They took a long time to fill
Friday July 05th 2019, 10:14 pm
Filed under: Family,Friends,Knitting a Gift,Life

Knit two afghan rows, make myself put it down and do something else for twenty minutes for my hands’ sake, repeat. That’s been the pattern for lo these many days.

Which is how I quit knitting and saw the note on Facebook from my friend Michelle in San Diego. We met when her fussy toddler was made happy by a finger puppet at Lisa Souza’s booth at Stitches years ago.

I went straight to the USGS site. From 8:16 to 8:50 pm tonight, there were four earthquakes where yesterday’s was in southern California: 5.0, 7.1, 5.5, 4.9. Felt from Mexico to San Francisco to Sacramento. (We didn’t.) Yow. That last one happened in between when she posted and when I signed in a few minutes later.

Remember when they took out the concrete floor to the shed to get at the roots after the neighbors cut down the redwood tree a few months ago? We had two water containers, 35 and 50 gallons, that they had to empty so they could move them out of the way. We’ve been putting off refilling them because we don’t have a new floor to that yet–we were waiting till the neighbors are done with their addition to their house before throwing more contractors’ trucks in this block. We didn’t want to have to empty them again to move them again to have to fill them again. One does not waste water here.

Dude. Four earthquakes in a half hour and the biggest one in twenty years: you know that’s increasing pressure elsewhere in the system.

We did what we should have done from the beginning and, flashlights in hand, washed off the very dirty tops of the lids and refilled those tanks, relieved when we could finally put that second one back on. Done.

The idea of having the storage for a water emergency but with no water in it after such a strong warning was unfathomable. Yes you don’t waste water, but we are so much more than the worth of 85 gallons.

We will rest a little easier tonight knowing that’s done.

Okay, so, back at last to the afghan. I’ve got time for one more row.

(Edit, there was another 5.5 at 9:18. That’s a strong aftershock.)


4 Comments so far
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We didn’t feel it either, but our house is on bedrock – we checked after we bought it, out of curiosity.

Nephew in Costa Mesa and friend in Temecula both felt aftershocks. (I checked, even though I knew they were safe.)

I, too, am wondering about the next one. Perhaps it’s time to re-evaluate our supplies. Sounds like a trip to REI is in my future. A backpack won’t work with new hip. Need a rolling duffle now.

Comment by Anne 07.06.19 @ 12:06 am

p.s. Dr Lucy Jones from USGS is a hoot. She mentioned that she had once said there would be an aftershock of some magnitude. When it happened, people said she had predicted an earthquake. Her response was yeah, and I can predict rain on Maui.

Comment by Anne 07.06.19 @ 12:10 am

Oh good heavens! I’m glad you’re ready – it does sound like another one will be coming soon. I have friends in Bakersfield who I’ve been checking in with, and they’re ready, too. Here’s hoping it’s not too bad!

Comment by Pegi F 07.06.19 @ 2:31 am

My husband and son felt one quick jolt up here in Suisun City shortly after 8pm. I was 20 miles south in Benicia with my aunt and we didn’t feel it. Good reminder to check supplies.

Comment by DebbieR 07.06.19 @ 8:27 am



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