It's official I have entered the age of technology...dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun.....
So this is my new cell phone, yeah I know, pretty crazy that I just now got my first cell phone ever and my 13 year old neice has had one for like 3 years. I just hated the concept of someone always being able to get a hold of you. If I am not home, call back, now there's a nifty concept. Anyhow, I am one of the few people in this world apparently that holds those sentiments and after last week Brad thought it important that I get a cell phone. So I caved and I did, at least it is a cute purple one. Also it was free for the phone and just 9 bucks a month for the coverage. Can't beat that! Can you? I don't even know. Lets see if I can figure out how to use it.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Juliet Fire
We are very lucky! Now this was way too close for comfort. When Brad and I were heading into town on Tuesday all we could see was smoke and the ominous red glow from the flames coming from what appeared to be our house. I remember saying "Thats our house, our house is on fire!" Thankfully, I was wrong, but that is one of the worst experiences I have had yet in my life. It was a total feeling of helplessness as I sat from my car and watched what I thought was everything I had accumulated going up in flames. Also, what was so difficult was not knowing what was going on. Questions such as where was the fire exactly, had it destroyed homes yet, will they be able to keep it contained, they all raced through my head. I just sat there thinking I wish I had my wedding photo album, my wedding dress, my pictures, my jewelry, things from my childhood, and Brad's family heirlooms. I also remember thinking I hope they save my home but I hope that no one gets hurt trying to do so. That thought scared me, thinking that saving my stuff, my house, may cause another to be put in harms way. I understand how scary it is for their wives, and their families to not know for sure whether or not their fireman would be returning home after work. I know this is their job, I know that this is what they train to do, but I still did not want that burden on my shoulders. Luckily, only one fireman was hurt fighting this fire, I cannot express my feelings of gratitude enough.
The "Juliet" fire has already burned 4,000 acres is now 75% contained. The cause of the fire is still unkown, but it started in an area known as Juliet training area aboard Camp Pendleton, however the base commander is insisting that there was no live fire training this time. You see last week there was another fire in virtually the same area, it too started in the training area. That time though winds were low and the fire did not spread as fast and the firemen on the ground and in the air were able to extinguish it relatively quickly. That fire was started by 'live fire'. During last weeks fire I had packed my personal belongings prepared to be evacuated. At that time ash was coming down like snow, covering the lawns, and the cars in the neighborhood. I thought that was too close for comfort. After that fire was extinguished crews aboard the base widened the firebreak between my neighborhood and the base. Had they not widened that line (which the fire did jump adjacent to our street) who knows what would have happened. "A barren strip of earth was all that stood between hundreds of homes and a fast-moving wildfire hungry for fuel.The dirt barrier worked. Officials say the 300-foot-wide fire break, along with aerial water drops and weakened Santa Ana winds, allowed firefighters on Monday to keep a leash on a wildfire that flirted with the backyards of Oceanside and Camp Pendleton homes. A nearby fire crew was able to fight the flare-up, pulling hoses through backyards on Cockatoo and Nanday courts (my street)and saving all the homes that were threatened."
It seems as if we are safe for now. Parts of base housing are still under a mandatory evacuation. There are still firemen working the areas already burned. They have been spraying down the smoldering ashes and turning the earth with shovels. There are still some helicopters making water drops but not in our vicinity. Brad and I were very lucky this time, and I continue to count my blessings.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Juliet Fire Oct 13th 2008
Oceanside, CA
My birthday was smoking hot this year. Yesterday the 13th Brad and I were at my folks house, I had an orthodontic appointment. We received word at 3:30 that our house had been mandatorily evactuated. We got to O'Side an hour and 15 minutes later. They had us pushed back about 1.5 miles at a park (I run passed it on my jogs) and would not let us in to get any personal effects. Thank God I had Brutus with us. I cannot imagine if I hadn't! Then we left to get a car charger (our phone had died) and when we came back they had us pushed back about 3.5 miles (I almost can run that far ;> ). But there was no news, we had no idea what to do. Then Mandy called and said she could still get our answering machine when she called our house. Thank goodness, at least we knew the house was still standing. So about every half hour we were calling to see if we would get the machine or not. All night we did. We stayed with our good friends (the Wild Animal Park buddies) last night. They were so gracious to let us stay with the dog and make us breakfast. (I am thankful for my good friends).
We were able to get back into our house this am, they were checking i'd's to make sure we lived on the right part of the street. Our street to the North they weren't allowing people back home yet. Needless to say we were all pretty stressed out. Unfortunatley we are not out of the woods yet. We have our important irreplacebles packed next to the front door waiting in case we have to be evacuated again. Hopefully, the winds will not shift.
We are very grateful. This year for my birthday I got a house still standing. I am very grateful to all the firefighters and police men who kept my house safe.
