The new kitten is now Thomas aka The Tabster. Oh boy, is he smart. He's running rings around me, and when he's awake, demands heaps of attention. But that's good - my role in life, as he sees it, is to provide fun and food for him. He hates the computer and hates me reading books, has already climbed up two trees and is just generally gung-ho. Perhaps I should have called him Gung-ho, but he's not Chinese and neither am I.
Just had another small earthquake, a rolling one, like being in a rowboat on a gentle sea. The last one was a jolting one, a sudden bang- it's interesting how different they are. I'm not quite so scared now, but always at the back of my mind I'm waiting for another Big One. Talking to other people, different earthquakes have been differently perceived. It often depends where you were when you experienced them. The initial earthquake in September 2010 was the biggest, but because it was early on Saturday morning most people were home with their families. The February quake was more distressing, not just because it did more damage, but because family members were separated from each other because it was a week day. Personally, I found the second one on December 2011 the most alarming, as I was in the wine aisle at the Supermarket. We were having our end-of-year barbeque when the first one struck; what I remember most vividly is the look of disbelief on everyone's faces.
I guess the most profound effect on me is that I no longer go out much, a sort of earthquake-induced agoraphobia. I only go shopping if I really have too - the idea of shopping in a mall is not pleasant, the potential for being trapped. I used to go for walks around the Sumner area and on the Port Hills, but the damage has closed most of the tracks, and driving is no longer a pleasure - the roads are bumpy, the traffic is mad and so are the drivers. I hope to win Lotto, then I can buy a place in the country and rusticate well away from the mad ugly city.
Oh well. Live and dream.
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