Indulgent

We just returned from a last minute trip out of town for 24 hours. A much-needed and very much appreciate jaunt. Anyone living in Christchurch right now knows how awesome it is to leave for a wee while.

A miscellaneous post...

Things are busy around here right now - I am working a fair bit, which always makes life frantic. And a new semester has just started, so I am studying again... Clinical Pathology and Hematology - very exciting!

We have had a bit of time to stop and smell the roses though - yesterday I made blueberry pancakes for brekky...

 

 And late last week I go this snap of the sunset....check out the layer of smog settled on the city:

 

Slightly to the side you can see our CBD skyline:

...dominated by cranes and darkened buildings. Each building is being painstakingly deconstructed - but in the news today, they have announced the intention to implode a building! We will head down and have a look on Sunday August 5th when it takes place.

Art comes to town...

Christchurch is lucky enough to be hosting Michael Parekowhai's On First Looking Into Chapman's Homer - the work he exhibited at the Venice Bienniale last year.

The work is made up of a series of objects, including two bronze bulls atop two bronze pianos, a scarlet-red carved Steinway piano (which originally belonged to Lili Kraus when she lived in NZ), and at least four bronze olive seedlings. Difficult to visualise, but amazing.

Earthquake update

I keep meaning to post some photos taken around the CBD, as it is pretty crazy right now - we can see about a dozen cranes from our house, and there is a constant rumbling and grinding noise as you get close and can hear the diggers, nibblers and trucks. There is still a large cyclone fence around the central city (the Red Zone), and only authorised people (construction workers, engineers etc) are allowed in. The local newspaper posts updated videos taken from in the Red Zone regularly, and for those who are interested - the latest link is here:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/7179100/Fresh-footage-from-inside-the-red-zone

Even people familiar with Christchurch now find it difficult to orientate themselves when watching these videos - it is a totally flat city, and without many of the landmark buildings navigation is almost impossible.  The more astute of you will recognise the Sons & Co site at around the 20 sec mark.

The Best

We spent last night at our pals' new pad out in Omihi. So awesome. We like to think we have a pretty nice view at home, but it has nothing on these guys...

From one extreme to the other...

We have just had an epic weekend with out-of-town guests. And the weather really came to the party - beautiful sunny days, and even a sunny (but chilly) walk on Sumner beach yesterday. 

A couple of photos taken this morning of the snow...