Home Again After The Altadena Fire

Welcome And Big Update

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Welcome to I'm Not Dead Yet with Judy and Travis, a podcast about living an extraordinary life with extraordinary circumstances.

SPEAKER_02 0:16

Welcome to the I'm Not Dead Yet podcast. I'm your co-host, Travis Robinson. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at age 35 in 2014.

SPEAKER_01 0:36

And I'm your other co-host, Judy Yarris. My husband Sandy had Parkinson's disease for 18 years, and I was his care partner.

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Hey, today's episode we'll be talking about my repatriation Altadina. I'm back in the hood. Yay. Hey, Travis. It's been a minute. Hey, Judy, how are ya?

SPEAKER_01 1:06

I'm good. I'm very good. I just have to tell everyone, our wonderful listeners, that Travis is sitting in this gorgeous green room. It's like so wonderful. So I'm really enjoying seeing the color that he has painted for himself in this wonderful room where he's doing his podcast now. So, and I'm jealous because it's a great color. I love it.

SPEAKER_02 1:32

Thank you. Yes, I am in the very banger's shade of green.

SPEAKER_01 1:40

Yeah, absolutely.

The Fire And Four Moves

SPEAKER_01 1:42

So, Travis, let's just do a little background for the people that maybe don't know. In 2025, and it was January 7th, Travis's house burnt down, along with I don't remember how many other homes in Altadena.

SPEAKER_02 2:03

Like 9,000 structures.

SPEAKER_01 2:07

Yes, in Altadena. And they lost everything. They were able to get out safely with their two poodles, and I think you have a cat too, right? Two cats. Two cats. Yes. And they moved into an a hotel initially. Then they moved into an apartment, a temporary apartment. And then that went south. And then they went to another apartment, right?

SPEAKER_02 2:36

We had the rental place in Sierra Mondre for a year. And then an Airbnb after that. So this was our fourth move in a year.

SPEAKER_01 2:56

Yeah, brutal. Absolutely brutal. And trying to put their lives back together again, Travis and Sarah, where they they really had to just do with whatever they had, the clothes on their back, whatever they could get out. For those of you that don't know, Travis is a gifted mountaineer. He's a gifted photographer. He had equipment, he had cameras, and Sarah was a very amazing and gifted woodworker. Is that a good way to describe you guys? Did I do okay?

SPEAKER_02 3:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:32

Yeah. And so they lost a lot. And, you know, I think for those of us that are in our homes and are comfortable and we try to imagine what we would take, when you're in that moment, you take yourself and your animals. And, you know, if you're lucky, you can grab a camera. If you're lucky, you can grab something else that is meaningful for you. But that's it. And so you start over. And last year we really talked a lot about what that was like for Travis and how difficult it was for them to make this transition. And I felt like it was important for you to now know that Travis is finally back in his house. But Travis, share a little bit. Is your house done or what are some of the things you moved in because you didn't want to have to make a fifth move, right? Right. And I just want to point out and publicly say that their landlord, the last Airbnb person, would not give them a month-to-month on this. They wanted another year out of them. And I just, whoever that person is, I just feel like karma will show their face at some point because that was really terrible to do that to you. They should have been sensitive to the needs of people that have lost homes. And just want to put that out there that it just was appalling to me that this is the way you were treated. But nonetheless, you're in your home and let's hear about the house.

Moving In Before It’s Finished

SPEAKER_01 5:01

Like what state is it in? You have walls, you have one room painted. I see that, right?

SPEAKER_02 5:07

Yes, we have walls, we have a roof, and we are ninety plus person completed inside the house. Great. There are things we are still waiting for. One sink in the garage dark room that will be installed sometime soon. We have one piece of stone we're waiting to have cut for a window sill. We have a whole nice new kitchen, but we're a little apprehensive to cook in it because the vent for the hood, you know, that goes over your rangetop was sent the wrong model so we don't have any way to vent out if there's smoke in the kitchen, which is kind of a big deal when the new code requires a fire alarm system that is hardwired in and not the kind that you can just take down from the ceiling when it goes off. It's the kind that rings a fire alarm bell outside your house and kills the entire neighborhood. You burned your toast.

SPEAKER_01 7:13

I just can't imagine that. I know for myself. I'm pretty good, but I'm thinking back to when Sandy would cook and make and make toast or make whatever. Try to make a quesadilla in the toaster oven, and I'd come home and I could smell the burnt whatever. So that must be kind of terrible. Like it's gonna be a noisy neighborhood when people start really cooking in that neighborhood. I mean.

New Fire Codes And Landscaping

SPEAKER_01 8:08

Yeah, I I I totally agree with you. I know that Altadena is doing so much, certainly from a landscaping standpoint. There, there's Altadena Green, and I know people that are working with that, and they're really taking a lot of effort and working with the state and with the city to make sure that people are going to be able to plant and what they can plant. And so I think, you know, when you start on the exterior, there's a whole bunch of other rules and regulations now that I'm hearing are really intense.

