Merry Christmas

A time to reflect .

A time to connect.

A time to reminisce .

A time to share.

A time to indulge.

Really ? A time to indulge ? Get away .It's a time to be enjoyed in many ways but I have a special thought for all those who are alone or having a tough time.

Life is not all beer and skittles and the frantic fervor and commercial claptrap that pervades will at least subside now for another year.

Special thoughts to those in North Carolina that suffered from Helene and are now in to snow and cold .

Good people will look after you .Be strong and comfort each other. It will be a long haul.

Moments in time lock affected people in and the system has no way of catering for the reality of life. The system is all about  fitting in. If a disaster happens it doesn't fit. I mean how unreasonable for nature to stamp its mark on lives.

My special friend came a couple of days ago posing questions and offering solutions .So many questions that are devoid of answers and questions that are left hanging,  looking for wise counsel.

Christmas means different things to different people and I admire those who have faith in the word and hope for the future.

To all those who have helped me through the last two years I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are all there within, exuding vibes of strength and a continuing flow of positiveness.

Take good care one and all.

"Suffering becomes beautiful when anyone bears great calamities with cheerfulness, not through insensibility but through greatness of strength"

Aristotle

   

Hectic

Must be the time of the year.

A bit like Piccadilly Circus lately. People coming and going and trying to get things done before Christmas.

Painter busy finishing off bits and pieces and doing some additional work I wasn't expecting.

A procession of wonderful people dropping in and checking things out and passing on good tidings and even some presents!

So grateful for the continuing support and incredible warmth.

I have been only too happy to help out some Czech visitors who have had a bit of bad luck since arriving in NZ.

Seemed natural to offer them a place to park up and catch their breath while they sorted out some issues.

Spent a wonderful evening under the full moon relating travel experiences. 

 A and B moved on today and have reached the next stop ready to settle in for Christmas.

A big plus this year has been a surfeit of fruit enabling me to give away heaps to my many helpers and friends.

So many busy days in the last few weeks and some challenging hiccups to deal with.

I need to catch my breath as well. 

 

Councilism

I have stolen the term from some other battlers.

Westport is in the throws of being thrust in to a David and Goliath struggle like so many communities these days.

The bodies we fund through rates have all the power .Taking them on is a major task. I have been there.

These authorities also live in  a world of their own. They always believe they are right and the silly people that question them are pests that need to be quashed. Dam ratepayers.How annoyimg.

Well the idea is that Westport is to be re established .The Westport retreat. 

Climate change of course.

Maybe this is a test case. If they (who is they) can put up thousands of pages in reports that basically say you will move or else then a big win here would see other settlements attacked in the same way.

The sea is going to rise and swallow up the houses .Move before it happens .The history   and facts don't matter. 

I applaud the team that are taking on the Council and love the term 'Councilism' used to describe what they are up against.

Everything is upside down these days.

The Local Authorities in this country are no longer doing the job they were supposed to do.

Central Government may well be behind this planned retreat as part of the Global scam of Climate Change. 

They wrecked our community in twelve months .No resistance ,no fight after a major disaster so I wish the SaveBuller team all the best in their fight ahead.

 

 Bye to A Mate.

After being displaced following the flood I was lucky enough to find accommodation at a friends house. Although it had also been flooded  it was minor compared to many and although missing some gib lining and bare flooring it still had power and facilities.

The deal was that I could stay there until it was repaired and I had the pleasure of sharing the house with the family dog and two cats. 

Like most pets they were real characters and soon became used to me slotting in to the room and collapsing in a heap most nights after a hard days yakka working on my place.

My friends slept on the bed with me and I became used to letting the dog out at all hours when he wanted a pit stop and then sorting cat and dog breakfast in the morning.

Many will know what it is like to have a dog push you to the side of the bed or manoeuvre in close on cold nights to steal some of your warmth.

There were the customary snorts and whines and even a crash off the bed but all in all it was good to have company at such a difficult time.

In recent times when visiting my friends my Lab mate could hear me or smell me and made a fuss seeing me again.

We do get attached to our domestic friends.

I saw my mate a few weeks ago and he was in a bad way .The experts were not sure what was up but he couldn't move and was uncomfortable.

A few days ago he passed a way at home with the family around.

I was so pleased I had seen him before he left this world.

I will never forget the cold winter nights with his nose up close and his tough body hard against mine.

Au revoir Z.   

    

 Accountability

Grey hair normally indicates years.

Sometimes years filled with experiences ,sometimes years that have been wasted leaving a void where should be the chance to weigh up the odds and balance out the probabilities in a rational way.

Many times I have seen  instances where nature in particular , has been responsible for creating problems.

Extremes happen. We should learn from history how to respond and how to best adapt to a new situation.

What is concerning is with the regimes we now have in place where the 'experts ' are in charge, the response to events is more an arse covering exercise or an over reaction in case there is a repeat episode.

There is no room for science or rational thinking to extrapolate workable solutions .Grey hair has no place in the world any longer.

Modelling will give the answer and unfortunately the wonder of AI may lead us further in to the mire.

Over the years I have noted a number of times there has been an explosion in insects or weeds or even rats.

Years ago there was a weed , willow herb , that appeared out of nowhere and invaded every nook and cranny .It was a pretty little weed   (as most plants are) but it proliferated and as fast as one sprayed with weed killer it sprang up again  and in new places.

Ahhhh. 

Over time the extent of the takeover by willow herb subsided and while it had presence it was now part of the scenery and a casual removal of plants by hand  from time to time gave some sort of sense of satisfaction. Ha.got you damn weed.

Such was the case following the flood as well   . The weed Fleabane suddenly rose up in defiance. It was everywhere and  it is an ugly weed . scraggy, unkempt tall and bushy like a gangly schoolboy struggling with school rules.

