Welcome to Buffy’s Corner, where I take a look at what’s coming up this week on the blog! I’m linking up with The Sunday Post over at Kimberly’s blog, The Caffeinated Reviewer:-D
A lot has happened since last Sunday. On Tuesday, we received an order to evacuate, due to a nearby fire (called the Bridge fire) that was threatening our town. My husband and I had about 20 minutes to grab stuff and pack up the car and get out. It was such a surreal day. I work from home, but that day I had planned to make the commute to my office, just to put in an appearance. Boy did I pick the wrong day! On the drive home, GPS put me on an alternate route, the back way into town, which I had never driven before. This was my view about thirty miles away, heading towards home.
I knew I was driving into the fire, but at that point there wasn’t a threat to our house, so I kept going. I’m glad I did, because I might have been stuck on these backroads. When I finally got home, the skies were red from the fires and ash was falling like snow. I had to drive with my headlights on. There were police roadblocks on the other side of the street, and later I found out the roads I had just traveled on were consumed by fire soon after I passed through. Someone was definitely watching out for me! We are currently staying in a motel with no end in sight for the end of the evacuation. It seems like the fire is under control and hasn’t made it into the town proper, so I feel pretty good about our house at this point. But living in a hotel is tough, especially not knowing when you can go home. At least we’re safe, and Badger is safe (Motel 6 is the best if you’re traveling with dogs!). The internet here is spotty and I’m trying to read and blog as usual, but my mind isn’t completely in the game, if you know what I mean. The book I was reading when we were evacuated was left behind by accident, so my reading schedule is way off, lol. I took a quick photo driving out of town, this is what the skies looked like:
So that’s my life at the moment. I grabbed a handful of review books, as well as my Kindle, so I’m not hurting for reading material at least. Let me know if you’ve ever had to evacuate due to a natural disaster. There are fires everywhere in California right now, so I’m sure I’m not alone.
Upcoming reads & reviews:
So I was halfway through An Academy for Liars when we were evacuated and the bag I threw it in was left behind. So that’s on hold for the moment. I was struggling with it a bit anyway, so honestly this break isn’t a bad thing:-) I’m hoping to finish up Negative Girl today. It’s pretty good, but not quite grabbing me the way I hoped it would (although I can blame my current situation for not being able to focus right now!). I’d love to switch gears next. American Ghoul sounds great, and I’ve heard really good things about The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society.
Other posts this week:
Umm, not sure? I will probably pull together a Future Fiction on Wednesday. I honestly hope they let us go home this weekend, but no one knows for sure. If I can, I’ll write and post a review or two, but we’ll have to see how it goes.
In case you missed:
My posts from last week:
The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir – Review 4.5/5 stars
So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison – Review 4/5 stars
I’m surprised you can read at all. My mind would be blown. And you were so lucky to get back home on that road. I can’t believe it! It feels like you’re living in one of our novels at the moment. So scary.
Anyway, I hope all is well, it sounds like the fire may be under control, I certainly hope so, but you’re all safe for now and that’s the important thing. Hopefully you can return home soon.
Lynn 😀
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We’re not too worried now about the house, so it’s easier to read and watch TV. Thanks Lynn:-)
This sounds so awful!! I am glad that you all are safe, at least, and I hope you’ll be able to go back home soon!!
Thanks Susy!
I’ve been thinking about you and your family, Tammy! Kinda crazy out of all the days that you plan to commute to your office this happens. That second pictures looks like the actual appocalypse. Must’ve been so scary! I personally never had to evacuate due to a natural disaster. It doesn’t happen that much in Belgium and when it does it’s usually floods. Anyways, I’m glad you’re okay. Badger must think it’s a vacation! 😛
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I appreciate it, Stephanie! And yep, Badger is having the best time. Both his humans with him constantly, lots of treats and walks. I’m not sure what he’ll think when we go home, lol.
Oh my, glad your okay and safe that is the main thing. Hope you will be able to get back to your home soon. I have been displaced due to a tornado hitting our house before it’s not fun. Glad you have been able to get in some reading, I would think it help relax you a bit.
Hope this week is a good one!
Stormi
Stormi recently posted…Week in Review #97
Thanks Stormi, not being able to go home is the worst, as you know!
OMG Tammy! That must have been so frightening! We had a fire 6 km from our vacation home with Canadairs flying all the time above us. I was already afraid and it wasn’t my home so I can’t imagine your stress! I hope the fire will stop soon and that you’ll be able to get back to your unscathed home! Sending good vibes!
Thank you Sophie!
That’s so scary! Obviously in Missouri I’ve not really had to be evacuated for anything like that. Although in October of 2020, I went to Colorado one week and they were having the fire issues and I remember the color of the sky and the ashes falling like snow. And then actual snow falling. I’m glad you’re safe and I hope your house stays safe as well. I can imagine how hard it is to concentrate on reading or anything right now too. I’m glad that Badger is able to be there with you too. I would not be able to leave my two anywhere except having them with me in that situation either. Love the moth picture, so gorgeous! Here’s to a good week for you.
