The AH Coffee Shop and Reading Room 02: A Comma (is a Restful Pause)

[MagicaPractica]

I'm just listening today. It's nice to hear what's happening around people.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Chloe, don't ya love storms while camping. The light pitter pat types are preferred on my part but the other types seem to generate more passionate lovemaking.

Ohhh, the thunderstorm was great once I figured the tent was going to hold up. We had an old Coleman a couple of years ago but it was a lightweight one with the really flimsy poles - one of them broke when we were putting it up so we returned it and got a heavier duty tent with much heavier duty poles. Weighs a lot more but it's for car camping, not for hiking... and as for passion - nothing like a thunderstorm, wind and rain beating on the tent and being nice and cosy...

Cooking tent? I usually stretch a come-along between two trees and cover it with a heavy tarp. Open on both ends with about three feet of opening along the sides during the summer. Good ventilation but dry if you ditch around the edges. If storms are eminent, I usually do the same setup over the tent.

Yes, we were planning that for next year (the heavy tarps). Got to look around to find a decent sized one. Our cooking tent is just mosquito mesh sides with a light roof. Really flimsy and not meant for weather like Saturday night. Might look around for something tougher but I definitely want the mesh. Insects are such a pain in summer and I hate mosquitoes buzzing around. And as for blackflies and horseflies .... - the mesh plus citronella plus Off does the trick quite well - but yes, a tarp over the top, definitely for next year.

With experience comes dryness.

In context of course

And... we had a burst of sunshine, everything is steaming away... time to start eating and packing and the coffee was great, brought to my sleeping bag. Nothing like room service

I left for work this morning to find three hot air balloons trying to land around my house. The closest one was a real big commercial flight with the largest gondola I've seen. It seemed like they all got down safely.

I'd love to see that.

 

[Handley_Page]

I left for work this morning to find three hot air balloons trying to land around my house. The closest one was a real big commercial flight with the largest gondola I've seen. It seemed like they all got down safely.

The Balloon Fiesta is underway, but those balloons had to launch somewhere other than the Balloon Fiesta site. They couldn't have reached my house from the official site that early in the morning.

Pity you didn't get your camera going; it might have been a good piccy.

I'm just listening today. It's nice to hear what's happening around people.

You still at "Fort Blanket" ?

 

[MagicaPractica]

You still at "Fort Blanket" ?

All day, provisions have been brought in and we're here for the long haul. Still hoping to finish the story today, though all I've done so far is read through what I have. The good news is there is some better stuff than I thought in there. It's worth finishing.

 

[Handley_Page]

All day, provisions have been brought in and we're here for the long haul. Still hoping to finish the story today, though all I've done so far is read through what I have. The good news is there is some better stuff than I thought in there. It's worth finishing.

Good For you.
Do please let us know when your siege can be relieved.

 

[MagicaPractica]

Good For you.
Do please let us know when your siege can be relieved.

I'll send out some smoke signals.

 

[Handley_Page]

I'll send out some smoke signals.

As long as it's not the smoking wreckage !

Plot Bunny:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/10/09/fetlang_erotic_programming_language/

 

[NotWise]

I went for a walk after lunch and found it uncomfortably cool and breezy. Now we're under a freeze warning and it's already snowing in the mountains north of here.

I'll be surprised if it actually does freeze. It would be the earliest frost in years.

 

[Hypoxia]

I'll send out some smoke signals.

I caught smoke signals at 7:30 this morning, much too early for us. That's when the sheriff robo-called to announce that the fire in the next county wasn't heading our way but they'd call again if it changed direction.

So we woke up to a fire day. Very smoky here. Even worse in our old home area around Sonoma county, and many parts of NorCal. A slew of fires over many miles all started around 10pm last night. Driven by 50-70 mph winds, in twelve hours they became one of the worst fire clusters in state history.

A major part of a major city, Sana Rosa, is gone now, including places we've lived. Much history and beauty gone. The sun was invisible at noon in Santa Rosa. Much of the Napa-Sonoma-Mendocino wine country is threatened. Downtown Napa itself may burn.

