In their rightful place

Yesterday I admired these Swedish glass bowls on the mantle place of my temporary home. I picked one up to test their stability. It some pulling to prise it off. They're stuck to the mantle piece with a sticky wax type substance I recognised as what museums use. My eyes tracked over other items on book shelves and any breakable bits are secure.

Little did I know that less than 12 hours later I'd be holding on in bed as a strong and powerful 7.5 earthquake shook me awake. I had plenty of time to think it lasted 2 minutes. The wooden blinds kept banging for at least as long again and I felt like I was on a boat. I'd be 100-200km away from the epicentres of both with the worst of it experienced in a different direction.

I listened to National Radio for the next hour and felt a couple of aftershocks. I slowly calmed down but felt very alone in the deadly quiet countryside. I turned the radio off at 1am and much to my surprise went straight to sleep and slept right through until just before my 6am alarm.

My thoughts and prayers are with those north of here tonight. In mid-Canterbury we know what it's like as darkness comes and the quakes keep on rolling through.

I got more sleep than most but not my usual quota. I struggled to focus today and my concentration was shot. I just kept chipping away at work. After work I popped home to check on the contents stored in my garage. Everything was fine. Then I visited the little Pope at the cattery. He was very pleased to see me but seemed a little subdued. I'm glad he's safe.

My hosts were to go away for a couple of days. Their plans have changed. Their young son's trip to Wellington canned, Their daughter is a boarder in town. She weathered being evacuated and outside for an hour last night, got on with her NCEA exam today, and told Mum and Dad she doesn't want to come home. She's staunch. I'm glad they're not going away.

That's enough earthquake stuff for me. I'm lucky, I can choose to stop poking at what feels like a scab and turn my thoughts to other things. Others won't have any choice tonight.

Day 6 positive: I'm grateful I managed to have a pretty normal day, despite a huge earthquake tearing up a massive chunk of the upper South Island.