Evacuating Venice

We’re set to go back on the road this afternoon. This time to Newport Beach in Orange County. Yesterday, we made a quick dash back to the AirBnBs where we were initially staying to pick up more clothes and documents. Everything looked peaceful but the air is full of a fine ash that has covered everything outside and infiltrated homes where the wind blew open windows. So, the air is not the healthiest to breathe.

Today’s will be our fourth move since Monday. Basically, we’ve moved every day. The stress and disruption of our routine is affecting Tyler’s milk production, so we’re hoping to stay in OC for four days, give her time to relax and de-stress. We’re four adults (Tyler, Stefano, me, our friend Amanda — where we first sought refuge, and our two dogs, Pepper and Norman), so we’re quite an entourage. (Stefano’s parents are also heading to OC for a few days, before leaving early next week.)

We’re staying in a beautiful home in Venice at the moment, but again, concern about the smoke and ash — and the fact that the owner is returning on Sunday — has convinced us to simply move on today, with the hope of lengthening our stay in OC and that by the end of next week, the fires will be out and the air will be clear.

Thanks for all the long-distance love and support. To K’s point, this is definitely not how we expected to spend our stay in Cali, but we consider ourselves very blessed. To be safe. To be together. If I were in Aix and watching from a distance, I’d be out of my mind with worry. Being here, on the ground, able to witness it in person, has actually been a blessing. I can see what’s actually going on and how the “kids” are so beautifully managing the situation. And because I had such bad bronchial troubles when I first arrived, I have a good supply of asthma medicine! So, it’s all good.

Watched part of Jimmy Carter’s funeral yesterday, but have otherwise tried to ignore political developments here. Too, too upsetting.