Go Time

We’re gonna voluntarily evacuate and get out of the smoke and path of the fire. There are many many many people in worse fire than we are (we’re not in fire) at this point. And yet, they’ve mandatorily evacuated the town about 10 minutes south of us and Ax’s school is closed today because of the air quality. Outside our windows it’s looking, well, scary. So we’re out. Mike says his go bag is Ax, Cleo the cat, me, and that’s it. Mine is all that plus my tooth-straighteners, my anti-depressants, my computers and external hard drives, and my rose quartz Ganesh, which I still think I might give back to my yoga teacher at some point, but definitely not right now.

I’d also like to bring Ax’s favorite tortellini and pasta sauce, Ax’s scooter and helmet, some books for him, and my most recent pile of unfinished admin, which maybe I’ll take care of while we’re on the road, and our passports, some water bottles, and my new yellow sunglasses. Plus pens.

I’m not going to get all crazy while packing up, it’s not like the flames are lapping at our doors, but it is smoky, so it’s time to go. Last time we evacuated we went down to a friend’s house in LA, a neighborhood that’s now burning, and when I got there I discovered I’d brought eight black sweaters and no undies. And it was 90 degrees out. I’ve been traveling regularly since I was a child. I can do a better evac pack job than that.

Thank you Universe for protecting my family and me. Please protect the friends and family who aren’t in our particular go bag. I’m gonna keep going.