rivettingKateTaylor

Apparently Hawke’s Bay had a five-point-something earthquake  in the early hours of this morning, centred a few kilometres away between Takapau and Waipukurau, but I never felt a thing!

Earthquakes make up a large part of the history of Hawke’s Bay thanks to the big one that hit in February 1931 destroying much of Napier and Hastings. But in the rebirth of those cities after the devastation, came beautiful Art Deco and Spanish Mission architecture that attracts tens of thousands of tourists to the region every year (the fact we make great wine helps too!)

I remember an earthquake when my first baby was just a few weeks old. We picked her up, bassinette and all, and ran for the dining table. She didn’t even stir. It was funny because the big rumble and roll that preceded the actual shake coincided with the end of an action movie and the timing was perfect (like we were in a movie studio with added effects!)

Another favourite quake memory was standing in the kitchen with Mum watching the hedge around the house at The Glen (my home farm) roll like a ribbon. Very cool (although we probably should have been getting under the table!)

Are you sorted for an earthquake or similar event? Do you have emergency supplies? Torches, battery-operated radio, food, enough water for your whole family for at least three days?

Rural people usually have all these things anyway for power cuts and snow falls and all the usual things that define being rural (and we wouldn’t have it any other way). Rural people can’t pop down to the Red Cross tent at the local town square – rural people have been self sufficient for years (although I do love the fact that I now live 4km from my local four square!)

We have a container out in the shed with all our goodies. We’re organised (it’s a first for me, it certainly doesn’t happen on a daily basis). Let’s hope we never need it.