Earthquake Part 6

Now

I have been running around in tiny circles as part of my coping strategy over the last few days, and have left me and my friends stranded in Hagley Park.

Today's photo shows my bathroom. The water bottle and plastic cup are needed for hygienic tooth cleaning. The battery-powered sensor-triggered soap dispenser is my panicky purchase from Richmond Pak'NSave when they had sold out of hand sanitiser. The little spray bottle is the very last hand sanitiser from the chemist in Richmond Mall. These small details show how much energy needs to go into the smallest of daily routines. A view to the left would show our bath full of water, filled when the water came back the first time, and kept in case it goes again - not a pretty sight.

Future

Moon man debate runs hot, with predictions of a big quake around 19-21 March. With John Key announcing a memorial service for 18 March accompanied by a public holiday for Christchurch, I find myself wondering if he is (a) trying to lay the prevalent anxiety to rest OR (b) allowing us the option of taking a long weekend out of Christchurch. Please comment with your opinion.

Then (22 February)

Note: This mornings's Press suggests that the fallen tree we saw was an oak, not a willow.

In my last post, I left us in the compound in Hagley Park. Eventually we reached consensus about our next step - walk to my car and drive home. There was concern amongst us about the trees, so we walked briskly down the tree-lined avenue and out on to Rolleston Avenue. Once we were safely buckled into the car we headed cautiously down Park Terrace to Carlton Mill corner and then left in to Harper Avenue.

My recollections of the drive home are patchy - I was concentrating on driving safely in trying circumstances. The roads were packed and it took an hour and three quarters for me to get home. Things I do recall

• New "sand bunkers" in the Hagley Park golf course
• Not being able to turn right into Riccarton Road due to a fallen brick building (Dalley's seed merhants? I remember buying gardening supplies there with my mother years ago)
• Having to choose whether to trust the new fly-over by Placemakers or go the long way round
• People overtaking when there was no where to go and lanes were merging
• Stopping at the railway line in Matipo Street, aware that crossing lights would not be working
• Pausing to allow traffic to move ahead under the over-bridge on Wrights Road so that we would not have to stop underneath it