My digital camera broke so this is the best I can do with the photos for the time being. Once I get my 35's developed I will try to post. You can also follow the links.
at minute 1 is our neighborhood. The men walking along the fire break is right behind our neighborhood on Alexandrine Ct.
At minute 2:39 the news man is on our street, and the video is from our street.
http://maps.google.com/ This is a map of our neighborhood. We are on Nanday. The empty area behind our house is a nature preserve. Thank God it didn't travel down the preserve, this is what we are afraid will ignite still. Everything else is already burnt.
It was/is massive.
This is taken on College Blvd. The area up in smoke is right behind our neighborhood, Wilmont Ranch.
The evacuated area shown on the map is our neighborhood.
Local news report
OCEANSIDE -- Mandatory evacuation orders remained in effect for all city of Oceanside residents who were forced to evacuate during the Juliet Fire despite earlier official reports to the contrary.
Early Tuesday morning, the American Red Cross announced that city of Oceanside residents who took emergency overnight shelter at El Camino High School could return home, along with other evacuated city residents who sought private shelter. But city spokeswoman Kathy Baker later said that only some residents have been allowed to return home to recover necessities but then must leave again.
The Juliet Fire charred about 3,000 acres in the southeastern sections of Camp Pendleton and was about 25 percent contained early Tuesday, fire officials said.
In addition to city of Oceanside residents, the fire forced the evacuation of thousands of people from base housing. Those evacuation orders remained in effect, according to base officials.
The blaze also prompted the closure of three schools today in the Oceanside Unified School District -- Del Rio, Libby and Reynolds elementary schools, according to OUSD's Web site.
The blaze -- the second to erupt on the grounds of the Marine Corps base in less than a week -- began spreading amid dry, moderately breezy conditions about 3 p.m. Monday, according to CalFire.
As of 3:20 a.m. Tuesday, the fire had spread to about 3,000 acres with no structural loss or injuries, according to base officials. CalFire officials said early Tuesday that the blaze was 25 percent contained.
The cause of the blaze was under investigation.
Authorities cleared all residents out of several base housing developments around Vandegrift Boulevard and from more than 1,000 homes in Oceanside's Wilmont Estates (us) neighborhood, near Papagallo Drive, and the Pilgrim Creek district, in the area of Luiseno Park.
The city used a "reverse 911" telephone system to notify those in threatened areas. Oceanside residents were instructed to go to an American Red Cross evacuation center set up at El Camino High School. Military families were encouraged to go to the Stuart Mesa Housing Office on base.
Last week's blaze broke out Wednesday afternoon and blackened about 1,500 acres in a remote part of the base, resulting in no structural damage and requiring no evacuations.
OCEANSIDE -- Mandatory evacuation orders remained in effect for all city of Oceanside residents who were forced to evacuate during the Juliet Fire despite earlier official reports to the contrary.
Early Tuesday morning, the American Red Cross announced that city of Oceanside residents who took emergency overnight shelter at El Camino High School could return home, along with other evacuated city residents who sought private shelter. But city spokeswoman Kathy Baker later said that only some residents have been allowed to return home to recover necessities but then must leave again.
The Juliet Fire charred about 3,000 acres in the southeastern sections of Camp Pendleton and was about 25 percent contained early Tuesday, fire officials said.
In addition to city of Oceanside residents, the fire forced the evacuation of thousands of people from base housing. Those evacuation orders remained in effect, according to base officials.
The blaze also prompted the closure of three schools today in the Oceanside Unified School District -- Del Rio, Libby and Reynolds elementary schools, according to OUSD's Web site.
The blaze -- the second to erupt on the grounds of the Marine Corps base in less than a week -- began spreading amid dry, moderately breezy conditions about 3 p.m. Monday, according to CalFire.
As of 3:20 a.m. Tuesday, the fire had spread to about 3,000 acres with no structural loss or injuries, according to base officials. CalFire officials said early Tuesday that the blaze was 25 percent contained.
The cause of the blaze was under investigation.
Authorities cleared all residents out of several base housing developments around Vandegrift Boulevard and from more than 1,000 homes in Oceanside's Wilmont Estates (us) neighborhood, near Papagallo Drive, and the Pilgrim Creek district, in the area of Luiseno Park.
The city used a "reverse 911" telephone system to notify those in threatened areas. Oceanside residents were instructed to go to an American Red Cross evacuation center set up at El Camino High School. Military families were encouraged to go to the Stuart Mesa Housing Office on base.
Last week's blaze broke out Wednesday afternoon and blackened about 1,500 acres in a remote part of the base, resulting in no structural damage and requiring no evacuations.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Wild Animal Park
Sep 1st 2008
Sep 1st 2008
Brad and I along with our good friends Brandy & Eric and their two girls spent the day at the beach and then the Wild Animal Park. The park allows active duty military a free pass and since our friends are "members" I also got in for free. Pretty cool. We always have a good time with them and I am glad they invited us to tag along.
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