Tag Archives: fire

CAMP FIRE: How to Help

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The list below is but a few organizations and individuals helping victims of the Camp Fire in Northern California. Feel free to add more resources, or resources for the Southern California fires below. And if you have Dutch Bros. Coffee in your area stop by TODAY, get coffee, and donate.

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North Valley Animal Disaster Group

Camp Fire

Thank you for the outpouring of support for the work of all-volunteer, all-donation-supported NVADG.  We have many teams behind the fire lines evacuating, feeding and watering animals. Veterinarians are with us providing emergency animal care/triage as well. Teams are transferring animals just outside the evacuation road-blocks to emergency response volunteers who are transporting animals to the emergency shelters.  We appreciate the support of all our partners during this unprecedented fire event.

IMPORTANT:  Please DO NOT email requests for service to our website email address.  Call our hotline, 530-895-0000. Our volunteers are taking a huge volume of calls, please keep trying.

If you want to donate to NVADG, please consider a cash donation. It gives us the flexibility we need and we will definitely need it!  Donate on our website or send a check to NVADG, PO Box 441, Chico, CA  95927.

Due to the enormity of the situation, non-NVADG trained volunteers are being processed through Caring Choices in Chico, 1398 Ridgewood, Chico.  Work is in small animal shelters.  ABSOLUTELY NO EVACUATION WORK.   You must be cleared through Caring Choices to volunteer at a shelter.  Extreme danger in burned areas, law enforcement will not allow self-deployed volunteers behind fire lines.

Hotline (530) 895-0000

https://www.nvadg.org/donate?fbclid=IwAR3qfVOQ3Q3ASEarg8X-hBleTEZieR0FJVjEDfJng_oCNZtzgHHYMso5FBM

Donate

NVADG is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Our ID is 06-1672191

IRS Non Profit Determination Letter

Donations are gratefully accepted and are tax deductible to the extent provided by law.

Thank you for your support of the animals we are hosting!

Other ways to donate:

 

Dutch Brothers California Wildfire Relief

Beginning Tuesday, Nov. 13 through Monday, Nov. 19, all Dutch Bros locations will join together to raise funds for California wildfire relief efforts. Each of Dutch Bros’ 325+ stores will be offering customers the chance to make donations at the window. Dutch Bros will match donations up to $150,000 to three different organizations in Northern California. Together we can make a difference.

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Paradise Herndon Family Fund

CLICK here for the GoFundMe site.
We moved to Paradise in 1978 and my sister and I were raised in this community. Julia stayed, married, raised a beautiful family.  As long as I can remember, my sister and brother in law have opened their doors to those in need. It never mattered the circumstances, if you needed a place to land and get a meal, a bed, a hug, the Herndon Home was where you knew you were always welcome. Their 5 children and all of their friends were raised knowing that Herndon home meant safety, security, laughter, comfort, and love.  They have always gone above and beyond to help anyone in need with money, food, shelter, emotional support.

JAN LOCKE FIRE IN PARIDISE

https://www.gofundme.com/fire-in-paridise?fbclid=IwAR27zuA817wdvjW3XDtg9SpvW-dc7gVlydVvcJ-vXm4rDMBNnn0nK1UycYI
My Sister JAN LOCKE just moved to Magalia (PARIDISE CA) one week ago after selling her home of 30 year in Antelope CA.  Only to find her and her family in the path of the devastating “CAMP FIRE”! She is temporarily in a motel in RedBluff waiting until property owners are allowed back in to the area. In need of financial help with current expenses and housing. ASAP! I live in Washington State but grew up in Sacramento…   Can’t BELIEVE what we are seeing..Such a terrible FIRE!

Unclaimed pets from the Camp fire at the UC Davis Veterinary Hospital. 

