Well I finally got to take the dogs for a walk today. There has been so much smoke and ash falling that we've been indoors a good 4 days with our eyes glued to the TV set getting ready to evacuate if need be. The air is much better today as the santa ana winds have subsided. Wolfie has sensed our anxiety and has needed more than usual comforting. He's been really sweet. He fell asleep in my arms last night. Both dogs have used their doggy door do go outside, but they didn't stay long and we didn't want them to get sick. They both need a bath though. White haired Westies show the dirt easily.

Heard a story about a couple that volunteered to evacuate and didn't want to take their pets with them. I think that is really sad. We see our dogs as part of the family. I've seen evacuees in the grocery store parking lot with their dogs and cats. We would never leave them behind. Never! Well, we are still traumatized by all of this and feel terrible for those who have lost their homes. You have to go through something like this to really get an idea of what life means when something greater than yourself is threatening it. Our dogs have been a terrific consolation through all of this. 

It's 11:30 pm here in North County San Diego. This has been quite a day of nail-biting for the wife and I as we watch TV with growing concerns about the record fires in San Diego County. We were awakened this morning at 4:30 am by our daughter who has a second home in Tecate, Mexico saying that her husband can't get back into the U.S. due to the fires just across the border in San Diego. She was at her home in San Marcos with our two grand-children. Then later in the morning she called us saying there was a fire 2 miles from her home in the Coronado Hills area. Then her electricity went out.

All day our Westies knew something was wrong, especially Wolfie. They were antsy. Syrens were going off all over the place, the air smelled of smoke, it was very hot, and extremely dry ( below 10% humidity). As of this time we are very concerned about the Fallbrook fire. We live along the 76 corridor just west of Bonsall. The Fallbrook fire is moving westward toward the ocean. San Diego is besieged with fires that are starting to combine. This is unprecedented in our history to have such a large area burning towards the ocean due to this mammoth santa ana. The past two years have been un-normally dry. This disaster has already surpassed the Cedar fire 4 years ago and is far from being over.

Tomorrow, the wife is going to try to go to work in Del Mar at her hotel along the ocean, but Carlsbad and Del Mar now have fires. Ramona is scorched. Escondido, Rancho Bernardo, and Poway have also been hit hard. More fires keep popping up. It's like a wall of flames marching towards the ocean burning everything in its way. The people of San Diego are responding like the Americans that they are...helping each other unselfishly. It seems human nature can be at its best when we are faced with such dreaded disasters and emergencies. WE really do care.

I'll keep you posted.

Wolfie now has a mate. Her name is Bella (on the left in photos) and she is a 2 1/2 year old West Highland Terrior just like Wolfie. We've had her now for about 2 months. Both dogs are pretty inseparable as shown here as they sunbathe together. Bella is a sweetheart but is much more aggressive than Wolfie. Wolfie is laid back. Bella is still in a power struggle with Wolfie, but Wolfie could care less. They play constantly, giving each other love bites. But if Bella gets nasty Wolfie just backs off. She's much stronger than Wolfie. At only 15 lbs. she's the strongest little dog I've ever seen (Wolfie is large for a Westie...25+ lbs). She can walk on her back two's for a long time when prompted with a treat. When I play tug-of-war with her with her rubber bone she constantly shakes it loose from my grip. I can lift her right off the floor while she is still biting on the bone!

Both dogs now sleep with us. It's O.K. as both pups have learned where to sleep on the bed so as not to get in our way...except when they get cold then they like to snuggle with us. They are really funny to watch playing together as they run around the house and yard. Bella is very vocal and "talks" to us in a low gutteral howl when she wants something. Wolfie just uses his paw to get our attention...much more subtle. Lately both pups have been getting in the habit of eating the fruit off of one of our palm trees. They are in clusters, about the size of an olive, and orange in color. The dogs love to eat them. We have constantly been trying to deter them from eating these as they often leave orange vomit spots on our new carpet in the morning. The dogs love them but obviously they don't agree with them. I throw these "fruits" away every chance I get. So for the about the past week it seems to be working. No more vomit. No more fruit on the ground either...kind of strange since I still see clusters in the tree. So one day I'm sweeping the back patio and move the barbecue grill out of the way to sweep. Low and behold...a large pile of palm fruit...some whole, some half-eaten, some with teeth marks. Little rascals! They are hoarding this stuff behind my back. No wonder every night I see them looking up into that palm tree. Well, anyways, I threw their hoard away. They sure make me laugh though.