He got his helmet off yesterday. Pretty long appointment - they did a final casting of his head as well as pictures. Gage wasn’t too cooperative for the pictures, but amazingly enough took the casting much more calmly than he did last time.

It meant I was a half hour late getting Ariel to school, and somehow the teacher had missed me when she handed out the packets for picture day, which was yesterday as well. So Ariel was something of a mess after running around so much in the morning - at least the photographers brought throwaway combs so I could neaten her up a little, but I wasn’t able to order, so that will have to wait until the makeup session in October.

It feels so good to be able to hold Gage again without that helmet cutting into me. He’s learning that he can bump his head now; it’s been pretty well protected in the past, so this is a new experience for him.

There’s a fire right now about 7 miles from where I live. I don’t consider it to be a big risk since it’s on the other side of the freeway, and would have to burn through pretty much the entire town to get to me, but the smoke is annoying. I really feel for the people near it. There are mandatory evacuations going on for them.

Still, the memory of the big fire two years ago is strong, and my mother is nervous. I looked at the location by using Google Earth and was able to tell her that while we are very near the backcountry, the fire would have a lot of work to get anywhere near us. Wind conditions aren’t right for that, thank goodness. I have the news on a local news-only station, and it looks like the fire will be under control soon.

I have to get going early tomorrow! In order to be allowed to help out in my daughter’s preschool class, I have to get a TB test, which the school is offering tomorrow between 7:45 and 8:45 in the morning. Thank goodness my husband doesn’t have to leave for work until about 9:30 - I won’t have to haul the kids along.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, I’ve finally gotten around to adding a worthy causes section to the charity pages of my site. It’s been on the list for a while; now it’s there.

I’m truly horrified by all that has happened to the people whose homes have been destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. That it is taking so long to get even basic help to them is a disgrace. It is quite clear that our ability to help our own people after a disaster - one we had a few days’ warning of, no less! - needs a great deal of improvement.

However, I am quite inspired by how individuals outside the areas directly impacted are rising to the occasion and helping out as best they can. Everything from time to food to money to places for people to live is needed.