FAMILY REUNION

I went to Inklings family reunion today and had a pretty good time really. I enjoyed visiting with my brothers in law and watching the goings on at the reunion. I haven't been to a lot of these because they are always this time of year---and this time of year has always and still is fire season. The difference---for thirty years I traveled everywhere I went with a red fire bag. When, or if, I got called (and I got called every year), Inklings would drive me to the nearest airport and I would depart for whatever part of the United States that was burning.

I spent 25 years on a Type 1 (highest ranked) team and 5 years on a Type 2 team. During all that time I never missed a single fire call---nope not one. So now I am picking and choosing when and if I go to an assignment. I refuse to ever travel with the red bag again when I leave home for some family gathering or something else and if I want to go to the reunion I simply place myself unavailable.

I assure you that during that 30 year time frame I made a lot of really poor calls and went to the assignment rather than stay home and turn it down. I missed a lot of planned fishing trips and other family gatherings for those assignments. SO WHY DID I DO IT????

Everytime I was financially strapped or needed a big check to get mny kids back into school or to pay the Dr. visits or the braces or any of those other types of things, I ALWAYS HAD A FIRE CHECK COMING IN THE MAIL---ALWAYS.

I don't have those same kinds of needs now and when I choose to go out it is mainly to keep my fingers in the game. I love the job and have never really considered what it would be like to be completely out of it. I would surely miss all the great folks out there that protect all of the citizens of the U.S. from fire. THEY ARE A GREAT BUNCH TO KNOW AND WORK WITH.