Much more will burn. Firefighters are focused on saving lives, not buildings or trees. Evacuation order means LEAVE NOW! Most smell the smoke and run.

Ah well. More coffee. Must drive my partner to clinic in a few minutes. Must be awake, alert, not too blind. Yeah, another cuppa Guatemalan...

PS: I'd planned to whine about tech problems canceling our planned short RV trip. But that doesn't really matter now.

 

[Handley_Page]

I caught smoke signals at 7:30 this morning, much too early for us. That's when the sheriff robo-called to announce that the fire in the next county wasn't heading our way but they'd call again if it changed direction.

So we woke up to a fire day. Very smoky here. Even worse in our old home area around Sonoma county, and many parts of NorCal. A slew of fires over many miles all started around 10pm last night. Driven by 50-70 mph winds, in twelve hours they became one of the worst fire clusters in state history.

A major part of a major city, Sana Rosa, is gone now, including places we've lived. Much history and beauty gone. The sun was invisible at noon in Santa Rosa. Much of the Napa-Sonoma-Mendocino wine country is threatened. Downtown Napa itself may burn.

Much more will burn. Firefighters are focused on saving lives, not buildings or trees. Evacuation order means LEAVE NOW! Most smell the smoke and run.

Ah well. More coffee. Must drive my partner to clinic in a few minutes. Must be awake, alert, not too blind. Yeah, another cuppa Guatemalan...

PS: I'd planned to whine about tech problems canceling our planned short RV trip. But that doesn't really matter now.

A city of 175 thousand is in that much trouble ? Wow!
Sympathy for the affected, in no uncertain terms !

Meanwhile, a nice cup of tea is indicated, I think.

 

[MagicaPractica]

I caught smoke signals at 7:30 this morning, much too early for us. That's when the sheriff robo-called to announce that the fire in the next county wasn't heading our way but they'd call again if it changed direction.

So we woke up to a fire day. Very smoky here. Even worse in our old home area around Sonoma county, and many parts of NorCal. A slew of fires over many miles all started around 10pm last night. Driven by 50-70 mph winds, in twelve hours they became one of the worst fire clusters in state history.

A major part of a major city, Sana Rosa, is gone now, including places we've lived. Much history and beauty gone. The sun was invisible at noon in Santa Rosa. Much of the Napa-Sonoma-Mendocino wine country is threatened. Downtown Napa itself may burn.

Much more will burn. Firefighters are focused on saving lives, not buildings or trees. Evacuation order means LEAVE NOW! Most smell the smoke and run.

Ah well. More coffee. Must drive my partner to clinic in a few minutes. Must be awake, alert, not too blind. Yeah, another cuppa Guatemalan...

PS: I'd planned to whine about tech problems canceling our planned short RV trip. But that doesn't really matter now.

A sad situation.

 

[NotWise]

Much more will burn. Firefighters are focused on saving lives, not buildings or trees. Evacuation order means LEAVE NOW! Most smell the smoke and run.

You guys have obviously been sacrificing to the wrong Fire God. You need to get that right.

 

[Hypoxia]

A city of 175 thousand is in that much trouble ? Wow!
Sympathy for the affected, in no uncertain terms !

Meanwhile, a nice cup of tea is indicated, I think.

Another 50,000 or so just outside the city limits and close to the burn zone, and a couple hundred thousand more in the vicinity. This is the largest near-coastal metro area in 1000 km between San Francisco and Portland, Oregon. It's suffered quakes and floods but this is the worst fire complex I know of in the area.

How about a few zillion cups of tea? Sprayed over Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Napa, et al.

A sad situation.

We know some who have lost everything. Tell the truth, we're only surprised at the spread into the urban area. The scrub-oak hills east of the city looked like firetraps when we first explored some decades ago. We bought elsewhere.

You guys have obviously been sacrificing to the wrong Fire God. You need to get that right.

We need Pele to send a younger sister over from Hawai'i on the next Pineapple Express. But oy, out here we need to placate seismic gods, fire gods, rain and flood gods, cannabis gods, smog gods, and the fucking Board of Supervisors (county council) who sometimes deserve the truckloads of sewage dumped on their front steps.

