I know I have not updated in a while and I had hoped to share with you that all our fires were out and the Firefighters had left. BUT that was only for the week-end. The fourth of July gave us amazingly blue skies. We had not seen blue in a while so it was Brilliant. The Dogtowne Fair went on as planned and grandkids ate cotton candy and had their faces painted. All the Fire fighters had gone ove r to the Belden and Concow fires and we had hoped the worst was over.

THEN Tuesday came! So unexpectedly it arrived. We woke up at 4:30am to take our neice to the hospital for some routine testing and as usual, we glanced out the window. Well usual for the  last month anyway! We did NOT like what we saw, WIND! The wind did exactly what we knew it would do ignite and fan the flames. ( So many Bible references here). As we drove South to the Hospital you could chew the air. The ashes and pieces of charcoal embers floated from the sky. Ashes the size of quarters, embers as long as your baby finger. They did not glow, but they were warm. We picked up breathing masks while we were at the hospital and came home after all the tests were done. The air was darker than it had been at 4:30 am, the smell of burning wood filled the air. And I knew, the fire fighters would be back, and back they did come.

Tuesday afternoon we were put on Precautionary evacuation which means start packing. We packed up the car and waited. Soon the phone rang. It confirmed the Precautionary Evac with a Reverse 911 call. That means instead of you calling 911, they call you and let you know danger lurks outside your door. An hour later a Chico K-9 police troop was at out door strongly "recommending" that we leave. Since we were only Pre evac status he could not tell us to go but since the winds were due to pick up in an hour he suggested we go now. Hoping it would be Orderly before panic sets in like it did with the Humbolt Fire which had four hour traffic jams. We knew exactly what to do, grab the last few things, and wait for our neice in the shower!  Truth is I took a shower when the phone call came , memories of Hurricane Andrew do not fade away. So after the shower we loaded in the car, stopped at the church, checked on the firefighters and headed to a friends home in Chico. Well two of us did, my neice wanted to stay at Grandpa Al's so we took her there.

In the morning after being made pancakes by our gracious hostess, we drove back up the hill to see what was going on, and the best place to do that is at The Magalia Community Church feeding Fire fighters! I love being there taking care of these firefighters than being anywhere. They are so grateful and so thankful and so ready for a hot meal! Last night we had a crew that hadn't eaten a hot meal in 18 days! Our California Firefighters have been fighting from the bottom of the state to the top of the state, a hot meal is the least we can do.

Today I saw that Dave Price from the Early show is here, well in Paradise, the news still seems to think all of the Ridge is Paradise. Maybe he will find his way to our little Magalia community Church and have OUTBACK tonight with the firefighters. They (Outback) have scheduled three times, cancelled twice so we shall see if they arrive tonight. We have had amazing relationships with Big Corperations here. The Holiday Market , Save-Mart and Safeway have given abundantly! Rite-aid has kept them stocked in shampoos, soaps and deodrant. Yesterday Rite-aid sent free Ice cream coupons for the fire fighters.

Well that tells you what we are doing...I am back in my home today hoping the helicopters keep flying and the winds stay down. The phone is waiting for another evac call, but for Today we are here. I have three of my grandchildren today while Heather does the Fire fighter meals with the oldest three. As I type these words I am reminded of the song (this is for Lori) "For Today Remind me I was made to worship You"....

I ant to also tell you about our firefighters and the gift of service they bring aay from the flames. After dinner, they asked to wash dishes, asked where the janitors closet was and cleaned the bathroom, vacuumed and mopped the sanctuary. So they do have a secret identity, Janitors by day Firefighters by night.

Please pray for their families. They have been without their firefighter husbands, dads, wives, moms for a very long time. One we talked to last noight has a 4yo , twin 2yos and a 2month old baby at home. His time of duty is 21 days. That mama needs our prayers and I know YOU know that full well!

here is a link to Dave Price's interview http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=4247073n&channel=/sections/earlyshow/videoplayer500202.shtml

I do have pictures and will post them when I can, currently they are either on My Beloved's phone, or his Harddrive which is packed in the car.