We do strange things in our sleep sometimes. Some people can wake up and are immediately alert, others, like the both of us, are pretty groggy at first. Early this morning, I was sleeping on my right side and off in a very deep sleep when suddenly there was pain in my left thigh. I awoke with a “WHAT. THE. HECK!!?!?” And Steve is there, “I don’t know!” Then, “the house is shaking!” He got up and ran to the window. We just kind of chalked it up to his being crazy (at least I did) and laid back down, it was almost time for him to get up, anyway.

WELL! It was a 5.2 earthquake, centered in New Salem, Illinois! That’s something like four hours from here, as a straight route (not following the highway).

It apparently lasted for 90 seconds which is probably why I feel like I sort of noticed it in my subconscious and would have woken up, had the pain in my leg not gotten me first.

Around here, we’re no stranger to the shakes. There’s a mine here in this town that blasts daily at 2:45pm and sometimes at 10:40pm. You can tell when they’re closer to us, more below us; it’s been known to shake the house and rattle the windows before. (I was in high school the first time I felt it, at someone else’s house. That was also a WTF reaction.) This also isn’t is my first earthquake, but it’s certainly been a while. And we’ve never had anything here that’s really caused damage where we live… at least during my lifetime. Does New Madrid, MO and the New Madrid fault line mean anything to you? :) I also remember the time, when I was in junior high, I believe, that a plane flew by and broke the sound barrier, that was like an earthquake!

But for us, it was an hour before I happened to hear on the radio that it was an earthquake, while I was trying to fall back asleep! Now I can’t sleep, so I’m up watching the news and hoping that no one got hurt… Strangely enough, today is also the 102nd anniversary of the great San Francisco earthquake. From what I understand, this earthquake is special because of the time of day, its location, and how far away it was felt.

Oh, and Elijah? He didn’t even stir, of course!