The earthquake I wrote about yesterday was bad. After shocks were on going through out the day. Not too bad here, 2 or 3.
Went to bed at 11pm, exhausted, bit worried. But I thought the worst was over. Was I wrong!
Got woken up at 1:30 with the whole house moving. For those who haven't experienced an earthquake it is hard to describe. This structure, that is solid and has withstood typhoons and thunderstorms is swaying like a reed in the breeze. The noise that goes with is horrifying. Sounds like the earth is roaring and tearing apart at the seams. My instinct is to run, just to get away from it but the best thing is to stay put if there is nothing that can fall on you! I put pillows over Hannah and hope that the boys have the sense to do the same! The quake seemed to go forever but it was only 40 seconds! As soon as it finished I got everybody downstairs. The epicenter was in a similar area as the night before but the magnitude was 7, here it registered as 5! That is the strongest I've ever experienced (and hope to NEVER experience again). As we watched the live news and got an idea of the strength of the quake another one hit. It was so intense that the news didn't have time to report one quake before another hit. This went on for an hour or so. Here the quakes were getting weaker but we could still feel them. Mikey and David went back to bed. Christopher, Hannah and I stayed downstairs. I was trying to sleep on the sofa. Then at 3:55 another big one hit! I called the boys down as NHK issued a warning for the whole of Kyushu. Basically saying be ready to evacuate. There have been a few more quakes but here they are not strong. I really hope the worse is over.
I know we are lucky here. In Kumamoto apartment blocks have collapsed, one hospital is leaning over, there are fires, highways have been destroyed. There was also report of one dam being damaged. I went out this morning, even our bikes didn't fall over!
But I am really feeling the stress. My body is over reacting. Even typing this is making the computer desk shake and I can feel my stomach churn. When we have the TV on and the alarm goes off I start heaving and throwing up. Feels the same as when my husband died, my bodies reaction to stress! I keep telling myself that I can't change this. All I can do is be prepared, be ready to get out and keep the kids safe. I can't stop the quakes and I guess nature has to take its course to get back in balance but it is driving me crazy!
I read in a novel once that Mother Nature is bipolar. Looking out at my yard this morning I feel this is so true, spring is really here and even though my yard is a mess I can see lots of flowers coming up, everything is green. Compare that to the destruction of last night!!! Really bipolar!!!
Friday, April 15, 2016
Thursday, April 14, 2016
EARTHQUAKE
I know that this is Japan and that Japan is prone to earthquakes. But this is Kyushu and in the 25 years I have been here I can count on one hand the number of news worthy earthquakes.
Last night at 9:26 I was in the middle of my last lesson when the whole house started to move. I looked at my student, who was far too calm, he said "Earthquake" I called for the kids to get into the living room and stay together! The kids put on NHK news, which within a few minutes was showing the epicenter in Kumamoto, which is about an hour and half drive from here. The earthquake registered as a magnitude 7. That was followed by a series of after shocks. According to news this morning there have been 104 earthquakes recorded since last night.
Hannah went into total freaked out mode. Poor girl gets easily scared and it was scarey. I let her stay down stairs with me until the worst had past. We went to bed just after 1am. I could still feel a few shakes but not as bad. I feel really sorry for the people at the epicenter, in ine town people were evacuated from their home and had to spend the night outside. It was rather cold last night, the news was showing people just sitting on the floor with blankets wrapped around them.
These quakes could go on for the next week, so not fun!!!
Last night at 9:26 I was in the middle of my last lesson when the whole house started to move. I looked at my student, who was far too calm, he said "Earthquake" I called for the kids to get into the living room and stay together! The kids put on NHK news, which within a few minutes was showing the epicenter in Kumamoto, which is about an hour and half drive from here. The earthquake registered as a magnitude 7. That was followed by a series of after shocks. According to news this morning there have been 104 earthquakes recorded since last night.
