Sunday, March 20, 2011

Monday morning..


As you can see by the Christmas cards, this isn't a recent photo ! However, it's a nice photo of the embroidery above the mantelpiece so I thought I would add it here. Some years ago we were in France and visited Bayeux. I was thrilled to see the tapestry, which I remembered hearing about at school. I bought a tapestry kit and enjoyed working it. The stitches used are authentic but the actual tapestry is finer work that this...
Thank you for the photos which keep coming. Aren't they lovely ? They sure do brighten the page and brighten the day . Sophie looks a real lady (!) and the sea scape's were very refreshing.
I'm working hard to keep myself from shaking here this morning. We had a difficult day yesterday. We had a near-miss in the car. This morning the reality of the "what ifs" have kicked in. Yesterday started well enough. We had a friend staying and we needed to take her into town to meet up with her DD, who was planning to take her out of "earthquake city". This was our first visit to Christchurch central since the quake. It was a sad journey seeing so many damaged buildings, porta-loos at the side of the road, piles of silt from the liquefaction, fallen chimneys, fallen garden walls etc, bumpy uneven roads and broken pavements. After meeting with our friends, we parked the car and walked through part of the city. It's hard to look at. So many beautiful buildings "red-sticker ed" (to be demolished..) and others deserted and looking sad and neglected. The CBD is still cordoned off, I knew this ofcourse, but to actually see soldiers stationed there at the road blocks,...... here in NZ....., seemed so incongruous. It was a wet, cold Sunday morning and the streets were deserted. We had also planned to visit our friends who returned to their home last week. They live up on the hills above the city. The drive there was scary as the roads are so badly damaged and the traffic lights not always working.. At one intersection we were nearly wiped out by a fast moving truck. We continued on with our journey and arrived at our friends home to the welcome smell of fresh coffee. .. we said nothing initially, as they were traumatised by the further damage to their home . .. It wasn't till we returned home that we fully processed all that had happened. The evening was interrupted by more after shocks. We went to bed exhausted .. We didn't sleep well. Sorry to unload here but I don't want to worry the DD's with all of this and I feel the need to tell someone..
So, onward and upward ! Today I have to bake for earthquake victims who are living in their own homes but under very difficult circumstances..
Have a good day, hug those you love.
Marion.

4 Comments:

At March 21, 2011 at 10:53 AM , Blogger Mary in Oregon said...

Marion, thank you for sharing what it's actually like living through this recovery time. I wouldn't have thought about traffic lights not working. As you experienced, one more stress to deal with. Between after shocks, sad loss of beautiful old buildings as well as great loss of life and just general 'not the same' living it must be so difficult for everyone. Please remember you are being thought of.
Hugz, Mary in Oregon

 
At March 21, 2011 at 3:18 PM , Blogger Marion in NZ. said...

Mary, I think you are a lady with a big heart. Your comments are always kindly and encouraging. Thank you. The February quake has changed life for all NZers. The cost of rebuilding is going to be enormous and we are not a wealthy country. With winter approaching the hardship will be increased. Nothing compared to what has happened in Japan ofcourse, but this is our problem and we are in the middle of it. Thanks again.

 
At March 21, 2011 at 9:15 PM , Blogger Graham and Fran said...

Dear Marion
Just letting you know that we are thinking of you both and ChCh as a whole. That would have been such a scary experience with the truck, on top of all the emotion you were feeling at the time. Whenever we get internet I will make sure I keep uptodate with what's going on.
Love from Fran

 
At March 21, 2011 at 9:25 PM , Blogger Mary in Oregon said...

Marion, you are too kind. :-) I think when anyone experiences great hardship and it continues day after day, there are times it almost seems beyond one's ability to cope. I know things will eventually improve. It will never be quite the same. But perhaps, hopefully, some things might be even better? You Kiwi's are a mighty tough people. :-)
Hugz, Mary in Oregon

 

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