Lisa Mandina (Lisa Loves Literature) recently posted…Weekly Wrap-Up #189 – September 15th, 2024
We would never go anywhere without Badger. I know some people in town were at work when the town was evacuated and never got to come home, and they had cats and dogs in the house. I can’t even imagine!
Ugh that is so inconvenient to be evacuated! I hope that gets sorted soon. I’m glad you were safe. Thanks for sharing the photos. I’m currently reading The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society and it’s cozy with some humor.
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Thanks Anne. Glad to hear the Village Library is cozy, it sounds like my speed right now:-)
How freaking scary! I am so glad you are all safe. Hoping the fire is under control very soon and you can go home.
Thanks Olivia:-)
Oh my gosh, Tammy, I’m so sorry you’re caught up in this! The fires in CA right now are crazy and scary. I’m so glad you, your husband, and Badger are safe — that’s what really counts. I hope all is well with your house and that you’re able to get back there soon.
Thanks Lisa, we are hoping to hear good news any day now;-)
Wow! Talk about a crazy week. I’m fortunate to have never had to go through any of that before. I’m glad you all are safe and I hope for the best for you quickly getting the ok to head back home. Take care, Tammy!
Thanks Todd!
I’m glad you all are safe…I’ve been thinking and wondering about you all this week!! I can imagine that living in a motel with no end in sight isn’t preferred, but it’s good to know the fire has stayed away from your neighborhood (and I hope it stays that way!). Hoping for the best for you all…I bet reading is a nice distraction from this.
Thank you Celeste!
Oh my gosh, how awful. I hope you are able to return home and that your home is unscathed.
Thank you! We have been watching videos that people are posting on Facebook (some people never evacuated), so we can see that the town looks good. It’s a relief!
Ooh, The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society sounds like fun.
Glad the fire doesn’t seem to have reached your house, but what a situation! Hope everything dies down soon.
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Thanks Nicky!
That’s awful, Tammy. I am glad, your family and dogs are safe. I hope that stays the case. My mom took some photos of the view from my daughter’s school of the Airport Fire the other day when she went to pick her up. I’m pretty sure that was the cause of the air conditions here being so bad. At my office, we can see the smoke from the Line Fire. A few of my coworkers had to leave early last week to evacuate because of the fires. At work, we’ve been getting daily reports about clients impacted by all three of the big fires and trying to make sure they are safe and have the resources they need.
I am glad you have access to books and your computer. Keep us posted. I am looking forward to reading The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society. That’s too bad about An Academy for Liars. Hopefully it will get better for you when you are able to pick it up again. It sounded so promising!
I hope you have a good week, Tammy, and stay safe!
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Thanks Wendy! All three big fires are awful, and I know so many people in Southern California are affected by them right now.
Gosh, it could have been MUCH worse, but still. And here you’re managing to stay calm and keep reading LOL (well, OK, I know there’s not much else you can do). I hope you’ve managed to go home by now, or it’s not much longer until you do…
“later I found out the roads I had just traveled on were consumed by fire soon after I passed through”
This is mind-blowing.
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We are confident that our house will be fine, so it’s easier to focus on other things like reading and blogging. At this point we’re a week into the evacuation and all we want is to go home!
Wow, Tammy, what a crazy and scary week it has been for you. I am so very glad to hear that you, your husband, and Badger are all doing well and that your house is also safe so far. I hope it continues to stay safe, those firefighters have been doing a really great job with perimeters and saving structures from what I’ve seen. It is crazy to think of the timing of you getting home and those roads being consumed not long after you were on them! So thankful you made it safe. Those red skies are so menacing and eerie.
I think your mind not being completely in the game right now is very understandable! I imagine it would be really hard hotel living without knowing when you’ll get to be back home would be, especially with a dog (good to know about Motel 6! I’ve always wondered about dog friendly places). There was one time we were evacuated for just a day or two and knowing we couldn’t get to our house felt very uncomfortable and scary, so I really hope you guys continue to be well and get to go home soon! I’m glad containment has started at least. Thanks for the update, also–whenever I know of people near fires, I am just so worried about them the whole time. Wishing you, your husband, and sweet Badger all the best.
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Thanks Jordan! Hotel living is very hard, although I’m grateful that we can afford to stay in a hotel when many people can’t. Those firefighters are pretty amazing, and I definitely have a new respect for them:-)
Sorry to hear you’ve been evacuated, Tammy. That’s really stressful! When I used to live in Palmdale, I drove right by a fire on the 14 once but I’ve never been told to evacuate. I’m living further south now and thankfully haven’t been affected. Hope you get to go home soon!
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OMG how scary. I can’t imagine the emotions. I am so glad that Badger is adjusting okay to the hotel and that they are being accommodating. Hope you get to return home soon and that all is safe and well when you arrive.