Journal: An Email to Ian

Hello Ian... Google told me you had had a look at my Blog entry. Mum's birthday. We commented during Mum's birthday meal that we just needed Vicky and Ian present to have a full complement. We did drink a toast to you both! I keep saying I must get back to my Blogs but with my sight troubles over the last 2 years and with it, the severe headaches, I felt very unwell and computer time did not help. I go back to the specialist at the end of this month for a check up. I do still have a sight problem, mainly focusing which seems to have changed with the stroke so I think the specialist will suggest new lenses for my glasses. Otherwise I feel a lot better now; the medication seems to have done the trick.

Journal. Christmas Day

Gillian and Paul with Tahlia, Ashlee and Caitlin came to have Chritmas dinner with us and stayed the previous night, Christmas Eve. Anthony arrives too, Christmas morning. As usual we invited Phyl Cartmell and Craig Balsom.

We had a very enjoyable day and everyone was in good spirits. Pat proposed a toast so we toasted Vicky and Ian.

Journal: Unusual Day

Sunday morning and foggy. Don't think I will go for my morning walk, too damp. We went to Hamilton yesterday to pick up some new cushions from from Gillian via Tahlia in sage green to match the black leather suite.

Before we went I decided to open up the sewerage line. The previous evening I had noticed the toilet was slow in flushing and realised we had a partial blockage; an old recurring problem due to roots. Flushing with a hose pipe slipped down the sewer line cleared the blockage.

I will leave the sewer line accessible for a few days and observe the results. In the meantime I will prepare some poison to kill the roots off.

Two hours later after a thorough shower we left for Hamilton. We called in at the Polytech hostel and met Tahlia, then we all went down to the lake café for a light lunch.

Journal. Letter to David and Moira

Dear Moira and David,

I got an email from John Irving 2 days ago and read with dismay your sad news. I’ve spent the last 24 hours trying to think of what to write in commiseration.

Some people have a way with words and can just pen the right words and phrases for the circumstances. All I can say is Pat and I feel so sad for you both and your family. The shock of it all must have been dreadful for all of you.

We only met Diane on our visit and what I remember of her; I imagine she will be a tower of strength to you.

Most early mornings before breakfast I drive a short way down to the lake lying below us and walk the perimeter track. It takes just over 40 minutes round. I received John’s email just before I departed for my walk. I enjoy the walk, the sun breaking through over the hills, the wildlife and the scenery. That morning I saw little, my thoughts were with you most of the way interrupted only by the odd morning walker.

It is again nearing 7 am as I pen this, I am again going for my walk and again my mind will be with you.


Summer Holiday.

I am progressing slowly. I didn’t get it started until early February; I was a little over optimistic. Together with a big computer crash… my first… that took some sorting out. However, I am now into the 2nd second year, 1947. I will shortly send this 2nd draft to my youngest son, Anthony for checking. He has an eagle eye for spelling and grammar errors. I haven’t troubled him yet, he has recently move house and still in the throws of renovation.

I have had to alter little to date, just the odd fact correction here and there. Plus a little extra note to the Lowther’s.

Our love to you both and your family.
Eric

Journal: Cookery.

I woke and got up at 6 p.m. this morning to the pleasant smell of newly baked bread. Pat has borrowed Gillian's bread maker; she seldom uses it now. We have had white bread, wholemeal bread, cinnamon bread and raisin bread. All truly wonderful. So easy and quick to make and so delicious. Baking time is about 4 hours.Pat wonders... should she buy a new one... Gillian's one is now 10 years old. She wonders will it be a passing fad? I hope not, I love the bread. The new ones can now make so many extra things, like... gingerbread.

More lovely Smells.

Pat has also got out the Crockpot. Delicious meals to go with the delicious breads. Presently cooking is old fashioned stew. This will go into the deep freeze for a day or 3. The stew will be even more delicious when kept for a while. Soup, curried pumpkin... marvellous. I wont say the word delicious again. Vegetable soup cooked with a shin bone... out of this world.Chicken and Beef Stroganoff, Potato and Leek soup and more comes to mind. Cooking time usually is between 4 and 9 hours depending on the Crockpot setting Slow or Auto.

Journal. Me Again, thinking.

Pat invited her friend Phyll out to lunch today to celebrate Phyll's birthday. Pat invited me too but I decided not to go. They would really enjoy it better on their own; better to share confidences as they often do.

I made myself a light lunch, a tuna and basil roll and a banana plus a glass of water. I've been eating too much since we came back from overseas and if the truth was known before we went overseas too. No exercise either round the lake. I've stared walking again last week.

Were is the rain that was promised today? It is getting finer and finer. If it wasn't for the breeze it would be a very humid day.

As Vicky and Ian aren't coming now for a while I have started last Thursday to heavily prune the over size shrubs. I have a large pile of branches to shred through the machine. I was going to do them today but with rain forecast I thought I would leave them until Monday.

The shrubs pruned so far look sorry for themselves and that is why I was going to put off the pruning until after Vicky and Ian's visit. The next shrub in line will take me a few days I think, it is huge and I'm taking it down to near ground level to start again. A chainsaw job. It is a variegated Pohutukawa and grows all year round.

Journal:
Foreword:
Referring back to my previous post "This Morning's Walk", December 4th 2011. I continued to walk, not everyday, but most and the pain slowly increased. As instructed by my GP, I began to use my Nitrolingual spray, which I always carry with me. Halfway round my walking circuit I sprayed 2 shots under my tongue and this carried me home. In the following days the pain in my forearm and shoulder slowly increased, I needed more shots of the spray to reach home. Then came the day the pain would not go away.....

Tuesday December 13 2011.
As the day passed, the pain slowly reduced and I spent spent most of the day in my armchair. What to do next.... ? I went to bed just after 10pm but did not feel comfortable, I turned on my side and then the other. I then I turned onto my back and that felt worse. As I lay on my back I felt an uncomfortable weight on my chest. After a few minutes I thought I can't stand this for long, I sat up on the edge of the bed and remembered the last time I had felt that weight on my chest many years ago.

I needed the Ambulance. I called Pat who was still watching TV. She called the Triage nurse direct, who asked  a few questions and directed Pat to call the Ambulance number  immediately. Doing it this way hastens the dispatch of an Ambulance in busy times. The St. John's Ambulance  was quickly dispatched and the told Pat to stay on the phone and the ambulance would be hooked into the phone line for instructions during their journey. The ambulance asked the outside lights to be switched on and "was the house down a right-of-way" and "was there any obstructions". Next they advised they were in Sandwich Rd and would be there in a few minutes.

I was checked out by the 2 crew members and then I was quickly rushed into the ambulance and away. The time was now 11pm. Arriving at Waikato Hospital I was  ushered into a waiting cubicle. A blood sample was taken and sometime later the results came back, I had indeed had something wrong.

During the early morning hours a medical luer was fitted to my arm and I was given a morphine injection by a male nurse accompanied by a young female doctor. Unfortunately all my veins in the area went bright red, my body rejected the morphine injection. I heard the voice of the male nurse say "quick, give him the counteract-ant", he's dropping rapidly... 57, still dropping fast, face now white". I think I started to faint, I could still hear the voices. The only voice I remember said "starting to slow" and then "stabilising" followed by"starting rise slowly" and then, sometime later "colour starting to return". The voice later said, "that was a roller coaster".

I felt washed out and had a strong pain in the vicinity of my solar-plexus which started to slowly reduce after about an hour or so. I lay there, on my back, the male nurse queried if I was OK and I answered... yes. He said he was going to leave me for now and that I was monitored, someone would periodically call to check me.

Wednesday December 14 2011.
Around 6 am the male nurse returned and said I was to be taken up to the CCU1 ward.

Journal: Big son Ian. 2009

Journal. David Letter.

26 Dudley Ave
Huntly, 2191
New Zealand

17 November 2004
Hello David and Moira,

Well the manuscript arrive safely, you will be pleased to know 2 days ago. I will probably start it in a few weeks around Xmas time to write it up. I am at present transcribing some old genealogy records, it is a slow business and I would like to get it out of my hair. I have been slowly writing up my journal notes too of our trip to the UK and I am just coming to the end of them.

Glad to hear news from you but I was sorry to hear of Elaine’s problems. Oasis Park near Penrith, that would have been before my time there so I will look it up on the Internet, most places seem to advertise on the net now. I do hope that you go out to Ullswater and have a look at the old place. It hasn’t changed much, just the people. Most locals have left the district (Howtown side) and all the farms and houses are tied to the tourism business. David, remember Waterside Farm where the summer tents and caravans were just before you get to Sharrow Bay? The Lowis’s lived there, we as children often hired the rowboat for an hour or two if our pocket money would allow. Strictly against my Mum’s orders, but what the eye doesn’t see…..

A nephew now runs the farm and camp and they were pleased to hear of the old days when I called in.

