OUR AMERICAN GUESTS ... STAYED 5 DAYS! FRANK AND MARIE WILSON, TEXAS.

We met Frank and Marie on our Cancun trip, and then again on the Caribbean cruise... both Manna-tech vacations. 

Their son was married in Sydney, so while there, they came and stayed with us for 5 days! What a special treat ... we LOVED their time with us. This sounds funny, but they were like a dad and mum, and close brother and sister and dearest friends... all rolled up into one gorgeous package!  A few pics below.... 

On Saturday we went to Akaroa for the day. A scene on the way.  

At Akaroa, there was a performing group (representing a country -  I forgot which one!!)

The accompanist! 

Back at work on Monday... I took a photo of Frank and Mike in front of the car Mike was working on at work.   

AND NOW... WE HAD A BIG SURPRISE IN THE NIGHT... 4.35AM, 

7.4 EARTHQUAKE!

Kent came home for a few days and we had all gone to bed quite late... and 4.35am it struck! Our bedroom was rocking! It was wild. I awoke instantly, and found myself lying in a nest of books from the wee bookshelf above our bed.  Good job we didn't get knocked out! I must say I whimpered a bit! But don't tell anyone... as that's not cool.

 It's all a bit of a blur to me... but kids started appearing in our room... and we all found torches in the dark  (power went out immediately till 3pm next day) and we all went around inspecting things with our torches. Many exclamations here and there about all the stuff that was broken. 

Our bedroom floor was covered everywhere with stuff fallen from wardrobes and tops of wardrobes. 

Lost quite a lot of china from the Hutch dresser in the kitchen.

Deeanne's "David" statue in our lounge was on his side and broken. 

But amazingly, amazingly, all things considered, not much damage.

Two things which came very forcefully to your mind was how fragile life, and we really are. And how thankful we were for the peace of knowing and living for God!

Anyway, some pics!

The Victoria clock tower clock, showed the exact time of the earthquake! Thats when it stopped!

Here are some of the Press comments, to describe it.

State of emergency in Christchurch as strong earthquake rocks New Zealand's South Island

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1308860/Earthquake-hits-New-Zealands-South-Island.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0yYOiuF4i

A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake has struck New Zealand's South Island. 

The quake, which hit 19 miles west of the southern city of Christchurch, shook a wide area with radio reports saying items were tossed from store shelves and roof tiles cracked by the strong temblor.

A state of emergency has been declared in Christchurch. 

The earthquake was 21 miles below the Earth's surface, the geological agency GNS Science said.

Our  Hutch Dresser, which understandably lost quite a lot.

Here is Deeanne's poor David!

Guy found a mess inside a bottle store! Like this pic!

Corner of Colombo Street and Wordsworth Street

How would you like your whole bedroom and living arrangements opened to the whole public??!

Victoria Street, near cnr Bealey Ave - more exposure!

Oh look at the toilet/bathroom! No privacy here!

Dad and Marilyn's House...

the crack on the footpath outside their front gate.

It wouldn't allow the electric gate to open and shut, so Mike and the boys had to make some adjustments!

Dad and Marilyn are away right now for 5 weeks... only one week into their vacation and look what mischief nature brought!

There will be quite a few photos here as they are wanting to see what happened in their house from where they are...

The night store heater was pulled away from the wall.

Broken candlestick holder in showroom...

Downstairs bathroom... (More to reveal about that when you get home, Dad)..

Silt oozed into the garage, so Mike and Kent had to cut out a huge chunk of carpet so it wouldn't rot and stink!

Dad, here is what was at the back of the garage door!   It seeped underneath to the carpet. 

Mike says it was about 9 inches deep!!

Heath, Kent and Mike got into it.  Heath- off with the shoes and squelching into the mud!  It was very. very sticky stuff.

Poor Grandfather Clock.. stopped dead, never to go again.....

Barbadoes Street and Salisbury Street Corner... where we could buy Bagels until yesterday!

Victoria Street, near Bealey Ave the fruit shop etc..

Went to visit Ian Giltrap and see how he got on... (where we go Sunday mornings) 

Heath, myself and Kent pictured.

Inside his hallway!

His front fence is a bit buckled!

In front of his garage.  There are more of these in his driveway.

On to Fiona and Steven's to see what happened there!

Oh my goodness!

Her 'supermarket' in the garage was everywhere!   

Where does one start??

Heath in background.

Men re-stacking the shelves...

Steven (back) Mike and Kent

Funny face, Kent..

Organising skills

Finally, the mistress herself!  Fiona!

This building is now condemned... cracks everywhere all the way up and around it! 

St Elmo Courts - corner Montreal and Hereford.

The Painted Room - I loved this wee shop on Colombo Street.  All gone now!  Apparently the owners were utterly devastated.

This church in Merivale: corner Rugby Street and Papanui Road has lost it's steeple!

The car left parked beside it has come to a sad end..

Incidently, as I add all these on here, it has been nonstop rocking with aftershocks for hours and hours... never seeming to stop.

Asko Design, what a mess!  Apparently Frogmore beside it looked ok on the outside, the inside was absolutely shattered. 

Thats the main thrust.

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Apparently there is more bad news on the way!

They are expecting very cold temperatures, and 120kph winds tomorrow (Sunday).  

Plus, and this quakes my heart!  But it seems predicted that another earthquake much worse is expected over the next 36 hours or so.  Oh, I pray not!   The devastation would be extreme with so many houses and buildings already shaken loose.

Can one ever really be ready for an earthquake? In all seriousness?

Watch this space for more....  

(It is Fathers Day tomorrow, so I hope and pray for relaxed family times for all!)

I'm off now... and the room around me continues to shudder and shake, rattle and sway around me. I'd hate to be alone right now.  There is comfort in people close around you!

Quintin was telling me this afternoon that his dog, Wilma, was scared while the quake was quaking last night and jumped into bed with him, cuddling into him! She's a big dog!  A greyhound.  Gorgeous, actually. 

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