I had been feeling under the weather for much of last week - headache, cough, congestion, etc. I did a covid test and it was negative but I still had no energy and felt best sitting under an afghan trying to stay warm. But I got a bit of a wake-up about 10:25 on Friday morning.
I heard a huge bang first and then the whole house shook for 10 seconds or so. The china cupboard banged against the wall and all the dishes rattled. They're doing heavy construction work a block away on Main St. so my first thought was that there had been a gas explosion or a crane had collapsed. There didn't seem to be any sirens or smoke, so then I did wonder if maybe it was an earthquake. I went to USGS but there was nothing, so I checked the next most reliable source of information - facebook. Loads of "knowledgeable" people there thought that it was an earthquake, and by then USGS had confirmed a 4.8 magnitude earthquake about nine miles northeast of us.
So that was the most exciting part of my weekend. Now that I know what an earthquake sounds and feels like, I'm ready to experience my next natural phenomenon - the solar eclipse this afternoon. I hope your week is off to a good start and you're not feeling rattled!
Believe it or not, I have once experienced an earthquake. Many years ago, I was on my lunch break at work and had my legs up on my office chair when I felt it wobble a bit. The next thing I know, someone is banging on my door telling me we have to evacuate the building. Apparently the epicenter was somewhere in Virginia, but we were able to feel a slight tremor all the way up in SW PA. I'm sure what you felt was a lot more like a real earthquake, though!
ReplyDeleteI hope you're feeling much better today!
I thought about you when I heard about the earthquake, Bonny. It sounded like you were likely right in the thick of things! I have experienced 3 earthquakes of about the same magnitude: once in Colorado, once here in Kalamazoo, and once in California. I was outside for the first two, and barely noticed them. But I definitely felt the one in California! (People around me, however, were unfazed. . . ) I hope you're feeling more settled this week . . . and that the ground under your feet is more stable!
ReplyDeleteI saw lots of "news updates" on that other reliable news source, Twitter and I must confess, NJ Earthquake has the best GIFs!! I am glad you were okay... what a way to start a weekend! (I have never experienced an earthquake!)
ReplyDeleteWe were up at Daughter's in Frederick baby sitting when SIL called to ask if we are okay. We hadn't felt a thing but I was running around behind a toddler making a lot of ruckus. I did experience the 2011 earthquake here and it was TERRIFYING. The house was rolling so much I couldn't stand up. I tumbled down the stairs with the two dogs we had and lay on the front lawn watching the chimney sway back and forth thinking this was the way I was going to die. I have so much respect for those folks in California. I don't know how they do it. I NEVER want to do that again and I've been through several hurricanes and a tornado.
ReplyDeleteOurs was just a little one, but I can not imagine experiencing anything larger. It would be terrifying. I'll definitely take hurricanes over earthquakes!
Deletegolly! I have never felt an earthquake nor do I wish to do so. I do hope you are feeling better!!
ReplyDeleteI thought about you when I saw there had been an earthquake. It's surreal and unsettling, isn't it? I mean, is you can't rely on the earth under your feet, what can you rely on? I live on the New Madrid fault, so I have experienced several small ones over the course of my life, and "me no likey"! I am very glad you didn't have damage. Hope you are feeling much better this week.
ReplyDeleteI thought about you when I heard about the earthquake. When I lived in NYS, I experienced a few that were of similar magnitude and were centered in the Adirondaks. I was in one major and devastating earthquake in Guatemala in 1976 and it was a terrifying experience!
ReplyDeleteI hope you are feeling better this week!
Now that I know we have earthquakes in NJ, I'm ready for the next (little) one! But I can not imagine experiencing anything larger. That would be terrifying!
DeleteOh wow!! I've never experienced an earthquake, but Maddy did when she was in New Zealand -- bookcases toppled, rock slides closed roads -- pretty unnerving! Happy that you're safe & well and maybe it's a once-in-a-lifetime thing for you. CHECK!
ReplyDeleteHope you feel better. I'm in CT and felt the window rattling but thought it was highway construction till my sister came over. I went to a book weekend and our Friday night was supposed to be spent with Lisa Scottoline but she was grounded in PA and couldn't make it to CT in time for her talk.
ReplyDeleteMy son in PA felt it a little bit but thought it was a truck driving by until he read the news. That's disappointing about Lisa Scottoline. I hope it can be rescheduled.
DeleteYou were at the epicenter! I heard on NPR that a 4.8 in the eastern US feels a lot stronger than a similar magnitude in the western US because the rock is so old (which just made me picture crumbling buildings) - I'm glad y'all are safe and sound. We were in the 85% range for the eclipse this afternoon and it was fun... and cool (literally) and a great neighborhood activity. Hope you enjoyed it, too.
ReplyDeleteI thought of you when I heard about the earthquake and the 4.8 in NJ. I'm glad you are safe and sound with no large amount of damage. I hope you are feeling better and got a glimpse of the eclipse.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are okay and of course I thought of you when I heard that NJ was the epicenter. I actually felt it way up in Massachusetts! I was sitting at my kitchen table and it started to shake! TikTok confirmed for me that it was, indeed, an earthquake. Dale was outside and he didn't notice it at all.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy you came through the earthquake unscathed! Maybe think about attaching the china cupboard (and any bookcases) to the wall.
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