So...apparently according to the attached link dogs can detect colon cancer?
Great so the next time I go to the Park I can get a free GP consult with the first labrador I see? Cool!
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
Thursday, 13 January 2011
The Canterbury Earthquake 2010
Well its been 4 months and one week since the earth ruptured 15 km down the road from out gate, in an utterly monumental manner. It's time to chronicle my experience of that life changing time.
The day before had been cold, winters last major flick. Sleet in town, snow on the hills. It cleared that Friday night to a frosty winters evening, quite normal for spring in Christchurch. Rob had come round and we watched Sonny Bill Williams' first turn out in red and black colours as Canterbury put the Bay of Plenty team to bed. Sharon was out on the town. Just another night in front of a roaring fire at home for me. This was to be our last roaring fire for the year.
My first though at 4.35am was "why am I on the floor?". Somehow I got back in bed and suddenly was bolt upright and in tune to the surrounds- the noise was unbelievable as the house lurched violently from side to side, up and down back and forward. The brain wasn't able to process what was really happening until the street lights went out with the rest of the power mid shake. I couldn't hear anything except the roar of the ground heaving, the house rattling and things falling. If the boys, 2 rooms away, were making any noise I didn't hear it til the shaking stopped. The moment the power went out the mind comprehended things, this was The Big One. This was bad. Probably the Alpine Fault. Maybe- god forbid- Wellington. Still the shaking went on, the main shake latest nearly a minute at which point it became possible to go and get the lads out of their cots and into our bed. They were yelling, but god bless them they were happy as anything once in bed.
I went out to the kitchen to try and find a torch. Got the cellphone and rang Mum in Wellington. Despite the ungodly hour apparently this shake had been big enough to wake folk up there- but I was relieved to hear it wasn't the Armageddon quake for Wellington that some think is coming. Mum was soon able to tell us it was a 7.1 (initially 7.4) centered near ChCh. Couldn't believe it, centered near here? Not in the hills? WOW!There was plenty of broken stuff and things on the floor, so I went back to be, shivering, and and we all cosied up, talked on the phone while the first (and in the end biggest) aftershocks started rolling through. Unnerving but adrenaline was flowing. Somehow, as dawn approached we nearly nodded off again.
Then the neighbour came up the drive yelling "are you ok, your house is bad":...and Sharon was first out the door. Remarkably, the chimney had come down, taking out the front of the house on its way, and we simply hadn't heard it above the roar of the quake and the noise of the house shaking and groaning. The neighbours reckon they heard it though, quite a thud.
We got up and had breakfast. Tried to instill some normaility for the day. Lovely morning, a stunner, not a cloud in the sky. they talk of earthquake weather- I believe it. Decent aftershocks were coming through with increasing frequency. Wanting to hear news we jumped in the car and had a wee drive to check on offices, family etc. All was well, remarkably but the news was suggesting bad damage in town and out east. Just the beginning.
We went to Mark and Loren's- they had power. The kids played, happily. Saw the first liquefaction, round Halswell. Just weird, little disks of mud that had burst out of the ground like volcanoes- they looked like flying saucers. Later on the scientist in me wished this thing had happened in daylight hours so we could have seen how it happens.
The rest of the day was a blur.Seeing the damage on tele, saying to self...is this really our town? Getting and receiving texts and just generally feeling edgy. The day was quiet, had a similar feeling to the peace and solitude of Xmas Morning, just with a scary twist. All the neighbours were talking to each other. The community really came together- this is one of the enduring memories of the whole event, a sense of sharing in history and a community coming together. Christchurch will be stronger for it.
I think Jason Gunn had a great line on tele...."It's like someone took a baseball bat and attacked the family", My thoughts are that it is a deepy personal affront to have mother Nature clobber you so suddenyl and comprehensively.
Sometimes the views of others in hindsight are really interesting, heres a Youtube I found from Australia's Channel 7:
I won't analyse the following 4 months, suffice to say its been a roller coaster. Slowly we have got used to the smaller aftershocks, but we still have heart attacks at the big ones. And they are still coming, 4 months, 4,000 aftershocks. Sept 8 and Boxing Day in particular will stick in the memorybank for a lifetime.
