Arrow points from Mexicali to the earthquake - all the red dots are today's quakes!

No sooner did I finish my last blog on my Tarlov cyst recovery than we got hit with another big earthquake – 5.7 on the Richter scale!The whole house was shaking. Jim made me stand in the doorway, while he held up the rack that contains the computer equipment

Matthew came running, screaming into the computer room and dived under the table.

This was a long one—first violent shaking, and then the usual swaying back and forth of the whole house and the earth beneath it.

The USGS gave out the terse message—Monday, June 14, 2010 09:26:58 PM at epicenter. Depth: 6.90 km (4.29 mi)—43 km (27 miles) W (277°) from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.

“Matthew,” said Jim, “it’s OK—you can come on out.”

Matthew crawled out from under the table, and, without saying a word, ran to his bedroom.

I’ve gotta tell you, we feel earthquakes every day, and more than once per day. Sometimes, it’s just a slight moving of our place back and forth, up to a foot each way. This one, however, was a big one. Orginally, it was reported as a 5.9, but was quickly downgraded to a 5.7. They always downgrade these earthquakes. Maybe it’s like the cable news, they do it just to keep everybody happy, or at least not so scared.

We went two years here with no earthquakes at all. One of our Mexican friends who has been here since 1945 says he has never felt anything like it.

After studying the earthquake patterns, Jim has given up his theory that a Baby Moon is going to split out of the earth carrying me, him, and Matthew into outer space. Jim is now convinced that Baja California is splitting off from the mainland, and that the earth will sink and that the area about 20 miles west of us will fill up with water.

Matthew came back to the computer room, as we were discussing Jim’s latest theory.

Matthew liked the idea, and said, “Will there be a beach that we can go to, Jim?”

“If we live long enough,” replied Jim.

“If we live through this at all!” I added.