There was no beating this infection. Being such a tall weed it was hard to spray amongst all the other vegetation and it was more like a crop, in rows each motly stem supporting the next one.

I did hmmmm about this one.

Don't panic. Think of the sigmoid curve. This will  see the weed have its day in the sun and then slink off to the waste land and grotty corners where it can look after its survival again.

All that to explain how the solutions being worked on now by the highly paid are devoid of balance and millions are being spent (not theirs of course) to appease the peasants and cover their backsides.

Dollars are being spent to crush the fleabane if you like when a little time and thought would solve the issue of a brief  invasion. 

       

 North Carolina

Watching a number of videos of parts of NC decimated by Helene takes me back to Gabrielle but the devastation in NC is far greater if that is at all possible.

It is more like our Esk Valley where what is normally a beautiful innocent , dawdling stream suddenly turns in to a torrent and washes away all before it.

Parts of NC like Asheville  are very similar but on a much larger scale. Many people had built homes close to the river and never thought it was possible for the river to swallow up the small villages and motor camps , life sentence blocks , retreats and education facilities.

We need to learn from what happened and it is striking the similarities between the US situation and those here in our little  idyllic home settings.

It is heartening to hear so many people interviewed that are looking to rebuild in some way or fashion. They are connected to the land like us and will use the experience to interpret and plan for the future.

The common factor running through the experience is the lack of help from Governments and the way that a few months down the track the disaster  is forgotten by those who watched the coverage on the teev and have now carried on with their lives.

Well that is fair enough but what do we do with the people who have lost everything in a few hours? They are left suspended and in a new world trying to fathom the way ahead. I know what it is like.

Where would we be without the help from so many church groups who emerged from the woodwork with nothing but love and goodwill.?

It is extraordinary what these people have done and the combined effort of these volunteers has been exceptional in helping so many brave the new and daunting task to re establish.

My heart goes out to all those in North Carolina as they confront what is going to be a long road to recovery.

Who Represents Us ?

There has been a thread running through world media in recent weeks.

It appears the problem of who is making decisions and for whos benefit is being questioned by more and more people and in a whole range of problem areas.

This underlines the shift over the last twenty years or so from the average punter being able to tackle politicians or authorities and question decisions , to the situation now where the average punter has no say at all.

We have crossed the line. We the people have been relegated to numbers .Something to be played with to suit the outcomes of the new elite that know everything.

It's a bad situation and in the flood scenario it has been played out not just in my local sphere but also I see glimpses in the US following Helene.

The west has succumbed to the globalists. Hopefully this could be challenged in the wake of the turnabout in America.

Back to who represents us. 

An email update on local developments is like a warning.

You can do what you like  but, seek the advice from Council, Insurance or Banks.

That's the nub of it. It is the total control of the people by authority.

Let's turn that around.      

What if the email asked how can we help you?

Is there anything we can do to help your road back to normality?

What assistance do you need?

Or a statement 'we really want to help you re -establish  and to get the community up and running again.

Everything is upside down. The thinking is all wrong and the approach is back to front.

The other answer to the question 'who represents us? is our elected politicians. 

MIA.

 

Scaremongering, No balance , Wrong.

This is astounding and is a good example of the massive costs being imposed on ratepayers and taxpayers because of this great con.

Totally irresponsible and time to call this type of reporting out for the damage it is causing unnecessarily .

The headline,

"Insurance retreat ' report warns of looming crisis.

Straight away  the word 'crisis ' is alarmist and wrong.

"A new report by the Helen Clark Foundation and engineering consultants WSP warned "insurance retreat" could mean insurance premiums for flood prone properties may be unaffordable"

They say they could be unaffordable by 2050.

What is it about 2050.Is there some target talked about by 2050?.

Net Zero anybody.

The Clark Foundation has no business calling for a report on this issue in the first place. Who on earth do they think they are?

Given the capture of corporates on the matter I guess it's no surprise that there are many consultants out there who believe in the climate change con.

Helen Clark is another in the left  ranks that think they have mortgage on  climate knowledge but they don't and in fact they have no understanding of the climate at all.

Trouble is some will take notice of this report and it will be used to impose massive costs on the populace.

The whole approach to flooding in NZ has been overturned by the climate cultists and their modelling that shows how bad things may be. They have become lost in the jungle of supposition and speculation. Lost  behind figures ,graphs and calculations. No reality.

I have an idea.

Lets all live in cities with walls around them where it takes no longer than five minutes to go anywhere.

That would be ideal. Then the government could have control over all the people and let the rivers and the sea be free.

Is there a name for that? 

Five minute cities. 

I think I've heard of that.

 

  

Thoughts

My thoughts today are with one of the many helpers that has blessed my house with her presence over the last few months.

Quietly and neatly working her way around cutting in some of the paint jobs this lovely lady is in hospital  with a serious setback as of last week.

Too young to be in this position my thoughts and prayers are with her as she progresses and I know she has the support of family and friends.

Thinking of you A.  

 Crazy Decisions

The lack of institutional knowledge and lack of analysis of history , coupled with flawed thinking is seeing some silly mistakes being made re establishing infrastructure that was challenged during Gabrielle.

The frustrating part is that these decisions are going to be made regardless of input from outside the realms of council thinking and the modelling and over the top implementation of legislative guidelines is going to cripple ratepayers and result in massive expenditure that will change nothing.

There is a mistake being made locally and I would love to oppose the move but it has reached a point where no one listens.

The ratepayer does not matter.

The community is irrelevant. The people know nothing.

Our modelling and the hidden agenda rule.

We are the experts and we will do what the corporations and bureaucrats demand.

This is the situation with so many issues in this country.

Additionally there is some infrastructure being built that has some longterm residents shaking their heads in disbelief.

