Shake and Bake

California is living up to its reputation as the place where things are happening. Yesterday morning at precisely 11:42 AM we experienced a 5.4 earthquake that was centered in Chino Hills. I would guess that the epicenter was about ten miles away from us. I was at the computer in the study and heard or felt a crack or boom. Then the rolling started. I looked up at the shelves of books and thought, “How appropriate - to be killed by falling books!” I walked to the doorway and stood well away from the pictures and furniture and contemplated the end of the world as I knew it. Mmmm was at the doctor’s office and I immediately thought of him. I knew that they were prepared to deal with their patients and I wasn’t worried about him, but I wished that he would be with me. If this was the Big One I wanted him to be with me. Was I hoping that if one of us dies, the other would too? I immediately called Kay to tell her that we are OK and that it is just another little shake. We have a habit of doing that – just to reassure each other that all is well. Needless to say, the calls from there to here about earthquakes are few and far between. The crack in the wall of the study is a little wider, one of the pictures was a little askew and the cat is particularly clingy – otherwise all is well.

One of the news services reported that just 12 miles west of Yosemite National Park, a 26,000 acre wildfire blazing out of control in steep canyons, has burned down 12 homes and is threatening the town of Midpines. Yosemite National Park, of course, is one of the wonderful parks where one can see the spectacular water falls and the majestic Sequoia trees. It is a marvelous place. There are thousands of homes threatened and the resources have already been stretched really thin.

I hate to think of Yosemite being burned. Some of those trees were growing at the time of Christ! Isn’t that amazing? We have great memories of camping both in Sequoia National Park and Yosemite Park. The last time we camped there, we asked Kay who she would want to come with us, she answered, “Famps!” her grandfather. He was 80 at the times and accepted with pleasure. We had the best site we had ever had and the most excitement – bears! Let’s hope they can control the fire.

And so we shake and bake, here in paradise. At least hurricanes and tornadoes are rare.

previous ~ home ~ next