Getting All Shook Up In Texas On Christmas Eve

My old home zone had a Christmas Eve earthquake this morning.

4.0 on the Richter Scale. 

I have not felt the earth move since the 1990s.

There was a period of time, during that time, when multiple earthquakes shook me up, epicentered near Big Lake, only a few miles from my east Mount Vernon abode.

Those Big Lake quakes ranged between 2.0 and 3.0 on the Richter Scale. Due to being shallow quakes, with the epicenter so close, that cluster of quakes was loud, with the vibrating shaking quite noticeable.

During one of those quakes I was sitting in my living room. A room with a lot of windows, looking out at big fir trees. When the quake hit, the windows flexed and made a popping noise. The trees shook violently. 

As the windows popped and flexed, and the trees shook, I heard a cracking noise in the kitchen. When the quake ceased shaking I walked into the kitchen to discover the quake had cracked the tile floor.

Earthquakes are a bit scary, due to there being no warning, unlike other Mother Nature being angry events, like hurricanes, or tornadoes, or floods. 

Though, I have to say, while there may be a tornado siren warning a twister is in the neighborhood, it is still a scary thing, but not suddenly startling, like an earthquake. 

Since being in Texas I have experienced being near three tornadoes. I have never seen the stereotypical twister phenomenon associated with tornadoes. All I have seen is a dark, greenish wall of clouds.

Anyway, hope y'all are having yourselves a very merry Christmas Eve...

The Morning Of Christmas Eve With No Snow & Christmas Present Desperadoes In Fort Worth

Looking out my primary viewing portal on the outer world on this morning of Christmas Eve I see nothing white in frozen flake form falling to the ground.

If anything white in frozen flake form did fall to the ground, at this point in time, it would quickly melt, due to the fact that currently, at my location, the outer world is being heated to a relatively balmy 39 degrees.

My swimming venue is back at full pool, with new lights making the water glow bright at night.

I don't think I will go swimming this morning.

One of the more disturbing news items I read online this morning happened here in Fort Worth.

Desperadoes broke into a Fort Worth home, where an 11 year old boy was home alone with his dog, a Chihuahua. The thieving desperadoes shoved the boy and his dog into a closet and then proceeded to empty the house of its Christmas presents and other valuables.

The thieves left behind one of the Christmas presents, Dallas Cowboys slippers, which prompted the perceptive 11 year old boy to say, "I guess they don't like the Cowboys."

Having Myself A Very Merry Wet Slippery Christmas Eve In Texas

Rain began dropping around 11 this morning. Around noon I took off, out of here, heading to ALDI in Pantego.

A year ago, today, we were being pelted with frozen rain in the form of snowflakes, which piled up quickly.

I was reminded of what Christmas Eve was like last year when I opened a Christmas card from Steve Doeung and daughter Elizabeth, and saw both of them surrounded by a Winter Wonderland. With flags.

The view in the picture is heading south on Dottie Lynn Parkway in Arlington, about to take a left on to Division Street.

You might be thinking what sort of fool drives along in treacherous conditions taking pictures. Well, a short time after this picture was taken I was thinking the same thing.

Because, when I turned from Dottie Lynn Parkway on to Division my vehicle suddenly spun out of control. It just sort of slid sideways, rather than making the turn.

No. There was no ice on the road. It is not cold enough for ice to be on the road.

It has not rained in a long time. This can cause oily greasy spots that become like ice when covered with a lot of water. Like today.

When I was in ALDI the lady behind me in line was going on about how slippery it was. We then commiserated about our driving misery.

So far I have not seen nor heard any of the predicted Thunderstorm action. Maybe that is scheduled for later in the day.

I won't be going out in it again this Christmas Eve, unless someone somehow strongly motivates me to do so.

Up With The Sun On the Morning Of Christmas Eve In Texas

Looking out my bedroom window this morning you can see I got up about the same time the sun did, on this Christmas Eve morning, the next to last Friday of 2010.

I thought we were scheduled to get some Thunderstorm action last night. I heard nothing.

Looking at the ground outside it does appear some moisture may have fallen, but not enough to do any puddling. At least from my current view.

I do not know what lays ahead for me on this Christmas Eve day.

I think what I am going to do today is try and find the flow. And then go with it. I do know for sure that going with the flow will not lead me to an unheated swimming pool.