happy halloween

it's 6:22 and i just got my first trick-or-treaters...
i'd better get more - or i'm going to have to eat all this candy by myself..

back to life, back to reality

school was closed all week last week.. and opened this week a week behind, with a bunch of work due.. nevermind that none of us nursing students got anything done because we were all glued to the news wondering if we should evacuate or not.. doesn't matter...
this week and all the work due with it just need to be over..
i need some sleep..

best birthday ever..

ben made sure today was the best birthday ever..
we started the day with breakfast at my favorite place in del mar
then ben took me on shopping spree in down town
and then - the super surprise..
ben took me to sea world - where i got to take part in the 'dolphin interaction program'..
today was awesome.. we got to go behind the scenes, get in the water, and play with some dolphins. it was an amazing birthday present.. just me and some dolphins - holding hands..
and we ended off the day having dinner at bj's ..

the only way today could have been better is if they let me take a dolphin home with me.. no such luck..

stayed tunned for pictures.. we'll put them up as soon as we get them..

Guess who's birthday it is?

Its a big champagne birthday for the Charo

we got big super secret plans for her big birthday day

oh what do we have in store for the big day?

i'm not telling

photos and video montage of all the events to follow

Wish Chara a big happy birthday

returning back to normal

i'm back at work

Chara and the puppy are hanging out at home

things are starting to get back to normal. the air is better. still smoky, but better

hopefully these fires will be out soon and we can go on with our regularly scheduled lives

thanks for all the nice thoughts and prayers

we're fine.... it's all fine

still smokey, but we can breath

the fires look like they will not approach the Cote compound so we are safe.

we had a big fire party last night with Matt and Jess and Jimmy and Lizz. we had homemade stew and biscuits and it was yummy

I think i'm going back to work if Chara will let me

Ben...

holy fires batman

the update so far today -
we have a rather large fire, the witch fire' - to the south of us. - that one looks like it's moving west towards encinitas - and wouldn't worry me except that it has merged with another fire - and by itself is about 196,000 acres.. it just doesn't want to stop.. it is however 10% contained..
there is another fire to the east of us - in the fallbrook area - heading towards bonsal. some of you know that aunt tamie lives out that way - so far she is ok - and is ready to leave if need be. i will keep you updated on her status.
and we have a fire to the north on camp Pendleton - that fire doesn't so much worry me - except that the 5 freeway has been closed up to san clemente - so now we're kinda stuck surrounded by fires..

there are other fires further south - but these are the ones making me nervous right now.
so far we are all ok - we try not to go outside because the air quality is so bad. so for now we sit at home, keep an eye out, and try not to kill each other..

so keep sending your prayers, happy thoughts, and good mojo - there are plenty of people in san diego in need of it today..

Wednesday morning...the sun is shining

You can actually see the sky today at our house which is good news. its still smokey, but not nearly as bad as yesterday. the sky has a little blue which is nice.

There are a few new fires popping up, one in Camp Pendleton that has I-5 shut down going north.

we are still good. just hanging out at the house.

Ben...

Here is a google map of the fire

easy does it..

tonight we put dad and katie in charge of the house and dogs - and ben and i ventured outside to our friends the hobby's. it's strange.. two days stuck at home - and we are so over it.. - but at the same time it's been hard to leave the house.. with all the fires and the crazy wind it's hard to leave - because we just don't know what is really going on - and we don't want to leave in case something happens.. but.. tonight we heard that the rice fire was more contained - today helicopters were out and about dropping anti-fire stuff on the fire - so we were feeling better.. tonight was a nice break considering how stressful the last couple days have been.. even if ben and i haven't been evacuated - we've been fielding calls from multiple friends (and family) who need places to flee... of course we then get another call tonight that a different fire has started that we need to keep an eye on..
the latest update is that tonight - i should be sleeping easy.. as far as we have been told, unless crazy winds pick up over night - we should be fine.. the winds have died down, and should stay down through thursday...

so update for the night.. my family and i are a-ok.. we will continue to update as we know more.. but for now - somebodies prayers are working..

Its all fine and smokey here

Its a good idea not to breath outside right now. We are still at the house. We are all smokey outside.

cabin fever is setting in.

latest from union tribune

*as of right now this is the fire that concerns me the most..

Rice Fire update
Posted @ 7:32 AM

Here are the latest statistics regarding the Rice Fire:
* 6,100 acres. Zero percent contained.
* One injury.
* 500 homes destroyed, 30 damaged.
The fire is burning on both sides on Interstate 15 towards Fallbrook as well as to the north said, Cal Fire Capt. Don Camp. The blaze may merge with the Rosa Fire in Riverside County.

The fire is burning in the Santa Margarita and Sandia Creek drainage areas. Fallbrook could be threatened in the next 12 hours. Fallbrook and Oceanside could be threatened in the next 24 hours, Camp said.

Winds are at 50 mph. The temperature is 60 degres and the humidity is 10 percent, Camp said.

smokey morning

 

so we slept, the fires did not. Woke up to a very smokey morning. Ash everywhere. thats a pic of the Prius covered in ash.

the air is hard to breath today. the fires continue to push on with the high winds.

we'll see what today holds. I think my idea of going to Disneyland is still strong.

Ben...

