Christchurch Earthquake

We were all holding our breath with the 7.30 report tonight. The journalist reporting from Christchurch was obviously fighting back tears and emotion because, yes, it has been a really hard day over there. The woman who runs the 7.30 report was quite skilled in allowing him to feel his emotion but assisting him to hold it together as was his wish. She managed to asked the sorts of things which would allow him to fight back the tears, rally and report . It was very touching and it's not very often you see ABC reporters overcome, but you see, Christchurch is a beautiful city. A kind city . We know it and we know it is very cruel what has happened to such a warm , cosy city that has a touch of the olde worlde charm and is always so genuinely friendly. Last time I was there it was really cold. I'm a tropical island type of person so I wasn't doing the cold very well. The people in the shops couldn't help me enough to buy the right sorts of clothes that would keep me warm but not weigh me down. The quality of the clothes was superb. I love Australian wool but NZ wool is finer and just as durable. Canterbury clothes are well made and well designed. They are light but keep you snug. The people in Christchurch were laughing because I was so cold but it was a cheering up laughter which made me feel better. So we feel for these gentle , genuine souls. They are strong , but this is hurting them and so we feel it too. The Anzac bond is very real. I was glad to hear they have got some porta loos  over there and I hope there will be more. No one should be digging a pit in the garden, especially when some of those gardens may get a load of loose rocks or bricks falling down suddenly with yet another aftershock. It must be a terrible strain for them and some of the houses look precariously balanced on those crumbling rock faces. I am also really relieved to know they really did go back to the CTV building and I know they have not found anyone alive.It is a mark of great respect they have bothered to pull out the ones who haven't survived that they can find. They will be identified sooner and the families can bury them sooner and, sad as it is, the sooner they can put these people to rest the better. Christchurch is still precariously balanced and not yet on safe ground. It is tough they have to try and manage and yet, at the same time, be ready should another rumble go through. I wish we had the technology to sooth seismic activity.