Mother Nature sends us a reminder

So, like I said in my last post, we had made a surprise trip to Blenheim for Dad's birthday.

Turns out we surprised more than just Mum and Dad - the nephews had been kept out of the loop as well ! We all went out for dinner that evening which was enjoyable. We spent Sunday - birthday proper - catching up, sharing morning tea with other family...and inevitably discussing a bit of family tree. 

It had been pretty wet on Saturday, but was looking a little brighter on Sunday. Lauren was keen to go see "her" cob cottage. She even mentioned it as we had crossed the Wairau River on our way from Nelson to Blenheim on Saturday. But the river was so high with all the rain I didn't fancy driving along the riverbank. On Sunday, the river levels had begun to drop but the road up to the cottage is unsealed and alongside a small stream (including a ford) which was likely to have been running higher than normal - so again the opportunity was lost.

And so to bed - late as usual. Only moments after I had turned off the light, but long enough to have been half asleep, I suddenly became aware that the earth was moving. Initially, I lay in bed listening to the coathangers clinking against each other in the wardrobe, then it became more violent. The house felt like it was twisting and turning and trying to lift itself off its foundations. I remember thinking in blurry half asleep thought "where is this happening if I can feel it this strongly in Auckland ?" and then "Gah !! I'm not in Auckland, I'm in Blenheim". About the same time things began banging, and crashing and falling. I decided then that the door frame might be where I should be, so I shot out of bed and stood there, holding the frame while the house bucked and twisted and things crashed about. I'm usually a freeze on the spot person, wait and see. Earthquakes don't scare or terrify me. They are just one of those things that happen. It's where we live. But I had never felt anything like this one in all my time living in Wellington or Christchurch. And then it stopped.

The power was out, so the light on our cellphones came in very handy. We all checked on each other - no injuries - and began checking to see if anything was broken. Miraculously just a few cd cases were casualties having been thrown across the floor when the cd towers had fallen over. An orchid in a pot was strewn across the floor as well, and the vases of flowers on the dining room table had fallen over and emptied water over the table and onto the floor. Ornaments had fallen or been thrown from the large wall unit, but landed without breaking on the carpet. Glasses of water on bedside tables had tipped their contents on the floor or on the beds. All the while we could feel aftershocks. Since there was no power, there was no wifi either. Dad had his little radio on. Radio New Zealand were great - imagine doing that show !! So 7.8 near Culverden. Crikey.

Eventually we managed to get some signal outside - yay for mobile data. I text everyone I could think of in Wellington, Marlborough and in Christchurch, checking they were all okay and reassuring them that we were. Neighbours checked on each other and nephew #1 called by to check that we were all okay on his way home to be with his Mum and brother. An hour or so later, with things tidied up and other things moved to the floor - just in case we headed back to bed to try and get some sleep. There was some sleep, but it was interrupted with the earth wobbling constantly. 

In the morning on the tv we began to see the effects and damage. Kaikoura, Waiau, Mt Lyford, Ward, Oaro. Small rural and coastal communities, completely cut off from the rest of the country. Just crazy. I had a few messages from rellies overseas checking in to be sure we were all okay. 

We didn't have time to look at much as we needed to fly back to Auckland. It felt odd leaving it all behind. If not for work, we'd have preferred to stay and help in some way. It felt even more peculiar to be so far removed from it all that we couldn't even feel the shaking - having been in the thick of it initially.

Over the next few days as the media were able to get access to the impact zone our newspapers, online and tv news, social media were flooded with images and stories. The force of Mother Nature is just awe inspiring, yet freaky. Great chasms forming new valleys, monster landslides, uplift of the land and seabed in place up to 2 metres ! giant boulders tossed to the ground, the railway line thrown across the coastal highway and on to the beach, the road subsiding and cracking, the movement north, east and west of parts of the country.

Slowly things are returning to whatever normal is, some roads have reopened, the trip from Picton to Christchurch now takes 7 1/2 hours instead of 4, the earth is still moving. Many buildings in Wellington were damaged and some are being demolished - that was a surprise since the quake wasn't felt as strongly there as it was in North Canterbury and Marlborough. Doesn't bode too well for that big quake they are still expecting. 

My heart is with Kaikoura though, it is where my family settled after first being in Wellington - and leaving after the 1855 quake. Some of them where already there though as they are referenced in diaries and accounts of that quake and its damage to Flaxbourne (Ward) and the Clarence.

Check out these sites if you are interested in seeing the destruction that can be wrought in minutes, by natural forces
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/86416304/Live-7-8-New-Zealand-earthquake
https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/75-north-canterbury-quake-shakes-new-zealand-ck-196636
http://www.sciencealert.com/new-zealand-s-earthquake-was-so-powerful-it-dragged-the-sea-bed-2-metres-above-ground
http://info.geonet.org.nz/display/quake/2016/11
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/11/21/502889609/watch-drone-footage-shows-aftermath-of-new-zealand-quake
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11757659
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/kaikoura-earthquake/318101/the-earthquake-aftermath-in-pictures
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/nz-earthquake/86460020/Earthquake-More-cows-stranded-on-an-outcrop-of-land-after-three-saved

and many more - and in case you are wondering, the cob cottage at Bartletts Creek is still standing.

Two and a half months of neglect

I have no excuse except that I have just not been motivated.