Hannah went into total freaked out mode. Poor girl gets easily scared and it was scarey. I let her stay down stairs with me until the worst had past. We went to bed just after 1am. I could still feel a few shakes but not as bad. I feel really sorry for the people at the epicenter, in ine town people were evacuated from their home and had to spend the night outside. It was rather cold last night, the news was showing people just sitting on the floor with blankets wrapped around them.
These quakes could go on for the next week, so not fun!!!
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Never Ending Journey
That is how grief feels!
I remember the first few days after my husband died longing for time to pass. I thought that with each passing day that I would feel better and the pain would not be so awful to bear! But here I am 3 years and 4 months later and it still hurts! Not all the time but enough of the time. Insomnia doesn't help and dealing with stress makes things hard. Life is not dramatic, no great dramas going on. Hannah refuses school but I can cope with that, we need more money but that is nothing new, the house and yard are a disaster but if I get off my lazy butt things would be okay. But somehow it all seems too much. I miss Hisao, his had a calm attitude that helped me to focus. He would constantly tell me that worry doesn't change things. One of his favorite sayings was "If by worrying you can change things then you should worry all the time"
Last night was awful. I woke up at 3am and couldn't sleep again, just lay there thinking and missing Hisao. In the end I came down stairs and just sat and cried.
I try to focus on the good things in my life, my kids and good friends who keep me going! But today is just hard!
I remember the first few days after my husband died longing for time to pass. I thought that with each passing day that I would feel better and the pain would not be so awful to bear! But here I am 3 years and 4 months later and it still hurts! Not all the time but enough of the time. Insomnia doesn't help and dealing with stress makes things hard. Life is not dramatic, no great dramas going on. Hannah refuses school but I can cope with that, we need more money but that is nothing new, the house and yard are a disaster but if I get off my lazy butt things would be okay. But somehow it all seems too much. I miss Hisao, his had a calm attitude that helped me to focus. He would constantly tell me that worry doesn't change things. One of his favorite sayings was "If by worrying you can change things then you should worry all the time"
Last night was awful. I woke up at 3am and couldn't sleep again, just lay there thinking and missing Hisao. In the end I came down stairs and just sat and cried.
I try to focus on the good things in my life, my kids and good friends who keep me going! But today is just hard!
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| Hisao and Hannah about 9 years ago |
Sunday, April 10, 2016
Busy Couple of Weeks
It is spring! According to the calendar. The weather hasn't decided yet what to do. It gets warm then cools down again. Last week we had an awful storm blow through here, wind, rain and even some thunder!
As I said March first was Christopher's graduation, He then had a months holiday before starting college. I had great plans for him to clean out his bedroom and help with the yard! He did a bit!
April 2nd was his entrance ceremony! I had to work but Mikey went! Poor Mikey gets stuck with these things! The ceremony was long, lots of speeches. The first day was orientation, two days of lessons and a two day camp. This week is the first week of classes! I hope he does okay. He seems happy with his choice!
Trying to figure out his new schedule has kept me busy! He walks to college most morning, unless the weather is really bad. Takes about an hour, but he doesn't seems to mind!
Hannah is now in her 2nd year of junior high school, but still doesn't want to go! She has tried a couple of days but it seems to take a lot of energy for her. She studies at home and I am trying to improve her English skills. She is getting very creative with her art and will spend hours working on a project!
I've been trying to do some spring cleaning but not really getting anywhere! There is always more to do!
As I said March first was Christopher's graduation, He then had a months holiday before starting college. I had great plans for him to clean out his bedroom and help with the yard! He did a bit!
April 2nd was his entrance ceremony! I had to work but Mikey went! Poor Mikey gets stuck with these things! The ceremony was long, lots of speeches. The first day was orientation, two days of lessons and a two day camp. This week is the first week of classes! I hope he does okay. He seems happy with his choice!
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| saying goodbye to his favorite place at high school |
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| Looking smart in his suit |
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| View of part of the campus |
Hannah is now in her 2nd year of junior high school, but still doesn't want to go! She has tried a couple of days but it seems to take a lot of energy for her. She studies at home and I am trying to improve her English skills. She is getting very creative with her art and will spend hours working on a project!
