RED!!! I was already worried about you, and now this!!!! Please let us know you are OK as soon as you can! My prayers are with you and your adopted country.
I just heard from Red. She is still ok, but she says things are very scary over there...between the nuclear power plant leaking and instability, and the continued earthquakes/after shocks. I will post here as I hear from her.
Thank goodness you heard from her! Red, my thoughts are with you. It's the middle of the night here and I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking of you and got up out of bed to be here on this thread as I know you are over there.
I wish I could find a way to reach out to you other than here. I wish I could help you and others. My thoughts and prayers are centered on this situation.
Anything more from Red? I am so geographically challenged, I don't know where she, and her horse, are in relation to . . . well, to make matters worse, I don't even know if the tsunami affected the whole country, or just certain parts
Jolly - I have not heard from Red directly, but she has posted a bit on Facebook. She was supposed to have work today, but the trains were shut down to that area today. Also they are experiencing rolling blackouts, rationing electricity, and shortages of certain items in the stores - toilet paper, bread, batteries. I'm not that great at geography, so I don't know if the entire country was hit by the tsunami. And I don't know where Red's horse is located. It sounds like the hardest hit areas are north of Tokyo in Sendai, and in the Miyagi prefecture (wherever that is), and a few of the nuclear power plants north of Tokyo are having serious issues. The areas immediately around the power plants have be evacuated...but if they have a melt down, I don't know if that will impact the entire country.
We should keep Red and all of Japan in our thoughts and prayers. She is ok now, and hopefully will stay that way.
I heard from Red directly. She said for us not to worry about her. She's safe. Tokyo is just experiencing some inconveniences...rolling blackouts, food and water shortages...but other areas of the country have it MUCH worse, including entire cities where tens of thousands of people are still missing. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
I spoke to Red on facebook last night. They are having some power outages and there has been a stampede in the grocery stores in Tokyo. However apart from the fact that she has a fever, she and the cats are okay.
Sendai and the Miyagi Prefecture (Japanese version of a county or province) is several hundred kilometres north of Tokyo. The nuclear power plants are north of that again. The tsunami did not hit Tokyo - apparently only Sendai and that area and points north of there. There was rumours that the island of Hokkaido had been very badly hit, but I have heard nothing further.
There is not much we can do for Red or for my other friends in Chiba and Sendai from whom I haven't heard. I am trying to see if I can send up a care parcel of things that she or they can use. Meantime sit back and if you pray, do so, otherwise think some kindly thoughts. Those people are going through ****.
Heh, people, I just got pulled from a catnap by yet another alarm on the cell phone of yet another tremor. Grab my shoes, stand in the doorway. I have a bad cold and am feverish and need rest but these tremors and worries are really straining me. So much of my work was just outright canceled. I have lost extremely precious income. I don't reallly feel like coming in here much so if anyone who wants to mail me do so at [email protected] That makes it easier. I'm sick of facebook and the tv too. Like others said, basically I'm OK but things are rough and money is a huge worry now with so much work canceled and the blackouts (which were delayed) about to take effect. Cats are OK. Horses panicked but no injuries. She is out in Yamanashi. I am in Tokyo. Quake was biggest ever in 28 years. It was incredible...ok, going to try to lie down again until the next scare. The cell phones go off with this screaming alarm and a message that says there was a quake in such and such area and you should prepare for a strong tremor. Yeah, right, how the frig do you do that?!? I need a beer, quite a few of them....
Just send Red an email and I am praying. Love and hugs to you and all of those who are going through this over there. I donated at church yesterday and also through the Red Cross. I hope there is Godspeed in getting aid to those who need it.
But, I do want to say a few things about things here. I'm still not well. The Diverticulitis is taking it's toll on me. I cannot get regulated with my diet and because I've been feeling so lousy, exercise is not happening.
But, I want to try and hope for better days coming.
I want to come back here and report some successes to you all. I will get there.
Red, my thoughts and prayers are with you. I hope you find some viable options soon.
I just got done with a final project for school. This was after my grandfather's funeral this week I need to shovel out from my mess, and get back on track!!
My grandfather died from old age (he would have been 90 in July) and complications from heart disease. He had his first heart attack in his early 60's, and needed 5 bypasses. His brother died of heart disease in his 50's. My dad had his first heat attack in his early 50's. I don't want this family legacy. I bought some heart heatlh cookbooks, and a red dress bracelet to remind me, and I am coming back here to get accountable!!
I need a beer, quite a few of them....
right now, and I want you to know I'm here for you. 
I need to shovel out from my mess, and get back on track!!
