The Santa Fe Railroad started growing them on the property to use as cross ties because they grow straight and quickly in Australia, but they twist and are brittle in the US soil.

While I have managed to avoid major fires for the most part, I was around for the Mission Valley fire in San Diego, so I’m familiar with the smoke and ash, although it was nothing compared to what you have experienced this year.

I could see the smoke from the Okefenokee fire, and smell it as well from two smaller local wildfires earlier this year, but there wasn’t a lot of ash and it was pine burning, which isn’t bad.

The really bad, bad hot spot right now is Lake Arrowhead. That can always change depending on the mercurial nature of the Santa Anas.

The ash and soot floating around here is just really uncomfortable. The eyes itch. the nose is plugged up. The new perfume is BBQ flavored. Fortunately we are quite some distance from the fires, but we still get the “crap” (can I type this on your blog?) of the fires and some remnants of the Zaca.

Dan Quayle played golf all the time at the Torrey Pines club when I lived in San Diego, and although the trips weren’t announced, you knew they happened by the traffic back-up on the I-5 as he drove between the NAS Miramar and the golf club. The world has to stop when these jerks are around and it’s even worse now.

I know what I’d like to do with that guitar.

Actually, Jill, FEMA is a functional equivalent.