48 Hours Left

Well friends, it's my last shift here at station 2.  And its a 48 hour shift.  It's kinda bittersweet.  It has been my home since I started at the fire department almost 2 years ago and it's been AWESOME!  I have learned a ton since I have been here and made some really great friends/family.

Most people don't know how fire station life works, so I will give you some background information. For fire fighters, the fire station is home away from home.  We are here for 24 hours, every third day, and basically 1/3 of our lives.  We try to make the station as much like home as possible.  We each have our own rooms with a twin sized bed, very small desk and one shelf.  There is one fridge to share with 5 people, one common tv and one common computer.  It may not be the ritz carlton, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.  The guys at the station are like a 2nd family.  Which is what makes it hard to move away to another station.

There have been some AMAZING memories made.  I first learned how to use a weed eater at the fire station.  This was interesting, because I'm usually the one to ask for help.  But I was not about to tell the guys that I had no clue how to use the weed eater... let alone start it.  But I persevered and became a weed eaten' FOOL!!  Even learned how to add the plastic string.

Learned that everything is better with bacon.  Mitchell, aka Pee Paw, is a wonder in the kitchen.  I like to think of him as the male version of Paula Dean.  He adds butter, cream, and bacon to everything.  He has been cooking at the fire station for 24+ years and has a old tricks for this spring chicken in the kitchen.  From creamy chicken to bacon wrapped asparagus to homemade apple pie, Pee Paw can throw down in the kitchen!  Also just a really neat guy in general.

Didn't get to fight too much fire while I was here... but hey, I figure I'm doing my job at fire prevention right!  Never got to be first in on the "big one," but you can bet your butt that I have fought some fire and sweated like WOAH.  You will never know what tired is until you have spent hours working on a fire scene.  You will sleep like a baby after!

So as I spend my last 48 hours here and pack all my stuff in my car to move to another station, I'm remembering all the awesome times I've spent at good ol' station 2.  Thanks for the memories....

Well, the public is calling, gotta go save the world from minor aches and pain.