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These are cats currently under care at the UC Davis veterinary hospital that do not have an owner identified. If you believe one of these may be yours, please email ucdavisvetmed@gmail.com. You will need to provide photo ID of your missing pet if at all possible. We will answer inquiries as soon as we can. Please be patient with our team as we manage this situation. We will add more images as unclaimed animals come into our care. We are not legally permitted to manage adoptions or temporary fosters for these animals. If owners are unknown, they are technically the property of county animal services of the county they came from. They will remain hospitalized until they are healthy enough to return to those authorities and only they have the authority to foster or adopt them out.

If you’d like to help contribute to their care, donate here: https://give.ucdavis.edu/go/firecare

Short Story Sunday: Smoke

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Smoke

The sky is gray with smoke, the same color as the dove sitting on the back deck rail.

I’m not just saying that to be literary. The sky IS the same color as the dove. It isn’t clouds. It’s smoke from the summer fires.

I watched him through the window as he watered the garden. He was doing it all wrong but I wasn’t going to tell him.

My mind wandered to where I would go if I could go somewhere else. It wasn’t like the movies or books where I could go home to some idyllic small town. This was home. There is no extended family. There is no family at all to speak of.

I imagined the winter when we didn’t have to water the garden and everything was green.

A house on the beach where the cool winds blow away the heat and the smoke and the smell of death in the basement.

My husband waved at me.

“Did you put on sunscreen? You need a hat,” I called to him.

“I’m coming inside right now,” he said with a smile.

I saw a bit of fang flash when he smiled. He’d do that when he wanted me to smile back. Smiles had been rare these days.

I remember the fires of long ago. I remember the screams. I remember the cheers as bodies exploded and cracked. I remember the horrible smell. And I remembered to tell my children to never tell anyone who or what they are or they would face the flames.

The sliding glass door opened and he came in with an armful of roses, zinnias, and sunflowers.

“Our harvest today. Get a vase my love. We’ll bring the beauty out of the smoke.”

I smiled and took the flowers and he kissed me.

It wasn’t a smoking hot kiss but that isn’t what I wanted or needed.

All sI needed was a cool kiss from a man who loved me, and maybe eye drops.

Yes, I needed eye drops. Then I closed my eyes and thought of the waves and the cool sand between my cold Vampire toes.

 

~ end

 

~ Juliette aka Vampire Maman

 

Fire And The Cool Dark Places Of Summer

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With summer we don’t welcome in the fire season, but fire season is here none the less.

I had to go downtown this morning, and from the freeway saw two plumes of fire coming up as if the entire world was on fire or giant pits down to Hell had opened up. From the color of the smoke it looked like grass fires. A larger fire just north of here has burned maybe 12,000 acres. I’m not sure, it keeps growing. We’ll soon start to hear of more fires in all directions. After the devastation last year in Sonoma and Napa Counties, Lake County and other areas in California it seems even more tragic for it to start all over again.

Behind my home we’ve cut back the brush. I’ve cleared my property. We’ve put in fire sprinklers.

As I drove along the freeway looking at the smoke plume in the distance I saw a religious billboard. It just seemed weird, you know the smoke and the message all at once.

This week missionaries and members of several churches (you know who I’m talking about) have been coming around and leaving pamphlets. A few years ago yellow jackets swarmed a nice pair of men who came around to tell me about the Bible. I’m often tempted to tell them we’re Vampires. Not that we’re evil. Oh we are so misunderstood. Another reason why most folks don’t know we’re real.

But back to the nice people who smile and ask me too many personal questions about my beliefs,  what I really need to ask is for them to pray that we don’t have the fire devastation that we have had in the West for the past few years – from Canada to Mexico it has been horrible.

Right now I can smell smoke but I’m not sure where it is from. The sky is too hazy to tell.

When my brother Val and I were teens, around fourteen and fifteen (1873 or 74) we found a way to keep cold in the hot burning summer days.

He stole the key to a church basement (which is no longer there) and a way to get into a seldom used private chapel. Bodies would be put there before burial to keep from rotting so quickly in the summer heat. Also food would be stored in another section behind locked doors.

Yes, it was horrible and wrong for any teens, and we’re Vampires so that even adds more to the wrongness of it all, but we didn’t hurt anyone. Our parents would have hit the roof, but that is another post.

