It is so hard to understand the force of storms like the tornadoes here and the earthquake in Japan unless you are in the middle of it. And trust me, the middle is not where you want to be. I'm so grateful that with tornadoes we do have some warning, unlike earthquakes.
Early yesterday the weather folks kept saying we would have more tornadoes last night so Jerry and I began to plan. We have a place in our house we think is safer than other places but it is small so we had to weigh our priorities...what could we put there that would be important to us later?
Certainly important papers like our marriage license, social security cards, passports and plane tickets for a trip we'll be taking soon. But I'd sure hate to lose my computer, Kindle,IPad, camera, or special pieces of jewelry. I don't have pricey jewelry but I do have some costume pieces from my mother and grandmother and I'd hate to lose them.
I kept thinking about my quilts and my stitching projects and my fabric...how I would hate to lose it all! And yet, I know those are just things and things can be replaced. I'm thankful for the safety of my family and my friends and my home because I know that all that could change in the blink of an eye.
I'm curious...if you had one hour to plan what would you "save" from a disaster? Certainly people, but what prized possessions would go with you?
Leeapaul, Lilly, Lorenzo, and Lullu (my 4 legged children) would be grabbed first. Prized possessions: the quilts from my grandmothers, my quilts, and my earring box. After the 4 legged children, I can replace everything but the old quilts.
ReplyDeleteWe keep an emergency kit - army foot locker - fully equiped in the cellar. Prized possions - fireproof boxes with the important papers. My mother would (and does) want to grab all the quilts - they are things. I prop the cellar door as once that air is sucked it is hard to open. Yes, we have been thru 3 tornados here in NY and I take the warnings seriously.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear you are ok...these storms have been crazy! What would I save? I would have to think about that one for awhile...I know that after going through a fire, the things I miss the most are the little things like the kids Christmas decorations that they made when they were little.
ReplyDeleteglad to hear you got your power back! What I save - we have a safety deposit box at the bank that we keep important papers in and have a couple duplicate copies at the house for easy access so I am not worried about those. A lot of our photos are on our computers - and what isn't I can get copies of from other family members, quilts I love but can be replaced - so many new ones to make right!
ReplyDeleteSo what do I take to the storm shelter when we make a dash - I have two tote bags & in them I put a couple towels to dry off from the rain if I get too wet, my kindle, book light, flash lights (2) my computer and my phone and charger(we have a plug in outlet on the ceiling of the shelter along with a lightbulb in it - but if the electricity goes out I have the flash lights and the book light. Also I toss in a couple snack packs of peanut butter crackers and two bottles of water. My camera goes in if I think of it fast enough and also a piece of paper that my passwords are on for my on line billing.
Some people say why the computers - for tracking the storms and to keep in touch - last night in the shelter I was on windows messenger with one of my daughters. Also all the photos ect are on it.
Karen
http://karensquilting.com/blog/
So glad to hear that you are safe, but those storms have been unreal.
ReplyDeleteWe lived in a high fire danger area and I had things to evacuate in one spot - all of the family photos. Back then those were things that could not be replaced. During one mandatory evacuation we loaded up the car and I told each of the kids to grab something that was important. When we were allowed back in the area I found all sorts of interesting items that the children had packed - a snake, a bible, the flag and all of the Halloween candy. (The fire happened on Halloween).
our animals...pictures and heirloom jewelry...everything else could be replaced...
