Has-beens

Thinking about those film stars who were gorgeous and now going to seed. I've had a long love affair with Johnny Depp, but that's over now - his current "look", scraggy goatee, glasses and lank greasy hair does nothing for him. And doesn't Brad Pitt look like a potato that's been too long in the dark?

Aftersocks

No not a spelling mistake, but a great idea from Rural Women and the New Zealand Sock Co. Go to www.aftersocks.co.nz to see the latest fashion statement. Crafted from a merino wool blend, these cosy socks come in Canterbury colours (red and black stripes) with a seismic-reading quake graphic. Proceeds go to the Christchurch Earthquake Relief Fund. So if you are reading this overseas, get a little keepsake from Canterbury and help support us.
Clever name, eh?

What the ????

More quakes last night, so everyone in Christchurch is bleary-eyed this morning. started with a five point five at 10.30, just as people were going to bed or were already asleep, then another 10 aftershocks during the night. Slept with my clothes on again, in case I have to make a quick exit. At least if I die I'll be decent when the rescuers come to get me.
We're all waiting for the Government to come to its decision as to what's to be done. Since its now 9 months since the first quake, you can say that They are not rushing to come to a decision; apparently this is to find "the best solution for the people of Christchurch". Could it be that They don't know what the ???? to do? They are compounding the natural disaster with a man-made bureaucratic one. We have four "leaders" who are being paid big money to say nothing. The situation is becoming more worrying by the day. Should we stay or go? Is this a Pompeii-type situation? Is there more going on seismologically than we are being told. Is our "extinct" volcano waking up? No one will say.
I've started looking at jobs in Australia, and will pressure my mother to get a current passport, in case we have to refugee to Australia. At the moment we can't leave the country because the ash-cloud from the volcano in Chile has grounded most aircraft. Its very cold here and we are all fed up. Those who aren't on the way to becoming alcoholics are having nervous breakdowns instead. We'll have to build a lovely new earthquake-proof insane asylum to house all of us driven witless by the current situation. I'm sure Christchurch prescription rates for anti-depressants are well up. Rescue Remedy is being imbibed like water; perhaps we should offer some to the Earthquake God to calm him down. Or perhaps we need a human sacrifice; finding a virgin in New Zealand could be tricky, though.

Again again already

Once more, or rather twice more, we have "aftershocks". Monday afternoon one 5.something and then a whopping big 6.3. Apparently this last shock now comes from another fault line previously unknown. I was out in the garden, the best place to be, and the during the second shock had to hang on to my recycling bin to stand up. It felt just as bad as our September earthquake. The trees really rocked too, God knows what its doing to them.
But I just kept on gardening. Next summer I'm going to have a really great vegetable garden. I've got some seeds from Italy (striped red and white chicory, and a lumpy pumpkin called Marina di Chioggia, which I'm told is lovely and sweet for roasting) also scaloppini and a red and white stripy carnation. And Borlotti beans. (I like red and white stripes). The earth takes, and the earth gives.