'Whole lotta shaking goin' on'.....

I guess by now it's not news that we had an Earthquake here on Tuesday.  I have never felt anything like that before and it was scary.  I know all the Californians are laughing at us but when it's a unique and new experience, it's a whole 'nother story.

I let my group talk about how they felt and because I told them I was scared, it seemed to give them permission to admit that they were afraid as well.  I think what scared me was that I had no idea what to do.  I can tell you what to do if there's an air raid (get under your desk and pull your coat over your head- it's what they taught us in the 60's when I was in school), or a hurricane but I have no experience with earthquakes. 

I was in a medication review with the doctor and a patient and we all looked at each other in puzzlement as our chairs started to shake.  I am a knee bouncer and I thought the woman next to me must be really bouncing her knees but when I looked over, she wasn't moving.  The doctor, who is from California, said "this is an earthquake" and we were still puzzled.  We all gathered in the lobby of our building.  I will admit to feeling anxious and scared.  Why we stayed in the building, I have no idea.  I told you we didn't know what to do.

Eventually, they told us to go back to work.  A few minutes later, Peter Kevin showed up.  (A little backstory; Our plan is that if ever there is an emergency and we're at work, I'm supposed to stay where I am and he will come to me so we can get home together.)  When I asked, "what are you doing here?", he said "I came to make sure you were ok.  The cell phones aren't working and I couldn't reach you". 

How wonderful is that? 

It turned out that they suspended train service across the bridge and we managed to get a ride home with a coworker who had driven so I left a bit early.  All in all, an odd afternoon.

And now we are in the path of a hurricane named Irene.  There is talk of the End of Days.  It makes me laugh since it's hurricane season and it's not unknown for them to make landfall here.  Fortunately, we don't often get much more than some wind and rain but it does happen.  We are far enough inland that we don't bear the brunt of the storm.

And if it is the End of Days, what can we do about it anyway? 

In more mundane, but much more (to me) interesting news, my knitting group has grown to "a few" women from just  two.  One of them has already crocheted a bed sized afghan and is working on another.  One is now buying her "real yarn" since she's been practicing on some " practice yarn" and is ready to make some Christmas gift scarves.  One is still trying to manipulate the sticks.  She's a lefty and very fortunately, I found some written directions for lefties and I can knit left handed (slowly) if I have to.  And another is coming along really well.  It's a good group and I'm looking forward to the time when I can pick up my own knitting when it's group time.  Right now, I am stuck in teacher mode and spend most of the hour helping folks get it.

So, I'm off to get some charts for the nurse and make some phone calls and write a dozen or so treatment plans.  I hope, wherever you all are, that you are safe and dry and the ground beneath your feet is stable.  That's something I won't take for granted anymore.