Sunday 26 February 2012

Out and About in Christchurch...

Hello People!
If you cant put your mind at ease about everything that has happened here lately, head down to the Canterbury Museum - its got a whole heap of  things of that I liked in the new Canterbury Earthquake display. It was great.
 The thing that got to me, was the Cathedral spire which you see when you first enter that part. I liked how they had the people that identafied the dead (Forensic Pathologists) they not only tracked down the people that were related to the fallen, they also returned all their belongings to their next of kin. There were some videos that were very good. I thought they displayed the time that the earthquake hit very well. There is a radio tape that you can listen to the noise when the 7.1 in September hit. The noises included  in the mans cabin were when the earthquake hit, rumbling, cracking and glasses breaking, the man swearing in fright. (Which I think a lot of us did that morning!) I thought it was all very well done.

Then there was a display of a group of dresses that fashion people had made. They were Wearable Art - the one I thought was good, was made out of metal armor that they had made with old blacksmiths techniques - there was alot of different things to see.

We went to the display room with a heap of plants in it and on them there were butterflies. The  lady there let Arlais and me hold one each.  They tickle like mad when they move. The one I held was just out of its chyrsalis because it was drying its wings on a flower.  There was alot of them and when we went out a lady showed us how to tag a butterfly and report it. What you do is hold the tip of the wings firmly and put a sticker on there. There will be a number on the tags you then enter that number online.
FIND OUT MORE HERE  - MONARCH BUTTERFLY TRUST NZ

On the way to the Museum, we went through the Botanic Gardens.  It was a great. There were a lot of displays through the gardens for the flower show- it was good to see that the gardens had not lost any of their glory. The butterflies were going mad - so were were the bees and it was a great walk on the bridge looking into the river. There was a small brown trout in the water and before the earthquake you could always see trout and eels in the water so it was a great day.

On Saturday morning, we visited the place where The Herbal Dispensary once was. It has gone now. There, there is a small fridge put there by a group called Gapfiller. It was a great because I love books and we took some and got some to bring home too. If you have books you dont like, want or need take them down to the gap filler and swap your books for ones you like the look of  it is was great!

Thank you for reading my blog -
Power to you and your family
Taurus Hunter

Six years through to Now...


And then I turned SIX...
The cake Mum made of Patrick Starr

Me and Arlais

The year I turned six, my sister Arlais was born in August. She can be a trial sometimes, but she is my best buddy. We spend lots of time playing, I read to Arlais and she and I play-fight...


8 years and My eldest brother Duncan moved out of home to live with his Dad (Uncle Nigel) in Burnside so he could go to High School over there.
Duncan and Cherry
Christmas with Elvis






Merlin the ginger cat looking after Cherrys kittens

Zion and Me - Avondale Primary

Playing Santa at Xmas

Santas Fairy
 9 years - My next brother Gordon moved out of home to live with his Dad in Burnside, so he could go to High School over there too.
Gordon and his cat Merlin
Elvis at Christmas

This leaves just Me, Mum and Arlais at home.


10 years old - There was a 7.1 Earthquake in September.
That morning in Christchurch, is a morning that I will never forget. I was sleeping then there was a sound  like music - like a flute, and then the ground seemed to be alive.
There was a boom and cracking - a picture fell from the wall and hit me with a thud. I managed to catch the inside washing line before it hit Arlais. I was surprised because I had been asleep but now I was wide awake. The music was gone, only the rumbling. I felt like I was alone, I felt cold, but then mum was there telling me things that had happened, and asking me if I was alright and I forgot my fear.
I took the picture off me.






Arlais was crying, but mum settled her. We got up and dressed . Our toilet was cracked and leaking. It was very dark and cold outside. Our next door neighbour, Brian came and gave mum a torch. (Now we have lots of torches!) Now I forgot my fear and started helping mum .  We have had lots of aftershocks and quite a few big earthquakes, but we dont get too scared now.
                                                                                                                                                                                          

Planking at the Park with Duncan


After the first 6.3 my brothers Duncan and Gordon came to stay for a while.
Gordon started to think he knew everything about earthquakes, but he hadnt experienced it like we had over this side of town. Mum pointed things out to him, and he calmed down.

