09.18.2020 - Air Christmas

 

 

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Sept. 18

Air Christmas

I never realized how much I enjoyed breathing until I couldn't. Since the 16th, smoke levels have dropped to normal - all the windows & doors are open, all fans going full blast. 

I find myself taking full deep breaths throughout the day [just for the pleasure of it!]. I'm outside as much as possible.

Air is good here, almost as good for Nikki in Sacramento, but continues to be bad for my nephew Paul & wife Jenara in Portland.

________________

All the prayer cards in my blog were collected by my Aunt Ann at the memorial mass for my grandmother. They all read:

"Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." - St. Matt, V.S.

My [sic] Jesus have mercy on the Soul of 

Josephine Tracz 

at Rest July 18, 1968 

Prayer: O Gentlest Heart of Jesus, ever present in the Blessed Sacrament, ever consumed with burning love for the poor captive souls in Purgatory, have mercy on the Soul of Thy departed servant. Be not severe in Thy judgment but let some drops of Thy precious blood fall upon the devouring flames, and do Thou O merciful Saviour send Thy angels to conduct Thy departed servant to a place of refreshment, light and peace. Amen

May the soul of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

MacFarlane - Bryant Chapel, Concord, California

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I haven't been a practicing Catholic since I was 16 and my mother stopped forcing me to go to mass ("If you don't go to mass, you don't leave the house on the weekend"). I never quite "got" Jesus and all the bloody, scary imagery. I'm OK with COPU though (Central Operating Principle of the Universe - my term). I definitely believe there's a higher power. I mean, look out the window. May we all rest (and breathe) in peace while we're still here to enjoy it!

09.11.20 Continued - My Hairdresser

 

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9.11.20

I loved the idea of long hair. The reality sucked (though the French braid was nice). It was like wearing a rug. So I brushed it back, caught it in a flat barrette, and chopped it off w/ kitchen shears.

I learned early not to ask for anything. "Money doesn't grow on trees" after all [One of my father's favorite sayings. It occurs to me now that if I did ask for something, I might have gotten at least a few things instead of nothing. Lesson learned]. So I figured out how to cut my own hair.

[top pic] My new hairdresser [the kitchen shears, with what I cut off]

[middle picture, left] Free at last!

[middle picture, right - my senior yearbook picture] The last time I cut my own hair. Others had ratted flips - I based my cut on Gina Lolobrigida [sp?]. I was the only high school senior who looked like an Italian film star...I didn't look like anybody else!

[bottom pic] Now. Attempting the pose from high school. Nothing remains the same!

09.11.20 - Remember Air?

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9/11/20 Air

Remember Air?

It used to be a "thing".

Air Quality Index chart: Air quality today, 230, Very Unhealthy
 

09.09.20 and 09.10.20 - Life on Mars

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Sept. 9, 2020

Surely one of the strangest days of my life. Woke up at 9:20 - It's so dark out! And the world is orange. The marine layer keeps the smoke from hundreds of surrounding fires flowing over us like a river.

[top pic] Not Mars. The view from Shelly's (T.'s sister) window in the City [thanks Shelly and Theresa T.]

[middle pic] 2nd bedroom window at 9:30AM

[bottom pic, left] Stella my Mars light, Pt. Reyes [thanks Jan W. and Tony R.]

Orange you glad you don't live here?

An accidental butterfly 

__________________

Sept. 10

[bottom pic right] Ash

Not so orange today. Ash Ave., Ash everywhere. 

A.Q. 145. Smells like cedar.
 

09.08.20 Continued - Books, Books, Books

 

 

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Sept. 8, 20

 I've been reading a LOT since January. Have also finished "The Yellow House," "71/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle." and (almost) "Utopia Ave." Most of the time, it's a great place to put my time - otherwise, it's just dreary. And sometimes it's exasperating! Tiresome! The lack of variety and freedom is wearing. Yesterday, I got my first pedicure since last fall - outside at Jenny's Bloom in Novato. I hope it's OK.

[Jenny was looking forward to having clients inside on Sept. 9 - it didn't happen because Marin is still in tier 1, thanks to the overwhelming number of Covid cases in the canal. Here in my area: 55 cases. In the canal and larger San Rafael: 1,780. This is getting outrageous. Counties all around us are opening up, but not us.]

 

 

09.08.20 - A House Afire

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Sept. 3. Olav's ex-wife's husband dies of Covid.

 

Sept. 8, 2020

Power shut-off in 22 counties including Sonoma.

Cloudy today? Oh no, that's smoke. If you go outside and take a big whiff, it's houses burning, not forests.

 
 

08.29.20 Continued - Sometimes, It's Just Pretty

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Sept. 29th 2020

Just because it's pretty

There will be clean air outside again.