March 21 2011

March 21 2011: Well, we start off the week here feeling very grateful for the amenities that we have, and probably a little guilty that we have so much. Conservation is our key word here in Misawa, and will be for some time (should be all the time). And the other key word is evacuation....well, voluntary evacuation.

I pondered what to put up for pictures on this weeks blog. I decided that there have been many times in the past week that I wished there was a nice warm sitting spot for drinking some tea and just listening to the sounds around. Thought this garden picture (not my garden) kind of captured that mood.

As we await word on our evacuations (once again voluntary) there is much to do in this country to bring it back.
I haven't a doubt that these resilient people will get it done. Part of SAM will take the voluntary evacuation, the military part has to stay behind and help the host country, which he is more than willing to do. It's a hard decision for Andi and I, but feel it is the right thing to free up resources for those who really need it.
Since the 11th we have experienced hundreds of aftershocks. I tried to stay on top of the count at the start, but gave up after 350. Waking to the bed moving around in the night is no longer as alarming. Though waking up to Andi wrapped tightly around me is a little startling, perhaps it is the lack of air flowing to my brain. I keep telling myself she'll move back into her room when she's ready, and the weather warmer. (we aren't heating the bedrooms at the moment so extra quilts and body heat are the order of the night)

On the upside school started back up. Andi so wanted to go all last week. But today, not so much. Finally got her there, a couple hours late, but she's there. The guidance counselor was speaking with the class, so it was perfect timing.

We are keeping up a sort of normal routine while we await our evac numbers to be called. Some might think this is taking awhile, which it sort of does, but we are keeping in mind that those downwind from Fukushima Dai-ichi really appreciate getting out now. So we wait.
For those also on FB you know there are a lot of links to pictures of the Misawa and Hachinohe areas. I've decided to not pull any over to the blog. It is such an overwhelming site and so much to process. Instead I pulled over a few that you've seen before of the Port area (some of my favorites). I still haven't been down to the area. From what I understand the big jacks things are still there, but everything that helped make the beach the beach, is no longer there. I'm sure eventually we'll get to go down, but not before we (Andi and I) are ready to process the change.

In the meantime, hang tight, I'll keep doing my weekly updates. It might be SAM on "vacation" instead...or pictures of horrified drivers as I try to remember how to drive on the right side of the road (it is the right, right?)

March 17 2011

March 17 2011: Well, 6 days after our now 9.0 we are still chugging along. I thought I'd put in a photo from almost 2 years ago (July 2009) of the area from around the shrine where we went this last Sunday. Below are a couple from Sunday (which you've already seen) Of course it is still winter temps, so that explains the dull brown grass, but a lot of those trees and bushes are gone.
In the above picture, that are where you can see some little trees, that would have been just thick with trees and bushes.
We do get CNN and Fox and all the news here on our Satellite. If I so desire I can switch over to the Japanese TV as well. There is a lot of information out there. While it is bad, as bad as bad can get, please keep in mind that here in Misawa we are doing ok.

Andi has been out of school everyday so far this week (just Friday left to be decided on and I doubt they'll go) and is longing to get back in her routine.

The base is operating at about half power, while out here in town we have power, but limited kerosene to heat the house with. Fortunately we do have electric heat as well, though we are trying to be very conservative so we are dressed in many layers. It snowed yesterday so that made it a bit colder in the house. But if this is our biggest compliant or discomfort, then we aren't complaining!

Admittedly, I haven't been out for any volunteer opportunities. Shane has to work every day to make sure his equipment is responding as it should, so I stay with Andi. She is a bit stressed (probably more from not having school and a normal routine) so I don't have the heart to leave her with a babysitter so that I can go volunteer. I do know though that everyday the base has such a big turn out of volunteers that they have to be turned away!

Also, in light of how much media coverage there is, this blog will more than likely not show any more before and afters. There is still so much beauty in this area, that I feel the need to focus on that. But always the spirit of recovery will be with SAM.

