Greetings and Happy Thanksgiving to all. This morning in the quite of my first and only day home this week, I have a little time for quite reflections.  Fritz and I  have so much to be thankful for each day of our lives. Our kids, our family, our extended family and friends.  God Bless you everyone and to all, a very very Happy Thanksgiving.    

 My Mom, after coming to the United States, said we lived in the best country!. and she taught us to feel that way also.   She appreciated so much what America meant to her especially after WW2.   Even with the elections, and the changes going on in our country, the market and the nose dives, we are still so fortunate.  AND we are thankful to have our home intact, our family together.  Thank you Lord for these many blessings.  

Last week, with the fire, Fritz and I evacuated with the help of Ryan.  We had had a chance to pack up things in our cars.  Then when we were settling down for the night, the bullhorns  and evacuation notice came and we had to leave immediately.  As I drove at 1 in the morning along the beach, I witnessed this view.    I did not take this picture, but it came from the Tea Fire blogger site.  Of all times to loose my camera, this was one of those times.   A camera is like a visual of journal of what we see and experience.  This picture represents our experience that night.  The Rider family gave us a comfy bed to sleep in and the next day we were at the Bohnett homestead for another good night of sleep.  Thank you to all the Bohnett's for the offer of a home to stay in, if we had returned to no home at all.  

After the fire, and moving back into the home, etc, I took off for Kansas city and a long planned visit with my friend of 39 years -- Marilyn.  Marilyn married a wonderful man Dave Geisler.   It was special to be a part of their day.  Then the marathon continued with Mary Beth's baby shower, lots of visiting, cooking and then flying home to LAX.   Next year Marilyn and I will plan a special girl's weekend of 40 years of friendship.  

 Life is an adventure: I took off from Kansas city on Sunday for LAX.   After a nice flight,  I an interesting experience to say the least.  I don't quite know why but my plane was coming in for a landing and then took off again.  I was watching out the window, saw the cars on the freeway, and about 30 seconds before  touchdown the plane changed its course!!!!   The pilot said there was poor visibility at the control tower and the runway wasn't cleared.    We managed to get airborn again ... circled around by Santa Monica and came in again.  Wow!  The pilot was very calm  but I assure you I wasn't inside.   But I was very Thankful  !!!    and it certainly calmed me down when we landed safely the 2nd time.  

After landing, I was able to go on to my next adventure -- the ACSI teacher's convention in Orange County.  It was very special as always. This year I was a presenter.  This was my 5th time doing so.  It went well  AND  I was able to see friends, teachers and people I have known over many years of Christian School education, including Julie and Dan Kotov.  Julie was Phillip's 3rd grade teacher 25 years ago at Maranatha Christian academy.  Phillip is excellent in Math as many of you know, and Julie was the excellent teacher who taught Phil especially in Math and  mentored me -- a future teacher.  

So this morning, before Thanksgiving,  I am reflecting back on my last 2 weeks.  So much has happened.  Today, weather allowing, or tomorrow morning early, Phillip Ryan and I will take off for Pleasanton.  Fritz will be driving from Mammoth to meet us there.  ( He has enjoyed skiing and fishing in Mammoth, working on the cabin  -- which is available to rent by the way!) We will be with Jill and Nicky, My Dad and most of the family for Thanksgiving.  Rachel will celebrate Thanksgiving with Johan in Boston, near the area where it all began.  We hope to have a family Turkey trot Football game like 2 years ago.  

Last but not least ---this week, I remember my sister Micheline, who 30 years ago left us for HIGHER GROUND.  I am most thankful for Michy, because her relationship with the Lord and her prayers, brought so many of us to a relationship with the Lord ourselves.   

So,  excuse the spelling errors that can happen.  I am convinced, especially after one seminar from yesterday, that as an art teacher, I see certain things over and over again that I miss the common mistakes, even when I do spell check.  So Happy Thanksgiving to All!  "   O Taste and See that the Lord is Good... and His mercy is everlasting.."   MRS. Harnzblogger

Hello Friends and Family,  As I write this note,  Southern California is experiencing so much fires now also.  Here is the map of evacuation and warnings for today.  We are just outside the yellow perimeter now.  Westmont College has been hit very hard.  PHOTOS HERE.  My heart goes out to many friends who have lost their homes.  

This fire did bring back memories for me. In 1963 in Jr HIgh, a big wild fire burned right up to our backyard edge in Burbank.  many homes were catching on fire on the roofs.  Many in our neighborhood, including my Dad, my brother Louie, and Fred Hagen from across the street stayed on the roofs to put out the fires as they started.  The  neighborhood kids were all in my Mom's station wagon with us 4 girls, all the dogs, cats, pets etc. As the wind and fire was coming down the mountain behind us, the fireman was  telling my Mom to " get of there!"   Our street was saved by all the Dads and sons who stayed watering the roofs., along with the firefighters of course.  They are heros to all of us.  And they would never let us stay now and fight a fire like we did then. 

Yesterday Fred  wrote to me checking to see if we are okay -- Thank you Fred.  Thank you Lord for dear friends.  Fred is  my oldest friend-- 55 years now-- Can you believe it?  And his sister  Mary is my sister Jill'sl oldest friend also. Bless you both!  

The community has been so helpful here, all over Santa Barbara -- feeding the fire fighters, giving lodging, and any and all help as needed.  Thank you to my cousins who said I could live at 3201 if we lost our house.  Thank you to the Riders for taking us into their home at 1:00 in the morning after our manditory evacuation.  And thank to Ryan and his roommate Chris for helping us to evacuate our stuff, move cars, etc etc.  We love you all.  

Hello Friends.  IN Case you are checking about the Santa Barbara Fire, Here are some pictures. I did not take these pictures.  I lost my camera in the midst of evacuating our home.  If I find map, I could show you the area where the fire is and where we are.  We are safe, at least for now. 

These pictures came from the sbcfire.com web site link to the "tea fire".  There is a tea house on the hiking trails above Westmont area.  The fire is named for this.  Though we are very close and evacuated right now, we are not threatened at this time.  I think we will be fine.  The winds would have to completely change directions.  We have a sundowner effect at times in Santa Barbara area, and the winds blow the opposite direction than the usual.  That is why we are safe for now.  We have a lot of friends who have lost homes, including 1 of the teachers from my school and 15 faculty houses have burned.  The Westmont community has been hit very hard.  The fire is still burning along the ridge behind the Riviera section moving towards the Mission Canyon near the Santa Barbara Mission.  

Thanks to all our family and friends who have called and shared their concern or volunteered their home for us.  We are at  Mike and Susan Rider's home for now.  We should be able to go back tonight or tomorrow.  

Map of fire

  

sbcfire.com