LA fires

I know these fires happen every year but I have read that they have been getting larger and more devastating in recent years. Many say that this has nothing to do with global warming but I think there is a definite connection. It makes me sad hearing about the loss of life (both human and animal) that are a result of these huge fires. Having lived many years in Los Angeles - I remember well the "Santa Ana winds" and this fire-risk time of year. There are a lot of fires burning out of control up and down the west coast. My prayers go out to all involved.

Time Lapse Test: The Station Fire from Eric Spiegelman on Vimeo.

Yea -- it should be cooler tomorrow/today! Whoo hooo!!!

Hi there ---
I am so glad that at least this latest heatwave is over for awhile. :-) (Doing a happy dance) It should be more in the 70s "tomorrow" ! Wheeeeee!!! :-)
Here is an amazing child prodigy!!! Emily Bear -- check out this video! Amazing! :-)

Ellen went home and we got another heatwave! LOL

Hi there ---

I am glad it was cooler while Ellen was here -- but then when she left we got another heatwave! (sheesh) Today was close to 100 degrees in Portland. Fortunately, it is supposed to be cooler tomorrow! I sure am looking forward to Autumn!
It is so nice having my digital camera working again -- I finally sent away for the charger that I had lost -- but then after I bought a new one =-= I found the old one! :-/ Isn't that always the way!??? lol At least now I can take better pictures of my catlets! Above is a cute one of Blueberry! And here's another one! (grins) She is such a cutie (IMO) :-)

She loves to lie down with her feet in the air! When she does this -- it is really tempting to pat her belly but she objects to having her belly patted. (She is such a tease) :-)

Here is one of Tai Chi .... She is such a sweetheart! She is my older kitty. She is at my feet under the computer as I type this. :-) =^..^=

My friend from Calif and I have been having fun....

Hi there --
My friend, Ellen and I have been having a nice visit. Since she also does SL I have been letting her spend the time at the computer while we are home. The rest of the time we have been checking out places and seeing friends and family. I drove us both to Mnt Hood yesterday! It was a beautiful day == sunny (yeah == I like sunny when it is not too hot and has some clouds) with blue sky and lots of wonderful clouds. It was great weather for photography! I drove us up to Timberline Lodge (where they filmed some scenes for "The Shining." )(lol)

It is a neat lodge -- with lots of sculptures and iron grille details. The doors are huge! It was built in 1937.

Ellen walked a bit up a path to try to touch some snow (not much snow at Timberline lodge in mid summer) I wanted to walk with her but my legs, body etc can't do that at this time -- hopefully I can get in better shape soon... (next goal after cleaning apt). I waited up at the bar in the lodge and eventually got some chairs by one of the best window views of the mountain. (It was hard -=- whenever anyone would leave- - others would rush right into that spot --)

When Ellen got back, we had dinner at the bar, and watched the fog/low clouds come in and cover up the mountain quickly. The food was delicious and colourful. (Pretty fruit and veggies).

Afterwards we walked around some more and took more pictures cuz the scenes had really changed with the low dark clouds coming in. Ellen hates the rain but I LOVE it -- so I thought the dramatic skies were WONDERFUL!!! It rained quite hard as we were decending the mountain. I guess Ellen was glad she was INSIDE the car. (grins) It was SOOOOO BEAUTIFUL! Hopefully I will get some of the pics we took into this blog when we transfer them to the computer!
:-)

PS: The weather has been great temperature-wise during Ellen's visit but on the DAY she is leaving - they are predicting it to be into the mid 90s again!!! :-( AND -- the following week it is going to get up into the HIGH 90s again!!) NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! :-( The hot weather is supposed to be down in Los Angeles, California! I am not a great fan of El Nino weather systems.

Whooo Hoooo -- It is finally cooler!!!!!!

Ahhhhhh -- Finally!!!! The temps are now in the mid 70s!!!! And -- for the first time in AGES - we have had TWO grey days in a row!!!! I still wish we would get some RAIN but these grey days are sure welcome! I am thoroughly enjoying them! Isn't it wonderful??? :-)
I know that the hot days are not over yet -==- but this break is sureeeeee nice! :-)
My apt is finally clean enough to have a long time friend come over and stay for 12 days. My good friend has come up from California for a visit. I picked her up at the airport yesterday. The cats both remember her! They enjoying all the extra attention! I gave her a bit of a piano lesson yesterday! (grins) I don't have a piano here but I DO have one of those synthesizer keyboards. She had never made a chord before (she is not really into music that much == shame == I couldn't survive without music!) I taught her a bit of "Heart and Soul." I think she had fun! :-) My brother and I always dreaded our piano lessons as kids because the teacher was rather ... erm .... B*tchy! (shame) Music should be fun! Just like art!
My friend also uses SecondLife -- and I only have one computer here so we will have to share computer/SL time. I probably will let her have more time on SL than I use because I want to be a good hostess. (smiles)
Anyway -- it is SOOOOOOO nice to NOT be having to run the "portable" AC atm! I sure hope this lasts awhile! (Actually I would love it if we would have a cool rest-of-the-summer -- but I doubt we will be so lucky!)
Still -- the coolness is soooo nice while it is here! :-)

Hi there all ~~~

They are saying that this week is going to be the hottest it has been all year -- AND it is going to get into the triple digits by this coming weekend!! I am tired of only writing complaints about the heat here but I sure DO hate this weather == I figure this may be the last time I can be online for awhile because if it is hot as it they say it is going to be =- then it is too hot for my "portable" AC to handle -- and it will be too hot to have my computer on.

I sure hope this HEAT stops soon -- I am really sick of this!!!
:-(

It's been HOT HOT HOT!

(Waves to Wild and Princess -- I sure am grateful to you both for how you stop by and leave comments == It makes me feel less alone =-=- TY so much!~! Hugsss!!)
(Also waves and HUGS to FD, MI, Mykyl, and Michelle!)
We have been in an AWFUL four-day heatwave over here. WAYYYYY too hot to turn on the computer -- it has been awful. My "portable" AC has not been able to keep up with things and even turned itself off this morning. :-( I guess it overheated. For awhile there I thought thaqqt it was off for good but it still turns on (thank God). Cindy (the lady who helps me clean) thinks that it is not producing much cold air though. :-( She came today but we didn't get much done because it was too hot. She just tested some bateries and made the bed and then left. Hopefully we can get more done when she comes again on Tuesday. (Boy, I am NOT a heat person == and definately NOT a summer person) :-/
Oh well == it is going to be HOT again tomorrow and then it is supposed to cool down. I am concerned that if I am having this much trouble with mid 90 degree weather == what am I going to do when it gets up into the 100s in August and September?
Ugh!
LOL!
I hope everyone had a nice 4rth of July! I didn't do anything or go anywhere today but I did visit mom yesterday (on the 3rd) It was a nice visit. We talked and watched some episodes of "Medium" on DVD. When I got home at midnight last night == my apt was SOOOOOOOOO HOT even though I had left the air conditioning and tons of fans on. :-( Hmmmmm Something definitely is not working.
At least it is cooling down at night and I am very grateful for that -- unfortunately = I am having a heck of a time getting the cooler air from outside INTO my hot apt! I have all the windows open now and fans in them but this apt is staying hot. :-(
Sorry about all my complaining about the heat -- but if I can't complain here ==-where can I? (Giggles) I sure will be happy when it starts RAINING again! (smiles)