Over Thanksgiving I profitably employed myself on a major clean out job of the fireplace.

All the ash taken out and mulched into the garden ( I hear tell it makes the soil "sweet.")

Vents cleared, glass doors scrubbed.

Works pretty good now.   Doppler radar shows major rain on the way, with what they call a Pineapple Express set up to pump wet tropical air and water all the way from Hawaii straight into Northern California.   Five inches expected through Sunday, and it's already lightly sprinkling outside.

When collecting the wood, I saw a coyote float soundlessly through the field behind the house.  My dogs clueless.

Considering that, I have a nice fire of Eucalyptus and miscellaneous slash going right now, with only the reading light on here at the computer.  Two kids and the wife are expected home any minute. Third kid home from work about nine tonight.  Soup bubbling in the slow cooker.

Nice.