Today has been a fucked up day.

The sign is nigh?

Something strange is going on, for sure. Today at about 2 in the afternoon I noticed my computer monitor wobbling. After checking to make sure no one was kicking my desk and that I wasn't having some kind of seizure, others in my office affirmed that yes.. the building was shaking. Being a pretty sketchy old building we work in, the assumption was that a large truck had driven by, but the shaking seemed to last too long for a simple lack of structural integrity.

within minutes we were getting calls from other people, in other buildings which quickly confirmed that what we were experiencing was a 5.0 level earthquake. People oohed and ahhed and then, got back on with their day.

Funnily enough, news of the earthquake was all over facebook and twitter before the news stations even got a hold of it.

But wait.. there's more. At about 6:30 this afternoon as I stood in the living room of my ex-husbands house, soaking wet from trying load groceries in the car in the pouring rain, waiting for my children to get ready so we can get home because frankly the sky was looking ominous and I wanted to get home before the meteorlogical shit hit the fan, a tornado touched down in the southeast end of Midland.

Armageddon, much?

I had no idea myself. I saw as I tried to make my way out of town that there was some heavy traffic, which I attributed to power being out due to the heavy rain. As I tried to make my way up king street I grew uneasy as firetrucks and police cars made they're way up the hill, sirens blaring.

The thing that struck me though, were the people. There were dozens and dozens of people in the streets, making their way from their homes, pointing towards the horizon and heading south... You would think it was woodstock or something.

I got a call from some friends telling me midland was basically cordoned off and my chances of getting out were pretty much nil, and that I should head to their place in penetang and wait out the storm. I turned around and headed there. The power being out, we each still had out cell phones with us and the place was crazy with beeps and rings and conversations as we each received intermittent updates from friends and loved ones.

The majority of the damage was in the industrial and commercial section of the south end of town, although in what almost seems like a sick joke, in true stereotypical tornado fashion, a local mobile home park was also hit. So far there have been about 20 people admitted to hospital, with only minor injuries reported.

The geography is unfortunate and it saddens me to think of the devastating effect this will have on an area that is already economically depressed. Three of the major factories in the area suffered damage, and i fear this could mean lost jobs.

The mayor has declared a state of emergency. I made it home safe with my girls and am feeling fairly secure in my little stone house that has withstood 100 years of whathaveyou already. We will sit tight and see what tomorrow holds. If work is cancelled I will probably volunteer to help with cleanup.

Everyone out there, I hope your friends and family are all safe.