Sunday evening(13/11/2016) after a busy day, I went off to bed at about 10:30 not knowing what the night would bring two hours later.
I woke up just after 12 o’clock. My bed was swaying, Trompie picked up his head. I felt the bed moving and the walls shaking. It sounded as if the house was going to collapse. Then Trompie gave a fierce bark. Earthquake! We jumped out of bed. I did not switch on the light and told Trompie to get out of the way. He kept close to me. I stood in the passage waiting for the worst.The shaking subsided. I decided to go into the bathroom because nature was calling.
It kept on rolling underneath. We went back to bed. Then my border came out of his room. He got a message from his wife near Christchurch asking how he was. He told me that it had been the worst quake he had experienced.
We went back to bed. The whole night aftershocks kept on rolling underneath. One of my pot plants had tumbled to the floor, and my books on my bookshelf moved and nearly tumbled off.
Monday morning my alarm went off. I did my usual morning rituals. My border told me that he could not go into Wellington. The news on the radio said that no trains were running and the roads into Wellington were closed down.
Just after seven I received a call that there would be no Before School Care but the school would be open. I told the secretary that I would anyway go in case some parents had not received the message.
It is about a ten minutes drive to school from my home. I arrived just before 7:30 am. At 7:45 am a board member came to check the building. He brought his two young children with him. While he checked the school, I kept an eye on the two boys. Then a parent turned up with his little girl. He had not read the message about no Before school care. I told him it would be okay; I would look after her and keep her safe.
Teachers started to arrive just before eight.
I went home at 8:15. Aftershocks kept coming and going. I went back to After School Care in the afternoon. There were twelve children till about 4.30 that afternoon.
Tuesday morning I went back for Before School care. It was wet; heavy torrential rain kept pouring down. I was so tired and did not feel up to going back for the afternoon session. Lucky for me the school called, I did not need to come because most children were picked up before lunch time. The rain caused havoc with flooding and causing slips on the roads. Wellington was cut off. In the meantime, more earthquakes kept on coming and going. Two strong quakes shook us at 1.15 and 1.30 pm.
Now it is Wednesday evening; we survived another exciting day of tremors and a bit of dry weather. I am happy to say that I am well but tired. Looking after children and keeping them all safe and happy for the last three days was very stressful.

