I had written and posted a semi-humorous reflection on my youthful indiscretions, just par for the course during NaBloPoMo, but today has decided something different.

The blog post had to do with three fires I inadvertently started when I was a kid. But I took it down, as the humor is completely lost right now — there are horribly destructive fires raging in my neighboring counties. As of 6:30 am, there’s a familiar pink/orange/brown cloud spreading out over the Ventura sky, which means the winds, and fortunes, have shifted again.

The hot Santa Ana winds (or Santana winds, thank you, Darling Andrew) have been acting as a giant bellows, pushing and urging these fires along. Montecito, to the north, has been ablaze since Thursday afternoon and the destruction has been stomach-dropping. Now Sylmar is on fire.

These horrible winds. I hate them. I hate this season.

I will stay safe, don’t you worry about me.

In other news, we, the members of NaBloPoMo, are halfway through our daily blogging exercise! I suggest you show some comment love to your friends that are participating in this experiment in terror. It’s hard work. Me, I’m feeling the memes coming on, and right quick.