Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On

So I last posted Tuesday right around 12:30. Then did my usual lunchtime call with my mom that involved some planning ideas for the upcoming weekend hurricane. During our call I heard what I thought was a truck coming through our neighborhood, but was clued in that this was different when my mom asked if I heard that sound. Then the house shook-- felt like forever but lasted only a few seconds. (We had an earthquake in 2003 when we lived here before but it was a 4.6 so mostly noise with a little shake.) I screamed at the kids to get in a doorway and my mom apparently complied too by going into her hall closet. The lights swung and D's fancy TV rocked on its stand and then it was over. Funny, I didn't stop shaking for a little while. It was a 5.9. OK West Coasters-- laugh at us if you will, but you do have to realize that earthquakes are not in our regular repertoire of natural disasters: flood, tornado, blizzards we can handle. The whole house shaking in a nonearthquake zone-- not so fun. Also,I am sure you feel very comfy mocking us from your structures and utilities developed to earthquake codes. Our homes are not bolted to foundations on a regular basis and there are no earthquake codes to build to. In Gig Harbor I even used sticky stuff to attach some of my breakable decorations to their display shelves, but all that I thought I had left behind. Who would've thought little old Virginia would have an earthquake large enough to merit aftershocks? So I guess this weekend we will have to figure out if the storm winds are shaking the house or if it is another quake. One crisis at a time please...
Thankful Thursday:
I am thankful there was minimal damage from the earthquake.
I am thankful that the timing helped me teach E the reason we always have our emergency kit ready-- sometimes you see the problem coming(hurricane) and sometimes you don't (earthquake).
I have filled the car with gas and am dealing with making extra ice blocks and beginning to move some things that are outside inside or securing them. I hope what the kids take from all this is to be prepared for what may come-- not panic, prepare. If it doesn't happen, then it is one more thing to be thankful for.
Will try to blog again before the weekend and give an update, but if I seem to disappear for a while it may be a power or cable issue due to the storms. Lets remember that with my cable company it is hard to keep cable and phones running consistently in nice weather.
love and hugs and don't panic--prepare, B