First for waiting so patiently while I took time away from here, to enjoy having family from overseas stay for a week with us. Here on holiday to attend a brothers wedding (his third), and to join with us in a family reunion of my husbands cousins from Florence, London, Australia and New Zealand. It was a wonderful time of catching up and getting acquainted after some 20 years or so for some. Sadly it was marked by my slight car accident on the way home after seeing them off at the airport. (I realise now that an argument between me and a post is going to be won by the post every time.) *sigh*.
My second thanks goes to SCBWI for their emails of comfort and support. As you will have been aware by news hitting the airwaves recently, (unless you live under a rock). New Zealand suffered a major earthquake and the death toll at 160 is still rising expecting to reach well over 200. It is reported over 70,000 people have now fled Christchurch, once a beautiful english garden city. Many believed will never return. The 2 minute silence observed yesterday has brought a round the country a grief experienced like never before. Such celebrities as Ellen DeGeneres, Letterman, and Oprah are asked to give a shout-out to boost the morale of the Kiwis down under. SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) is a worldwide organisation dedicated in supporting writers and illustrators of children’s literature. An organisation that I have only recently joined, they offer a wealth of knowledge, ideas, instruction, guidance, and sharing from the experts and more learnered, to those such as myself, taking their very new and tentative steps in an interesting and exciting adventure, within a warm and friendly environment. (See also their website attached to my Blogroll). Special thanks to Christopher Cheng and Frances Plumpton of the Australia and NZ branch, and for passing on thoughts from other members to me.
Lastly to my friends far and wide thankyou for letting me know your thoughts are with us during this sad and difficult time as we try to rebuild, amid the after effects that has engulfed everyone here.
I am a grateful Kiwi.
Writer and Dreamer at work 
Dear Grateful Kiwi,
Just wanted to say that your recent 5WORDS post on the Hub is a really super and fun idea and I am crossing my fingers like crazy that it will bring some of the other hub members out of the woodwork in a low key non-threatening way. I mean we must be up to 20-30 members and surely some will start sharing more soon?
take care
Joanna
Thankyou Joanna, I too am hoping it will bring other hub members out of the woodwork. It would be really exciting having a buzz of activity in there…. I think I am going to have to put a bit of a speil on here about it too. Might help.