Not sure what is news from us. John’s daughter Jennifer has had a baby… James George about a month ago premature at 28 weeks and 3lb. but doing well and still in hospital. Jennifer is home but visits daily. Maybe John has told you?

Ian our eldest son and his wife Vicky were due to arrive here in NZ on Oct. 30th for a 6 weeks visit but at the last moment had to cancel. Vicky, on a routine visit to her doctor mentioned as an afterthought a nagging stomach problem. On inspection and a referral to the hospital for diagnosis it turned out to be a tumor together with a futher problem showing up on the scan. An immediate operation was required as so the visit was postponed.

After a 10-day stint in hospital and successful surgery, she was discharged last weekend and now comes a long recuperation. Initially the specialist thought the growth was cancerous, apparently they usually are but treatable. This one was benign which was a blessing. The other problem was cysts on an ovary, the ovary had to be removed. The growth was caused by the ovary problem, unusual but not unknown. Vicky will need to wear an external bag for a few months and them come a futher operation to rejoin the bowel intestine.

Well that was our worrying “highlight” for the year.

I haven’t got any highlights good or bad; life just goes along and with complete retirement now giving me plenty of time to do the things I used to put off for lack of time. I spend a lot of time in the garden and growing things in the greenhouse. Not just veges, I take lots of cuttings from trees and shrubs and seeds from plants. We have almost half an acre and the steep bottom half is mainly in grass and up to recently mown by a goat. So I am filling the bottom half with tree and shrub cuttings. Things grow quickly in NZ, many continuously all the year round so soon it will be like a small wood. I hope.

I wonder if the Oasis is at Lowther village just down the road from Penrith? If it is, that is where Norman and Vera Brough lived as children. Once, John and I went to stay with them as children for 6 weeks or more. Mum was in hospital with an abscess down inside her ear. We were packed off to stay at uncle John Brough’s at Lowther and we went to the local school at Hackthorpe for the period.

I babble on. I must get this in the post to you this afternoon to let you know of the manuscript’s safe arrival.

I will David, try and lay the pages out similar to your part 1 of “Thanks for a Life” with the same or similar fonts and page heading style and then use your journalized style for the text body.

Yes Moira, we too often talk of our stay with you and hope maybe that we can do the same sometime in the future for a longer spell. I would like to visit England again especially up north both Cumberland and South Shields and of course Ponteland. We really thought it was a lovely place to live.

All the best to all of you and I do hope you enjoy your Xmas break.

Oh, and a pat for Lara

Eric

Journal. Labour Day.

Labour Day, the first taste of the holiday season. Everyone tries to get away on this long weekend, rain or shine usually.

In the old days in the 1960s to 80s the roads would be full of caravans all heading to the beach to set their camping sites up for the coming Xmas to be followed by the long summer lasting to May and travelling each Friday night weekend from the towns and cities and returning Sunday night.

There are not many caravans on the roads now, I think the expenses and the prices of new caravans put the damper on things. In the 80s many people built baches at the beaches or used motels. The motel industry was in a building boom during this period and prices of accommodation started to drop with competition.

With the drop in camping today many camps are selling their real estate to developers for apartments, units and up market housing. In Whitianga alone 2 camps have sold up to developers and another camp has reduced his acreage and building housing.

We didn't go up to Whitianga to stay at Gillian and Paul's. Tahlia was taking her boyfriend up to stay and 2 other mates, so we decided not to go.

Gillian and Paul had wanted to go down to Tauranga for the motor racing during the weekend and stay but they decided not to.

Tahlia was going to get some driving practise in this weekend by driving from Whitianga across to Coromandel township, she is nearly ready to sit her driving license now. She also has had practise driving around Hamilton in a driving school car, 3 lessons to date to polish her driving skills.

Our forecast rain came on Sunday and today, Monday is pleasantly sunny and warm.

I'm going for a walk around the lake now.

Journal: Fox and Doggie  trial

This Morning's Walk

Journal:
Still having trouble with a sharp ache in my left forearm and dull pain in my upper shoulder. A visit to the doctor said it was probably Angina, I needed  a "stress test" (treadmill). I first noticed it one day on  piece of road with an incline, barely a hill except towards the top. I felt puffed. I noticed the same the following day, again a little puffed.

After a week and no improvement I then visited the Doctor. He said it was probably Angina which can suddenly appear.  For the last 2-3 weeks I have reduced my amount of walking. Now on the flat, and reduced my pace. The pain is still there... slightly. Finding it difficult to walk slowly.

Had a letter from the hospital, a long waiting list... possibly 3-5 months wait. I was "lucky" to make the urgent list, many do not make it. My Doctor says I could have an immediate tread-mill test if I paid $300.00. I chose to wait. I will call the ambulance, I am a long-time member of St. John's, who would take me to the emergency department  should the problem increase.

This morning I walked again slowly, like an old man, but then really, I am one. The pain was only slightly there. I must have speeded up without thinking, my mind... as usual, elsewhere. The pain jolted me back to reality and I noticed I was puffing. I was only a short walk from some seating... I could rest. Five minutes rest and the pain and puffing slowly subsided. For the rest of the walk, I kept a check on my speed.

Journal: This is and That.
Went for my morning walk this morning, I try to go every other day. It was still dark 6.20 a.m.when I left home but I could see by the street lighting along the domain edge and then comes the first glimmer of dawn. To go round the lake now takes me 55 minutes instead of 42 minutes as before. Arriving home I feed the cats to stop them from pestering me and then make my breakfast. After breakfast I sit and enjoy a dark comedy drama on Sky TV, a series I like very much.

Then it is time to rush out with the weekly rubbish for collection at 8.30 a.m.  I notice the washing is piling up so I take it down into the basement to the laundry. I need to wash it in 2 loads. I get it outside on the line, it will be dry by this afternoon. The day is partly cloudy and the temperature is 25C. and no rain today. I think Pat is pleased I do it. Climbing up and down stairs is getting so difficult for her, both knees trouble her badly now. She does not complain often, but when she does I know her knees are really bothering her.

Journal: A change of Design.
The original background of this blog was very plain so I thought I would try an upgrade to brighten it up.

The original design had the ability to get a large number of words per line, in fact almost double the number of words per line of this new design. I may alter this design to something else later.

Journal: Trouble with Walking.
Well this past week I have had walking problems. I am having pain in my left forearm and trouble in breathing even when walking slowly. A visit to the doctor suggested that I have a stress test, that is to my body, on a treadmill in our local hospital. I am now waiting  for a letter from the hospital.

More news later.

Journal: The Container Ship Rena
The Rena grounded at speed on the Astrolabe Reef 12 nau. miles off Tauranga on October 5th. The Rena is a mid sized container ship 235 metres long and 32 metres beam. Fuel oil is leaking and coming up onto the beaches, our pristine beaches. Containers are starting to drop of the 17 degree listing ship and a large crack shows towards the aft end. 3 tugs have been trying to steady the grounded ship. Marine experts are presently on board accessing the damage and the best mode to continue.

The Captain has been charged and also the 2nd Officer who watch it was. Pass ports have been confiscated pending further charges.

TV news channels, each day exaggerates the news. Radio talk-back is having a field day winding up all the armchair experts who all know "how to fix it".

Adults, children and families have been down on the beaches picking up the large lumps of congealed oil; shovelling up the small pieces and bagging  it all.

Journal: A Day out At Hamilton Lake.
 Well 10 days ago we visited Hamilton Lake and had a lunchtime picnic on a lovely warm day. Prior to lunch I walked round the lake for the first time and enjoyed the walk. Pat stayed in the shade reading her "People" magazine and patiently waited of me.

We will go again when time and weather permits.

Journal: Good News
We had good news this morning from Caitlin. Her application to Waikato University for a 3 year Bachelor of Teaching has been accepted. With a proviso she passes 3 other papers she is taking at school this present year which ends at Christmas. These are Sociology, Health and Humanities. She has completed the courses for Sociology and Health with Humanities still to complete. She sat the Literacy and Numeracy papers which she passed on Wednesday during her University interview. There was, I think, a 6th paper which she had sat and passed last year.

The above seems to be an odd way of going about things. Apparently it has to do with studying on the Tauranga campus and with a maximum of 30 places. There were 2 adult students in their final year for interview also, applying for campus study with Caitlin as well.

She was told that her application would take up to 2 weeks and she said she was most surprised to have a reply in only 3 days.

Journal: Caitlin's Visit to Hamilton.  
Caitlin came over on Wednesday for an interview at the Waikato University for teaching. The 3 part course could last as long as 5 years depending on what areas she takes. She will probably take initially,early childhood which covers 3 years with a possible extension into the primary area of education; which last up to the 5 year mark.

Initially, she thought she would like to be an architect, she liked and was good at art, maths, computer technical drawing and was also good at English but the course parts were long, taking up to 7 years. Her second choice was in the area of children. Both courses can be taken at the Tauranga  Campus. Living with sister Ashlee in a Tauranga house belonging  to Mum would suit everyone, nicely.

