Knox Church

HI THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORTIVE WORDS. I WILL NOT HAVE TIME TO REPLY JUST NOW BUT HAVE READ THROUGH THEM ALL.
IT IS SOMETIMES JUST GOOD TO DRAW STRENGTH FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOME AND TO STOP BRIEFLY BEFORE THE NEXT TASK.
THis photo is my one photo of the day. I just had millions of opportunities but could not bring myself to take the privacy away from the heartbreak that was around me. I wonder how Press reporters take those iconic dramatic photos that we all remember of pain, fear, grief and dispair. I just couldnt do it. This was the most impersonal thing I passed on the way to dig out a womans house. It is Knox Church, no doubt one of thousands of its name in the world. It was one that I attended as a child and was christened in. It has lost all its walls and only the roof and wooden arches remain. In fact there could be wonderful photos taken of it with the sky through the arches but the police and the Army- from Singapore- were patrolling and didnt not want us to stop. This was taken while driving passed in the car from over the top of the steering wheel. I suspect it may disappear to the diggers very soon.
The digging we did was a house surrounded in a sea of stinky liquifaction which stopped her entering the property. The rugby and rowing boys soon barrowed it out and we spent a few hours trying to clean off the driveway and back path to the garage so she could get her car out. The mud was full of some suspicious smelling goop which we didnt like to think too much about, particularly as it was splashing on us and covering our clothes. It is amazing what you can tolerate if you need to.
Today a bit less urgency as we are all tired. Not fit enough for this shovelling and barrowing palaver. Stronger backs are on the way...we will all be ready for rugby and rowing by the end of this!
We are sending our eldest son to a boarding school on Tuesday in Hamilton. Which is a very long way from here. It is a generous offer b the host school, to allow 12 of the top rowers to continue training towards nationals which are soon, and to do some sort of school work. The other boys we have not decided but have many offers to school them in Auckland. We prefer to keep them with us if at all possible. Things will no doubt change and we will continue to assess.