Basement

I've felt angry today.

After I left work yesterday the wing of the building I work in was evacuated. Long time followers of my journal may recall I've blipped the earthquake wreck next door to where I work and spoken of my concerns.

A couple of weeks ago workmen appeared and started to rip out the wall linings. The side walls are shared with 2 other businesses, 1 of which is my employer.

No one gave us a heads up we felt it through the wall and went to have a look. Taking wall linings out was ok. This week they begun removing the roof trusses and then the steel at the top of the walls.

I work with an engineer and after I left yesterday he felt concerned about what was going on next door. That's when he realised the tops of the walls were involved, not just roof trusses. He checked it out and talked to the boss. Engineers were called and they said to move us out immediately.

The walls shared by us on one side and another business on the other are no longer safe. Yesterday we had a small quake and the wall was fine. It won't be in a larger quake.

The owner of the building has no consent for this work. The company he employed to do the work would know that. How many more people need to die or be injured in Christchurch because of bad and selfish decisions?

We're now in a different location within the business. We laugh that at our end we're battery hens and the other end of the room is free range :-) I don't mind, I just want to be in a safe building.

The council and lawyers are involved. If and when an engineering solution is done to sure up the walls, we'll move back to what we affectionately call The West Wing.

I've missed talking to Dad about it. He'd be glad we're safe and interested in the engineering side of it.

Never trust anything happening around you. Don't assume that men in high vis vests have authority or skills. Weeks ago I watched the owner and his cronies stand in our parking area and point and wave at his building.

Today's gratitude: For the relief and gratitude I felt (it wasn't just anger). Without my colleagues engineering knowledge we'd be none the wiser and my employer didn't muck around.