I do hope she gets a place, like the UK, here in NZ, the placings are becoming limited due to the present recession, thankfully not as bad as most countries.

We met her lunch before she had to go and meet old friends at Sacred Heart School and also her old matron at the school boarding house. The Matron had a soft spot for Caitlin and her compassion for the younger girls during her years there. Caitlin said matron's  her eyes began to water as her visit ended.  If it had not been for Caitlin's leaving for Tauranga Otomoutai College, she was earmarked for the place of the boarding house Head Girl during her 7th form year.

I hope Caitlin gets her place at the University. Like I found Vicky, she has a feeling for the young ones.

I may have missed sending this piece from a few weeks ago. I found it in draft items.



At Port Kembla. The Steel Works Hotel

First draft:
In the early afternoon we left our sad, lonesome berth at the Phosphate wharf on the Brisbane River; 2 tugs from the Port lower down the river came up to pulled us off the wharf . Our pilot was aboard and at his command , the tugs pulled us off the wharf and then at a further command the tugs slowly pulled us 180 degrees round to point us down river and towards the open sea. We now picked up speed and soon passed Port Brisbane on our starboard, (right-hand side) and continued into open water. There waiting for us was the pilot boat ready to pick up our pilot.

I used to usually watch over the side as the pilot, quickly shaking the captain's hand turned, and as quickly descended the rope ladder, then pausing at the bottom as the pilot boat, keeping pace with us, slowly nearing the rope ladder, the pilot ready to hop from ladder to boat in a neat, swift  motion. I was not the only one who watched the pilot’s departure, the officer of the watch, standing on the flying bridge would be there, too and usually members of the crew would pause to watch as well. It was a kind of ritual, it seemed to be done, always.

We now headed in a southerly direction. In 3 days or so we should be nearing Port Kembla, 450 nautical miles to steam.

I didn’t send an early ETA warning, with only 3 days sailing time. The Captain would decide when to do that. The message duly came from the Bridge a few hours before our arrival was due.

We picked up our pilot who took through the 2 concrete arms of the harbour and we berthed not far from the Steel Works.  Again we were here for in the vicinity of 12-14 days, while unloaded what was left of the phosphate rock cargo.

Port Kembla was just a small town with one main street, Wentworth St., as far as I remember in 1952. I understand now Port Kembla is engulfed by the nearby city of Wollongong.

I well remember the one main street with the Steelworks Hotel at the top and the men’s toilets across the road on the way back to the wharf. The main street is still there today and so is the Steel Works Pub, and across the road, is that the toilets peeking out through the bushes or is it my imagination, when peering on Google Earth? The road seems much better than the one I remember in 1952.

I also remember the milk bar (now its called a coffee bar) a short way down the main street were we would often drop in, with its big shiny American jukebox which played all the latest tunes when a coin was inserted in the slot and then you pressed your selection(s). If the place was crowded you would probably have to wait for your selection to come up, they came up in selection order.

When we finished unloading we found our next port of call was to be Ocean Island, also like Nauru, almost on the equator.

Port Kembla Main Street - old and now. 2011

Port Kembla - Wentworth Street - (Main Street) circa 1952? 

Journal: What if it did happen?
The Euro, it makes you think. That is if you read the piece from the Telegraph above. Maybe, best not to read it. When the editor of the Telegraph recommends it, it could be serious. Greece is close to collapse apparently, but there is nothing you or I could be done about it.

Moving on: Pat is back on her feet after 5 days of fasting and her old self once more. Very pale and taking food again. I'm glad of that.

It seems the equinox gales have arrived a little early this year, sun, rain and wind, sometimes all together. Not good for the Rugby games down here in NZ.

Anthony said he saw some of the ABs strolling down the street the other day. They are busy training down here in Hamilton  for their match with Japan shortly. Tickets are sold out. Japan is improving with an ex-All Black training them.

Been using Google Chrome and quite liking it after many years of plain old Google. The only thing is it cannot compete with "IE Favorites" which I use a great deal. I will need to have them both on my desktop.

Pat can't keep her eyes off Kate and Eddie photos especially Eddie "walking soon" holding the chair and Kate finding there is a whole new world sitting up. Kaeden is at holding the chair stage here. Who will walk first I wonder.

Journal:
 Euro: Money Troubles.
By Andrew Lilico

 Andrew Lilico is an Economist with Europe Economics, and a member of the Shadow Monetary Policy Committee. He was formerly the Chief Economist of Policy Exchange.


What might happen.

Many statements from senior eurozone policymakers treat the continuation of the euro and continuation of the European Union as much the same thing.  Some of those commenting upon these events dispute that.  They point out that the Single Market was there before the euro.  They imagine that schemes in which Germany and few other countries form an "Eastern euro" whilst France leads a "Western euro" would be compatible with the continuation of the Single Market.
They are wrong.  And it is actually the fact that eurozone breakup (by which I mean any arrangement in which any of France, Germany and Italy ceases to be in a currency union with the others – Greece's quasi-inevitable exit from the euro would not be what I mean by "eurozone breakup") would very probably lead to collapse of the EU that generates most of the costs of that catastophe scenario, rather than the costs of breaking up the euro itself.  It is a grave mistake to imagine that just because the Single Market existed before the euro (and could surely have continued for some considerable time if the euro had never happened) it therefore follows that the Single Market could continue if the euro were to break up.
To understand why Eurozone breakup leads to EU breakup, let's for the sake of the discussion assume that, post-euro, each former eurozone member would establish its own currency.  (Nothing fundamental changes if there are other currency unions, but it makes describing things simpler if we set that aside.)  The way each country would establish its own currency would be (overnight) to pass a law declaring that all contracts established under its national law would be re-denominated from euros into the new national currency (Mark, New Franc, New Lira, etc.).  Any country the currency of which seemed likely to devalue would also introduce capital controls, so that there was not capital flight in fear of devaluation.  Amongst the traditionally higher-inflation countries, the level of devaluation required to create the sort of one-way bet that would not induce capital flight would be so high as to generate inflation - a number of such countries would probably prefer to try to keep their currencies slightly strong and introduce capital controls.
The threat of capital flight would be enduring, so capital controls would not be simply a matter of a day or two.  Capital controls eliminate one of the four pillars of the Single Market – namely the free movement of capital.  That leaves the free movement of labour, goods and services.  With the collapse of the euro, a number of states would be perceived as likely to enter very serious recessions, even just from the costs of euro collapse, such as the collapse of their banking systems – probably accompanied by their brief nationalisation and the introduction of martial law (in violation of a number of human rights provisions under EU Treaties).  Fearing these recessions, there could be large exoduses of workers into states perceived as less likely to have recessions (e.g. Germany, Finland).  The states into which people would want to go would probably close their borders, to avoid swamping; the states from which they were leaving would probably close their borders, to prevent their highest-value workers going in a brain drain.  Thus, free movement of labour would collapse.
The large recessions associated with these events would be unevenly distributed across parts of the economy.  A number of states would be very likely to respond by introducing extensive subsidies of certain industries, in violation of state aids rules.  They would also almost certainly attempt to use government procurement to boost domestic suppliers at the expense of foreign contractors.  Such state aids and preferential procurement would constitute non-tariff barriers, destroying the free movement of goods and services.
These are just a few illustrations of how the Single Market would directly be undermined by the natural responses of countries to collapse of the euro.  And that is before we even start to consider the huge recriminations and antipathy that would arise.  Governments, facing recessions at home, will naturally seek to blame the governments of other countries.  We see this already in the over-heated rhetoric in the Greek and German press.  Actual collapse of the euro would magnify this tenfold.
The EU is most unlikely to continue without the euro.  Sudden and disorderly collapse of the EU would induce a massive further phase of recession.  I happen to think that the UBS figures of 20-25 percent contraction in GDP for strong countries and 50 percent for weak countries are somewhat emotional.  But it would certainly involve a recession on a scale beyond modern experience or comprehension in a Western democracy.
Let's not go there.

Journal: Blogger changes.
Google is changing Blogger over to its Google Chrome system so over the next few days I will be trialling the  system changes. For blog reception blogs should, as I understand it be received in the normal way. At my end pages look different but at the reception end they will look just the same.

Journal: What is happening here.
Not much at present. Still walking almost everyday. Very enjoyable, the sun shines every morning. The long spell of sunny weather is coming to an end and normal southern hemisphere spring weather is due to take its place.

 Pat has not been too well for the last 2 days and spent a good part of the time in bed. She thinks it is due to her  gall bladder recurring troubles. She has been vomiting quite a bit. So if you do not here from her, that is the reason.

OldEric: my funny motto, a new piece has just been posted. Reverted back to no pictures. Pictures are a nice addition to the blog  but it takes a long time to search them out, sort them and insert. Quite a few come via Google. May try a separate page.

