Rocking in Fredericksburg

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August 24th 2011 5:07 am
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'They were rocking in Boston, Philadelphia PA,' as the song goes, and yesterday we were rocking here in Fredericksburg as well. A 5.8 earthquake hit here yesterday just before 1:00PM. Being about 30-40 miles from the epicenter, we shook almost 60 seconds. Sometime after 12:15 I could hear Grandmeowmy come back home from school taking things to her car and returning to school. It was that time I was outside with Dad on the patio when we noticed there was no sound of birds, squirrels, no birds were flying. Everything was strangley still. Then suddenly, shortly before 1:00 PM, it started with a loud rumbling like a helocopter followed by violent shaking. Dad was having a terrible time standing up.He was saying it reminded him of the 'EWarthquake' ride in Universal Studios in Orlando. I was with him on my leash outside and I puffed up like a blowfish.

After the quaking stopped, Dad and I walked around inside the house and picked up everything we found on the floor or what had fallen over so Grandmeowmy wouldn't be upset. Dad tried to call to Grandmeowmy at school to find out how she was, but cell phones were not operating do to the emergency. Outside Dad and I found everything pretty solid, no foundation shifts, no broken windows, cracks in the foundation or downed trees. It looks like there are a few more cracks in our drive way and it may be raised up a bit. There is a crack at the base of our front porch brick walkway and it is raised less than a quarter of an inch. We live in a subdivision and the subdivision pool has a long crack in the bottom, so the pool will be closed for the season.

Even though during the quake, I could hear things falling to the floor in closets and the garage, nothing seemed to be damaged seriously. However, in the town of Fredericksburg, itself, there was structural damage to the older houses and building. Bricks fell off buildings, windows broke, and a few old chimneys fell from houses. Today we will know a little bit more of the damage.

Yesterday GrandDad hurt his right knee pretty badly getting to safety and he doesn't know how he did it. He was rushing to safety that is all he knew, but he is unable to bend it, he is walking on a cane and needs help to get dressed and undressed. Today he is calling the doctor and since Grandmeowmy is home from school today because schools are closed for damage assement, she will take him to the doctor. He can't drive.

Other than that, we are truly blessed that it wasn't worse. Now, our eyes are on Hurricane Irene. Please, those of you on the coastlines, take shelter.