It used to be that we had a distinct “fire season” in Southern California which ran from the beginning of September through November. During about the last decade, that season has grown to the point that it lasts all year. Until the end of July this year, the fires were mostly contained quite quickly, and stayed within a short distance of their origin.
On August 1, a fire began along the dividing line between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. It grew rapidly overnight, and by the next day it had burned about 10,000 acres. This morning it was reported that the fire is still burning and has grown to approximately 120,000 acres, mostly uncontained It is burning roughly between San Luis Obispo, a coastal city, and Bakersfield, in the Central Valley of California, both about 00 miles north of Santa Barbara.,
There is no telling how long this fire will burn — it is very hot and dry in the area, and the land is mostly either mountainous or agricultural, with only a few small towns — there have been few evacuations (relative to previous fires), mostly small agricultural hamlets. As of this morning, it had destroyed one home and one other building!
Unfortunately, this is not the only fire burning in the United States and Canada. There are numerous fires burning across Canada, with smoke blowing across the East Coast. And there are numerous fires which broke out as thunderstorms rolled through Colorado in the last day or two. We are all hoping for rain and cooler temperatures — in California that won’t be likely until sometime in October, though in other areas it could happen sooner. We are fortunate that the winds have not been strong in Southern California at this point, although that could happen at any time.
Those who have followed my posts know that I drove from South Orange County, to Santa Barbara quite frequently over the last several years. Along the way, I often followed the freeway north or south along the westerns edge of Los Angeles, the 405! About halfway, I went past the campus of UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles),– across the freeway from UCLA is the Getty Museum. I would often think that I should stop and visit the Getty Museum, but that would delay progress in a trip that already took 3=4 hours, and I wanted to get the rest of the trip completed! One of the benefits of living in a retirement community is that they offer periodic excursions to museums, concerts and other events; a couple of weeks ago, the Getty Museum was a destination for one of these excursions. (https://www.getty.edu/museum)
There are two Getty museums in the general LA area. The older one is an Italianate villa, known as The Getty Villa. This museum located in Malibu, exhibits antiquities owned by the J. Paul Getty Trust. I had visited that museum many years ago — it’s an amazing collection, and the building and grounds are quite spectacular, across the street from the Pacific Ocean at Malibu. I hadn’t visited the newer Getty Museum, though, even though I remember when it was built, and it has a very positive reputation. The collections at the Getty Museum include paintings of the Impressionist era, as well as many others and some traveling exhibits , and the building and grounds are even more spectacular than the Villa. The building climbs a hill along the freeway, with underground parking at the bottom of the building (the top of the site’s hillside), topped by several floors of research buildings, and two stories of galleries and other areas open to the public. The grounds are outside the galleries, and overlook parts of the City of Los Angeles, ad down a canyon looking to the ocean several miles away!
Our tour began with a 2-hour bus ride from our community to the Getty,, with parking 2 floors below the parking entrance, and a tram ride up the side of the hill to the Gallery levels! We had about 1=1/2 hours to explore the area, and eat a quick lunch in a cafeteria, then a tour of the Gallery’s Impressionist paintings. A docent led the tour, talking about some Monet and Rembrandt paintings, and finishing with Van Gogh’s Irises. We then had a behind the scenes tour of the Conservation labs. The museum does not concentrate on conservation of the paintings i its own collections, but analyses with chromatography samples of paint from paintings and other art works all over the world to determine what restoration methods would best be used for each sample. They explained that what restores one type of painting could destroy another paint, and museums, etc. come to them from all over to determine the proper restoration techniques.
At almost 10 hours (including the bus rides), it was a long day — i was exhausted when we got home — but it was too short to see everything there was to see — I’d go again in a minute!
If you have read my last 4 posts, you know that my life has been ifke a perpetual earthquake for the last year, with change more common than stability. A year ago it began with a minor car accident, followed by cancer surgery, and then by a move to Reata Glen, a retirement facility.
My house was listed for sale on February 5, and escrow closed with no glitches on March 27! I am still in the process of unpacking boxes at my new home, but even that is taking shape, ad soon the boxes will disappear! I am beginning to feel more at home, both in my own apartment, and within the surrounding environment. The people are very friendly and welcoming and I have already begun making new friends.
