EaRtHqUaKe!
Well, it wasn't much to write home about. I was lying in bed, almost 6AM, and it sounded like a truck was driving by. Then some things in the room rattled and that was that. Here's the typical report:
Magnitude 3.4
Date-Time Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at 09:54:30 UTC
Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at 05:54:30 AM at epicenter
Location 18.621°N, 64.558°W
Depth 32.2 km (20.0 miles)
Region VIRGIN ISLANDS REGION
18 km (11 miles) N (4°) from East End-Long Look, Tortola, British Virgin Islands,
20 km (12 miles) NNE (18°) from ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Islands,
23 km (14 miles) NNW (327°) from Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands,
50 km (31 miles) NE (53°) from CHARLOTTE AMALIE, US Virgin Islands
We had signed up for "disaster notifications" through email and our cell phones. After a while we had to disable the function, there were too many notices. Earthquakes occur fairly often here, they're usually unnoticeable. I always think they're exciting no matter how uneventful. It's the power of the earth, way beyond our self focused human sense of importance and control. It's always good to be reminded of our insignificance.Later it gives you something to talk about... "Did you feel it?" "Yeah! I was just.... and then...."
More important than death by tsunami is the spider that had been living in our kitchen table and decided to come out as I was sitting there. I said "had".
George says "Move back, there's a spider under the table and it's heading towards you." Well, what can you do with that information? I slip my shoes on (first line of false security and defense) and slowly back away. He's a big bugger too, fast, a scurry-er, and has really long legs compared to his body. He reminded me of the first stage of the creature in "Alien". He can flatten himself to disappear on a level surface. G gets the vacuum and he's sucked up. Bye bye. Poor spidey. The end of his reign of terror.
Speaking of terror, I'm on Toxic Watch again. Seems I exposed myself to some Christmas Bush, the same stuff that turned into the flesh eating virus a few years ago. We'll see just how bad in the next few days. The active chemical irritant is urushiol, which is also found in poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, cashew nut shells and in extremely small amounts in mangos. Maybe it was the mango. I love how they tell you the best way to deal with it is through avoidance. Kinda late for that, wouldn't you say? Don and Bob, who were also on our hike, got it as well. They took the macho way out and broke all the blisters "draining the oils and toxic fluids." Uh... I don't think so! Man, it sure itches. I was up at 4.30AM trying to calm it down.
Well, it wasn't much to write home about. I was lying in bed, almost 6AM, and it sounded like a truck was driving by. Then some things in the room rattled and that was that. Here's the typical report:
Magnitude 3.4
Date-Time Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at 09:54:30 UTC
Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at 05:54:30 AM at epicenter
Location 18.621°N, 64.558°W
Depth 32.2 km (20.0 miles)
Region VIRGIN ISLANDS REGION
18 km (11 miles) N (4°) from East End-Long Look, Tortola, British Virgin Islands,
20 km (12 miles) NNE (18°) from ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Islands,
23 km (14 miles) NNW (327°) from Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands,
50 km (31 miles) NE (53°) from CHARLOTTE AMALIE, US Virgin Islands
We had signed up for "disaster notifications" through email and our cell phones. After a while we had to disable the function, there were too many notices. Earthquakes occur fairly often here, they're usually unnoticeable. I always think they're exciting no matter how uneventful. It's the power of the earth, way beyond our self focused human sense of importance and control. It's always good to be reminded of our insignificance.Later it gives you something to talk about... "Did you feel it?" "Yeah! I was just.... and then...."
More important than death by tsunami is the spider that had been living in our kitchen table and decided to come out as I was sitting there. I said "had".
George says "Move back, there's a spider under the table and it's heading towards you." Well, what can you do with that information? I slip my shoes on (first line of false security and defense) and slowly back away. He's a big bugger too, fast, a scurry-er, and has really long legs compared to his body. He reminded me of the first stage of the creature in "Alien". He can flatten himself to disappear on a level surface. G gets the vacuum and he's sucked up. Bye bye. Poor spidey. The end of his reign of terror.
Speaking of terror, I'm on Toxic Watch again. Seems I exposed myself to some Christmas Bush, the same stuff that turned into the flesh eating virus a few years ago. We'll see just how bad in the next few days. The active chemical irritant is urushiol, which is also found in poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, cashew nut shells and in extremely small amounts in mangos. Maybe it was the mango. I love how they tell you the best way to deal with it is through avoidance. Kinda late for that, wouldn't you say? Don and Bob, who were also on our hike, got it as well. They took the macho way out and broke all the blisters "draining the oils and toxic fluids." Uh... I don't think so! Man, it sure itches. I was up at 4.30AM trying to calm it down.
 |
| BUBBLES! |
The Soufriére volcano residue continues to encase us, but there was a bit more breeze today. I had lunch at the Ocean Grill with Friend Tam. Tam has lived here almost 40 years. She's a real estate agent and a rental property manager. That's a very good business to be in here. If I lived here, which I wouldn't, I'd watch people's rental houses. Tam is busy so I don't get to see her as often as I'd like. I think of her as elusive. She is always calm, rational, with a good island attitude towards madness. I like to ask myself "WWTD"?
For instance - later in the afternoon we held our annual St John Land Conservancy board meeting. I feel it went well. A lot was accomplished and I passed my personal challenge to not get any buttons pushed by idiocy. Mine or anyone else's. The organization is building in it's own time, the people who are working for it as a team with the mission in their hearts are doing an admirable job. Most of what gets done is invisible.
Have you seen our web site? George did it, pretty much out of necessity. It's a beautiful site and we're proud of it. The first person who we asked to build it was bleeding us dry, combative, aggressive to get her own way and not giving us what we wanted despite being told what to do. She did us a favor. We're learning.
www.stjohnlandconservancy.org
People reveal themselves if you just listen and watch. It's always best to reserve your own opinion and see what others have to say. You'll learn more. If only that the other person is so busy yakking about themselves you might as well not be there.
After the meeting we went to Cruz Bay, to the Coconut Coast Gallery for their nosh, champagne and a musical evening among the art.
This artist hand paints colorful island scenes on tile for use in kitchens, bathrooms, countertops, murals.
The gallery has a tin roof and when the skies suddenly opened letting loose a monsoon of biblical proportions, you couldn't hear yourself speak, it was like a train rumbling through.
Earthquake, flood... what's next? Frogs?
So rain meant we couldn't have dinner at Rhumb Lines, because the restaurant has no roof. I guess that didn't matter to Renee Zellwegger and Kenny Chesney when they got married and had their reception there, or maybe it did since the marriage only lasted a whopping 6 weeks.
Ok, Plan B - on to Italian at Café Roma. We didn't get home home till 10.30, just in time for some quiet reading and a peaceful sleep. Except for the itching.
It's been non-stop, but really just a regular day.
Earthquake, flood... what's next? Frogs?
So rain meant we couldn't have dinner at Rhumb Lines, because the restaurant has no roof. I guess that didn't matter to Renee Zellwegger and Kenny Chesney when they got married and had their reception there, or maybe it did since the marriage only lasted a whopping 6 weeks.
Ok, Plan B - on to Italian at Café Roma. We didn't get home home till 10.30, just in time for some quiet reading and a peaceful sleep. Except for the itching.
It's been non-stop, but really just a regular day.
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