An aerial shot of the house/property before the fire.
An aerial shot of the house after the fire, before the debris had been cleared.It was one year ago today that my parents' house (and my childhood home) burned down in the southern California Witch Creek fire. On one hand, the whole event seems like an eternity ago...I feel like the picture of that house that I have in my head is getting less and less clear as time goes on. I wonder if one day I'll hardly be able to remember what it looked like. On the other hand, it seems like it all just happened. Sometimes when I think about my parents, or when I talk to them on the phone, I picture them sitting in that house, perhaps down in their office where they spent so much time. But after a year (and several visits to the house they're in now) I can usually remember to picture them in their current house. It's less weird to visit there now than it was a year ago, but still...everything is so different. There's hardly anything in that house that my parents owned before the fire. But my family still lives there, so it's still feels like home to me.
Wildfires are a threat every year, and I remember being evacuated on multiple occasions growing up. With the Witch Creek fire, while it seemed a little scarier, I didn't actually ever think that the house would actually burn down. I was obsessed with getting as much news about the fire as I could. My grandparents, my dad (my mom was in Boston for the birth of grandson #3...poor Maren, what a thing to have happen 3 days after you have a baby!) and the foster kids evacuated at 5:30am. Early that evening, I got a call from my dear friend Liz while I was shopping at Burlington Coat Factory (I was looking for something very specific for Andrew, maybe it was a coat...I don't really remember now) and she politely listened while I babbled about what little news I had, that so and so's hose had burned down, but last I knew my parents' house was still fine. As I was walking past the shoe section (isn't it weird the details you remember?), Liz told me that her dad (a volunteer sheriff) had been out and seen that my parents' house was gone. Poor Liz had to sit there and listen to me cry, I was so shocked. I got off the phone with her and called my mom, who hadn't heard the news yet.
Most of my stuff has been out of that house for years, though I did still have some things sitting in my old closet and the garage. But my dad got out the very most important things, thank goodness. And everyone was safe! I'll occasionally remember something random that burned up...like my wedding bouquet. And I mourn the loss of the beautiful baby grand piano that I wanted to inherit. And while this event added more stress to my already overstressed parents, I think everything happens for a reason (hehe, isn't that easy for ME to say since I'm so removed from the situation?). My parents were able to experience an incredible outpouring of love from the community, and it was a great thing to see.
So anyway, happy one year anniversary! ;) We miss you, house; good times were had by all.
Wildfires are a threat every year, and I remember being evacuated on multiple occasions growing up. With the Witch Creek fire, while it seemed a little scarier, I didn't actually ever think that the house would actually burn down. I was obsessed with getting as much news about the fire as I could. My grandparents, my dad (my mom was in Boston for the birth of grandson #3...poor Maren, what a thing to have happen 3 days after you have a baby!) and the foster kids evacuated at 5:30am. Early that evening, I got a call from my dear friend Liz while I was shopping at Burlington Coat Factory (I was looking for something very specific for Andrew, maybe it was a coat...I don't really remember now) and she politely listened while I babbled about what little news I had, that so and so's hose had burned down, but last I knew my parents' house was still fine. As I was walking past the shoe section (isn't it weird the details you remember?), Liz told me that her dad (a volunteer sheriff) had been out and seen that my parents' house was gone. Poor Liz had to sit there and listen to me cry, I was so shocked. I got off the phone with her and called my mom, who hadn't heard the news yet.
Most of my stuff has been out of that house for years, though I did still have some things sitting in my old closet and the garage. But my dad got out the very most important things, thank goodness. And everyone was safe! I'll occasionally remember something random that burned up...like my wedding bouquet. And I mourn the loss of the beautiful baby grand piano that I wanted to inherit. And while this event added more stress to my already overstressed parents, I think everything happens for a reason (hehe, isn't that easy for ME to say since I'm so removed from the situation?). My parents were able to experience an incredible outpouring of love from the community, and it was a great thing to see.
So anyway, happy one year anniversary! ;) We miss you, house; good times were had by all.
Standing in the general area of my old bedroom.
Ah, the beloved piano...
From what was the top story, looking down...
Where the office used to be.
Andrew's checking out the things that were found in the rubble. Look, a cupcake pan!
Driving out to the house....there were some really lucky people whose homes just barely escaped the fire.
Lucky people...
A Mangum family Christmas.
From the pool area, looking towards the back of the house.
Second garage/grandparents' rooms.
This was taken the day of the fire, before my family had been out to see it. The caption on the news website said "No one was around to see these house at 18111 Old Coach Road burn."
Where the garage used to be.
The garage, in all its mouse-y glory. :)
Pretty pool...
Not so pretty pool...
Before shot of previous picture.
Front door area.
Front door area before fire.
My wonderful in-laws came down from Utah to help sift through the debris.
My parents and in-laws during the debris sorting. I wish I could've been there! Hey look, you can see Michelle's shower!
5 comments:
I'm glad you don't think I'm an awful, horrible person for being the person to tell you that your parent's beloved home was gone. I called you right after talking to my own mother and since she'd gotten the information from my father two hours previously, I honestly thought that your family (and you) already knew. So when I discovered, during your babblings, that you didn't know the fate of your house, I had no idea how I could possibly tell you. I remember how, suddenly, when I told you the news, I was very, very calm. Unusually calm because I'm generally so spastic and emotional. But the entire time I talked to you (which wasn't long) I was calm. And then I called David, who was still at work, and cried and cried about how I had just told my best friend that the house that she (and to a lesser extend I) had grown up in was now gone. It was pretty rough.
I don't want this post to sound like it's all about me (which it's getting dangerously close to being) but whenever I think of your parents or Poway, I always imagine them in your old house. I have so many memories of that place and all the parties, sleepovers, and weddings that were held there, but, over time, it does get harder to remember it all. (Do you even remember what it looked like before the huge remodel? I barely can anymore.) I sometimes think about the items your parents lost, like all their beautiful Lladro, the piano, or strangely enough, that cardboard strawberry that used to hang in the guest bathroom. But in the end, it's just stuff and your family was all safe and still going strong. I can't imagine how truly difficult it must be to lose your home (even harder for your parents) but I've always loved the spirit and optimism your family has. So happy anniversary house.
P.S. I know I have some good photos of inside your house from my 18th birthday party. I think the negatives are at my parent's house. I've been meaning to go through my other old photos and to scan them for you and/or your parents ever since your mom said they lost a lot of photographs in the fire. I've got a bunch of us from our elementary school days if you're interested.
I clicked every picture to look at it in detail. I just can't imagine everything... and they're actually smiling in those pictures. That blows my mind. I mean, I get cranky from the mini issues that I face, and there they are smiling standing in the middle of everything. Where are your parents living now? I've been wondering about that. Are they rebuilding there or did they find a house somewhere else?
I don't think I have many pictures like Liz would or anything, but if I ever come across anything I will of course give them to you.
WOW, Kara I'm gad you posted this entry! Although I've never been to your childhood home it has been the topic of much discussion and it's good to see the details. I think it's an excellent thing for you to re-visit; for therapeutic reasons!
Oh my. I am sorry to hear of that sad news, and you are courageous to revisit/make sense of it all.
I don't know how you look at those pics. They make me sad...so I can't even imagine how they make you feel! The before pics are beautiful though, was that your wedding reception?
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