Sigh.

Autumn is here. It's been here for a while, but somehow I failed to notice until yesterday.

Things are very different on this side of town. People are better dressed, but more boring. The parks are prettier, but emptier.


The process involved with getting back into our house is slow and frustrating, and to date we have made no progress with getting into Matt's work. About half of the people we know here have been displaced - most are living with their parents. It is difficult to understand if you don't live here; the effects of the quake are everywhere, from the ridiculous traffic (as so many roads are inaccessible), to the lack of places to meet to have a coffee or a drink, not to mention the collapsed walls, piles of rubble on the street and stench of sewerage in certain parts of town.

Then every day there is the story of someone else we know (sometimes close friends, sometimes just acquaintances) whose homes or businesses have been declared irreparable. There is very little good news. Yesterday we heard that the home of someone we vaguely know was so badly damaged, they haven't been allowed back in since the quake and it has been demolished with all of their belongings inside. We mope around feeling sorry for ourselves then flip to feeling incredibly lucky.

Two words: Over It.