I had hoped to send this Christmas email before Christmas - as you do ...then I revised that on the theory that everyone is too busy prior to Christmas with shopping , card writing (many thanks for all of those too) and in the case of our Northern Hemisphere guests - snow shovelling - so I decided that post Boxing Day would be good and just in time for New Year. After all you would be relaxed , having a bit of time out - especially well deserved after all those Boxing Day sales (even on the net! - v.stressful).......but it didn't happen and over a month later I would like to put in a few good wishes for a Peaceful New Year and a Happy Easter. We live in hope for us all - it has not been a good start - with weather extremes disrupting thousands of lives worldwide and peace failing to break out in those most vulnerable of places
- it saddens the heart and we have 11 months to go.
We had a great Kiwi Christmas Day - at the beach with our family. Okains Bay on Banks Penninsula - stunning day - hot and fun - no fuss, just a BBQ, salads and fresh mussels picked off the rocks, cooked in white wine, fresh herbs and garlic butter - served with Pascal's homebaked bread.Even played Rugby with a soccer ball - can you imagine that being fun???? Bet you can after all your dreadful snow and the tragic floods in Australia.
Our good wishes for Health and Happiness for you all for 2011 and beyond and this time we are including our beloved home and on a lesser note ourselves.
As you know in September 2010, Christchurch suffered a 7.1 Magnitude Earthquake and from our website and our blog
you will have learned that we returned a month early from our holiday in Europe to repair and restore the damage - which in hindsite was not too bad - although it seemed bad then.
Everything went according to plan and most was repaired for re-opening on 1st November (except for the chimneys - but that is a whole bureaucratic nightmare and worthy of a 'black-comedy' blog of its own - which we will laugh about later I'm sure!
And so it happened - we had a great November /December businesswise and generally feeling pretty over it (earthquakewise I mean).We had had aftershocks ( they don't warn you about these) about 4,000 + of them - mostly not noticed to be honest as they were quite small and could have been the feeling of a truck or bus passing.We had a few 5.0M - which are definitely noticeable and damaging but not too frightening - lots of 3.0's and 4.0 +'s - but we were coping, a bit anxious but being quite positive- as our guests duing that period would tell you....
But by now you are realising I am leading up to something....yes - Boxing Day...just as the sales started we were hit by a series of aftershocks in the centre of the city. I was quite calm (relatively) for the first four of them - more whoops, that was close (we have had so many we can almost pinpoint the epicenter and magnitude )- when at 10.30 am we were simultaneously hit by two very shallow quakes less than 2Km away coming from different directions leaving The Weston House somewhat like the meat in the sandwich!
Calm and reason disappeared (well from me - Len was brilliant) Fortunately we had no guests at the time but from where I stood it looked as if the house was trying to tear itself apart. I can tell you now there is a difference between terror and fear - can't quite quantify it - but I wasn't in fear for my life ( may not have had time for that, of course) but truly put in my place as regards my part in the scheme of things and the sheer power of Mother Nature ( I'm sure that should be a neutral 'Person' Nature these PC days - can't really see why such forces should be feminized - Hurricanes can be blokes too now, you know!)
Damage ...oh yes ... 4th September was a pussycat by comparison.Breakages once again very few - that is the weird part and once again fortunately no injuries even though shopping was in full swing.
Result - we are out of action for the Summer Season - and will scrape in just in time for the Rugby World Cup - I am currently scouting around for a manufacturer of designer armour, steel boots and whips of varying sizes - might have to get a designer muzzel for Len - I bark - he bites ( like - here comes the heavy cavalry ! ).
You wouldn't believe what they are planning...and in fact we don't know the full extent ourselves - but we have suffered structurally this time and
although we have no walls down - so to all intents and purposes we look ok - from the outside - stuff has happened that has the Architect and Engineer going - oh dear...this is no longer cosmetic and involves quite intensive remediation.
I will give you updates.... I am sure writing the blog will be like freebie counselling... if I can manage a giggle I may survive.
I am suffering from Guest Withdrawal - a new disease - and missing the social side and breakfast chat immensely.
We are still having Wine O'Clock - purely medicinal you realize - but we do toast you all and have caught up with quite a few repeat/returning guests for dinner whose bookings we have had to cancel. I'm sure you will be pleased to hear I have had no side effects whatsoever regarding lack of cleaning , cooking or laundry but am being diligent in the garden.The sunsets are still beautiful....
We have had the chance for a bit of a summer social life with friends which is great and we are having adventures with the
Grandchildren - Jola at 5 months is a bit too young to appreciate it - but we are having such fun with Calix - Ice Creams just before dinner and healthy treats like chocolate muffins.We are going to see Fire Engines and Trains and Boats and Trams - kicking the ball in the park and playing on the swings - pure magic - they don't care if Grandad's hair falls out or Granny has double chins - we are collectively know as Grannygrandad (one word ) and greeted with huge hugs and kisses.Today Len and Calix caught the Orbiter Bus around the suburbs - hopping on and off for treats . Just before Christmas we had horse-drawn trams on the new inner city tram route - another adventure that included lunch at the Bangalore Polo Club for Len and Calix. When we went back a week ago this young attractive waitress came up and asked Len where the 'darling little boy' was...as our son would say ' a chick-magnet ' !
I just smiled - well grimaced actually - haven't noticed the reverse with the good looking young blokes and me!!!!! But I am getting over it...
Not having guests is hitting our Trip Advisor ranking too - so if you enjoyed staying at The Weston House - we can do with a few kind words (just click on the Trip Advisor logo thingy below to write a review ) Even though Trip Advisor can be abused it is a valuable tool for the travelling public - I use it all the time but if you fallout of the top 5 you are lost.... we are currently at No.3....
- Write a review of The Weston House
P.S.
Anything you see in the blog which is underlined can be clicked on to take you straight through to a relevant website.
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