Going to sleep, the fires approaches

 

this is a picture from our neighbors house. the lights up in the upper right, aren't lights. thats the fire coming over the hill. that is one of the fires coming towards us. But i'm not worried. We are going to bed now. Well i am anyway. Chara will probably not sleep much. We'll see what tomorrow holds for us.

Ben...

were still here

still hanging out at our house

Fires to the north, fires to the south. its actually quite nice at our house. the wind is blowing all the smoke away from us on both fires. so its big party at our house

2 dogs, 2 cats and 5 people so far. Chara's aunt might be pulling up the trailer any minute now.

Ben...

fire fire everywhere..

some of you might have heard that a good part of san diego is on fire..
so far we are just fine - but there are about 8 fires in san diego right now - ben and i are both at home today just in case.. who knows what this crazy wind will do...
in addition to all the san diego fires there is also a fire southwest of Lake Arrowhead which started near Highway 18 and Bear Springs Road - right by my dad..
so.. dad, katie and the dog have been evacuated - and are on their way to our house.
so - if anyone is worried - or needs to get a hold of us - try to call our home phone.. we have been told to avoid using the cell phones..

so.. to update - we are fine -
but in san diego we can all use your prayers, happy thoughts, good wishes, rain dances - whatever else you got - send it all our way...

regression

we have a new development in our house. if we leave a room while keaton is sleeping in it, when she wakes up and realizes that we are gone she starts crying - non stop.. she cries until we call to her from another room to let her know where we're at... sometimes it's really bad, and we have to physically go get her.. i say it's time for a new puppy - someone to keep her company.... ben keeps saying no.. we'll see if he can keep saying no when he takes me to the humane society today..

atomosphereic pressure pattern

Santa anna's make my allergies go crazy.. not my favorite weather.. i'm all stuffed up..

look what i found..

i came home today to find this guy starring at me..



afraid he was going to eat the dog i went and got the neighbor who promptly came over and stepped on the big guy... so no worries - the puppy and i are safe.. thank you don for saving the day..

anatomy

deborah calls today with an important question:
deborah - 'kai - what does brains look like'
me - 'hmmmm.. interesting question - kinda like gray slimy broccoli'
deborah - 'what is slimy?'
me - 'like spaghetti noodles' - and then i ask, 'where is the brain'
deborah - 'on your forehead' -
me - 'nope - put your hand on your head - and you will feel hair, and underneath that is something hard - your skull - and then your brains'
deborah - 'but kai i don't feel anything slimy'
goodness anatomy is hard to teach over the phone..

girls weekend 2007

the girls and i decided to get away this weekend for some much needed time off.. friday night we headed out to palm springs and spent the weekend dancing, going out, hanging by the pool, shopping, and hot tubbing at night.. the weather was perfect - low 90's during the day, cooling off nicley in the evenings..
this weekend was an amazng time spent with amazing ladies.. thanks to all you all for such a great time..

the ladies looking great before we head out
 

momma jacks and nerissa glamming it up..
 

liz and jo jessica showing the love
 

hanging pool side...
 

Last day in Sitges

statue in Sitges, originally uploaded by Cote289.

I leave tomorrow morning. It was fun here, but i'm ready to be home.

i'm not looking forward to the long plain ride. Hopefully they will show a better movie than Nancy Drew.

Ben..

Buenos Noches

Sunset in Sitges, originally uploaded by Cote289.

here is a cool sunset in Sitges taken from the church

I added more photos to my Flickr page

Ben..

Photos on Flickr

i finally signed up for a Flickr account

its actually quite nice to upload photo's to

I have set up a group of photos for this trip.

tired

So i'm back in my hotel room. Watching El Smallville-o

the only english channels i get are CNN and the BBC and you can only take so much news.

i'm trying to upload images to the blogger so you can see them, but its just not working

i think i got some to upload to my Stage6 images area.

i'll keep trying

goodnight.. i'm tired.

I'm in Spain

3 planes later i'm in Sitges Spain.

its on the ocean, but its raining. hopefully the weather will clear up

I just had to figure out how to pay for wirless internet completely in Spanish. i'm bueno.

and i'm tired

kind of in Chicago

so i can now add Chicago to the Cities i've kind of been to

the Chicago airport is HUGE! I passed eight Starbucks on the way from my arrival gate to my departure gate.

Ben...

a little to the left..

i have a test tomorrow in community health.. the problem i'm having with this class is that the teacher is so far left that she makes hillary look middle of the road.. and the book we're forced to study out of is full of statements that are not based on any factual information - but rather left wing propaganda - i just cannot be forced to believe that if the evil government raises the minimum wage - we then can eradicate homelessness... this test scares me.. i might lose a little bit of my soul answering questions according to the teachers ideals.

there is no 6:20 train

apparently its now at 6:07

so now i wait for the 6:50 train

stupid trains...

coming to america..

ben is officially back in the US of A - he's hanging in newark until he can get a flight back to san diego.. i get to go pick him up today - and i can't wait..

and slight change of plans

so 14+ hours in a airport 7+ of that on the airplane i traveled a total of 200 meters

all the way from gate G4 to G6

awesome!

now i'm at a Holiday Inn with a canceled flight and i now get to leave tomorrow morning...or at least try again

so much for best laid plans...