What annoys me is that there is expenditure taking place of hundreds of thousands of dollars , that will not make one iota of difference to future flood events.

A total lack of understanding of the area and a capitulation to incompetence.

Frustrating in the extreme. 

    

 Mr and Mrs B -Heroes

Not far from me there was a house (like many)that was nearly totally under water at the time of Gabrielle.

I had known previous owners that lived there but people move on.

There are heroes living there now. Or at least on the property.

Mr and Mrs B were blamed for living there and slammed with a category three rating. I say blamed because I reiterate there is no reason for them to take the blame through a cat 3 rating when we can now understand what happened and why a whole community flooded because of faults in the infrastructure.

There are only eight residents left in the cat 3 area .At this stage they want to continue living there in the face of manufactured roadblocks. They have managed to stand up to the atrocious management of the  situation. I hope they have the strength to carry on.

It is a crime what is happening and as with many disasters and problems with authorities the little man is crushed under the weight of rules and regulations , the stress and strain of coping with a major .

Once again the distortions of imposing categories come to the fore and the ongoing ramifications  are serious , real and crushing.

Another issue that is of major concern is the suggestion that the local Memorial Hall should be shifted.

This is insanity in action. 

It has been fixed up at considerable cost and is in no threat from future flooding. Massive unnecessary expenditure is proposed to a nearby stopbank when the truth is,  the stream they propose to protect the hall from, does not flood.

Absolute madness.  

     

Extraordinary

Watching more videos coming out of North Carolina and have to say there are some extraordinary stories covering a raft of circumstances following Helene.

It is easy to relate to the people and what they are going through but in comparison to Gabrielle  there are instances of far greater destruction.

The town of Chimney Rock is completely devastated ,Spruce Pine is destroyed and towns like Swannanoa and Ashville just a total and utter mess.

The death toll continues to rise and is nearing 200.One family lost 11 members. 

It is heartbreaking .

The response from people has been the same as here in Hawkes Bay where everyone is helping out in any way possible and of course the Churches have stepped in bigtime .

I have to note the Cabins for Christ group who within 48 hours had developed plans for cabins to assist with accommodation  and with donations and volunteer help had produced 20 cabins in a few days and aim to build 75 cabins for people of Buncome County schools in the next two weeks.

That is absolutely amazing.

Buncombe is another area totally devastated by the flood.  

Drone footage of the valleys shows the extent of damage and the huge number of trees that came down in the storm.

Those lovely river valleys have felt the wrath of mother nature and the inhabitants lives have been shattered.

Thinking of all those affected at this time.    

 

 Gabrielle vs Helene

I have spent some time watching videos coming out of North Carolina following the devastating Cyclone Helene.

Pretty raw watching a situation one has experienced and certainly brings back many emotions and responses when you see coverage that is parallel to that here in HB.

It is heartening to see how the community reacted in the same way and neighbour helped neighbour and the immediate response was from those closest .

The stories coming out are reminiscent of Hawkes Bay tales and the relating of many close escapes and miraculous rescues are remarkably the same.

Unfortunately it looks like there are many more fatalities in NC and the surrounding  areas compared to here but then the population would have been far greater and the proximity to the rivers was a major factor.

Couldn't help but get upset at the heart wrenching loss of 9 month old twins by a mother of seven. Her youngest washed away in the attempt to escape the water.

I was interested in some who said how fast it happened .I think this is related to different scenarios during a flood where pressure points are reached and dams burst or river banks breach thus releasing large volumes of water that surge through vulnerable sections of the terrain.

I remember watching the water at my place flowing for a long time at a particular level .All of a sudden it started rising quickly and reached the house and never stopped rising.

I now know this was related to major breaches of the stopbank upstream and also the collapse of the Puketapu Bridge.

It is interesting that many residents in NC and surrounds are talking rebuilding although the Mayor of one town said it will not be rebuilt.

People become very attached   to their homes and land and it is natural that they want to stay.

We all can learn from these events and from history and adapt to new circumstances .The houses near some of the rivers were very close and even though it was known there had been flooding in the past this event was humungous and rivers rose up to capture homes that would have been out of reach in historic flood paths.

A particularly interesting video I watched was by The GeoModels .This showed the geography of the mountains at the centre of the downpour and how the rivers had to remove a huge amount of water from the Helene event and down it went through the valleys and on through  settlements smashing anything in its path.

An observation at this point is the demeanor of many involved  in the USA situation . people I have watched have been helpful , concerned and constructive whereas here we had bodies that were absent , cagey, unhelpful and certainly unwilling to listen.

Enough for now.  

 Nonsense

Dramatic coverage in the local newspaper.

"An increasing risk of coastal hazards due to climate change and cyclone Gabrielle threatened the Charitys Clive living premises"

Let's analyse  this comment.

Increasing risk. There is no increasing risk of coastal hazards. The coast is one of those marvelous natural features that is ever changing, moving , eroding ,accreting encroaching.

It has done forever and will continue to do so.

Due to climate change.  The climate has always changed. Always will. But this natural occurrence is not 'increasing' the risk of coastal hazards. There have always been coastal hazards and they come and go .May be even the weather adds to the coming and going.

Due to Cyclone Gabrielle. Yes the weather. From time to time NZ is subject to weather events such as cyclones and they vary in strength.

Cyclone Gabrielle may have been a wake up call for the Charity. I think they were extremely lucky that the adjacent river did not breach its stopbanks this time.

My memory recalls a rain event where the area where Hohepa is housed was subject to flooding and an orchard further along the road was under water. Do we learn from history ?   

I do note that further comment states that the " re-location project started in 2018 driven by Clives' increasingly unstable  coastal environment."

Should this not be interpreted as the re-location was driven by the realisation that the complex was built in a flood prone area and it was wise to move operations?  I wonder who made the original decision to build on the site and what advice did they receive about the suitability of housing vulnerable people in such a risk prone site.