I’d lay as still as death on the cool floor. My skin seemed to melt, not like candle wax, but like burning hard sealing wax. Hair twisted around my neck and clung to my forehead. I couldn’t open my eyes.

Suddenly an icy cold shroud covered me. I sank into the floor even more. A relief to my burning Hell had come.

I could hear my brother Val laughing.

“Thank you,” I whispered. “I thought I was going to absolutely melt.”

Val lay down on the floor beside me and pulled the icy wet sheet over the both of us.

“I hate the heat,” I said to him.

“I know you do,” he replied.

We lay in the dark, on the cold marble floor. The triple digit summer air encased us, drying out the wet sheet. I hooked my index finger with his as we lay as still as death together, trying to find some comfort.

With my eyes still closed I could hear footsteps coming into the room. I couldn’t will myself to move. I was so hot and so uncomfortable.

I’m not a creature who has a wide range of temperature control. The heat makes me want to hibernate or go into a coma.

I could feel someone lift the sheet from our still faces. We opened our eyes wide, not with our natural color, but with solid black. You know, the old black-eyed children trick. It works every time.

A gasp and a cry filled the air, then the sound of the poor lady running away from us.

Val threw back the sheet and propped himself up on his arm. Looking towards the doorway he laughed. “She thought we were dead.”

“And so we are, well sort of,” I answered looking at his pale face, made even paler by the dark hair falling over his forehead.

Today, about ninety summers later the heat still shuts me down. My daughter mentioned that today.

“Dad said you never did well in the heat.”

“No. I don’t.” And that is true as I sit here burning up with my hands sticking to the computer keyboard.

Every single summer the heat rises to triple digits F-ing Farenheit. And every single summer the hot walls of heat hit me so hard that every cell in my body wants to shut down. It should be no surprise, especially since I choose to live here. Then again, it is hot everywhere in the West, aside from the coast and the mountains. Maybe one day I’ll pack up and move, but until then, there are wet sheets and ice.

Oh, one more note, as a public service announcement. When it gets hot PLEASE make sure your dogs don’t end up with burnt feet. If it is too hot for you to walk on the hot pavement with bare feet it is too hot for your dogs. My friend Amelia in Las Vegas used to put booties on her old dog for walks in the hot desert neighborhoods. And triple check their water – cat water too.

~ Juliette aka Vampire Maman

Keeping the Fires Alive in Our Cold Vampire Hearts

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Keeping the Fires Alive in Our Cold Vampire Hearts

First posted in June 2014
I walked into her bedroom. I’d never met the woman. I’d heard of her, but the details are always the same. She is pretty and smart and fun thirty something woman and not interested in a serious relationship. Perfect for my brother. By the way, my brother is a Vampire. So am I. But you already knew that.

They were on the bed but nothing had happened yet. Her shirt was off. So was his, along with his belt and the top button of his jeans was undone. His mouth was on her neck.

“Val. Valentine you need to come with me.” I almost growled it out. The woman screamed. I thought her name is Courtney but I could have been wrong. It didn’t matter. She screamed again. Val’s eyes glowed red at me.

“Stop with the eye glow. We have to go. Family emergency. Now.”

“Courtney, darling, I’m so sorry. I have to go with my sister,” he said, giving his lady friend a kiss and grabbing his shirt and belt. She covered her chest and stared at me, then looked at Val, then looked back at me. You can tell we’re related. There is a very strong family resemblance. I could see the bite marks on her neck. He’d be back. Val almost always goes back, especially to one this lovely. Plus he owed her some future sweet dreams for my barging into her bedroom. On the good side, in the morning she’ll forget any of this happened. That is one advantage of being a Vampire – we can make them forget.

An hour earlier I’d received a call. “Come now, come now.” The quiet voice almost hissed in my ear. Dealing with the elderly can be both rewarding and heart breaking and sometimes it just pisses me off because I’m the one… I love them, but sometimes it would be nice if I had some help.

