During those 45 minutes that we were seeking shelter in our basement during a tornado warning, I was thinking about what I should have grabbed before the tornado rips my house apart akimbo.
Mr. Downeastdoing stuff already did this self evaluation and his determination was: beer.
I, myself, gave this more thought than that.
Many people say family photos. Yeah, maybe, but I can see with my 89 year old parents that they are trying to foist their collection of family photos onto me and I really don't want them. Oh yeah, I took a few so that I would remember that even I, was once a baby and I did graduate Junior High, High School and College in an actual cap and gown. But other than that, I didn't really take any other 'black and white' and faded color snap shots.
So who is going to want the 8 organized in chronological order albums I made? Not my child who doesn't want anything that isn't on his i-phone.
So family photos....maybe.
Let's see...here is my top ten list of what should be grabbed just before your life is going to be torn apart...
10. Family photos...maybe.
9. Family documents....I guess....although they can all be replaced....for a fee, I'm sure.
8. Recipes....especially old, favorite ones and the Slovak family ones (that's what I am). I should type those onto my laptop, now that I think about it. Yeah, good idea.(That's why I keep this blog, makes me think about these things...)
7. Hairdryer and round brushes....I know, I know, I can replace these, but I would need them the very minute the tornado is over and Mr. Downeastdoingstuff starts up the generator. (I have major hair issues and I would think the humidity would be high after a tornado is over, what with all the ripped up water pipes and stuff.)
6. Jewelry.....not that I have anything all that great, but I've already been through having my house robbed and ALL my jewelry taken at one time and then having to replace it. (NOTE: My advice to anyone that wears jewelry. DO NOT, I say, DO NOT keep all your jewelry in one spot, ie. a jewelry box. All the burglar has to do is to grab it in one fell swoop and it's gone.) Rather keep your jewelry all over the house or in boxes that say Rat Poison.
5. A coffee yogurt and a Diet Pepsi. You probably will be hungry right after surveying the damage and digging around for your family photos. Don't forget a spoon.
4. My purse. I might need my credit cards and car keys, assuming the car is not in a tree somewhere. Lip gloss and sunglasses, too.
3. My paintings.....although this is too daunting a task, it would be nice to have.
3a. My Laptop and charger. (use with generator) 'nuf said.
2. My Cats.....Little Molly and Sophie. Can't live without them, cause they're purrrrfect.
1. My retainer. OK. Yeah. My retainer.
Being an adult orthodontic patient, insurance didn't cover any of the million dollars it cost me. Everynight I have to wear a clear plastic retainer for the rest of my life if I don't want to revisit the Orthodontist. And I am fully aware that every night when I put it on, it is tight and is loose by morning. So my teeth shift even during the course of the day.
JUST IMAGINE sifting through tons of debris that used to be our house after a category Fujita scale-5 tornado looking for a clear, plastic retainer. Ain't gonna happen. And it takes weeks to get a new one made. So, that is the number one thing I should have grabbed.
(Well, it's tied at number one with the cats, truth be told.)
That's it.
There's no place like home.
What would you take with you?
18 comments:
Love the list! I certainly can identify with the hair dryer (though no round brush for me, as I always get them stuck in my hair!). Definitely a purse with all of its contents. Lip gloss with sunscreen, absolutely. At the top of my list? Would have to be that adorable golden retriever, Annie (and that nasty yellow ball that's by her side 24/7)!!
Now her REAL List:
(in no particular order)
Yes, the retainer!
CASE of coffee yogurt
Her hairdryer(Want a day to go bad fast? Have her lose this item)
Some random tupperware containers(use 'em to fill stuff)
Her neck pillow in car
Her tea!
Paper and pencil to doodle on while she's on the phone
Her filing boxes to keep busy(always has to be doing something)
Paper to read while she's eating
Change of underwear
Book to read
8-10 pairs of sandals
Phone
Crossword puzzles
Random sticks and rocks to make stuff(keep her busy)
Picture of me
Pad of paper to make lists... she LOVES lists
Recipes
Cats
I'm sure I've left some things off but these are some of her 'can't forget' items to make her time pleasant and my sanity intact.
