A slice of real life

At a BBQ with TT friends and furry llama ones

Most of our postings thus far have been about our NZ traveling adventures.  However, really we just travel every other weekend and most of the time we're living in Christchurch so I ought to give you a window into our daily lives.

Feb. 22 Memorial Event

Marshall/ Bill geared up

February 22 marked the 2 year anniversary of the second and largest ChCh earthquake, the one that caused most of the damage (the whole reason we're here).  Marshall works as a structural engineer, "helping with the rebuild," as they say.  He's trying out a new side of the company and has been intrigued by doing something a little different than what he does at home.  Most interesting is going on site visits where he gets to observe what happened to buildings during the earthquakes.  Normally he is designing buildings to withstand these types of forces and here he can physically see what happens when they do/don't.  In the evenings he is working out in the park with Christchurch Get Fit, which he affectionately calls his "adult PE class."  And I enjoy seeing the great results, hee hee.

ChCh "munted" buildings

Cafe made of shipping containers

A mobile bank in Re:Start mall

We live in the CBD - Central Business District - and this area was severely damaged (click on caption above for album of wrecked bldgs).  All around we see orange cones, road closures, excavators chomping down building leftovers (nom nom), and bulldozers clearing lots. Shipping containers are used to hold building contents and brace heritage facades.  They caught on and are now used to house banks, cafes, food stalls...ChCh has a whole container mall; I think we're on the edge of an architectural trend.

"Colour Me Christchurch"

ChCh Pop up art (click caption to see more photos)

Seeing large expanses of gravel lots where buildings once stood can be a bit dismal, so various organizations like "Greening the Rubble," or Rotary's "Colour Me Christchurch" are planting greenery around the city.  Artists are using the vacant lots for outdoor "Pop up" art installations (click on caption).  

One organization, called Gap Filler, activates vacant sites with creative temporary projects aimed at community building: outdoor bicycle powered cinema, gap mini-golf, life-size chess, etc.  Inspired by their work I became a volunteer and even made the local news!  CTV News Clip featuring Gap Filler (from April 11th, fast forward to minute 5:55 to see breidi and friends).

breidi & Kathi building the dance floor of the Dance-O-Mat

Magic washing machine

My favorite Gap Filler project is the Dance-O-Mat where a few volunteer friends and I constructed an outdoor dance floor.  It's self-operating ... so there is this washing machine and it has a hose- that's where you connect your ipod- then insert a $2 coin like at the laundrymat and sh'BAM! you activate the speakers, lights, and disco ball for 30 minutes!  It's totally awesome.  And that's where Marshall threw me the best birthday dance party ever...

breidi's birthday bop on the outdoor dance floor

Weeding at the Botanic Garden

Amidst the rubble and art, the Botanic Gardens continues to be the emerald of the central city.  I also volunteer there helping to weed, trim, and plant.  So despite the continual construction noise and grit from the gravel, this city is slowly transitioning back into the beautiful "Garden City" that it once was.  Marshall and I are glad to be contributing in our own small ways.

Picking up my piece of chalk to write on this building wall I would add:  
"I hope Christchurch will...      thrive again"

Interactive mural in central Christchurch