The California Fires

For the past two days we have been both mesmorized and horrified by the the scenes in California, as the many fires continue to incinerate the San Diego and Los Angeles areas. The scenes on television have looked like war zones, which they are, although the enemy is faceless.

We had visited the area so often when Jerry and Marlene lived in Rancho Bernardo, where a branch of SAIC is located. We stayed at an RV resort in Escondido and drove the challenging NASCAR training road, I-15, down to J & M's house often, going past Lake Hodge, which we now see on the news. We exhibited at antique shows at Del Mar, right by the race track where thousands are now staying as evacuees. We went sightseeing up and down that beautiful ocean coastline between L.A. and San Diego, and we enjoyed lunch at Rancho Santa Fe. We shopped all over the whole area and started to know it pretty well, comfortable enough to navigate wherever we wanted to travel. No longer is it the same.

The Rancho Bernardo area where J & M lived was lovely, with Spanish-styled homes, surrounded by palms, oleanders, hybiscus, birds of paradise, and other florals too numerous to name. Their home backed up to a type of nature preserve/open space, a canyon with trees and brush, which always seemed dry to us. One of our concerns when they lived there was the danger of fires, as nothing would block them from the dangers. The houses are very close together, and they are not well-constructed, so a tiny spark could cause a whole neighborhood to blaze. We wonder if their pretty neighborhood is among the rubble we watch on TV. And, what of the people? We have thought so often of their friend Sharon, one of the loveliest persons ever, and wondered where she and her family are. Marlene did not know yet. And how are Marlene's nieces Becky and Megan? They last reported to their mother that the air was unbreathable, and they did not know what would happen next. And, are Becky and Austin safe in Escondido? Is that area out of the range?

Our thoughts and prayers reach out to all of those in the stricken area, wishing them safety and shelter, hoping for their return to their homes and some degree of normalcy, and for those who no longer have homes, we wish them a new life and peace. Our prayers also go out to the heroic firefighters who are battling so diligently to save the land, the homes, the people. We hope and pray it ends soon.