Catching up.

I hope my legions of casual readers will forgive missing out on yesterday's deadline.  By the time we got back to the firehouse it was almost midnight (I'm still semi-giddy over shutting off the tones) and I just didn't have it in me to sit down and try and hammer something out.  Especially since I knew we were getting up at 5:30 so we could get to today's business.  I've noticed, as I've gotten older, that some days I feel like I'm around 40, some days I feel like I'm around 70.  See the 2013 post from the mobile home park in Florida for details on that...

This morning I felt like I was about 90...

Well then.

To briefly recap yesterday, we took part in an interview with the local (well, localish) TV station, Mallory was great btw.  She "gets it" far better than most of the major market media people we've dealt with over the years.  I wish her much luck in her career moving forward.

Later, Vinnie and I (along with a reporter from Firehouse.com) traveled across the Mason-Dixon line (literally) to southern Pennsylvania for a home visit with Stacy.  The visit was set up by her friend and neighbor, Jenny, who, coincidentally, used to (how's that for a string of commas?) live and work in Downers Grove.  Half way across the country and we meet a woman that wants to give a shout out to the Omega Restaurant.  

Not sure that would've been my first choice for a DG landmark, but hey, who am I to judge?

After the home visit we drove back through Emmitsburg down to Thurmont for another carnival.  These are, apparently, big deals around here and they're major fundraisers for the local volly FD's.  

The crowd was... interesting.  I've been told in the past that western Maryland was really, ummm, rural and I would say, based on my people watching the last two days, that is an accurate statement.  

Extremely accurate.  

Ridiculously accurate, like laser precise.  

Like atomic clock accurate.  I felt like I walked into an episode of The Waltons.  

I don't mean that as a wistful "gee wiz I miss the good old days" either.  More like "Hey!  You know we have indoor plumbing now, right?"

Don't get me wrong, we met many wonderful, warm, welcoming people.

We also met people that I swear were a cross between the Kathy Bates character in Misery and the Billy Bob Thornton character in Slingblade 

Let that image sink in for a bit...

We started today with a 300 mile drive to our next stop, Aurora, OH where we made the first of two stops for a woman named Amy who has a brain tumor.  As I understand the story, her friends contacted Dave to do a visit as we passed through Ohio.  Dave told them to contact the Mayor, Fire Chief, Police Chief, etc. and set up an event.  Ultimately, the Mayor and Police Chief told the friends that they would be violating city ordinance if the pink fire trucks came in to town...

A little bad PR can go a long way.

Once this started to go public, in addition to numerous emails telling the Mayor how his priorities needed re-alignment if he couldn't see fit to allow friends to help a family in need, they received numerous emails and phone calls in support including today's event at a water park on the opposite side of suburban Cleveland from where Amy lives.  Our event tomorrow is also for Amy, though I'm not sure at this point what, exactly it is.

Laundry alert!!!  "Somebody" didn't pack as many pairs of dark shorts as he thought.  I'd really like to say here that I'm talking about Vinnie, but no, it's me.  Of course there's no guest laundry at the place we're staying (I'm not complaining either, it's a really nice place) but the good news is they do have laundry service here.  

The bad news is it won't be done in time for our event.

And I kind of need pants for that.

I believe I'll be doing a little emergency shopping tomorrow...

Peace