plate tectonics, tropical systems & why my kids need to clean their rooms.

prepping for a hurricane is not an uncommon occurrence around these parts. we're all too familiar with tropical systems. go ahead and throw nor'easters into that mix, too. if it's spinning in the atlantic, it's bound to hit us or whiz by us. and, as you all know, many people along the east coast - including yours truly - have been preparing for the arrival of that crazy wench, irene.

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apparently, preparing for a hurricane wasn't enough for mother nature. as i'm sure you all know {because, holy cow, did the twit blow up yesterday around 2pm}, we had an earthquake in virginia yesterday afternoon. mineral, virginia, to be exact. contrary to news reports & other outlets, it was not in d.c. although they - along with a gazillion other people further up along the eastern seaboard - felt it & sustained a bit of damage. 

west coast friends, laugh all you want. even though virginia sits in the middle of a tectonic plate, we are NOT used to the earth moving under our feet. and, yes, that particular carole king song was stuck in my head all evening long after the quake. apparently, the central virginia seismic zone wanted everyone to know that it was ready to rumble. 

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talk about surreal. my kids were outside playing during what seemed like the longest fifteen seconds of my life. how bizarre is it to turn around and watch the walls of your home move & shake like they're made of jello. fortunately, there was no damage. life went back to preparing for that pesky irene.

irene.

almost one year ago to the day we were preparing for earl. and, just like last year, our fun weekend plans have been thwarted thanks to a hot mess of a tropical system. at least irene isn't showing up for my birthday like isabel did. and, in true virginia resident form, we are - yet again - being complacent about irene. hopefully, hurricane irene keeps moving east & all of our preparation will be in vain, but i have a feeling irene isn't going to play with us in the same respect that earl did.

fabulous.

so, what have i done thus far to prepare for the beast that is irene? not a whole lot, actually. i've got two of the three b's: batteries? check. bottled water? check. beer? nope, not yet. full tank of gas? i'll get that tomorrow. cash on hand? i'll swing by the atm on friday. non-perishable goods? not really. but, i certainly didn't stock up on groceries like i saw people doing yesterday. this isn't a nor'easter or a snow storm, folks...you don't need eighty loaves of bread. again, can you tell we're complacent?

i will take a picture inventory. i will make sure important docs are in the fire/water proof safe {as they should be}. i will put away our patio furniture. i will make sure our phones are charged. and, i will make sure that my kids clean their rooms. yes, clean their rooms. because, god forbid, one of our pine trees falls on the house and exposes the filthy chaos that my two children seem to enjoy living & sleeping in. 

psst...if you don't appreciate the humor of lord voldemort's tweet, then i seriously urge you to read not just half-blood prince, but the entire harry potter series.