“I thought you were staying with them,” I snapped at my brother.

“I can’t be there 24/7. I needed a break. I need my own space sometimes.”

“We saw Wicked tonight. A nice family outing. Why is it that every time I go to the theater or on vacation or have something nice planned someone calls me with an emergency. It could be our parents or Andy or the Elders or… all I ask for is one night. Just one.”

Val mumbled something but I just cranked up the radio.

Old Tellias met us at the door of the Queen Anne style farm-house. His pale hair was around his shoulders making him looking more like a Victorian Angel rather than a Vampire. He wore an open tuxedo shirt and jeans like some college student trying to make a fashion statement. It was just the way he dressed, like he had his eyes closed.

“She isn’t well. She isn’t well at all,” he said in a paper thin whisper.

Eleora was not well. They’d been together for 2,000 years and even now as they slowed down their love stayed strong. Anyone that old is bound to be fragile and that is exactly what these two are.

Eleora was on the fainting couch wearing a flowered sundress and an old stretched out sweater. Her long dark curls were dull and hanging limp in the heat about her shoulders.

To anyone else she’d be a young woman of maybe 19 or 20. My head spun. Eleora was at least 2,500 years old if not more. We knew Tellias was born before the birth of Christ, but not too long before.

It didn’t matter. She lay still as death wrapped in an old sweater and covered in a quilt, not breathing, or making her heart pump. She wasn’t dead but she wasn’t alive. She just was.

“When was the last time she ate anything?”

Tellias gave me a guilty look. “Maybe last week.”

“Why didn’t you call me or at least called John next door. We could have brought you something. Have you been out of the house at all?”

He shook his head. “We lost the car keys.” Again. They were always misplacing their car keys. Any spares were long gone. “I didn’t want to bother anyone.” he added. “You’re all so busy.”

It is frustrating to see that pretty face of his and know that the brain behind it isn’t working at full capacity. Maybe it isn’t his brain. Maybe his spirit is just tired.

I reached up to the top of a bookshelf where he kept spare keys in a box. I dragged my brother out to the barn. The old 1955 Ford truck was still out there. After charging the battery (thank goodness for jumper cables) I got it started.

Tellias stood in the barn doorway not saying a word. This Vampire who once took charge of every situation was now so helpless and confused. I still admired him. Unfortunately it wasn’t a night to express those thoughts.

When I returned to the house Eleora was sitting up. I sat next to her and took her cold hand. She curled her fingers around mine.

“Nobody needs us anymore. Most of our close friends are gone.”

It broke my heart to hear her say that. “Oh Eleora, dear Eleora, don’t talk like that.”

“Ginger died.”

I didn’t expect that. Ginger was their old dog, a large yellow lab mix who’d shown up about 10 years ago. Everyone loved Ginger, but nobody more than Eleora and Tellias.

“When? Why didn’t you call me?” I asked still in shock.

“She wouldn’t get up.” said Tellias. “Her legs wouldn’t move.”

“We sat with her all night,” said Eleora.

“All night, until she stopped wagging her tail,” said Tellias.

“Until her heart stopped,” said Eleora.

“Then she was gone,” said Tellias.

“She died.” said Eleora.

“Ginger went to where all good dogs go,” said Tellias.

“Ginger was a good dog,” said Eleora. “A good good dog.”

The old dog seemed fine last time I was over, but that was two weeks ago. Tellias buried her in the orchard under the walnut trees.

That is why Eleora was so sad and out of sorts. Her dear dog friend was gone. It always amazes me how much love dogs and cats have and how their loss is so heavy on our hearts.

Eleora squeezed my hand. “Tellias shouldn’t be so worried about me. He worries too much. He worries all the time. He worries. It is what he does. I’m glad you’re here. I loved that dog.”

“So did I,” I said trying to blink away the tears. Even Vampires have tears for dogs they love.

Eleora put her hands on my face and kissed me on the forehead and wiped my eyes. “You’ll be fine dear Juliette. I am glad you’re here. I miss Valentine being around. He had to go to the city he said. Not where you live. He went to the big city. But he said he’d be back all summer. All summer long.”