Time to worship some rain gods. Think they'd like a spot of jasmine tea?

 

[NotWise]

Time to worship some rain gods. Think they'd like a spot of jasmine tea?

Probably not into jasmine tea--but you never know, maybe they've developed exotic tastes. Here, pollen and yellow corn are traditional offerings.

 

[TxRad]

Probably not into jasmine tea--but you never know, maybe they've developed exotic tastes. Here, pollen and yellow corn are traditional offerings.

Around here it is fried chicken and pecan pies.

Morning all, happy Tosday. Wiggle them if ya got em.

Fresh coffee is available but I can't find the kettle. I think Hypoxia snagged it to brew that zillion cups of tea.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Around here it is fried chicken and pecan pies.

Morning all, happy Tosday. Wiggle them if ya got em.

Fresh coffee is available but I can't find the kettle. I think Hypoxia snagged it to brew that zillion cups of tea.

Morning Tex. Got the toes, got the coffee, got the tent drying in the garage and washing the woodsmoke out of the clothes. No work until tomorrow so it's a laid back day for me. Enjoying the comments on my Nockatunga story and about to start writing the next whatever once I can decide what to work on. Decisions decisions.

 

[NotWise]

Around here it is fried chicken and pecan pies.

It must work, because I hardly ever hear of wildfires in east Texas.

We had a nice crisp morning but seemed to miss the predicted freeze. The cool air is good for ballooning and we had hot air balloons by the hundreds this morning.

 

[Handley_Page]

You guys have obviously been sacrificing to the wrong Fire God. You need to get that right.

Under no circumstances whatever should you invoke Cthulu in your mysteries and ceremonies.
That way lies madness and smoke!
Some placatory offerings to 'Hephaestus' or possibly 'Vulcan' may be indicated.

Another 50,000 or so just outside the city limits and close to the burn zone, and a couple hundred thousand more in the vicinity. This is the largest near-coastal metro area in 1000 km between San Francisco and Portland, Oregon. It's suffered quakes and floods but this is the worst fire complex I know of in the area.

= Board of Supervisors (county council) who sometimes deserve the truckloads of sewage dumped on their front steps.

Time to worship some rain gods. Think they'd like a spot of jasmine tea?

You might start with 'ZEPHRYUS', who's in charge of rain.
See the note about Cthulu above.

 

[TxRad]

Chloe, laid back days are nice ever so often. They allow time for everything to catch back up. Then you have to run twice as fast.

NW, The last wildfires I remember where six or so years ago during a bad drought period. They were more in south central Texas. I can't remember a bad forest fire in East Texas. The Forestry Service does control burns of underbrush in the National Forests and helps tree farmers to do the same.

 

[Hypoxia]

I just got up within the hour (after 4 hours sleep, almost a record now) to haul trash out for pickup (bears were down at the other end of the road) and filter the day's hundreds of spams from my inbox. I almost don't have heart to read the fire news. So much of what I knew is gone...

Enough. Back to bed. Pee the last of the tea and brew coffee for later. Oh, yesterday's medical stuff? All good news and cheap fix. And we'll see the grandkids in a week. Yay!

 

[sr71plt]

The news organization I worked for had a huge bureau on the West Coast, in Santa Rosa, covering the Pacific, during WWII and the Korean War and an office retirement community got established there and has been fed with office retirees ever since who wanted to live in the Napa Valley paradise amongst former work colleagues. A pretty special place. The entire development was wiped out in the fires last night. Sad. Such a bad year for natural disasters for the States this year.

 

[Handley_Page]

Definitely
NOT NICE;
AT ALL.

Sympathy for the afflicted

 

[kimbalee]

hoping everyone here isn't sick to death of everything pumpkin flavored for the season as I drop off some muffins, cookies, and cake. just gonna grab a cuppa on my way out. *hugs*

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Kimmie

 

[Handley_Page]

Hi, Kimmee.

It's late and I need a brew. - OK own up, who's moved the kettle ?