Cali Living by CBHine -- Shaken AND Stirred

Re: Myheart,

Kids are good. Shaken and stirred almost as much as me. I was told this morning that while my friend was driving down in Chino Hills and the quake hit, she said it looked like a fire was overtaken the freeway, which in reality it was the dirt from the earth flying up and making it impossible to see.

Another friend was in Pasadena in a elevator on the 5th floor of a building. The quake caused not only the building to sway and buckle but also the elevator. She said everyone was screaming and it was beyond comprehension.

Thank God.....I was blessed and at home with my kids!

I remember the first quake my spouse and kids experianced. My mom and I were down stairs chuckling at the running feet in the hall way upstairs. It was a "baby" not the 5.4 you had, but mom and I didn't even budge. Kinda get used to them after so many years. NEVER get comfortable, just used to them.

I was at home in 72, and woke up to see my antique headboard waving at me, YEP, I hit the floor quick.

Glad all are safe and not seriously hurt. Be careful out there!!!!

Wow! Don't worry, from this point on a possible "quake" will not be too far off my radar! Its now become a reality instead of something I've only heard of. Nothing could have prepared me for it. Someone told me today (a native californian) that you learn to listen and if it doesn't stop quick, then you get up and run for cover. This same person was in the San Diego area when she was a child and a 7.3 hit.....another told me about the Northridge quake which I think was a 6.7....she said it was beyond comprehension even as far out as Claremont.....I'm sure some r saying, hey didn't you know this would happen, you moved to California, QUAKE COUNTRY??????? FIRELAND AND DISNEYLAND!! HA....no its not the happiest place on earth!!

First time experience in an earthquake can be a bit disconcerting to say the least, but one can get used to them.

When we lived in Alaska, earthquakes were a constant, you could hear them coming before the jolts and rolling started. We lived in a rather narrow valley and in the winter I remember the kids making bets when the rumbling started, on whether it was an earthquake or a snow slide coming down the mountains. Didn't take much to entertain us, we would all run outside to watch the snow slides, as the big ones were spectacular, producing a huge gust of ice particle laden wind bursting across the valley floor.

I worked (week on, week off) on a offshore oil platform in Cook Inlet where tidal currents would run up to seven knots. In winter the inlet would freeze over and the ice sheets impacting the platform legs would shake, rattle and roll the structure like a perpetual quake 24/7. Things could get real interesting when the ice would shelve up onto the beaches, sometimes forming floes dozens of feet thick, then break loose at high tide. When these huge floes struck, the noise was unreal and platform would sway several feet and anything not secured down would go flying, often including people.

Its been nearly a week and I think most of us have calmed down and life is going back to normal. I still listen carefully when I hear any loud deep roar, which can be a jet or any number of noises....seem to be more aware of my surroundings with thoughts of where we could take shelter should something unexpected happen. News media is saying now according to the experts, the big one will hit in 30 years instead of 50. Of course they are also predicting the number of deaths it will cause and many more morbid details. Comparing it to katrina.

I guess we will either get use to it or move???

The "experts" said the same thing when I was in elementary school out there. That was WAY longer than 30 years ago. Just make your emergency plans and relax. Get a couple gallons of bottled water and canned goods and put them out of the way. (watch out for the black widows where you store your "rations")