Earthquake

From Victoria, in Alaska: "Last night there was an earthquake, just a couple of jolts. Danny, downstairs in the basement, didn't feel it. I looked it up on the web just now and found out it was a 3.29 located just 18 miles north of Palmer. "
"It's good news to have lots of little earthquakes, some scientists say, as that way the plate just keeps on slightly slipping all the time, not sticking and sticking and sticking until the fault gives out in a big way."

I recall six years or so ago there was a big earthquake in the East, we'd heard about it on the TV. In Portugal, about a half hour drive west of Lisbon, sitting in our third floor apartment in the evening, reading by lamplight, music playing, suddenly there was a sound like a train and the lamp began swaying. It only last about 30 seconds. We looked at one another then went out on to the balcony where, all around, people were coming out of their houses and walking to their gates to look around. It was a strange experience.

Lisbon was devastated by an earthquake 250 years ago, almost to the day. On 1st November 1755, in ten minutes between 30,000 to 50,000 people lost their lives. The effect of the quake was magnified by the fact that it was All Saints Day and countless candles were burning in houses, and churches, plus open fires in homes and Lisbon was rapidly turned into a sea of fire.

Some of my lady friends in the US have experienced tornadoes. One lady, Marie, told me how it sounded like a train - I remembered her words.

Staying in a motel in Texas Hill country, there were tornado warnings on the tv. Disconcerting for someone formerly living in a country where they were seldom a problem. The TV screen had a tornado warning permanently on the screen.

I decided to call reception and ask what one should do in the event of a tornado.

Ma'am, take the bed matress, get into the bath and pull the matress over the top of you.

"But the bath is only big enough for one person!"

"Make sure you run fastest then, Ma'am."