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| Beautiful hydrangeas, Christchurch, NZ |
Ten years ago this month, in February 2011, I started the Red Cardinal blog as a way to keep in touch with overseas family and friends. I had no idea where it would lead, and have loved the many friendships gathered along the way.
What a joy it has been to meet some of you in person, on our travels both overseas and in Australia.
2011 turned out to be a very tumultuous year for the world, as well as for us.
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| Google image, Christchurch cathedral |
In January that year we flew across the Tasman to the beautiful city of Christchurch, in the South Island of New Zealand.
We were on our Summer holiday.
We adored Christchurch, the flowers, the Cathedral in the City Square, the gentle Avon River and the willow trees, and the attractive architecture.
After a pleasant few days, we flew south to Queenstown on Lake Wakatipu.
We settled in to our lodgings, turned on the television, and were deeply shocked to learn that a massive flood had devastated our city back home in Australia.
Brisbane had been inundated by its worst flood in history.
Thousands of people lost their homes and livelihoods as the Brisbane River burst its banks and flooded vast areas, leaving homes and businesses covered in toxic mud as it receded.
We felt so helpless, so far away, and although our house is high on a hill, we did not know until later that it was surrounded by floods and no-one could come in our out of our area for three days. Power was gone for days, and our neighbours took barbeques out into the street to cook and save the meat in their freezers.
This was the road I drive on most days to go to the shops or the city - nearby building were flooded to their roof-tops.
Ten years on, the scars remain for many people and it took a 'Mud Army' of volunteers to begin to make the city liveable once more.
We continued our holiday which included another five days or so going to Milford Sound, Dunedin, and back to Christchurch to fly home, always wondering what we would see on our return.
February came, and I began this blog. Some months later I removed many of the early posts, but I do remember that in the first one I included a picture of the Tintoretto painting 'The Risen Christ' at the Queensland Art Gallery.
On this day, the 22nd February, we were to have another shock.
Beautiful Christchurch was struck by a tremendous earthquake, flattening much of the city we had enjoyed just a few weeks before. Even the hotel where we had stayed was destroyed.
185 people died in this tragedy, and the world watched in horror.
The cathedral tower came tumbling down, and only now is it being restored.
Christchurch has been rebuilding these past ten years, and I hope one day we can return and see it again.
We watched the news in horror...
I was thrilled when my first international follower found me:
Debra Turner of The Savvy Shopper. We are still friends today - thank you Debbie, and I always enjoy your tales of life and shopping in New York.
2011 limped on, and on 3rd April, we had our own personal disaster one Sunday afternoon.
Driving home after a visit to my father, travelling on a narrow highway in the country, we were suddenly confronted by a vehicle coming at high speed across the centre line and directly towards us.
In the split second before it hit, Mr. Red Cardinal was able to edge the car a little closer to the side of the road, saving our lives.
In that one second I believed I was about to die, and passed out.
After the impact, our car had been spun around and down the embankment beside the road. The cabin was full of smoke from the airbags, and the radio was still playing. I thought we had better get out and looked up to see people on the road looking at us, who said the ambulance was on its way. That is how I realised I had been unconscious for some time.
We had serious injuries and went to Emergency in two separate vehicles.
For many months we were confined to home, and depended on the kindness of many people, - family, neighbours, friends and strangers.
A proposed trip to Canada in May was cancelled.
But we survived.
The Blog continued...
Late in 2011 I travelled alone to Canada to visit our daughter and her firstborn little boy. And to experience to wonders of Autumn in a cold climate.
It was beautiful.
We did Halloween..
To end 2011, the Red Cardinals had a small celebration to mark our 40th Wedding Anniversary.
How the years have flown -
The Blog is now 10...
and we are preparing to celebrate our 50th...
We could never have imagined a different kind of catastrophe would envelop us - a global pandemic called Covid-19.
Here's to a brighter year in 2021, as vaccinations commence all over the world.
Be safe and take care
XXXXX
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| Red Cardinal found in a thrift shop on the 2011 trip to Canada |
