Sorry I didn't post yesterday.

Monday, September4:

Marilyn and I dared to drive out on a few errands. I say 'dared' because of yhe horrible air quality in Portland due to the wildfires.

Some probably don't know, but Marilyn has only ever had 80% lung capacity. And she suffers from asthma. She seems better than when she was younger (and often couldn't catch her breath), but she still has issues. And this situation doesn't help.

We got prescriptions from the pharmacy and went to Sauvie Island to U-Pick green tomatoes. I am totally DONE with Kruger's Farm, by the way. Aside from several instances the last couple of years of rude behavior, now they no longer allow the picking of green tomatoes. As Marilyn said, what's the difference if we buy them red or green? And charge us what you would for harvested crops -- we'll pay it. We just want the produce! And they don't sell the tomatoes green. Whatever. I'm tired of their unpleasantness anyway. So we went back to The Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie Island. (Aside: years back we had some incidents there and quit going! But we experienced nothing but warmth and kindness yesterday, so it was time, I guess!) They have a lot of features for visitors and were very friendly and helpful. And the green tomatoes were beautiful and abundant! We got quite a few.

Then we got Mexican take-out and came home.

Later we took bags to the BottleDrop. It was CREEPY! The sky was platinum. Awful. I said it reminded me of nuclear winter -- not kidding. Marilyn agreed. There's a yellow hue that's ominous.

I'm not sure how, but we were up much of the night. But didn't sleep in all that late. Still watching a lot of US Open tennis...

The news last night was so upsetting. We have many friends who live in the Gorge. 10,000 acres are bruning in Oregon. Nature is being devastated. Amazing locations are being threatened, or destroyed.

Tuesday:

The Oneonta Tunnel was destroyed last night. It was beautiful. All wood. We have photos of Marilyn in front of it from 2013...

Praying Vista House and the Multnomah Falls Lodge will be saved. Plus Pat and Pat's amazing historic house.

There was a layer of ASH all over today! I couldn't believe what I was seeing! It took me back to whe Mount St. Helens erupted! I made Marilyn go out to see it briefly, but shouldn't have. I made her sick being outside breathing that air.

Anyway, we stayed in most of the day. Our chests are burning and we both have headaches. Awful.

It's hard to think about anything except the fires.

I can't believe a 15-year-old started the Eagle Creek Fire! With fireworks, no less. Disgusting.

Here are some photos. Click to see the larger version.

      

       

       

       

       

       

Just a sample of what's happening here, anyway... some of those are the lodge -- they've been working hard to save it.

Tomorrow we have to be at sister Sue's house early, so off to bed (it's 3:00 a.m., but I needed to share). Then she has a doctor appointment.

More tomorrow.