If you’re in my block of the cordon area (Green Zone 2?), you’ve probably had your water shut off in the last two days. But there is a Good Samaritan that shares his water with anyone that comes by. Just bring your bottle to the corner of Armagh and Barbadoes. You’ll see a house right behind Beat Street Cafe that has little arrows chalked into the ground showing you where the free tap water is. They even put some design into it for ease of use.

neighborhood watering hole

Cash

There is funding available for people in need at this time. Do not hesitate to apply for it. I almost didn’t because I felt bad about taking from people that needed it more, but I think most of us have had plenty of unexpected expenses in the last few days whether it’s for personal emergency accommodation, transport, supplies or just helping out other people. If you qualify for a subsidy or grant, apply for it. The disbursements are fast– within a day or two. If you don’t need it, give it to someone that does.

Click here for more info: http://www.workandincome.govt.nz/about-work-and-income/news/canterbury-earthquake/index.html

We have some decent internet here in Nelson, so I thought I would post a few of the pics we had from the day of the earthquake. Thanks everyone for getting in touch with us and making sure we were safe. We are heading back to Christchurch tomorrow to see how we will go about moving forward. Power has been restored to 75% of the city and water to 50%. Since we are centrally located, we expect that it will be a couple more days before the house is truly habitable again. There is so much sadness in this story– there have been babies among the casualties and I just read a story about an athlete that had to have a leg amputated. People that want to help, please click here http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/carter-cash-donations-best-way-help-cantabrians/5/83266

There was a major earthquake near Christchurch this morning, 22 February 2011, at 12:51 pm.  From information gathered as of 1:36 pm, United States Consulate officials can add the following:

• The quake registered at 6.3 was just five kilometres deep and was centered 10km south east of the city. The quake was reported to be felt as far away as Dunedin, Greymouth and Timaru.
• Strong aftershocks are still being felt.

• Details are not currently available on deaths or injuries.

• Damage and interruption of phone service has been reported.

Please consult the New Zealand Civil Defense website, link just below, for further updates.  We will notify you with further information as it becomes available.  Please forward any special concerns you may have to us by return email.

http://www.civildefence.govt.nz/memwebsite.nsf

So I was laying there on the table grateful for the excellent value and wondering how this unassuming practitioner developed such a consistent deep thumb pressure.

Jason casually asked me if I meditate.

“Every day, before each massage,” I said.

“I was in Wellington at a Buddhist Monastery, and I noticed that they had these cool chairs for meditation, so I made one at home,” he said.

I was starting to get a clear picture. Jason is hands-on even when he’s not in the studio.

I asked him to send me a pic of the Buddha Chair and volunteered myself as his first customer. You can see in the pic that he hinged the legs in. What a great prototype. That one’s mine, I hope.

Will keep you posted when Jason has more available for sale.

So after a month away from this chore, the yard has become like the forest of “Where the Wild Things Are.” In this case, I am the wild thing and have managed in the course of an hour to transform a bushy mess into a less bushy mess.

And what did I find? Behold, my peppers have turned red after a month in the southern summer sun!