Sunday, April 20, 2008

What Did She Say?

Ring ring.
Ring ring.

Sissy-"Hello."
Mama J.-"Did you feel that hurricane we had this morning?"
Sissy-"Hurricane? We didn't have a hurricane."
Mama J.-"Yes, we did."
Sissy-"We didn't have a hurricane."
Mama J.-"Your brother said we did."
Sissy-"We couldn't have had a hurricane. We don't live near the ocean."
Mama J.-"Hmm."

At 4:37am Thursday morning we had a 5.2 earthquake. It's epicenter was on one of two faults that are near us. People who don't live in this part of the country usually don't realize we have tremors in these parts. They don't happen that often, and they're not that big, but they happen, and they always seem to take us by surprise. My initial reaction when I awoke to the rumbling Thursday was that a herd of squirrels was running through our attic. After eliminating rampant squirrels and wild winds I finally awoke enough to realize it was a quake. When the shaking stopped I immediately rolled over and went back to sleep. Hubby and Teen angel slept right through it. That's how excited we get about tremors. We just don't get worked up about stuff like that.

The disaster preparedness folks are always telling us to get ready for a big earthquake like the one in 1812 around here that made the Ohio River flow backwards and created a large lake in northwest Tennessee. Last week's little shake had them preaching preparedness again. We keep bottled water around, and we have earthquake insurance, so I think we're okay. However, it did occur to me we need to add something else to our earthquake kit....better underwear and nightclothes. Lord help us if the big one ever comes in the wee hours, and we have to get out of the house. The neighbors are going to see some ratty drawers and pajamas on the Hula-gens if I don't add those to our preparedness list.

2 comments:

j said...

Oh Lord! Ratty Drawers! LOL!

We had an earthquake in ALABAMA (unusual) and it woke me up. My cabinet full of milk glass was rattling! I told Hubby what happened and he said I was dreaming. They reported it on the news the next day. VINDICATED!

Jennifer

Jason, as himself said...

I'm suddenly not feeling so alone out here in CA. I live in constant terror, as the 1994 Northridge Quake scared the living daylights out of me.