Being 11- This has been a busy year.  There has been three six point threes and lots of fives but we are better prepared, in fact we are *preparing* so we can cope without power and we have water stored in case. In fact, prepping and learning survival skills can be fun.



Playing with a friend I found in the Park. I love dogs



I have been through quite a few major earthquakes and about 10,000 aftershocks in the past 12 months and it has snowed badly twice - it made me sad to see the city I grew up in and loved, brought to the ground but I believe christchurch will rise again.


A Hummer on display in Levels



 V8 Racing at Levels with Uncle Nigel

So... This is Me.
I like animals
I love my family
My favourite colours are black and blue
My star sign is taurus
My favourite number is 7804
One day I would like to go to Spain or Ireland
When I get older I would like to be a blacksmith  or a vet
My favourite book is ... I have a lot and I am always reading something.

THANK YOU FOR READING MY STORY SO FAR...

Saturday 25 February 2012

Birth to Five Years...

Lets go back to May 2000

My first bath in hospital

Dad having a hold


Gordon seeing me for the first time

Dad and Me

Gordon reading me a book

When I was born, Mum and I both had pneumonia, and because Mum was so sick, I couldnt be born when I was supposed to be. I was going to be a week late, but I decided I needed to get out into the world before then. I was 7lbs 14 oz when I was born,  a very calm, settled baby who smiled at everyone, even when they were putting needles in me...

18 months old, and I fell out of the pram on the way home from Christmas in The Park. Unfortunately I badly damaged all my front teeth.
When I was about 2, my favourite toys were a noisy camera that went everywhere with me, and the sticks my brothers and I used for guns. I went to creche and Mum started studying Naturopathy.
When I was 3 my big brother Duncan dropped me off his shoulders onto the fins of an oil heater. I ended up with six stitches, and have the scar to prove it today.
I was four when Mum got a new car. So we could try it out, we went for day trips to places like Hamner Springs and Kaikoura.
We also went for a family holiday, our first and only together, to Oamaru. 
I loved it and we stayed in the holiday park.
We fed the ducks in the oamaru botanic gardens, and then went to Kurow, where Mum showed us where she lived and grew up. At her school, we bounced on the trampolines. We drove to Omarama, and stayed the night, then drove home through Twizel and Tekapo to get home.
Me and Mac

Mum and Me

School boy

Me in hospital

Just before starting school I had my adenoids and tonsils removed in hospital. I remember lots of iceblocks, and icecream, and custard.
Then I started school at Avondale primary after my family shifted from the start of Avonside drive to further along into Avonside.
We are just one street away from the Red Zone, and many of the people  there have moved away. Some houses are being pulled down at the moment.
We used to spend a lot of time walking around our loop walk. Since the earthquake, we cant go over the river as all the walking bridges have been broken or closed. We still wander along the river, but it is different now...

Thanks for reading Part Two...

All About Me...

My name is Blaise

I am almost 12 years of age. 
I was born and raised in Christchurch and I was born in 2000 - the Chinese Year of the Dragon, which it is this year too.
It is a very special year to be born.
Dragon people are very strong and determined to succeed. And we can be a bit stubborn too.
I have lived in Hornby, in Central Christchurch, and now we live in Avonside. 


Rock Hopping with Gordon - Governors Bay


Our day out in Akaroa

Blaise and Arlais
I walk to school every morning, it can be great when the weather is good, when its raining it isnt so good...
Blaise and Kitten

Gordon Blaise Duncan

Mum
I live with My Mum and My sister Arlais.
I have two older brothers, Duncan who is 18 and Gordon who is nearly 16.
They live in Burnside now. We have four pet cats who love being spoiled.
Gordons Catch


Washington
Our Catch last weekend - Yellow eyed Mullet


My hobbies are motor sport, drag racing, fishing, reading, seed saving, gardening,
I like to play bull rush, read books, jump on the tramp, and Im a bit of a Foodie, especially Indian food like
Mango Chicken.
At home I like to read and play with my sister, Arlais.
We often go fishing with my big brother Gordon.

My first post is part of my Homework this week.
My teacher wants to learn more about us, so we are doing
Autobiographies. Ive been a bit crook, so Im doing mine on my blog, from home.
So this is my first post.
Thanks for reading!

The Boys - Gordon, Blaise and Duncan