My job is b-o-r-i-n-g, just not enough to do which makes for v-e-r-y long days. It is very unsettling and it drives me crazy. I don't like having nothing to do. Especially if I can think of other ways I would fill my days were I not sitting at my desk going demented from inactivity. The downside of days like this is that I become weary from the inactivity and then just can't get out of my own way to do anything productive once I am home.

Anyway, a few things have happened in this last two and a half months.

Mum and Dad went on an overseas trip which didn't unfold as planned and ended up being extended and with much of the time spent getting to know the NHS, with Dad in hospital and Mum visiting. They were well cared for by both the NHS and by cousins and friends which was a much better situation than if they had been staying in hotels the whole time. Still it was very stressful from here, trying to communicate between timezones, understand what was happening, keep everyone in the loop about developments and swinging between the urge to jump on a plane and go be supportive, or stay here and not be so reactionary. They are home now and stuck in our healthcare system waiting for decisions to be made, and battling their travel insurance provider.

In mid September we had a quick weekend trip to Wellington. Travelling together but socialising separately. It was a really wet weekend, but it was great to see a few people and catch up over meals. I ate SO much those 3 days. I really enjoyed being back in the old familiar streets, even if they were petty damp. I spent 2 or 3 hours at the Gallipoli exhibition at Te Papa. If you get the chance before 2018 you should go. I did a bit of shopping too.

After Mum and Dad had arrived home safely, it was off to Sydney for the long weekend for us. It was all a bit of a rush and we had accommodation dramas (which all worked out in the end) and had not packed the right sort of clothes for the weather. I lived in Sydney for 4 or 5 years and I don't recall it being so windy in October ! But we survived, we did most of the things we had on our lists and walked for kilometres and kilometres in between bus-ing train-ing and ferry-ing around the city.

This weekend just ended, we flew to Nelson and drove to Blenheim to surprise Dad for his birthday. It was a very wet weekend again - seems to be a theme developing with our weekend breaks ! Lunch at the Fat Tui in Marahau was planned (and happened) it just wasn't sitting on the beach taking in the stunning weather this time. There will have to be another visit in summer before they close for the season.

Then it was on to Blenheim for the surprise - which went down a treat. The weekend ended on a shaky note though as we were woken at 12.0am with the house twisting and rolling and jerking on its foundations.

7.8 Kaikoura Earthquake - more on that next post. But for now here is a link to photos and information about the event 

Change

I'm being a bit rubbish about keeping up to date with all the happenings lately.

So, here goes:

1. Christchurch is no longer my home - it was great while it lasted, but circumstances made it hard to want to try and stay. Jobs with a predetermined end date, rents which were out of my reach if it was just going to be me.

2. I think Marlborough/Nelson/Tasman could be my home one day - so much amazing scenery.

3. Auckland is my home now. Just as expensive as Christchurch for not as great quality, so we are still housemates for as long as it takes to get on our feet separately.

4. There are new places to explore.

5. My life is still in boxes...

So anyway, today we went on a bit of an explore because we have to go driving to get used to the traffic, and check that the Navman can cope with it even when we can't.

So first we went to Parnell for Pizza. At Sals. We'd tried it once before on the Shore, but this was closer, and we just wanted one slice. 

'Cos that is all you need believe me.

Then we went for a walk up through the shops. It still has that village feel which is nice, so close to the craziness that is the CBD. We happened upon these guys painting a mural. SO clever.

 then we had us some gelato

and went on a l-o-n-g drive to find the lighthouse at Manukau Heads. 

It would have been prettier on a nicer day, but it was on the list of free things to do in Auckland - so we have done it now. It was free (well a donation to go in to the lighthouse) but there isn't anything else much to do once you get all the way there...and then there is the cost of petrol. Hmmm.

Queens Birthday Roadie

A quick trip to the slightly warmer climes of Marlborough, ostensibly to look at houses and sections...but the scenery gets me every time. I love the drive up and down this coast.

Wish we had stopped to get a pic of the H-U-G-E elephant seal which has taken up residence on the side of State Highway 1 though. 

F-O-U-R metres long !! Amazing sight, just a bit hard to stop safely.

Autumn is HERE

Well gee, its been ages since I was here.

Things have happened - like my laptop decided one night that it was not going to start, and that once restored/repaired it became evident the hard drive was heading closer and closer to the point of no return. So ! New laptop it had to be.

Its been a couple of weeks now and I have almost everything back up and running as it should. Still trying to work out how to get email messages out of old email programs which don't like outlook, and wont share.

I have a new role at work with a longer contract to add a bit of security to my life.

We went for a drive to Hanmer Springs one afternoon and will have to go back and spend more time there and do more than just buy fudge and have coffee. 

The weather has turned !! We went on a roadie at ANZAC weekend and found a-m-a-z-i-n-g autumn splendour on the Lewis Pass, and in Tasman and Marlborough.

The feijoa trees are growing fruit like there is no tomorrow. There has been baking; upside down feijoa cake, feijoa muffins, pancakes. There are figs too but we have no ladder and the birds have been feasting instead of us.

Autumn is in our garden too - its getting hard to keep up with the leaves.

And its been Mothers' Day - and I was spoilt; smellies, a book, a necklace handmade in our favourite part of England, and yummy dinner.

What will the next few weeks bring ? Stay tuned.