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Could it be! Could it really be?! Finally?! Wish us luck!

In the last week or so they’ve opened up some of the streets that have been closed off since the February earthquake. So today we went for a cruise down to have a look. Along with quarter of the population of Christchurch! There were large numbers of us all wondering around with cameras and dazed expressions.

It’s hard to explain what it’s like seeing the damage. Whole blocks just demo’d, although sometimes it’s hard to work out whether the wreckage was from the earthquake or a digger. But either way, the new official technical description of “munted” fully applies.

We think it was a deliberate decision to open things up for people to have a look, and see what has happened to the city and come to their own conclusions about how long things might take to get sorted, and what it all means for the central city. Some of the scenes with crushed cars piled up just made you really think in ways you don’t want to, while some other little things like “Yes, we’re open!” painted on a munted shop window with “No, we’re not” having been added underneath bring a little smile now and then.

All in all, pretty sobering. But worth a look.

We just couldn’t wait any longer! Even though it’s not technically ours yet, we’ve paid enough that we thought we could claim some space. In fact we needed to claim some space.

Mum and Big Kev had to bring the truck up, so they very kindly popped past the house and dropped off all the treasures that make up the remnants of my pre-London life, and all the new treasures we’ve accumulated at the auctions now and then. Including some garden furniture that looks like it will have to serve as our lounge furniture for a few weeks as production of our new couches is somewhat delayed due to earthquake issues at the factory. But as it’s not really sitting outside weather that works out OK then. Although if we do want to sit outside we can always sit on the garden bench that was delivered (our first auction purchase, from memory).

So there are now piles of stuff in the centre of two rooms, trying to keep out of the painters way while they continue to do some touching up over the next couple of days, then we can hopefully put them all in their new permanent homes! Hopefully before everything else turns up on Thursday!

We also managed to clear up a lot of the mess that surrounded the house. Blocks and bits of concrete and plaster, chunks of wood, nails, bits of coloursteel, bits of tile and steel mesh, several cans and pie wrappers, and randomly a discarded white T-shirt. We can’t believe how messy everyone is! We didn’t plan on cleaning up though. When we arrived out there, the on-site key wasn’t where it was meant to be. Gulp! So we had a bit of time while we worked out what was going on there with not much else to do. Still a bit of work to do there, but at least we broke the back of that little chore.

So we’re that little bit closer still, but not close enough. Looks like we’ll be waiting until sometime next week to take over. The painters can’t paint quick enough, apparently. So we’ll twiddle our thumbs and take deep breaths for a bit longer. But I am not sure how much patience Bec has left!!!

Or is it two steps?!

The en suite bath had been installed when we arrived today, which was good…

But the, errr, revised granite bench needed a bit of assistance into position. That stuff is heavy! And watching them take a hammer to the old piece to help get it out was a bit sad really!

Additional additions today were installed toilets (although all is not yet right with them), installed wardrobes (although all is not right with them either), kitchen sinks (right this time), the gas for the cooker (first time we can award a tick first time), and a cleaner doing a first clean of the place (just before all the remedial work gets done and the place turns into a mess again!)

Some of the other additions aren’t quite so good though. We’ve added a very large number of little orange dots around the place where we’ve spotted issues with the painting. I did mention that there was a large number of these, didn’t I?! In fact we’ve added so many we might have to wait a little longer to move in until they’ve all been fixed. But I think that’s worth the wait.

So we’re sooooo close, but yet so far away.

It might seem to some of you that we are constantly on the go, every moment filled with excitement and action, but believe me, there are quite a few hours of relative down time here and there. And with four of us in the same boat here (even sometimes five or even the full six, I suspect) some desperate measures have been taken occasionally to fill in a few minutes. You really would not like to live through all the many games of charades that have been played, or listened to the “spicy noodle” song as many times as I have!

But in the last few days we’ve found a new pastime to fill in a bit of time. Yes, we’ve discovered Carcassonne (Wikipedia link)
(or see Amazon.co.uk link) in the toys and games cupboard, got all us kids around the table, and started to play. It’s just a pity it’s turned out to be so horribly addictive!

So far it’s been a great game. Not too complex, not too long for a game, not too competitive. A good balance of strategy and luck. And it’s helped to have great play-mates too!

We’ve not yet included all the expansion packs that are in the cupboard (and there are quite a few available), so we’ve still got a few twists and turns to add at some stage. I think it’s best we get the basics well and truly sussed out first before we get too carried away.

We’ve liked it so much that we’ve already bought it for our own toy and game cupboard! So if you come visit, look out or you’ll be roped into a game. (But if you’ve got any sense you’ll ask to play!)

Hopefully we can now say goodbye to charades for good! (But Bec tells me that is very unlikely to happen).

We thought there’d be no action out at the house today, but we had to go out anyway for other things. Once again nice to be surprised though! The first half of the shower door hanging process was underway.

Just the actual doors to be hung and the smell of glue to dissipate and they’ll be done.

The granite on the island had been replaced with another piece that has the hole for the sink the right size this time. Doh! Well, we assume it’s the right size. The round sink wasn’t actually installed. I’m really, really hoping there’s not a third slab needed!

Toilets were all lined up ready to go too, but they’re still in their boxes, so not really worthy of a photo to bore you with. Count yourself lucky!

Well I did. In spite of all the other things we had to do I managed to grow a token few chillies. These are chillies number 2 and 3 from the sad little plant in the corner of the courtyard. And there are 2 others which are starting to ripen too.

Actually, that last sentence gives a misleading impression. Let’s try again. There are 2 other chillies on the plant. And they’re both starting to ripen. There. That should clear up any confusion!

It really didn’t have the best chance. It didn’t even make it to the proper size pot. But there have been another couple of flowers appear suddenly, so there’s the possibility of adding to the count yet.

One quite important and fully installed:

And one not quite so important, and not quite as fully installed:

The sparkies were also hard at work today wiring up all the thermostats and control systems for the heat pump. We’re trying to work out how they’ll test it, as it’s been pretty warm lately. I’m sure it’ll be getting a bit colder soon, and we’ll give it the full workout.

We might be only 10 days out. Gulp!

One more thing ticked off the list!

And no. This isn’t the final look! We just thought we’d leave the poor guy installing it in peace to finish the install.