The vagaries of nature

Chile has a volcano in action. The ash has travelled across the Indian Ocean, across Australia and onwards across the Tasman Sea to NZ.

For some it will be causing anguish and fear. For us we're blessed with sight to see the beauty of it in our sunset. Here the sun sets behind trees and a duck pond at the hunter's place.

Thank you for all who have enquire after me following Monday's quakes. I'm at the hunter's and he has no internet. I'm using his neighbour's computer to post this.

I'm ok but understandably shaken. The first I knew on Monday afternoon I was under my desk. That's a good thing as I obviously flew under it instincitively. The legs of the desk were bouncing off the floor so I held onto them!

Campus closed as a precaution and I skipped the assemble on the sports fields bit and headed home. For some reason I decided to stew apples on my return home. I guess that's a try to keep life normal thing.

The second 6.3 quake threw me to the ground. I tried to crawl through the lounge to get under the stairs. When it stopped I bounded outside. Adrenaline got me through an hour or 2 before I discovered my ribs had sustained a tickle up. They're not so sore as to be cracked again, just a bit tender.

Home is ok, my little bit of land is too and my street is fine. My infrastructure is a little worse. Rather than stay with no water, power and sewer I've headed to the hunters. His local fault line is currently quieter than mine!

We went back in yesterday and while there signs of subsequent large aftershocks (just stuff on the floor, nothing major), home is ok. Power is back on and the water seemed to flow a bit better.

I'll try to back blip as I can but I'm limited for now.

I'm on god mother duties in Dunedin this weekend (planned months ago) so don't worry if you don't hear from me.

Strange times eh?

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