I love living in the San Francisco Bay Area,but sometimes I get a little freaked out about earthquakes. Last night I was watching the 11:00 p.m news and I had this feeling that one was going to happen. It felt still and odd in the house to me. I got ready for bed and drifted off to sleep......and then SHAKE SHAKE!! That was about 1:45 a.m. It woke me up and I thought to myself, See! I knew one was going to happen tonight! Drifting back off to sleep,for what seemed like only a second, again....SHAKE SHAKE....That was 2:05am. That one felt harder. I couldn't really go back to sleep very well because I was thinking about it starting all over again.
My daughter sleeps through a lot of these quick shake ones that are about 3.0 on the scale,but this morning she said, "Hey, was there an earthquake last night?" She told me that she incorporated the earthquake in her dream,and wasn't too sure.
This got me thinking about the last big one and that we are due any time for another one of 6 or greater. The last one in 1989, I was pregnant with Caitlin,and working at a children's clothing store. Right before it happened, I felt really nauseated and had a splitting headache. I looked out of the window as the earth began to move,and saw the road almost moving in a wave pattern,and all the street lamps rocking back and forth. Afterwards, I really didn't think much of it,until my husband came home from work,and we went to pick up my oldest daughter from preschool. We turned on the radio,and all the reports started to flood in about the Bay Bridge collapsing. David was so lucky to have decided that day to come home early with a co-worker,had he not, he would have been stuck in San Francisco!
Watching China suffering from their latest quake, really makes me wonder, When is it our turn??
Sorry this is a scary and depressing post,but I just couldn't shake that odd feeling I had last night in the wee hours of the morning.
I love the city by the bay,but sometimes I get a little scared.
Elizabeth, I'm so sorry that you were shaken up. I know that must be a scary feeling. Although we do not have earthquakes here we do have tornados. It's all very unsettling. It scares me to death everytime I know one is coming. I hope you will be able to once again find solace. Maybe do something fun for the weekend to try to get it out of your head. Hang in there and I will say a prayer that no quakes get you.-Kitty
ReplyDeletei'm also sorry to hear that you were so shaken up physically and in spirit. i didn't realize that earthquakes happened so frequent there. and, i agree, the recent events in china are horrible and seem to be exacerbated because many people are so remotely located. be safe.
ReplyDeleteI feel that way living in Alaska, too. I will happily trade in the long, dark winters for that sun and culture! :)
ReplyDeleteElizabeth,
ReplyDeleteMy ex-husband and I lived in Huntington Beach from 1989-1992 and experienced quakes, including a big one in 1992. We lived in a place on stilts near the beach, and the building swayed, shelves toppled over, items crashed to the floor. It was terrifying. I don't know that anyone can understand the out-of-control feeling that comes over you in an earthquake. I certainly would not have had I not experienced it myself. All that said, I am so sorry that you went through this. And it must be scary when "the feeling" comes over you that one is about to happen.
Sending good thoughts your way!
Dawn
i think about it a lot too (as a Bay Area native), even now down here in l.a. the fact is, a big one is inevitable, it's just a matter of time. i bought a small cat carrier for Spoo Kee just in case we need to escape. i feel so lucky that my boyfriend and i do not commute over overpasses and the such, i get really freaked out when there traffic on those (or bridges too - remember the Bay Bridge?).
ReplyDeleteanywho, wow - you went to humboldt state?! it's so beautiful up there! my boyfriend and i rented a house on a cliff in trinidad, stayed in garberville (nothing fancy, but it was close to the redwoods) and then stayed in arcata. we had such a lovely time!
It's true that it's something to keep in mind... but many people forget about it, because your area is SO BEAUTIFUL and nice to live in.
ReplyDeleteI've experienced one of those quick shakes once (here where I live) very impressive because we're not used to it. China had a big one, but I heard last week there was one (minor) in Greece, too...
Hope you'll be safe - hugs
SierraMoon
I live in an area that has been wrecked by hurricanes, I understand that fear. Funny how you can sense them coming...and yes, very scary. Hope you don't get your turn.
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