California fire thought and other "crisis" or events

i know i should have said OT but it's something impacting so many--and we haven't talked about it at all-  and i am not gonna go all philosophical or anything but i have been thinking lately that we haven't heard anything from louise day--do any of you remember her? she was one of us OFFers a few years back- very involved with Rainbow Girls and Eastern Star-and a firefighter person in california-- so i have had her on my mind-wondering how she is and sending a prayer for safety for all....

we rally when terri to gets stuck in cleveland! we rally when katrina or other hurricane**** and godforbid there will be other times-but today i want to ask
    *1 are any of our OFFers in danger with these fires??? we do have a lot of cali ppl who maybe lurk.... 
    *2 please say a prayer for lousie and the other fire ppl

some of you who are new to our OFF board have no clue how deeply involved some of us have gotten in the lives and caring of other members-- the family that is here...some may wonder who the heck cares about some of the stuff in our daily what's new threads...it's not all wls pertinent-yet--the whole issue of weight loss and maintenance is so relative to our lives- the impacts that we have from any and all stressors can do so much to play into our journeys....some of us use the OFF board as our weekly analyst couch!! some simply to keep in touch with the world and some-most-know that we can be accepted here for what we think and what we are attempting to do for our lives..in our own age group...


oh gosh...sorry ...i said i wasn't gonna get philosophical...so--- anyhow- please send good wishes or prayers for those  who need them....and while most of you have no clue who louise is- she has been on my mind alot lately! as are many of you!!!!!

Thanks for posting this, Margo. I know that people have been on my mind and in my prayers for all these fires too. I was wondering if anyone here in our family is in harms way from them too. I pray that there is no one.

I agree with you when you said that we become like a family. I often mention you to others in my life....and I always preface it with my girlfriend or my friend says....  Most people wouldn't understand the closeness that we have here. But the wls brings us together and makes us kindred spirits. I firmly believe that. I have a common bond with all of you that I have with no one else around me.

Our state is burning up. From the bottom, top and in the middle. The air is bad, where I am in the Central Valley I am boxed in, when the bad air is here it has no where to go, it can't climb the Sierra Nevadas. 

There are lots of people being displaced right now, calls are going out for horse trailers and such for the animals.  Fire has no mercy. This fire is hungry and it is eating anything and everything in it's path.

I have many Cali friends involved...scary....

Plus we have the H1N1 running rampant....don't ever think your safe, make sure you are washing hands all the time....

***HIJACK***

Darlene...I have been concerned about you as well. I am glad you are doing okay.

I pray for all the others that are dealing with these fires...so sad!

Love ya....hugs....connie d

i have to be honest that i really was not sure where you were located in all of this--it is so hard to comprehend when we are not involved in it=thanks for some perspective!

i know one thing i had wanted to say this morning but forgot was that when we have these disasters-natural or otherwise- it is nice when our OFF family can check in !!!

Margo, thank you for bringing this up. We are so close knit and sometimes we forget those who might not post, but still come to read. I'd hate to think that I'd forgotten to keep someones situation in my thoughts just because they might not check in often.

I lived in the East County of San Diego for 51 years before moving to AR. Twice I had to evacuate due to wildfires, and unless you've been through it, you cannot imagine the terror and devastation. Not just while the horror is happening all around you, but for months, sometimes years, while your lives and nature have a chance to heal. The last fire we went through, less than a year before moving, claimed the life of a dear client and came within 70 feet of our home. We were gone for three days not knowing if we had a home to return to. When we did go home, our world for as far as the eye could see looked like the surface of the moon, white ash everywhere. Burned out auto bodies, blackened trees, animal carcasses at every turn. That fire, started by a lost camper who had lit a signal fire, burned over 275,000 acres.

Yes, my thoughts are with all of the citizens and creatures in CA. I feel guilty that I'm in such a place now where it's so wet and green no ones knows what a wild fire is first hand, just from what they see on tv.

Margo...thank you for the post. I have been so worried about the people in California and this tragic event.

There has been so much loss and it continues everyday.

My thoughts and prayers are with all those in California.

We are a close family here on OFF and we do need to share our thoughts and concerns.

Much love and many hugs....connie d

Until recently have lived in So. California & dealt with fires so many times. I hope &
pray all of our board & families are safe.. My Brother lives in Auburn which is burning
No. of Sacramento. As of the other day still safe. According to my Niece, his daughter
He is still safe, but, fires were getting closer. . ( he & I are not exactly on good speaking terms, but, still don't want him to be hurt by fire)
Los Angeles is much worse & still not even close to being contained. We are getting lots of smoke here in AZ from those fires. Bad air for a few days now. Hope the wind
direction changes & blows some of it out of here.
They have already lost 2 firefighter, they certainly do not need to lose anymore lifes PERIOD!! Firefighter or Ordinary folks. Here's to moisture to ehlp them out. Would be nice if some of that moiture from Baja would make it's way up north, but looks like
it is starting to fizzle out to be much help.

Thank you all for thinking about those of us in harms way of the fires. I live in Santa Clarita (just North of L.A.) and the smoke and ash has been bad, but I've still been able to do my morning walk.

Funny story (WLS related) that I'll share. I had my RNY 2 years ago and the entire area was on fire. I knew that there was a possibility of being evacuated and I was having my surgery in Burbank (about 25 miles away). Being proactive the day before my RNY my husband and I filled up our RV with stuff (just in case) and took it to my mom's house. We went home and at noon I was to begin my prep (laxatives) to prepare for my surgery the next day. Wouldn't you know it ...about 1/2 hour after I took my laxatives the police were on my street with a blow horn telling us we were being evacuated. All I could say, was "Oh, SH..!". I was so fearful that the laxative was going to take effect any second and we would need to travel about 15 miles to my mom's house out of the Santa Clarita valley through I-5 (the only way out of the valley) and would be stuck in traffic!!!!

Fortunately, we arrived safely at my mom's house. I had been on a liquid diet for 2 weeks already and didn't have much in me. EVACUATION cetainly had double meaning for me that year!

Margo,

This is a family of choice for many of us and I'm right there with you on the philosophical specter of this. . .  it's about the life we have and this brought many of us, who otherwise would never have met, into knowing there are others who have similarly experienced so much of the pain that goes with obesity and now we share the journey towards health and the daily lives we lead, through encouragement, recipes, laughter and just having a place to share it all, helps me on so many levels knowing that you care, as do many of my sistas the the brothers who populate this board. . .  so post whatever you want, my prayers are for those people who may be experiencing any losses by whatever is happening the world we live in. . .  hope everyone is safe. . .

Hugs, L