Evacuated!

Five days ago, my MIL called informing us that they're (MIL and BIL,my FIL is doing volunteer job at a evacuation center at Towa, Nihonmatsu Shi)heading to Aizuwakamatsu to evacuate and asked to go with them. Lack of water supply, radiation leakage, no deliveries of supplies are increasing in Iwaki and I guess same to all areas in Fukushima. We decided to pack our things and headed to Aizuwakamatsu using the highway for free ( I guess the toll fee are free for those are leaving). The road were bumpy, some areas have cracks due to the earthquake but we arrived there safely.

I was expecting an evacuate center that's full with evacuees, cold and dark room but it was the opposite. Generous groups of 'ryokan' owners here in Aizu letting evacuees stay for free at their banquet hall for shelter with free meal! In return they need volunteers (seen at their white board that they're looking for volunteers)to serve the evacuees well. Registered my name, I can't help it...I need to do something! I was given then a schedule of duties and rotation for the next day and get excited.

We didn't have something to sleep on, not even a single blanket but one of the evacuees (same room )handed us her futon, we're very thankful for her kindness!That night, we had dinner...onigiri(rice ball),pickles and miso soup...HOW LUXURIOUS!!!Evacuees can use their onsen ( hot spring--with fee but there's some ryokan that evacuees can go for free onsen) and after a week of not taking a bathe, we're able to do so. Really seeing the light...eventually!

We looked around, we found that supermarkets and convenience here are open and with stocks--bought foods and stuffs to be used during our stay here (good for 20 days), books for the kids to keep them busy and not to feel stress but they're the ones giving our fellow evacuees a smile on their faces and am happy to see most of them smiling!

I would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all of you my friends for your support and PRAYERS. Your heartfelt comments here and messages really made me cry for joy! I just want to let you guys that we're all okay here. We will be here in this shelter for awhile-- I believe that we will come back to our apartment the soonest. Please pray for the 'heroes' of Fukushima Nuclear Plant, some of them haven't seen their families yet...

Evacuees are treated well here ( we're 43 together in one room here) we've got medicine,diapers for the babies and toddlers,adult diapers for the oldies too, books and toys for the kids. Yesterday we were given a towel to use and some bread and today yogurt and juice. We evacuees here share tables, share foods and stories...stories that was simply heartbreaking. We can't do much but letting them know that we care, we listen to them to make them feel at least lighten up, to lessen the burden that they're carrying on and when receiving 'thank you in return', can't help but cry inside. Kung meron lang akong magagawa para sa kanila...



Hope you'll continue to pray for TOHOKU and being one of many evacuees from Fukushima

一緒に未来に向かって　がんばって　いくべ！

We are SAFE!!

I would like to thank everybody for the prayers, for the concern to me and my family. Yours truly Clang, Wakaba, Haruka and Yochan is safe from the tsunami and earthquake that hits Japan. We are living 40 km from the area and we are far from harm from the radiation from a Japanese nuclear power plant but my MIL and family have evacuated from the area for they're living near the plant( 20 km). We still don't have water supply yet but we are fine most especially the kids--I didn't see any stress from them during this time of crisis.

I would also like to let everybody know that IWAKI is far from harm from the radiation!! The supermarket near us don't have stuffs/goods and trucks can't deliver some foods all the way here because of the news. I cannot blame people for panic buying because the stores here only have limited stocks for sale so please, let the trucks enter IWAKI shi, Fukushima for us to have food.

Please continue to pray most especially to the TOHOKU area ( Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima), to those grieving for lost ones and those who are injured.Please pray for them too.


ps: here's the message I posted at Pinay Mommies Community:

