Bric a Brac.

Some of the things I got from the book sale, had to download or upload, never know which, in a strange way, but got them, the old crochet and knitting patterns are 1963 and 1964, I was very young, not saying how young although I was at primary school. Old Country Living mags which I think never date and the pheasant jug which was only a $1, which Barry claimed was far to much for it. Men. The camellia from the garden, very pretty, I hate how they don't last, but  the Rhodo's are following and the rest of the garden is coming on. Basil and Aj are watching the  rugby, I hope we thrash Southland and take back the Shield, Basil is from Invercargill, and as he pointed out to Aj he is half Southland and half Canterbury, Aj is having none of this. Good boy, I was born in Darfield which has been the centre of our Earthquake and resulting after shocks( over 1,500 so far) and you can't get any more Cantab than that. I might say my parents are Irish but they cheer for the Red and Blacks, even though they live in the North Island. Everyone says we need the Shield back to cheer us up, but that's silly we just need the shakes to stop, everywhere you go people are still talking about the Earthquake. If this is our once in a lifetime big event, then I'm glad it's going to be over in another 2 years, (said very tongue in cheek), that's how long it will be before life for everyone will be back to normal. One of the ladies at the Exercise group I go to with" my men" on a Friday morning has spent 2 weeks at one daughters and 2 weeks at another daughters and this week will move to a "bach" at a beach North of the city for at least 1 year or more.  I thought you might be interested how she got her car out of her garage, her section and house were unlivable, and her car was stuck in the garage with no hope of getting out over the huge cracks that had appeared, so the car removal people came in and laid steel girders up the drive into the garage and gently took the car out over them. I was very impressed and she was very grateful without a car she would have been so isolated, she did manage to get her belongings out of the house and they are in storage till she can rebuild there or somewhere else. Sorry to be a bore about the Earthquake but it has dominated our life for 5 weeks and will do so for a long time in the future, Tom's Uni exams have all been altered, essays cancelled, topics  not finished etc just more pressure on the students and their parents. Only a few weeks to exams for both Tom and Aj I don't relish the thought of two exam stressed teenagers.   . That's it for now I have more photos to down load which I'll do soon...........Aunt Bee.