Preparing to Flee
As you may already know, southern California has been plagued by fires this week. Our house has not been in the direct path or evacuation zone of any fires, but with the proximity of the Skirball fire, the high temperatures, and the strong, dry winds, my husband and I decided to err on the safe side and pack a few bags in case we had to evacuate.
This is not a fun task! I cried as I read the LA Times’ list of what to take if you have to evacuate. Even without an imminent threat of evacuation, deciding what to take – and more distressingly, what to leave -- in case we have to flee is an emotional job.
Here’s what I would take:
- My mother-in-law’s baby baptism dress, which P also wore when she was dedicated, and two little dresses that I wore as a baby. The last thing I want to do at Christmas is tell my in-laws or my parents that I saved my My Pillow but failed to save the family heirlooms.
- My My Pillow. I love it. I’ve become the basic bitch who travels with her own pillow.
- Our photo albums. It’s not that I don’t have digital versions of all of the photographs -- I do -- it’s that I cannot stand the idea of having to remake those photo albums. What an incredibly boring task, and I don’t even decorate the books or include any dates or comments. I just order prints online and slide them into photo albums while I watch TV. But still, never again.
- The enormous box that allegedly holds my dry-cleaned wedding dress. I say allegedly because I saw a local news segment about nefarious dry cleaners who pretend to box up your wedding dress, but actually sell your wedding dress and return an empty box to you. It’s heartless but brilliant.
Here’s what I would not take:
- My clothes. They fit strangely post-baby. They all seem to have moth holes though I didn’t think we had a moth problem. They’re either too casual or too dressy. They require dry cleaning, and I can’t bring myself to drop them off at the dry cleaners. A chance at a new wardrobe? Well, okay, if I have to.
- The cats. Kidding. That’s just a dig at my cats because Karen would not leave me alone today.
- Our couch. Obviously, we wouldn’t actually consider taking our couch in an emergency, but I will say, I wouldn’t miss it. We bought it three years ago, and the cushions have already lost all support. I’m not even tempted to nap on it.
As much as I dislike my couch and clothes, I sincerely hope that the fires end soon, and that packing our bags will be a complete waste of time.