Nature carries on .

Understanding nature is being abused by the environmentally vacant.

 

 

 

 

 North Carolina

What parallels.

I relate to all those in North Carolina and everywhere else that was devastated by Cyclone Helen.

Watching many videos of the destruction and trashing of townships like Ashville brings back memories of Gabrielle. Many similarities and the responses have been similar as well.

The authorities reaction is mimicked as well. Control, control.

While there has to be some organisation and guidelines locals seem to be ignored and even stopped from helping friends and neighbors .

Good to see locals just going about helping and ignoring the bossy britches who know best. Don't look to the Government .They will not help you.

Reach out and help friends and neighbors.

Watched one harrowing video of a house being washed down stream with a lady stranded on the house. A guy went out in a canoe to recue her but fell out of the canoe.He carried on in the current and the lady by now was in the water. Somehow he managed to catch the lady and make his way to safety.   

Another hero.

There are still so many missing which is so sad and the stories to come are going to be harrowing and hard to comprehend.

Any claims by leaders such as Biden , that climate change is responsible, need to be challenged bigtime.

The same area was hit by a similar storm in 1916. This one was much worse and those who remembered the 1916 event indicated that lessons were learned and rebuilding considered levels from that flood but this latest event enveloped a greater area .

It appears only 2% of people had flood insurance. They never expected a repeat and also insurance premiums had risen to an extent that people could not afford flood  insurance. It is interesting that they could opt for such insurance as here everything is lobbed in together.

Insurance in the light of flooding around the world may be an area that needs a whole rethink.

Residents in my area should have been protected from flood waters as stopbanks had been constructed for a 1 in 100 year flood  but they succumbed to the forces of a 1 in 500 year flood event .It becomes a question of who is responsible. Not for the blame game but as a rational discussion given the extraordinary circumstances.

I note one resident  from NC saying that Helene was a 1 in a 1000 year event. These events are beyond past considerations and need careful analysis to plan ahead and learn from what has happened .Playing with computer models is a waste of time.

There is a long way to go for NC and surrounds.

It is life changing. Losing everything you have is such a huge challenge to confront and all I can say is that in the initial stages after Gabrielle I didn't care about material things. It is a shock but  you realise you can replace things.

It's the loss of photographs and irreplaceable items that hit hard .

Dig in there my friends in NC .

Thoughts with you.  

 

 

On a High

Still on a high after last weekend. Time flies but kept reflecting on the progress made by the team and the huge difference it makes to where I am at.

Ticked off some more boxes during the week as I was able to fix up some more bits and pieces and even took apart the grease gun which was still silty and not working. Little tasks like that help the future attack on jobs that ease the burden and result in a more normal existence.

There are still some pieces to put together and one is carpet to replace the silt soaked mess that had to be ripped up and thrown in the skip. At least with a concrete floor it has been easy to clean up in preparation for an new dimension in the bedrooms.

What a dilemma. What colour do I choose? Seems trivial after the upheaval. Not to demean the excitement of being able to  replace something I thought would take years of saving.

There are other surprises to come but I am at a point where I can function pretty well and look forward to summer and maybe some returns at last.

One thing that disrupts is the political interference with time.

Why do politicians think they can dictate what the time is? The short ,only one hour, spring forward dictate has a debilitating effect on many human beings. Well those of us that are in tune with nature and the sun and the moon. Our biorythms are disrupted as we are forced to endure longer working days and more daylight to fade the curtains. Well not quite.

Many , especially politicians , do not understand nature. They are environmentally vacant and I will never forgive those (and I know who they are ) said we the people would have more time for BBQ's if daylight saving was extended.

What extraordinary reasoning.   

It will take a week to adapt to the forced time change and then hours worked will increase ,It's just the way it is.

Oh well it's a lovely fine day.Time to enjoy.   

 

 Great People

A weekend to celebrate.

Big team turned up on Sunday and launched into a list of jobs I had put off because of difficulty or time restraints.

What a difference it makes having many hands actively moving and shifting, pushing and pulling and even painting and cleaning.

Managed to extract a fence out of overgrown weeds and silt and stand it up ready for new posts and straining. Would have taken me days to do the job and yet we had it done in an hour.

More silt shifted from nooks and crannys and cladding removed cleaned and replaced.

Can't thank the team enough.

All the while my mind had been flicking to the site of major flooding in Europe. So many countries experiencing rain events leading to rivers breaching banks and even dams bursting.

I now understand what these people will be confronted with and wish them all the best. It is heartbraking and challenging .

Stay strong all of you.      

Reports and more Reports. 

A new NIWA led study has found climate change increased the amount of total rainfall during Cyclone Gabrielle by 10%.

Heavens to Mergatroid . 

Why on earth would a study be needed to investigate this spurious charge in the first place.

It was a major event as we all know but to try and attribute a portion to  a fraud is beyond the pale.

This appears to be no more than trying to justify or back up the position of  a body that should be providing us with facts not fallacy.

"The  extra rain (extra rain!!!)  suggests climate change had an amplified effect on the flooding that occurred."

What is extra rain?  The next forecast will explain that there will be 40mm of rain and an extra 5mm for climate change.  

'Amplified the effect on the flooding that occurred' 

I'll tell you what amplified the effect on the flooding that occurred. It was structural failure. The inability of stopbanks to hold the massive volumes of water in check .It was the trash that formed dams behind bridges and the failure of the system to cope with such a huge event.

A NIWA scientist says if the world (the world) continues to warm at the present rate then storm events are likely to become even more extreme..

This is a claim that is not verified. According to records storm events have been of less frequency. This is an inflammatory statement that the Government and Insurance Companies use to hit us with more costly policy decisions .

