Nobody in real life will really understand this.
The house next door to us caught fire this evening. I was taking the kids out of the bath and suddenly heard a lot of swearing from my husband in the room next door. He burst into the bathroom and said, 'get the kids dry and out of the house now!'
I didn't really understand what was happening but I could tell that he was scared so I grabbed a load of towels and wrapped them up. When I was standing outside the house, I saw that the fire next door was taking quite a hold. I handed Reuben to a neighbour because I had to go back in.
An off duty fire fighter was there, telling my husband to close the windows. He told me not to go back in. I garbled at him that I had to get my daughter's ashes, that I was sorry and I knew it didn't make any sense as she had already been burnt but that I couldn't let it happen again.
I must have sounded completely insane, sufficiently insane to frighten him out of my way anyway, as he stepped back. So I plunged back up the stairs, into the wardrobe, grabbed Georgina's box and dashed back out again.
My neighbour said that she understood, that she would have gone back for the baby box too.
She doesn't know about Georgina. She doesn't know that I am the sort of person who goes back into a burning building for ashes.
All those people filming with their mobile phones, filming me triumphantly emerging with a box of ashes. I'll probably pop up on youtube somewhere, emerging from my front door as next door's car port explodes, happily clutching my white memory box.
Unfortunately for the house next door, it's a bit of write off.
Ours is smelly but just fine.
And the only ashes are those in the wardrobe.
I'm glad you are okay and glad that you got Georgina's box. I would have run back, too.
ReplyDeleteI 100% agree with Erica. xoxo
ReplyDeleteOh Catherine ... I would have run back too. I'm relieved to hear everything is ok with your house, and Georgina's box.
ReplyDeleteSending my love
Scary—glad all ended well for you. I've worried about pictures but don't have the worry about ashes. It's not them, but it is . . .
ReplyDeleteI would have gone back for them too.
ReplyDeleteGlad everyone is okay.
It sounds like a terrifying evening. Very happy hear that you and your family are safe. Going back in for Georgina's ashes makes perfect sense to me.
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear about house fires, I think about getting some kind of fire-proof storage for Reid's ashes and other things.
Oh my! I'm crying reading this. I'm glad everyone is ok, sorry your neighbours house is ruined, but I've just resolved to move Florence's memory box somewhere more accessable, it's currently in a place that I couldn't get it easily. x
ReplyDeleteI'd have gone back too. I'm glad everyone is safe.
ReplyDeleteI would have gone back, too. You totally arent crazy or alone in that. We're on vacation and their box is with us. We wouldnt leave home without it.
ReplyDeleteOh, C!
ReplyDeleteGlad (!) you & yours are not burnt up
going back for Georgina is the *most* normal thing
for a loving mother to do
!
sigh.
sigh.
sigh.
xo CiM
I would DEFINITELY go back into my burning house for my memory box. The ashes, her little outfit, her original hand and footprints... those are things I would never want to live without.
ReplyDeleteI would have totally gone back in, too. I'm glad you are all safe and Georgina is with you.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my greatest fears. I have her box in my bedroom- but what if there's a fire? If I leave it downstairs someone may rob the house and take it away.
ReplyDeleteWhere will it, ultimately, be safe?
I would have gone back in too.
So so late to this but I totally understand. I don't have ashes but I would have gone back for them if had and certainly for Ava's photo.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you are all okay, it must have been so scary. x
Scary. And exactly what I would have done, too.
ReplyDelete<3
I would have done the exact same thing. So glad you are safe and have her ashes with you. THinking of you always.
ReplyDelete.. and what use are my tears? Oh Catherine.
ReplyDeleteI understand, Catherine, completely...
ReplyDeleteI hope the smell has abated and your neighbours are being well looked after somewhere.
xx Louise
I am glad that your house is okay, and sorry for your neighbors. I would have done the same. There was a time my husband and I talked about what we'd try to get, and it now all seems so inconsequential. Her ashes and the box - the box I've never been able to open but couldn't bear to live without. What else is there?
ReplyDeletescary and sad.
ReplyDeletei would have gone back for Serenity's ashes and much more. I often think I should keep more of her things all together for a quick grab...
I would have gone back, too. It is a bit ironic, going into a fire for ashes so as they won't be burned. But I totally get it . . . it is hard to even imagine.
ReplyDeleteSending you lots of love, hope everything's been cleaned and cleared and aired out by now.
xo
I read this some time ago and thought I had commented but I guess not. Sometimes I have these obsessive thoughts about every possible thing that could go wrong and what I would do in response to those things. I've thought many times about house fires and I know without a doubt I would grab first G's ashes (after making sure everyone else was safe, of course) and his memory box. It is all we have of our children so of course we'd grab the ashes. xoxo
ReplyDelete