But we are still here. We still love living in Christchurch. Sleep patterns are starting to return to a semblance of normality for most people. We already look back at September as last year, which it now is.
Now lets make something of the rebuilding of those tooth-like gaps around town. out of disaster comes opportunity. Lets make it work.
Theres a great documentary on National Radio, heres the link I recommend it:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/documentaries/faultlines
The day before had been cold, winters last major flick. Sleet in town, snow on the hills. It cleared that Friday night to a frosty winters evening, quite normal for spring in Christchurch. Rob had come round and we watched Sonny Bill Williams' first turn out in red and black colours as Canterbury put the Bay of Plenty team to bed. Sharon was out on the town. Just another night in front of a roaring fire at home for me. This was to be our last roaring fire for the year.
My first though at 4.35am was "why am I on the floor?". Somehow I got back in bed and suddenly was bolt upright and in tune to the surrounds- the noise was unbelievable as the house lurched violently from side to side, up and down back and forward. The brain wasn't able to process what was really happening until the street lights went out with the rest of the power mid shake. I couldn't hear anything except the roar of the ground heaving, the house rattling and things falling. If the boys, 2 rooms away, were making any noise I didn't hear it til the shaking stopped. The moment the power went out the mind comprehended things, this was The Big One. This was bad. Probably the Alpine Fault. Maybe- god forbid- Wellington. Still the shaking went on, the main shake latest nearly a minute at which point it became possible to go and get the lads out of their cots and into our bed. They were yelling, but god bless them they were happy as anything once in bed.
I went out to the kitchen to try and find a torch. Got the cellphone and rang Mum in Wellington. Despite the ungodly hour apparently this shake had been big enough to wake folk up there- but I was relieved to hear it wasn't the Armageddon quake for Wellington that some think is coming. Mum was soon able to tell us it was a 7.1 (initially 7.4) centered near ChCh. Couldn't believe it, centered near here? Not in the hills? WOW!There was plenty of broken stuff and things on the floor, so I went back to be, shivering, and and we all cosied up, talked on the phone while the first (and in the end biggest) aftershocks started rolling through. Unnerving but adrenaline was flowing. Somehow, as dawn approached we nearly nodded off again.
Then the neighbour came up the drive yelling "are you ok, your house is bad":...and Sharon was first out the door. Remarkably, the chimney had come down, taking out the front of the house on its way, and we simply hadn't heard it above the roar of the quake and the noise of the house shaking and groaning. The neighbours reckon they heard it though, quite a thud.
We got up and had breakfast. Tried to instill some normaility for the day. Lovely morning, a stunner, not a cloud in the sky. they talk of earthquake weather- I believe it. Decent aftershocks were coming through with increasing frequency. Wanting to hear news we jumped in the car and had a wee drive to check on offices, family etc. All was well, remarkably but the news was suggesting bad damage in town and out east. Just the beginning.
We went to Mark and Loren's- they had power. The kids played, happily. Saw the first liquefaction, round Halswell. Just weird, little disks of mud that had burst out of the ground like volcanoes- they looked like flying saucers. Later on the scientist in me wished this thing had happened in daylight hours so we could have seen how it happens.
I think Jason Gunn had a great line on tele...."It's like someone took a baseball bat and attacked the family", My thoughts are that it is a deepy personal affront to have mother Nature clobber you so suddenyl and comprehensively.
Sometimes the views of others in hindsight are really interesting, heres a Youtube I found from Australia's Channel 7:
I won't analyse the following 4 months, suffice to say its been a roller coaster. Slowly we have got used to the smaller aftershocks, but we still have heart attacks at the big ones. And they are still coming, 4 months, 4,000 aftershocks. Sept 8 and Boxing Day in particular will stick in the memorybank for a lifetime.
But we are still here. We still love living in Christchurch. Sleep patterns are starting to return to a semblance of normality for most people. We already look back at September as last year, which it now is.
Now lets make something of the rebuilding of those tooth-like gaps around town. out of disaster comes opportunity. Lets make it work.