Today I was working on a project of address changes — a difficult project that should have been much easier and less time-consuming than it has been. Suddenly my cell phone went CRAZY. It does that if here should be an Amber Alert (missing or abducted child) When I looked to see what was going on, there was an announcement that there was a 6.8 earthquake 60 miles away.
That’s a big quake, and I was tempted to follow the instructions to duck and cover. I waited for about 30 seconds, and then felt the shake of an earthquake. It turned out that the magnitude was actually 5.2 rather than 6.8, and the epicenter as at Julian. There was no damage here, and I have been busy since then so haven’t heard about damage elsewhere. Julian is a small mountain village east of San Diego, and about 50-60 miles from here. People go there shopping for arts and crafts, and for apples or special breads,, as well as for the mountain atmosphere. I sincerely hope there was only minimal damage from this quake!
The shake itself was definitely felt here but just as a shaking, without particular direction. It was reassuring that the cell phone was crazy — the new Shake Alert app really does work! It is designed to alert people of a feelable quake within certain magnitude and location parameters so we can protect ourselves against personal injury wnen possible. I had been concerned about the increasing nuumber of 5-point quakes we were having, and downloaded the app at about the time I moved — this was the first time I was aware of it actually working.
First, an update to Part 3 — of the 9 offers presented for my house (see Part 3), all were countered with a request for their last and best offer. A couple backed out, and the others all increased their offers by anywhere from $2 thousand to $18 thousand. We have accepted the best offer, and the house is now in escrow, with an estimated closing date of 3/27.
As I have adjusted to my new living arrangements, it has been increasingly clear that a requirement is a working computer. And it has also become increasingly clear that my computer was not happy with the move. The tech assistant who set up the computer in its new home looked at it, helped it out for a short time, but recommended that I replace it sooner than later. A couple of residents who have tech experience also looked at it and fixed it for a short time, but weren’t sure what they had done to make it work. Finally, the head tech person for Reata Glen tried to fix it, and couldn’t — he also recommended that I back up the data quickly, and replace it as soon as possible. After all that, I still was not able to boot up the computer.
Yesterday, I shopped for a new computer, but, as is my habit, I asked for a day to think about it — that was ok because I was looking at a model that was on sale until tomorrow. I asked a friend for some suggestions — he sent links to several articles evaluating the best models to replace mine. And last night as I was about to fall asleep, I wondered if anybody had actually checked the power supply in their attempt to repair the computer. This morning when I was awake and ready to get working, I turned off the surge protector that everything is connected to, let it sit for a few minutes, and turned it on again. The computer booted up as it should have, and has been working well ever since! I can once again use my computer, at least for today.
This all happened while I had spent down my cash reserve with surprise moving and real estate costs, and I really didn’t want to spend money on a replacement for my computer– I will heed the recommendation to shop for a new computer, but now can delay that purchase until I can do so more comfortably. Hopefully there will not be more surprises, but I’m very happy that I am not an impulse shopper!
It has been a chilly month so far — yesterday was the coldest-ever March day, and today is sunny but chilly as yet another rainstorm threatens to move through the area. Spring is here, and the grassy fields are beautifully green right now but will soon turn brown and warmer! And it’s really nice to have light evenings once again.
A part of making the move to Reata Glen has involved selling my Aliso Viejo home of 32 years in order to fund the payment of an “admission fee.” Shortly before moving, I contacted a couple of realtors, one of whom has “farmed” the Aliso Viejo community for almost as long as I lived there. He reviewed comps (comparable prices of homes that had recently been sold — there were only 2 sold in 2024), ad explained his process. It was clear that the sale would be quicker and more effective than that of the other realtor, who was more interested in obtaining a listing than in actually selling the house, so I selected the first realtaor.
On moving day, the realtor had a painter doing some prep work prior to painting the house the next weekend. The painter also replaced doorknob2 s and a couple of light fixtures, and was followed by a thorough cleaning and a professional cleaner finished that phase. Then came a new carpet, and some staging furniture. They used a sofa that I was doubtful about moving, and a couple of other small pieces of furniture, as well as a “bed” that was actualy a piece of cloth draped over a large cardboard box, and the house was sparling ad ready to show.
The next step was photographing and advertising. The house was lited on th Multiple Listing Service, with a notation saying “Coming Soon.” Last weekend, the “coming soon” notation was removed, and the realtors had a Wine and Cheese Open House both on Saturday and Sunday. The open house was attended by approximately 175 people, some of whom came both days. Yesterday, Tuesday, I had a call asking if I could go to the realtor’s office to go over some offers.
