Yesterday South East London was in gridlock because the Blackwall Tunnel was closed due to a petrol spill. It was so bad that they had to resurface the tunnel before they could reopen it. Our friends Elizabeth & Andrew live north of the river but their daughter Mary Catherine goes to school here in Blackheath, south of the river. Yesterday it took them FIVE hours to make the journey. You can check out Elizabeth's blog for more details.
Well, the tunnel was due to be closed all night and the alternative routes are all nightmarish, especially so when half of London is on the roads and in a bad mood. So Elizabeth and Mary Catherine stayed with us last night. Slumber party! Elizabeth had her gym bag so was somewhat prepared for an overnight stay but they stopped off at Sainsbury's for a few other items. Of course, we stayed up way too late talking, looking at magazines and criticising all the clothes.
By the time I went to bed it was almost 1am. I had been in bed a few minutes when it felt like the bed started moving. My first thought was "What the hell are the neighbors up to?!?". Then I heard the stairgate banging in the hall and the wardrobe doors rattling... a familiar sound from our time in Tokyo... but that only happend when there was AN EARTHQUAKE!
I waited until it passed and then waited to see if there was going to be an aftershock. Sometimes they're worse than the actual quake. Finally I came downstairs where Jason was still up working at the computer. He was tapping away when I walked in, "Did you just feel that?" "What?" "I think we just had an eartquake." Jason looked at me with his 'oh, isn't she cute' face and I started to feel a little silly but I couldn't deny the stairgate banging. "I'm sure it was an earthquake." Jason hadn't felt a thing but then he slept through lots of earthquakes in Tokyo and an IRA bomb going off about 200 yards from our flat once.
Thankfully this morning the big story was the biggest earthquake to hit the UK in 25 years. I'm not crazy. Well, you know.
[Chris & Annelouise, did you feel it? I thought of you guys. I did NOT lose control of my movements, thank God!]
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4 comments:
All movements were kept under control and in the place they were supposed to be, thank you :).
I'd fallen asleep upstairs watching Cold Case when the earthquake happened. I must just have been dozing, as I dreamt I was in Tokyo in an earthquake. I was in National Azabu and the beans fell on me.
I need to get better dreams! Glad Elizabeth and Mary Catherine are all right. That sounds like a nightmare.
i'll send you more cafe vienna in april in case you and lizzie decide to have another rescue mission adventure again! thank you so much for offering a bed and support to liz and mcd, these long distance emergencies are hard on us far away nanas.
A 4.7 earthquake in Merry ol' England?? Global warming?? I read that England has numerous quakes each year but most are not noticed. A 4.7 gets noticed!! We have had no earthquakes in East Texas - yet.
That was no quake! That was just me snoring!
I am so bummed I slept through my first earthquake. oh well - the bed was just too comfy!
:)
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