Also, in light of fuel restrictions for the foreseeable future, road trips are out of the question. Bike rides, however, will become the new norm. Though I will have to wait for the snow to melt (I am not coordinated enough to ride in snow pack as some of the locals due with such grace....there is no grace in this body)

In summary, there is little danger for us in Misawa with the nuclear power plants. All scenarios show that we are safe. Though don't worry, this doesn't mean I've put my head in the sand....I continue to monitor information and make my own informed decision.

lots of pictures on facebook

March 15 2010:

I know, I know, there are some out there who don't like Facebook. But, there are pictures that I was able to link to that show the Misawa and Hachinohe area.

If you need to friend request me.

Marnie Abbett Curtis (I can't remember if I hyphenated or not)

There are just way to many pictures to post, plus I want folks to get their due credit!

And as for SAM, we are still doing well. We got word last nite to start conserving our kerosene, as no deliveries for awhile. The supply tanks were punctured and water got in. Kerosene heats our hot water for the radiators for the heat and household water usage. So our house is back to coldness. But it's not all bad. The Japanese in their efficiency of building also put in two electric heaters. Though we still have to be sparing in our use of electric as well.

A few good aftershocks yesterday (the ones we felt....to many to count on the USGS).

Andi wants desperately to return to school. We should have an answer to that this afternoon.

Anyway, in short, we are still safe. And continue to hope and pray for the best in this country.

Some earthquake photos

The above photo is courtesy AFN Misawa (our local radio station). Search and Rescue dogs and handlers arriving to Misawa for transport to the Sendai region.

Just a few more photos to add in. The first two are taken from the internet, courtesy news agencies. The cemetery is in Hachinohe, the ship as well.

The incoming plane, I took while we were out at the shrine on Saturday. Don't worry, those propellers were turning!

SAM in the earthquake

USGS map as of March 13...all the earthquakes since Wednesday the 9th when we had a 7.2 at 11:45 am local time.

March 12 2011: As you know doubt know by now a monster earthquake rocked Japan on Friday March 13, 2011 2:46pm local time. As with a lot of momentous occasions in life, this is one that SAM will always know our exact place at the time of the earthquake.

Andi was at school, just finishing up her safety patrol duties. I was in the parking lot about 75 yards away from the school waiting for her.

The shake and the rumble of the ground was just incredible. Since I was in an open area, I got out of my car (it was bouncing just a wee bit too much for me) and went over to a group of 6th graders who had gathered to shoot the breeze. Made sure they were all right and safe.

After the shaking stopped I went up to the school. Andi came down the sidewalk with another mom and her child. Andi was inside the school at the time, at the top of the stairs (2nd floor) on her way out when it started. She and a classmate ran down the stairs and out the building, waiting outside til it was done. How proud I am of her for keeping her wits about her.

By the time she could see me, her little face crumpled into tears. Back in the car we went. Shane was able to get a call into us about 10 minutes later. He had just pulled into the driveway and found the house still standing. He was at a stoplight on the way home when the quake occurred. Since he was home and the house standing, Andi and I headed for home. Not a bad drive, considering the stoplights were out and major intersections were an exercise in patience. Took us about 30 minutes (usually a 10 minute drive) to get home. Safe and sound. Checked on our neighbors and found them all rattled but well.

Aftershocks have been our story for the weekend. The biggest "inconvenience" was the loss of power. When we learned the magnitude of the earthquake, loss of power was nothing. We had our health, our family unit, and plenty of food and water.

The base opened the commissary, so we were able to stock up on more water.

Andi's biggest complaint was no Scooby Doo shows to watch. But mom reading more than made up for it. We lost ourselves in the world of Narnia with "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe".
Sunday the 13th power was restored to our little corner of Japan. Well, to those of us living out in town. On base...not so much. We'd been hearing the reports of the tsunami wave and the damage it brought. We tried to get down to the local fishery report, but it is closed with guards turning people away before you can even see the water line. Driving up the coast just a little bit to a shrine that I know has a lookout point we came across the coke machine in the field. Hard to say where it came from, as vending machines in odd places in Japan really isn't out of the norm....lying on its side is of course not normal.

