Christchurch Pettys May 2012

Nicola with the 45° Latitude marker with Lake Dunstan and Cromwell

The gym where Mark and Jonathan go was shut down after an engineering report. (This is a common occurrence in post-quake Christchurch) Mark has found another place for Jonathan, but it is much more expensive, as his previous one was $40 a year. My running has improved and I have now extended my regular route to 5km from 4km. I know it isn’t much, but it is good for me. Weight-watchers is going fine in the main and I am about half-way to my goal. Some of my thin size clothes fit me again.

I went to a day-long seminar about women in business. It was a little bit useful. I found that all but one of the speakers had had a particulalry dificult start to life – polio, poverty, chronic illness. Yet each had overcome to be more than usually successful. As Elder Johnson’s mother said – “a day without trials is a day wasted” (or something like that.) I didn’t really feel that much at home in the world of business, especially business for the sake of it.


One really important idea I got was “know what difference your product makes in your customers’ lives”. That really applies to me. I am hoping that our product will enable students to pass NCEA level 3 Statistic and Modelling who might not have otherwise. It will also help teachers to feel supported and successful in their work.

I am ambivalent about my calling. Most Sunday mornings I hate Primary as I prepare to deal with real or possible emergencies. But then when I am there in among the children and things go well and they respond to my efforts and those of the wonderful teachers I am blessed to serve with, then it is all worthwhile and I wonder what I was worried about. I’m hoping to stop stressing soon. I’ve stopped taking pre-emptive ibuprofen, so that’s a start. I have one unreliable teacher. Actually she is so unreliable that we are surprised when she turns up. The poor children are getting such a mishmash of people!

I enjoy being a part of Ward Council, now that it meets more often and seems to be more central to the running of the ward. We have great leaders in our ward.

Speaking of children, we are SO enjoying having the Browns near us. The four children are wonderful. They play together nicely and are polite and obedient and bright and interesting. I got to babysit one night while Enoch and Rachael went out with Jessica and William. It was so easy. They take turns at sitting with us at sacrament meeting, where they sit quietly the whole time. Amazing! They are 7,6,4 and 3.

As my day of departure approached my smile grew and grew. I went to the final meeting I would have to attend of a certain committee and smiled all the way back to my office, knowing it would no longer be my problem.

The Naseby Athenaeum since 1875.
The Reading Room door at the front.

Mark and I had our annual pilgrimage to Central Otago and stayed in Cromwell for a Rogaine. We drove down Thursday afternoon and back on Monday. The rogaine was on Saturday, based around Lowburn. We did quite well for us, though we got caught by the dark again and ended up running down hill on a road in tramping boots for about 20 minutes to avoid being more than a little late. The weather was perfect, and there were few fences and not too much prickly stuff. The hills were small and the view was superb. Time and again I am in awe of how beautiful and how varied the scenery is in our fair country.

The Reading Room entrance

We also visited the Cromwell museum and watched a 50 minute documentary on the flooding of the valley due to the Clyde dam. Mark pointed out that we understand what it is like to lose our town centre as they did. It is a dispiriting and unique feeling. We had a little look at Bannockburn, which is a lovely little place with amazing views. I’m pretty sure we couldn’t afford a section there. Maybe if our venture goes well…

While we were away my mother tripped and fell on the footpath and broke her arm. She had to stay a few nights in hospital, as the arm needed to be “plated”. The great thing is that it is now in a removable cast, which is light and convenient. My brother, Michael arrived a few days later and was able to cook for her and drive her places.

The Reading Room interior!

I worked at the Canterbury Careers Expo, talking about Commerce at Canterbury, and our apps. It was quite tiring, and a bit funny since I’m leaving. However they decided to take the display to Auckland and Wellington so I’ll be helping out at the Auckland one the weekend before I leave. I figure it is a way to help my colleagues out, and I might make some useful contacts.

We had Stake Conference, which I got a lot out of. I especially liked the Saturday evening session, as our Stake Presidency speakers and the others were excellent. On the Sunday I enjoyed the broadcast from headquarters. All the mentions of Christchurch made me feel special and not forgotten. Now if they can just get busy on the buildings!

Jonathan has been doing some good work at CPIT and doing well. This is great to see, as he is now dropped at the front entrance and makes his way in on his own, and works in the classroom with only a little extra support at times. I’m hoping that will help Jazz school to recognise his capabilities better. He is very excited to be visiting Janet and Jonny in Melbourne – as are we all.

William is doing fine in his course and his most recent piece of work assured him of a place in the next year of it. This is wonderful to see, as he seems to have found his niche. Jessica is doing great and got her work permit renewed for another twelve months. We are hoping that her residency will come through by the end of the year. It was very sad that their cat got run over and killed.

As I write this we have snow threatening. I can’t imagine it will settle as there is too much rain. Watch this space!

Much love to all

Nicola, Mark and Jonathan, and representing William and Jessica.

From Bannockburn looking across the old gold sluicings towards Cromwell.