The study goes on to suggest "the best way to tackle future storms is to reduce our greenhouse emissions to halt or even reverse the warming of our climate." 

Nothing we do in New Zealand to reduce greenhouse emissions , will have the slightest effect on halting the warming of our climate.

The only effect will be on our collective pockets as we plant trees to bail out overseas corporates  and kill off the farming industry that has been the backbone of this country.

This is the insanity we are facing.

 

   

WAIROA WIN

It was great to see the report looking in to the last flood event in Wairoa backing up Mayor Littles  concerns about the lack of planning around opening the Wairoa river mouth at times of heavy rain fall.

What has happened?

I am sure that as a former Regional Councillor that there was a protocol in place years ago and the Works Group arranged the opening of the bar when it was considered there was going to be the possibility of flooding.

Indeed it was common practice for other river outlets such as the Tutaekuri at Awatoto.

What has happened over the years.?

That is the question.

The Regional Council has historical records with photographs showing the Wairoa river mouth being opened by men with shovels in 1911.

Historically remedial work could only be carried out successfully  and economically  when the  river flow and sea conditions were suitable. To overcome financial problems the Board (Catchment Board at the time) agreed to meet in excess of a Government Grant from the Boards Shingle Royalty revenue for the Wairoa and Nuhaka rivers.

At least we now have modern equipment to carry out the task but somewhere along the way we have lost basic , commonsense understanding , of actions that are required .

The decision making has been lost in a world of computers and correctness, bowing to new masters instead of holding on to knowledge and experience.

So the win for Wairoa is good,  in the sense that it has put the spotlight on a problem but the question now is will someone ask the hard questions and resolve what are apparently major problems in the system and how can they be resolved.  

  

  

  

 

 Thou Shalt not Lie

News items come and go. It is hard to keep up with the daily bombardment sprayed through various media outlets , let alone absorb and analyse  the content.

Early this morning this morning I caught the Finance Minister being interviewed about a report by the Insurance Industry that stated that New Zealand , I say that again, New Zealand , may be subject to another major weather event in the next 50 years.

Well there's some safe space for a start  .50 years. 

We can speculate all we want but we are talking about nature. That wonderful  encompassing world that we walk in everyday.

It's possible that we may have a storm anytime. We may not.

The terminology around return events confuses many people but it is understandable and its use in planning has been acceptable although it may be challenged in the future.

 

Having lived in one of the flooded areas for 40 years allows one to have some perspective  and balance in reflecting on Gabrielle .1 in 50 or 1 in 100 or even 1 in 200 has some meaning because you have past events that you can use to measure and compare. 

Back to the report.

Of course there is chance of further weather events of elevated magnitude but , and here is the big but, the authorities and Insurance fraternity say that these weather events will be more frequent because of climate change.

The Finance Minister , when asked about the report said 'well that's climate change' . She also mentioned we are going to have to adapt to climate change and have laws that are fit for purpose.(What does that mean?)

And then " we are going to have to get debt down so we can afford to pay for events"

This was all around comments on building in areas that were not prone to flooding and as an extension to that I would add probably retreat in coastal areas because of dreaded sea level rise.

We are living in a time where lies are being told. Porkies. 

The minute the narrative is changed from the weather to climate change when discussing weather events we are shifting from nature to lies.

The weather is nature , climate change happens all the time. It is a natural phenomenon but is used to

 impregnate  porkies in to society.

Gabrielle was an event that was of major proportion. May be a 1 in 500 year event. 

It was unforseen in planning and stopbanks that were built for a 1 in 100 year return were insufficient to with hold such a force .Even stopbanks built to a 1 in 200 year would have been vulnerable.

The kneejerk response to Gabrielle has already destroyed our community  and is creating a scene ripe for corporate exploitation .

The Minister needs to understand the difference between climate change and weather and may be take some advice from the scientists who expouse the truth. 

  

    

 Punish Officials

We are lucky we live in a democracy. 

It may be showing some signs of stress at the moment but at least we can speak out and question authorities . 

So many issues that we need to question .So many issues where we require clarification from politicians and  we are left to decipher  long winded answers that in the end leave us no further ahead.

Reports are emerging that in July there were devastating floods in parts of North Korea causing damage many of us can relate to now.

But the solution . 30 Government officials executed for somehow causing the floods.

That is pretty hard to grasp.

What sort of  thought process allows this to happen. Sure its all about fear and control  but that solution is outrageous.

At least our officials are safe and in my dreams I see them all putting their hands up and admitting there were a few problems. I see them admitting some infrastructure was compromised  . There are some design faults and that the response to Gabrielle was wrong.

I wonder if they have insurance companies in North Korea?

 

 Square Pegs

Rules and Regulations. The system.

We go about our lives , busy , busy, chasing our dreams or chasing the monkey. We (who is we?) settle in our castles at night , satisfied with our effort , content at the days end.

A major event brings us out of our castles and we combine efforts to make some sense of the jigsaw that has been spread before us . The bits and pieces that are scattered and piled , mixed in a senseless mess,  challenging us to restore order .Will we ever get the pieces back together or will some bits be lost down the back of the couch or sucked up by the noisy hoover by mistake.

Along comes the system.

We (all of us) have a number .I'm sure it's true. 

If we didn't have a number we would be allocated one.

We must fit in to the system .We are all the same .We are all square pegs and we must fit in a square hole. there are enough holes for us all.

So we the people overcome the challenge slowly until we come up against the system.

A lesson learnt from the adversity is the  way we differ around our castles. Rich ,poor, materialistic , carefree, families , no family, old , young, insured, uninsured , underinsured, stubborn , helpful , realistic, unrealistic.

The system does not allow for round pegs. If you are not a square peg you are a misfit. It's not a case of flexibility , understanding, or analysis to seek a solution. It's force the square peg in the round hole otherwise reject it.

