yikes :-( not good.

OH MY GOD. I remember growing up in Orange County and occasionally worring about the fires. I'm the kind of girl that freaks out and starts thinking about how I am going to survive after my house burns down and I lose all worldly possesion etc. I am not so good to be around in a crisis because I tend to look at the situation from a stand point that assumes that the worst is inherently going to happen. Anyway, be safe, don't get to close to the fire.

I grew up in the valley, and when i was in jr high in woodland hills there was a HUGE fire that just about encircled the valley. i couldn't believe they made us attend school when we could barely breathe. this must have been around '70 or '71. it was like it was raining ashes for days!! if the fires continue you better take a day trip to cleaner air.....take the cat posse on a road trip!!

Oh how I love to read your blog. I am sitting here at 1:30 am rolling to think about your house wishing it were a trailer. Great pictures of the fire. I hope it stays away from you. All that smoke and ash...scary! also not good for yarn!

We had a fire blazing behind us last night, too. I couldn't sleep worrying about it & thinking "I need more cat carriers!" Wish I had the foresight to stock up on wine, I might have gotten some sleep!!

Forget the house, bring those cats and yarn to safety. Pray to those rain gods, maybe that'll help??

We get ready bad bush fires in and around Sydney Australia. In Canberra (3 hours South) my grandparents lost their house and all their belongings in the last really bad fires 3 years ago. They were insured. Thank God!

Stay safe, and keep that wine chilled!

Are you sure the house isn't saying "hose me down and start doing a rain dance, dammit!"?

I am just glad you are all right.

Will you be returning to the Stitch 'N Bitch soon? I am taking a class and will return in November. :-(

I remember being at school on the Ash Wednesday bushfires around Melbourne, Oz, 20 or so years ago. It was smokey like that. Then the burnt gum leaves, like whole leaves, started wafting past on the stinking hot northerly wind. It was pretty freaky cos we were 20 miles from the closest fires. SoCa is like here in that way.

If it was a trailer in North Carolina it would be consumed by now. What does a divorce and a hurricane in NC both have in common??

Either way some one is going to lose a trailer...

That looks really scary. If it had been me out there I think I would have got the hell out of dodge immediately! Hope it keeps well away from you.

when i was a kid and we lived in california, my dad would load us up in the car and drive us to the fires, or the earthquake destruction. he's a curious sort i guess, but let's just say, if i could have slept with a fire extinguisher i would have. (i used to also sleep facing the doorway so that in case of an earthquake i could spring from bed and stand safely under the door)

be careful of the fire. i'll send over some rain.

I love the photos, but BE CAREFUL, PURLY!

ah, memories. but what will happen to the old Getty house? do your house and that house talk?

That's interesting. I was just reading your post, and the news started talking about the fires. I'm hoping you won't need any disaster supplies other than the wine you bought...

Hey you, be careful. And get out when you need to. Those things travel fast. A friend of mine lost her house and everything she owned (save her, her partner, the dogs and 2 spinning wheels) in the fires in SanDiego a couple of years ago. It was NOT fun.

And go check your insurance. and make sure those lying bastards haven't purposefully underinsured you.

You battled fires - and I actually picked up my knitting last night. It felt good to do something repetitive and not have to think much.

Stay away from the fire. I repeat, do not go near the fire.

What would we do without your blog? Huh?

not good! you be careful . . . i just found your blog: it's always good to find someone who has more Yarn Issues than i do! (cat carriers and yarn carriers: essential emergency gear)

I seen that on the news last night and thought of you. Great pictures of the fire and the cats too!!

This has nothing to do with your post (though I hope you are staying safe), but I just read an excerpt from Cheaper than Therapy (A. Modesitt) that must be yours! Congrats on being published and everyone - go check out "Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair."

Well, HERE, you silly modest thing! I would have had it all over my blog!
http://www.cheaperthantherapybook.com/

Now you have to please do a post and tell us how it happened!

OH MY GOSH, yes tell!!!! sheesh!!!

and i keep thinking of you and the kitties as i watch the news. :-(

I just read your excerpt from Cheaper than Therapy. It was wonderful.

Hope you stay safe from the fire.

Come to Houston! Safety first!

girl, your essay rocks! it's funny and still got me a bi verklempt. get an extra cat carrier for that yarn - we already know you probably have an emergency plan all figgered out. and the fire photos? rockin!

:) Good to see you got your priorities straight. Was that a Target shopping cart in the pic?! Gawd, the smoke is horrible down here in Cent. City, I can only imagine what it must be like in the Valley. Be careful. And if you and the cats need fostering, be sure to let me know! (I HAVE WINE.)

-D.

Wine = Liquid.
Liquid = Enemy of Fire.
Seems logical to me. Though it is probably a good thing you didn't stock up on Everclear or Courvoisier.