I had been a little skeptical about the number of interested buyers — there is very low inventory of homes for sale at this point, but, as the realtor had told me, the number of people looking is also down. The recent LA fires will eventually have an effect, but it’s too soon for people to be buying new homes, especially 50 miles from their destroyed homes. Additionally, the current political situation doesn’t seem conducive to the purchase of new homes! So I was amazed when I learned that there were already 8 viable offers, and a 9th arrived while I was in the realtor’s office! The offers all fell within a range of $52 above the list price!
One offer had to be discarded — it was submitted on an incorrect form, and became invalid. We spent a couple of hours preparing counter offers for 7 others, and will repeat that process for the 8th. Hopefully by the end of the week or the beginning of next week, we will have the house in escrow for a sale by the end of this month!
Stay Tuned for Part 4~
Although I haven’t yet said that I wish I had made this move sooner, I have said many times that I’m glad to have made the move now. The benefits are may, and it will be an easier place continue the journey of life. It is not inexpensive to live in a retirement community, but the costs cover many things. First, of course, is the rental of an apartment that is now my home. Reata Glen is a relatively new community, having opened just before the pandemic. This is the first time they can say that the building is full — there are about 700 units, and there are only one or two still to be filled. My unit is one in which nobody has ever lived, so I am experimenting with things that have not previously been used!
There are several types of retirement homes in the United States. They range from Skilled Nursing (or rehab) facilities to memory care, to “assisted living:” and “independent living. The ultimate includes all these types and allows movement as appropriate between the levels of care. I am considered to be in Independent Living, and yet, there are many benefits which could be called assistance. These benefits include complete maintenance and landscaping but also full meal service (we have 3 separate restaurants,, serving 20 meals a week plus a snack shop and meals to go), light housekeeping, light health services ( mostly triage), and lots of planned and unplanned activities. There are two additional benefits that led me to choose Reata Glee — first, the admission fees are partially refundable, amortized down to 75% return, when one leaves or to one’s estate; and full medical services short of hospitalization (if you have been cancer-free for a complete year — (I will become eligible for this benefit after I’ve been here about 6 months)
An additional benefit of these organizations is the socialization that comes with group housing. Although we can live completely sedentary solitary lives, there is strong encouragement to participate in group activities — exercise classes, interest groups, excursions, and so forth. There is even a Residents’ Technical group that helps with technological issues (I was in the twilight zone for a while, with a computer and a cell phone that both ‘crashed’ at the same time just after I moved in, and am now able to use both with the help of the ResTech group). I am free to come and go as I please, but if I should stop driving, there will be transportation available to take me to doctors, grocery and pharmacy stores, and so forth.
Socialization is a huge part of elder health — and it is very available here. There is a large group of people involved in all the various activities, allowing for a good mix, and for meeting new people while doing one’s daily activities. The people are somewhat of a caricature of homes for the elderly — some perfectly functional and others not so much. I was confronted the other night by a lady I knew who was afraid to go to her apartment alone after a building-wide fire alarm Most, however, are very rational and functional, and there are some excellent conversations available if one chooses to participate.
My overall impressions after a month are that I have moved to an apartment where I will have any assistance I may need (need being the operational word in that sentence), and can continue to live my normal life as I continue to grow older. And now I need to get back to preparing my tax return and unpacking boxes!
A few years ago I decided that I would need to take care of myself as I grow older. I did some thorough investigation, and decided on a new retirement facility that was the in construction. I very nearly moved at that time, but decided at the last minute that I wasn’t quite ready to make such a move. Then came the pandemic,, followed by an illness (a friend calls it Cancer One!) and recovery.
During the summer of 2024, my thoughts again turned to making sch a move. I am not growing any younger, and I have been less interested in maintaining a two story home, much as I have loved my home for the last 32 years! I had accepted invitations for a meal at the place I had considered earlier, as well as a seminar focused on the downsizing process. And then I had another illness, Cancer 2.
After Thanksgiving, I began talking with the “Admissions Counselor” again, and found there was a push to fill the building completely by the end of the year. Because of this, there were several discounts and waivers if I signed relatively quickly. I had already decided that it was time to make the move, so I negotiated an extra month to ensure that I could afford the move, and that this was the choice I really wanted to make.
