Feeling Quake-y

Here in Northern Illinois, Mother Nature has seen fit to fill our plates during the last 24 hours.  Several hours before dawn yesterday, it began snowing.  And it didn't stop until sometime just before dawn this morning.  We usually get one or two major snowstorms in this region during the season, and this one qualified as major.  Maybe MN feels like she owes us one more, maybe not.

I'd be upset at having to motor around to work and back in all of this slushy, slippery shit, but as long as it doesn't happen on a continual basis, I can live with it.  Besides, I was able to truly test my new snow thrower.  As it turns out, three foot high drifts were no match for it.  And besides my driveway, I was able to clear a few of the neighbors driveways off as well.  I like to build up those favors so I can cash in on them at a later date.  Nothing is free in this world.

This Gets Old ... Fast!

The snow might have been enough, but we had to have one more natural event occur to really make the day special.  At just before 4 am, I was jolted awake by a strange feeling and the sound of rattling in the house.  I was planning to get up at 4 anyway to clear the driveway off again and take care of the inevitable three foot drift at the end of the driveway that the plow always leaves.  So it was no big deal to check things out.  I thought a giant patch of snow had broke loose from the roof, or all of the electrical conduit had detached from the ceiling in the basement like it did several months ago (a story for another time), but it was none of those things.  It wasn't until I turned the television on at 5 am that I found out we had experienced an earthquake, whose epicenter was about 80 miles from our house.

4.2 Earth Fart

Anyway, you would have to live in this area to appreciate how rare an occurence an earthquake is to the locals.  Some person of authority said that it isn't unusual to have an earthquake occur in this part of the country every 10 years or so.  However, if my memory serves me correctly, this will mark the third quake we have had in 5 years.

Maybe it's time to have that quake rider on the home insurance reactivated.