Deceit

Yesterday was a very weird one. I dont know how to beat around the bush or give you much background on what i am about to cover in this blog, so i will just dive into it and hopefully you'll understand.

About noon yesterday M (the whistler) came up to me in a very somber but questionable fashion. She posed the question: "Christine, why do people portray themselves to be something they are not?" All i could answer was..."they're posers, wannabes, and self-conscious." I left it at that. Never thought anything of it until later.

Soon after my short conversation with Maureen, rumor had it that D (the candy lady) was being fired and arrested. I was shocked. I would have never thought that D would be that type of person. Apparently she was stealing money from the company (embezzlement) and also letting customers obtain merchandise for free. A huge NO NO. Funny thing is that D was talking shit about the LP that morning about how lazy he was and very unproductive he was....and only hours later she was the target of his investigation and productivity for the last couple of weeks if not months. Ironic how shit was talked and the bad are cuffed and escorted away. I do not know the full story and I am not sure i want too. reason being, i liked D. she was a nice person....well the person i knew her to be...and i would much rather keep that perception of her. It definitely was not a fun sight to see her being cuffed and escorted out by 3 uniformed police officers. Everyone in the store knew the situation, not all knew the individual, but everyone knew something wasnt adding up when 3 squad cars should up in front of the store and all headed back to the manager's office.

People are not always what they seem to be. Its unfortunate that I had to see D go away in the way she did. Even now, i still feel that she was wrongly accused and I hope that be true rather than the rumors that are circulating around. I wish her luck in life and hope this clears in her favor...and if not, then i certainly hope that she opts to go the other direction in life as opposed to a life of white collar crime.

Post Evacuation

Ive been lazy to write a blog since coming back home. Its one of the most wonderful feelings to come back to the place you call home. Being at mom's house is home too, but it just aint the same anymore. In any case a lot of san diego county as been deemed safe for return except for a few areas where the fire has hit the hardest. I know most of poway was able to return yesterday except for the high valley area and rancho bernardo was given the go ahead in select areas as well. The news now is still bleak. we are hearing now of those that did not make it out alive. Im not sure how i feel about that. People were given a huge amount of time to gather belongings and to flee...however, many chose to stay. It was their choice....so was it their choice to die? I'm not sure, what if in the end they scrambled to get out but no one was around to help? is that a failure on the rescue efforts? Who knows. Needless to say, there are charred bodies showing up in certain areas. My heart goes out to all the families that has lost someone or something in the fires.

I was at work yesterday, and i came across a guy who had lost his home. This dude was in his mid twenties, gather supplies to clear away debris so as to sift through it and find what he can salvage. My heart really went out to him. Its unfortunate how many homes were consumed by these fires. But to actually talk to someone who has to start from square one all over again...what do you say? nothing can console them? nothing can make things better...not immediately at least. Not only did i come across a man that lost his home...I came across a man who faulted that guy for living in that area. How horrible is that. The comment this elderly man made about the younger guy made by jaw drop to the floor. I was so amazed at how cold he was. He blamed him for living in that area and faulted him. This stems, i believe, from the not so wealthy feeling good that the wealthy lost everything. Sick fucks! In the next days and weeks, i will be seeing first hand, families coming into my work to rebuild their homes. theres nothing more i can do, but to help them find what they need.

Life around town is slowly getting back to what it once was. The chaos is slowly lifting. Soon lives will be slowly pieced back together....

all packed up...round 2

We are all packed up here at my mom's house...ready for what could be the inevitable. Daniel and I sought refuge here...and here we are again...packing the cars. This time in a greater magnitude. We have packed up most the photos...my parents only wedding portraits left, photos of our childhood, photos of the grandkids, and grandparents. The xterra is jam packed with things that are important to us; to my parents and to me. My dogs are harnessed and ready to go, the bird is in its cage and shiloh, we'll grab him on the way out.