On February 5, I moved to Reata Glen in a new portion of the county which will be called Rancho Mission Viejo. January’s activity involved making certain that I could afford to make this move, and moving money around to that end. It also involved the mechanics of moving — finding a mover, downsizing my home and packing what I would take with me, and completing the medical appointments that had been on the books for some time. Even with a mover who organized, sorted (discard, donate, take with me) and packed the house, the amount of work was daunting.
Finally moved in, my days have been filled, without the pressures of timing, with unpacking and reorganizing my life. i now live about 20 miles from my previous home, with a completely new routine and focus. Part 2 will look at my thoughts after a month of my new life!
It’s a beautiful sunny day today, but for the last two days, the news has been about heavy rains and mud slides. We had a couple of weeks of misty weather after the fires, but not enough to hold down the hillsides in the burn areas. There was up to 8″ of rain in the various burn areas, and that was enough to loosen many mud slides, all over the greater Los Angeles area. I’ve not heard of any major injuries — everybody was well warned, and people were evacuated from their homes in anticipation of possible disaster. The worst was a public safety officer who was driving along the coast road beneath a burn scar — a mud slide came out of nowhere and pushed his car, with him inside, over a 30 foot drop into the ocean. He was fortunately able to get out of the car and run back up the drop-off to a place where he could climb a fence and escape!
In the meantime, and before the rans became heavy,, I moved from, my home of 32 years to a retirement complex . As the stairs became more of a burden in my home, it became clear that now was the right time to make such a move. I have chosen a home where the “rent” includes meals, light housekeeping,, lots of activities, lots of safety measures,, transportation when I no longer can drive, and a medical center It’s extensive, and well run, and I feel very well cared for — except for the unpacking, which may take a while. The staff are all charged with making the residents feel comfortable, and the activities range from movies to health-oriented exercises. I still drive, and keep my car in an assigned, covered space not far from my apartment. I will have to watch my dietary habits to make sure that I don’t gain a lot of weight! Hopefully this move will be my last, providing me with healthy living for another 15 years or so!
The move happened rather quickly, and has involved a lot of work, cleaning out so many years of “stuff”! I will still continue to discard things I don’t need or haven’t used for a while, but my life should become much easier, and perhaps even more fulfilling, once I am a little more settled!
Southern California is again under a Red Flag Warning, with the qualifier that it contains Extreme Fire Danger. Yesterday at noon, I turned on the news at noon, only to find out that there had been a new fire the began about 11 am, an hour earlier. At that time it had burned about 500 acres By mid-afternoon, the acreage had increased to several thousand acres, and by 6 pm, it was 9,500 acres. This fire is about 100 miles north of here, in an area widely known for 6 Flags Magic Mountain . Last evening it was reported that there had been no structures burned, nor people injured. It is apparently burning in undeveloped grassland. This morning, the fire is 14% contained. There are two lakes nearby, which provide water for the SuperScooper and other water dropping aircraft. The main north-south thoroughfare in that area is I-5 — it was closed for a while yesterday.
And overnight there was another fire in the Sepulveda Pass, threatening homes in the exclusive BelAir area of LA. With water dropping helicopters this fire was limited to 40 acres.
We are not out of the woods yet. This week’s Red Flag Warning extends through Friday morning, and the weather prediction for today is for record high temperatures of 80 degrees! At the same time, the authorities in Pasadena are distributing sandbags to their residents to protect against flooding over the weekend when it is likely to rain for the first time in about 9 months.
The two largest fires are still burning, with containment at 15-20%. However, with two days of quieter winds, they are not raging as they once were. The red flag wind alerts expired early last night, and there has apparently been no spread of fire for the last couple of days.
Discussion is now primarily about how and when to repopulate the areas. .People are wanting to go into the fire areas to see their homes (or home sites). However, for their own safety, they are all still being kept out of the fire areas due to smoldering home sites, downed power lines, open gas lines, and other issues that could cause harm to people or even reignite the fires. The utility companies are working hard to restore the areas to a level that would support repopulation.
There is a curfew in effect overnight in each of the fire areas. Despite this, there have been several arrests of people who “don’t belong there.” –mostly looters. And officials are warning about scammers and price gogers, all of which are illegal! So far, FEMA is getting good reviews for helping people immediately.
We are not yet out of the woods,, and there are still possible winds , but the world definitely looks more inviting to the people of Los Angele.
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