BLAH BLAH BLAH

I think its really strange our politicians sit on hands while our city slowly painfully decays, they seem to think that blah blah blah like magic will make it all ok.

The Sting In The Tail

Yesterday I spoke to a young fellow on the phone I hadn't spoken to for a while, a business acquaintance who in the past had been confident and self assured with a "I am bullet proof attitude" since landing a plum job with a corporate. I was surprised when he told me he was speaking to me from Nelson where he now lived with his young family. He seemed rather subdued from the last time we spoke,unusual I thought. He now serviced his Christchurch clients from Nelson via video conferencing.His shift to Nelson was prompted by the February 22 earthquake where at the time he was living in a house on Hackthorne Road half way up the Cashmere Hills.When the quake struck he was at home with his family,their home flew apart and collapsed around them, fortunately and only through luck nobody was hurt. With continuing after shocks and in fear of their lives they departed Christchurch. He had lost like many the sting in his tail. All the very best young man I wish you well.

We Have the Edge

A City on edge, buildings on the edge of destruction, citizens on edge, nerves on edge, finances on the edge, weather on the edge of winter whether we like it or not.

The Reality Of Living In An Earthquake Zone

My first thought was two woman leaving a telephone box, but no it was a portaloo. A lot of people think Telecom is a toilet.

Distant rumble perhaps? alert, tense, anticipate, dont breathe,in an instant often without warning,violent shaking! out of control, ride it out, no choice. I am suspicious of a peaceful day.

Fast shower, better be quick,floor might fall away. Naked body falling sliced on the way. Dont like blood!

Keep it on the floor, cannot fall any further, including the birds in their cages,happily they survived their first tumble.

Went to get a plate to put my dinner on, I didnt have one. I had plenty yesterday.

Sat down to dinner, two mouthfulls then the room was spinning like a top, a nasty merry-go-round, I looked at the dog, I thought we were going to be thrown off the hill house and all. Fled to the flat land and that was only 5.3!

Wow, my house is on the floor, walked away.

Before going to bed, make sure the torch is where it should be.

Old televisions are heavy and dangerous,they are now smashed after falling and in the garage, never to return. Heard a story how a TV flew across the room now embeded in the wall! Now I have a small transistor radio.

No more pictures on the wall, they just smash and splinter making for a hazardous mess.

On return cabinet leaning on an angle from the wall, good thing we pushed the couch against it, stopped it crashing to the floor. We learn.

Nor west dust storm, liquefaction now a common word, fractured cratered road, my jouney home, closed road go the other way, no power no water, I am lucky.

Dazed hoards trudging home to what?

Crazy dairy cooler doors fly open and pelt me with their contents, get out of there quick before Im squashed. I am now a rally driver broken roads fallen power poles fleeing animals. People on the street, abandoned the shelter of their homes, prefering the open spaces, no roofs no walls no chimneys to fall.

While the world watched we saw little and now we see little.

What is precious at the end of the day? time for a rethink I think.

We hear them speak about the city ninety percent of the time almost as an afterthought the suburbs get a mention, nearly back to front I reckon.

Broken biscuits they were cheap, broken buildings just as cheap.

Cera how dear ya make me so small I thought I was bigger than life top job as a prize, With the stroke of a pen you chopped me down to size.