It’s true.  Those with family in fire/ems never call 911, just like those that work in it won’t.   That’s for really sick or really hurt people.  lol

My Mom called me just a couple of hours ago, close to tears.  Phone connection was bad and honestly, I’m not sure what made me answer my phone anyway.  It’s Sunday and we are chilling out, I’d generally screen my calls.  But thankfully I answered.

She’d tripped over the dog and thought she broke her arm, can I take her to the ER.  Yup, on my way.  Hubby’s looking at me like I’m nuts, “why doesn’t she call 911?”  Because she won’t, so I’ll be back.  lol  I get a couple of blocks down the road and call her again.  I wanted to make sure she was ok to wait until I get there and didn’t need to call 911.  She said it was her wrist and she’d prefer a ride.

This after just 6 weeks ago my MIL fell and shattered here ankle.  Didn’t call 911, crawled to the car and my step-FIL drove her to the hospital.  THEY DIDN”T KNOW WHERE THE HOSPITAL WAS!!!  Thankfully their neighbor answered the phone and told them.  I mean, her ankle was a mess too, she really should have called.

However, I also have to remember that many won’t call because they don’t want the bill.  Especially those on a fixed income, like retirement.  Now my Mom doesn’t have that excuse, she lives in our district, so it’s a free ride.  But we have no idea about my MIL’s district.  So I try to remember that money is in people’s choices not to call.

But the biggest reason honestly is because it’s for those that really need it and they don’t want to be a bother.  I mean we all know the horrible calls that hubby goes on.  A sprained or broken wrist isn’t worth calling about right?  They have more important calls they need to be available for.  lol  OIY, I hope I call when if I ever need it and don’t make the same poor decision.  Better go grab my phone for Dad to call me and tell me how she is.

If you are a fire wife then you probably know how difficult it is to work with their schedule.  Especially if you have kids.  One thing that makes it even more difficult for me is vacations.

Before getting hired on full-time we didn’t go on vacations.  When you work construction if you don’t work, you don’t get paid.  There was no vacation pay or time.  So taking the loss of pay and also paying for vacation was out of the picture with little one’s to feed and clothe.

Now not only do we finally get the vacation time he so deserves and worked so hard for, but we have those 4 days off between sets to run off on little mini-vacations.  Needless to say there have been a lot of mini-vacations.  How’s a girl supposed to work around a chaotic schedule that we may run off at the drop of a hat?  I can’t! lol  Thankfully I work for myself so I’m able to rearrange things as needed.

For example, we are in McCall, Idaho right now and the plan was to leave early Sunday.  We’d be sure to miss the super-bowl because it’s at least an 8 hour drive back home.  I was bummed because I can’t ever remember missing a game, but it’s been a blast so I can suck it up.  Well over a few beers it was decided that the guys could all rearrange their schedules so we could stay another day.  lol  Gotta love the fact that there are always guys at the department that will do shift trades.

So that just leaves me and the millions of calls I’ll have to make tomorrow for canceling my seniors fitness class.  I feel like a little kid, I don’t wanna make the calls.  Quite a few of them will be really disappointed because I already canceled class on Friday.  But oh well, these are such great memories with the kids.  We went skiing at Brundage and it was AMAZING!  So much powder.

If I held a 9-5 I’d have been fired many times in the last 3 years.  So while hubby bitches about paying my bills, how can it be any other way and have me be ready to runaway on mini-vacations whenever we want?