QUAKE UPDATES Day 6 ++
“The United States on Wednesday urged Americans who live within 50 miles of Japan’s earthquake-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to evacuate, and the top U.S. nuclear regulatory official indicated that Japan faces an increasingly dangerous situation at one of the plant’s reactors.”
Got up at dawn this am, looked out the window at a foot of snow, high snow country cloud bank taking up 3/4 of the sky to the north, must be snowing heavily up there...
Message fm Kasumi that Tatsuya will come with them, at least for a while, they will keep trying to get out... if nothing soon I'm heading up there via the Japan Sea coast with a car full of gas and water... Tokyo is panicking to the north, I'm off into Osaka this am, on Tues there were 1/3 fewer commuter train passengers... seems folks are staying home and indoors... More from the big city when I get there...
Here's a picture of the girls in their kimonos in better times, a few years ago...
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Kaya in the middle, Mitsuki on the left, Miasa on the right.
More asap...
The train is half full today... even emptier than two days ago... I've never seen this... I can't help but think it's because of the radiation threat, though it hasn't reached here yet, as far as I know... in any case, Japanese workers in the spirit of Bushido never take days off for earthquakes, hurricanes, blizzards etc. if they can get to work at all, even when severely ill, as long as they can walk... but radiation may be different; I can't think of any other reason why they might be collectively staying home in such numbers...
Came out this morning into the dawn from tsunami dreams to clean the snow off the car for the trip down the mountain and saw that the mountains around were rumpled up like an old blanket with the snow thick in its folds... how clear it was from this broad snowscape that the earth, the mountains and the Lake itself, to say nothing of the sea, have always been shaken, pushed, tossed, buried, uplifted, flooded and stretched, forested and burned, molten and broken into cliffs, ground into ground, smoothed out by winds and rains, seas and ice and torn again with tremors, that we as part if it all live here now in sufferance of the same perils... that we should never be too complacent... that farming and the like labors - the waiting, snow-covered paddies informed me - honor this reality, are matters of hope and gratitude... it's hard for individuals alone to nurture hubris, it's only when they mass into government and big industry, big finance, that the restraints of common morality fall away... the earth, the sea and the seasons are simply being true to their natures-- as we should be true to ours, and to our place in the world...
Just got word from Echo that Kasumi has emailed: "we're leaving the house at 5am [not sure whether that's tomorrow or today] to catch the 7:30 bus to Tokyo, then shinkansen..." Hope everything goes smooth...
Turns out that's today, and by around noon they made it to the shinkansen, which is FULL of kids being sent south... they should be in Kyoto soon. Will post a picture of them all when possible...
The train is half full today... even emptier than two days ago... I've never seen this... I can't help but think it's because of the radiation threat, though it hasn't reached here yet, as far as I know... in any case, Japanese workers in the spirit of Bushido never take days off for earthquakes, hurricanes, blizzards etc. if they can get to work at all, even when severely ill, as long as they can walk... but radiation may be different; I can't think of any other reason why they might be collectively staying home in such numbers...
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Came out this morning into the dawn from tsunami dreams to clean the snow off the car for the trip down the mountain and saw that the mountains around were rumpled up like an old blanket with the snow thick in its folds... how clear it was from this broad snowscape that the earth, the mountains and the Lake itself, to say nothing of the sea, have always been shaken, pushed, tossed, buried, uplifted, flooded and stretched, forested and burned, molten and broken into cliffs, ground into ground, smoothed out by winds and rains, seas and ice and torn again with tremors, that we as part if it all live here now in sufferance of the same perils... that we should never be too complacent... that farming and the like labors - the waiting, snow-covered paddies informed me - honor this reality, are matters of hope and gratitude... it's hard for individuals alone to nurture hubris, it's only when they mass into government and big industry, big finance, that the restraints of common morality fall away... the earth, the sea and the seasons are simply being true to their natures-- as we should be true to ours, and to our place in the world...
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Turns out that's today, and by around noon they made it to the shinkansen, which is FULL of kids being sent south... they should be in Kyoto soon. Will post a picture of them all when possible...
