Another Tsunami Warning

I'm really hoping this does NOT become an annual event. Last night I was sitting on my couch having a beer after class when my Mama sends me a text about the earthquake in Japan. I've decided that she really must not sleep anymore at all and we texted some back and forth but at that time it didn't seem like we were in danger. I kept the news on and then a little before 10pm they issued a warning for us in Hawaii and started sounding the sirens.

The sirens scare the crap out of me. I hate them. I get anxious on monthly test days. I woke CRH up and frantically told him that we were under warning and I was freaking! I packed the essentials like last year; makeup, jewelry, food, and the kid. We debated about where to go and finally I just followed him up the hill to the Dole Plantation. We stopped along the way for gas and beer and more non-perishable food items.

We parked at the Dole Plantation before midnight in the rain and sat and waited. I could not sleep because of my anxiety level, despite having been up since 6:30am Thursday. As it got closer to 3am our time, my mom and I stayed on the phone so I could hear the news. The local radio stations just weren't doing it for me. I needed more info and I was so happy she was home and watching it! Waves "hit", water receded...but it didn't seem like the water was pouring back in. All in all, it ended up doing some very minor damage. A few houses got washed out on the Big Island (where there was also a small earthquake last night), some boats were damaged but all in all we were unharmed!

I heard on the radio about 6:40am that they were planning to give the "all clear" around 7am so I woke CRH up from his slumber and told him we needed to head that way to get in line. We sat there waiting and heard that they were extending the warning until 12pm. I almost lost it. I was sooooo tired after only about an hour of sleep in my car (not fun by the way!). The view was beautiful though to include this huge, brilliant, full rainbow over Haleiwa. The guy across the street from us pulled out his cooler, his camp chair, and an umbrella. He propped his feet up on his truck and popped himself open a Heineken. It was hilarious! Finally, they downgraded it to an advisory and gave the all clear about 8am. We were home, safe and sound, and in our beds by 8:30am. When I looked out my bedroom window before falling into my bed, I saw another gorgeous rainbow over Waialua. Thanks so much for all the calls, texts, FB messages, etc. We're fine here and managed to dodge another bullet.