Region 8- The Southern Region of the Forest Service encompassing 13 states, from Virginia to Florida and Oklahoma. Also, strangely, Puerto Rico.
Scott left for Region 8 a week ago this Sunday. I woke early with him, pulled on some snow pants over my pajamas and hopped in the car for the short drive down to the office. Two trucks packed with chain saws, fuel, rope, and random gear idled in the driveway; a handful of jumpers talking to spouses, were eagerly making their last goodbyes when we pulled up. Saying goodbye is nothing new at this point for me, though a three week stint is rather long. Scott was excited to get back to work, unemployment was beginning to not suit him at all especially with the close of elk hunting season.
Four days on the road and the trucks arrived in Arkansas. The past few days have been burning in the Ozarks, starting prescribed burns with what looks like a fire shooting paint ball gun. That coupled with some delicious sweet tea, Scott has been thoroughly enjoying his Southern stay thus far.
Meanwhile, back here in Lake Woebegone, the Misses and her animals continue to shovel through snow and step gingerly on the ice during afternoon walks in the weak January sunlight. We got another two inches or so today with more on the way come Monday. The sun sets a bit later these days, with almost a full extra hour of sunlight, which means I get to hunker down on the couch at five instead of four pm. It's the little things that brighten my days!
It was in the midst of one of these hunker down sessions that I got to thinking how oddly fitting this routine of leaving has become in our relationship or rather odd compared to the norm. I mean, it really does work! He gets to do what he loves, I get to do my thing, and we enjoy seeing each other when he returns. Quite dandy! All this coupled with the relatively general fact that people find firefighters very attractive and want to procreate with one, I started compiling a list in my mind of things I would say to someone who is or is thinking about dating a wild land firefighter. Here it is (It is by no means comprehensive, I am sure that I will be adding to this list frequently):
* They will be gone 75% of the time and almost always 100% during the summer. You'll need to be a fairly independent person to put up with this. I am very independent and yet it is still extremely hard at times to be apart from the person I love. It is important to know how to be alone, to make a life for yourself outside of your partner, and, in the lonelier moments, to know how to surround yourself with good friends and family who will be an active and strong support system for you whether it's being a shoulder for you to cry on or someone to go out and have a drink with.
*If you love the smell of wood smoke, you'll be in heaven for the rest of your life!
*They'll come home dirty so be prepared for that. I am not talking about dirt under the fingernails, I spilled some coffee on my shirt kinda dirty. I'm talking can't wash the grime from the pants, don't sit there you'll stain the couch, and oh geez! your boots stink, did something die in there? kind of dirty. You think I am kidding?
*For that matter, there is something I call boot rot. I don't know how but this kind of rot seems to find firefighters specifically. In reality, it's not an actual rot; the rot more describes the odor. I cannot stress how disgusting those socks will smell when they come home from a fire. Not to mention the feet after the socks come off. I'm just warning you.
*The fire community is wonderful, full of truly incredible and unique individuals from all walks of life who are drawn to this line of work. You'll have a blast at end of the year parties and evening BBQs. But while the community is a social outlet for me, it is easy to forget the for Scott, it is still on some level work related. Cultivate a healthy distance from work where appropriate and make friends outside of the fire community as well. This can also eliminate potential drama and stresses that can stem from this crossover.
*Tools with names like Polaski and McCloud will start hanging around your house. Embrace them, for they are multi-functional and can even help shovel your car out from the snow and chip the ice away from your front porch.
*In the throes of winter, when days are short, the snow flurries seemingly endless, and he's been home bored for days, it helps to remember the hard times in the summer when he was away and how much you missed him. Because you likely won't be missing him anytime soon.
*And you do love him, after all :)
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