Statistics

Geonet listed this today at 2.30pm .  Since the 7.8 earthquake on Monday morning, we have had 2812 earthquakes.  Mum feels a bit like she has just got off a boat, and feels a bit like she has wobbly sea legs.  Life is returning to normal.  The working week is over and mum and I have relaxing to do.  We have visitors coming too - boy I am not looking forward to that, mum says they need my bed to sleep in.

Calm

 Today has been a bit calmer.  Some clouds and rain have rolled in again, and we are expecting it to be a bit wilder later in the day.  The earthquakes have lessened a bit both in magnitude and frequency.  Mum doesn't find it hard to sleep - me neither!!

  Our day was somewhat disrupted as there are a team in the upstairs flat installing new carpet.  We don't get any yet as there is some building work to be done on our flat.  They only have two small rooms to be done up there so we don't expect it to take too long.  Those boys are banging away upstairs, so mum is not exactly getting a restful time before she heads to work again.

This lovely picture is from Stuff of the Australian ship the HMAS Darwin on the way to the Kaikoura coast.  Our navy was having celebrations this weekend in Auckland and British, Canandian, Australian, Singapore and American forces have redirected to help with relief efforts of taking tourists away from the area, and helping to bring in supplies for the locals and to help with getting the area sorted out.  Awesome and we thank you all.

Wordless Wednesday

Quakes and Storms

 We thought we would share some of the photos of what damage the earthquake on Sunday night did.  It has caused around about 1,000 slips in the Kaikoura region where the quake hit.  These coast roads that have been blocked off (yes that is a road round the edge in the photo below), are the main road on the South Island.

 Luckily the main quake hit at midnight on Sunday night.  We hope that no one is under all that rubble.  Because most people were tucked up in their beds, we were lucky to hear of only 2 deaths, and very little injuries.  Today the government are assisting to get tourists out of the area using Air force helicopters today, and the navy arrive tomorrow to take people away by boat.  The local police, council and support staff will go door to door and visit every home to check on everybody.

Because roads and rail (as below) in and out of the town are cut, they are limited in supplies with water cut off.  Everyone though will work hard to look after the locals and help them cope.  The local marae cooked up 400kg of crayfish this morning to give people who have been evacuated breakfast.

 Kaikoura is a small seaside settlement of about 3,700 people and we wonder about all the people on rural farms.  They would have a lot of supplies and are used to being independent.

 We saw reports tonight that the famous cows have been rescued.  We are sure these ones have been on the news around the world.  News helicopters spotted these cows who were stranded on a little island of green in the middle of slips as they flew over the region on Monday.

 Our city is the biggest city a few hundred kms away, but we have had quite a few earthquakes centered here as well.  They are saying now it is about 800 since Sunday night. It is these aftershocks that are probably a bit more unnerving than the main big shake.   Mum finds it hard to tell if it is a quake or not, as they come every minute or so, and she feels like she is constantly shaking.  She has a glass of water beside her and finds it helpful.  If there is a big shake, the water moves side to side in the glass.

Last night we knew that we were due a storm as well.  So we had 140km winds and torrential rain, with a months worth of rain in the past 24 hours, causing floods and our city to become closed off.  Luckily it stopped raining at lunchtime.  Where we live is quite elevated so we don't get flooded in and although it kept mum at home, it wasn't too painful although mum did not fancy having to leave the house if there were any big shakes.   Like many locals then mum went out for a short walk this afternoon and got some groceries and did a couple of chores.  All the water was gone at the supermarket but most other things were all stocked up.