Mt. Miguel once was just a name I identified to my high school. Now its the mountain burning in front of my parent's house. Daniel came into my room about 3am and said the ridge of the mountain is burning. I walked out and was just startled...i dont know why...i guess i didnt want to believe it. But when i seen it, my whole body trembled for a brief moment. At that moment, i woke my parents and told them to get ready for the worse case scenario...here we are 3 hours later...waiting to go. We have not had the reverse 9-1-1 call as of yet. But we know its close. Mt Miguel is practically almost all charred. The fire really has no where else to go, but to the reservoir and to the surrounding populated areas. Bonita and Sunnyside is in imminent danger. Dictionary Hill has been evacuated. The fire is coming really close...too close to comfort.

This experience this morning is more surreal than yesterday. My parents are in a frenzy, they were absolutely sure that the fire wouldn't head this way...my oh my were they taken by surprise. My dad really did not know what do...my mom packed almost everything. Nonetheless, we got everything that means something to us. The phones are on the charger and we are ready to roll.

All this has really got me stressed out. my stomach has pains and i haven't slept since noon yesterday. my ass is tired. Spuds...you need to go home and pack your shit! get all your important papers, family pics, essentials and necessities and be ready. The fire is coming right at us buddy. Why the hell are you at work? home depot can make it without us! My ass is calling in today...my family is way more important than work! Go save your sister!

In any case, as soon as the sun comes up...we'll see what kind of chance this place has. Hopefully sun up will come soon enough so we can have those air tankers in the air to save spring valley and its surrounding neighborhoods. Imagine 300,000 people have been evacuated. Where do people pick up from here? What happens next? Where will all these people go? As soon as day breaks...more valuable information will be readily available. Hopefully the winds will be more forgiving today...hopefully the fire squads from the north are just on the outskirts of town and are ready to help. I hope things begin to more forward on a positive note....

Thanks to all the firefighters who are risking their lives to save our county....may GOD bless you all.

Evacuated

A long monday as spudies would say it...a long monday since the last blog but more closely, a long monday for an evacuee. Yesterday was the precursor for the events of today. Actually, in all reality, Saturday night would be the precursor. Here's why: anytime the weatherman on any news channel indicates that there will be Santa Ana winds coming through the San Diego area, a fire always sparks. Coincidence? Who knows. Sunday, the Harris fire and the Witch Creek fires may have been the only ones burning....known to the general population. Come Monday morning, practically all of East County San Diego is in flames.

4 years ago, I was also forced to evacuate my home in the Tierrasanta area. During that time, I was living in the El Dorado Hills Apartments. I tell you that was a scare for me. I was not able to grab anything and evacuate, except for the clothes on my back and my purse. I had awaken to a glowing glaze across the skies...not knowing what it was I didnt think any thing of it. Up until my mom called and told me to tune into the news...holy shit...the fires were at Scripps Ranch, just a highway north of me. Next thing I knew, helicopters were flying over head telling everyone to evacuate. Totally surreal at the time. I got in my car and headed to my parents house. For two days I waited, until I was able to go back and survey my place...thank GOD it was untouched by flames. However, the surrounding areas were practically charred. It was one foot away from the apartment complex...one foot!

4 years later...2007...i am in the same situation again. Approximately at 3:30pm it was televised that the Scripps Ranch Area pack up and leave...a mandatory evacuation. The roads were absolutely a disaster. Cars lined up to get onto the highway. It took us seriously, 20 minutes to get onto the I15, when it would normally have taken us 5 minutes or less. This time, I was able to grab what was important and essential to us. Daniel and I left our home in hopes it will still be there tomorrow. So far, no fires in Scripps Ranch, our evacuation was just precautionary and hopefully will remain so. We hope that they will let us back into our homes tomorrow sometime. Being displaced from a place you call home, is never fun. Even when you see refuge at your parent's house...a house i grew up in. Its just not the same.

This by far is the worse fire in San Diego history...i believe it is safe to say that this has outgrown the cedar fires of 2003. The fires are all around the San Diego county. From my moms house, to the north, the Witch fire continues to burn whats in its path, to the east the Harris fire climbs through the rugged terrain making its way to populated areas, to the northeast, the Witch fire continues to be creeping all through Ramona and surrounding areas. The air is filled with smoke. The sense in the air is one of stress and worry....a sense of urgency lingers.

I pray for us all....