This may be a bit of a morbid topic, but with all the fires and stuff still affecting Southern Cali, I can’t help but think to myself that if I had to evacuate, what would I choose to take with me? What if I only had 5 minutes to grab whatever I could? I read the story of a woman who only got a call from officials when they told her that the fire was a mile away from her place and she had 5 minutes to grab what she could and go. Instead of grabbing any personal belongings, she instead went to her next door neighbors, an elderly couple, and took them in her car and fled.

Of course, the lives of others are more important than any other personal belongings, but there are still things that you could never replace.

The first thing I would do is grab SR and put her in my car. If I left the door open and kept running in and out trying to get my stuff, she would, of course, not know what to do and would follow me in and out of the house. Once she was secure in the car, I would go in and grab any of our medications – which makes me think it’s a good idea to keep all those things in one box, just in case I have to grab them. I would also grab as many cans of dog food as I could carry, as well as SR’s doggie bed, and bring them to the car. If I had a chance to run back, I would grab all the picture frames we had all over the house, as well as picture albums – some of those pictures we could replace, but not all of them. I would also grab all my jewelry, which all hast sentimental value to me. I’d run those out to the car, and if I still had time, I would grab DH’s acoustic guitar and his computer. I would also not leave without my afghan that my mom crocheted in my favorite colors when I was a kid, as well as the huge Hello Kitty blanket that I had wanted for so long, which JVC got for me one year for Christmas.

And that’s probably it.

It’s funny to think that, when it comes down to it, all those expensive handbags, shoes, and clothing I purchased over the years never even crossed my mind to be one of the things I would save in a fire. DH’s Xbox 360 and our Nintendo Wii have always brought us such great pleasure and fun times, but I wouldn’t give them a second look as I dashed my way around the house trying to save all those things that are so precious to me. I didn’t even think about grabbing any food for DH and I, but rather for SR, because I’m sure we could find something, but I would be worried if all we had to eat was chocolate or something else she couldn’t eat (weird thought, I know).

I would grab DH’s computer because there is so much information on there, as well as saved pictures, and it would be valuable for us to have it. I would also grab his guitar because of the sentimental value behind it. That was something he wanted for a long time, and I finally got it for him one Christmas after getting good advice from Shirley Tipsy’s bf, the real life Guitar Hero, as to which one to get. I love hearing DH play songs on his guitar, and if we were in a situation like this, that simple instrument would be a lifesaver to both of us – hearing him play always makes me feel better, and him getting a chance to play makes him feel better too.

You know, I’m kinda glad I wrote this post. Now it’s almost like I have a game plan as to what I would do in a situation like this. Living in SoCal for all my life, you get used to having to pack an earthquake survival kit at the beginning of the school year (complete with mini cans of Treetop Apple Juice, Handi Snacks crackers with cheese, canned fruit, canned tuna, pudding cups, and a note from mom and dad expressing how much they love you and that you will be okay and that they will be there soon to pick you up). You also learn to keep huge bottles of water in your garage, and you learn that it is a good idea to have a bag packed with extra clothes and clean underwear (as my mom reminded me to do yesterday), should an emergency situation arise.

The thing is, though, you can never really be prepared. You can do your best to make things easier, but when you’re panicking, it’s easy for all those thoughts and plans you had to go out the door – especially for me, because I don’t do well in situations like that.

My question to all of you is, what would you try to save? How do you think you’d react in a situation like this? I’m really curious to hear your thoughts, and maybe we can learn a few survival tips from each other.

The survival of the fittest is the ageless law of nature, but the fittest are rarely the strong. The fittest are those endowed with the qualifications for adaptation, the ability to accept the inevitable and conform to the unavoidable, to harmonize with existing or changing conditions. – Anonymous