She has moved her emergency kit close to the front door.  There is my cat carrier with some foods and treats for me inside, with a blankie and a bottle of water.  Mum has packed a bag for herself with some clothes and personal bits and pieces and leaves it there with her coat and boots.  She is still sleeping in some clothes, just leggings and top and cardigan in case she has to get up quickly.  I have even snuggled with her a couple of times, which mum likes.  xxx

Nite Nite

8.10pm - Thank you for all the kind well wishes for our safety.  We are fine just a bit shaken.  It is almost 20 hours since last nights big quake.  There have been about 400+ aftershocks here in our city since, so many that mum doesn't move for any of them, although there was a large 5.8 tonight which rattled her a bit.  It has been a good day to stay home and stay close to the news on the television as much of the city was closed off.  Especially now as wet and windy weather has packed in making it a miserable night.  Mum has a bag packed with clothes and supplies but does not fancy having to leave the house unless it is a really big shake.

Mum helped one of her friends out who did not have electricity.  Mum was able to ring her supplier to log the fault so they can send an engineer out as they were unaware that the street was out.  Hopefully they can get it back on for her and her neighbours, as she thinks the whole street is out.

So it will be a restless night again for us.  Mum will sleep with her clothes on again, and boots beside her bed, ready to leave if she needs to.

Love Us
xxx

Update

These are pictures of the areas close to the quake - NOT where we live.  It was centered more over Kaikoura on the coast and we have heard that there were 2 deaths.  In our town there has been a bit of damage to buildings and we have been told not to go into the city center.  Mum did have some plans to get some stuff done today, but she is happy to stay at home and read her book and take it easy.

All of her friends are ok.  One suffered some breakages at home and lost power.  They were also evacuated to higher ground because of where they live but they are fine.  We still are Tsunami warnings in place so no picnics at the beach.

So mum better get dressed and go to the supermarket before the rain arrives.

Quake Shakes

Oh man our country is rocking around tonight. We are fine, just a bit jittery.   This is the Biggest shake mum has ever felt, and luckily there was a bit of a rumble first.  I was sitting next to her and she got us to the door to shelter under the doorway.  It almost moved her off her feet.  Just a few non breakable things fell off shelves, but mum is good and doesn't have much that is unsecured.

We have had shakes following every few minutes and mum does not think she will get much sleep tonight.

The epicentre was near Christchurch where there were big quakes a few years ago, so we hope everyone is ok there.

Thanks for thinking of us.

Love
Julie and Poppy Q

Sunday Evening Skies

Mum had a busy day at work today but the day went fast.  No sooner had she started and it was lunchtime and then she was back home.  Yesterday was the rainiest day of the year, so finally the clouds cleared this afternoon, so she rushed home and washed the towels to put them outside to dry in the fresh air.  When she took them in at about 7:30pm the skies here were lovely with wispy clouds and after weeks of grey skies, with promises of rain again tomorrow she wanted to share some blue sky photos with you.

So now she gets to enjoy two days off with me, so mum is trying to get the majority of chores done tonight so that she can enjoy herself.  So dishes are soaking, the vacuum cleaner is out.  Mum also uses Sunday night to giver her face a good scrub and soak too, so that feels fresh for the week.  After being told off a couple of months ago for overdoing the scrubs and rubs on her face and making it a bit too sensitive, she finds that once a week is ok.  Then the relaxing will begin (for her - I have already started and have headed to bed at 6pm).

Have a lovely Sunday!

Cool Caturday

Our Caturday today was cool - but not in the hipster sense, just another dismal day with non stop rain for the past 24hours, feeling more mid autumn than mid spring.  However, the mumster had to go to work again today so she felt that she wasn't missing much.  We liked this picture we found of a cool 1950s cat in London by photographer Thurston Hopkins.

Mum got home and had to have a little nap, getting up at 5am is a bit too early even for her and after a busy week of call she has learnt to listen to her body, and if it tells her to go and lie down for a while she often does.  Nap may not be quite the right term however, as she usually needs an hour or twos sleep to feel refreshed - I curled up with her for a little while until she got restless, then it was back to my bedroom.  She did get up for the evening and made a quick chicken/broccoli/pasta dinner which is her go to when she wants a quick dinner with a pile of vegetables.