We are strong to a point. The adrenalin can work for a long time. Eventually we either give in or succumb to the myriad of hurdles emerging from left and right or if very strong achieve a second wind and rise up as a defiant round peg.

There is a deep strength one has to keep tapping to face head on the ongoing rug pulls like the one this week.

Who on earth would steal a letterbox?

Dealing with so many issues and someone has the audacity to rip my letterbox off its post in the middle of the night.

I know it was unique but someone decided they wanted it. Well a curse on them.

I have another that is a common old box but it will suffice. 

       

    

 Dead and Dying 

Houses

Once warm and alive.

Now stark reminders,

standing alone

cold lifeless, devoid of movement, devoid of inhabitants.

Bastions of resistance until deemed faulty by insurance geeks 

and council epitaph writers.

Taken apart by methodical destroyers

and reckless implements , swinging and gouging, 

Crushing and smashing years of dedicated love and attention,

Years of love and living,

Love and giving.

These homes dismantled by category,

Marked by faceless visitors with indelible roughly painted squares and numbers,

emblazoned on obvious walls 

like fingering naughty community dwellers.

We have your number

You're  not welcome here anymore.

The mark is stark.

Houses dismembered room by room and buried along with their secrets and history,

Carted to places unknown ,swallowed into cold holes lined with plastic

Covered forever.

Residents disappeared in to the rush of suburbia,

Lost in little boxes, lost their  pride, lost their dignity.

Lost their existence to the system.

Absorbed so they can't be seen or heard.

Witnesses gone.

Treasures

July slipped by with the usual cold grey days and drizzly periods .Enough to make you hibernate like a bear.

I think that's what everyone did.

Nearing the end of August and the days a little bit longer , a few people are popping out of the woodwork and testing the ground for an assault on spring. Not quite there yet but  there is something in the air.

It was notable to be contacted by my very special and treasured friends that helped me over the last year with toil and items for the house that have made life more 'livable'.

M and M returned to see me and arranged a whole team to turn up and wreak havoc on weeds , straggly looking trees and silt bound gardens. Jobs that I have put on the backburner with so much else to catch up on.

Not only did the team do a massive job with the garden area but they had a painter hiding in their midst who made a couple of rooms look amazing in a few hours.

Like magic, these treasured people lifted a small burden off my mind and by days end, although pretty exhausted , I felt immense relief amid a presence of love and fulfillness.

Thankyou  a thousand times to these wonderful giving people .

I will never forget you.

    

 Kick Us While We Are Down

Sometimes one wonders why one bashes their head against a brick wall.

The saying must have a solid origin.

After a time of devastation and life changing circumstances we learn for sure that Councils are deaf ,blind and incapable of rational thought.

My many local friends and colleagues have received the latest rates notice .The Hastings Council recognised the situation of ratepayers and flagged rates for two years ,I acknowledge that ,but the Regional Council , the Council responsible for Flood protection , kicks us fairly and squarely in the guts.

It is beyond comprehension, beyond reason beyond all one can believe.

The first kick was to change the basis for the rating system while there was a state of turmoil .They changed from capital value to land value. It was contemplated in the past but rejected because of the huge impact it would have on producers. But they changed in the face of massive submissions in opposition and at a time when any such change would impact especially unfairly on those who had been impacted by Gabrielle.

Another kick is basing the rates on valuations that were calculated just before the flood. Valuations have been turned upside down and ramifications on a rating base are significant now as so many houses have been demolished .the whole area has been decimated and they think they can use valuations that are no longer applicable to the current situation.

  There is a small after kick with a charge for public transport.

It is not an insignificant component .In actual fact it is a joke.

Why charge rural people with no bus access , no bus service , a totally irrelevant fee .

So here are with a massive rates rise after a major flood event and a council who has their fingers in their ears singing la,la,la.

See nothing ,hear nothing.

It is a totally unacceptable situation.

 

   

   

 Kneejerk Reactions.

I have had correspondence about progress with building stopbank infrastructure in the local area.

Since Gabrielle authorities have most likely had sleepless nights after a barrage of criticism .An understandable response following a major weather event. People  have lost everything and emotions are high. It is easy to target those who at first front up (sort of) to take the flack and roll off to the office to work out a considered response.

We go through this process.

I guess what has surprised me has been the arrogance displayed by the decision makers and the total lack of serious consideration given to constructive criticism offered by those "who know".

With the passing of time it has been possible to understand this reaction and it is indeed a worry.

Back to 'progress'.

The lack of  rational thinking , lack of understanding, lack of commonsense has seen some kneejerk responses that are costing ratepayers many thousands of unnecessary  dollars.

A stopbank is being built along a stream , yes a stream, that is largely spring fed ,does not flood naturally and has flowed merrily for many years.

There used to be stopbanks along part of the stream but at some stage it was considered that the likelihood of breach was minimal and the stopbanks were left and in places removed by landowners.

This assessment was correct but now there is panic in the ranks and stopbanks are being built 'just in case ' and they are ' a secondary defence " according to the grapevine.

This idea of a 'secondary defence ' is a kneejerk reaction. An over reaction. 

What needs to be sorted are the stopbanks that breached. What needs to be sorted is the bridges that had structures that allowed dams to form behind them. What needs to be sorted is the configuration of some stopbanks that formed a dam during the flood . What needs to be sorted is why the likes of the Puketapu Bridge had so much debris build up behind it.

Kneejerk reeactions are not ideal but I guess models rule.  

  

 Historical Evidence

There has been a to and fro in some media about NIWA not providing the correct information to councils at times of extreme weather events .Especially in the case of Gabrielle.

We have Ian Wishart with an analysis  that includes information gathered from old newspapers that are available to us all and is likely a fairly accurate representation  of historical events , especially given that in past times news was covered without the bias and misinformation we may now see.