Theres a great documentary on National Radio, heres the link I recommend it:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/documentaries/faultlines
Friday, 7 January 2011
2010 sure ended with action stations
We finished the year in fine fettle despite mother natures worst intentions. the Boxing Day earthquake swarm was a nasty one, but we seem to be unscathed round our neck of the woods. Half the buildings round my office aren't so lucky though- sure glad it wasn't a work day!!!
Then we shot through to the Marlborough Sounds for some R & R and respite, and had the flood of the year. So the elements are after us thats for sure! Once again we escaped relatively unscathed but Sharon had to miss work.
Fortunately we avoided any plagues of locusts on the way home.
Then we shot through to the Marlborough Sounds for some R & R and respite, and had the flood of the year. So the elements are after us thats for sure! Once again we escaped relatively unscathed but Sharon had to miss work.
Fortunately we avoided any plagues of locusts on the way home.
Thursday, 11 November 2010
Summer is here
29 degrees today. Taking the lads to the Show tomorrow, more of the same forecast.
Fantastic stuff!
Fantastic stuff!
Friday, 15 October 2010
Kane Williamson- An Emerging Hero
I have to say I'm still coming to grips with the fact that we have lost a series to Bangladesh. And we are facing a whitewash.
Like with anything, perspective is important. Lets be careful here, a few years back Bangladesh were thrashing anyone and everyone at age group level. They have a massive population and a clear love of cricket. And like Sri Lanka 20 years ago, they are now emerging as a true cricket power. Of this I am sure.
New Zealand just happened to be the unlucky possum in the headlights this time, to some degree.
But there is a brightside, particularly while we are looking at young cricketers. Make a note, last night Kane Williamson became the youngest New Zealander to score an ODI century, breaking Martin Crowes 25 year old record.
This is a very big deal.
Kane has been touted as something special- even the "next Crowe" by some. Last night he soldiered through adversity, after a harrowing introduction to international cricket with consecutive ducks last tour to Sri Lanka. Last night he managed to valiantly score a heroic century and come bloody close to winning the match. And the latter part of this was done on one leg, with wincing agony on most shots due to cramp and maybe an injury. What a legend in the making, especially when we look at the many "glass jaws" that claim to be New Zealand cricketers.
I just hope Jacob Oram was watching Kane show how to break the pain barrier.
A standing ovation for young Kane please. This is a kid who will soon be a household name.
Wednesday, 6 October 2010
NRL Final popular in Pakistan?
I know theres rumors about bookies, but this screen grab off the news was a bit OTT I thought
The Earthquake....
...yes I know another month without action here.
I will post a story about it all soon! Just need time to write it all
Our house....could have been worse
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
Swimming Stags
This is a cool article and pic from Stuff.co.nz
Stag surprises fisherman
I saw something similar once when in deepest, darkest Fiordland, in the Dark Valley in fact. We were trying to work out how to get round cliffs at Lake Grave, when a wapiti (large deer) jumped out from the bush and swam round the bend. Amazing to see, put the wind up us at the time though!
On a similar tangent we saw young seals swimming up a river by the dozen to play in a waterfall in Kaikoura on the way back from Wellington on Monday- will pop a pic or two up when we get the chance to upload them
Stag surprises fisherman
I saw something similar once when in deepest, darkest Fiordland, in the Dark Valley in fact. We were trying to work out how to get round cliffs at Lake Grave, when a wapiti (large deer) jumped out from the bush and swam round the bend. Amazing to see, put the wind up us at the time though!
On a similar tangent we saw young seals swimming up a river by the dozen to play in a waterfall in Kaikoura on the way back from Wellington on Monday- will pop a pic or two up when we get the chance to upload them
Kepler training
Well underway. Had some niggles this year but about to pop over the 1200km mark for the year and looking better than I have in an August before. Still much work to do though....wanting to do 8 hours this year!
