I'm in the process of reorganising several commitments in my life. Last Friday was my last day at one of my two jobs - my last permanent day, that is. Due to various circumstances, I said when I resigned that I would be available on Fridays for a few weeks to help out if necessary, which proved to be the case today. I think I will be fully done with this job by the end of May, and then I will have Fridays free. The Wednesdays that I was also working there have been taken up by my other job which will now be four days a week.
I'm really looking forward to free Fridays. Today, though, I was able to get away before three, in time for a physio appointment. The roads were already crowded with traffic. After my appointment I went in search of clothes - a plain long-sleeved red top is what I was after. I didn't want to head back into the crazy post-earthquake traffic so I checked out some areas that were on my way home, and have only recently reopened. Unfortunately the shops I wanted hadn't reopened. So I will be shopping again at the weekend.
Sydenham has whole blocks of old shops that have been completely demolished. In the midst of it all, this dairy (convenience store) was trading out of a converted shipping container (see photo above). I hope the owner does well, he deserves to.
Not so some of the other businesses which have perfectly good green-stickered buildings, and yet remain closed. The Post Office clearly has not been entered since the quake - all the mess still lies on the floor. And yet the placard says "no restrictions on use or occupancy". I fear that it is one of the victims of government cost-cutting, and may remain closed. Don't they realise how few options people have on this side of town? Not everyone has reliable transport to travel several suburbs away to do their errands. The WINZ office (government agency for income support such as unemployment and sickness benefits) was also shut, with no indication of a likely reopening, despite its green placard.
My optometrist, on the other hand, has reopened. As has Spotlight, a large fabric, craft and homewares store, which is really good news, as I no longer have to travel across town to buy a reel of thread or a few buttons.
3 comments:
Green sticker doesn't mean there's no hazards though - eg at my work we were greenstickered the first time but had piles of ceiling tiles and shelves and windows to fix, which couldn't be done with customers wandering through; and this time work's being even more careful to get everything certified safe. The green sticker is really just the start of the repair process and it's not all that easy getting hold of the tradespeople necessary to do the repairs.
The postshop at Eastgate's open again now if it helps; not much further than Sydenham anyway.
Well, yes - but a little effort would be reassuring, such as a placard giving an estimated reopening date. Or for someone to pick up the mess of the Post Office floor, since it is clearly at least safe enough for staff to enter the building. (No ceiling tiles on the floor - just lots of cards, envelopes etc)
couldn't help but notice in the midst of chaos bananas 99 cents a kilo - here in oz they are up to 15-99 a kilo because of the storms up north - so at least you can afford a banana
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