Snow in August and an Earthshaking Experience

Today was a cold day--the coldest since I've been here. And to make matters worse, it rained all day. Aaaaallllll day. It started around 9 or 10 this morning, and just didn't stop...until a little while ago when it turned into snow! Snow in August! Now, I know that I'm living at the foot of the Andes mountains, but let me give you a few hints as to how rare snow is here... First of all, if I look out the upstairs window into the neighbor's yard, I see a palm tree...covered in snow. I know I'm not an expert on meteorology and ...plantology, but that seems like a paradox or oxymoron or something. Where do you see snow and palm trees in the same place? Another example, Melissa says that this is the first time she has ever seen snow actually falling from the sky. Usually she just wakes up to see it already there. And also, several of the neighbors were outside taking pictures for a good twenty minutes! :o) And lastly, as I was getting ready for bed, before I knew any of this was going on, Ruthann came running upstairs, calling my name with such vigor that I was worried as to what was wrong! She pointed me to a window, and I knew. She'd been talking about snow all day. So the three of us (me, Melissa, and Ruthann) oohed and aahed at the views from all of the windows in the upstairs, then proceeded to call several other Americans in the area and wish them a Merry Christmas! :o) It was quite a nice way to end the day. If there's still snow on the ground in the morning (which there should be) I will try to take pictures of it. That is, if I'm coherent enough at such an early hour.....

The other interesting thing to note from the day. There was an earthquake. My first one! ...Ok, well, earthquake may be a bit of a stretch. It was just a tremor. But still, that doesn't happen in New Jersey! It was relatively quick--it was practically over by the time I realized what was going on. And the "aftershocks" were so mild that you almost weren't sure if you were imagining them or not. Those are more common here than snow is. The kids started laughing when it happened, I mean, seriously. :o) For those of you who have never experienced a tremor before (which was me 12 hours ago), I will try to describe it. It felt like a wave went through the building. The windows behind me rattled ever so slightly and the whole room seemed to move. It was like....ok, you know when you're standing in the ocean, and a wave passes you, and then the water behind it kind of ebbs and flows quickly but smoothly? It was a little like that--but instead of water, it was the air and the floor and the walls and the desks and my chair and me too, a little.

Never a dull moment, that's for sure! I wonder what tomorrow will bring? A snow day, perhaps....