A Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On

Yes ... we fully experienced the earthquake this week here in Northern Virgina. After the initial recognition of what was going on (ruling out plane crash and truck rumbles), it was really pretty cool.  When I was a kid I lived in Japan and we experienced many earthquakes -- much more violent -- so I wasn't too concerned.  My kids were a bit freaked out, but took their cues from me.  There was no loss of electricity, no smell of gas.  A couple of models fell off their stands in my son's room.  What was strange was that as soon as it stopped, every dog in the neighborhood started barking, loudly.  I wonder if it was the dog equivalent of all of us getting on the phone to make sure our friends and loved ones were safe.

So now, a few days later, we're staring Hurricane Irene in the face, and we're a lot more concerned about her. We were here in 2006 when Hurricane Isabel (what is it with these "I" names?) tore through Virginia. It was pretty scary.  Lots of trees in the glade behind our house went down.  You can still see many of their root balls high in the air.

Fortunately, hurricanes crawl slowly, so we have plenty of time to prepare.  Yesterday we made sure the gas tanks were full and stocked up on water, batteries and staples.  Today we pick up everything in the yard that might become a projectile and refill our second propane tank.  (Last time we were without power for a few days, so a grill fest of everything in the fridge/freezer may be in order)  We're charging everything that needs a good charge (cell phones, etc.).

And my husband ordered our son to clean up his "cave" in the basement, in case we spend an extended period of time down there during the worst of the winds.

So far, all of these preparations are good things -- especially cleaning the basement!  Woo-hoo!  And I'm making a list of things I'll be able to do that do not require electricity. On the plus side, one cannot vacuum or do laundry with energy. On the minus side, filing in the office and sorting clothes and preparing our household for the school year do not.  And, writing by hand in spiral notebooks will force me to choose my words carefully.  (By the way, at Office Depot, they have them for .01 each.  Yep, a penny!  I fulfilled all the kids' needs and bought several for myself.  You might have to go in the store though and I know you need a rewards card.  And no, I don't get any kickbacks for my blog. Office Depot doesn't even know I exist).

So, enjoy (?) these awesome photos from the International Space Station, say a prayer for safety, and be well.  See you on the flip side!