Earthquake hits UK
 

- well more of a tremor but at a magnitude of 5.2, it is the strongest one to hit us for 25 years. A few chimneys were lost and we were woken up at 1am by the room shaking. I know this is nothing compared with other parts of the world but it's big news here and the main topic on conversation this morning.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7266136.stm

... and will doubtless create an excuse for practically everything.

A brief - but extraordinarily unusual - power cut in our small town this morning has got everyone talking, and assuming it was down to the earthquake. Even though the loudest noise in our street at 1 am was the flannerpooch snoring.

The power cut was probably unconnected. But, with computers down and wireless networks zonked so even laptops couldn't get online, it's a great opportunity to explain away why a client's going to get his report a few hours later than agreed.

Didn't hit Scotland - presumably Alex Salmond will be claiming it as a success of devolution

This was quite noticeable where I live (Herts) - there was a marked back and forth swaying motion - my sofa felt as though it were on water!

Oh, and the builders who renovated my house were crap, so I'm fully expecting it to fall down now.

BTW, One of my favourite 'British Eccentricity' stories - last time there was a reasonably strong earthquake in the middle of the night, First Direct apparently got hundreds of calls about it, because they were one of the few places with 24/7 call centres at that time!

Didn't hit Scotland>>>>

It probably did - you just couldn't tell. It always looks like that.