RANDOM MEANDERINGS

Indelibly etched into my psyche for the rest of my life, it is nice to see this catastrophic event remembered in Auckland.  The effects of this earthquake and subsequent ones are far reaching - a few of us that work here have family and friends that have suffered and still are suffering on an emotional level. This commemoration is a more low key one than the first commemoration at the museum and rightfully so, we are moving on and the sharp edges of loss, despair and emotional upheaval are blurring a bit...I said ... a bit.  We still have to remember that w e've lost childhood roots and homes, our families and acquaintances have had their social structures torn out from under them, the rebuild is slow and frustrations still torment. It is important to remember to support those still going through turmoil. Nearly to the hour Christchurch earthquake remembered  Part 2 -There was much footage in this that I hadn...

Recently I've had a little burst of postcard purchases.  I just had to grab this one of the old Christchurch Public library as not only is it a piece of history lost to the earthquakes of 2010-2011 but my dad told me a wee anecdote when I was staying with my parents over Christmas just gone. Electric trams ran from 1905 in Christchurch so that places the photo used in the postcard after this.     Close up of detail on the postcard.  Note the bicycles in the stand to the right    As a 10 year old in July 1947 my dad remembers travelling by tram into the city with his schoolmates and standing outside the library for several hours waiting to catch a glimpse of  Field Marshal Montgomery passing in his car.  With his little legs aching and clutching his flag to wave as Montgomery's car passed, it finally appeared but as a blur...taking only seconds to zoom past much to the disappointment of my dad. Here ...

What a whirlwind few weeks its been! The New Charlie - 4 1/2 hours old   I have a new grandson!    Charlie James was born by caesarean on 21 June 2013 at 11.54am weighing 8 pounds 12 ounces. A little brother for Joseph.  He was due on the 15th June and so I flew down to Christchurch on the 13th.  We knew that if he was overdue, my daughter Jessica wouldn't be kept too long before a decision was made whether or not to have a caesarean especially after the birth of their first son Joseph, amid the tumultuous days after the Christchurch earthquake.  However, there was a snowstorm forecast for the same time his caesarean was scheduled that was meant to be the worst since the 1992 Canterbury snowstorms...luckily just days of wind and torrential rain with a smattering of snow actually occurred in Christchurch.      I've told Jess that she can't have another baby or a tornado might occur LOL! Seems her children...