Katie Doyle, Girl About Town

Monday, Oct. 27, 2003 - 9:33 p.m.

It's snowing ash in southern California. Lots of the stuff. At 3 this afternoon, the sun was blood red in the sky and there was a pinkish green cast to everything. It was decidedly odd. I wish I'd had the camera when I left for work today; there was a gigantic cloud of smoke coming from the Simi Valley area. When I got home, I saw why. Holy God, that fire is huge. I'm actually a little nervous about where we live. The Boyfriend's house is on top of a mountain in a canyon...a very dry canyon. One might even refer to it as one big, long tinderbox of a canyon, as most canyons in southern California are, this time of year. And I live in a state largely comprised of unthinking morons who blithely toss lit matches and cigarette butts out of moving vehicles in canyons with nary a consideration for the fact that it hasn't rained in two years and practically every blade of grass anywhere near the roadside is a mini Christmas tree with dropping brown needles just waiting to spontaneously burst into flame and destroy the home of every living thing for miles and miles, human beings included. You can't believe the acreage destroyed every year in this state from such randomly idiotic actions. The morons who live below us routinely set off big balls of fire every single 4th of July and once set their own tree on fire in the process. So knowing that the humidity is in single digits, the temps are in triple digits, and the Santa Ana winds are goin' to town right now makes me a little edgy. I can smell smoke right *now*, as a matter of fact. It gives you pause, gentle reader. It really does.

I set up a diary for Pete** today. Pete is short for Pete the Awesome Battlebear. Pete is the one irreplaceable thing I have, and I love him with all my heart. I'm hoping his diary will be fun, seein' as we had so much fun in Paris this summer. Check out his profile. :)

** See #'s 27 and 28.

I had something else to talk about, but darned if I can remember what it is, now. Oh well. I have jewelry to make anyway, and a webpage to help structure, so I guess I should go do that. Oh, wait, though. For those of you doing your shopping at Whole Foods markets, try the spicy chili seasoning packet in the spice aisle. It makes yummy, yummy, no-fuss chili. I supplement what it calls for with an extra can of pinto beans and 2 teaspoons of cumin and a few pinches of salt, and it is like the easiest chili on the entire planet. Not to mention inexpensive, for those of you on a budget. The seasoning packet is only 99 cents, as opposed to the $3 I used to shell out for Red Shelby's chili, and it's just about as tasty. Check it out.

Speaking of shopping, the supermarket strike here is killing me. I need caffeine free Diet Cokes and Premium saltines, damn it. I am all about supporting my fellow workers and not crossing the picket lines and all that, but there are certain things the Whole Foods does not carry, and the only other grocery stores around me or where I work are striking supermarkets. :( There's a Gelson's, but Gelson's are unbelievably expensive, AND it's 10 miles away, far away from anywhere else I need to go, all the way in Sherman Oaks. Not to mention my nice, peaceful, hardwood floors, happy checkers and gentle fellow shoppers Whole Foods market has been completely overrun with Ralphies***. People who are not used to the genteel, polite, Green Party atmosphere of a small, generally organic and healthy grocery store which is notably not a supermarket. They drive gigantic SUV's and take up two parking spaces. They are rude and unpleasant and don't smile or step aside for you and share the space so you can *both* pick out a loaf of fresh baked garlic rosemary bread. They are crabby and snack from the bulk bins and knock things over and just generally louse up the whole considerate sharing thing that generally fills the place and overflows right out the doors. Instead the parking lot is brimming over with people who do not know how to negotiate a parking lot and the store itself is brimming over with frowny people in a big, frowny hurry who push and shove and sigh loudly when you try to write a check just ahead of them in line.

::sigh::

I really need the strike to be over.

*** people who would normally be doing their grocery shopping at Ralphs or Vons or Albertsons, one of the big chain grocery supermarket stores in southern California, and who have most likely never before set foot in such a small little market as the Whole Foods. They probably consider it a "health food store."

And now I have to go, because Army of Darkness is on, and that is one hysterical movie. :)

Peace out,
Katie

1 comments so far

"Klatu barata nikto."
"Again!"
"I got it, I got it; I know your damn words, all right?"

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Yesterday's News - Next Stop

In which Katie shares sad news - Wednesday, Apr. 01, 2015
In which Katie returns after a very long absence - Monday, Jun. 25, 2012
In which Katie pokes her head in and brushes some of the cobwebs away - Thursday, May. 06, 2010
In which Katie asks you to write your congressman again. - Monday, Jun. 02, 2008
In which Katie asks you to please click the link and send the message to protect the rights of artists - Wednesday, May. 21, 2008