Rachel Goodman writing at 02:59 PM 6/14/2008 Well, it's been a harrowing, if not dramatic, couple of days here in (and out of) Bonny Doon. On Wednesday, my daughter, Micaela, and I were just about to go to the farmer's market when I looked up at Bonny Doon and saw what we have always dreaded seeing; a giant plume of black smoke reaching skyward. The network of internet and cell phones and radio quickly confirmed it was not only in Bonny Doon, but only a couple miles from the house. Cancelling our farmer's market plans, we headed home, leaving Adam with friends in town. A message on my answering machine recommended evacuation, so I began that odd process of deciding what to take and what to leave. Trying to stay calm, amidst the buzz of helicopters and tankers overhead, and calm Miceala and my mom, I tried to figure out what to do about cats, guitars, fiddles, and a place to stay. After packing for nearly three hours, my friend Steve and I decided we would stay put for the evening and watch carefully and listen to the news. He had got most of his stuff to town earlier, and his home was also in the path of the fire down near Pine Ridge. We took turns keeping each other calm in the face of a rather nerve wracking fire watch. We had a perfect view of the giant roiling black plume of smoke right out my porch window. The power went out about 8pm, prompting an impromptu candle light dinner. The radio news was frustratingly devoid of specific information about exactly where the fire was burning. It was clear from the wind direction it was headed southwest, away from the house, but that's all we knew. My mom left with her cat to my step-mom's house in Aptos (thank goodness for extended family) and the three of us uneasily watched the sky. After a fairly sleepless night watching the fire, we decided next day to leave with our stuff. Good thing, as the mandatory evacuation notice came at noon, just as my mom was dropping off her cat at home. She had to leave again, this time for her friend's house in town. (Thank god for friends). The blog at KRON-4 was hopping with neighbors, mostly all wanting to know the same thing; where is the fire in relation to my home? I worried about Gwendolyn, Jessica and Charlie, and others right in the area, but had no info. There was little information, and rumors that the Martin Road fire station had burned down were buzzing around until someone piped up and said they had seen it standing earlier in the evening. Another Google map showed the fire across Empire Grade and over the other fire station, so at one point we thought both local fire stations had burned. Not a good sign. Still little information from the officials. The only encouraging news last night was the weather forecast, which called for calm winds and increasing humidity. By 10pm last night, they said it was 25% contained and ten houses had burned. We still don't know whose houses took the hit. The Jessens did get their house burned down, but no other names released yet. At one point the KRON rumor blog said the fire was racing up the valley toward my home. At that point I began to realize that I might have to say goodbye to all the stability and sense of rootedness I had built over the past fourteen years. Then someone squashed that rumor, and I realized I was wasting my time getting upset until actual information from trusted sources was available. As early as this morning a rumor that the fire had jumped to Atherly, a half mile from my home, was buzzing over the blog, only to be squashed. Not sure about the efficacy of these things, but there were a lot of cool maps, and there is something encouraging about seeing my sister, and Don, and neighbors from BD all checking in from points as far away as Hawaii and Palo Alto. As of noon Friday I felt ready to try to get home. I had heard a phone message from a close neighbor who got in last night and stayed the night, so I felt like it was safe to return. On the way home BD was eerily quiet, with nothing but lots of Sheriffs cars and tanker trucks driving around. Now I am home, exhausted, unpacking, and very grateful to the firefighters from all over the area who worked so hard to contain what could have been the worst disaster around here in years, but turned out to be medium sized. Of course for the ten families who lost homes, the disaster is just as big as any, and our hearts go out to them. As soon as we find out who it is, we aim to take up donations to help them out. Thanks to all of you who got in touch by phone and email to check in. It's very heartening to know we are part of such a wonderful network of friends and family.