Amazon discontinued the ability to create images using their SiteStripe feature and in their infinite wisdom broke all previously created images on 12/31/23. Many blogs used this feature, including this one. Expect my archives to be a hot mess of broken book cover images until I can slowly comb through 20 years of archives to make corrections.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Visual Evidence


I did not take this picture, but I assure you what you see really happened. I saw this from the freeway as we were traveling north to get to Rosie's. Yeah, that's the fire - not an atomic bomb going off over where I live. Thank God for adrenaline, because it's amazing I kept driving and didn't pull off to the side of the freeway to lose my damn mind.

I called in sick to work today. I figured I earned it. I also wanted a chance to assess the damage. Driving around today, I have got to say that the state of California has the best firefighters in the world! I was amazed at how many homes were saved. Like nothing ever happened. I'm at a loss for words, truly. Yes, the damage is awful. Yes, we have neighbors who lost everything. But man, it could have been worse. Lordy, could it have been worse. There are a lot of people, me and My Man included, who ended up just being "inconvenienced" by the ordeal. Really makes you take stock of things - that's all I'm saying.

I had to run out to the laundromat today to wash our king-size comforter, so I was able to snap a few pictures of my own. Instead of loading a bunch of them directly on the blog (and having dial-up people hate me), I decided it would be easier to throw them on a Flickr account. You can see my pictures here. The burnt out buildings? They're part of my apartment complex and the only units that were touched by the fire.

13 comments:

Katiebabs a.k.a KB said...

OMG that picture is amazing and scary at the same time.

Debora said...

Good Lord, Wendy!

I'm so glad you guys are okay and are home!! Kinds redefines the holiday of Thanksgiving coming up...

Hugs, Debora

Rainbow Tea said...

It's so pretty and so amazingly terrifying. I'm glad your home was alright, I was thinking about you as I watched Good Morning America before leaving for work this morning.

Lori said...

That playground was the first thing I read about yesterday when I found the blog about your apartment. It brings the whole thing home.

Bev(QB) said...

I don't know which is more scary and awesome-- the mushroom cloud or the river of ash pics. I imagine they are even more horrendous up close and personal.

SOOOOO glad you and SLM (Super Librarian's Man) are okay and you've got a home to go back to!

DIK Ladies said...

Holy Macaroni! That's just an incredible picture! Scary as hell.

Thanks for the additional pics from Flikr - wow, just wow.

Nikki said...

I didn't get a chance to comment earlier, but I am so relieved that y'all are okay and your stuff is okay. This will really be a Thanksgiving to remember for many of you Californians.
That picture is worth 1000 words.

Holly said...

I'm so glad y'all are home safe and sound. Those pictures are amazingly sad. :( I feel horrible for all those who lost everything, but I'm really glad you weren't one of them.

Hugs!

little alys said...

So glad you & Dan are safe and sound and the apartment is intact. *hugs*

It was definitely a crazy weekend.

Let me know if there's anything I can do to help out. I am rather close by and yes, I'm being good and staying in. ^_^

Tracy said...

ok - how badly did I screw up? I left a comment here yesterday and I obviously fubar'd it. Oh well. lol

I'm so glad you all are safe. Those pictures are pretty darn scary. And to think it was so close to your place! yikes!

I need to organize stuff because I have too many things in too many places to be able to grab them in case of emergency. Not.good.

Wendy said...

Yeah, kind of adds a poignancy to Thanksgiving doesn't it?

We're slowly recovering. Got word today that the apt. complex will be changing out our AC filters this week (thank goodness!). My Man ran into a guy who lived in one of the damaged buildings, and the complex moved him to an empty unit near our place. There were several empty units pre-fire - hopefully enough to go around to those poor residents who lived in the ruined units.

We bought another air purifier yesterday - so we now have two running all the time. It's helping, but that new AC filter can't get installed fast enough.

Rosie said...

I just had a chance to take a look at the pictures... Yikes! That's so scary that it was so close. So you have everything ship shape for your holiday visitors?

Wendy said...

Rosie: Dear Lord, I haven't even started yet! LOL I have tomorrow off, and I'll do my mass cleaning then. I also need to run to the grocery store and get some shopping done. Busy, busy day tomorrow.