I realized late last night that I haven't updated this blog since just before the earthquake. This will probably be long, so I didn't start it last night.
A month ago, life was normal. We were getting ready for the Spring Festival, counting down until Tim came home, and just waiting on warm weather. Heck, I was taking pictures in my car of Sakura as the early blooming trees had already started. One month ago, we had everything to look forward to.
On March 11, 2011 at 2:46PM, everything changed. Only, I didn't realize just HOW much it would change. That day was very routine. It was a pretty day.. Not warm, but not cold either; Winter was yielding to Spring. I woke up, got Kadie to school, Molly dressed, and headed to the base to meet up with a friend. We were ordering supplies for the Spring Festival booth. We were supposed to be selling baked potatoes, and we went through the commissary and decided on our potatoes. (Also praying they were the right size). We successfully got through everything we needed to do and headed home. I realized on the way home that we not only should pay rent (heck, I'd been walking around with $3,000 for several days), but that I should argue the gas bill. We did that, turns out, it was the right bill (I still think we had a leak that month). I stopped off at a post office and paid said bill. (while cringing at how much it was). We got back in the car, and I thought to myself about how much I loved that place, but how BADLY I wanted to live on base so I wouldn't have to deal with arguing about gas bills again. (lol). We went home, and I made lunch for Molly and I. Then everything changed. The weather took a turn for the worse, and it got very windy, and cold again. (Not all that surprising, that happens a lot where we live).
I made Molly a sandwich, closed the cabinet doors that I noticed were open, and sat down to eat some yogurt and granola. I took two bites and felt an earthquake. I started cracking up to myself - No. Japan had been getting larger sized earthquakes (6 somethings) all week, people on base talked about feeling them, I hadn't felt one. So jokingly, I posted on my facebook "hey, I'm feeling this one." I didn't think a thing about it.. Until it jolted. It was strong, but not horrible. I looked over at Molly, she was ok, so I started eating again. I realized it'd been a minute, and it was STILL shaking.. It jolted again. This time, Molly looked up from the movie she was watching, and gave me a look. Right after that momentary glance between us, the power went out. I walked over (calmly), and picked her up. It was shaking the entire time. I took her to the only place I could think of in our house that didn't have glass surrounding it - the entry way. We sat at the door, I had my hand on the door handle, ready to push us out, and it jolted yet again. This time the jolt wasn't instantaneous, and it LASTED. I looked up to see our bookcases swaying back and forth. I thought to myself "PLEASE don't implode.. Tim's coming home SOON, and I really don't want to clean up that mess." At this point, I had NO idea how strong the earthquake was. The bookcases swayed, the rocking chair was going nuts. The door in between the living space and bedrooms slammed shut. I started to realize this wasn't a small earthquake. It edged off a bit. I started to breathe a sigh of relief, and realized it was STILL shaking. It started to come on strong again, and this jolt lasted as well. At this point, I had NO idea how long it had been, but I looked up and started asking if was ever going to stop. (Ok, so really, I was screaming "ARE YOU GOING TO STOP ANYTIME SOON?!"). That's when Molly started to freak out. This jolt lasted a good minute or so. It FINALLY stopped, and I headed outside the same time I heard my neighbor. I grabbed my cell on the way out and looked at my facebook - 5 minutes had passed since I posted that I'd felt the earthquake. In total, the quake was about 4.5 (give or take) minutes long. By comparison, most earthquakes are under 30 seconds.
My neighbor and I were exclaiming over how long and big that one felt. He told me he'd been in the country for 10 years, and that was the worst one he'd ever felt! That he was holding onto his fish tank, and thank goodness he did, it would have fallen if he hadn't held on to it. I realized while we were sitting there chatting that we were moving again. That we had continued to move and stop constantly after that quake hit. I was also on facebook chatting with my Mom about the earthquake. She told me it was a 7 something first. Then moved it up to an 8.4.. Then an 8.6.. And it just kept moving up. I relayed this back to my neighbor. I tried to call the friend I'd been with earlier that day to make sure she was OK - cell signals were jammed. Thanks to my only land line being a VOIP, and no power, I couldn't call any other way. Tim was trying to get a hold of me at this point as well. I just didn't know it yet. For some odd reason, the 3G network stayed in place, and we were all able to contact family members through facebook - I have to say, thank GOD for facebook and facebook chat. I can't imagine what Tim went through until he knew he could talk to me on facebook. That unknown? I'm glad I wasn't in his shoes. I continued to chat with my Mom about what she was seeing on the news and what was happening where I was. I started chatting with Tim - he was really worried because he couldn't get through on any phone lines. I tried to get Molly to go back inside - she wouldn't. I FINALLY convinced her she was safe, and we went inside only to be hit by the first 7 something aftershock. Joy. Couldn't get her to go back in after that. Kadie came home, we hung out outside until I couldn't feel my fingers anymore. We headed back inside after that. Molly whined, but I convinced the girls to go outside on the deck and start putting things into a big bin I had just bought for our outdoor toys, etc. That was when I noticed that the water looked a little low..
(to be continued.. gotta stop for lunch).