SPEAKER_02 8:42

And so yes, we're subject to the woo-wee wilderness, urban interface protocols where we can have like no combustible materials within five feet of the house.

SPEAKER_01 9:07

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 9:07

And then from five to fifteen feet, we have limitations. And then after fifteen feet, it's like, well, we're at our neighbor's yard, so that's it.

SPEAKER_01 9:30

Yes, I I know. I was reading about that because this idea of not having anything within five feet of your house means that you've got to put stones in there. I did a really interesting garden tour in Al Tedita. That was the first time I saw it. So I may know someone that can give you a lot of information about what you have to do there. It's gonna be really interesting. But you know, at least you will be safe. And I know that the fire department is really working hard to make sure that people plant safely and use the right kind of plants. So it's gonna be a big change for the community, but I think it's also going to protect it in many ways.

SPEAKER_02 10:13

Yes, and once there is more people and more houses built to this new code standard, it won't look so alien. Right, exactly. You know, we are one of the first one hundred houses built back, and it's very apparent when you drive around, you can see like which ones were original and which ones are coming in new code.

SPEAKER_01 11:04

Yes, because I guess the other houses are sort of grandfathered in, right?

SPEAKER_02 11:08

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 11:09

Yeah, so it's gonna be a big change for the community, I guarantee you, that's for

Designing For Access And Mobility

SPEAKER_01 11:15

sure. And Travis, you know, when you rebuilt this house, I know you had a great little house, it was wonderful, but it wasn't really ADA compliant, to say the least. Travis is kind of smiling here. Did you make changes?

SPEAKER_02 11:34

Yes, we made a lot of changes in the layout and in the design, most of which has been actualized, but some of which we are still waiting for. In the design we have called for ramps at the front and back, which at this timer still steps, but you know, right now it's okay. If I need to use a chair again, it won't be so that's kind of on our still to do list. Yes. Sarah picked out very fashionable hand grab rails. Of course. Um, and we've yet to install them because we are waiting for the other tradesmen to finish their work in the bathrooms and in the front room. Right. So as of today I have no grab rails, which is That's a little scary. Yes. I have very nice wide hallways, unlike the last place with its twenty-three-inch wide hallway. So yeah, it's it's a big improvement, or at least it will be.

SPEAKER_01 13:36

Yes, absolutely. I think that for sure, you know, when you have an opportunity to build something for yourself, it gives you a great experience to really look at what you do in your daily life and what is going to be realistic for you to have. And I I love the idea that you did the wider hallways. I'm assuming you did curbeless showers. Did you do that?

SPEAKER_02 14:06

Yes, sweetie. Kurbless and the master bathroom has a wheelchair wide, an accessible shower, great, toilet, and all that. Oh, that's wonderful. That's so that's all pretty for future needs.

SPEAKER_01 14:37

That's really smart, Travis, to do that. I know after we moved in this house, which was about 16 years ago, we definitely wanted our kitchen to be a DA, you know, to be compliant. Because if Sandy was sitting on a walker or if he was going to be in a wheelchair, we just didn't know. So all our dishes, everything was put low except for glassware that was above the counter. But all our pots and pans, all of our dishes were in drawers below the counter, which I found to be really helpful. Also, for those of you that don't know, I I touch five feet. You know, that's it for me. So it was great for me. And my ovens, I have two ovens and I put them low in the kitchen. And I remember somebody coming and saying, Oh my gosh, like, what are you doing with these low ovens? How can you do this? And I said, I'm five feet tall. It's like perfect for me. It's the right height. If Sandy is sitting down or in a wheelchair, he can reach everything. And we've had this wonderful pull-out shelf from the corner that you pull it out and everything is stacked on this amazing metal contraption with, you know, with the slide arm. It was fantastic. So I've still had that. And let me tell you, when it broke after Sandy passed, I had them install another one because I thought it was really great to have that in your corners. It just makes so much sense. It gives you so much more space to have those pullouts.

SPEAKER_02 16:10

Right. And that's the thing that Sarah has been a champion of design in terms of making sure that the place is highly functional and aesthetically pleasing.

SPEAKER_01 16:35

Yes, that's great. That's what you want. You know, you want to actually

Kitchen Setup For Real Life

SPEAKER_01 16:40

merge the two so that it it function and form. And I think that's really fantastic that you did that. You know. Yes. It's exciting.

SPEAKER_02 16:51

And all kinds of consideration have gone into that. Like you're talking about the heights of the counters and the drawers and ovens, and we have a coffee bar station set up with its own sink so that I don't have to walk across the kitchen with a full jug when I'm refilling the coffee maker.

