18 days left of academy. That is crazy to me. After this week we will be 3/4 of the way through. We got back to drilling today after almost two straight weeks of classroom. It was like getting back on a bike. And then losing control while going too fast down a wet road and ending up with a mouthful of dirt and tearing your favorite pants. I made so many mistakes that I thought I was beyond making. Nothing like a good solid humbling day on the drill yard to kick off the crunch time until finals. But, my time here was soldered in a pretty humiliating first day so maybe I'm just going back to my roots to get it right tomorrow. Not to make lemonade when it's snowing out but I think failing that physical exam my first day made me realize how fleeting this opportunity can be if I don't make every effort to prove I'm worthy of the job. It made me work hard out of the gate. Not that I wouldn't have anyway, but I don't know that I would have understood the consequences of relaxing. I think these two weeks in the classroom made me a rusty of course but also made me relax a little and I am thankful (I know, three days early) for the reminder that this job is mine to lose and how much I want it. I want all of us to make it. There's 13 of us, which is a bit daunting when you're as superstitious as me. But, it's day by day and, so far, we're all still here and I appreciate that.
While I'm on the topic...
I am thankful for my friends and family. I think it often, usually while missing the snot out of someone. But, being here has made me so aware of how crucial those close to me are. Molly came down and visited this past weekend and it was great to catch up and hang out over the course of a couple days. We took Charlie and Suzy to walk along the river and ended up driving out past Troutdale to Thousand Acres, which is just an extensive network of trails in the woods and fields. What I love about Oregon so far is how close the country is. Portland is really it as far as cities are concerned. It didn't rain and even though it was cold it was a great day for the walks. Charlie and Suzy cruised, per usual, but KC was on fire, galloping after every dog and family he could keep up with (which was pretty much all of them, tiny legs go!). I loved just getting out and walking. No counting reps or blowing snot rockets, just a nice walk. I forget how much I love those. Sorry about the meniscus, Molly. I'm making myself turn off NPR after the news is over and listen to music (thank you Dad for the speakers and Jackie for the great CDs). Now, it's really bedtime but I'm happy sitting here typing this, hoping for more snow even though it will be a special time on the drill ground tomorrow, and listening to good music. The house is cold, I should really bite the bullet and crank the heaters. But, Suzy has the couch to curl up on and Charlie is happy on whatever floor he plops on. I am thankful for those two. They keep me sane. They deserve whatever farm they get. I just hope I can get it for them before Charlie is just a fireside dog.
I'm thankful it's a short week and I'm looking forward to Veneta and Jackie's 17 gallons of eggnog. I think I'm just going to bathe in it when I get down there. From the looks of the pot it's in I think I could fit. I'm thankful I got into my truck this morning without breaking a window when I looked my keys in the car, with the engine running, when I needed to be leaving for work. I am thankful for the hot shower I am about to take. I am thankful for the almost 8 hours of sleep I will get tonight. I am thankful for the comedy I get to experience every day at work and all the firefighters who are training us. I screwed up tying off the ladder today and knew it when one of them told me to meet him at the top of the ladder. I climbed up, and stared down my clove hitch, hanging loose like a toddler's tooth. He showed me what I did wrong and I tied it right, twice to make sure I had it. Then he batted down my helmet shield when he turned around to leave the fire escape. We got lucky getting our trainers. They've seen a lot and we're reaping the benefits of their years and years of fires.
I'm thankful for every phone call I get, every letter in the mail, every shout out on Facebook. I got it good, even when I forget it.
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