California

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That's it. I have arrived safely. The fire was impressive to look at from the plane. Luckily the house and the whole district here did not go to flames. Same good old house and pool but ash, a lot of ashes.

Forgot how quickly the night comes. No sunset - not in downtown LA pollution and all that. There's light and then it is switched off!

At LAX I had some conversation partly in Spanish, partly in French, partly in English with a Portuguese student who is at a liberal arts college called St Thomas. It is there where the fire started apparently, hence the name of Thomas fire.

Day 2 drove down to Ojai. Air hot and wind. We didn't stay outdoors for too long!

Day 3 started the Stephen King book on writing - definitely better than the horror I was currently reading, though it is good to read crap books too! King, like Truffaut for cinema, thinks it's a good thing. Not sure I'll be able to finish that horrible book though.
Bon fromage ici Et Dianne est toujours une merveilleuse cuisinière!

Day 4 went to Ventura, cannot remember if I ever went there before. The cinema was not full, smell of pop corn as soon as you arrive and the seats are like transats
Marvelous but I wonder how long it would take me to become obese here... the film was an orgy of special effects starting with a galactic war (need I name the title of the film?) when I felt the urge to fall asleep. Lousy dialogues (reassuring for a writer I thought), bad acting from most, but yes good special effects if you find in yourself the force to stay awake... oh well... lovely time in the morning with Stephen King book.

Tous les matins je vois de minuscules oiseaux qui s'abreuvent à la fontaine. Je croyais que c'étaient des libellules au début, pas du tout, mais pas plus grands que mon index.

Day 5
Le plus difficile le matin c'est de ne pas pouvoir faire du café, les machines dans la cuisine sont  trop effrayantes et je n'ose pas m'en approcher, ce qui fait que j'ai ma première cigarette en solo. Mais la vue est belle, les montagnes au loin sont roses et on ne voit pas le feu, on le sent seulement. Comme s'il y avait eu un gigantesque barbecue, odeur de bois brûlé. Moins  de cendres  aujourd'hui pourtant.

Day 6
Les toilettes publiques j'ai du mal... entouré de murs en papier Kleenex on doit... et dire que j'ai fait des bêtises il y a des années de cela dans des toilettes pareilles... ah la jeunesse!
On est allé dans une immense boutique de livres aujourd'hui et Dianne m'a offert la pile de livres que je voulais... que des auteurs américains. Je lis le dernier Franzen, étrange pour l'instant.
Plus qu'une journée demain et puis en route pour l'hiver à nouveau!

Day 7
Trop de soleil sur ma peau. J'ai lu le Franzen toute la journée, en short et tshirt près de la piscine et demain, en sortant de l'avion, ça sera l'hiver... ma peau brûlée me réchauffera peut-être.
Location: Oak View, CA, USA

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