SPEAKER_01 17:38

That is so smart. I mean, really well thought out.

SPEAKER_02 17:42

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:44

That is so well thought out. I love that. That's a great idea. I mean, these are the little things. And for those of you, maybe you're newly diagnosed and you don't have a tremor or you don't have issues with balance. But for those of you that have or maybe are having issues with balance or tremors, and you're trying to carry a cup of coffee, yeah, you can carry it. But if it's shaking across the room, you're going to have some spillage. And I think being thoughtful about where you have your placement for your coffee pot, for the equipment that you use to make coffee, anything like that. I think it's very, very helpful to create these spaces. And even if your house is not ADA compliant at the moment, you can look around, and there's a lot of things you can do to just make it easier for you to maneuver easier. Sometimes you just have to move things around and use some special tools. And that can really be very helpful. You know, you don't have to do a complete kitchen remodel to make it more functional for yourself. But especially if you're someone that likes to cook, you know, and Travis, you do. You're you like to cook and you're on your own a lot. It's like, you know, if you don't have someone with you 24-7 and you're independently living, then you have to think about what are the things that I can do to make my experience and to make it easy for me in the course of a day.

SPEAKER_02 19:20

To make my space the most usable and ergonomic.

SPEAKER_01 19:27

Yes, exactly. I mean, I think that's really important. I am a little concerned that you're not, you don't have your grab bars in the shower. So that makes me kind of nervous.

SPEAKER_02 19:38

We have them in the shower. They are the suction cobbler. Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 19:44

You have those. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 19:45

We haven't installed the permanent.

SPEAKER_01 19:51

Oh, I see. Okay, good. So you're not completely freestyling in the shower. Okay, that's good.

SPEAKER_02 19:58

No.

SPEAKER_01 19:59

That had me worried. Okay. Yeah, the suction ones for those of you that use those or are trying to use those or considering, they're not as effective, but they can help. And at least it gives you something. I think that's great that you did have those put in, Travis. I was a little concerned that you weren't using anything. And I know that that could be a big problem for you. No. Yeah. And I love the idea of curbless showers. I think they're so great. They make so much sense.

SPEAKER_02 20:31

And yes. In fact, that was something that we had designed in, but living for the last twenty one months in the different places has given me a real appreciation for and equal hatred of the tubs that you have to step up over the tub while at the same time duck down to miss the rail for the water screen. And it becomes this obstacle course in and out of the shower.

SPEAKER_01 21:29

Sure. Yeah, I could see where that would be really bad. Because you're tall. Like I wouldn't even know about the railing at the top. But for you, you're you're very tall. So clearly that would be something that you would crash into. I never even thought about that. I did, I have to say that I am going to be moving towards the end of the year, and it could be the beginning of next year. And it is a new environment for me that's being built. And so there was a lot of discussion about tubs and showers and what it was going to be like. So it's, you know, I mean, these are the things that we have to consider when you're going to a new space, or even if you're considering remodeling your home. You have to really look like what are the considerations that right maybe right now it's fine, but are you able to adapt it in three years or five years?

SPEAKER_00 22:27

Is it something or 10 years?

SPEAKER_01 22:30

Yeah. And you may or may not need it. You never know. So yeah. Well, I'm really excited for you, Travis. I think that it's exciting, and I'm so happy that you're in the house, even if it's not 100% finished, it's close enough that you were able to have a green room, which is really great. And you just have to cook very, very gently. Nothing with no frying, nothing with too much smoke, careful with your toaster, you know.

SPEAKER_02 23:05

Right.

SPEAKER_01 23:07

But yeah, it's exciting. And I'm glad that you got settled.

Gratitude Updates And Wrap

SPEAKER_01 23:11

And for those of our listeners, I know that some of you contributed to Travis's GoFundMe page, and I'm truly grateful for you doing that. And it was really important that, and I think that it really was able to give them a good head start for what they needed to do. And the donation button has now been turned off, but Travis has a lot of photos in there if you want to see updates of what the house looks like. It's kind of cool. And feel free to check it out. I think it was wonderful.

SPEAKER_02 23:46

Yes. And thank you, Judy, for setting that all up.

SPEAKER_01 23:52

My pleasure was one of the best things I did last year. So I was happy to do it. And I'm just glad to see that you know you were able to figure out what would really work for you and Sarah. And I know last year, and those of you that followed our podcast, there were some serious downsides last year. There were some serious issues that occurred, not just with losing Travis's house, but he had some other health issues that came up and just challenges that were difficult. And you made it through as you always do, Travis, and you inspired many of us that look to you to always say, What would Travis do? And um and we kind of feel that way. So, you know, it's really good. Anyway, Travis, I'm looking forward to seeing you in person again. And thanks for sharing all this great information with us.

SPEAKER_02 24:55

Okay, Judy, thank you. And that's a wrap. Bing.