs,

GTFO!


I'm about to start work. Humidity high. Dew point low. Winds light. Air bad. Animals good.

I asked a friend in Colorado if the recent snowfall helped with the fires there, and she responded that it did help with one of the fires, but not as much as hoped.

Glad that northern Colorado snow helped. Otherwise, there goes the (relatives) house. Summer snow. What do you know?

Remember the run on toilet paper? I didn't anticipate a run on air purifiers.

Anticipating a run on filters, I bought extra.

One of my brothers lives outside New Orleans and is bracing for the hurricane.

Our poor dad has agita.