Earthquake - For me

Before the memory fades this is my recollection of the 4th September at approximately 4am.

Something is wrong, I’m awake, its not a noise I hear, I don’t know what is it, but all of a sudden the brain registers the fact we’re moving and not just a little, we’re being tossed around. This isn’t normal, but its amazing how slow your brain can be to register these things after being asleep, I’m certainly not leaping out of bed immediately like you’d like to think you would, woman of action and all that. I think the dogs and cats must have been long gone (obviously more action than me). I must have at some point leapt or been thrown out of bed I just remember squatting in the doorway to the ensuite and hanging on for dear life, no supporting arm from my partner pushing me out of bed, he was probably long gone by then. All you could feel was the earth moving up and down so violently, you couldn’t walk you’d have been knocked off your feet so fast, you needed something to hold on to. At this point I thought the house was gonna fall down around us, I couldn’t understand how it wasn’t already happening, the house was moving up and down so much, I was sure trees would be over, nothing could stand up to this. I could hear smashing glass at this point I start thinking about Shan sleeping right by the big corner window (okay at this point my brain went Shannon), I yell for Roly (its pitch black and no glasses on, I'm blind), no idea where he is, no ones talking and we’re in the same room, he’s trapped by the ranchslider, holding himself up on the wall, at which point I yell at him to get away from the windows. He couldn’t get out even if he’d wanted to, the duchess has fallen over with the TV and everything else, and the bed is moving around so much unless he wants to try to open the ranchslider he aint going anywhere. Not long into it I hear Shan screaming, luckily by then I can sort of stand and manage to get down the hallway to her room (don’t recall any of that but must have happened), I remember yelling at her to get out of bed and get into the doorway – she does manage to grab her duvet at the same time (very grateful to that, as we’re all in pjs), and we hunker down there, waiting for it to stop. Bear turns up and tries to hide under the duvet, Skye turns up and does, so two dogs, Shan and me and I’m trying to yell at Roly to find out where he is, I think has gone to the study to try to find a torch, obviously all the power is out. Once it settles down enough we go outside, its pitch black and we have to wait it out till we can actually see whats happening. Roly goes back in to get my cigarettes which I must admit to virtually chain smoking. He also toddles down to see the horses, at this point I’m shaking and feeling sick. Cheeky has broken through the electric tape, flown through the metal gate and is the paddock with Lace, cut and bruised and scared but nothing major, the boys are all pretty flighty but safe. Roly toddles down to the check the neighbours who have a crack right through their house, but otherwise are okay. By the time its light enough to go inside, there is glass everywhere, all the cabinets are down, all the TV’s, bookcase, fridge is open and contents all over floor, pantry same thing, cupboards and draws and contents all over the kitchen floor, so much smashed glass everywhere, I’m not sure we’ll get all the glass back up even with the vacuuming.

When we made the dash around to find me cigarettes, we couldn’t believe the trees were still standing, we thought for sure they’d all be down, we lost 5-6 down the boundary on K&B’s property but that’s not bad going.

I can’t however believe how lucky we were, I can’t believe the house took all that punishment and stayed upright, no one was hurt or died. Our cats and dogs are all okay, after a month they are almost back to normal, the dogs don’t look to us for the little aftershocks now, and the cats tend to not even bother waking up unless they feel its worthy of their attention. Horses were a little jittery but they’ve come through remarkably well. And at the end of the day, its family and your babies (whether human, canine, feline or equine) that counts.

Bit of a catch up

Had 3 days off over the school holidays, managed to go road riding once with Shan and Alise, my nerves were back again, so very much just a walk around. Lots of traffic on the road, but everyone behaved so that was good. I know the horses love it so just got to get myself used to doing it.

Lace has improved out of sight with our trot to canter trans, other way still requires work but definately improving - the halt to trot has helped no end. She's soft to ride, so had high hopes for the WMW show at Kirwee last weekend unfortunately, we found 5th gear, I never get 5th gear and hence we had a braking problem. So first couple of classes w(Saddle Hunter) as very much her pulling and me trying to get her to listen. When we did our individual workout in the Open she was much better, got a bit of the brain back. She still did well, well I think so being a non show-er, we had 2 or 3 3rds, 1 4th, a 5th and 6th (6th was for her novice and was deserved). I actually really enjoyed the day, other than the heat, and have already entered Ellesmere PC show and Bangor PC show. Shan is also doing Ellesmere as is our friends Amanda, Helen and my sister Tracy and her mate Toni, so should be plenty of fun.

I need to get myself sorted with some lessons though, I'd been told I ride too low with my hands, after seeing a few photos from the day, I have gone the other extreme now, LOL there is always something.

I will be doing some hunter rounds at Ellesmere PC show too, so watch this space :)