The One with the 4.4 Earthquake at 4am


Tuesday, March 16, 2010

It was only a matter of time. Not IF, but WHEN. This is earthquake country afterall. Chris and I were nestled all snug in our beds while visions of sugar plums danced in our heads. Just before 4am, I was woken by shaking walls and I knew immediately what was happening and screamed out loud. I literally screamed, I can't believe myself! It was only a 4.4 magnitude earthquake, but it felt much worse because we so cleverly (or now we've come to realize not-so-cleverly) found a home for Chris' Mountain Dew bottle collection on a little ledge around the ceiling of our room...

What woke me up and scared me the most was 8 of these Mountain Dew bottles crashing down and making a ruckus. Unfortunately the 8 that fell didn't take it so well. The most prized and valuable bottle in the collection got dented.

So did the others, but they're newer and can be easily replaced.


Other evidence of the quake included our pie safe doors opening and crooked picture frames.

This was at least the 6th earthquake I've been in, you'd think I'd be used to them by now. Not so my friend. The worst was the 1989 Loma Prieta in the Bay Area. I was 4 and was sitting on a tire swing when the quake happened. I remember thinking it was just the wind cuz I wasn't grounded. I probably would have been a lot more scared had I been not swinging around.
This is Chris' 2nd earthquake so he didn't really know what was going on. Amateur :)
Earthquakes are scary man! Especially after all the earthquakes that have been happening recently causing so much grief. Our little earthquake was only a 4.4 but it felt like it lasted for 10 seconds rather than 4 seconds. It's such a humbling and hopeless feeling to sit there while the walls around you shake and Mountain Dew bottles come crashing down. Rachel, the cat, was scared out of her wits and ran under the bed and peed. Our bird who sleeps on top of the door in the bathroom flew around in hysterics and landed on the floor. And the parrots of Pasadena who usually sleep through the night were squawking up a storm as we watched the news at 4am for more information.

Let's hope this is the first and last earthquake we have to live through while in California.

15 comments

  1. That was CRAZY huh?! Chris and I woke up as well. So sorry that Chris' bottles took a beating : ( I bought this stuff called "Quake Putty" at Home Depot (for the o's on the o wall...) and it looks like it worked pretty well...none of them moved at all. You could try putting that on the bottom of the dew bottles!

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  2. glad you survived :) sorry about the mtn dew bottles.

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  3. That's scary! I'm not cut out for CA living. I hope the mtn dew collection can be restored.

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  4. Wow... so glad that no one was hurt! Chris and I must share a love for Mountain Dew... or he may just like the bottles!?!? That is my drink of choice and is why I am so fat! :)

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  5. The dumb news said there was no serious damage. Did they not see my bottles?!?

    But seriously, I was so out of it, I thought someone was breaking in and smashing our doors and that was where the noise was coming from.

    I'm glad you were on top of it!

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  6. aww im sorry that you guys had one!! I'm so glad it was pretty small. I don't blame you for being scared, I grew up in Alaska, have been through quite a few of them up there, but they still scare me!
    I'm sorry about the cat pee and Chris's mountain dew bottles, lol!

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  7. Scary! I totally remember earthquakes. One, in particular (I think the Northridge quake... the biggest one I've been in) sticks out. My dad ran outside in just his underwear, and I still have this image of him in our driveway, wearing nothing but his tighty-whities. LOL. Oh, brother. :-p

    And his bottles look VERY cool up there! I guess you're taking them down now? Oooh! You should just get some of that museum gel or putty stuff to stick under each bottle to hold them on there! (Sold at The Container Store). I really like your room and your apartment... you're SO good at decorating!

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  8. just a quick note to say hi. and to say that I'm Chilean and I actually lived the earthquake. What was wonderful was the response that people had to it.

    I'm sorry for your bottles, though. They looked pretty cool.

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  9. hahahahahahah you screamed Paige!!? Who's the amateur with earthquakes again?

    Miss you!

    -Allie

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  10. OH WOW!!! I am so glad you are ok!! Scary man!

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  11. I think you're amazing only screaming...I'd have been with the cat, under the bed peeing. Glad you're both okay. xx

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  12. scary!!!!!!! glad you guys are ok!

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  13. Just putty everything down. Seriously. earthquakestore.com has some. Get used to it though, They never stop!

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  14. I would probably have screamed too. Hooray for Arizona not having any natural disasters!

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  15. so scary. sorry about the bottles getting dented. boo.

    i am glad it wasn't bigger/you didn't get hurt!

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