The weekend felt eerie and unnerving. On Saturday, the sickly yellow light didn't change from morning to night. A dark, thick murk blotted out the sun and kept temperatures cold. My friend Nancy said it looked like nuclear winter.
A free website called Purple Air gives real time data on particulate matter in the air. You can zoom in on locations all over the world. The air pollution scale ranges from 1-500, going from healthy green dots to extremely hazardous purple dots. In Seattle, we've been stuck with red dots since Friday, but in Oregon and California, many readings are over 500, off the scale. Truly scary levels of pollution.
It was discombobulating in Seattle because the "fresh" ocean air felt cold AND smoky at the same time. Is hell hot or cold? Depends, I guess. You didn't need a pollution gauge to know it was dangerous outside. The neighborhood was deserted.
Our yard is usually bustling with nature, but the insects, bunnies and birds disappeared. Birds are sensitive to air pollution, and I was afraid they died like canaries in a mine. But on Sunday morning, the birds suddenly appeared again for an hour. The incoming tide of pollution must have subtly shifted, and the little critters felt it. Then they were gone again.
Everything feels dirty. It is dirty! Stuck and bored inside, I vacuumed up black dust, used wads of Swiffers on the blinds and cleaned the windows. The sills were covered with a fine layer of grit.
Air quality will improve first on the coast, with wet weather systems moving in through the week. Unfortunately, as the smoke blows east, that only makes it worse for the other side of the state.
Amanda was worried the girl's school would be cancelled for a second week in a row. Since they only go on Monday and Tuesday, that's another long wait for the first day of school. These are such hard times for young families. As retirees, we're bored, but at least we don't have to go anywhere.
Hang in there April, down in Medford, Oregon! We're all thinking of you and the family.
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