Leaving on a jet plane..

I took a flight in a way-too-small plane today. To Palmerston North on a study expedition. I have been in lectures all day, and yet it feels like a holiday. No earthquakes. No baby. A big bath. Loving it.

And tomorrow we get to do some practical practice. On cadavers. Yee-har.

Seven weeks later...

As I mentioned in my previous post, I've have been taking walks in Hagley park of late.

Although at times it is easy to believe that nothing has happened here, there are also definite reminders that all is not right in Christchurch. Apart from the felled and fallen oak trees, and the man-made lake that has emptied itself, there is this large car park dumped right on the grass in the middle:


At first it just looks like a temporary car park, set up perhaps for all the workers (civil defence, demolition workers etc) currently hard at work in the CBD. But on closer inspection it becomes apparent that these cars are often dented and broken, covered in dust or with windows dripping with condensation. Rubble and mortar which had smashed the window of one car still sat on the passenger seat. Most of them have a curious orange circle spray painted on the rear windscreen, or occasionally a less confusing message "CLEAR" painted along the side.

These are the vehicular remains from the CBD following the quake. One by one they have been rescued and brought to the park to be claimed by their owners. No one drove out after the quake, cars were left on the streets and in parking buildings.

Yesterday, Matt was able to go down and pick up his car. Fortunately it was in an undamaged car park, and seems to be okay apart from a generous sprinkling of dust.

Autumn in the Garden City

We were flying solo this weekend (just me and the baby...and the dog...and the cat, but she hardly counts). The weather was stunning - cool but fine, so we took a couple of walks through Hagley Park.




We really are lucky to still have this space. There were huge numbers of folks out with their dogs, and their children, and each other. If you're trying to live in the new Christchurch, I thoroughly recommend a stroll in the Autumn sunshine-y goodness to clear the head. Then a cup of tea, or a glass of wine, then another glass, and hey, why not finish the bottle?

Because life was too simple...

I am studying again. After spending nearly ten years in a tertiary institution, I have found it difficult to adjust to life on the outside. I am a geek at heart. So I enrolled in my Masters, and was accepted on the day of the quake. I wasn't to know that six weeks later we would still be living with my parents.


I am reading articles with titles such as Association between outcome and changes in plasma lactate concentration during presurgical treatment in dogs with gastric-dilatation-volvulus and Fluid Therapy with Macromolecular Plasma Volume Expanders. It is sometimes hard to concentrate, and to find time to study, but at the same time it is a welcome distraction from our new lives post-quake.

Sleeping dog, on my lap.

It is absolutely bucketing down with rain here today. A good chance to hang out indoors. With a dog.

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.

Where are they now?

Remember way back when I made some cushions for C1? Well, here's where they are now - huddled in the corner under a dusting of mortar.


The cafe is right in the thick of the Red Zone, so there is still no access.


The cups of coffee still sit half drunk, surrounded by the spillage that occurred during the quake, and newspapers no doubt dated February 22 2011.