Ham Fire May 19th, Part 2

May 19 Home

We haven’t been this happy since the 4th of May.  The Sheriff’s Department decided to let the residents of the end of the Gunflint Trail go home today.  Good thing too because we were prepared to cover our kids with blankets in the backseat and smuggle them through the roadblock so we could all sleep in our own beds again.  I’m just thankful we didn’t have to break the law to do it.  So now we are all together, at the end of the Trail, in our home.

We didn’t make the drive home together in one vehicle since Abby had spent last night in town.  Mike took Josh up and then later Abby and I drove up together.  Mike told me when they got home Josh said, “It isn’t as bad as I thought.”  Abby must have said the word, “WOW!” a hundred times during our ride home.

Abby was taking everything in as we drove the last 10 miles of the Gunflint Trail.  She first made a comment about something being ugly and I told her I would not allow her to say that or to be negative about the impact the fire had on our woods.  After that she switched to positive mode and I think it made us both feel better.  She pointed out the already inch high grass growing in the ditches, the marsh marigolds blooming and all of the other flowers starting to come up in the burn areas.  When she noticed empty spaces where cabins used to sit she said, “At least they can build a new place if they want.”  She commented on how much easier it would be to get up to a favorite high spot because of the lack of underbrush that had burned.  She marveled about being able to now see Onagon Lake from the Gunflint Trail.  Her words were words I have been saying over and over to myself and it was good to hear them from her mouth.

Once we were all at home together it didn’t take the kids long to get back into a routine.  “Mom, Josh is bugging me!”  “Yeah but Abby is being mean.”  Once again the parents are the referee in the game of life and thankfully we’re the home team playing on a home court.

Advantage Voyageur and things are looking up.

Leave a Reply