Message to all my friends:My heart is overwhelmed with gladness knowing all your concern to my family.I received an amount to my paypal from Mommy Seiko with lists of names, to those who donated maraming salamat po talaga but I decided not to use them for my own but to donate them po sa mga mas nangangailangan talaga.Please don't feel bad,hinde po masasayang ang naibigay nyong donation.Mas magagamit po nila to kesa sa amin. Ang wala lang po sa amin is water supply, meron pang naka-stock na pagkain, pag medyo ok na ang radiation problems dito,lalabas kami to look for foods.Lahat kasi ng supermarkets dito eh sarado at out of stock kasi lahat ng panic buying na.Meron mang naka-open, you have to wait for 2 to 3 hours just to get in at makapamili. Hanggang 4 hours din ang waiting time ng pila dito for the water supply kaya hanggang ngayon wala kaming ligo,hanggang punas lang. We have gasoline just in case kailangang mag-evacuate makaka-alis kami, walang laman ang heater namin but we have blankets. Okay lang apartment namin,hinde pa kami nakapagligpit kasi it's still unsafe,meron pang aftershocks but WE ARE FINE! Nakapag-evacuate na ang family ng MIL ko kasi affected ang place nila sa radiation,nasa kamag-anakan sila tumuloy.Wag na po kayong masyadong mag-alala talaga. Pag dumating ang panahon na kailangan naming mag-evacuate due to radiation,pupunta kami sa kamag-anak ng asawa ko sa Koriyama. Ganun na lang ang pasasalamat ko nung bumalik na ang phone at internet connection namin kagabi and had time to post this today. Wakaba and Haruka is well,alam na nila on what to do pag medyo lumindol dito,nauuna silang tumakbo sa amin. Wala naman akong napapansin na-stress sila. Nakapag start na rin akong makapag luto dito,ang mga anak ko takot na mawalan ng pagkain, hinde na naghahanap ng extra rice.Save for tomorrow daw sabi ni Wakaba,napa-iyak ako sa sinabi nyang yun...

To Mommy Rubz of PMC,maraming salamat po sa bayanihan cause,sinabi po sa akin ni Mommy Seiko ang tungkol dun. Pag medyo nakaluwag sa time and all,aasikasuhin ko po kaagad. Maraming salamat po sa mga tumulong at sa mga prayers.

Bambie chan,arigatou sa tawag. Gusto kong mag-comment at magpasalamat sa inyo isa-isa,kaya lang kulang sa time.

ps:ngayon ko lang nabasa ang threads para sa akin dito,hinde ko akalain na marami palang nagmamahal at nagwo-worried sa akin at sa aking pamilya.Hinde ko pa rin mapigilang mapa-iyak....

Ngayon lang ako nakapag post ng mahaba,pasencya na po--sinasamantala ko lang po ang pagkakataong ito.Hinde ko alam kung kelan ako makakapag update uli.But I will talaga!Maraming salamat po talaga sa inyong lahat.

Clang

Mommy Moments--Green

My kids got hooked on pond fishing when their Dad treat them for fun experience during the summer. It was however a man-made pond and we were given a prepared, pelleted fish food as bait and paid for the fish that are caught after. Ponds are still a great place to catch fish and the kids had a blast every time they had a strike. Together with us is their cousins, my BIL and their Grandfather. Their Dad helped them with the bait and let the kids catch some fish and do their thing! I guess they don't want what kind of fish that they will get but all that they want is some ACTION! They're full of excitement and we praised them with their effort. It was a fun summer activity that my kids enjoyed. ^_^

Wakaba chan and Daddy: " We did it!!! "

Father and daughter bonding

Beauty of outdoors and fun experience

Fishing with kids

Haruka chan and cousin Yuina
Fishing is one way to make lifelong happy memories with the kids. Take them outdoors and enjoy the beauty of nature^_^

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Soba Dining Azumino

Ladies Zen Lunch Set

During one of our ( me and my husband) usual walks at Iwaki Station, we happened to encounter a sophisticated sobaya-san named Soba Dining Azumino at Latov and went there for lunch during his day-off on a weekday, minus the kids. The ambiance is remarkable and the soba ( buckwheat noodle) itself is fresh, homemade and the "dashi " ( broth ) has deep flavors and the soba was served with a perfect firmness. My lunch set includes one small appetizer plate ( very small portions, changed daily ), veggie salad ( daikon, lettuce and tomato with ume-shiso dressing), rice balls (small size ), choice of soba ( hot or cold) and soba dango for dessert. I really enjoyed eating the foods most especially their 'little bit of everything', kind-a healthy foodie and all were presented nicely. My husband however enjoyed their seasonal menu, Gousetsu Soba that is available only from months of January to March.
Shirashi and Pickled Plum Rice Balls
A lil bit of everything
Soba Dango ( buckwheat balls in sauce, a new addiction! )
Soba Dining Azumino

An entry for Food Trip Friday. Chibugan na!!\(^0^)/

Pretty Cure All Stars Show

Heart Catch Pretty Cure ( Cure Marine and Cure Blossom)