Also, as a Southerner, you should know that trailers are tornado magnets.

I heard about the fires and wondered if you were okay...good to see you are. (Read you are?? Whatever.)

The pics are awesome! Stay safe and keep your faithful Internets pals posted. (Posted! Ha. I'm such a dork.)

I heard about the fires and wondered if you were okay...good to see you are. (Read you are?? Whatever.)

The pics are awesome! Stay safe and keep your faithful Internets pals posted. (Posted! Ha. I'm such a dork.)

My parents live in Woodland Hills and I was kind of freaking out trying to get a hold of them...turned out they're in New York shopping! lol! Stay safe and let us know that you're OK!!

leave leave leave - get my uncle nick and dirve up to canada ASAP!

Those are some pretty amazing pics! Glad you’re OK. The smoke has really rolled over the hill today. People in West Hollywood woke up with ash on their cars. Yesterday the plume of smoke was way off in the distance and now it’s just a think blanket of a smog-like cloud. Ick! Don’t forget there are health advisories to limit your outdoor activity. Darn, no canyon jogging for me today. Oh wait…right, I don’t jog.

Oh it's just been nuts around here!! And I had no idea you lived so close...I also took some sky shots yesterday, sadly, my roof is not as attractive as yours...

Lord ... that looks bad. I spent a buncha time on Florida's east coast when it caught fire in '98 ... I remember just becoming SO SICK of that "campfire" smell ... My clothes stunk like I'd been sitting around a campfire all night, drinking cheap beer (okay, the beer part had nothing to do with the fire, but if you were out buying wine, you'll know what I'm talking about here) ...

Anyway. Losing your house in a fire would suck worse, but stinking like a campfire is pretty bad too.

My friend lives on Topanga Canyon Road/Drive/whatever!!! She and her roommates left their apartment yesterday or the day before with as much of their stuff as they could fit in their cars. Scary stuff.

Well, I can tell we're going to have a hot old time when I come out (hee hee).

Run, girl, run. We all love you too much to risk you for some cute photos (which are REALLY great and funny, but not an appropriate epitaph for such a stellar person!)

I remember about 5 years ago - right after bad fires in LA and TERRIBLE floodingin the midwest, hurricane in FL, thinking, "Gee, I'm so lucky that nothing like that ever happens here in the NY area ..."

ACK!!!

Excellent photos, Miss Laurie. You are a true photo-journalist! There's just something about smog and fire that make our California skies the most beautiful in the world! We hate fires, but love the colors! Hose down your roof, just in case. Miss you!

DudeLaurie, y'all can come visit LeAnne and the kiddies and the kitties and the messy husband and The Dog during the fire! I will even provide you with wine and yarn. K?

You know, to be honest, if I saw flames like that, the last thought in my mind would be to stop and take pictures of them! Of course, that might be because I'm from the East Coast in cold, cold Massachusetts, and we don't get things like that around here.

*hugs* Stay safe- I hope everything is okay!

What a dramatic find for a first visit to this blog, heh.

Yikes! Your house is so close! I'd be so nervous. I think your instinct to buy wine is merely intelligent self-preservation.

Whoa! Those photos of the fires are impressive, even at that distance! Keep those kitties safe, and buy more wine.

OH MY GOSH!!! You are a trip! can't believe you were taking pics with the raging fire as your background!! LOL!! No wonder you were getting honked at!! The pictures are amazing - thanks for sharing with those of us that have never lived around something that horrific - fire terrifies me - I would have been driving in the "OPPOSITE" direction...lol

ps: Love your blog...

Fire = BAD
Photos of fire = VERY GOOD
Blog = Daily Read (wish they were half as entertaining as yours ~~ so glad I read the comments ~ sometimes I'm rushed & I don't

Laurie in "Cheaper Than Therapy" = VERY EXCELLENT GOOD WONDERFUL!!

reposting the addy provided by earlier poster
http://www.cheaperthantherapybook.com/

I woulda been out there with my camera, too. Glad you are upwind or far enough away. I grew up in Pasadena, and only once was a fire close enough that we could see the FLAMES from the house... but there were lots of times when the sky turned that funny color and the sun almost disappeared and you could smell what was left of nature and belongings.

A moth to flames! When I was growing up, whenever there was a fire siren - even during dinner - my father would jump up and follow the firetrucks. Of course, my sister would beg to go and offwe went! I'd like to think it was that he was a good samaritan, however, I'm sure there was some percentage of curiosity as well, since we just watched when we got there and nothing really exciting ever happened if you dont count seeing an entire field on fire from some kids fooling around with matches, especially two girls who happened to be out of breath, sitting on the porch when the siren went off and who weren't so very interested in THAT fire in particular!

YA'LL is good English. Just in case ya'll didn't understand.

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