We started to think about leaving when . . .

. . . it got to lookin' like this.

This photo was taken by a resident of Santa Paula, along the 150 (the highway that goes past our campus) on Saturday evening.

Then, when it got to looking like this, at about 10:30,

the fire chief said, "You might want to evacuate the students."
and our dean said, "We're getting 'em out of here."

So all 350 of us ended up at a Red Cross evacuation post in Saticoy, watching this

creep over the mountain side.

I have to say that really wasn't very fun.

The faculty and staff took groups of students to their homes.
In the end, only about 30 or so students had to sleep on the Red Cross cots.
I went to stay with Mr. B and family - they were very kind to take in 10 students like that, especially when four of them showed up at
2:30 a.m.

Although, I must say I do wish they didn't have quite so many cats.
*Ah-choo!*

It's now noon on Monday, and we've been officially un-evacuated.
The campus is fine.
There's still smoke, but I hear they have the fire under control.

And I tell you WHAT - I sure hope so.

So, yes, I've experienced yet another natural disaster.
I'm getting quite a list:
tornadoes (three of them, to be specific), floods (two of them),
an earthquake (it wasn't big enough for me to feel it, though, dag nab it), and now, fires.
Next year I'm probably going to gain hurricanes, too.
Horray for life-endangering disasters!
NOT.

Lots of love to everyone!
Please pray we stay put this time.

Em