THE RED ZONE - STILL BARRED TO ALL RESIDENTS UNLESS YOU HAVE CELEB STATUS

Here is a link to a remarkable series of photos from the Picasa Web album of Ross Becker.
As citizens of Christchurch this area is still out of bounds to us although surrounding streets are opening up to traffic and the sights we are seeing are shocking us to the core.

I think the one thing we cannot comprehend is how lucky  we all were to survive baring in mind the shaking was stronger than that felt in the Japanese Quake in March ...see a previous blog for a link to that report.

On Wednesday night TV ONE are screening a documentary on '5 days in The Red Zone' - you should be able to view this through their website  'on demand'.

Otherwise life continues...I will update on a more personal note later this week - we are all well and happy ...maybe happyish is more accurate...but trying to be positive about our future and that of our favourite city.

Went to a great Birthday dinner on Saturday night at Tiffany's - made all the better by the fact that the world didn't end as predicted. Bloody man - how dare he rattle our nerves like that - plus he predicted it was all going to start in Godzone NZ - probably doesn't even know where we are !

APRIL UPDATE

For those of you who would like to explore the sad facts about our February Earthquake, below are a few links because we are out of the news loop now and for many of you this info is all new.
The 14 min Video is very moving and sad as it shows the broken heart of our beloved city.

My Picasa Web album  shows Christchurch in its recent former glory - compare and rejoice that you have seen it at its best. https://picasaweb.google.com/weston.house/CULTURALPRECINCT10MINSWALKToTHEWESTONHOUSE#

The Weston House is looking very sad but we are not allowed in currently, as our area is part of the cordoned off part of the city.The bureaucraps are dithering and we are no further ahead than we were on 22 Feb.
We are staying with wonderful patient friends and will house sit for them when they head to the UK after Easter.
We have been deluged with invitations from all over the world to come and stay - in fact we may never move back home (just kidding)...but look for us in a town near you....and keep a couple of bottles of NZ Sav Blanc in your fridge just in case we arrive on you doorstep...drink and replace regularly as this is not a wine for cellaring .....now this way you are prepared for us and stocked with good wine for yourselves - a 'win-win' in every way.

Now for those links....

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/4779330/Christchurch-bounced-during-deadly-earthquake http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-earthquake/4782133/Christchurch-earthquake-data--ill-fated-moment-tracks http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/4842829/Big-shocks-upgraded http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/4819322/Second-fault-much-better-behaved

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/video-inside-christchurch-s-red-zone-13-58-4071809

YOU KNOW YOU LIVE IN CHRISTCHURCH WHEN.....

You know you live in Christchurch when....

·         Geonet / ChristchurchQuakeMap is your homepage

·         The rest of the country offers you a place to stay

·         “Munted” and “buggered” are official technical terms

·         You go 'pfffff' when Wellington has a 4.5 earthquake that's 40km deep

·         You see a nice park in another city and think it would make a good evacuation point

·         You sleep in one suburb, shower in another and collect water from yet another

·         When you drive on the right side of the road and no one thinks it's wrong

·         You are happy two Policemen came for a visit

·         When your bike becomes your best friend

·         You think it's fine for a soldier to be stationed at the end of your street

·         You see armoured vehicles driving down the road

·         It’s normal to greet people with “do you need a shower?”

·         A bucket of sh*t is no longer that old car you drive

·         Every house is a crack house

·         Instead of rushing to the clothes line to get clothes in when it rains, you put dirty washing on the line in the hope that it will rain enough to clean them

·         Going to Wellington to escape earthquakes makes sense

·         Your doctor recommends having a few stiff drinks before bed to help you sleep

·         You know how to start and refuel a generator

·         You have tied the pantry, liquor cabinet and all the cupboard doors closed and it's not to keep kids out

·         You prefer to sit under the table instead of at it

·         You think electronics that have "shock proof" should say to which earthquake magnitude

·         You know and actually understand the terms and conditions of your House and Contents insurance policies

·         You can see irony in claims about houses made of “permanent materials”

·         Your en-suite has a vege garden, dog kennel and grass

·         Your teenagers are only too happy to sleep in the same room as their parents

·         You stop using the term “built like a brick sh*t house”

·         Dressing up to "head into town" means putting on a hi-viz vest, hard hat and boots

·         Discussing toilet habits with total strangers is an everyday norm

·         Wee boys don't get excited when they see (another) digger or a dozer - but all the adults in the street cheer wildly

·         Voluntarily staying in Timaru for five days seems like a good idea

·         You know what that extra gear lever on your 4X4 is for

·         Metservice includes a graph for dust

·         You have dust mask tan lines

·         You can use the term "liquefaction" in everyday casual conversation, even your 3-year old can

·         When a massive group of students appears in your street, you feel overwhelmed with gratitude  instead calling the Police. What’s more, the students leave the street in better condition than when they arrived

·         The answer to where anything is ... it’s on the floor

·         You smile at strangers and greet people like you’re one big family