Saturday, September 04, 2010

Shaken but not stirred

Hey just a quick message, we're fine. House is a mess but we have teenager girls we can blame for that!

We have 2 chimneys that may topple any minute, depending on the aftershocks. Just got power restored hence we can get this message out. The size of the quake keeps being reported as either 7.4 or 7.1 depending on which station you listen to. Suffice to say, it shook like hell!!


Our fireplace 5 mins after the 'shake.


Our corner dairy, about 150 metres from our place.


Many roads around here like this, mud/silt/water everywhere.

We're very lucky, for some reason pockets of the city are not as bad as others. In some areas one side of the street is a bomb site and the other looks almost untouched.

It was super scary, The Stud and I could hardly stand, ended up crwling across the floor and being thrown against the bedroom furniture. The Scowly Teen and the New Teen were spooked, stuff fell on us while we tried to get to them. The Stud has an injured ankle but is fine really. I have an injured wrist but can still hold my wine glass!

Our backyard was awash as the pool did it's thing throwing water out. The rabbit hutches stayedupright (good news for when you immigrate Steve!)

In the city itself fire has broken out and shops have fallen over, lot of old brick buildings here anyway so wasbound to happen.

The after shocks are nerve wracking and have been up to 5.1 so you can feel them, although there are heaps smaller than that and some of us feel seasick with the motion. bridges have collapsed round the road from us, and the river looks murky!




22 comments:

TheUndertaker said...

Hey glad to hear you guys are all ok, the pics speaks for themselves. I got woken up at 5.23 am by a civil defense txt re the quake, must have been a rude awakening for you guys huh. Been on the news all day.
Kia kaha, keep your chin up, girl!

Meggie said...

Have been thinking of you all day. Glad you are ok. We have tried to ring rellies and friends, but cannot get answers.
So glad you are all ok.
Is the Cathedral ok??

The Sagittarian said...

Thanks Undie, its the aftershocks that are giving us the willies! Just had two biggies in a row...almost spilled my Sauvignon Blanc...almost!

Meggie - Let me know if you want me to locate anyone for you. The old Theatre Royal is munted. Cathedral looks ok, but the Catholic Church round the road from us hads been lifted off it's foundations - or perhaps the lids coming off hell? :-)

Steve said...

News only just filtering in here. Glad to hear you're OK and a relief to hear about the rabbit hutches. Nice that you're offering me the most stable accommodation in NZ. Seriously though, I'm just glad to hear that you're all alive and healthy!

The Sagittarian said...

Steve - was really really scary! however, all good practise for the Big One eh?! The girls are really spooked and are sleeping downstairs tonight incase our chimneys fall, the aftershocks are quite big!

TheUndertaker said...

Well, Saggy, maybe you should switch to a red? A bit heavier so might stay in the glass while the house is rocking? Oh and be a good girl and boil the water before drinking and don't loot the bottle store! From Undie Down Under (sounds like a shady uncle...)

The Sagittarian said...

Dear Undie (dear name, love it!!)- our local bottle store you could smell before seeing, bottles everywhere...and yes, red is good! Am onto my 2nd bottle actually, am determined to sleep well for at least 5 hours. Haven't been to bed since 4.36am. not sure what the news boys will do for excitement when this is over!

Rol said...

Glad to hear it. Louise's brother lives in Christchurch and we were quite worried when he called to tell us what was happening. Hopefully the damage isn't too extensive and things will get back to normal soon.

As Steve said, our news has been pretty crap at reporting this - I feel a post coming on about that...

Mike said...

So very glad to hear you are okay!

Marginalia said...

Cut down on those cocktails. Brew yourself a nice cuppa and relax.

Glad to hear that the rabbits are ok; oh and you of course!

I hear you can now walk across to the North Island.

Anonymous said...

Thank gawd you and yours are all okay, and thanks so much for letting us know asap.
Hope the aftershocks cease soon, glasd you managed to ahng onto your glass too, not everyone would have the presence of mind..

Lynne with an e said...

Thank you so much, Saj, for letting us all know you and your family are fine, if shaken. We've had clips of your mayor being interviewed on the radio, as well as a few people describing their experiences of the quake, how the city looks, etc. As I listen, I think to myself, "That's the Saj's accent!"
Your pictures say so much. Looks a dreadful mess, but thankfully so little loss of life or harm to the living. I am very relieved to hear that your drinking arm is in good shape, and see that your sense of humour is still firing on all pins--and that you're all safe.
Love to you.
Lynne xo

Stickup Artist said...

What a harrowing experience! I'm so relieved to hear you and yours made it through in one piece and your home is still standing. Hopefully the aftershocks have tapered off and you, your family and community can start the healing.

Owen said...

Ooooofffffff.... The wine bottles didn't break ! That would have been annoying....

You know, with people, if they have a broken arm or leg, you put a cast on it, and six weeks later, all is well... but if a wine bottle breaks, that wine is lost forever... So it is good to know all is more or less ok with you and Stud and teens and rabbits... yep, very good news.

Maybe time to set up a yurt in the yard for a while until the aftershocks are finished ?

Am going to open a bottle here and drink to your health !

Love from all of us to all of you...

Bro' O.

Anonymous said...

What a relief to read from you. Hope everyone is as fine as possible. With a 4.9R being the strongest, so far, for me, reading about yours was indeed breath taking. May you all have a safe Sunday.

Owen said...

Hope the cleaning up after won't be too harrowing, and not too much hidden damage that will reveal itself later... Saw one news story about an announcement to boil all tap water if used for drinking or cooking, as there are worries about sewage lines broken and leaking. Can't believe you are in the middle of all this...

2010 continues the dark series :

Haiti earthquake back in January
Chile earthquake
Gulf of Mexico oil spill
Flooding in Pakistan
Forest fires in Russia

now this... am wondering what's next...

kj said...

my god, sag, i'm glad you're alright. i'm sure this is still some experience for you. easy to count your blessings under such circumstances, huh?

with love
kj

VioletSky said...

Ff you need any good wine from Niagara, just let me know.

Glad to know you are all okay.

Selina Kingston said...

I'm sure I posted a comment here wishing you well. I'm clearly going mad!
Trust all is OK a few days on and that life is returning to normal

The Poet Laura-eate said...

holy cow! Thank goodness you are ok. You sound so calm. As if this sort of thing happens every week.

I do hope not!

Thinking of you. Lx

Antipodeesse said...

I'm away from the computer for a couple of days and look what happens! Glad you are all safe and can still hold your wineglass!

The Sagittarian said...

Hi all, sorry have been remiss in replying to your fabulous comments! The aftershocks are really bitter and twisted. We got jolted out of bed with a 5.1 this morning, and the lack of sleep is making us all edgy (and not in a fashionable way!!).

We are doing fine, the chimneys have stayed put but a nice Fire brigade Man told us today that they will be coming down one way or another. We can't get anyone to help with them until 'AT LEAST TOMORROW' which we have heard often recently. There are worse off than us. xx to you all.