Theyre five and six years old. Yes, but fortunately most already learned good behavior in kindergarten. Also, I kept the lessons to their attention span- short, with frequent changes of task and location. Do one lesson on the rug, with everyone getting a turn to come up and show help the class find an answer, next one might be writing at their seats. Then something different, so they dont feel so worn out by doing any one thing for too long. Nonetheless, Im sure theyll be happy to be outside again and Ill be happy to have bathroom breaks.

Its the largest fire in LA County history and arson. unbelievable.

School didnt start until Thursday and we wont be on a normal schedule until Tuesday. Thursday and Friday, the children were delivered to the inside of the building by their parents in the morning and we didnt take them outside again until we delivered them back to their parents to go home at the end of each day. The air quality inside the building is excellent- our a.c. has very high quality filtration, but it was marginal enough outside to have to keep them indoors as much as possible for their safety. Part of the decision was that they are getting better air quality at school than at home. Also, the fire had finally moved away from our immediate area enough so that teachers who live in the area were no longer facing evacuations.
Weve saved up for a few years for the camera, and a professional photographer friend helped connect me to a very good deal at a fraction of what one would normally have had to pay. Hes been kind enough to be mentoring me on using it. I just wish Id gotten it earlier in the summer because work will now be taking priority over learning to use it more. Its a Nikon D60 body. The lens is not the one that normally come with it. I was able to get the same kind of deal on a Nikkor 18-200 mm lens.
So, while I was definitely near the fire, I was safely behind the safety perimeter manned by police at all times and the most dramatic, closely shot fire you commented on was a controlled backfire set by firefighters to create a break between the homes immediately in front of me and the wildfire just a short distance higher up the same slope. Interestingly enough, the air quality that day was better- the smoke was rising up and you could see blue sky away from the fire. It was in the next couple of days that it sank down over the LA basin and turned everything into an undifferentiated lung choking dull red fog.
Mt. Wilson is ok, but the night it came closest to it, many stations went to online streaming and/or broadcasting from their backup towers just in case.

Heres to a year when beautiful dreams take flight!

Ill be on vacation soon, have more time to write.


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voting has been extended to the 10th in the Dean Shredder contest!