Journal: Father's Day
Yesterday was Father's Day. Gillian, Ian and Anthony made contact. Gillian phoned early in the morning from Whitianga and wished me a happy day and said to look out for something in the mail, as always a lotto ticket and said as usual, to let her know if I won anything. Anthony arrived shortly afterwards to accompany me on my usual a morning walk. As usual he had a funny card for me, I don't know how he finds them all. No matter whether it is Christmas, my birthday or anything else, he always comes up with a funny card. I enjoy them. I took him along one of the nice, quiet routes I often take around St Andrew's here in Hamilton and we had an interesting and varied conversation which I enjoyed. When we arrived back we went together with Pat to visit a small cafe, just down the road and had coffee and muffins. Anthony could not stay long, painting work was waiting in the bathroom. Nice of him to take the time off and come down wish me, a happy Father's Day.

Ian phoned this evening from Wales which was a pleasant surprise, for over there Father's Day is on a different day. He must have made a note of the day. Like Anthony we had a pleasant and interesting conversation about the Twins, the front patio he is building and the sad demise of Vicky's elder sister in Swansea.

As I went on my morning walk this morning, I thought about yesterday, I thought of our family. Pat and I could not have been blessed with 3 better offspring.

   

Journal: What happened this Week
Our heat pump packed a sad about 5/6 weeks ago in the unit outside. The unit had moving parts with electrical wires fed to it into the interior. One of the voltage carrying wires had movement and in time wore the insulation through and caused the wire to move against earth and intermittently blow our fuse link. After a few blows something else blew and no more heat. The heat pump was about 10 years old. The original blown unit was no longer available but a similar unit could be modified, this unit had to be procured from overseas, estimated time in about 2 weeks.

But the weeks went by and no unit. We phoned after 3 weeks, then phoned again in 4 weeks, 5 weeks came and happy news; the unit was in the country. It should arrive in 2 days. It did arrive in 2 days but the weekend started tomorrow, ah well another 3 days, we could wait I suppose. But it was Thursday before they could return and fit it, the unit was fitted but over the long waiting period the gas had leaked. So a gassing unit was connected up to our power and left over-night. Next morning the technician arrived back and 30 minutes later we were back in business.

Apparently the technician said quite a few units had blown up over time, the fault was well known. The cost to the owner of our rental unit would be about $800-900, or a little more. The unit owner chose to have it fixed.

Bruce, the technician's surname was Cheyne. He told us he had been puzzling where he had seen me before. Eventually, he said the penny dropped with him. When I had our business I used to repair his parent's electronic equipment; he was a small boy and he remembered me visiting his father's farm up Matahuru Valley. The Cheyne 's were a large extended family all locally living in the area. We talked for quite a while, I knew most of them, if not all of them. Pat knew most of them too. They used to come into our workshop to pay their accounts and Pat would regularly talk to them. We all had quite an interesting talk.

I remember Bruce's grandfather Arthur, quite well. On the wall of their house was a very large picture of a large man in full Scottish regalia. Talking one day I enquired of the picture. Arthur told me it was his great-grandfather who came out to NZ from Scotland in the 1800s and bought a large block of land covered in bush and broke the land in.

Arthur, like all the Cheyne's was large, they were very large men, both height and width. During our conversation, Bruce remarked, except him, he was about 5'9 inches in height.

The Car: We got the car back today from the panel-beaters. During our last visit to the hospital we were parked next to a large black 4x4 in the parking building who made a mess of the back end of our car when pulling out. We think he may have left a note. Driving out of the parking building I noticed a piece of paper lodged, not under the car wipers but in the corner of the windscreen and the bonnet. It seemed to be a supermarket checkout list.

Leaving the building it was very windy and the wind whipped the "note" away after a while. At this stage we weren't aware of the car damage and not suspicious that the checkout list might have been a note from the black 4x4 driver. There was much black paint on our rear end side.

Fortunately when the panel-beater cleaned up the scars on the car, the damage was not as bad as first thought. The torn bumper had taken most damage and the large black lines made it look like the paintwork  was damaged too. It could have been much worse. Still it cost us almost $400 dollars and not worth claiming on our insurance.

Journal: Walking and a visit to the Doctor.
This week, 7 days, I have been walking every morning. Starting with 35 minutes and each day increasing the time by about 3-5 minutes. Normally I would increase the time by 5 minutes per week but I have been walking once or twice per week and I found I was in reasonable fitness.

Today is Friday, these past 2 days I attempted a sloping piece of road as well. The first day I got part way up near the top, rested 2 minutes.Today I only got half way up and had to stop and rest 3 minutes. I'm at my maximum for a while.

At the beginning of the week I could feel a slight tightening in my left arm. Now it is no longer there.

I visited my new GP yesterday, I needed a new supply of my meds (tablets). He is young, about 35 possibly, his mind works very fast, he reminded me of myself at that age when I could do the same without any problem over long hours. First impression..., I liked him.

There was another reason for me going in today to see the doctor. I needed to have my driving license suspended. Twice during my recent visits to the hospital, as an out patient, the doctor and the physiotherapist have suggested that I think about it. I have been thinking about it for quite some time now. I just needed a prod. My bouts of dizziness from the seizures are not getting any better. Maybe, they may be getting a little worse. I don't dwell on it, but, I hate the thought of being the cause of a traffic accident.

Now I will have to try not to be a back seat driver.

Journal: The latter half of this Week
On Thursday  I had an appointment at the hospital again to try and sort out my speech problems. Rebecca again, she had with her, a student, Anne? Annette? she was quite older than Rebecca who would be in her mid-late thirties. The student would be 50, or slightly more. We went over word training again and how to deal with it. Pat was with me too and dying to chip in. Rebecca would ask her an occasional question.

It was suggested I should try exercising again which I have done little of since my stroke 4 years ago. We decided that I should start walking again. I went out yesterday in the rain for 35 minutes. I had to try and remember more things and I was taught ways to best improve my problems. Soon my hour was up and I felt worn out. I have another appointment in just over 2 weeks.

We left the hospital and called in again at Forlongs to change one of the bowls for another one of different colour the one we had did not seem right with our new table. We also had a problem with the table, there was some wide marks  which showed up depending on the angle of light. We had tried polish with no success, Alistair suggested to try a couple of things over the phone and we tried without success, He said he would change it with one sitting on the showroom floor tomorrow. I was worn out and went to bed just after 8.30 pm. Pat soon followed, both knees were giving problems with all the walking in the hospital.

Two men arrived  on Friday with a table top only, from the showroom, they looked at out table and said the marks had come from polystyrene packing rubbing on the table. They had seen the problem before. They set about changing the table top and all was well. They told us a couple of more tricks too, when Pat mentioned the extension wooden mechanism was tight. Apparently they were not just delivery men from Forlongs, but they assembled furniture coming into the store from overseas.

When we woke up this morning, Saturday there was a light fog and all the surrounding house roofs were covered with frost. The sun was shining through the fog. Now at 10.30 am the fog is gone and the sky is a brilliant blue. I will try another walk tomorrow.

Journal: 
Another Friday and Saturday. 2 Days of Shopping.
During the passing weeks we had been down to Forlongs Furnishings in Frankton to have a look for a new dining table and chairs we found what we would probably need. We did not buy anything at the time, we just wanted measurements. We returned on the past Friday to place our order for delivery next week. During our visit Pat had a look around for a possible glass cabinet to put her Lladro in. It is presently up in the attic storage room in banana boxes along other ornaments she has bought over the years.


Pat spotted a possible cabinet, freestanding on legs so we took the measurements. She also spotted 2 large shallow dishes, one for our new table and one for a possible Christmas present for Gillian.

We paid for our Friday purchases and the salesman Alistair asked if we had a "Birthday voucher" (worth $30). Pat said we had but we forgot to bring it with us. The salesman said he would credit us if we could get to the shop by tomorrow. We said OK. Anthony was going across tomorrow.

When we got back home we found the measurements of the cabinet for the Lladro was ideal. So we decided to go ourselves back to Forlongs, its only 10 minutes up the road, pay for the cabinet and the 2 bowls and deliver the voucher and come straight home.

The table is made of  Rubber Tree wood which comes from Java (Indonesia), it is very hard and a pleasant medium brown shade.

Journal: Another Day of our Life in Hamilton

Yesterday we visited the new Countdown supermarket  near the Base shopping Centre, here in Hamilton, the largest in the the Waikato area. Small compared with the the UK, but big for little o'l NZ. Plenty of specials but no cheaper than our other normal Countdown uptown.

We called in at the New World Supermarket on our way back to get some loaves of bread, they make particularly nice bread.

Today we are staying home, rain is promised  the next 7 days, but the forecasters are not always right, today we are getting small showers and sunshine.

Did a few odd jobs this morning, firstly hung out a few bits of washing Pat run through in a cold wash last night and this morning, I put a few more pieces, towels etc to be run through in a hot wash. No good hanging them out on the line outside, the showers would get them, so I hung them on the portable clothes stand, pressed the garage roller door button, set the clothes stand in what sun was shining then left the through door into the laundry open and also the other laundry door to the outside open for a through draft to continue drying when the showers came.

