still on shakey ground but with sirens.

Hi All:
Life is still good but rather off kilter, really. This morning seemed to go along as usual, except that the volcano was a bit more quiet than she has been for some time. The kids went to town to go get minutes for both phones and check on some things in town. All seemed well and calm, as normal as can be. So I was alone in the house just playing a few games on my computer, enjoying the rare moment of being alone. When out came a horrific siren, the Volcano evacuation siren. However, oddly enough, the volcano was quiet. I waited for a while as the other day there was a siren check, but not nearly as loud a this time or persistant. Sooooo, hmmmmm, look out of the yard and there are people leaving in droves...... hmmmm still siren,,,,, 5 min go by and of course I an getting concerned for the kids,,,,,, I decide to talk with Rodrigo, our neighbor, in the phone business, who is also a bombero (fireman). He has his radio on and is not leaving anytime soon. We talk and he tells me is it a city wide volcano drill a simulation drill and everyone is going to the evacuation site. Let me tell you, it is disconcerting when the entire city bails out, and still no kids, my kids that is. Still siren a wailing, 15 min later and no kids, hmmmmmm,,,, relax, find inner peace and commune with the volcano. Rodrigo asks to come in to take photo's of the street below for, I think, the newspaper. We both talk and pass the time. He tells me of his phobia of dogs, of which we have 2, who are happily wagging their tails and sniffing his trouser legs, of which I think he might have soiled himself a bit. Most people here are phobic of dogs, which makes me more comfortable at night in the house. He decides to leave as his phobia is starting to wear on him and the dogs have no interest in leaving him alone as they both want him to stay and pet them. He leaves rather quickly. Suddenly, both dogs run to the gate and excitedly barking, signaling to me that the kids have returned. It is good to know that the city is practicing for evacuation, and that the kids would come home first so that we could get the evacuation bags to make our evacuation easier and safer. We have all naturally created out own evacuation plan. Everything went quite smoothly. Meanwhile, the siren continues. The siren has now gone on for 25 min. I now know what it feels like to hear a bomb warning in Europe during the war. The siren lasted for at lease 30-40 min and there were actually to or more of them wailing away in different parts of town. Oddly enough, several hours have past since the sirens finally stopped but my nerves still a bit on edge. I can understand what people might feel like post war with bombs going off and sirens warning people to find safety. It has been quite the education and sympathy creating experience in regards to understanding what the victims of war must feel like.
Anyway, I will have some tea later to calm my nerves, and try some yoga to chill out. But needless to say, we are still here and feel more prepared than before both emotionally and physically. Life still continues, people calmly walking in the streets and cars making their horns peeping in the streets. I think a nice salad would be good for supper. Maybe we will be wine with supper...... Hmmmm. or should I say Ooohmmmm.
Be good to each other, and understand that patience is needed when dealing with new experiences.
Robin