22 comments:
My news is saying the same.Our papers have photos.. My heart goes out to Japan... What a lesson they are teaching the rest of the world... So tragic..
I don't even know what to say at this point...."Good Luck"? Riiiiiiight. "Be safe"? Um, really? Please just know that you, your family, and these events are running through my mind all day long....and that I am saying prayers, and sending thoughts of hope your way...I can't wait to read about how you are all safely reunited!! Much love, xoxoJessica
I keep you in mind on and off all day. The news here about the reactors is awful. We have an old one in San Onofre just up the coast. Now they are telling us that it wouldn't hold up to a 7.0 quake, and they have to rethink everything.
We are praying for all of you!!!! Thank you so much Uncle Bob for keeping us all informed. This is all so horrifying-I anxiously await the post that finds you all together
So much love being sent!!
XOXOXO
Alex and Eleanor
Please be safe Robert, and God speed to having your family reunited again.
I am so glad that Tatsuya is coming too! it will put every one's mind at ease having the whole family together. Where is his family located?
Like Tracyd said. Hope you meet up quickly and get to somewhere safe asap. All the best.
Those beautiful girls..they are surely inspiration. Your heart must be bursting with the need to get to them. I think all of us reading wish we could help. If there is anything at all, let us know.
The earth is our teacher, and we must honor her.
Driving home this evening I listened to a good story about Japanese resilience and dignity by Rob Gifford following his drive from Sendai to Rikuzen Takata. Worth listening to at npr.org.
Sending hope and love to you all. God's speed.
Those girls are wonderful. Thank you for sharing them with us all. Both G and I are also hoping everything goes smoothly.
Keeping you close in my thoughts every day. I am glad your family will be together. Be safe - Peace.
Look forward to hearing your family is all safely together. I think of the Japanese people and the land you describe so beautifully. Now, I, too wonder about your SIL'S family and their welfare.
Just heard on our local So Cal news the plume from the nuclear plant will reach our coast Friday with effects for us expected to be minimal.
BBC news had film of children and families heading south on trains, and I really hoped that soon it would be your family. Good news!
Its all too much for me to take in, so I enjoy being able to feel part of it all from your single pointed posts. And your beautiful words, even in a crisis, thank you.
And thanks to you all, each and every one, for all your prayers and support... you made it a lot easier to get through, for all of us. I'll keep you posted on what follows, as best I can... Worldwide hugs.
"...it's hard for individuals alone to nurture hubris..." This says it all. We think we are in control of the earth and then we realize we are all just temporary biological entities. I am so impressed by the bravery and politeness of the people there. They deserve so much better than this test of will. I remember that precious picture of the three little princesses, soon to be in your arms.
That is a huge relief! Break out some of that cordon bleu firewood!
Amongst all of this worry and stress, your paragraph on nature and its seasons is gorgeous.
Good luck, stay safe.
Conflicting information because it is hard for scientists to get in there, no one really knows.
I'm not sure if this helps, but those reactors use mostly Uranium, not Plutonium as in Chernobyl, it's less radioactive. In the worst case scenario (let's hope not) outside of the exclusion zone, it should disperse enough not to be damaging to human health. Should.
Good luck Bob...stay safe. I hope everything goes well. I love that picture of the girls...and remember it when you posted it before. Hope to hear soon that you all are together and safe.
SO HAPPY they are ALL coming to you!!!!!!!!! You said it so beautifully....nature is what it has always been...and always will be...we would be wise to live in harmony with it, respect it, and stop trying to re-make it into something it's not supposed to be. It seems like as soon as we tenants start becoming too noisy, messy, and destructive, The Landlord lets us know quite clearly that we are about to be evicted.
Worldwide hugs indeed.
Here's one from Nevada City. Hope they reach you soon.
Yes it is a huge relief...hope you are together by now!
You posted this same photo a couple of years back Robert; and I love it so that I simply copied it to keep safe in my own files so that I can look at it from time to time and smile :)
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