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| a collage of Beauty and the Beast that Hannah made |
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
MARCH
March has come and gone!
Busy month for us. The biggest thing for us was Christopher graduating from high school. I am so proud of him. I think it was very hard for him to start high school. He started just 4 months after Hisao died! We were all in a very hard place and this poor kid, just 15 years old, had to face a completely new environment, new school, new staff and new friends. Not easy under normal circumstances. But he managed and actually did very well at the school. He has a lot of good memories and made one or two good friends there! Next month he will start college, another new adventure for him!
I've also done a load of shopping this month. Because Christopher has had uniforms for the past six years he has no other clothes! At home he lives in track suits, he has one pair of jeans and a couple of tops. So I took him shopping. We had to buy a suit for the entrance ceremony, we got a full set, suit, shirt, tie and shoes. He tried it on yesterday, looks very smart. (I'll post some photos another day). Also managed to get him some smart casual clothes for everyday wear. He still needs some more T shirts, it gets so hot here in the summer that changing everyday is normal.
Hannah has finished her first year of junior high school. I am very dissapointed with the school and rather worried about the coming year! There is little to no discipline in the classes. Hannah complains about the constant noise when the teachers are trying to teach. There doesn't seem to be an atmosphere of studying, more like playing around. This was reflected in the end of term test results. The average mark was 55% on the main subjects. When Christopher attended the same school the average was 60 to 80%.
I am worried that the kids who are struggling now will not get the help they need to do the 2nd grade work. If the study is to difficult then the kids will get bored which in turn leads to more class disruption which means that the kids who are trying to study don't get a chance. I have said to the teachers that the kids disrupting the class need to be removed from the class. But in Japan everybody has the right to an education. But at this rate it will end up with nobody getting an education! Looks like I am in for a long year ahead!
The two older boys are doing well. David is improving his cooking! He can get very creative when he wants to! I've been trying to do more cooking but somehow it is nice having a meal served for you! Mikey developing new games for teaching. Must be working because I am hearing a lot more English being spoken by the kids and a lot of laughter! But on a sadder note a few of our students have left us this month. They have graduated from high school and are going onto university. So it is happy/sad feeling. Most of these kids have been coming for a few years, so saying goodbye can be hard!
Tomorrow is April first, I will try to write more than one post a month.
The spell checker stopped working so if there are spelling mistakes.....sorry!
Busy month for us. The biggest thing for us was Christopher graduating from high school. I am so proud of him. I think it was very hard for him to start high school. He started just 4 months after Hisao died! We were all in a very hard place and this poor kid, just 15 years old, had to face a completely new environment, new school, new staff and new friends. Not easy under normal circumstances. But he managed and actually did very well at the school. He has a lot of good memories and made one or two good friends there! Next month he will start college, another new adventure for him!
I've also done a load of shopping this month. Because Christopher has had uniforms for the past six years he has no other clothes! At home he lives in track suits, he has one pair of jeans and a couple of tops. So I took him shopping. We had to buy a suit for the entrance ceremony, we got a full set, suit, shirt, tie and shoes. He tried it on yesterday, looks very smart. (I'll post some photos another day). Also managed to get him some smart casual clothes for everyday wear. He still needs some more T shirts, it gets so hot here in the summer that changing everyday is normal.
Hannah has finished her first year of junior high school. I am very dissapointed with the school and rather worried about the coming year! There is little to no discipline in the classes. Hannah complains about the constant noise when the teachers are trying to teach. There doesn't seem to be an atmosphere of studying, more like playing around. This was reflected in the end of term test results. The average mark was 55% on the main subjects. When Christopher attended the same school the average was 60 to 80%.
I am worried that the kids who are struggling now will not get the help they need to do the 2nd grade work. If the study is to difficult then the kids will get bored which in turn leads to more class disruption which means that the kids who are trying to study don't get a chance. I have said to the teachers that the kids disrupting the class need to be removed from the class. But in Japan everybody has the right to an education. But at this rate it will end up with nobody getting an education! Looks like I am in for a long year ahead!