Creek flooding Tuesday

Trompie having a look

Wednesday back to normal

Trompie showing no interest anymore today(Wednesday)
So glad to hear you are safe! It must have been a nightmare, especially at night time, wondering what’s to come. Sending hugs!
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Thanks, Jo, it was better to experience it at night because Office buildings are not the best place to be – very dangerous while evacuating. Still, some movement passing underneath!
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😦
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Baie bly, dat jy veilig is. Sterkte!!!!
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Baie dankie, dit bly maar n traumatiese gebeure.
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Ons is bly julle is ongedeerd deur die drama, Ineke.
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I love Trompie’s raincoat!
So glad that you are safe. The damage is really bad in some areas. Take care, Ineke!
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Thanks, Trompie does not really like to have it on! Yes, some places are damaged badly. Thanks for your concern
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Glad to hear everything is OK with you two!
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Thanks, still aftershocks rolling along. They expect more big ones
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Stay safe
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We will thank you!
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My keel trek sommer toe!
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Dis maar nie lekker nie. Tog wys dit dat n mens in nood reageer op omstandighede wat hul voor doen. Die ou wat die gebou inspekteer het is hospitaal toe gister met n blindederm wat wil bars! Twee seuntjies is maar bietjie angstig.
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Dis lekker as mens darem iets vir iemand kan beteken en die geld is dan ‘n bonus.
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Netso
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OMC Trompie and Ineke, what a nightmare! You must have been so scared. Thank Cat you are both fine. Pawkisses for a safe day 🙂 ❤
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Scared indeed, because you don’t know when it is going to stop or start again. Thanks for kisses and caring. Trompie keeps sitting next to me.
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So bly als is darem nou al redelik normaal. Sjoe dit klink maar na ‘n naelsbyt tydjie waardeur jy is.
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Rowwe tydjie gewees wat nog nie opgehou het nie. Die middestad in Wellington is steeds nog onveilig met een gebou wat vernietig moet word. Naskokke kom en gaan nog steeds. Bly dat ons ongedeerd is. Ek kry die kinders jammer want hul voel die stress van ouers en volwassenes aan.
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Ek kan dit net dink!!
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Jy klink so kalm soos jy hier skryf…. dit moes “scary” gewees het!!!
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My binnegoed bewe nog steeds en elke naskok maak mens weer gespanne. Gisteraand voor ek gaan slaap nog weer n harde skok gewees. Gelukkig net meer n stamp en nie n helse gerol en beweeg nie.
Scary indeed.
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Ai Scrapy sorry dat ek glimlag toe ek lees “my binnegoed bewe nogsteeds.” Sien die prentjie 🙂 Nog ‘n skok!!! Net daar my tassies gepak en teruggekom Suid Afrika toe.
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He he, bly om plesier te verskaf! Sal nie sommer tassies pak en terug Afrika toe gaan nie. Sal maar n eie eiland iewers soek-wat eintlik onmoontlik is. Gister wraggies sommer amper n hartaanval gehad van kwaatgeit oor n kind wat sommer net nie nee as n antwoord wou aanvaar nie. Wat sê mens: met geweld breek mens jou vinger in jou p…. af! (Lelike vergelyking!)
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Dan is dit dié kind oor wie ek die vorige nag gedroom het. Droom van ‘n klein kind wat nie wil doen wat ek sê nie. Ek probeer alles en ruk later die kind heen en weer van kwaadgeit… maar daardie kind weier om te doen wat ek sê. Myne was gelukkig net ‘n droom. Sterkte met doe kleingoed. Ek sou nie in hierdie dae kinders kon grootmaak nie…. kinders is mos deesdae baas.
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Ek het gevoel om hom te skud dat sy tande klap. Ek is self ook bly ek hou nie meer skool nie. Deesdae se kinders mishandel hul ouers geestelik en toets hul tot die uiterste. Gelukkig is daar nog wat normale kinders is. Vir hulle haal ek my hoed af want daardie panipulerende kinders doen dieselfde met hul mede kinders/vriende. Hoop jy het n heerlike dag. Ek gaan die naweek probeer om net te rus sodat my kragte weer reg is vir volgende week.
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Net baie bly julle is almal veilig. Dit moes werklik ‘scary’ gewees het.
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Dankie, dit is beslis nie lekker nie want mens weet nie hou dit op of word dit erger nie.
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It must have been frightening at the time. Glad tohear all is well with you.
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Thank you, well but still very nervous when shakes pass by.
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Brawe Trompie, jy moet jou ma goed oppas.
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He he, ons maak mekaar benoud. Hy weet ek voel bang en ek weet hy voel bang. Ons sit dan maar doodstil en wag vir “what ever must be!”
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Scary stuff – weg van die boosheid van Afrika na ‘n ander tipe onsekerheid. Bly julle is darem ongedeerd.
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Ja jong, die lewe het maar sy stories. Ek dink Afrika boosheid is erger want jy weet presies wat met jou kan gebeur terwyl hier kan jy beslis oorleef!
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ongelukkig… maar midde binne dit moet ons ter wille van oorlewing onsself maak die positiewe raaksien in die dinge om ons. Bv met die erge oorstromings in JHB het mense ongeag kleur, taal of kultur bymekaar gestaan en ‘n mense ketting gemaak om mense te red wat seergekry het. Niemand het omgegee om ‘n ander te help nie. Ons probleem in SA is nie die mense op grondvlak nie, maar politici wat mense aanmoedig om brutaal teenoor ‘n ander te wees ens. As ons hulle uit ons sisteme kon vee sou hierdie land ‘n ware reënboog nasie kon wees!
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Dit is ware woorde. Dit gaan hier ook so, daar is altyd top ouens wat die gewone eerbare mense breinspoel. Suid Afrika is beslis nog steeds my werklike tuiste en sal dit altyd bly.
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Jou toewyding en omgee is bewonderenswaardig. Hoop alles is nou weer rustig.
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Baie dankie, mens doen maar wat mens kan. Veral met kinders is dit belangrik dat daar n hand is wat hul handjies kan vat om hul te kalmeer al woel die bangheid diep in mens. Die beweings is steeds nog erg aan die gang. Gelukkig is reën op oomblik minder. Daar was selfs n tornado nie ver van my af laasnag! Ek kla nou nie rerig nie maar ek is bly ons is darem sover ongedeerd.
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Dit moet angswekkend wees as die vaste aarde begin bewe!
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Beslis, die wete ook dat jy niks kan doen om dit te stop nie is ook nie lekker nie. Dis met n vloed ook, dit kan reën tot op n punt en dan moet die wal bars.
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