We now interrupt this knitting blog, with an important message...

Knitting, yarn fondling, pattern gazing, and *gasp* Ravelrying all came to a standstill this week along with less important things like work, sleep, and eating as fires raced through the foothills of my community's backyard.

On my way to work on Monday, the fire was burning on both sides of the toll road, so the toll road was closed and traffic was forced forced onto surface streets.

My office building was then evacuated two hours later because the smoke was coming directly into the building.

There is nothing comforting about leaving work to go home and begin driving directly toward where fire raging and smoke is billowing.

I spent two days in total anxiety because my friend lives off of Santiago Canyon and she was incommunicado.

I drove to work on the toll road Wednesday devastated by the black, burned, ashen, lifeless landscape around me.

I talked to someone on Thursday who spent the night at the QualComm stadium in San Diego.

My heart and prayers are with everyone who has been affected by this tragic experience.