...starts out with an earthquake....

“We want a story that starts out with an earthquake and works its way up to a climax.” —Samuel Goldwyn

Who says you can't have it all?

Here in Indiana, just in the past couple months, we've had tornadoes, snow storms, freezing rain, gentle, spring-like weather, and...



Wait for it...



Wait for it...



AN EARTHQUAKE!!!!


We live about a mile from a gravel quarry. Normally, they blast around midday, and almost always, they give us advance notice. But at 7:55 this morning, my first, momentary thought was, "Something's gone horribly wrong at the quarry!"

Before I had finished with that idea, I realized that whatever was happening it was lasting too long to be a quarry blast. For a split second, my thoughts turned in another direction as I conidered the possibility of a multi-vehicle pile-up on a near-by highway, complete with tanker trucks full of flammable liquids.

This was different, though. Not the harsh, grating sounds of a man-made explosion, this rumbling, shuddering sensation was almost living--as if a giant or an enormous dragon was stirring and awakening. I could begin to understand the ancient mythologies that said the mountains were gigantic men, curled in sleep, or taught that the continents were supported on the backs of dragons.

Earthquake! I knew in my gut that's what it was; I knew exactly what to do. But a sense of denial--"An earthquake this powerful can't happen here!"--kept me from dashing for the nearest door frame. Well, that, and insane daredevil streak that was enjoying it, and wanted to ride the beast out to the end--until one of us gave up.

And then it was over. I called the sheriff's dispatcher to report...something. I got put on hold, but not before I heard other phones ringing in the background. In a few moments she was back asking if I had any property damage--if not, there was no emergency. And thank you.

Turns out, I had been just 6 miles from the epicenter of what the USGS has officially classified as a 3.8 earthquake.

And so, 2010 goes out, not with a bang, but with more of a...rumble....

...an earthquake....

Proving once again--there is more than corn in Indiana.

"...That the World Should Go On."

There's a saying, "A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on."

If that's the case, then He expressed His opinion beautifully yesterday, in the person of my grandson! (Even if he does look just like his OTHER grandma!)

新し焼かれたクッキー, свеж-испеченные печенья, fresh-baked cookies

My apologies for the long amount of time between my comments. Having a blog without entries is like having a cookie jar without cookies. I will do better. Apologies for the bizarre computerized translation, as well!

我的为长的时间的道歉我的备注之间的。 没有曲奇饼，有没有项的一个博克是象有饼罐。 我更将好执行。 为异常的计算机化的转换的道歉，!

我的為長的時間的道歉我的備注之間的。 沒有曲奇餅，有沒有項的一個博克是像有餅罐。 我更將好執行。 為異常的計算機化的轉換的道歉，!

Mijn verontschuldigingen voor de lange hoeveelheid tijd tussen mijn commentaren. Het hebben van een blog zonder ingangen is als het hebben van een koekjestrommel zonder koekjes. Ik zal beter doen. Verontschuldigingen voor de bizarre geautomatiseerde vertaling, eveneens!

Mes excuses pour le long nombre de heures entre mes commentaires. Avoir un blog sans entrées est comme avoir une fiole de biscuit sans biscuits. Je ferai mieux. Excuses pour la traduction automatisée bizarre, aussi bien !

Meine Entschuldigungen für die lange Zeitmenge zwischen meinen Kommentaren. Ein Blog ohne Einträge zu haben ist wie Haben eines Plätzchenglases ohne Plätzchen. Ich tue besser. Entschuldigungen für die seltsame computergesteuerte Übersetzung, auch!

Οι συγγνώμες μου για το μακροχρόνιο χρονικό διάστημα μεταξύ των σχολίων μου. Η κατοχή ενός blog χωρίς καταχωρήσεις είναι όπως την κατοχή ενός βάζου μπισκότων χωρίς μπισκότα. Θα κάνω καλύτερα. Συγγνώμες για την παράξενη αυτοματοποιημένη μετάφραση, επίσης!

Le mie scuse per il lasso di tempo lungo fra le mie osservazioni. Avere un blog senza entrate è come avere un barattolo di biscotto senza biscotti. Farò più meglio. Scuse per la traduzione automatizzata bizzarra, pure!

私の注釈間の長い時間のための私の謝罪。 エントリのないブログをである持っていることはクッキーなしにクッキー用の瓶を持っていることのよう。 私はよりよくする。 風変わりなコンピュータ化された変換のための謝罪、また!

나의 코멘트 사이 긴 소요 시간을 위한 나의 사과. 등록 없는 블로그가 이다 있는 것은 과자 없이 과자 그릇을 비치하고 있는 같이. 나는 잘 할 것이다. 기괴한 전산화된 번역을 위한 사과, 또한!

Minhas desculpas para a quantidade de tempo longa entre meus comentários. Ter um blogue sem entradas é como ter um frasco de bolinho sem bolinhos. Eu farei melhor. Desculpas para a tradução computarizada estranha, também!

Мои извинения для длиннего количества времени между моими комментариями. Иметь блог без входов как иметь опарник печенья без печений. Я сделаю более лучше. Извинения для эксцентричного компьютеризированного перевода, также!

Mis disculpas por la cantidad de tiempo larga entre mis comentarios. Tener un blog sin entradas es como tener un tarro de galletas sin las galletas. Haré mejor. ¡Disculpas por la traducción automatizada extraña, también!