At around 2:40pm I decided that I would work with Oliver to allow me to touch his paws. I clipped his nails too close when he was very young and I am no longer allowed to touch them. I now have a Pedi paw but I cannot get close enough to touch him. I had just sat down on the floor with him when David called, our friend Kitty, wanted to know if I'd like to go to the movies..so we made our plans and hung up. Little did I know that that small rhyme I recited earlier would have such an affect on a town, one nation, and the world.
At 2:46pm I heard what I thought was a huge gust of wind; they periodically come and go, out of the blue and just as quick. From the floor I looked towards our front window, the wind sounded like a freight train...then all of a sudden the floor started shaking and I thought "Oh, my first little, big tremor". I wasn't scared, so I just sat there..then it started getting bigger and the whole house started shaking and thought to myself, "What do I do? I should know..but I can't think" so I quickly got up and sat on the recliner for a second, then realized I should stand in a barrier supporting wall or doorway. Everything was so surreal, it felt as if I was on a roller coaster ride, clickety clacking on my way up to the drop. Only instead of me dropping, I stood and watched my pictures frames fall, my spices rolling of the shelves and only imagined what else was falling. At this point I still was not afraid, I can't explain it but I knew that I and David were safe. He was at school and I know that Yokota had built very sound facilities. During all of this my phone was ringing, but I had left it on the side table about six feet away I knew it was David calling to check on me, but I figured I better stay put.
So many things were going through my mind, like "Wow, my first earthquake ~ Crazy!" "This is a new house, surely its somewhat Earthquake friendly"..yeah, why I would think that? LOL..."I hope it's not too serious the bridges will fall....how will David get home?".. "I can't wait to tell my family".."I should be videotaping..oh man, my phones over there...darn." "Is this supposed to last this long..it feels like forever" In fact, I was told it lasted almost three minutes. When all was done..Oliver came to me and the cats came downstairs. I thought, so much for animal premonition. I told them they were useless! so together we surveyed our home. Kitchen cupboards were open, drawers pulled out..spices on the floor. In reality, we were very, very fortunate. I went outside and saw the power and phone lines swinging, there were some elderly couples out for their afternoon exercise who definitely worked their core muscles to keep their balance, they were okay and giggling!
It wasn't until David came home to share with me the horror that the earthquake brought, a tsunami 160 miles away that wiped out a town of 10,000 plus people. Not including other small towns up and down the coast. I felt horrible, I had already taken Oliver back out for a walk and waved to the other dog walkers as we charade (d) across our experience to one another. How could we be so close but yet far enough away to go on as normal, never realizing that such a travesty occurred? We have no television or radio. Our sole source of news is the internet. When I first looked on the news, there wasn't anything so I went about my day..only for David and I to read much later of what was to come. I am blessed. We are blessed, the Lord has kept us from harm.
What a great post Lori. Love you, you brother.
ReplyDelete