Indian's Fire, Building a Railing, New Housekeeper

We just returned from King City last night. I went over last Tuesday afternoon and took Mom to Salinas on Thursday for her appointment with the cardioliogist. Thank goodness the "health scare" was not heart related, but a muscle strain in the sternum. She is not to lift or vacumm for awhile. Dr. Oh said it could take a month or two for it to heal. He did order a stress test (to be performed tomorrow) to make sure there have been no changes since her last one in February.
thank you Laurie for taking her to that appointment.

On my way over to the other valley, I took some pictures of the fire at the Indians, just to the west of King City. It began near our old family cabin (a campfire at Escondido campground) and singed the outside of the cabin, but another one close by burned to the ground. It has consumed over 50,000 acres, there are aroun 2,500 firefighters, and Cal Fire is saying they could be there for two months!

Taken from the top of Priest Valley Grade looking to the west and the coastal mountains.

Taken about halfways down the grade. You can see the plume of smoke from the fire!This one shows the drift of the smoke going south over Southern Monterey County.I took this shot at San Lucas to show how dark the valley was getting from the smoke.Also taking in San Lucas looking northwest.From the Safeway parking lot looking west toward Hunter Liggett and the San Antonio Mission, and further to the Indians area. There was some falling ash early in the week in King City.

On Saturday Ken and Daymond took on the task of putting in a railing for Mom and Dad so that the deck is safer and Dad has something to hold onto when going up and down the step. The boys started early, but the heat kept building up. They finished the railing and then decided they could tackle taking apart the deck at the Monte Vista rental. By that time it was really hot...we had to take them ice, more waters, G2s, and beer! They did get it torn out and piled on the sideyard. They also ordered new redwood, which will be stored at the lumber yard until they are ready to rebuild. It got so hot they called it quits before they had heat stroke.

Ken put some redwood stain on the railing and repainted the lower facia board as well as some other touch-up work up above. It looks great and Mom and Dad are enjoying it already.

Mom has a new housekeeper, starting tomorrow. Maria, along with a friend, will be coming twice a month to do the heavy cleaning. She comes highly recommended and even remembers Mom from Suburban, as she was a customer.

We had a great time visiting Laurie and Daymond and staying with Mom and Dad. We had some great meals and two late nights (midnight) of Butthead and Liverpool Rummy! Just hope and pray it is cooler than 110 the next time we go over.