Tuesday events

My cold is much better after treatment with an assortment of OTC and homeopathic remedies. And, of course, a stay in bed while resting and reading. Latest endeavor is "David Copperfield"; almost done and it's as delicious as I remember when the redoubtable Mrs. Howe was teaching me in the 8th grade. She was probably about 50 but seemed to me to be older than Methuselah, with her piled-up and pinned gray hair, cantilevered bosom, lace-up shoes, dark flowered dress and cardigan sweater. "Flush" by Virginia Wolfe was her favorite book and we read that, too. That kind of 50 just doesn't exist anymore.

This evening at about 7:30 we had another quick earthquake jolt. Probably lasted about 5 seconds. Loud noise but not enough of a shake to make anything sway. I wasn't sure we had actually felt it so called Neighbor Nelson. "Yes," assured Ms. Neighbor Nelson, it was a quake. We couldn't find anything on the internet to confirm this except that there had been a quake in Chiapas earlier in the afternoon. This event has stirred us into making arrangements for emergency provisions in the car ~ full tank of gas, garafon of water, flashlights, candles, lighter, batteries, meds. This, of course, is predicated on the idea that in the event of a "big" one our garage doors won't cave in or the roads won't be impassible. I always think of these things when I hear that towns are having a "disaster preparedness drill" involving hospitals, fire departments, etc. How might such "drills" have prepared New Yorkers for 9/11? When disaster strikes it strikes everyone! There's no telling what will be left standing to respond. But it makes me feel better to know that my meds are close at hand and I can take care of my needs while buried under the rubble.