I live in the East Bay so when I volunteer at the fire towers, I try to spend more than one day at a time and also schedule around missing the commute. I recently retired from over 25 years as a legal assistant and hope to never see a law office cubicle again. Right now I am enjoying my seven children and twelve grandchildren. I spend a lot of time in the outdoors with friends and family, hiking and backpacking and sightseeing. Mt. Tam has been among my favorite places for day hikes over the past twenty years. I’m loving every minute of my time in the fire towers — well, maybe not the moments with mice. Volunteering at the fire towers has been a great way to give back to the wonderful communities we live in while at the same time learning something new and spending a little time in solitude enjoying the beautiful world we live in.