Usually when I do this the doors bang shut with the stronger breeze gusts, but this morning I was smarter than the wind. Looking around the garage I spotted the heavy concrete Santa Claus gnome and propped against one door, that will do the trick I thought. We had brought him with us went we moved from Huntly. Now for the other door, I couldn't see any thing heavy enough. What to do I thought as I wandered around the garage tidying up. As I wandered int the laundry from the garage I put a loose plastic bucket out of harms way and I suddenly had a notion, the plastic bucket, fill it with water. That did the trick, heavier than Santa Claus!

This is the first day I have been feeling myself for quite a few weeks, 6 or more weeks since we began packing and and moving to our new home, before that, 2 trips to the hospital by ambulance, then 3 trips to the hospital as a day patient. I have been mainly feeling miserable and bad tempered. Pat has been very patient with me as she knew I did not want to move from Dudley Ave., we had been there for 43 years, it was a nice house and my den was the basement, the house was private and upstairs the views, lovely from most of the windows. Overlooking the lake was my favourite watching the wildlife.

 But today I feel much better, I do hope my cheerful mood continues, I hope I don't lapse back into the moody ways of the past. I have just added the weeks up, it is not weeks, it is months, 4 calender months.  In another 8 weeks it will be Spring. March 7th to July 7th. 7, is this an omen?

Journal: A Dull Cold  Day
Today is Mid Winter's day in New Zealand. The day is overcast, there is no wind and indoors in the bedroom I note the temperature is 16 C. I've just popped on my coat until things warm up. After most days, until now reaching 20 C., the drop in temperature this sudden, is really felt.
Pat has just gone out to visit the local supermarket stating her feet felt like 2 blocks of ice. Not that we really short of anything from the supermarket.

Yesterday I had to go to the hospital again to see yet another specialist. In his summing up he asked me if I still drove our car and I of course said yes. He then asked Pat the same question and she answered "Yes" also. He then said that I should not really be driving now with having dizzy spells. I just had adizzy spell only 10days ago whilst shopping on my own, I realised immediately what it was and quickly left the shop, made my way back to the car across the road in a car park area. Pat was in the car waiting for me and I asked her to exchange places with me and by that time I could hardly stand. As the specialist said "what if I had been driving on a busy road?"

She is now driving around town, getting used to Hamilton City, going out when traffic is lighter.

For the past week or more we have had Anthony staying with us. Their house is being painted using gloss and the smell is very strong. Craig is staying with his mother who also lives in Hamilton. He does keep some late hours some nights, especially at the weekends.

 Pat has just called me, she has just left the supermarket, she phoned also when she arrived at the supermarket.

Journal:  We are now in Hamilton.
After 43 years in our home at Dudley Ave., Huntly we had a large accumulation of bits and pieces.There was quite a long process sorting out what we needed in a much smaller house. Packing was a slow process, too. Towards the end Gillian came across to help us and Anthony with Craig, too. They worked packing; much faster than us, over longer hours and soon had everything packed and ready to go. Paul came over the weekend and with a trailer moved the heavy unwanted items to the tip. There they have a second hand shop and the useful stuff went into the shop and the $30.00 tip fee was waived.

The removal truck had been booked the previous week for the following Thursday. The previous day they rang us up to tell us that unfortunately they could not fit us in. The Auckland office had not forwarded our details  to Hamilton branch in time. In fact the fellow who took the details was now in the UK on his big OE and had left the papers on his desk completed and no one had noticed them. By luck there was a vacancy next day, Friday, would that be OK, we were asked. We breathed a sigh of relief.

We have now been here for 3 weeks and out most days to buy something we needed. Furniture was the main thing, drawers and the like. We didn't have any, I know it sounds funny but all our furniture was built in at Dudley Ave. The furniture we selected to fit in our unit were in "flat-packs", so we have been busy assembling them. The most awkward one was Pat's computer desk selected to fit in the dining room.

We have a small lounge with a large corner window, a separate dining area with kitchen attached. 2 good sized bedrooms, bathroom with separate shower, separate large toilet. The laundry area has a sink unit with appropriate holes and taps to fit our washing machine and space for our drier. The hot water is supplied from an instant gas unit. The garage is built in and the door automatic just as Pat wanted it.

Journal: Prepare to Move to Hamilton.
At the end of this month we will probably move to Hamilton and we will rent our present house to Annette, a primary school teacher at Kimihia School until at least December 2011. The rental will be $300.00 per week. If all goes well with her teaching post she will be offered a further contract for another school year.

We will be responsible for the lawn mowing and gardening as it is now.

From today I will temporarily close "OldEric thoughts", until we get settled into our new home. Much preparation has to be done mainly in the form of packing and disposal of what we don't need, plus lots of rubbish. We now have to find a suitable removal firm to move us and our bits and pieces.

Tomorrow morning, May 2nd 2011, we have an appointment to view a permanent  rental  unit in St. Andrew's suburb in Hamilton near to the river and a stones throw from the golf course. St. Andrew's is a good area so I hope we will like the unit. The unit is just a little more to rent than what we will get for our present house and lawns/gardening are included. I hope Pat likes it.

Goodbye for now.

You never know, I may find time to fit in some bits of news on the laptop.

Journal: Notes. March 4th.  Had a Stroke this Morning.

Getting ready to go to House sit Anthony's house and cat whilst he was in Australia.

Delivered cat food to neighbour across the road to feed our cats.

Crossing  road on my return I tripped  slightly on tar seal road and again on our lawn.

By rthe time I reached the front door needed to hold on the cthe door frame to hlod myself up. Called Pat.

Pat then had to help me into my armchair. My head was then spinning round.

Getting worse. Pat said try to get down to our bedroom by holding onto walls. I did.

Collapsed onto bed. Dry mouth. Pat held my head to give me water then raised my feet.

room lamp shade slow spin anticlock, seeing double, few seconds only, stoppoed and then started clockwise, getting up speed.

Then noticed ceiling architrave rippling left to right, speeding up.

Mouth dry again. Pat helped me to sitting position to take more water. Half glass consumed.

Lay down again. Feeling nauseus,managed to sit up again and called Pat. Wreaching... nothing there, pain in my  solar plexus.

Pat called Ambulance. Still trying to be sick. Small amount of yellow bile appeared... no food sighted.

Journal: Sunday Morning Jobs
Lovely sunny morning. It had been raining for the last 36 hours which was needed. I borrowed a small incinerator from our neighbour, just across the paddock. The breeze was coming from the south-west an ideal, day for burning all of our outdated invoices, bills, etc., and at the same time, the breeze keeping the smoke from our nearby neighbours.

I messed up my Favorites on one of my computers the other day and this morning I decided to fix the problem. There are well over 2000 entries, mainly for Trainz, when I started, it seemed fairly simple to sort out but it took me over 2 hours to unravel.

 A&C have got tenants for their new house, they are a Filipino family, husband, wife and 2 teenage children. The wife is a Geotech engineer and her husband also works in the same business. Pat opines that they may be working on the new motorway bypass and ring-road for Hamilton, Ngaruawhaia and we hope, Huntly, too.

Journal: Visit to Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist.

First draft


My visit was in 2 parts:

• Audiology... Dilworth Audiology.

The Audiology part was a general check of my hearing by feeding varying tones into each ear in turn and then together. My ear drums were tested  as well for correct functioning. Further, tests to find any tinnitus and what levels I may have. I have had a slight high pitched whistle for many years in both my ears which I  have always assumed was tinnitus. It has never really bothered me.

The Audiology state of my ears were, generally, found to be in good shape.

-----------------------------------------------

• Ear, Nose and Throat ... Dr Malcolm Giles,  Specialist.

I was given a good check over of my ears and nose area and nothing, pertaining to my problem was found. The only thing of note was, I had broken my nose at sometime. I was surprised, I could not recall having done so.

Sometime later I did remember, the previous year, 2010 I had, had a number of falls, face first. One of them, I hit my face on a door handle. I blacked my eye and cheek bone area. After these healed I remember, if I pressed on my top gum area, I could feel a dull pain apparently around the top gum area. This lasted  for about 2 months or so before the pain disappeared.

Dr. Giles then asked me to describe, in detail, step by step what had happened. I told him what the first ambulance personel had observed in the house and again what the 2nd crew in the 2nd ambulance had seen en-route to Waikato Hospital.

The first ambulance personnel had noted my eyes rolling upwards in the lying down position on my back.

The 2nd ambulance personell asked me when lying on my back to raise both arms upwards. I did so, or I thought I had raised both arms upwards. I had not, I had raised only my right one, when I turn my head to the left, my left arm was lying motionless. I tried to raise my left arm while obseving it, it felt like I was raising the arm but it did not move. I asked the amulance person if my eyes were rolling and he answered, yes. Later I could raise my left arm normally.

Dr. Giles then asked me my medical history as listed.

