The Story in Grammy’s Trailer was written right after the Almeda Fire on September 8, 2020, in Southern Oregon. That was one of the most terrifying days in my life.
We lived on the outskirts of Talent, Oregon, a small town a little north of the Oregon/California border. Our peaceful little country town was in the raging fire’s path. My husband and I rushed to fill both cars with our important belongings. We grabbed a few clothes, medications, paintings my Grammy painted, the hard drive off my computer, and our signed Willie Mays baseball.
After that, we stood in the parking lot of our apartment complex with the the neighbors. The fire blocked the main road out of town as we watched the smoke from the blaze only a block away. We listened to buildings collapsing and heard propane tanks explode. We discussed back roads to get out of the complex.
Helicopters fighting the fire filled up in the pond across the street and then rushed to the fire. They flew so close water splashed on us as they went by. My husband wanted to stay and keep water spraying on the house with a hose, but then the electricity and water went out. It was time to evacuate.
What Happened to Grammy’s Trailer?
Luckily, our place was spared from the Almeda Fire, but we did lose Grammy’s trailer. My grandma had purchased this mobile home back in the 1950s. When she moved into assisted living, it went to my dad, and other family members had passed through there as well. On that day, only by the grace of God, my son had just moved out, and my daughter was getting ready to move in. So, the trailer was not inhabited by people or pets on the day of the fire, though both lost most of their belongings.
This trailer had been the backdrop of so many family stories. Grammy and Grandpa bought and moved it there in the 50s, and through the years, most of the family members had lived there at one point or another. This book is my way of preserving all those memories, even after the disaster of the Almeda Fire.