What has surprised me has been the response from NIWA and now the Minister , on the Wishart claims. The immediate rejection or scoffing about the fact that may be lessons were not learnt from history.

I mentioned in a previous post about the loss of institutional knowledge throughout  our Councils and even in private enterprise.

It is astounding that an experienced cabinet Minister appears to lack knowledge about the history of our councils and how the changes that were made in the eighties seem to have been forgotten.

It would be fair to speculate that some people involved in Catchment Boards would have suggested that it the important work they carried out would be diminished in importance as time passed and other more fancy projects would receive dollars and attention.

Many of the staff involved in historical catchment operations are still around today and carry the  detail of so many responses and development of infrastructure that was required to deal with many historical events.

I have talked to some of these people and have to say that I myself was here to experience Bola and other storms such as 1966 and I had the opportunity to discuss the 1938 flood with my neighbor before he passed on.

Collectively there is a huge amount of knowledge in the community and there was a huge amount of knowledge within Councils.

There has been a move over the last twenty years to upend the makeup of councils and replace experience with a new brigade of computer bandits .The old and tried method of slowly replacing people as they retired, so to allow knowledge to be passed on to the next generation , has been extinguished .Zapped. 

Thus we find ourselves with an argument.

He said ,she said and no answers.

No responsibility.

Oh. 

For Minister Collins to indicate  today that NIWA were the font of all knowledge re the weather let me aghast.        

 Modelling vs Reality

It's always valuable discussing issues with a variety of people .It is especially useful when people have a wealth of experience from a long period of involvement in a particular area of expertise.

You cannot compare practical experience with  sitting behind a computer and speculating.

Recently I have had discussions with a number of friends like engineers, landscapers, valuers , mechanics , growers and  small business owners .

One thing coming through has been the observation that over the last twenty or so years there has been a gradual replacement of people with a wealth of knowledge , with a cohort of younger ,mobile, qualified, green behind the ears , know alls.

The institutional knowledge so valuable in many areas has been lost. Almost with an up you from the replacements 

My friends make the observation that experienced people who at one time passed on years of accumulated and invaluable knowledge are scoffed at, ignored and passed off as irrelevant by the new breed of arrogant deaf , overpaid dreamers.

One of the most annoying and maybe faulty approaches to understanding problems and solving a range of issues relating to our future , is the use of modelling.

I guess we can't blame the new breed for the use of modelling and indeed there is a place for it but there is almost a blind adherence to modelling and a total lack of ability to factor in fact, reality and historical evidence.

Modelling will never be the whole answer. Modelling could in fact be dangerous and costly to the masses as bureaucrats adopt solutions without due regard to economic  realities .

It is heartening  to talk to friends that share the observation about modelling so that it confirms in my mind  I am not losing the plot.

I will be exploring some key background issues re Gabrielle with some other experienced colleagues  before  compiling further comment .    

  

  

 Reports

As the houses fall around us the amazing gurus wile away behind their screens and think up ways to explain in no more than 50,000 words , what happened and how to avoid responsibility.

It appears to be a common trait at the current time .There are all types of 'events ' happening and anyone in supposed authority is running for cover.

Not responsible. It's an infection. Look over there!

Well a report has materialised in our inboxes. I haven't read it yet as the initial response is ho hum. No one has listened so far so why bother reading a report that cost another dollap of ratepayers money for little or no return.

 The wreckers left nothing behind and liquidated the memories of a hundred years or a dream of a new settler. There is but a bare square of earth with the odd dock, rye and rampant fleabain.

This once living community does not figure in the 'report'

It does not matter any more. People can move, people can move on, people can consume the turmoil of the day and secret their feelings in to nights , dark, away from pesky prying  nine to fivers.

I will return to illucidate in due course. 

 

 

Destruction

Mikes' place has gone. Hidden amongst the greenery and fences , quietly housing a couple then a family.Gone. They picked at it for a few days.Looking for salvageable ,recyclable building treasures.The black cladding slowly disapearing ,then the roof then. the windows. Then. Whamo. The diggers lifted their strongarms and delivered the final blows. Mikes has gone. Now Malcolms. Danger ,danger! strategically placed signs warn everyone, though no-one is going near, that there is asbestos on site. Run for the hills.It might jump out of the house and nab you while you are not looking. Health and safety reaches in to every corner and scares the hell out of otherwise sensible people. Pallets of wrapped sheets sit waiting .Where will they be hidden from the masses? Now a digger. Smash. A truck. Malcolms has gone. Dougs has gone. A stately Spanish style brick home that had lost its long time residents and had been transformed in to a home for travellors. Working travellors that plonked their back packs on the porch and dossed down where once the fires burned to keep wonderful long term locals warm in the winter. No mucking around here. Big digger and gay abandon.Smash to bits and dump in a dusty bashed up truck. Memories and presence gone in a flash. Dougs has gone. Bobs has gone. A simple house .Old weatherboard .Rimu and Matai.Home to hard workers and and a list of historical residents.Mike lived there for years and then Clare and family.The property name changed with the times and the game.Now the game has changed. Mr and Mrs Bob rescued from the roof of this strong old home.Bob falling of during the rescue yet making it back to safety.Now the roof is gone. Boof.The yellow beast swings in to action and Mr and Mrs Bob luckily miss seeing their house assigned to history. Bobs house is gone.

Categories Who comes up with these ideas? The intellectuals need to find some way of organising the way ahead. It's always hard to find the source of the decision. It was the result of the Christchurch earthquakes where categories arose. Red zone was the worst area for damage.The point of no return.The end result of a great shakedown where no one could see a future. It would lead to despair and weeds .Loss of futures.Loss of hope.The end of dreams and a full stop on life at tthis juncture. It is a small part of a lifetime but a large imposition on life and emotions.A shattering period of disbelief and bewilderment. Categories ae the wrong way to confront the after effects of disaster. Every persons situation is different. Every person is different. Slamming all into a category is like herding them in one direction. As a community we live our lives according to those rules some observe ,some don't thus some become insured some don't.