•  I starting with my heart problem in 1990.
• A partial loss of memory in late 1990s was noticed, said to be probably a TIA.
• A stroke in 2007 (?) on my vision. Followed by noticing a loss of memory , middle register (name not known) in later months.
• Also 2007 at same time as stroke. A seizure. Small white dots noticed near vision hemmoriage. My blood pressure monitored, spot on normal. Usually only seen with high blood pressure patients . My blood pressure is usually spot on. Neurology speciallist suggested a possible seizure Small amount of Tegretol to be administered twice daily.
• March 04-08 2011. Removed to hospital. Initially to Emergency dept., then short stay ward, under Dr Margaret Fisher, said to be part of the Neuralogy team. Dr Fisher seemed to be of the opinion the problem was to do with a stroke. Discharged March 08 2010.

Note 1: Early April 2011. Since leaving hospital I have twice had problems with my vision, very similar to my stroke in 2007. This is a shimmer to the right of my right eye. First, whilst watching TV. Second, whilst using my computer. Both lasted 30-40 minutes.

Note 2: During the middle of 2010 I did get, when looking out of the dining room, window over the gully to Lake Hakanoa the... I call it 2D effect... of the trees and bushes for about 1 hour. This is part of what I got whislt in hospital in 2007.

This was my fault... I had not taken my medication for 3.5 days approx. Was it missing the Tegretol

Journal: Jury Service
I got a quite a shock, I was called up for jury service on Monday 28th March 2011 to appear at Hamilton Courthouse. Our small town of Huntly had not been in the Courthouse circuit before. After making some enquires I found Huntly was now included.

Reading through the document information, a phone number jumped out at me, to ring for enquires if I had a problem. I certainly had a problem and I rang the 0800 number. The operator replied and I told her I had a jury service  problem. Before I could say any more she cut in and said "I'm putting you through to Paula. Paula came on the line and asked me what my problem was. I gave her my name and jury service number and said " if the trial lasts into the afternoon I would, in all probability, fall asleep as I usually do after lunch". There was a pause on the line as she digested the information. Paula then said " how old are you, sir. I replied  "I'm 77". "Just a moment" she said and then said  "Ah yes, I've found you, no trouble, I will cross you off the list. She went on to explain to me that everyone over 65 has the choice to sit on a jury or decline irrespective of age . Even me at 77.

My trouble was that my prescribed medication causes me to usually have a nap after lunch for at least 30 minutes and longer if I have been busy during the morning.

Journal: Monday. Pat is busy Decluttering today. 
Pat is busy attending to her decluttering program this morning whilst I attended to the weekly washing. I have done 2 full loads and hung them out on the line. Dry before lunchtime. Another hot day, with light wind and some cloud. 24C.

 About 10 days ago I found a wasps nest in a dried crack in the lawn at the rear of the greenhouse. I tried a fly spray can, it killed some but how many canisters was going to be needed... it was a large nest. Then I tried to fill the crack in,  twice, the wasps dug a tunnel, twice. I consulted Google and found a possible solution. A heavy duty spray can "Wasp Nest Destroyer".

Yesterday whilst visiting Anthony and Craig we called in at MITRE 10 warehouse on our way home and found  on rack 023 a can of  "Wasp Nest Destroyer", whew! $NZ25.00. Next to rack 023 was  rack 022 where they kept 6kg bags of Persil washing powder which we needed.

Tried the can out on the wasps nest this morning... working well.

Journal: Anthony and Craig's new Purchase
Yesterday, Sunday we visited Anthony and Craig and had lunch before they took us round to see the 2nd house they had had recently purchased between them.

It is an older style built in 1947. Large kitchen, separate dining room, 4 double bedrooms plus 1 single bedroom, medium sized lounge and enclosed sun-room overlooking the garden at the rear. Recently, outside at the rear is a raised wooden deck and seating. The house is in very good condition indeed.

 A recently built large brick double garage has been added with an extra separate room at the rear, with power and a phone jack. They plan to fit a shower in this room and kitchen bench with microwave later.

They have leased the newly purchased new house for a year to a family whilst they update their present house. At the end of the lease they will move into this house and lease out their updated  present house.

Journal: Return Trip to Hospital
Return trip to hospital, again by ambulance to the Emergency Department on the 15th March, 2 days after arriving home. Again dizziness, sick and unable to stand but no sign of stroke symptoms.

Examined again, Doctor thinks symptoms may be ear infection. After 6 hours observation, returned home via Anthony. Like Gillian, Anthony had quite a bit of running around for us.

Doctor instructed to have my ears syringed out by my GP and arrangements made for a Specialist appointment. Nurse doing the syringing operation noticed redness in one of the tubes going to the nasal passage.

Further Note (if any)

Journal: To Hospital via Ambulance.
A visit to hospital via ambulance on Friday March 4th to the Emergency Dept. Bout's of sickness, dizziness and 2 possible small strokes, I was unable to stand. One stroke at home and one in the ambulance. CT head scan showed nothing. Dizziness and sickness treated by injection. To probe further to to the area of my last  stroke, an MRI scan would be needed. Dr. Margaret Fisher thought, after thorough daily examination, that, at this stage, an MRI would serve no useful purpose. In hospital until the following Tuesday, March 8th and then discharged.

Stayed at Anthony's home in Hamilton until Sunday March 13th and then returned home. During this period Anthony was on holiday with Craig in Australia, we elected not to inform Anthony of  my problem, spoiling his holiday, until he arrived back home. Also during this period Gillian came over from Whitianga was and looked after Mum and made any arrangements necessary. She visited me each day in hospital with Mum and sometimes twice to give Mum a rest. Gillian was such a great help to us.

When Anthony and Craig returned from Australia, Gillian returned home to Whitianga turning us over to the boys. I was made comfortable in the front room where the sun sun shines all day long and well looked after.

Journal: Earthquake. Day 7.
Body count this morning 155, the authorities think it may rise to 240 over time. More expected to be found today.

 A week has gone by and a 2 minutes silence at 12.51p.m. is to be held. The evening news reported that in Auckland and in various other cites, vehicles, including buses pulled up at the pavement edge and with the people, observed the silence. We too,observed the silence in our home.

5 looters caught last night, mainly robbing deserted houses. One house of jewelry. Looting like in many other countries is considered a particularly serious offence.

Christchurch being a particularly pleasant city to live has, over the years, attracted more than its fair share of the criminal fraternity and those with a drug habit. Thank goodness for the extra police from Australia.

Pat wrote a cheque for $50.00 yesterday for the Salvation Army and I dropped it in during my visit down town at the appropriate bank. We wish it could have been more. The Salvation Army get little acknowledgement from the general public, TV or Radio stations. They are always there at disasters, giving out food with a cup of tea if wanted, and a smile, with a few kind words to troubled souls, if needed.

During my days as a young man in the British forces many of us have much to thank the Sallies for, for that cup of hot, sweet tea and their time given so willingly.

Major damaged buildings are the modern buildings. Authorities are calling for extra earthquake proofing to present earthquake proofing of buildings. At extra costing. Areas in NZ prone to 'quakes' will need to upgrade. Thank goodness we live in the Waikato without major 'quakes'.

Most of the damage is is of course in the central business district... CBD and to the eastern side of the city. The western side of the city is mostly untouched and life is mainly normal, unless you happen to work in the CMD. No cracks in the roads, water supply OK, sewage OK, etc., etc.

Everyone working in the Christchurch 'quake damaged areas, still work steadily doing what needs to be done, with more and more joining in like the Farmy Army with their farm machinery and their wives at the nearest memorial hall cooking food for hungry appetites. The Student Army are still doing a marvellous job and calling for more students from Dunedin to join them.

Body count risen to 159 as I leave this missive. I feel I want to get my spade and shovel and go and help them but Pat says I'm a silly old fool at 77. I wish I was younger.

Journal: Earthquake continued. Day 6.
Body count risen by 2 overnight to 147. Many bodies have not yet been identified yet due to massive injury of the bodies by large pieces of brickwork and large building stoneware. Some may not be identifiable. There are  20 different countries identified so far. There are a number specialist teams forensic from overseas working on the problem states the Christchurch coroners office. If only we all could have our DNA registered. A temporary mortuary has been constructed at Burnham military camp.

2 more looters were picked up last night and held in gaol.

Air New Zealand have been offering $50 flights from anywhere in NZ to Christchurch one way

China have offered their help with the earthquake, in what capacity I presently do not know. Probably in earthquake field. China has big 'quakes and huge loss of life.

The removal of bodies from the CTV building and Cathedral goes slowly. Large iron pipes 1.5 metre diameter are being use by the specialist teams to shelter from falling bricks and stone as they burrow into the buildings. The tallest building in the city is leaning at an angle, slowly sinking in the liquefaction on one side. Presently it cannot be demolished for, if it falls, on nearby lower buildings it may cause a domino effect. With smart thinking the opposite side is now being filled by concrete to stabilise the lean. Then the building can be inspected for bodies or maybe life, then be dismantled.

