Our First EARTHQUAKE!

About an hour ago we had our first earthquake since moving to California. At first the walls/ceiling started to shake. I was really mad because I thought it was the 3 little disrespectful rug rats upstairs making noise...but then the rattling started to become more intense and our blinds and light fixtures started swinging! It only rattled for about 15 seconds but it was enough to make me wonder what I should be doing. Admittedly I have no knowledge of earthquake procedures!

The news has reported that it was about a 5.6 on the Richter scale. I thought it may be less, but perhaps it was where we are in Palo Alto. Our bookshelves didn't even move, nor did our wind chimes. No car alarms. Perhaps we lucked out here in Palo Alto but I can safely say we'll be calling State Farm to add earthquake coverage on our insurance...now that we have things worth insuring!!

This was my first earthquake ever. I *think* that while I lived in Taipei one occurred while I was sleeping and woke me up. I awoke to my light fixture swinging and car alarms outside, and I'm sure it woke me up but I never felt it happen in a conscious state so it doesn't count! I've yakked for years that I've never felt an earthquake despite living in Taipei for a year and California for 2...but that has ended. Now I can check that off the list and move on. I don't need to feel more!! Pratik has been through one or two, so he's a seasoned vet! I'm not sure where he was when they happened, but tonight he's at work. It gets me to thinking with all of those chemicals and glass tubes in the lab....what happens when there's a big earthquake in a chem lab? I can imagine it's quite expensive and dangerous. We'll all have to remind him to get out of dodge if he's at work during a quake!

The news said there should be aftershocks but nothing so far. *Cross my fingers.*

I did find it interesting that the news felt it important enough to not only interrupt regular programing to report on it, which is fine, but then have callers call in and tell their stories of where they were five minutes ago! My house shook! Wow, you live in California. Duh. It's like when you live in the Midwest and the news blows a snowstorm out of proportion. It comes with the territory, people, get over it.

Anyway, we're OK. It didn't even move anything in our home so we're all good here!