Generations and Gaps

We had a lovely weekend last week. Mike and I flew to Christchurch on Thursday 7th April to spend some time with family in Christchurch and even better as that was also Jess's birthday. Whilst there we managed to get some lovely impromptu 4 generation snaps...

My mum - 1937
Me - 1962
Jess - 1984
Joseph - 2011











...got to be with Joe for his first innoculation....6 weeks already! Well, actually 7 at time of writing this...i can't believe how fast that's gone!!

...I got lots and lots and lots of wonderful cuddles with my gorgeous wee grandson....

... and even more cuddles!

and got to just watch him now and then....

...and got to show Joseph off to more family...here he is with great cuzzy Clare

Video of Joseph :o)

I also got to check in on my house in Christchurch, which i'm pleased to say even with it's interior and exterior earthquake damage, is looking the homeliest it has since i rented it out when I left Christchuch. 

My new tenant [who was actually my nextdoor neighbour since i bought the house in 1993...her house was ruined in the February earthquake] has made it look so lovely after giving it a good scrub and putting her own nice furniture in - the previous tenants have not been kind to it.  It is such a relief to walk in to the front yard and see it all nicely gardened and cared for....it's been a lovely home in the past for me and it has been devastating to see it being treated so badly by tenants. 

I am currently having a trying time with my insurance company regarding getting anything done...like so many others - and this has added a huge amount of stress.  I have a specialist landlord insurance and it seems they have a huge lack of communication between their independant assessor in Christchurch who has lied to me outright and the insurance company themselves.  Dealing with that and EQC is sending me slightly dippy i think!!  I have written a serious 'kick butt' email to my insurance company 'big wig' and cc'd  my insurance broker in.  I think it will have a desired result.  I am also dealing with the firm that was meant to be [and i use the term VERY loosely] property managing my house.   Currently having to force them to go to tenancy tribunal to get the bond back from my previous tenant and proving thousands of dollars damage to the interior of my house and contents among other things.  I'm sure it will all work out in the end... but times are trying at the moment!

The last day in Christchurch, Mike and i did a quick trip over to Lyttelton... one word... devastating. :(  Seeing the damage to the beautiful churches is beyond words made worse by car loads of sightseer's yelling their heads off; climbing on the stone fence and just being downright rude whilst i was standing quietly at Holy Trinity - just looking at it, surveying the damage and just feeling so upset - my ancestral links are also with this building.  Reality is much worse than a photo.

Holy Trinity Anglican Church



St Joseph's Catholic Church

Lyttelton Parish Union Church



Randoms from Lyttelton

Damaged Timeball Station :(

and it wouldn't be like me to not add a cemetery photo :) - Lyttelton

I found leaving family and Christchurch very hard.  I have such mixed feelings.  Seeing the damage again upset me and i wish i could have stayed longer....

©2011 Sarndra Lees