One year ago San Diego was BURNING! Today its raining.

[maveric]

What a diffenence a year makes. Kind of like with the Red Sox.

Anyone remember last years fires here in San Diego Co.?

[Jack_Dawson]

1. Happy One-Year Anniversary

Hell yes I remember. I had to walk around w/ a painters mask on for a month. Grocery workers were on strike, everything pretty much sucked.

[maveric]

4. When I was outside for a while, it felt like I smoked a carton of cigs.

The air was heavy and hazardous.

[Kathleen04]

2. I remember the fires

I'm from Riverside and we had our share of falling ash.

[DrZeeLit]

3. My entire family, and many friends, live in the area.

I moved to VT. It was horrible watching from this far away. People up here have no idea about fires. They call Vermont the "asbestos state." We have trees, but never fires.

Many of my friends lost homes. It is still very sad. one of my high school friends who lived in Julian recently told me that the fire came right up to her door, but the firefighters were so tough and saved her home and many others. The same occurred at the camp in Julian where I was a counselor when I was a teenager. The firefighters, actually prisoners on special duty, stayed and fought when they were supposed to leave. They left a note on a mirror in one of the johns (these I do remember... lol). They were not commended, because they didn't follow orders and leave. But they are so remembered in the hearts of all who love that camp!

We all hope this doesn't happen again, but the chances are real, since building has moved into the remote areas, and a combination of drought plus burgeoning population has decreased the water supply.

I love my hometown area, and I often miss it. But Vermont is amazing and I love being here now.

Kerry On.

[Jack_Dawson]

5. You moved from SD to VT?

No way! What led to that? How do you like your new life? I need details.

[DrZeeLit]

6. Yes, we did!

I am a third generation, native Californian. Watching my beautiful North San Diego county fill up the lovely rolling hills and dunes with ugly track housing became a source of depression.

Traffic. Congestion. Parking hassles. Smog. Crime. Everything seemed to pile up. I spent 20 years teaching only to get more and more depressed by the lack of support and the mess of the schools.

One of my dearest friends and colleagues died of breast cancer. She was so young. She never fulfilled all her dreams. That hit me rather hard.

I met and married a guy from the East Coast. He had been transferred to San Diego. He loved to ski and had built a home in Vermont about 30 years ago. He took me to visit. I loved it.

About five years ago we were sitting in a major traffic jam -- four lanes of traffic completely stopped for as far as the eye could see. Not the first time, not the last, just the moment of decision. We had said one day we would move to Vermont, but I looked at him and said, "What are we waiting for???"

So we sacked the plan. We put the house up for sale. Sold it before the sign even hit the lawn. Sold all our furniture and stuff. Put the rest (mostly my books...sheesh) on a moving van.

Quit our jobs. They didn't believe me at the school. But then... I walked out the door. We drove across country, and VIOLA!

I found a great job. I don't make any money. I don't care. It's the most free place to be. Not about image. Not about "owning stuff." Not about so much movement and doing and going. NO TRAFFIC!!!! No noise. No smog, can see the stars. The people are great. It's very political and involved. We have town meeting day -- where everyone in the town, in person, votes on the budget. Very cool.

Life can be very hard in Vermont. No big business here, so the wages are rather small. Most people work two jobs at least. The weather is an issue -- it's cold and this year heating oil will be expensive. It's going to take a toll.

However, Howard Dean left the state in good shape. Vermont isn't broke. The state is very fiscally conservative even though the politics are mostly liberal. The first state for civil unions. The only state with NO McDonald's in the state capital city. Vermont repealed slavery in 1777. And Vermont declared war on Hitler before the US Congress did.

I grew up in a sunny climate. My friends worried that I wouldn't survive the winters. But I find that they are necessary. It is a good idea for human beings to "go inside" for a time. Winter provides a time to stop, reconnect, take stock. I use the time inside the house to do art projects, write, read, and take care of myself. I never did that in CA. I was always moving, always going, always ... STRESSED.

Anyway, I love my life. I left a job where I made a lot of money, and I don't have that now. But we are comfortable and saved and are doing fine. I love my job as an English professor at a small state college. My husband gets to ski in the winter and play golf in the summer. The autumn is the most amazing time -- I love the colors.

I hope that answers your question.
Kerry ON!

[Jack_Dawson]

7. Fantastic!

Thanks for the breakdown. I've always fantasized about selling my condo and moving somewhere cool. A gf and I vacationed in New England a couple summers ago and I loved it. Nantucket and Maine, in particular. It was so beautiful. Of course that was in July and everyone said "Yeah come back in January and see if you still love it" but I suppose if you're with someone you love, the winters are bearable. Great story either way... :toast:

[AlFrankenFan]

8. Even here in South Orange County it's raining!

The 3 years I've lived here and it was never like this during October!

[Beaverhausen]

9. can you say mudslide?

Hope there aren't too many of those.

I heard there was hail here in the SF Valley today.