The candles were then lit and mum is watching a movie - Prisoners, although a bit grim material she had recordered it and rather than going out is enjoying a free watch.  One of her Saturday rituals is to read the weekend posts from Design Mom and A Cup Of Jo, both who post with  a collection of interesting articles, reads, reviews that always make for good reading.

We hope you are having a cool Caturday too!!  Have some fun!!

Finally Friday

Finally Friday again.  It has been a bit of an odd one in the house of Q.  Mum was on call last night, and she went into work until 1.30am.  She got herself off to work at 2:30am and got another howl from me.  She went and got me and bought me onto her bed where after a bit of annoyed noises I did settle down under her covers and go to sleep.  She was surprised when the phone went off again this morning, and went back to work, finishing just after 7.30am.  The bonus of the two call ins was that she did not have to return to work at all today, and although her intention was to stay up and be productive after breakfast and reading her book, she thought she would get a little sleep, and dozed a few hours of the day away.

So tonight has been quiet.  The rain has returned and mum has to work in the morning again, so we just pottered round.  Mum did some washing and dished me up my dinner.  She is trying to avoid the news, it is all a bit depressing and winding mum up so she did a few Sudoku and then watched a couple of episodes of early Seinfeld.  In some ways it is so dated and then so hard to believe it was 25 years old.

So we hope you are all getting a chance to relax and look forward to your weekend ahead.

Hang Gliding

Last night mum worked late, then she had some stuff to sort out when she got home as well as a few jobs and eating her dinner.  So she made it to bed before midnight and fell fast asleep.  Until 1:30am when  I woke her up by howling in the spare bedroom.  She was right in the middle of a dream about hang gliding - something that she has no intention of ever doing, but she was enjoying being a dream adventure tourist.

She called out to me and told me to go to sleep, but I kept calling for her, until finally she got up and came and talked to me.  A quick pat and a talk and I let her go back to bed.  She worries that I am beginning to train her into a bad habit of having to get up in the middle of the night.  In 10 years I have never done this before and now it has been 3 nights in the past week.

How about you guys - do you have any dream sports you participate in?

Wordless Wednesday - Still Living in the Spare Room

All Eyes

All eyes appear to be on America in the next 24+ hours.  Every news channel is just about imploding from excitement, and we cannot imagine what it must be like to be in the US - will you all just be pleased when it is over?

Mum and I decided it was a take it easy kind of day today.  The sun peaked out, clouded over and then peaked out again, so the sheets and towels were washed and dried out in the ebbing sun.  Mum walked to the library to restock and then went to the supermarket.  A home made dinner was made and now the house smells slightly of cabbage, so candles have been lit.  Mum allowed herself 2 squares of chocolate and I got about 10 bits of party mix.  So the girls are happy.  How about you - any treats today?

Wet Monday

Mum feels like her whole life is surrounded by grey today.  The skies got cloudier last night and there was a return of cold and wet weather, but that does not matter when it is a day off on Monday.  Mum says there is some satisfaction to hearing the neighborhood get up and head to work while she can stay in her bed.  Me - well I was awake at a feisty 8am and made sure my mum was waking up too.

She got herself up, showered and dressed and made some breakfast to eat on the couch.  That was interrupted by a 21 gun salute just at the Governor Generals place across the road.  Apparently the King and Queen of the Netherlands had popped in for a quick brunch and got a whole royal welcome.

Then mum took herself off into the city.  She went to the cinema to see The Light Between Oceans.  She enjoyed it a lot, mainly because she loved the book and the whole thing was a middle aged lady dream movie mum thought, and it bought tears to her eyes at the end.  As it was raining heavily when she finished, she headed home which made me want my dinner as she entered the house.  So I had my feast at 3:30pm.  Sadly, mum ate her dinner at 4pm too.  How sad are we?

