The Benefits of Spring!!

Have had a pretty good day today, despite it being the 27th - the prophecy for the End of Christchurch is tomorrow apparently, so Im making a blog post just in case I get caught up handing The End of My World As I Know It and dont get a chance...
It is GORGEOUS weather in Christchurch at the moment - fresh crisp frosts in the mornings giving way to high blue skies, and if there are clouds, they dont dare stay long so the sun is making his presence well known. I love Spring!
Unfortunately the children have both seccumbed to their big brothers virus, and have sore throats, so we bundled along the river bank this morning to make our way to the Park. Woodham Park is looking its best at the moment. Love love love it.
We found our good friend The Dog there. He loves Blaise, and always finds a stick so Blaise will throw it for him. It did the kids good to get out in the fresh air, and the sun is a good healer.

All the bulbs are starting to show their gorgeous faces, and the blossom is a reminder of all the good things in the world.

Our seedlings inside are growing slowly, but steadily. Tomatoes are almost ready to be put out to harden off so they can be planted next month.  I cant wait to have my own tomatoes growing again!
Well thats it for now. Photos to add today...

Love to All,
especially those in Auckland :-)
E Butterfly
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Sunday Morning ... Planking At the Park... Happiness and Sunshine!

Here at the Lazy A, its well known that we dont do Sundays very well. In fact, in general, we are lazy.

So today was refreshing. No early start, but up and off to the Park...
The weather curved inward this week and we had a couple of nights and days of rain. Whod have thought the weekend would be *One out of the box*?

It was superb. Big Blue skies... not many white fluffy clouds, just enough to be interesting... A light Spring breeze, and lots of sunshine. Love that Sun! It makes you feel like you are warm inside...

Of course, then theres the company...

Four Children, all mine... mine!! I havent had the four of them for a whole day together in quite a while. Theyre always doing *stuff* - the older they get, the busier it is. So we took photos, and the kids planked.

The older two egging the younger two on, and snap, theres Mom with the camera.

Then there was The Dog. 

A dog who just appeared. He (or was it She?)  hung around, he sniffed, did Doggy Things, and then, barked at Blaise, ran over and picked up a stick, and sat expectantly after dropping the stick at Blaises feet.

He and Blaise played for quite a while... Im not sure who got tired first... But I know whose missing who!!

Beautiful dog, no owner in sight. And, as we left, I spied him taking his stick over to the next people at the play ground.

No stupid dog there... he knew what the game was... Im picking he lives nearby and this is a game hes played before! Awesome. How to have a dog and enjoy him, when you dont actually have a dog... and my boy Blaise - he REALLY wants a dog. Hmm, what boy wouldnt want a dog like this one...?

Its been awesome having the kids here. The older two are so different and such *their own people* now. Today we have  listened to music like Nirvana, from similar thrashing pounding beats, through to Susan Boyle, watched Music videos on Youtube, learnt about mp3 players and talked about E-readers, how to facebook from texts, and all manner of things. They think I know what theyre talking about... I kind of do... now. Cos I listen, nod, think about things, then when theyre gone, Google is My Friend. I love my boys.

And then theres my little Princess. She loves having her big brothers around her. She shrieks with delight when they toss her, cuddle and tickle, rough house and chase...

The big boys are gone now, back to their Dads, to get ready for another week at school and work. My two littles are tucked in, theyve voted to top and tail tonight, and between them there are new hot water bottles which are considered a Winter Treat. I can hear whispers. Theyre  tired, but boy they are happy.

So nice to *hear happy*... and today, was one Sunday full of smiles!

Thats Us for now!
Hope your week is a good one :)

Love

EButterfly & Co.

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Prince William Arrives... Memorial Service Tomorrow... Not alot of Shaking!

Just a little post tonight.
I had it all written, photos included, all ready to push publish.
I did... and then something malfunctioned.
Sigh. I lost it all, nothing was saved. That was the Malfunction.

Life along the Avon River... Ducks, Seagulls & Blaise

Busy Day --- Crazy Shoppers out there, Christchurch seems to have come alive this week.
I cant decide why but given the empty shop shelves today, Im wondering if people are taking things seriously about the threats and prophecies about more Earthquake Action.
Seriously - Bishopdale New World this morning before noon was crazy. I know it was benefit day, which usually makes things busy, but holy moley! It was rushing and shelves were empty - super busy. Of course, tomorrow is a Public Holiday, but the shops will reopen on Saturday... honest.
There will be people coming into town I imagine, for the Memorial Service in Hagley Park tomorrow.
I will not be going. My respect and love goes to all those who were lost and their friends and families, my children dont need to be part of a huge crowd of very sad people at the moment.
Heavens above, what would happen if there were a noticeable aftershock during the Service? And given the lack of portaloos/sewerage I dont think my 4 yr old would survive 3 hours without a potty stop!
Theres a huge crowd expected, I hope the weather is good for them... not too hot, not too cold... A bit like Goldilocks porridge.

Prince William flew into town today. A busy whirlwind tour of course, as they always seem to be. He has been everywhere already, a tour of the business district in town, then off to the West Coast to visit the families of the Pike River Miners, which is good for them, after all this time, it is good to know they are not forgotten. Then hes back into town and out to Sumner tomorrow  before he attends the Memorial Service, from what Ive heard on the radio. What a busy life. Bless him for coming. It helps.

Not alot of shaking going on today. Awesome news is at Canterbury Quake Live - just eight quakes in twenty four hours which is awesome. So far, only one today - a 3.1.
Long may it last, however, the air temp out there is fresh, the sky is inky black and there is a high sky. The moon is a shave off being a full moon and theyve been talking about King Tides. Weve been here before, so fingers xed we get through it again...

The lad is still not back at school, they are on the priority list for sewerage, and we have been to see his teacher this week. She isnt bothered by the lack of academia. We have been working on some things ourselves. Mr 10.5 has been working on how many essentials for survival you can fit into a standard sized bucket. How we can waterproof matches. How tectonic plates work, where they are and what happens to us when they knock together or rub over one another... Fascinating stuff.

So thats almost  it for now -
Just one small gripe... 
If youre out there, and youre driving around town - please, please, take care and DRIVE SLOWLY. Today was hellish. People speeding where the roads are good, to save for the time they must slow down over the broken roads... and there are LOTS of them - see my photos below.

There are some- in the east, most, suburbs who have seriously damaged pipes and roading. I have such a new respect for the Roading Contractors and their workers. They are out there from very early and our roads have been repaired so quickly.
Awesome!!
So many roads have subsided with the continual aftershocks too, which must be so frustrating for the workers that have been filling holes and ripping up tarseal to get new surfaces underway...

Have a read and a bit of a smile here - GRUMPY CHRISTCHURCH

Thinking of you,
Love to all,

E Butterfly
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