Nineteen - 19 - quakes this past week, all due to fracking. Last night was a big one. It shook much longer and harder than last weeks'. I kept waiting for it to stop shaking, the noise and popping and cracking.
After the one last week, the Corporation Commission shut down 37 disposal wells near the quake site (there are thousands) and shut down drill sites within a 6 mile radius.
This quake happened in Cushing, where a major pipeline runs and the Keystone Pipeline from Canada was going to hook up on its path to the Gulf. They also store about 10% of the US stores of crude oil in Cushing. Major spot. There, the electricity went out when the shaking began. Partial, old buildings collapsed and they are assessing the damage today. Glad winter hasn't arrived yet.
I don't know what the Corp. Comm. will do after this larger one. As I mentioned before, the industry slipped this by us. We had no idea what fracking entailed nor the results of it. I don't think we could have stopped them anyway as our state's economy depends on the oil and gas industry. Civil services, education and on and on are hurting from the collapse of gas prices.
Meanwhile Boo the cat, wanted out of the house. All the animals were aware of the quake. He's been in the city for nearly 3 weeks as he was sick and needed attending. He's an outdoor cat, but I've been too afraid to let him outside as he isn't familiar with the territory and might get lost. He is going home tomorrow. He has clawed up the edges of my new powder blue modern sofa and OMG the cat box thing has been horrible.
Though we've not had a freeze yet, the cottonwood leaves are falling - all over the lawn and flower beds. Last week I had to catch a rat. This week, a gopher has made a hill next to my goldfish pond and the sand has sifted in the pond. That, and the filter/pump froze up. I, who can tell the difference between a flat or phillips head screw driver, but that is it, had to take the whole filter and motor apart to clean out all the sludge and matter. Even with tweezers. Aye yay yay.
Oh how I wish I was the Queen or at least could afford assistants.
