Something I wrote years ago

ON BEING A FIRE FIGHTERS KID

Being a firefighter's kid
Means a lot of things.

It means that all the other
Kids at school
Will look at you in awe
Because YOUR Dad is a
Firefighter.

It means when Dad goes to work
You make sure you say "good-bye"
And hope and pray that
He will come home safe again.

It means that sometimes Dad
Has to work on Christmas Day
Or weekends or nights
Or your birthday
Or even his own
But you savor the time
When he is home.

It means that sometimes Dad
Will wake you up
In the middle of the night
Because he just needs to hug you
Which you know means
That a child has died.

It means that sometimes Dad
Will not be himself
For a day or so
And you know that means
He has seen something
Too awful for him to describe.

It means that someday
Dad may not come home safe
And it will hurt
And you will cry
But you can be proud
Because you can be sure
He gave his life
To save someone else's.

©  12 January 1985

I am grateful for ...

December 31 

1. Lemax village pieces on sale 
2. anti biotics 
3. watermelon

December 30 

1. minor treatment section of Emerg 
2. chocolate on sale 
3. books on sale

December 29

1. friends with medical knowledge 
2. dollar stores 
3. my fireplace to warm me up when I am cold

December 28

1. polysporin for my hurt leg 
2. SPLAT
3. brothers

December 27

1. disposable mouse traps 
2. spray on pain relief
3. retailers that rush work

December 26

1. a spare dishwasher
2. a Dad that is handy 
3. Tim Horton's 

December 25

1. Christmas with my Dad 
2. creativity to replace missing roasting pan 
3. greetings from family and friends

December 24

1. Christmas Eve with friends 
2. a warm bed on a cold night 
3. Christmas

December 23 

1. dinner at a steak house
2. phone calls from old friends 
3. a garage I can use

December 22

1. a long relaxing soak in the tub 
2. popcorn for dinner 
3. mocha

December 21

1. the Mayan calendar being wrong 
2. a garage door opener that works 
3. discounts for cash payment

December 20 

1. a relatively warm day in the midst of a cold snap
2. pizza delivery on a snowy day 
3. prompt response to requests for service 

December 19 

1. my over protective Daddy
2. places where you can get parts for stuff so you don't have to replace the whole item 
3. former in laws that stay in touch

December 18 

1. honest retailers that suggest what is best for the customer instead of what is going to make them the most money 
2. stuff I am looking for ON SALE 
3. indoor/outdoor thermometers

December 17 

1. good ideas from my Dad
2. a pantry that I can find stuff in 
3. discovering tools I thought were lost or broken

December 16

1. baby aspirin to help Spike when he has pulled muscles - he slipped getting into the truck
2. HD TV
3. my Dad for coming for Christmas 

December 15

1. Christmas lights 
2. decorations that belonged to my Mom
3. my little silver tree in memory of my Grandma

December 14

1. days off work
2. my Dad's knowledge - he can fix anything!
3. the knowledge that me and mine are safe on this day of tragedy

December 13

1. my dad - just because!
2. WestJet for getting Dad here in spite of the snow storm
3. friends that kept me calm all day while I was worrying about Dad travelling

December 12

1. call display so I know when to not answer the phone
2. people that understand my limitations
3. Santa's Choice

December 11

1. the best boss ever
2. pre Christmas sales
3. social media to help me stay connected with friends near and far

December 10

1. an unexpected phone call from a dear friend 
2. naughty text messages
3. hazelnut coffee

December 09

1. friends that talk me down when I get pissed off
2. finding stuff I thought was lost
3. fun Christmas lights 

December 08

1. Pet photos with Santa 
2. my bed warmer 
3. Glucerna to give me some nutrition when I don't feel like eating

December 07

1. dinner with the gang for the first time in much too long 
2. vitamin E cream for my sore hands and feet 
3. having ME back! 

December 06

1. my awesome male friend DSD who makes the most ego boosting comments
2. Christmas cards in the mail 
3. my friend Toni for coming over at noon today to let Spike today so I could go for lunch with work friends 

December 05 

1. the ability to recognize when someone is not doing well 
2. good friends that are so generous with me and my family 
3. friends that make me laugh 

December 04

1. an AMAZING mechanic 
2. call display 
3. my bed 

December 03 

1. BCAA to cover towing 
2. car rental company that picks you up 
3. Visa 

December 02 

1. visits from friends that live far away
2. weekends 
3. PVR so I can watch what I want when I want 

December 01

1. medications that help me sleep
2. friends that make me laugh
3. restaurants with delivery service

**********************************************************

November 30 

1. friends that go "above and beyond" for me 
2. Christmas lights 
3. having had the privilege of knowing a woman named Sherry.  She was a coworker and a dear friend. Sherry left us 4 years ago today and the world truly is a darker place since she is no longer in it. Gone but never forgotten Sherry!

November 29

1. Dollar stores 
2. people that still talk to me after I "divorce" their family member
3. SPLAT

November 28 

1. Ibuprofen to soothe the aches and pains 
2. A fireplace on a chilly evening 
3. my first Christmas card of the year

November 27

1. Good friends in the real and/or cyber world
2. Pets that make me smile every day
3. Russian dressing on my salad

Jan 01

I am grateful for:

1. anti biotics for my sore leg 
2. 6 yard garbage bin 
3. rubbermaid totes 

all the best in 2013