Val had vanished. I eventually found him in the upstairs bathroom throwing up blood (not his own of course.) His skin had taken on sort of a greenish tint, which brought me back to Wicked. Anyway, he wasn’t well.

“I don’t know what is wrong with me,” he said, looking as dead as a Vampire can look.

As soon as I entered the room I could tell by the smell what was going on. “Courtney is pregnant.”

Yes, one thing that makes a Vampire male sicker than a dog is blood from a pregnant woman. A look of surprise came over his face. No of course he isn’t the father. He couldn’t be. It turned out she had an on again off again boyfriend of three years. So much for that. I’ll make sure Val gets her a nice gift for the baby – a crib or a rocking chair or a nice fat savings bond.

Val gave me one of his looks. It is kind of a scowl with a bit of fang. “What are we doing? I mean what are we really doing Juliette? We used to travel the world and have grand wild adventures. We were the Vampires of lore. We ruled our world.”

“We were out of control idiots. Remember?”

“But what about now?”

“We’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing. We’re taking care of each other. You never asked me how Wicked was?”

Val put his arm around my shoulder. “How was Wicked dear sister?”

“Amazing! It was so much fun.”

We talked for a bit more until Tellias came up to see what we were up to. I called Pete at the Bottle & Blood store and ordered a delivery of a couple of cases of mixed blood to be delivered to the farm that night.

So where are we?

I guess we’re here we’re supposed to be. We’re where we are right now. We’re keeping the fires alive in our cold Vampire hearts and souls. I guess we can’t ask for anymore than that.

~ Juliette aka Vampire Maman

Short Story Sunday: The Shadow of Fire

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156937831The evening is cool and dry. I smell oak trees and a hint of fire in the dry brush. No smoke or flames but there is always the shadow of fire.

I thought of what Nathaniel had said earlier, “Everyone likes you. You’re the only one who doesn’t like you. You have to start liking yourself.”

He’d lived a charmed life. He’d never known the power of fire or the fear of losing everything or everyone. But he was right. I don’t like who I am, not usually, not when I’m alone. Not when I’m with most people, or Vampires as the case might be. But I don’t care.

Only with the kids do I care, my grandchildren many times over. They don’t bring anything into the conversation except the here and now. No ashes of the past to ruin the moment.

Fire had taken Thomas, my husband and father of my children. He was burned to death, quickly turned to ash when they discovered he was different. It seems so long ago but I can still smell the stench of the wood, the skin of the others. I can still hear the screams. I close my eyes for a second and try not to let my knees fail me.

Fire took my house in the San Francisco earthquake then almost a century later in the Oakland hills. Not a good track record.

Then it almost took me. Two years ago, I was walking to my car, alone. Being alone had never bothered me. After all I’m the predator. I’m the strong one. I’m the one who has watched and protected everyone else for centuries. They were strong and prepared. They knew who I was.  They knew how to prevent me from protecting myself. I can smell the gasoline and hear the strike of the match. That was after they kicked me and cut me and tried to…anyway, they didn’t like me either.

I did get away, but not without causing all sorts of damage to the Vampire Hunters. Don’t underestimate a woman in black boots and short leather skirt and a hounds-tooth check jacket, not to mention my favorite blue Coach bag that they didn’t get a scratch on.

That was almost two years ago, and since then I’ve almost completely recovered, yet I still get lectures from my friends and family. They consider me an ancient Vampire now. A fragile old fangster who needs to be watched like a child.

“Hey beautiful.” He stood in the doorway, just awake from a day of sleep, brushing his hair from his face, wearing nothing but a pair jeans.

My family disapproved. He was younger. He’d been a Vampire for less than two years. He was falling in love with me, a dangerous thing for any man or Vampire.

Cody kissed me in the light of the crescent moon. “Lola, I think I’m falling in love.”

