The moving process (over two months now) for my family has been very different from anything I have ever known or previously experienced. This time we moved after being stuck in place for six years post earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand. While the stress of a move is rated as similar to a death in the family, the joys of coming unstuck from a place with so much internal and external mayhem, has been an adventure with bouts of euphoria. Below is the reality of the mayhem that was our garage after the earthquakes that remained in this state for the past six years until we could begin our move two months ago.
 |
| The grim past realities |
Those are the pictures I rarely showed to my distant friends and family. I am happy (no, euphoric) to say, this mayhem is now only a recorded lapse in time and why I can share them with you now. Our new garage looks more like this below which has lowered the blood pressure considerably.
 |
| The new reality |
Thanks be to good friends who came and plodded through our wreckage and stimulated our desire to do something/anything to move from one state of affairs to the other. Here is one such friend performing her smooth dance through our nightmare with a steady stride...
 |
| Keep Moving Gracefully |
We rewarded Carol Kincaid with the first wood fire bath (because she deserved it!) upon arriving at the new homestead...
 |
| The first bath |
The gentleman hosing her down, as the wood fire tub gets very hot, is another family friend who has helped our move enormously. Tony Westwood has pulled trailers full of stuff the 35 minute drive, unloaded and brought dessert at the most opportune time. Tony had our caravan "Miss Daisy May" moved from the section we began with here at Birdlings Flat to our home down the road without a hiccup. Honestly, I couldn't watch the move...it was a major accomplishment to which I am ever so grateful. "Miss Daisy May" looks like this now at our new abode.
 |
| Miss Daisy May's new position |
Because our new home is a tiny one, the caravan is now primarily my daughter's', Kasey May, to whom "Miss Daisy May" was named after and vice versa. Kasey May might have been a Daisy May but I changed her name at the last minute to Kasey May and have since reclaimed the Daisy May for the caravan that has ironically become her home on wheels. Kasey has been a bedrock of strength and support to both Clark and I throughout this past six years of rocking and rolling of other types. Without her strengths this move would not have been possible. Here she is keeping the fire which is a physical act whose symbolic meaning for us is the same. She is a keeper!
 |
| Fire Keeper |
Jennifer Williamson and Chris Emery have both been completely supportive through this journey of locating and moving homes. I would not like to know what this move would have looked like without their continuous support for all those things that popped up prior and during the move. Jennifer is my 'go to' for sanity making and Chris always gives me a 20 second hug. Jennifer Markman got in on the act very early and brought her trailer to Christchurch (via Ashburton) and filled it up and delivered it to Birdlings Flat which is currently a place that she is physically allergic to. Thank you, Jennifer Markman for being a very amazing adopted daughter and friend.
 |
Jennifer Williamson at her beloved Bruce River
|
 |
Chris with a smile to match his hugs
|
 |
My daughter/friend and all around cowgirl, Jennifer Markman
|
There are more amazing friends who have come to bless this place with their presence and encouragement. Kathy, Bruce, Judith, Aaron, Jeremiah, Lucy and Jan, thank you all for coming! There are locals who have all been most helpful such as Patrick, Rosco, Wuzza, Donna, Fiona, Tony, Ron, Lorna, Barb and Andre ... and then, there is Tuppy, always keeping watch.
 |
Tuppy
|
Here are the initial stages of moving into this place that has taken our lives from one cycle to another. There are only four rooms: living/kitchen combined, small office, one bedroom and a bathroom. However, our plans are to build an outdoor kitchen and make the garage and carport more liveable spaces along with an external studio that will be useful for guests.
 |
| living room, attached to... |
 |
| dining and kitchen |
 |
| small office |
 |
only bedroom for now
|
Meanwhile, Kasey found time to build our first hen house that has "Grace and Frankie" two young chickens who will bless this place with their eggs under Tuppy's careful watch.
 |
| Kasey's first hand built hen house |
 |
| Grace |
 |
| Keeping Watch |
However the real venue is the GREAT OUTDOORS wherein our section borders Lake Forsyth and the Pacific Ocean is within sight and the ever changing landscape is better than any movie or television set...don't need to adjust the colour, it adjusts itself...
We are home now and the past six years of traumatic rocking and rolling and living inundated with stuff is about to come to an end with two garage sales on the horizon...there is still much to do as the stuff under my car port suggests...
But there is a lot more breathing room...
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, yes!
And, little children to watch being entertained by nature...
 |
Onyx and Ivy, Spring Break 2016
|
