Hello fellow FA Artists, Writers, Photographers, Cosplayers, Sculptors, Fursuiters, Crafters and other highly creative people.

I'm sorry I haven't written anything in a while, but to tell you all the truth, I've really had little I wanted to write about. We survived the firestorms in our house up here in the hills. Yes, we had to evacuate, and we spent four hours waiting for the "All Clear" in the parking lot at the nearby Ralph's. The damage from the previous windstorms was widespread and dramatic, turning the local streets into slalom courses with fallen trees, and broken branches. Riding the bus along Woodbury Road in Altadena still has visible signs of the destruction wrought on that terrible night, and the disaster gave me a series of "PTSD" Nightmares that that still haunt me to this day. On the plus side, Signs are pointing to recovery, although we have been told it will be quite a while... Perhaps a decade or more until things will be back to the way things were, once again.

Then there were the rains. Schirm and Noah were able to get the tarps on the roof just in time, but unfortunately, the leak that creates a waterfall in the downstairs bathroom wasn't covered, and so I had to do my duty as "Bucket Monitor." A small leak has developed in the ceiling in my downstairs room. and I have concerns that the plaster will fall in sometime, right over my bookcase, mini fridge and my computer desk. Yes. This old house is showing its age, and we who live in it are also sagging and bent, barely able to perform our basic functions. I really shouldn't complain, because I'm still able to keep on the Dole of the State, and at least I've got medical aid. My health has been good, and if all goes well, I should be due for a new set of eyeglasses, soon.

My friend Bob helped me buy a new light tablet through Temu, and even though it's twice the size of the old one, it was non-magnetic. I solved that problem by getting a piece of sheet steel, cut to size to march the tablet and "Voila!" It works great. Now if I can only get motivated to finish a few, new art projects. I still enjoy chatting with my friends in the afternoons, and we often come up with wonderful ideas for our various projects. I've often been very surprised with the kind responses I get here on FA, especially when it inspires me to dig up old works and sketches to see if they could be finished and posted. I wholly didn't expect the "Coyote Ugly" single page comic featuring "Hawthorne" to be as popular, but I'm now very glad I colored it, and shared it with you all. Who knows? I might even search for my old sketches of "The Coyote Contraption," and continue Hawthorne's adventures.

In mentioning Coyotes, the wildfires could have driven some packs to join up, and the local community of Canis Latrans seems to have doubled in number and have become bolder in their ranging for food and territory. Recently, we have gotten "Serenaded" three times a day. Two coyotes, perhaps a mated pair have been hanging around "The Estate," and are possibly attracted by the water in the birdbath. I don't mind them, but there has been rising dislike among folks in the neighborhood, stating that pets have been attacked and killed, and there's video of small children being attacked. I'm afraid the state might have to resolve to a massive culling of the critters if no practical solution could be found. (I believe it's a citable offence to shoot coyotes in a residential area.)

Anyways... Sorry for the silence. I will try my best to stay in touch.

"Peace."