Blogstalky week 5&6

First, since I cannot find the photo I want to use for week 5 (statue), I'll just tell you about it. It's a memorial at the Mountain View Cemetary in Oakland, California. Victorian or Edwardian, for a little girl, it's a big white marble block with a little girl lying on it as if she's asleep, and it's not easy to read.

Very sad, but commonplace, right? The interesting bit is that every time I've gone there, to photograph the cemetary (a hobby of mine) or just to enjoy the contemplative beauty and read about the occupants, I've found that someone has left a small stuffed animal in her arms. Sometimes it's been there for a long time, dirty and bedraggled, and sometimes it is new. It's been going on for years, because I've been going to that cemetary since 1986 or so, and as far as I know it still goes on.

It's absolutely the most touching tribute I've ever seen left at an old memorial. Beats plastic flowers hands down.

Now to week 6: a day in the life.

I'm skipping my usual day, because it's boring: I get up, drink coffee, make breakfast, care for my kids, do chores, squeeze in a few minutes of crafting time, brush teeth, pass out, get up and do it again.

Today, it's more exciting than that, because the whole of San Diego County is on fire, or seems that way. We have not evacuated yet, but I've made my list of what we are taking in event of evacuation.

So here's my evacuation packing list:

1. Air mattress, crib mattress, playpen
   
2. sheets/blankets
3. clothes (grabbing 4 bags of freshly done laundry) and shoes (from shoe rack in hallway)
4. Husband's uniforms
5. First Aid Kit
6. Contact lenses/glasses/allergy meds
7. Diapers
8. Plastic File boxes with important papers
9. Flash drive with virtual important papers
10. Key Volunteer Binder
11. Small knitting project (kids' going out toys are already in the car)
12. Digital camera (already took photos of all valuables that will be left behind, including spinning wheel)
13. Water from garage (1 flat sippys, 1 box bottles)
14. 1 pot and 1 frying pan, plastic dishes, cups and 2 sport bottles
15. Toiletries (shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste)
16. Storybook for amusing children
17. Stroller and babywrap
18. my computer if I have time (it's not insured).

A lot of this can't really go in the van yet. Other than that, I've been watching the news for evacuation notices, and dealing with hot, frustrated kids who want to play outside and can't. Mr GiantBaby is currently throwing a tantrum because FX brought a toy downstairs that the both wanted, and I took it away because they fought over it.

Yay.

I'm also trying to work out whether I should sort laundry, make dinner, or just get everything packed to get evacuated. The news says we're probably fine for now (two sets of hills between us and the current fire that may cause evacuations), since the fires that are heading for the sea are running along valleys.

The ash fall is getting thicker, but it's still not bad. The smoke made the sun look like a red disk in the sky this morning, I can't open the windows for ventilation due to the smoke and we have no air conditioning. With both fans going full blast, it's about 85 in here.

Crabby hot kids, worried mother. Mr GiantBaby just bit me.