One of the most awaited part of the summer activities of my kids is watching quality live stage shows where they could see their favorite heroines really upclose and enjoyed fun activities like choreography dancing and singing and shaking their favorite heroines hands after the show. Last year we went to a summer special event for families and the fun includes some games, pools, gourmet and a live show performance of Pretty Cure All Stars which happened to be my kids favorite anime character on TV. And because they're 17 Jewels, the stage were too small for them lol! Wakaba and Haruka enjoyed a lot most especially when we bought character figures for them that day^_^

Pretty Cure Splash Star ( Cure Egret and Cure Bloom)
Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart ( Cure Black, Shiny Luminous and Cure White )

Fresh Pretty Cure ( Cure Berry, Cure Passion, Cure Peach and Cure Pine )

Pretty Cure 5 Go Go! ( Cure Mint, Cure Rouge, Milky Rose, Cure Dream, Cure Lemonade, Cure Aqua)

17 Jewels Pretty Cure All Stars

Watch my kids dance, they really love Pretty Cure!

Got this from Youtube, it's the same of what we saw on the show

Isn't it so much fun to go back and just yank them all out and just sit there and reminisce? ^_^
*Nostalgia is a weekly Thursday meme hosted by Ate Rose--please play with us by clicking the linky badge.*

Couple's Corner--When We Thought It's Over

Overreacting...that's my problem... I tend to react over lil things and being annoyed and then end up on the so-called cold war... I have to admit that our marriage ain't perfect but we have now fewer problems than when we first got married. Last month, we have this "lil cold war" ( again) that lasted for days and I believe for myself that I was right and don't feel sorry 'bout my acts. One night he was drying his hair and I blurted out something that he didn't get to listen because of the sound of the dryer/blower. He stopped doing his thing and said " What? What are saying?" and so I started to talk again but he began to blow his hair again. Annoying right? He doesn't seem interested of what I'm trying to say to him. I was annoyed with him and stopped talking and remained upset for days. I've learned that it's best to take initiative in trying to make peace over cold wars but that time, I don't want to do the first move. I began thinking that we could no longer live together and that I should just quit trying to make the marriage work. End of the world? Yes. I can't talk to my Mom 'bout my marital problems coz I don't want her to get worried of me.

In the end, we were both able to calmn down and talk things over peacefully. He said he was sorry when I told him what made me really angry and he said " wouldn't it be nicer if you first let me continue to dry my hair so we could have a nice conversation after?" for me think about. I understand what he's trying to convey to me--during that time, I was just thinking of myself and I'm glad that he gave me time to cool down. I now recognize that I too have faults... Daldal ako daldal--kita ko namang may ginagawa cya eh. Pwede nga namang mamaya na lang ang daldalan pagkatapos ng ginagawa nya...eh anong magagawa ko, madaldal akong tao eh lol!

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Hinamatsuri 2011

Chirashi Zushi Cake

Japanese Doll Festival or Girls' Festival is celebrated on March 3 when people pray for the happiness and healthy growth of little girls here in Japan. Our Hina-ningyo ( Hina dolls ) was bought by my PIL when Wakaba were still little and now displayed right our entrance in our apartment. I was down to fever for the past few days ( I'm well now, thanks God) and displayed the Hina dolls day before the special event and will be kept away today--not because of the superstitious belief ( that if Hina Dolls isn't taken down right after the festival, the girls might have to wait to get married), the Hina Dolls is quite huge and we don't have much space here lol!

It is customary to eat sushi at Hinamatsuri and this time I prepared Hinamatsuri Chirashi Zushi Cake and they're really easy to make! I formed them with a circle ( 18 cm, used for baking cakes) and from the bottom is the sushi rice, layered my favourite and handy soboro meat then topped again with sushi rice and decorated with egg strips, boiled carrot and peas. You can easily make your own by mixing and layering the ingredients.

Here's my awase-su (seasoning for the chirashi zushi ) 3-5 tbsp rice vinegar, 2tbsp sugar, 1/3 tsp salt. Mix this on your 3 cups of rice then layer your favorite ingredients ^_^
Wakaba chan and Haruka chan with their Hina Dolls
My homemade Strawberry Short Cake
Japanese Potato Salad
It's their day^_^Hinamatsuri Festives

An entry for Food Trip Friday. Chibugan na!!\(^0^)/


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February Linky Love

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