Friday, 13 August 2010
England
Now I don't pretend to follow soccer much, but this is genuinely funny, as stolen from Pandasport
The Football Association today proudly unveiled Total, fcuk and UPS as the new sponsors of the England football team. ‘The combination of these three corporate giants perfectly captures the ethos of the England side,’ said an FA spokesman. ‘After all, they had nothing in the tank when it counted, and they’ve proved themselves to be a bunch of expensive posers who always fail to deliver.’
The new shirts come in a range of bright ‘easy to spot’ colours after claims from England players that the old kit was painted in ‘magic invisible ink’ which made it impossible to pick out an easy and obvious pass to a team mate. The new shirts are also made of a super lightweight material, unlike the old tops which were apparently made of extra-heavy chain mail which left the Premiership stars lumbering around looking exhausted and unfit. However, one criticism has been made of the design of the new England kit with claims that the neck hole was inexplicably too small for the heads of the Premiership stars.
Players say this will make it very hard to pull the shirt off during an over-exuberant goal celebration, but a spokesman for the manufacturers said ’we don’t envisage this being a problem.’
The Football Association today proudly unveiled Total, fcuk and UPS as the new sponsors of the England football team. ‘The combination of these three corporate giants perfectly captures the ethos of the England side,’ said an FA spokesman. ‘After all, they had nothing in the tank when it counted, and they’ve proved themselves to be a bunch of expensive posers who always fail to deliver.’
The new shirts come in a range of bright ‘easy to spot’ colours after claims from England players that the old kit was painted in ‘magic invisible ink’ which made it impossible to pick out an easy and obvious pass to a team mate. The new shirts are also made of a super lightweight material, unlike the old tops which were apparently made of extra-heavy chain mail which left the Premiership stars lumbering around looking exhausted and unfit. However, one criticism has been made of the design of the new England kit with claims that the neck hole was inexplicably too small for the heads of the Premiership stars.
Players say this will make it very hard to pull the shirt off during an over-exuberant goal celebration, but a spokesman for the manufacturers said ’we don’t envisage this being a problem.’
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
Just another day in paradise
I love being able to knock off work, nip up the hills and see stuff like this...for free :)
Its been a bloody wet winter here in ChCh, not much snow but there has been a crapload over in the mountains. Off tramping next weekend to have a look at the new Hawdon Hut, so will post something after that.
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Tuesday, 13 July 2010
Doggone it!
Seems appropriate on a sad day when a Police Dog is killed that this story should run. Just the ticket for reactiviating the blog- we like this sort of oddspot here
Dog shoots man....
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10658533
Dog shoots man....
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10658533
Monday, 22 March 2010
Fire and Ice
Now this is interesting, Iceland is a country I would love to see, but this is pretty gnarly (click)
In other news it was 22 degrees here at 5.30am, which is pretty nuts for this time of year. Hopefully its sending some rain to save the hapless Black Caps in Wellington today
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
Thursday, 11 March 2010
Autumn
Well todays rainy spell probably means the end of the stunning weather we've had over the past few weeks.
Off to the West Coast over the next few days to reacquaint myself with all things agricultural. Should be good.
Off to the West Coast over the next few days to reacquaint myself with all things agricultural. Should be good.
Monday, 1 March 2010
Feb 28 Tsunami
Well Darwinists would have had a field day with the number of idiots in NZ that rocked on down to the beaches yesterday to look for the "wave" after the devastating quake in Chile.
Its amazing how poorly understood tsunamis are. We were lucky yesterday that it was at low tide, and not as big as it could have been. But as the attached You-Tube shows, ChCh may well have dodged a bullet.
Its amazing how poorly understood tsunamis are. We were lucky yesterday that it was at low tide, and not as big as it could have been. But as the attached You-Tube shows, ChCh may well have dodged a bullet.
Friday, 12 February 2010
The Deans Stand
Went to the cricket last night and sat in the new stand for the first time. Good spot to watch cricket from. The Black Caps made heavy weather of it but got over the line in the end. Will definitely pop back for the Aussie game
It is amazing what they can do with grounds these days, cricket one day, then rugby two days later with the Super 14 kicking off this weekend. Not sure I'm ready for the rugby season to start yet though, it just seems like overkill.
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
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