If you had very little warning to evacuate your home, you knew your family and pets were safe, and you could only take as much as you can fit into your car, what would you take with you?
We have thousands of dollars invested in electronics and technology in our home, but it would never occur to me to take the TV. Or the DVD player. What I would reach for is my scrapbooks and family portraits, obviously, but then my wedding dress, my Happy File (a box of memorabilia that makes me smile partly because I forget what’s in it between discoveries), quilts I’ve made, and some of the clothes I’ve made for the girls.
The main thing, though — the things I hold MOST valuable, the things that I would NEED to have with me — are ALL connected to my memories. Not my laptop, not my extensive shoe collection, not the Bose radio that we enjoy.
What would you take?
7 Responses
definitely scrapbooks… and pictures that aren’t in scrapbooks yet… and my husband’s guitars… and quickly take pictures of all the rooms in our house! finished or not…
Joy
Scrapbooks – maybe not all of them – but as many as possible.
Photos. Negatives. CDs of digital photos.
My jewelery box – there’s not much valuable in there but many sentimental pieces.
this bothered me.
because, really, as long as the pets, kid, and spouse were safe.. i don’t know that i’d grab anything else.
when i lived in louisiana, my apartment building caught fire and four apartments (including the one next door to mine) were burned and ruined.
i called the fire in, and spent most of the time before the firetrucks got there helping the elderly ladies below me get out safely and in decent clothing.
i grabbed nothing. and i don’t think i’d do it any differently.
Fire? Lives only.
I have one hour to evacuate and get to higher ground? Yea… those albums by the door. The important papers… insurance et al. Probably snap photos of the major ‘appliances’.
But I’d grab the laptop too. And some knitting. I gotta have SOMETHING to do while sitting in an evac center!
Whoop. Something else to that….
Having been under “be ready to evacuate” orders for wildfire….
Given MORE time…and a swimming pool… some stuff would be in the pool. Anything that could be put in the pool without worry about damage. Like the good china and some collectables. It will save them from sure destruction from fire. Providing, of course, they’re ok to be submerged.
Yeah, Nancy — Fire? I’d grab anything I could off the above list (my scrapbooks are near the door for this reason), but lives would be the main thing.
I really meant… like in a Katrina situation. If you *knew* something bad was coming, had more than just a few minutes’ warning, and you had to get out, what would you want to have with you? In that case, I’m pretty sure I’d leave my home with more than just lives. I’d want to have something tangible to hold onto from my memories.
I’d likely take the Mac. I’d take the silverware, for its family history more than its monetary value.
E, this reminds me: I’d like to put some digital archives in the safe deposit box, either on DVDs or perhaps an entire harddrive. If you have anything you’d like to include, let me know.