The Military have been quietly busy backing up the police, directing traffic, the cooks cooking meals, and  medical staff, etc. Out at the airport it is busy from extra planes. USA use Christchurch airport as a stop-over to Antarctica Deep Freeze and work round the clock. It is also a storage facility, the very large US military planes various Hercules and C5-Galaxy aircraft coming in regularly. No doubt the air-force arm of the military are  used here, too. Many US staff are posted to Christchurch and quite a few American accents are heard helping with the 'quake problems.

At the time of the Earthquake the Navy ship Canterbury was berthed at Port Lyttelton. They did sterling work, not least cooking 600 extra dinners every day for the 'quake victims. The Canterbury is a multi-role vessel, 2 days ago the ship left for Wellington to pick up stores and heavy equipment including vehicles needed for the 'quake damage repair. She is due back today.

That is all I can write for now. More tomorrow.

Journal: Earthquake Day 5.
Latest figures now 145 dead.

Bodies are now being recovered from the Canterbury Cathedral and from another building called the CTV building.

The CTV building, 5 stories high  pancaked down to one floor level during the 'quake. The building contained a local TV station, with 15 people present.  An small English school teaching English improvement to 20 Filipino nurses, and a 3rd business thought to be of Japanese origin . A total number of 120 people. Some were out for lunch but most were inside when the 'quake struck.

The building was flattened. Smoke was seen issuing from the building. Firemen put water on the source but to no avail. A Special Rescue team tried to enter but could not penetrate the building. Cell phones could be heard for a while and then nothing. The specialists said smoke inilation would cause death. Special equipment was used to search for life, but none found. Bodies were starting to be removed last night. Each floor of the building had to be removed starting from the top.

Sadly, a Filipino woman in the Philippines received a text from here trapped daughter saying goodbye and then rest of the message petered out.

___________________________

Refer to piece Amputation 2 days ago. Needs expansion / correction.

From 2 different TV channel interviews: The doctor was in fact 3 doctors from the Australian Convention in Christchurch. 2 male and 1 female. After consultation of the 3 doctors the female doctor was selected to do the amputation of both legs and one of the other doctors to apply the anaesthetic. The amount of room in and beneath the beam was very restricted.

The ambulance did have anaesthetics on board but no amputation instruments.  Some tradesmen who had been working nearby were consulted and they produced a hacksaw and a large jackknife. The amputation was successfully carried out, the  patient was then removed from under the beam and then taken to hospital by the medic, and then transferred to Waikato Hospital by helicopter. The patient 2 days later was doing well.

The 2 anaesthetics used were morphine and another drug which I did not catch the name, I think it began with the letter K. This second anaesthetic as explained by the interviewed doctors, was to remove all trace of  memory of what had taken place when he, the patient woke up!! I thought this amazing.

The patient did not want, presently to be identified. The doctor who carried out the amputation did not want to be recognised either.

Today some of the specialist teams are moving out to Port Lyttlton. To remove bodies and maybe find someone alive. Port Lyttlton was the epicentre of the 'quake. To not finish on a sad note, the specialists say it is not unusual to find the living up to 10 days after the 'quake.

Journal: Earthquake Day 4.  
Latest figures 123 Dead  228 missing.

323 Australian police arrived today and sworn in for NZ duties. Reason: to give NZ police a rotational rest and help deter to looters. Many empty homes looted. Worst incident 3 power generators stolen. These were supplying areas where power lines could not  be easily repaired. These looters were caught. about 10 other looters are already caught. All are in jail with no bail allowed. First court sessions March 28, or could be later.

NZ March Census cancelled. No further date given.

1000 Portaloos due to arrive from USA to bolster NZ supply. Sewage lines will be difficult to repair. Some areas estimated months.

3000 Canterbury University student volunteers signed up to help clean up liquefaction over roads and inside many houses. And when the spades and shovels run out, do any other jobs necessary. The liquefaction is mainly sandy mud and sewage.

Everything running 24 hours a day where necessary and available staff. Many people doing long overtime stints in their own time.

John Key, the Prime Minister gave a marvellous speech the first day  to boost the morale of Christchurch and the country, many TV channels using 'sound and picture bites' from the speech. The speech seems to have worked well with many.

The mayor of Christchurch, an ex TV presenter does an excellent job each morning listing what has been done the previous day and the goals ahead. That seems to go down well too with the public.

Christchurch Cathedral: The tower and spire partially collapsed during the earthquake and the stones fell inward filling the remaining standing part of the tower. At the time of the earthquake a party of 20 Japanese tourists were in the tower climbing upward, all were buried. Various tests were made for life, all were  pronounced dead. There is also a strong possibility of other tourists dead at the tower end of the cathedral on the ground floor. Visitors were seen in that vicinity. No sounds of life were detected there either. The standing remains of the tower and surrounding building are in a precarious state and removing the stone work is presently highly dangerous.

Well that is all I can manage today. Again forgive any grammatical errors, time is in short supply

Journal: Earthquake Day 3.
Christchurch is a mess, seen especially from the air. Spent some of yesterday refreshing my memory of "liquefaction". All of Christchurch  and the greater area have many patches of liquefaction, both big and small.
Earthquakes and tremors do not mix well with liquefaction. Experts say liquefaction can be overcome, even with constructing large buildings, but they are loath to guarantee success in an earthquake prone area.

Early this, morning the dreadful figures were deaths 103 and missing 226. Of the missing, this figure is expected to drop somewhat.

Many older residents and those with children are reported to be leaving the city for relatives and friends, and a few, for second homes. The roads are crowded, gasoline is scarce but diesel is freely available. Shell the main distributer are kept busy.

The NZ search and rescue teams are doing a wonderful job along with those teams from Australia and Japan. other teams also from Taiwan, Singapore and the USA. USA team with heavy lifting equipment, I believe. The 2 British teams are arriving today. These are specialist teams, completely self contained, down to food, water and accommodation. They were used in the Haiti earthquake fiasco.

A convention comprising of doctors, surgeons and specialists from Australia were present in Christchurch. They all dug in, helping where needed, along with many other medical people here on holiday in the city.

Amputation.
One most gripping story was from an ambulance medic with an ambulance and on his own arriving at a fallen building to find 2 men trapped by the legs under a beam of the fallen building. A surgeon turned up and managed to severe both legs of one man to release him. the other man died  of blood loss and trauma before he could be saved, this as related by the medic. The medic and ambulance made it to the nearest hospital  with his patient over ruptured roads, blocked roads to the nearest hospital. This incident and more was recorded by the medic after his shift was finished and posted as an email to 1ZM radio station. I heard the email read out. It reminded me of WW2 incidents when I was a small boy, ear glued to the radio or reading the daily paper back in the UK.

Yesterday, the saddest tale I saw of many tales was the statistics shown on TV, at the bottom of the list, a baby of 5 months and another of 9 weeks,  both casualties of the earthquake. What of the parent(s), who knows? I remember I immediately thought of the Ian and Vicky and the twins and then of Tahlia and Jaeden. I felt so sad for the families of those 2 little one.

Finally, the 5 major banks in NZ have each pledged one million dollars to the Christchurch (Red Cross) fund. Australia has pledged $5 million dollars

Fonterra has supplied 1 million litres of drinking water and possibly up to 1 million dollars subject to their owners, the dairy farmers of NZ.

That is all for today, I feel washed out. My grammar and spelling is going to pot. Maybe more tomorrow.

Journal: Not much to say today.
 I again went for a walk this morning, then had breakfast, sat down and watched 2 comedies on SKY-TV., put out the weekly rubbish, did 2 loads of washing and hung them out, cleaned up my overdue Gmail account and then sat down and wrote a few words.

Journal: Second Earthquake
A second earthquake hit the Christchurch area today around 12.30 p.m., lunchtime, magnitude 6.3 and shallow, causing much further devastation to the city, with major injuries and deaths, numbers not known presently. An aftershock followed later said to be 5.6. and also shallow.

Earlier this morning I said not much doing today. An unfortunate phrase. Todays earthquake and aftershock being shallow, was much more serious than last year.

What now to do with Christchurch?  It seem the city was built about 160 years ago on a shallow crust covering the central business district and unknown apparently to to the builders of the past.

The British newspaper The Guardian picked up the story 20 minutes after the 'quake, and before the NZ local papers. Amazing!

Journal: Walk and  thoughts.
Missed yesterdays walk. I didn't wake up until after 6.30a.m. This morning I was awake early and had my early morning walk meeting 2 friends, Grahame and Rosemary coming up behind me. They were walking much faster than me and seemed to be going round the lake twice, I could later see 2 figures in the distance past  G & Rs normal turnoff.

Baked a loaf of bread in the bread maker yesterday for the first time. Usually Pat attends to the bread.

Pat's both  knees are troubling her, usually it is just one. She thinks it may be from swinging around too quickly.

Journal: Jury Service.
The mail this morning brought a call up for Jury Service as from March 28 2011.

