Homemade Sausage Making

Since Christmas I have been very busy with work, study and legal issues concerning my earthquake damaged house have not had much time for anything else. The legal side should be resolved within the next 6-8 weeks. After that my stress levels should return to normal (whatever that is) and I will get back into the pleasurable things.

Mark

earthquake damaged...

You will, no doubt, use this opportunity to innovate.

Sausage making, earthquake-style: Start out like a 007 martini, the ingredients shaken, not stirred. Next, scatter everything, breaking it in the process. Then scrape it into a pile. Stuffing is optional. However, cook it, rather than burning.

...hope you can rise from the rubble and hassle, like a phoenix. (This, of course, will be the name of the new sausage.) Best of luck from all the WD gang, Mark.
Duk

Mark,
I was looking at a "quake map" of New Zealand where all the earth's movements are traced in colors. The damage in your area is just a solid mass of red. It's scary! I can't believe how much damage Christchurch has sustained too. Perhaps you should move to Utah with me and ride my pony!
Good luck pal. We're with ya. Be sure to photograph that "Phoenix Sausage"... named after the Phoenix risen from the ashes! I just can't imagine a certain Texan "Rabid Duck" rising from hot air! That picture would resemble a buzzard rising from the junkyard eh?

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

Am excited as I have a date coming up. Not sure when, but yes it is going to happen. It has cost me a lot of emotional torment, heartache, frustration, exasperation, time off work, money, lawyers as well as ill health. So far it has taken 935 days to arange this blind date.To tell the truth it is not me that has the date, but it is a date between my house and a bulldozer - yehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

The quip about the lawyer is unfair. He was second to none. If I had followed, what seamed to me to be the logical direction and not seeked his advice numerous times I would have dug myself into a Mt Everest size pile of S^&*. I do not resent 1 cent of his fees. He has saved me from he potential of years of litigation, a truck load of stress and megga $$$$$$$$$$$$.

Since things have been sorted (still a long way to go) I have felt elated, it is like so much weight has come off my shoulders. I have done a lot of thinking oh so much. Once my house is rebuilt I am free to go wherever I want. Once my house is re-built (want to keep a close check on that) I have to get away from Christchurch, I really, really do. My plans are to spend a year nursing in Australia, 6 months and 6 months not sure where. I will let my house out.

After that I will return to NZ, may be Christchurch, maybe not. I have spent my last few trips exploring areas of NZ that I think I may like to live. I have spoken to potential employers, random locals that I have met, business owners (to get a feel of where a place is going). I even met a cabinet minister (MP in the Government who has a portfolio), nice person, but needed a slice of reality. I said why should I move to this town. I am not a sucker, in fact I am very cynical towards MP's, they may have sold the place to me. I also spent time with local real estate agents. I had a ball, a few glasses of wine and at last I feel that I am begging to take control of my life again.

Good luck sir in what appears to be the final chapter of that legal mess.

Good luck Mark. Anything said about lawyers was certainly done in jest. I've had much experience with them and for the most part, they are above board and ready to help anyone in a big way. We're behind you pal. You've got a concerned group here and we are all hoping for the best. Christchurch is a big ol' town buddy; maybe you should move to a small town where people HAVE to depend upon each other for everything - even sausage recipes!
Hang in there pal.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

Great to hear you're in a more positive frame of mind these days Mark! Enjoy every day, we go around only once. RAY

Sorry to hear about your house. Bulldozer is the trick. Lots easier to re-build. Only have to do that once. Repairing is like building the home twice.

Hope I am not posting this twice (can't see the post I just wrote)...

Sorry to hear about your hard times. I was in Christchurch years ago. Loved it.
If you really want a proper change of scenery, you are more than welcome in my part of the world and you can teach me how to make better sausages (once you get fed up with watching crocs, elephants and hippo's)

Boy! That is vary hard, to ride that one out. You must have patience of a Saint. I wish you a whole bucket of luck.

Hi Mark,
If you decide to come to Australia for 12 month, make sure you settle in Brisbane.
We like to meet up again with you.
Keep in touch,
Jan.

The date between my house and the bulldozer is getting closer. My case manager and builders are coming around tomorrow with the first set of floor plans for my re-build. It is strange, I do not feel excited or anything. It is just part of the process. I do not thinks I will be excited until I move back in to my re-built house. I have become very detached from my house. It has been a long time since it has felt like a home.

I do not expect to get any dates for the re-build tomorrrow

Mark - moving along from destruction to construction is a positive and will surely help your state of mind. Enjoy the thought about turning the new place into a home.