By the time this column appears, McCook and Southwest Nebraska may have received some

rain. But I’m not holding my breath because the clouds appear yet nothing falls from the sky.

The lack of moisture has even increased my sense of superstition. There was debate on

postponing a week night kindergarten soccer game that I coach because rain was in the

forecast at game time. I knew that if we called off the game before the first drops fell, the rain

would miss us. But if we kept the game on the books, maybe Mother Nature would bless us with

some amount of moisture and we would play another day. (There was moisture in the air but not

even enough to warrant an umbrella.)

Even if we do get rain in the near future, our area remains in a drought with fire danger

remaining high. Fires have been - and can be - popping up everywhere. While populated areas

have been spared for the most part, fires have decimated the grasslands, taking away feed for

the cattle industry.

And while some areas will recover quickly, some areas including the sandhills may face a longer

recovery time, simply due to the nature of the topography.

One thing these fires have highlighted is what is important to people if the need to evacuate

quickly arises. When you ask people what they would grab in an emergency, photographs are

always at the top of the list because most are likely irreplaceable, especially the older pictures.

I am no different and learned things about myself and my household a few weeks ago as I

considered what I would grab if the Willow Creek Fire south of McCook inched closer to my

house.

I discovered that I have a lot of photo albums, perhaps what would be considered an obscene

number of albums but with seven kids, there was a lot to document over the years. I found box

after box of photographs that need to be dealt with, ie., labeled so that 20, 40, 60 years from

now, other people will know who is in the picture. To be honest, I struggle right now to identify

who is in a picture, even my own kids as a baby. Add in all the framed pictures hanging on the

walls around the house, and one vehicle would be filled with just pictures.

Priority number two are important documents and paperwork, such as wills, birth certificates,

even bundles of cash hidden around the house.

Again, as I surveyed my house for what I would have to grab in a moment’s notice, I was

overwhelmed by everything I should take with me.

Which led to my next conclusion: we have too much stuff. I am a wanna-be minimalist but I am

not good at it because we have so much, which again is to be expected with so many people

who have lived or continue to live in our house.

But to be honest, we have too many individual items and too many of those items, as I

considered what to grab as the flames crested the hill a mile from my home.

I looked at the clothes, which are replaceable, but would be good to have a small supply on

hand. Even removing an arm-full would leave behind a nearly full closet. Plus, the process to

remove the clothes had become cumbersome thanks to my new method.

Growing up, I was always told to have my hangars facing the same direction so you can grab

them easily and quickly in case of fire. I have followed that advice my entire life…until two years

ago.

A few years ago, I began a practice of turning the hangars backward in our closets periodically,

such as New Year’s Day or the first day of summer. When you wear an item, the hangar goes

back in facing the correct direction.

If after a set time, say six months or one year, the item of clothing is still facing backward, you

need to consider donating the item because you haven't worn it and likely won’t in the near

future.

I had just turned around all our hangers less than three months ago, so the hangars in my closet

are facing both directions the entire length of the closet rod. Clothes were no longer a priority.

As fire engines and water trucks continued to speed past my house to battle the fire, my focus

turned to the next most valuable item we have at our house, or rather our garage: our bikes.

Everyone has something they would grab that others would shake their head at or not be able to

comprehend. For my family, it would be our bicycle collection - plus shoes and helmets.

Out of an over-abundance of caution and just to see how it would work, I had my son select four

bikes to put on the bike rack attached to our RV. I said to grab an assortment, like picking your

favorite ice cream flavors.

Looking at his choices, I was satisfied but also a bit sad looking at the bikes left behind that if

the fire grew out of control, would be destroyed.

The same could be said for everything in the house and the rest of the garage. But even if that

fire had reached our house, I knew everyone was safe - including the animals which were all

outside - and ultimately, that is what is most important and most valuable.

Hopefully, our communities will be blessed with rain in the near future but in the meantime,

thank you to all the firefighters and volunteers who have been and continue to fight the fires

raging around our area and across Nebraska.