A Question ETC
Marion: What is liquifaction? It is a term I'm not familiar with at all but I'm assuming it may be the sludge or whatever that comes from water pipes, etc??
Heather, as already mentioned, I wanted to say again, how frightening and sobering the potential for an accident must have been for you all. How is everyone now?
My question: I have three hanging flower baskets on my bird feeding station. The birds love to sit on the struts of the pots. They also, apparently as I've discovered, enjoy pooping on my flowers and the leaves are now white instead of green. Will bird poop kill my plants?
Where and how is Jane?
On a side note: AnnieBelle, our 5 mos. old Aussie pup has found a purpose in life. Her current interest is shredding newspapers or any paper found within her reach. We don't have to use the paper shredder any more. Just hand it to Annie.
Rosey
Saturday - checking in
Marion in NZ - I'm so sorry to read about the continuing aftershocks in ChristChurch. It must be very unsettling.
Heather - It is truly a miracle that your DDIL and grands survived. How awful for you and your family. I am glad they are safe, in spite of the injuries.
Not much sewing has been accomplished lately, in my sewing room. I'm playing golf 2x/week and working on a very large Advent banner for our church. Hopefully I'll squeeze in some sewing for *me*, but best-laid plans... and all that ...
Saturday.
And a cold, damp day at that , winter has come.
Sorry to hear about the fires and the smoke problems around you Sara, there seems to be no end to these "natural disasters". Enjoy the family visit. I hope it will be a happy time for you all.
Heather, I was so sorry to read about the accident. You must all be feeling very shaken by it. The "what if's" must be terrifying to consider. So pleased that your family were relatively unhurt..
Rosey, unnerving is the word ! We've had constant after-shocks since Monday. Some strong enough to wake us, others barely noticeable (except to the animals..) They keep saying this could go on for a year...we're wondering where they are counting from !. The first big shake up was last Sept., the last, Monday this week...
I visited some people in a neighbouring small town this week. They are all trying to make the best of things but it has to be very challenging when their homes are damaged and the streets look like third world roads... There are big notices on the roads asking drivers to limit their speed. The dust from drying liquefaction and the vibrations of the vehicles, all add to their problems. Neighbours are looking out for neigbours though and that's always good to see. Three of the people I visited were originally from the UK and were saying that it took them back to WW2 and the Blitz in Britain... The thing about war though is that when it's over, you can start rebuilding. With the earthquakes it never seems to be over.
The ash from Chile , has moved off NZ but we hear that there is more on the way, so we won't be trying to get up to Auckland again in the near future. ( we did get our fare money refunded which was a nice surprise !) DD#1 and her family have plans to come over from UK and HK in July and Aug so I hope it's cleared by then !
Enjoy the w/end.
Marion.
Fires,smoke, and so on. . . . . .
It seems that the world wide weather is wacky. Since about 2 weeks ago there have been wildfires in So. Ga. around the Waycross area. The winds had blown the smoke this way for days on end. Now there are fires to the south and west of us. Smoke everywhere!
Thankfully the firefighters are working like crazy to contain the ones around the homes. They have all been caused by lightning strikes. We did get quite a thunderstorm in the middle of the night, and sweet, peaceful rain until about 8:00 AM today. Over 200,000 acres have burned in So. Ga. so not only are they having the mess, but loosing $$-timber industry. Most of the firefighters there are vol.
On a BRIGHT note, the DD and gang should be arriving at our house in about 2 hours. Yea. Their flight was not a problem. They spent last night in Daytona Beach at our little condo so the boys could get a taste of the ocean again. It might be several days before I post again.
Marion, thanks for keeping us updated. I will keep your area of the world in my thoughts and prayers.
Sara in Fla.
Thursday morning
Marion....I just read your postings.....being able to post while things are shaking around.....I almost felt like I was there.....do hope these rumblings settle down and go away for a few centuries.....there has been enuf crazy stuff going on....
Well congrats to any Bruins Fans for winning the Stanley Cup last night....but the aftermath caused by a few in Vancouver and the warlike zone that is that downtown area.....disgusting, shameful, unnecessary, and embarassing.....I am not sure that there would have been some if the result had been different....not a big hockey fan but usually catch the playoffs and final round.....I do remember when hockey ended usually by March.....way too many years ago....My Dad would have enjoyed the exteneded season for sure...
