Thursday, August 25, 2011

'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.

12 comments:

Kaye said...

Yes, you crouch under your desk, and you cover your head and you face away from glass/windows. We had earthquake drills all thru school as a kid. And my parents would laugh b/c they were very similar to the nuke drills they had as kids.
You also don't leave a building until AFTER the shaking has ended. I was stupid and fled with the herd while it was still shaking because seriously I thought it was just our crummy building coming down, not an earthquake. That earthquake was gentle and rolling. I'm used to more jarring ones (I've been in a few that have knocked me down)...that probably doesn't make sense to most people who live out here though!

amy said...

I didn't feel anything where we were--on the very edge of an island in Narragansett Bay--but the waves did a bit crazy & I wonder if it was connected.

We are, as of right now, supposed to prepare for the strongest hurricane to hit in decades. We'll see. Our (coastal) town tested their emergency phone system this morning, which they've never done before. We're keeping an eye on the forecasts and we'll be smart about it.

Kate said...

Brigantine is already starting their voluntary evacuation plans. Some of Patrick's family lives down their, but they are deeply ensconced, and one of them is an older relative who has weathered many hurricanes at the shore, so she she is determined to stay until evacuation is mandatory.

Rose Red said...

I was going to jokingly say that getting under your desk and putting your coat over your head is probably the right thing to do for an earthquake, but it looks like it is the right thing to do, so no jokes from me! I have only experienced very mild earthquakes, and they are scary enough.

Great news about your knitting group!

Hope the hurricane is not as bad as it is feared to be.

Anonymous said...

after what we've seen in this part of the world with the tragedy in new zealand, its hard not to make a joke about 'thats not an earthquake', but i have been in a few myself and they are scary. i hope irene leaves you mostly alone too. if it is end of days, i think its going to be long slow and painful, and mostly of our own making. its nice to know that you have someone to come look for you while it all ends!

Galad said...

I just read that you should not go outside in an earthquake. Glad to know you and PK are safe. We've had a couple of very minor rumbles here in AZ and I thought that was freaky!

Sounds like your fiber group is coming along well. What a great thing to help people learn a new skill and increase their confidence.

Saren Johnson said...

PK is AWESOME!! Hope you're ready for Irene - I had an aunt Irene.

roxie said...

PK deserves brownies and kisses!

Trust your instincts. You obviously have good ones.

Hooray for your knitters! For the leftie, have you tried putting a mirror on your lap so she can watch your hands reversed as you knit?

roxie said...

Oh, after the hurricane, I hear you willl have a plague of locusts. They're quite tasty if you fry them crisp in some oil and season them with garlic salt.

Bells said...

I love your plan that you and PK have. I've never had such a conversation with Sean and I plan to today.

Your description of those first moments sounds so very much like what I expect it's like - that moment of unreality where you're not sure what's happening is really happening.

I hope you're all safe.

The end of days thing kind of makes me laugh really, that people carry on like that. Tell that to the Japanese people who are rebuilding their lives and their country with such grace and strength. End of days. Pfft. It's just survival.

Olivia said...

I love that you two have a plan for emergencies and disasters. You're very organised. Glad the earthquake wasn't worse, and I hope Irene isn't too bad either.

Alwen said...

There were several reports in the local news that people felt it here in Michigan. I was in the bathtub at the time after doing some yardwork, and didn't feel a thing.

People on the West Coast thought it was pretty funny how people reacted, but it was like a tiger attack - something you don't expect to ever happen to you.

Happy Sunday!  I am sitting here working on my sweater made with the cashmere yarn my husband gave me for my birthday last year. I’m further...