Earthquakes, Hurricanes and Untimely Passings

On Tuesday October 16th, 2012 at around 7:12PM most of New England experienced a 4.0 earthquake that basically raised a
few eyebrows, not to mention it shook a few of us into a state of disbelief. Now I personally have felt a few tremors here and
there over the years, but I had never felt anything like that.

[Third photo] So it got my attention. Hell it got me moving.

But it also got the attention of all my friends on the West coast who could not help themselves on Facebook by calling us amateurs, and basically said we were wooses.

You know...pussy cats. Losers. Cowards. It was as if we had no business talking about an Earthquake when they live with this stuff everyday. Well, I have just one thing to say to my West coast friends.

"Get A Freaking Life."

This is the East Coast. This is NOT Los Angeles. We do NOT get Earthquakes every other day. So when we do, it's a big deal to us. It would be like you punks getting an inch of rain or sleet,
and having us slam you because we get hammered with massive storms each year.

You don't hear us cat calling on Facebook or on the blogs. We get that it's a big deal when it rains on you clowns. So please, let us revel in our post Earthquake banter.

[Fourth photo] That thing was loud and it shook the whole seacoast. And it lasted for about 7-10 seconds. Clearly nothing like an LA quake
or some Indonesian quake, but for our standards? It was pretty damn significant.

I did find it funny that we all ran to Facebook after realizing all the telephone lines were down. Social media saved us. From what I don't know, but it at least gave us a forum to discuss the unusual circumstance. And boy the postings and IM's were all
lit up. Everyone was chiming in...

And then...the next day? Hurricane Rafael hit!

[Fifth photo] I wrote about Ralphie last week...it may not have been very big, or that well organized, but coming off the heels of a rare Earthquake, to get a Hurricane in mid October? Well? That's special. And it was for all of us here in New England. I shot some clean waves in the early morning, and then managed to paddle out and get a few waves.

I think this was the first time I ever surfed a storm with a name that means Ralph. Hurricane Ralph....I may not have surfed very well, but I did get a few waves with a couple of friends.
Hell, Ed even got a shot of me.

Earthquakes and Hurricanes in October.

On Monday October 15th, 2012 our good friends the Grondins lost a member of their family suddenlly. Kevin Grondin is someone I've known forever. I also known his brother and two sisters as long. Same with his parents. He lost his mother a year ago, and on Monday his kid sister Carylyn passed away at her home. She was only 52 years old.

[First photo] Carylyn was a rare breed in the simple fact, that of all the people I know, she never had a negative thing to say about anyone. Her willingness to love and respect everyone, coupled with her amazing strength to
forgive and forget put her in a league of her own.

There is a life lesson here for all of us. To be able to forgive.

[Second photo] Carylyn you were too young and too full of life to leave this planet, but I know that your faith, and your love, will shine through on your family each and every day. Especially the days that they really need your strength. May you rest in Peace forever.

Meanwhile out on the west coast a good friend of mine Phil Beauchesne lost his father- in- law un expectantly in a tragic fall. Merrill Dee Subway father to Marie and grandfather to Isabella passed away on October 15, 2012. He sounded like a great guy.

Now for Some Of My Weekly Global Observances:

Patriots FINALLY Beat a football team that they needed to beat. PATS 29-JETS 26 in OT nail biter...I swear, if they had lost this game? I might have really had a breakdown. I'm sick of squirming each week watching this team squander lead after lead in the 4th Qtr only to lose it in the final minutes or seconds. Not the case this week. Thank God. But trust me, it was close. Too damn close for my liking.