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What would you take?

Captain's Log, Stardate 07.22.2008

Captain Caffeine told me an interesting story he heard on the radio (update: it was in the paper), I think. You know all those fires here in Northern California? Luckily, they weren’t near us and we didn’t need to be evacuated.

However, they (somebody) interviewed some people who had been evacuated, asking them what they took and why.

The answers were very interesting. For example, one guy had like 900 bottles of wine (read: really good, expensive, and probably old) in his wine cellar. He said he’d been torn between wines with monetary value and sentimental value. Originally, he took two $1500 bottles (yes, you read that right—one thousand, five hundred smackeroos) but he put one back to choose a wine with more sentimental value.

This got me and the Captain thinking about what we’d take. A fire evacuation is more forgiving than, say, a tornado evacuation, because you have more time to load up the car.

We’d take:

--Our computers

Although I have to say, I have Mozy.com as my backup system, so that gives me peace of mind to know my writing and business stuff is saved offsite. Plus it’s free and I can schedule it to backup everyday at a certain time.

(If you use this link to sign up for Mozy’s free backup service, you and I both get an extra 256MB free. Click on the Mozy Home 2 GB free on the bottom of the page.)

--Our financial information, which is in a lockbox, and some other valuables in our fireproof safe

--Camping gear

--Our earthquake emergency kit (it’s actually a hard plastic garbage bin filled with essentials)

And then Captain said he’d take his espresso maker. Yes, he values it that highly. And the burr grinder, too.

I’d take my knitting needles and a bit of yarn because NO WAY am I going to be stuck somewhere without something to knit.

I’d also make sure I had all my ebooks on my PDA so I’d have lots to read.

What about you? What would you take?

Comments

SmilingSally said…
I would take as many photograph albums as I could carry, along with my Bible--the one I've written notes in for years.
Ausjenny said…
I would go for photos too. but if i dont have much room (like we dont have a car) I have alot of photos on cd so would take them and the cds with important info on them. Beau bear would come (hes my autographed bear) a backpack with a change or two of clothes, water, important papers, my pillow!
Angie said…
The first thing I would worry about would be getting all my furry kids somewhere safe. With four dogs and ten cats that might take a while. Then I would grab as many photo albums as I could and a few clothes and I guess that would be about it. Oh, and I would make sure to take my Kindle and DS Lite. :D
Reihaisha said…
I would go to my desk and take my travel Bible, my favorite Fountain pen and its bottle of ink, the diary of important events in my life and the nearsest Japanese kitch I could get my hands on. My father's picture is next and then I go for clothes. If there is room, I would put My Calvin's Institiutes in the suitcase for light reading ;)
windycindy said…
Our fire safe box. It has birth certificates, baby videos of our two sons, special items, etc. Thanks, Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com
When we lived in California we had to evacuate twice for fires. I grabbed photos (even some off the walls), important papers, my computer, the cats, meds, and an overnight bag.

It's amazing, when you think about it, how much we can do without, how much is really replaceable.
Danica Favorite said…
I'd take my kiddos. Maybe my safe box, although it doesn't have everything, and I can replace everything in it. Like you, I have Mozy, so not worried about the comp.
Anonymous said…
I had to evacuate last year for the San Diego fires and there wasn't much time to deliberate. I grabbed the photo albums, my important papers, an overnight bag, and the dog. Little did I know the entire town would be off-limits for almost a week! When we finally got back home I wanted to kiss the front step.

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