This is week number two of the Fernberg evacuation. When officials hit the “go” button, we were out of our home on Moose Lake in less than one hour.
It could have been less, but there are important chores to be done to insure our home remains safe: like turning off the main propane tank, and removing deck furniture from around the outside walls of the house.
We had accepted an invitation to stay at the home of our long-time good friend, Alice Moren, and that put us little down the street and across from the ice arena.
The first morning, I was up early to let our 14 year-old English Setter, Sitka, out to take care of her business. I noticed a group of firefighters milling around their vehicles in the parking lot across the street, so I swung by to just say “ Good morning.”
I thought some of those fire-fighters would also have a dog back home, and if you are a dog owner, you know that if you are away from your dog that you still need an occasional “doggie fix.”
Of course, Sitka wound up “holding court,” and at that moment, those “firefighters’ stopped being just firefighters and became real people, just like us. When I left to go, I had a big smile on my face because I had also been shown some pictures of one fighter’s dogs who were also English Setters waiting back home.
Sitka and I have been back every morning since, and now, in that brief time together on the other side of the fence, I’m sharing a few things about our history, where they can go for a swim, the location of our DQ, and where they can find WELY on the radio. Many more are now sharing pictures of their dogs with me, as well as sharing their many smiles.
This dedicated group of younger guys and gals have come a long way from their Tennessee homes, and I’ve learned that they take their role in protecting us very seriously.
I’ve also learned that this country is filled with good people, and that there is a whole bunch of good people in this group of Tennessee Volunteers.
At this point, I can’t tell if it’s me or them that now look forward to our brief daily meetings. But, when I leave them to sit across the street on the curb to wave to each vehicle and have them wave back as they leave each day to go up the Echo Trail, to work, it sure feels good. Somehow, for whatever reason, it’s become important.