Cheers for Chairs

Giant Chairs. What is the use of a giant chair? Too big to sit in, too big to fall asleep in , too big to fall off, too big to cuddle in. Giant chairs to provide perches for errant gulls and their indiscriminate deposits.Giant chairs in gawdy colours ,where kids fall through the cracks. Nah. Contrast. Portugal. Private hideaway .A hill.A view.A labour of love. A giant chair constructed of natural , selected, contorted aged lengths of timber. No paint.Just a carefully crafted chair.A throne.With knots and curves,twists and flats.Sitting quietly in the long whispering grass .Stately, comfortable and body enveloping. In memory of a mother .A plaque to explain.

Rain Again

Here it is. The first rain for sometime.It is almost welcome after a prolonged dry period. But that is the weather.Nature wonderful in its unpredictability. The rain has stirred the memory and tempted one to look up the myriad of websites that interpret the weather according to how much they are paid. The free sites are just as good and with a lifetime putting a finger in the air one can detect wind direction and the likelihood of hot,cold or wet weather. Years of built up knowledge can accurately assess the degrees of comfort or discomfort one may experience. As soon as the weather swings to the East the antennae stand up a little more to detect how intense and how long it may be damp. There does appear to be some muted panic by authorities and fair enough.They copped a fair bit of flack over the last year. The ground is very dry at present so will soak up this initial showery event with the hope that it eases off over night . The river channels are very low in volume.Plenty of room for a few millimeteres yet. Have heard some kids are rattled by this rain.They sure remember major events .Parents will be assuring them all will be OK this time. Looking forward to a peaceful nights sleep and a better day tomorrow.There's work to be done.

Bathtime Late afternoon is the time. I fill the birdbath with fresh water. Before too long the waxeyes turn up.They like to flit in and out ,up to four at a time.Splash and dash for them. Waiting are the goldfinches.A quick drink and a quick bath and off. The fantail is always lurking close by and often is first in.It's the same one.Must be clean conscious .He dips in and out, has a break and comes back for more. The odd dirty sparrow has a turn and sits contemplating whether to have another go or go for a feed before sleep time. The waxeyes are sitting in the dead trees drying off and some even cuddling up , feeling clean after a dip and preen. Look out for the thrush.He will plunge in and takeover the whole bath.He has a good wash and is off. By the time the procession is over there is bugger all water left.The bird brigade have splashed it out and about until there is a small puddle and a few feathers left. Ah well. Guess I will give it a refill tomorrow.

Anniversary< I was passing over the river today. The river was flowing clear, slow, winding as it passed between shingle banks and sandy sidelines. I caught the site of a dog making a deposit right beside this quiet , content , ripple of busy water. How fitting. The dog shit river . I am sure this dog was not responsible for the somewhat offensively named waterway. May be the name should be changed as is the custom these days. A year ago today this river was a raging torrent.A dirty fast flowing conveyor of excessive rain from the hills to the sea. A torrent that carried timber , trash , anything in the way , along its path to the sea. The bridge halted the path of massive amounts of timber .It piled up and surged in the whirlpools , eventually jammed piece by piece in a massive muddle ,leaning on the bridge abuttments . The water level reached the height of the bridge and surged ,threatening to break the strong concrete structure and win . It had already broken the Puketapu bridge.Succumbed to superior strength of nature in its anger. Not before the damming had caused massive flooding upstream . I reflected on the quiet , slow flowing water today and the contrast nature had provided just a year ago. I think of my friends who traversed the bridge hours before a disaster , friends who walked in water to the bridge and made it out before it was too late. It was a day we will never forget. b>

The Chair One adapts. It has been six months sitting in a cane chair when time to sit down and contemplate the day.One chair. The house is devoid of seats ,chairs , sofas , lounge suites lazyboy recliners. But one adapts and shifts from side to side on 'the chair'as the evening proceeds. A chance remark has bought salvation.A pink comfy chair.Well who would want a pink chair? My friend took pity on me and offered two pink chairs that immediately looked stunning.Looked inviting.Looked well ,like a million dollars. I manouvred my new found aquisition across the space and positioned it in a direct line with the box. My cane chair has been relegated to a space where someone will look lovingly at it one day and it will be free to a good home.Or , it may be saved as an extra. To temporarily accommodate visitors and clothes that get thrown over it and on it. Heaven. Pink chairs don't inhibit the occupant from visiting slumber land.In fact they invite the tired to nod off and dream of lounge suites and recliner chairs . Something that will materialise after a few more sleeps. ZZZZZZZZZ.

The Moon

Last night there was a crescent moon. Low down and only just. A dark sky , bright stars and calm evening. A crescent moon that reflected the mood and hid the future. A new year of uncertainty ,anxious times ,reconstructing and rebuilding lives. The dark night was filtered by a breeze ,silent ,engaging and shifting the warmth of the night past the dim lights and the trees,over the long grass and across the fences and paddocks. Friends are still not making progress and the might and power of the authorities and the Insurance heavys have worn down the everyday people ensuring they succumb to immense pressure at a time when they need strength and muscle to battle bureacratic bullying ,cowering when they need steel in their arm. I have assumed strength, absorbed a direction , followed a guidance by some means and it hurts to see the demise of solid cornerstone citizens that have been beaten. We have been defeated by modelling , youth and money. Institutional knowledge is out the door.History is ignored and in fact being rewritten even after a disater.The media are adrift in the mystery. More to come on decision making and the cheap price afforded those who actually matter. Tomorrow I have more help on the way. Blessed for some reason.