We had a very close call in our family Monday nite....one of our daughter-in-laws was taking her son and daughter to a baseball game and turning onto what we call the expressway but is actually the trans canada highway.....she had the green light but the tractor trailer wasn't stopping ......somehow by the grace of God they all survived but if you saw the vehicle you would have to wonder how Janice ....the front end of the car is disintergrated....but the driver's compartment seemed to have protected her....She has a broken collar bone....head gashes...bruised ribs with some muscle issues....but she is alive and will recover.....hopefully released by late tomorrow .....the two kids came out with only a bump on one head and a seatbelt rashburn on the other one......I just came from seeing the car in person and immediately the tears came....if the driver of the tractor trailer hadn't managed to swerve a bit into the inside lane the truck would have demolished the entire car instead of the front end....we would have been counting bodies instead of our lucky stars for sure.....
Today and tomorrow is a no grandma babysitting service available.....our quilting group will start to gather tonight and quilt thru til late Saturday night.....last one til the end of August so we best make the most of it....we usually do come home to sleep but have been known to just slip away into a quieter part of the building and have a rest.....
sending hugs to all....
Building on questionable land
Marion, the splash of pansies is uplifting in an otherwise disturbing post. I glance at the papers, I don't watch television so I'm appreciative of reading about incidents here. How frightening to be going about your business at home (and posting to the chat board, actually) only to find you are in the midst of yet another earthquake. Your comments about the Marshlands and draining them to allow building in Christchurch brought to mind the flooding problems of rivers like the Mississipi; the Red River in Winnipeg, Canada, the homes lost in the New Orleans hurricane where buildings were allowed to be built where they shouldn't be.
It also brought to mind the comment of my real estate broker twenty-three years ago when I was selling my home in downtown (east) Oakville, that part of Oakville that I call 'boutique-town'. It is on Lake Ontario, many lovely homes in East Oakville along with an upscale shopping area. Yet, the agent said, hundreds of years ago when the Indians were settled in the area, they would only come down off the bluff where they lived to trade on the flat land below. The flat land had many underground streams running through it and miasma was a concern. Yet, many years later, homes and businesses were allowed to be built on this lowland. Oddly enough, the people who live there can suffer greatly from allergies, although, the oil refinery to the west would add to it.
It must be more than unnerving for everyone living in and around Christchurch. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
Rosey
The humble pansy....
A little splash of colour in my garden. I was so pleased to see it, it will be awhile before the early bulbs flower and there's not much else out there.
The second quake yesterday was 6.3. No wonder it shook me up ! The after-shocks continued all afternoon but mostly around the 3 or 4 mark so we hardly noticed them. Lots of problems with the liquefaction again in parts of Christchurch. The ground should never have been built on really, but the early settlers thought that draining it was enough. The area called "Marshlands" wasn't called that for nothing.... No deaths and very few injuries so we were very fortunate. There are whole areas of the city where the houses are to be condemned and the ground they are on is not suitable for rebuilding. The government will have to compensate the home owners ofcourse, but it's unlikely to be to the pre-earthquake value..
Just heard on the radio a report from Queensland (Australia) where they had floods earlier in the year. Over 500 homes were abandoned and now they have a rat problem there.... I had heard a hint that this was happening in Christchurch, the cordoned off area has been deserted since Feb. so the rats have had it all to themselves.. Not nice to think about..
Heard an interview with Geraldine Brooks too. What an interesting woman. Can't imagine why I had never heard of her or read any of her books. They sound as if they are just the sort of books I would enjoy. I'll try at the library tomorrow. Any recommendations ?
We've had a quiet and sunny day here today. Helpful for those in difficulties in the city.
Marion.
It's a small world....
I should be on a flight to Auckland now, to visit DD#2 and family. Would you believe that the ash from the volcano in Chile last week has blown over here and flights are cancelled ?? Not only that, in the last hour we have had two very strong after-shocks which have been very scary. The first was 5.5 and the second one (just as I started to write this) felt stronger. Just heard the mayor on the radio and he sounds very shaken, saying that there is more damage in the city and that people have evacuated buildings.... my lights are still swinging and the dog has disappeared. Better go and find her. DH is playing golf He probablty didn't even feel it ! Just as well that the flights were cancelled. If we had left, I'm not sure that I would have been keen to return anytime soon....
Marion .
