I don’t know what I ate last night but, man, it was some weird dreams last night. I dreamt that I lived in a coastal city, surrounded by mountains, and the whole city had been evacuated because of a tsunami warning. I, for some reason, had remained behind and was contentedly wandering through an empty CostCo wondering how long the produce would last before I could get around to eating it all…and wondering if the power would stay on. Next thing you know, I’m on a ridge overlooking the city and I see the Hollywood-style wave slam through the city, obliterating everything and…heading right up the side of the mountains where I’m standing. I make a dash down the opposite slope of the ridge hoping the ridge will channel all the water. Nope. The wave comes up behind me, picks me up and hurls me to certain doom. My final thought before I’m slammed into the ground, and presumably killed, is for my loved one. And then I wake up.

I recall, in the dream, watching the city get washed away and thinking “Man, I shouldn’t have left all my gear down there.” Live and learn, I guess.

Definitely a change from the usual zombie dreams.

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Interesting that I had that dream and then today was pointed to a fascinating article about the likelihood of a massive earthquake (and it’s consequences) in this region.

Soon after that shaking begins, the electrical grid will fail, likely everywhere west of the Cascades and possibly well beyond. If it happens at night, the ensuing catastrophe will unfold in darkness. In theory, those who are at home when it hits should be safest; it is easy and relatively inexpensive to seismically safeguard a private dwelling. But, lulled into nonchalance by their seemingly benign environment, most people in the Pacific Northwest have not done so. That nonchalance will shatter instantly. So will everything made of glass. Anything indoors and unsecured will lurch across the floor or come crashing down: bookshelves, lamps, computers, cannisters of flour in the pantry. Refrigerators will walk out of kitchens, unplugging themselves and toppling over. Water heaters will fall and smash interior gas lines. Houses that are not bolted to their foundations will slide off—or, rather, they will stay put, obeying inertia, while the foundations, together with the rest of the Northwest, jolt westward. Unmoored on the undulating ground, the homes will begin to collapse.

Interesting article. We had a bit of an earthquake here last summer and it underscored that, for the entire time I’ve lived in Montana, I had seriously underestimated the likelihood of seismic-related events. I’ve been thinking about it on and off since then (which is worthless without actually doing any followup) and figure that there are a few things I really need to bump up the priority list…most notably, I need to get the second water heater secured and have flexible couplings installed. I also need to get a couple gas shutoff wrenches and chain one to the gas meter out back. And, of course, reposition a certain amount of gear and supplies someplace where they’ll still be useful and accessible if a house falls on top of them.

ETA: Followup article

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I was going through blog email and discovered a couple email notices that a couple folks very generously sent a few bucks my way. Darn nice of ’em. Next week when the blog has its’ fifteen-year birthday I’ll probably lean on everyone for offerings to the bandwidth gods, but for those who jumped the gun a little early…much thanks.