Yeah, thanks, Birdman. Don't I keep you sane ALL the time? I thought I did.
Man, I have to get more organized. I would just be running round in a dither. OK, cats (4 carriers at the ready at all times); suitcase packed with 1 weeks items (that's done already); I need to put everything I want onto my laptop (someday); a few family photos--not half a century of them!
I love the Mr's list, nice that they both are similar though.
I need to retire so I can catch up!
okay, the list:
the box of donuts
the keurig coffeemaker and some coffee thingies (that will count as one item)
the gun
the flat cats
me *real* jewelry although i like the fake stuff better!
my watch
my ipad
my laptop
my iphone
and lastly my pillow and new towels (again, one item)
smiles, bee
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Hmm - my computer would be first I guess - it has all the family photos (over 5,000 of them that I scanned)(yes we love those old B&W and faded color photos, every last one of them), scanned documents, titles, warranties, list of accounts and passwords, etc. on it
Then I'm not sure what else - I figure if the tornado is bad enough someone will supply the food and bed (in a shelter I suppose)
Oh - my camera - have to get pictures of the damage for the insurance - which is on my computer (thank goodness, now I don't have to look for soggy papers)
We don't have any pets - but I do have a rag doll that my grandma made me for my 6th birthday - I guess she would go with me.
I suppose because we don't have tornados in WA I don't really think about this very much. There doesn't seem to be enough flat land where we live to let a tornado get up any speed. Glad of that too.
Laptop, modem, purse, medications, loaded gun and extra ammo, and a flashlight.
Cats, dog, laptop & charger, a couple of books to read, comfort food. Glad to hear you came through okay. Fun list to read, and one that's given me some food for thought about family photos.
not in order: camera, laptop, cat, mr. brattcat, dark chocolate, books to read, crossword puzzles and pencil with eraser to calm me, working radio (though I could probably get everything i wanted on the laptop), lip balm, conditioner, and a shower...i guess i really can't take that with me but i might not be worth saving without one.
I was forced to start again a few years ago, with virtually nothing, so happily, I could probably manage to actually save the maybe TWO things I own worth saving if a tornado hit.
You know, this is the second time someone's mentioned coffee yogurt lately and I've gone "What? There's COFFEE yogurt?" I want some. I have never seen coffee yogurt. :)
My Henri, my Simon, my cell phone and the phone number to my insurance agent. That's it!!
Enjoyed Birdman's revised list for you, you two are so cute!!
~Lili
I would grab my dog Obie and my cat Baby and hit the basement! That's it! If I had time to waste and think about it, I may grab some food and water for us and animals and of course the cell phones. I am not really attached to much of anything materialistic but hubby!...now that's another story altogether! His Geeky stuff...the computers...ANYTHING TO DO WITH COMPUTERS....would be somehow barracaded or shut down and tucked somewhere! Love your lists and Mr. DEDS's "real" list! I know...my list is pretty boring! I am in a funk....still trying to get over the fact that I can't have whoopies any more....someone reminded me that it was probably NOT a good idea! Imagine? Ha!
Loved your lists....Where do you find coffee yogurt?
My list,Joe, meds, weather radio, water, phone, book, my $7.99 pillow from Walmart, blanket, change of clothes already packed in suitcase by the door, herb tea, dark chocolate, crossword puzzles, computer, I guess that's all I can carry. Anymore and I would have blown away with the house.
I forgot...my glasses...I'm blind without them. Balisha
Elenka, while in Boothbay on our vacation, we had the tv on...Had only 2 channels....and bang, here's the big tornado warning. The R-O-T-A-T-I-O-N, the hook, hey we watched that for one and a half hours. Glad you are safe. I would take a the minimum two things. 1) my purse
2) My cell phone.
I got my first cell phone after 9/11. I wanted to be able to call if I was buried under god knows what. Make the cell phone #1 on the list, the hell with the purse.
Love and hugs, Kathleen
I love your blog. Sorry about the tornado. Amazing, glad you are OK.
I would take the computer and cell phone. Crossword puzzles and a book to read. We were evacuated for a fire a few years ago and the computer was all we could think of. A change of clothes and toiletries, too.
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