If you've lived in New England your entire life, you know that a fault line runs beneath us. Some reporter is always bringing it up after a major earthquake strikes another part of the world. Hey, don't forgot about that fault line running underneath your feet.
Did you know that parts of the city of Boston are built on landfill? Old landfill. And then tall office buildings are constructed on top of that old landfill.
Tuesday was chugging along as most Tuesdays do. The only extraordinary incident had been the planted (because everyone knows how neat I am) chocolate chip from my muffin on the seat of my chair, leaving a nice brown smear on my khaki colored pants. Thank goodness the offending mark was low enough and on the side enough to not resemble a poop accident.
Just before two o'clock, I finished reviewing a tax return and began searching for it in our filing calendar, which is an excel document. If you had seen me at that moment, I portrayed boredom. My left elbow was on my desk so that my hand could prop up my head. Where is that darn return? I felt my arm, my body, moving back in forth in a rhythm similar to a very strong heartbeat. I jumped back into my chair thinking that there was something wrong with me. I looked back at my computer screen and realized that I couldn't focus. I stood up and it stopped.
Did the building just move?
Was that....? Do you think? ... earthquake?
Co-workers began trickling out of offices and cubicles, congregating in the hallways to access the situation.
Are they drilling anywhere?
The girls' preschool orientation schedule arrived in that day's mail. Another reminder of summer's approaching end. One orientation has been scheduled for 9:00 and the others at 10:00. Life with triplets. I was hesistant to mention it to the girls but I did anyway. They surprisingly seemed happy with the news. I use the word surprisingly because Emily has told us several times over the summer that she is not returning to school.
And then even more surprising was the fact that Emily had a meltdown when she realized that "orange day" wasn't the next day (the day after this day, as the girls refer to it) and that she was going to have to wait. Oh my, the alligator tears. (As a side note, she will repeat the word 'orientation' when we correct her but after a day or so, she is back to orange or some other variation.)
As I was cuddling on the couch with her, I glanced into the fireplace and saw this.
Did you know that parts of the city of Boston are built on landfill? Old landfill. And then tall office buildings are constructed on top of that old landfill.
Tuesday was chugging along as most Tuesdays do. The only extraordinary incident had been the planted (because everyone knows how neat I am) chocolate chip from my muffin on the seat of my chair, leaving a nice brown smear on my khaki colored pants. Thank goodness the offending mark was low enough and on the side enough to not resemble a poop accident.
Just before two o'clock, I finished reviewing a tax return and began searching for it in our filing calendar, which is an excel document. If you had seen me at that moment, I portrayed boredom. My left elbow was on my desk so that my hand could prop up my head. Where is that darn return? I felt my arm, my body, moving back in forth in a rhythm similar to a very strong heartbeat. I jumped back into my chair thinking that there was something wrong with me. I looked back at my computer screen and realized that I couldn't focus. I stood up and it stopped.
Did the building just move?
Was that....? Do you think? ... earthquake?
Co-workers began trickling out of offices and cubicles, congregating in the hallways to access the situation.
Are they drilling anywhere?
I didn't hear anything.
Within two minutes, the internet answered our question.
I currently work in an older, smaller office building in the financial district. There are only ten floors which is quite a difference from the 50 floor building I used to work in. And then there are the trains, which travel through underground tunnels. What if this was just the beginning?
The thought of emailing Grammy with "Tell the girls that I love them" entered my mind but seemed a bit over the top and I am really not one for drama.
All was quiet for a bit and we resumed our typical work routine. Until sirens blared out and a fire engine parked itself outside my window. The street was taped off, news crews appeared and curiosity got the best of us. The rumor on the street was that a newer, taller building had shifted and was now resting on its neighbor, a shorter, older building.
Do you think it's smart to be standing out there? I thought as I watched the gawkers holding up their smart phones to photograph what? I don't really know. They couldn't see much.
As it turns out, the buildings were as safe as could be. But it made for a good news story.
Rich and I arrived home later that evening to find the girls playing outside under Grammy's supervision. I have to keep pushing the thought of winter out of my mind because I cannot stand the thought of freezing cold temperatures and days on end of bleakness. It was nice to soak up the setting sun for a few minutes and enjoy little girl summer things.
Within two minutes, the internet answered our question.
I currently work in an older, smaller office building in the financial district. There are only ten floors which is quite a difference from the 50 floor building I used to work in. And then there are the trains, which travel through underground tunnels. What if this was just the beginning?
The thought of emailing Grammy with "Tell the girls that I love them" entered my mind but seemed a bit over the top and I am really not one for drama.
All was quiet for a bit and we resumed our typical work routine. Until sirens blared out and a fire engine parked itself outside my window. The street was taped off, news crews appeared and curiosity got the best of us. The rumor on the street was that a newer, taller building had shifted and was now resting on its neighbor, a shorter, older building.
Do you think it's smart to be standing out there? I thought as I watched the gawkers holding up their smart phones to photograph what? I don't really know. They couldn't see much.
As it turns out, the buildings were as safe as could be. But it made for a good news story.
Rich and I arrived home later that evening to find the girls playing outside under Grammy's supervision. I have to keep pushing the thought of winter out of my mind because I cannot stand the thought of freezing cold temperatures and days on end of bleakness. It was nice to soak up the setting sun for a few minutes and enjoy little girl summer things.
(Emily backwards.)
The girls' preschool orientation schedule arrived in that day's mail. Another reminder of summer's approaching end. One orientation has been scheduled for 9:00 and the others at 10:00. Life with triplets. I was hesistant to mention it to the girls but I did anyway. They surprisingly seemed happy with the news. I use the word surprisingly because Emily has told us several times over the summer that she is not returning to school.
And then even more surprising was the fact that Emily had a meltdown when she realized that "orange day" wasn't the next day (the day after this day, as the girls refer to it) and that she was going to have to wait. Oh my, the alligator tears. (As a side note, she will repeat the word 'orientation' when we correct her but after a day or so, she is back to orange or some other variation.)
As I was cuddling on the couch with her, I glanced into the fireplace and saw this.
Pascal is still alive!
Mom's note on the backwards spelling: The girls write the names and other words in the proper manner of left to right most of the time. If they begin writing in a space that doesn't allow them to fit the entire word in by going to the right, they will write backwards or in some other manner so that all the letters are present.
8 comments:
Love Pascal! That is the most adorable thing! Well, and the girls too. :P
The pictures of Pascal are just soooooooo freakin' adorable!!! :) Too cute! :)
I was so surprised when I heard about the earthquake ~ glad everyone is ok!
My four year old will do that with his letters, too. If the space for writing them is too small, or if he starts too far to the right, he's all over the place with them.
Once again, you've taken gorgeous pictures of beautiful little girls. Thank you for sharing them!
I had a similar experience. I work just outside of Boston and it was scary. I thought something was wrong me as I felt my body moving. Very weird sensation!
I had never been in a quake until this past year, even though NZ is riddled with them. You may have heard of Christchurch, NZ? You can read about my experiences with them on my post "Great Quakes" in the top posts section of my blog.
So reading about this sort of made me laugh. The media are such mongrels some times, injecting fear where there ought not to be. Kids here in my city still aren't sleeping because of ours. Kids and the elderly always have it rough.
Much love, hope your family stays safe :) x
*NZ is riddled with fault linesr
I can't help but admire your girls and your photography. Simply amazing. You really captured the moment and it looks great. Your girls are adorable
Thank you!
Sophie Slim - I remember that earthquake - so very scary and sad. I know - what we went through was nothing compared to that!
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