So we're sitting here watching continuous coverage of the Waldo Canyon Fire which is now in Colorado Springs. It started on Saturday when Jason and I were in Old Colorado City at a farmers market. While we were walking around the town trying to find a bike pump to put air in the BOB tire, we noticed a big plume of smoke coming from the mountains directly north of us. We took pictures and thought "I hope they get that under control soon, that's pretty close." No one could've imagined how far it would come. Three days later, homes are burning and it's creeping its way in to the city we've grown to love and call home.
I'm scanning the room trying to decide what will go and what will stay if we have to leave. I'm contemplating packing a bag or six, and trying to go through in my head what is the most important stuff to have. I just cannot imagine losing everything. Everything.
We should know by now how to live on little. We did it for eight months. We accumulated everything we needed, and we had family support. And well, we did have a place to live even though it wasn't home. And yes, everything in this house is just a thing. We have our family, and we're (mostly) healthy.
I always tell Jason about the time growing up I watched an episode of Rescue 911 and two girls were trapped inside their burning home. One made it out, and realized her sister was still inside so she went back in and got her. Ever since then, I slept with my bedroom door open so I'd be able to get out faster. I now realize that was the dumbest thing I could've done. And since I've become a mother, I'm even more paranoid. I've debated getting one of those rope fire ladders for upstairs.
Now I'm so glad I made that important documents binder I found on Pinterest. At least I don't have to worry about sorting through all those files for everything in case we are evacuated. The dog crate will surely take up a lot of space, but we will be filling two cars with stuff. At least nowadays, photos are mostly digital, and we'll just have to be sure to grab the 8 computers we've accumulated. Jason has informed me that the golf clubs will surely be going. Clothes of course. We just stocked up on water, and I did buy jarred baby food just in case of an emergency, so I suppose that will have to go. Not that we're going anywhere just yet. But, I'm planning. And my mental notebook is filling up quickly.
But, I just can't imagine starting over, with everything. We have renters insurance, but when we got the policy, we had way less than we do now. Maybe we should update that.
The rebuilding of this community will certainly take a long time. The prediction for the containment of the fire was for July 16, now it will be much later I fear. One of the fun outdoor entertainment venues has burnt down. I took my mom there two summers ago. We were going to go again this summer.
It doesn't help that it's been over 100 degrees here every day for the past week or so. No rain in the forecast. I'm just terrified that at any moment another fire will spark somewhere else. So far, 32,000 people have been evacuated and 5,100 acres have burned. Just never thought I'd witness something like this much less be less than 15 miles from it. I'm terrified to go to work tomorrow. I do not want to leave Cooper at all. I may just not go.
Jason said he's tired of living through things that will go down in history. I am too.
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