I have no idea what I planned to write for today’s post, but it all kind of fell by the wayside when the *earthquake* came yesterday afternoon.
Seriously.
I live walking distance to DC. I expect traffic jams. I expect crime. I expect the President to drive past my house on occasion. I even expect the occasional hurricane or two feet of snow.
I don’t expect earthquakes. I mean, really, don’t we already have enough going on around here?
There I was, minding my own business, playing on the computer while Shoo ate lunch. For the five millionth time, I told him to stop rocking the table. Usually his response is along the lines of “I can’t help it.” This time he told me he wasn’t doing it. As I prepared to reprimand him for lying, I realized the whole house was shaking.
My immediate response was to run down to the basement. Why? Because it felt like an unbalanced washer on steroids. Halfway down the stairs, I realized a) I have a front loader and it has never shaken like that and b) I wasn’t doing laundry. I heard something fall in the storage room and my next thought was that our boiler was going to blow. (Quite frankly, earthquake never even occurred to me.)
I grabbed Shoo and Jones and we ran outside, where we realized that it wasn’t just our house that was shaking. I never realized just how many of my neighbors work from home LOL.
In the end, the only casualty was a can of fish food, but quite frankly I never need to experience that again…
We now return to our regular discussions of running, parenting, and beer. LA LA LA *not thinking about Hurricane Irene* LA LA LA
Really very scary! I don't know how people that live in earthquake zones get used to it.
SO SCARY! We've had a couple here in Portland that freaked me out. One where I was in a brick office building on the 6th floor and it felt like the whole building was swaying. It was a very odd feeling. So glad you and your house are ok!
So glad you are okay! That would have been scary! I have never been in an earthquake and well hope to keep it that way
"I heard something fall in the storage room…" If that had been me, I would have been worried about the beer. But then again, I have been through earthquakes before.
This was my first Quake shake as well….I was home with all three girls and whats crazy is I knew immediately what was happening….I screamed grabbed all three girls and headed for a door jam….I never realized that I could lift, 40lbs, 23lbs, and 12lbs simultaneously and run…if only adrenaline was friend all the time!! We had a picture and book bite the dust otherwise we are all fine just a little "shaken" ha! I never want to do it again…
It took me a while to figure out what was going on either. I had no idea what to do with the kids. It wasn't until my oldest was standing next to our glass china cabinet that was shaking that I yelled for them to get to the couch and I covered them with pillows!! Probably no the best emergency plan ever . . .
Totally shocked when I heard it! We lived in Japan for 4 yrs and they are a common thing. The tower we lived in was built on rollers so when there was one it ROLLED. A very weird feeling!! One night out bed was shaking and I smacked my husband who immediately stood up to catch the mirror on my dresser that was falling!
I think the quake was just short enough for it to be tolerable. I freaked out for about 5 seconds, but then I realized everything was okay. Hope the fish food is doing okay today. 🙂
Wow, I can't even imagine what it must feel like to be in an earthquake, even a small one! Glad you guys are all okay.Thanks for the comment on my saga lol…it has definitely been a learning experience!
So, the dumb Californian here needs to ask – do you guys never have earthquake drills in school? I've been wanting to ask someone this all day?I'm sad to see the destruction, but also so surprised at the lack of preparation.When you live in earthquake land – you get used to looking at lamps if you feel shaking. If the lamp isn't moving, then it's probably your kid shaking the table or the dog shaking the bed. Sorry to scare the crap out of all you east coasters.I've been enjoying the east v. west natural disaster debate. Keep the hurricanes away from me – the tense 'what ifs' would kill me.
My husband said the house was shaking. I was in the house too and didn't feel a thing. Sure enough we open up cnn and there is the headline…
It was crazy, for sure! I thought it was an earthquake right away, but then it lasted so long it started to make me nervous (ok, why an earthquake wouldn't I don't know). But anyhow, it made for an interesting Tuesday! And now we get to add Irene in.
I wouldn't have any idea what to do! Glad everyone's safe and sound.
I never knew how many people lived in the house next door (answer: at least 10) until yesterday!
That would have been so scary! I love that you thought it was the washing machine, that would have been my first thought too. 🙂
Glad everything is okay. Crazy that we felt it in PA too.
Darn it, I was in the car and didn't feel anything. You are so lucky, oh wait a minute… nevermind!
My dad felt it at work….funny my friends felt it in Boston. I love how the west coast thinks we are nuts on the east coast. I think that we did everything that you are not supposed to do.Now….don't mention Irene….my 11 year old and my mom are supposed to be flying home on Sunday and now it looks like that is when we are supposed to get it.
We felt it all the way here in TORONTO! I can only imagine what it was like for you guys. Glad everyone and everything is okay. Yikes!!!
Yeah my sister lives in Arlington and works in DC and she was pretty freaked out by it as well. Not expected at all. I am glad everyone is okay though!
My dad lives in DC, and he said his first thought was: "Terrorists?!" Funny that that's what people would think when they feel the earth shake in DC!
Whereas I live in a place where every little shake from trucks or whatever else causes a little "eek is that another earthquake???" … since Christchurch I think the whole of NZ is on edge at little every shake. They sure are scary things – glad you are all safe and sound!
Hysterical that you were going to tell your son to stop lying.Once when we had one here I thought the furnace was blowing up. But at the time we only had a wood stove and no furnace!
Glad everything is fine at your place. I was at work and three of us felt shaking / window blinds were moving and desks were vibrating – I immediately checked on twitter and there it was – the Pentagon was being evacuated due to an earth quake. Amazing that we would feel it is WI!