Above, some standing water left over. The ocean is about 200 yards to the left, and down a hill side.
Water mark left behind. We are at the shrine that sits atop this hillside by the ocean. That's the ocean out in the distance. (there are pictures of this shrine from way back in July 2009, but I couldn't find any pictures that would help reference this)
Below: a shot climbing back up from the sea wall area back up to the shrine. Trying to give you an idea as to the height from the sea to the look out point.

This used to be a pine forest, with the trees in more of an upright position. The trees have been thinned out a bit, and the ones standing are obviously leaning more than they had before.
That gap there.....yeah, not supposed to be a gap. The sea walls are pretty sturdy things...but now...

We walked down to the sea wall, but not to the big breach area. This is the area behind it. Last time I came here there was a little road, trees on one side and not a big 6 foot deep trench.

A small boat washed up in the trees. There is so much trash everywhere now. Incredible. Though there is always a bit of trash along the coast line, but now there's a lot. Understandable of course.
Another boat washed up on the sea wall.
The rocks that you see there in between the concrete blocks (above picture) those were from the area on the other side of the wall....those are some big rocks.
Above: The slabs are from the gutter system. The hole to the left is where one of the slabs should be. Water surging in the system must've just shot them right up and out.

Now I know there are plenty of images on the news. It's been hard to find any of Misawa Fishery Port at the moment, but from I understand it is destroyed. As much as I would love to go get pictures, I do want to stay safe and out of the way of recovery efforts. Since the beach is right next to the port, I assume that is in bad shape as well...a shame, it is one of my favorite spots. Plus we do have occasional warnings of more tsunami's depending on the size of the aftershocks. Since those are happening all the time, the ocean is the last place I really want to be.

I pulled some pictures from various news agencies. None of the pictures below are mine....they are all from the internet through AP and other sources.
Above: Hachinohe. One of the many ports. I understand this is also heavily damaged.

Apparently I didn't mark the location of the photos when I pulled them over from the internet (thought I did...) But most are from the Sendai area. (which includes the various little villages and towns around it)


Above: Hachinohe

I'll update the blog as I can.(a quick email or phone call to the folks home always takes priority) It may not always be with pictures.

Since our language is not up to par, we have to rely on the American media to keep us up to date....at times you may know more than we do. Keep in mind we are a couple hundred miles North of Sendai. The power plant may become a bigger issue, but for now, for us here, we are ok.

"Life is not the way it's supposed to be....It's the way it is. The way we cope with it is what makes the difference." I have no idea who that is from, but it's what I keep looking at today.

The Earth Shook!

March 13 2010: Hello All! We are safe and accounted for in our family! The earthquake hit us at 2:46 pm Friday the 11th. I was fortunately up at Andi's school to pick her up from an after school activity. We were separated during the quake (she up at the school, me in the parking lot about 50 yards away). So I was able to get to her right away. We were able to make our way home (no power through out the base or in town) where we joined back up with Shane.
We've been together in our cold house (which we are NOT complaining about) since then. The tsunami wave didn't reach us (we live about 5 miles inland) but from what we understand the fishing port has been wiped out.
Power came back up this morning (Sunday morning at 3:20am).
Right now I have no pictures to post, as we've been staying out of harms way. But perhaps today we will venture out a little bit and see what pictures we can get.
We've had a LOT of aftershocks (about 250) since Friday afternoon. Some have over 6. I woke this morning to a 6.0, and then woke again a bit later to the sound of the power coming back.
Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who are affected in this wonderful country.
I'll post pictures when I get some, but for now we're safe.

March 8 2011

Well, something new today....go do the jigsaw! It'll be up for awhile. Trying something new with the layout, a work in progress if you will.
And yes, this would mean that the dull grayness of winter is hanging on here as well. Just with no snow. (which after watching newscasts from the states, I'm not really going to say "wish I was there")
Enjoy! And remember.....work in progress!