Sundaying

Well mum was pleased that I was quiet last night and stayed asleep.There were some idiots letting off fireworks at 5:30am.  She hopes Karma pays those idiots back, and one day they will treasure their sleeps ins, but not be able to.  She got herself up at 5:40am to head out to work for the day.  Work was quickly over by 3pm and although she had the best of intentions to go for a walk in the fresh air, it was windy and spitting as she left work, so it was a trip to the supermarket and then home to get the dishes done, cook tea and sit on the couch and catch up on Game of Thrones episodes.  She is enjoying it although lots of this seasons scenes seemed to be filmed in the dark, and their seem to be way too many characters for this middle aged lady to follow.

Now mum has two days off work and doesn't have to venture back until Weds at 2:30pm which is nice.  She doesn't care if it is windy and rainy, she will enjoy her relaxing, and I think I will join her.

Caturday Call Out

Where can Miss Poppy Be?   Who is under the quilt?  We had visitors during the week, and so I have decided that the spare bed is the place to be at the moment.  Mum knows that it is a sure sign that the season is turning and spring has sprung as I have my annual migration from her bed to the spare bed as I get too warm and toasty and she gets restless tossing and turning.

Mum had to work early this morning so had headed to bed at 11pm last night and read her book for a short while.  In the middle of the night she heard me calling out, over and over.  So she had to get up and glanced at the clock.  It was 3:15am.  I didn't want anything in particular, but mum sat beside me and patted me for 10 minutes til I settled down and went back to sleep.  She was wondering if I had a bad dream.  She hopes it is not a sign of senior senility.  Hopefully not.

So after a day at work, mum and I snuggled in for the evening.  There was an episode of Game of Thrones to watch and an easy dinner of leftovers for the mumster and a feast for me.  It was Guy Fawkes night here, and we get a bit of a few of the cities display over the harbour.  Although large and loud it only lasts for 10 minutes.  There are a few houses letting off personal displays, but a lot less noise than other years.

So hope you have had a fun Caturday.   Do you ever wake your humans up in the middle of the night?

Fridaying

The mumster was on call overnight and got a call in in the early hours.  She got home at 06:30am which gave her the rest of the day off work, which was nice for her.  It rained in the morning but the sun came out at lunchtime, so mum got the washing on and in the fresh air.  She did have to go into work to take the call phone in, so got a wee walk in the fresh air.

Tonight is all about the relaxing.  Mum has to work over the weekend with an early 7am start so she will have to head to bed at an early hour.  I have already been in bed for hours so I am set.  I did go outside for a little while with mum when she hung the washing out, but mum has observed me get a solid 23 hours of sleeping done today.  Job well done.

Sleep In

Somehow mum knocked her phone last night while fiddling with it, and managed to knock off her alarm clock.  So instead of rising at 6:40am she was luckily awoken by the bird song and sunlight at 7:15am.  So there was a mad scramble for a quick shower and get dressed and ran off to work, dropping the rubbish bags down for collection, leaving her lunch behind.

Lucky for me I gets to sleep in every day and have no rush to be anywhere!!!  So tonight us girls are chilling.  Mum has to be on call in a couple of hours, so she will have a quiet night doing exciting things like paying the bills and reading her book.  Woo hoo for middle aged lady fun!!

Wordless Wednesday - New Shoes

November Morning View

Happy first day of November - how the year is flying by already!!

Mum was watching out the window this morning, when she saw me jump from the ground and climb up the fence.  She thinks it is amazing, as in reality it is about 20 times my height.  Mum couldn't even jump up half her height without help.  Mum is a bit nervous of me being up here as the drop is a bit bigger on the other side, but I am a good tightrope fence walker.

We had visitors last night, so I was a little bit annoyed although once I go outside for an hour I usually then head back inside to keep warm even if I keep my distance from them.  I have also figured out that if I run round the hallway I can usually go and hide on the bed and be left alone.  I even stayed on mums bed when our niece came in there to lie down, and she said I stayed on the bed for a few hours with her.  I then ran out and jumped onto the couch where mum was sleeping and slept on her for the rest of the night.

So the visitors only stayed the night and left today, so things are back to normal and I am back on the bed snoozing and waiting for mum to come and join me.