Thanks community for help after fire

I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank all the wonderful neighbors, military and volunteers from churches who brought a tremendous amount of physical effort, food, clothing, hoses, first-aid kits, repotting and pruning my burnt rose bushes and hugs, with giant vats of love behind them- all with tears in their eyes at the loss of my home. All the outpouring of love from each of you has kept me going.

I have heard about military wives. But I never really met one until now. If you are ever in a disaster, hope that you live close to one.

OK, so it wasn't a national disaster, but this disaster sure turned my world upside down. I'm referring to my home burning down June 29 in Camarillo Heights.

Actually burning down isn't quite accurate. If it had burned down, I wouldn't have this mountain of debris. The Fire Department had to bulldoze what didn't burn down, so it wouldn't fall on someone.

I was looking at my mountain of debris when up walks this little Navy wife, Gina Scavo, with a 3year-old and a baby. Little did I know she would brighten my life to the point that I would actually feel blessed.

She kept calling and coming over until we finally were able to get a Dumpster in here. Her husband, Charles (command master chief, with the air wing at Point Mugu), came over and filled the Dumpster even with my silly rules aimed at, hopefully, finding my things still intact under the debris. Her husband had to go out of town, but did that stop her? Not at all. By that time, she had surveyed the operation and figured out exactly what we needed.

She explained to me the importance of having an empty Dumpster. You realize, I'm still out of it. I am still numb from the major event. The beautiful house my husband and I took 40 years to build is a mountain of trash and I am the world's best recycler (I recycle everything)! Throwing something away is completely foreign to me. Gina took my rules, some of which are E.J. Harrison & Sons rules, too, and worked within them.

So, I had my empty Dumpster and my Bobcat, and in walked "Top Gun"- Chief Robert Demanuele. The khakis, the sunglasses- PERFECT. But, most important, that air of supreme self-confidence and charisma that would have put Tom Cruise to shame! Never drove a Bobcat before - not a problem! He gets up on that thing and puts it through its paces.

Next comes in this mountain of a man - that quiet authority, quiet determination - Chief Todd Lepsch. "That tree is in the way." It is gone! That total authority reminded me of my favorite actor - the one who played the president of the United States in "24." Well, he was president back in the days when I had time to watch "24."

Last, but not least, came a tall lanky blond- Senior Chief Doug Buol who, without a word, came in and did exactly what was needed. Before he left, he invited me to join his wife, who happens to be an award-winning hula dancer, at her next lesson.

He must have recognized underneath all the soot and grime, with this raccoon face, beat the heart of an exhibitionist. He also had an idea on how to do my cleanup job faster.

Then, one of the guys remembered there was a guy on TV who did "Dirty Jobs." There is absolutely no job dirtier than mine.

That soot will not come out of your clothes or off your skin as my poor sister is discovering, as I walk in every night to her cleanerthanclean house. Dolores Patno Camarillo

Patno's home in the 1000 block of Mesa Drive was destroyed in a fire on June 29. She is living with her sister in Somis while family and friends work to clear the corner lot and rebuild the home where Patno, a mother and grandmother, lived for the past 40 years.