EARTHQUAKE

Well, I was working on a new post about the Kapa Haka competition we went to on Sunday, but I guess that is going to have to wait.   The big news, of course, is the earthquake in Christchurch, and I have had many enquiries about how we are doing.  Just want you all to know that we are fine and safe.  In fact, many of you probably heard the news before I did.   Brett told me when I picked him up from work yesterday.  We do not have any TV channels or radio in the house so I had no clue what was going on.  We live far away from where it happened.  In fact, I had been at home planning a trip to the South Island in April which included one night in Christchurch.  Anyways, I did start reading the stories on the Internet last night and it sounds pretty horrible.  People here seem pretty shaken by it as well.  I was doing ok until I read something in the New Zealand herald that said "the quake would have some impact on the boundary between the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates. The fault runs up the South Island's West Coast, across, the Cook Strait, under Wellington and up the east coast of the North Island".  Not sure if you looked at the map of where we live, but we are right on the east coast of the North Island.  The article was basically saying that it ups the chances for an earthquake along this fault.  Really, though, we are not worried and still feel quite safe.  I figure my chances of being in a bad earthquake are the same as being in a bad tornado. And, nothing you can do to change either of those thing.
       I will say that, just as Minnesota is prone to tornandos and snowstorms, this area is no stranger to earthquakes.  Gisborne had a 6.3 earthquake a few years ago.  And, they had a 3.? and a 4.?  on the first week we were here.  Of course, we found out about these a few days later.  Still can't believe we didn't feel them when everyone else seemed to.  Everyone has been telling us not to worry about the earthquakes, and I have been telling the same thing to Liam, try to convince him that people almost never die in most earthquakes and that the earth doesn't really crack open (which is what he thinks happen in all earthquakes).  One of his only doubts/worries about moving to New Zealand came after learning (from his little uncle Sammy) that there were earthquakes here.  Maybe it is better we don't have TV right now.  And I am praying he doesn't learn too much at school today.  The majority of my prayers, however, are going out to the people in Christchurch - what a sad day!!