“Me too.” I could feel the tears well up in my eyes. I didn’t tell him that it had been centuries since I’d felt this way. How does one say that, especially since it had been centuries since I’d even liked myself or trusted any of my own feelings. It was a true gift from Cody. I’d never take advantage of him or use him, no matter what anyone else said.

This wasn’t a gut reaction. It wasn’t survival or the survival of someone I loved. It was the survival of my heart. Was it too much to ask? Or had this have to burn out like everything else in my life?

“Serious thoughts Lola?” Cody kissed my forehead and pulled me close. “I will keep you safe, always and forever.”

I held him close and tight. Always and forever I thought. Then I started to wonder where the hose was, just in case.

tangled-tales

America’s Got Talent Night – is anyone watching except us?

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TV-WatchingOK I have to admit this is a stretch…a Modern Vampire Family watching America’s Got Talent every summer and blogging about it. It is a stretch but LOOK it is happening right here and now…and you’re part of it. But maybe not because unlike last year, I don’t think anyone is reading my AGT posts this summer. Hmmmm. So if you perchance see this post I’ll be doing more space exploration, vampire stories, inspirational parenting stuff and fashion tips or whatever later this week. It has been one of those stressful weeks for me where I just need to unwind and clear my brain and watch talent shows and you know, silly stuff.

This summer has been somewhat of a disappointment (with AGT, I hope not with this blog).

Tonight only two acts (out of two hours of acts) stood out.

The first was Olivia Rox a 14-year-old singer. She was cute and poised and had a great style. And she sang that song better than the Beeb ever did (we’re not Beeb fans here). But Olivia, oh Olivia you rocked it.

The second was a Marine from Kentucky named Jimmy Rose. Jimmy is a former coal miner with deep roots and a deeper heart and soul. This guy has TALENT – FINALLY. And of course he has a million dollar smile. We were all digging the red cowboy boots. Go Jimmy Rose. We know you have a long musical career ahead of you.

The other acts that went through were ok and I’d better write them down before I FORGET them. It was sort of like a school talent show tonight. Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE school talent shows but this isn’t a school talent show. They’re looking for a million dollar act.

Mat, Hona and Dave played a HUGE guy like a drum. They were all from Salt Lake City. Wow. It was unusual and a lot of fun and sort of weird and wonderful and happy.

The Break Dancing Sword Swollower – Yuck.

The Skaters who did ice skating on plastic. Oh come on. They were so lame. Show me some real skating. Do it on wheels and do it well. Ho Hum and BLAH.

Sensations – danced with optics, black light stuff and stuff like that. OK but sort of a yawn.

Kid Hoochie Dancers Daniella and Yosha. Not cute. OK the boy was cute. The girl could have been cute but she was, well, a brat. Teddy (my husband) said she’ll be a stripper when she grows up and he will be a back up dancer for a Broadway show (not a bad gig). Clara (age 14) said “She seems like a little brat.” School show talent stuff – and you all know how I dislike small children shaking their booties like club dancers (exploitation)

212 Green from Harlem, NYC. A family of talented kids who have a sweet little band. Teddy and 17 year Garrett thought they had no talent. Clara thought they were just ok but not more. I thought they were really cute.

Chloe Chanelle age 11. A cute kid country singer. If she tells stories as well as sings she has a good future. She told hunting stories. Cute girl.

What was up with the random Balloon Lady?

And that is all I’m going to mention tonight. No cocktails tonight.

The highlight and lowlight – we learned there are arson fires in the area where we live near Sacramento, CA. That is so evil. Today our friends were evacuated from their home due to one of those fires. But our friend was on the news and looked good on camera as he spoke about living so close to the fire. We live in a high fire area. In light of recent events around where we live and all over the West, fire is scary and there are tragic consequences. Our memories are full of fires and tragedies. Please be careful and report any suspected arsonists.

Listen to Smokey Bear and if you’re home on Tuesday night watch America’s Got Talent with us. We can compare notes.

~ Juliette aka Vampire Maman

Four judges this year - so far so good.

Four judges this year – so far so good.