Dear George:

We are fine. We were in the house when [the earthquake] hit. While standing beneath adjacent doorways, I said to Linda "This is not an inconsequential earthquake, I'll say it's a 3.4." She said "No, I think it feels bigger than the one in '65, which was a 5. something." I said "Really?" There is no apparent damage to our house.

Traffic is a mess. Some bridges are closed. The quake hit during one of my days off. I hardly ever seek overtime but I went in and worked a while. Subsequent to the quake, Linda and I were driving when I realized we were in the one place we'd always resolved not to be during a quake, the roadway which resembles the Cypress freeway that collapsed in San Francisco. Later they closed the roadway, the Alaskan Way Viaduct, to inspect damage they had found there. No harm, no foul and further proof positive that God loves a fool.

Feckless in Seattle,

Craig and Linda Anderson (electronic mail, March 2, 2001).