This is the closest the fires got to me:

That was an eerie site to see, though I didn't take the picture. That was the view from Mt. Helix, for locals and those who know the area.

My friends who had to evacuate are all back home now. And life goes on. The national news folk leave, and clean-up begins. Hopefully, the generosity expressed by everyone in the days of pure crisis last long enough to help our neighbors clean up and move on.

Some will say it's their own fault for living in the back country. And it is. Just it's the fault of those living in floodplains, and tornado alley.

Whatever you do kiddies, where ever you live, take care of yourselves. Every place has it's crisis weather. If the powers that be tell you to get out, by all means, get the hell out. No house, no amount of stuff, is worth your life.

On a lighter note, my card exchange is... well... not getting any hits. That's okay. I'll keep trying every year. It's my own fault really. The regularity of my blogging has dropped off. I make no promises. I can't keep them. Life is crazy, but if you still have me bookmarked, check in now and again. Who knows.

Anybody planning on NaNo-ing this year? Wanna race? Wanna cheer lead? Drop me a line. I've found time (at fighter practices) to start up my snail mail correspondence again, so if any of my old buddies send me a current address, I'll send you a letter and a recipe this week.

>love<

**PS: What's the plural for "phoenix"?