The past 24 hours have been a very scary repeat of the 2003 fires, especially with Box Canyon going up in flames only a mile or so away from us. Fire and police officials ordered mandatory evacuations and the long line of frightened but obedient evacuees, many of them pulling horse trailers, began snaking through our neighborhood. Unfortunately, ours is not a through street, but it is part of a horseshoe shape that people can follow back out to within a half-block of a main street that does cross a good ten miles of the valley. So, in most years that artery carries traffic well away from the danger zones. Most of those with horse trailers were headed for Pierce College, which has the facilities to shelter large animals. For the first time, Animal Services is coordinating the rescue of smaller pets, too. This is a plan that is long overdue, so is most welcome.
Next, Bell Canyon erupted into a firestorm during the evening. At sight of that, we began stacking emergency “grab and run” bags and possessions ourselves. For us, the fear was of a westerly wind springing up and driving the fire back towards our neighborhood. In 2003 we’d had flaming palm fronds landing in our backyard (including the fishpond), as well as in the bed of our pickup truck. At 11 p.m. yesterday, I was still pacing the sidewalk across the street and checking out towering, billowing, brown and orange clouds and the red, yellow, and white-hot flames shooting up beneath them. Some people were taking pictures, but the scene was too surreal for me to raise the camera. I finally went to bed at midnight, but slept little.
Today the fire has swept southwest, devouring dry brush and trees, and trying to swallow homes from Hidden Hills and Calabasas out through Agoura Hills, Westlake Village and Thousand Oaks. It is a hungry monster, hampered only by light winds instead of yesterday’s 35 to 40 mph winds that gusted to 75 mph. And of course, fires create their own winds, sometimes resulting in a firestorm. In an outstanding example of inter-agency cooperation, we have fire companies here from throughout the state. They combat the fire by digging trenches, laying down hoses, and dropping water from helicopters and sky cranes. The firefighting choppers have even been sucking up water from the usually dry Chatsworth Reservoir, so last winter’s endless rainstorms have done some good, along with the heavy plant growth they created. Now firefighters are also starting small backfires to keep the larger fire from jumping the firebreaks they have dug. To be continued….
Back from the Santa Barbara Book & Author Festival held today. I didn’t exhibit this year, but made the drive to hear Sally Ride speak. I thought some children might not know who she is, but quite the opposite! They loved her, and had more insightful questions about space than I would have imagined young kids could pose. Let’s hear it for dedicated teachers, and parents who encourage their kids’ interest in the scientific fields.
Dr. Ride assured the kids in the audience that “if you’re good at math and science in 5th grade, you’ll be good at math and science in 10th grade, and you’ll be good at math and science in college. You don’t get dumber as you get older!” A lot of adults were pleased to hear that, too!
When it came to autographing books, the line of grownups and kids was long. Even so, there are adults out there who haven’t been tuned in to what’s going on at NASA or to what needs to happen next. So, for their sake, I remind readers that Dr. Ride was our first female astronaut to fly in space; she flew twice on Challenger, and dedicated her first book To Space and Back to the last Challenger crew, who gave their lives in pursuit of the spirit of exploration that is part and parcel of humanity. She currently teaches at UC-San Diego.
www.shirleyannparker.com/children.htm
On September 20 we kicked off the new administrative year for the San Fernando Valley Chapter of STC. I haven’t been very active the past couple of years, due mostly to lack of time. Volunteer work requires a great many hours and it’s been someone else’s turn for several years now. We had a great talk about Macromedia’s Flash and the capabilities of version 8 that are coming at us. Also heard an industry insider tip about the company’s future. But of course, we’ll wait for the official press release.
Please, if you order anything from either website, or from amazon or other online stores that carry my books, be sure to provide your correct shipping address. We want to make sure whatever you’re expecting from us will arrive safely. Just this evening, I had to explain why someone didn’t qualify for a refund, not after they had provided two bad addresses in two different states. If someone else got their confirmed delivery package after all that, on their own head be it. I’m known to be too patient for my own good, and sometimes, I just have to draw the line!
Since some of you will be asleep when this is posted and others will be halfway through their day, I’m saying “Good morning, friends! And welcome to my blog!” I’ve been trying to get this started for such a long time. It’s really an exciting concept, and a way to keep you posted on the latest news, that is, what’s going on with my writing and our online store. It’s a real juggling act to get any creative writing done these days, given all that’s going on in the day job. Perhaps the less said, the better, regarding that situation. But I’ll be bringing you my thoughts on a regular basis. I can tell you that this won’t be a daily report, not unless something changes quickly. Let’s hear it for the sweepstakes folks and their jeep with the balloons tied to it! In fact, even a conservative registered mail envelope would look just fine. I’m sure there are many of you out there in the same situation, given all the outsourcing of work that’s been going on.
Thoughtful comments are always welcome. However, please be aware the blog is moderated, and anything hateful or offensive toward anyone stands a very strong chance of being deleted. This is not a soapbox for extreme views of any kind.
Do please visit the store to see our exciting new designs. We’re especially pleased with the beginnings of our science fiction and our night-blooming cereus t-shirt, mug, coaster, and many other lines. Everything we have is unique. Please stop by whenever you can, and it would be great if you could buy some of your gifts from us, too.
We’re currently working on at least one calendar for 2006, and if all goes well, we’ll have two of them for you to choose from by year end. Between now and then, who knows what else might happen? But it will be good, if we can get it done.