Harriette's leaving day!
Having delivered Harriette to university (in Auckland) 2 days earlier, I was particularly sensitive to those mothers who had sent their offspring to CC. I spoke to some friends of ours asking if their son Lance was OK. (He is). I then asked when he arrived. "An hour before" said Ivan!!! Everyone we know of there is safe, just dealing with damaged homes.
Urban rescue teams have been arriving from around the world. One member from the UK team commented on how different this was for them to arrive in an area of disaster with professionalism and organisation in place. Their last operation was Haiti, which was at the opposite end of the spectrum.
On a far more mundane front...this week has been quite difficult for me. As I said, we delivered Harriette to university last Sunday, well her halls anyway. It has been O Week this week and lectures start next Monday. She had been ratty for the few days before she left, more ratty than usual I mean, and I put it down to anxiety and let it go. We were under instruction to deliver her and her belongings, take her for lunch and bugger off :-). I was fine with that but, after lunch she wanted to buy a fan. It was a stinking hot day. Well. You try finding a Warehouse, or Briscoes in central Auckland!! We drove out of the CBD a bit but no luck. We finally found a Warehouse in the CBD but no fans. It was about 4pm when we got her back to the halls. Just before we were going to leave I said "Oh, where's your kitchen?". She huffed and puffed and showed me but was really snappy. When then left and when I hugged her she just let go and said it was too hot. Eric and Alice got a decent hug.I was so upset. I could not even look at her when we left and sobbed my heart out until we were south of the Bombays (hills south of Auckland - the geographical barrier that separates Auckland from the rest of NZ). I spoke to Alice when we got back who said Harriette probably thought I was fussing and just wanted us to go so she could get settled. They were probably right (but I still think it was no excuse for her being so horrible. She knew this whole thing was hard on me). I sent her a text saying sorry if I fussed and she texted back apologising. She then texted the next morning and has been fine since, asking when I'll be back to Auckland (I go up for work occasionally). I get the impression she is struggling a bit, but I may be wrong. This is a huge change for her. She has a room smaller than a prison cell in the middle of Auckland CBD and is eating institutional food. She is used to a rural lifestye, large living spaces and the highest quality of fresh food, great cooking and access ti free unlimited fresh fruit and veg. In addition, she did not get a job in the summer and is now regretting it. She is realising how little 'discretionary' spending money she has. We have always made it clear that we will ensure all her residency (full-board) costs are met (her student loan only covers half those costs) and her books etc are paid for but the rest is up to her. I think she is motivate to get a job but I would imagine that will be difficult in a student saturated area. We'll see.
Work-wise I have had an incredibly busy couple of week. i feel like I've worked 80 hours this week. In addition we've had 2 full-on weekends so I feel quite exhausted. We have nothing we 'need' to do this weekend - which is a huge pleasure! Kent is here and I think we are all going to Tauranga today. Alice needs driving practice as she is hoping to sit her restricted next week.