ReplyDeleteI am SOOOO GLAD you and your loved ones are safe! And...your home and wonderful "things" too...
hugZ,
annie
rubyslipperz106.blogspot.com
Marlene, I'm so glad to hear you are safe and sound and those near and dear to you are also. Worried for you I was. .... as for the hidey-hole, I'd have to take my computer memory sticks as most all of my pictures are stored digitally and this makes them small and portable and re-printable. Everything else is replaceable except lives. Blessings to you :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are ok. These storms have been so fierce. To answer your question... Some years back, we lived on the edge of a dry canyon in wildfire danger area under power transmission wires that precluded aerial fire retardant drops. (Why would anyone want to life there!) One bad fire season, I packed an overnight bag for us. Then I loaded a wheeled suitcase with the important personal papers, business files, favorite photos right off the walls and stored them near the door. It was understood that if DH was home, he would unhook the CPU and load it in the car, otherwise it would get left. It was a PAIN to work from June thru Oct from that suitcase and to load all that stuff up every time I left the house, but it also was reassuring to know that my "stuff" was safe. Walking out of a store to see a huge plume of smoke in the direction of one's home is quite unsettling. After a few years of that, we moved to a house near the river. With the dam upstream, we are hoping to be safe from flooding! --We pick our poisons, I guess. :-)
ReplyDeleteStay safe!
So glad you're alright and back "on the grid." I'd grab photo albums, the laptop (I don't even want to think about the information I have saved that would be lost if that blew away), the top file drawer that has all of our files for the year, my cell phone and charger and a small fireproof safe we have with things like car titles and the like in. There are many other things I would hate to lose but most are replaceable. I too take tornado warnings pretty serious and have thought about this a number of times when the wind starts to howl.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad y'all are safe, Marlene. I can honestly say I haven't thought about what I'd like to "grab". Maybe old photos and for SURE my iPhone. Haha!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you are safe Marlene and my prayers go out to everyone else in the path or affected!!
ReplyDeleteWe have what we call a "go bag" that has essential documents plus the flash drive that contains photos from all our albums and addresses of family and other important contact information. It's always ready to go whether we'd need to take it to the basement with us or put it in the car. My camera would be a priority if time allowed, plus the watch my husband bought me.
ReplyDeleteI used to think a lot about what I'd try to save if there was time in an emergency but to be honest, there really isn't much I'd mourn the loss of.
Marlene, I have been watching the news, I am so glad you are safe.
ReplyDeleteI would grab, pictures and my purse.
Looking at the tsunami distruction is almost like pictures after a tornedo. Whole rooms and houses are gone someplace else. Even if you found pieces of your house, things may not be with it.
ReplyDeletePeople escaping in Japan were not allowed to bring pets. I have an emergency bag but that was the last thing I was thinking of when the house was shaking.
Thank God you are safe, Marlene! Good luck gathering your "must haves" into one place for future safety. The others have all mentioned ones I would choose.
ReplyDeleteHappy to hear you are ok. I would grab as many of my photo albums that I could carry. Everything else is replaceable. My oldest son passed away from a cancerous brain tumor so all his pictures are so precious to me along with my other children's pictures. I am thinking of moving them to our family room which is in the basement so then I would know the pictures would be safer.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you and yours are safe Marlene. These storms must be so scary for all of you.
ReplyDeleteMy most prized things are my pictures. I love taking pictures and I would make sure they were all safe with me, if I could (of my children/family).
So glad you are all right. It has been a rough couple of days.
ReplyDeleteI would protect my creatures, then my kindle, laptop and camera. My important papers and pictures I have scanned onto the ocmputer so that should be kept safe.
During this last mess, I put those things in the safest part of the house then crawled into bed and slept through it all. I was counting on my weather call service to wake me in time if necessary.
So glad that y'all have stayed safe through all of this. A funnel cloud came over our house on Tuesday and numerous others were close by.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about 'stuff' before I read your post. Yes, it can all be replaced, but still, it is part of us and hard to 'let go'. We really don't own the 'stuff'--it owns us. I would not like losing our pets, or pictures or things passed down through the years--or my computer!
Stay safe. More may be on the way this weekend!
Oh Marlene, so good to hear from you. There have been so many scary storms this year already, and tornado season hasn't even 'hit' us yet.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what I would take. Louie would be the top item on my list.
Glad to hear you are okay.. the storms are on our news here downunder... looks fierce and very frightening... much thoughts with you all....
ReplyDeleteHugz