Health Hazards

Big fires in the southeastern part of our county and about 10-15 miles from us.  The Pole Creek and the Bald Mountain have burned more than 100,000 acres.  No lives lost and possibly no homes either.  6,000 people evacuated some of whom are just tonight being allowed to return to their homes.  Air quality has been terrible because of the fires.

Kind of hard to take a picture of smoke but this is what our backyard looked like on Friday, September 14 at about 10:30 am.  It all has to do with the winds of course and so far, that has meant closing the windows the minute we get up because by then the air quality is already moving into the unhealthy zone.  Later in the afternoon it clears out and returns to normal or moderate levels.  We go to bed with doors and windows open only to start the whole air quality thing over the next day.  The fires are only at 23% containment so this could go on for some time.

For me it has meant burning eyes and feeling it in my lungs.  That's why we stay in during the day.  I'm curious what it does to Min, if anything and hopefully nothing at all.

The other health hazard:

It's Min herself, for pete's sake.  This is one of her favorite spots to snooze.  I like to think it's because she has a direct view of the front door and the house rules are no barking unless someone is actually walking up the front walk to the front door.  (I'm really the only one who follows it.)  

While this spot is not the actual center of the house, I need to step over her to get almost anywhere.  Generally I announce myself with a quiet "coming your way" or "heading to the sewing room", etc. so as not to startle her and have her jump up, knocking over me or the ironing board with the hot iron on it.  

Oh yes, and she has peeled that rug off the carpet tape that is designed to keep it from being a tripping problem.  Sigh.