Hope you feel better, sj. A sore throat is the worst, IMO.

Vortex, good for you! And good for you, too, meara, with the exercising!

I did 60 squats at ten minutes to midnight last night, so I am technically still on track with the month-long challenge. fist pump

Everyone in the path of the tropical storm and it's attendant thunderstorms, be safe and dry!

Rest up and take care of yourself, sj.

Good morning everyone.

We are, thankfully, okay.

The smoke was pretty thick until about midnight, but my precautionary measures held up pretty well.

After my disappointment with my near-by friends, our dear Maria offered to come down and collect us for the night. I was truly moved by that. Thanks again, Maria.

Sealing up my bedroom and keeping the vaporizer on made it possible for us to sleep.

Apparently, the fire department worked all through the night and is still on top of it this morning. There are frequent flair ups from the pockets of solvents, glues and other highly flammable materials.

A local restaurant tweeted last night that any employees who want temporary work while they figure out what will happen with the store can show up there today and be put right to work.

I love this community.

The thing that makes me most sad is that every single young man...and some young women...I know who grew up in this neighborhood...started their working lives at Frager's. Some, far younger than you'd expect. They were such a family.

Except for myself, I don't know a household who _didn't_ have an account at that store.

It is truly the end of an era. One that the law will not allow to rebuild in the same way. 93 years ago, things were very, very different.

A friend of mine used to work at that store. Sad.

I have a touch of bronchitis and an ear infection.

A touch of bronchitis? That makes it sound so elegant! I hope you've got good antibiotics.

bonny, I'm glad things are clearing, and that you and Cagney made it through okay. And thank goodness for Maria!

sj, here's to a treatable diagnosis and the good drugs. Hope you feel better soon, and bounce all the way back to normal.

Vortex, you're stellar, as usual. Inches lost is better than pounds, any day. Go you!

And also, zen and meara, my hat's off to both of you for starting small, but starting. Go you two, too!

Teppy, my doctor is quite elegant, but I think she meant we caught it early. I'm getting a 10 day course of something. I don't remember what.

Get well soon, sj.

bonny, I'm sorry I didn't see anything about the fire before today - I would have been happy to bring you and Cagney home with me. Please remember we're not far, and we almost always have an extra car available.

lots of ~ma to those who need it - off to the next meeting of the day . . .