A first for us and a change in perspective...

What a day...I spend so much time blogging about all of Addie's firsts but thought I should also mention that today we all experienced a first...think ground shaking and hysteria....yep, an earthquake on the east coast.  While chatting with a co-worker about the United Way campaign we paused to take in what we first thought was some work going on in the building...until we noticed the whole building was shaking.  As if in slow motion, we filed out into the hall to find everyone else doing the same...we all exchanged confused looks and systematically headed to the stairwells to file out of the building.  And not because an alarm had sounded...I suppose it was just our gut reaction to get out of the building....down 16 floors we all went.  Exiting the building was like joining the street party...people were every.where - it was surreal and at this point we still had no idea what was going on.  Honestly....earthquake didn't even cross my mind in those first 5 minutes but soon after joining the rest of my co-workers at our designated meeting spot we had it figured out.  Confusion set in as stories of shaking in New York and Roanoke spread from those that had been engaged in conversations with people in those locales when the quake hit.  Fortunately there was no damage...I forgot my phone and no one was able to get calls out anyhow...but soon after returning to my desk I got an email from my hubs and was able to get a call out to my parents to make sure everyone was doing well....everyone was safe...albeit a bit startled!  So...here I sit...reflecting on the fact that I experienced my first earthquake today...weird, right?!

And just because mother nature threw a curve ball at us today doesn't mean she isn't also up to some of her old tricks...according to my friend Jim Cantore at the The Weather Channel (insert sarcasm here - he's not exactly the person you want visiting your neck of the woods) Hurricane Irene currently has her sights set on our area..or at least somewhere close by.  It's amazing how much my perspective on these events have changed...prior to being a mother, homeowner, and responsible adult these scenarios were actually kind of exciting for me.  Losing power was an excuse to light all of those candles my mother stored away in the drawers and grill a freezer worth of meat...and it always seemed like the community really united during these times...and part of me really enjoyed that.  I didn't mind picking up branches and debris or taking cold showers...cold meals were ok in my book too.  But today as I sit here and type this...I must admit...I'm terrified.  I worry about the pine tree farm that my neighbor behind me has growing (these trees are literally like 100 ft tall) and what they will do to my house.  Losing power is my worst nightmare...we have SO much meat frozen and trying to give Addie a cold bath would be disastrous.  I love my neighbors...I really do...but spending what is supposed to be "vacation" for me next week in the streets exchanging stories of how we rode out the storm is not the least bit appealing.  So...please, send up prayers to send this thing off the coast.

J