Journal: Lake Walk.
I left home to walk round the lake this morning at 6.20am, it was just barely light, but daylight comes quickly here in NZ. I haven't walked round the lake for 2 years now. I managed the walk quite well at a slower pace than I used to do. I had the seats imprinted in my mind in case I had to stop, needing a rest. I used to do the walk in 40 minutes but my slower pace today took me 50 minutes. I felt quite fresh afterwards.

Back home for breakfast, Pat is just waking, I tell her "Fresh Fields" is about to start on UKTV, one of her favourite comedy programs. Soon she is in her favourite chair and chuckling as I make my breakfast. I usually have sliced sliced cheese on a thick slice of homemade bread, toasted in the oven. I found it was nicer toasted  in the oven instead of the toaster. I gave up my regular of many years, baked beans on toast; one morning I made my regular baked beans as usual, sat down to eat and couldn't face them.

Pat tells me that there are some new twins photos on her computer as I was going down to my basement office, but hello, hello no twins just a few regular posts I get from elsewhere and my morning dose of spam. My Gmail is usually much quicker than that.

Journal: Thoughts of This and That.
We got rain for most of the day yesterday, a pleasant change, saved me watering the garden. Lovely blue sky this morning with a few wispy clouds. Humidity has dropped down to 55 which is a pleasant change.

Got a birthday card from Ian and Vicky, yesterday with a newsy note from Vicky which was nice. Also an email from Ian, with a photo of Vicky taking the twins for a spin in the pram (as Ian terms it). Ian must be there, too taking the picture.

Feeling much better once more, but have not walked round the lake for a week. I must, tomorrow morning, without fail!

Trainz has once more been in my mind the past 2 days. Much has been happening on the forums with updating the database items to the latest  ones. There are 165,943 items listed for download presently, not all will be updated, I hope, there are just too much low quality items. My opinion only and some other participants also.

Journal: My Birthday
Yesterday, the 13th of February was my birthday. All my family including Jen and friends remembered it. Phone calls,  emails and face book flooded in. Looking through the messages today, I feel quite humble that I am remembered.

To Vicky's sister Helen, if a raised glass was raised, thank you. If not, the thought was there and for that, I thank you.

Pat and I, along with Anthony(Tony) and Craig went to the Cock and Bull in Hamilton and we had our preferred meals, I, roast beef and Yorkshire Pudding along with my favourite desert, passion fruit cheese- cake with fruit trimmings. With 2 glasses of Chardonnay, that was my limit and I enjoyed both glasses immensely.

What I feel
I'm glad no one refereed to my age. As the numbers creep up, I am starting to feel old. I feel, with my many interests I haven't enough time for all of them, now. What I hope for most is to be able to finish my life story of my many adventures through life. I feel a little envy of the young travelling the world today, I wish I was still one of them. Since my stroke 3 years ago, my sight is now back to normal but my brain frontal lobes are a problem. I realize I am becoming physically unable to travel far now;  the doctors, specialists tell me so.

 Many are people are older than I but I feel my my mind is slowly starting to slow down, I feel tired, my English and grammar is no longer the best. My speech becomes muddled when I try to talk when thinking of more than one subject. I have problems writing my name now, my hand shakes. My spelling deteriorates but computers came to my rescue and so did the spell checker(to a large extent). I use it more and more.

Never the less, I had a happy day yesterday, I usually tend to think of tomorrow as if it is not really there. Today I feel tired and a little sorry for my self, tomorrow I will go for my morning walk round the lake and think of all those who are worse off than I. I will pick up my spirits and be myself again tomorrow and continue to write, stroke the cat in passing, then go and give Pat a little hug, as she sits at her computer, upstairs reading the news, or looking at the pictures of our children and offspring.

Journal: Sunspots.
For quite a few years now I have suffered from sunspots, on my face. Even with treatment they take a long time to heal. mine, each one, up to 2 years. New Zealand is a particularly bad place for sunspots, said to be the worst in the world. Lying over Antarctica is a large break in the ozone layer and a finger from that break creeps up over New Zealand.

 I had more treatment on the past Wednesday, had them burnt off... frozen. For the first time one was found on my hand, I thought it was just a scab from a blister so that one was burnt off, too. The ones on my face are in the last stages now, so I hope this facial treatment will be over, but the one on my hand will no doubt, appear again.

Remember, if sunspots are not treated they can become cancerous!

Journal:
Emails (plural...3)  from Ian this morning. The first one was the new pram for the twins with varying modes of operation, the best, probably the conversion to car seats and the wheels and fittings into the boot.

I've just had a thought, where does Barney fit in, in the greater scheme of things?

The other 2 emails were more photos of the twins. They were excellent, Pat will be studying them for the rest of  the day comparing them to earlier photos. We love their varying expressions and as they are growing older we can distiguish Kate from Eddy quite easily.

Journal: We had a get together lunch today, Sunday at Anthony and Craig's place. Gillian, Paul, Tahlia with Kaedon plus us pair. Gillian and Paul with baby Kaedon stayed overnight on Saturday with us. Tahlia went to stay with friends overnight and had a Saturday night out.

Anthony and Craig are in the process of possibly buying a second house, somewhat larger than their present one.

Very hot today and cloudy 28C. and humidity 75 outside. Anthony has one of these electronic gauges, reads temp. and humidity, both  inside and ouside,  also cloud cover and a few more things. Gillian also has one, and me too, but not got round to installing my unit outside yet.

Journal:  We had an email from Ian today. Pat got her bureau delivered yesterday, our Friday. She seemed pleased with it. I helped the delivery man to carry it in. It was very heavy, solid mahogany and made in India.

The $48.00 bureau is now down in the basement in my office in front of the window. I'll fill it with things. Bits and pieces.

Carrying on with my 'Life Story', just crossed the Pacific from Panama and just arrived in Sydney. Got the piece to read, correct and probably alter.

The last 3 days have been very muggy, hot and overcast with low cloud and some drizzle. Sleeping with no blankets or sheets over. 23C. during the night outside.

Sharon, the gardening lady tided up the garden, many weeds from the rain and heat, two bottles of Vee energy drink usually  keeps her going. I tell her it is not good for her in quantity. I don't see the Vee now, she probably keeps it out of my sight in her gardening bag. Daily temp is usually 28C.

Brighter this morning but cloudy. Just done a load of washing and put it out. Pat has trouble with both knees now, getting down and then upstairs again.

Thursday. Journal:
 Well today we got 8 photos of the twins  during J and E visit (they will be in Spain now)

 Big Daddy with twins, Kate and Eddie. Kate at top.

Journal:
This morning I was thinking of the the new bureau mentioned in yesterdays' post. When we lived in the UK, so long ago now, I built a bureau not long after we married. It was a kit set and the sections were all solid oak.

 I also built a 2 seater green settee and 2 armchairs. These too, were a kit set. When we came to NZ I dismantled them  and brought them in the packing case which came by sea freight.

Journal:
We had a phone call from Ian on our last Friday morning with news of Vicky and the twins. Pat is always glad to talk things over after the call.

By this time I guess John and Edith will have visited you and be on their way again. Pat was hopeful of making contact by Skype during their visit but it was not to be (and me hopefully too).

J & E going to Spain for 2 months and back in early April. They did mention Valencia (been there many years ago) maybe going elsewhere, they didn't say.

Started to walk again in the mornings, from about 10 days ago, but not too far at present. Starting from the Yacht Club to the Green Cathedral car park then back again taking 20 minutes there and back. This morning tried a little further and it seems OK. Will try a bit further in a few days, that will be the half way point round the lake.

The lake path is flooded at the moment in probably 2 places, I haven't had a look, but I know from previous years.

Tuesday today and sunny. Pat got up at 2 am this morning and didn't (wouldn't) go back to bed when I got up, but fell asleep in her chair. I then chased her to bed! Now close to lunchtime and she is still there.

Pat has wanted a bureau... desk type for a while now. bought one on Trade-me for $46.00, but it had borer in the bottom. I treated it but she didn't trust it. Bought a new one on Trade-me for $420.00 made of plantation mahogany. Should be delivered today or tomorrow.

Hello, Ian... hope I can keep this up! If I can manage most days it will be only a few lines. Will be glad if I can keep it up.

Journal: this is a test to gmail address

How to Look Busy at Work Without Really Working - wikiHow

First draft:

Journal: A Chrismas Tale



Today I had a Christmas pudding after my main meal. This was a small pudding for one complete with a dose of brandy and add your own sauce... I chose custard. Made by a small NZ firm with the trademark of "Aunty Betty's". Pat wanted to know how I found it for taste with the idea of getting a larger size for Christmas dinner in 2 weeks time. As I consumed the pudding my thoughts drifted back to my days as a small boy and Christmas puddings.



In the 1930s-40s our christmas pudding was like most, home made, usually in a large basin.









When we were children 65 70 years ago

Journal: Young Rook in Lakeland