The two older boys are doing well. David is improving his cooking! He can get very creative when he wants to! I've been trying to do more cooking but somehow it is nice having a meal served for you! Mikey developing new games for teaching. Must be working because I am hearing a lot more English being spoken by the kids and a lot of laughter! But on a sadder note a few of our students have left us this month. They have graduated from high school and are going onto university. So it is happy/sad feeling. Most of these kids have been coming for a few years, so saying goodbye can be hard!
Tomorrow is April first, I will try to write more than one post a month.
The spell checker stopped working so if there are spelling mistakes.....sorry!
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
A Few Photos
Finally got some photos from Christmas onto the computer!
We had a great Christmas!
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| David got creative sweet potatoe donuts |
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| Our Christmas Tree |
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| Look what is hiding!!! |
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| Christmas Eve food |
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| Christmas Day full moon |
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| Freezing outside |
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| Back to a real fire? |
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| No, just a youtube video playing Christmas Carols |
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| With my friend and her daughter. |
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
WOW
I became a very bad blogger!
Time just seems to escape from me. I have many excuses for not writing more!
We got very busy since September. Lots of new students, which is great but I never seem to have time to do the things that I want to do. Also I went on a TV binge! Somehow watching TV and seeing problems solved in less than an hour became very addictive for me. I wish real life were like that, all problems solved in less than an hour. How easy life would be! Reality is much harder!
I don't remember much from last September.
David did a lot of cooking and came up with some great ideas. He discovered advoados, so we had lots of dishes with them in!
October was all about Halloween. We decorated and baked. I think the kids had a good time but it was exhausting!
November was rather stressful.
Christopher had his entrance test for junior college. He passed okay but waiting for the results was awful. We had no plan "B" so if he didn't get in it would of been hard. He starts in April. 2 years course in Library and Information. After which he can either work or do two more years for the next level.
One morning in mid November we found these beautiful spider webs in the yard. They were really amazing!
December was tough as always. Hubbys passing on the 18th hit me hard this year. 3 years since he passed and some days I just can't believe it! Grief is still there and I feel that even happy events are tinged with sadness. He is missing in our lives. And there isn't much I can do about it!
Christmas was good. My friend and her daughter came and spent the evening with us. I don't have any photos as they are still on the camera!
So a new year. I can't believe that it is already half way through February. Time is really flying!
Things are changing a lot around here and I hope to have lots of interesting things to share!
I will try to write more but no promises!
Time just seems to escape from me. I have many excuses for not writing more!
We got very busy since September. Lots of new students, which is great but I never seem to have time to do the things that I want to do. Also I went on a TV binge! Somehow watching TV and seeing problems solved in less than an hour became very addictive for me. I wish real life were like that, all problems solved in less than an hour. How easy life would be! Reality is much harder!
I don't remember much from last September.
David did a lot of cooking and came up with some great ideas. He discovered advoados, so we had lots of dishes with them in!
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| spicey mince with advocado and nan bread by David |
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| beef udon with tempura by David |
October was all about Halloween. We decorated and baked. I think the kids had a good time but it was exhausting!
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| a couple of little witches |
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| party time |
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| bingo |
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| kids in costumes |
Christopher had his entrance test for junior college. He passed okay but waiting for the results was awful. We had no plan "B" so if he didn't get in it would of been hard. He starts in April. 2 years course in Library and Information. After which he can either work or do two more years for the next level.
One morning in mid November we found these beautiful spider webs in the yard. They were really amazing!
December was tough as always. Hubbys passing on the 18th hit me hard this year. 3 years since he passed and some days I just can't believe it! Grief is still there and I feel that even happy events are tinged with sadness. He is missing in our lives. And there isn't much I can do about it!
Christmas was good. My friend and her daughter came and spent the evening with us. I don't have any photos as they are still on the camera!
So a new year. I can't believe that it is already half way through February. Time is really flying!
Things are changing a lot around here and I hope to have lots of interesting things to share!
I will try to write more but no promises!
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