Month: March 2011

Last California Post

Well, maybe I’ll do one more post with California photos from Kauai, but, out house is packed, these are the last lines I’ll type from this computer. I could theoretically post from the iphone or the laptop, but won’t have a chair either so I probably won’t be on the computer much…

Olivia’s BD Party


Teacher Liselle took Leilani to see a high school play: Charlie Brown

and she got to meet the cast:



Hand’s free icepack….

Visiting Kelby and Belen

First: Sightseeing on our way to Marin:




The Rainbow Tunnel






A letter from Sendai

Well, it doesn’t really belong here. And I am a bit concerned that I have about 100 readers – don’t really know why or how. But it’s the best platform I have at the moment. I don’t know why you are reading the Keiki Blog. But this is what I just found and like to share:

from Ode

Things here in Sendai have been rather surreal. But I am very blessed to have wonderful friends who are helping me a lot. Since my shack is even more worthy of that name, I am now staying at a friend’s home. We share supplies like water, food and a kerosene heater. We sleep lined up in one room, eat by candlelight, share stories. It is warm, friendly, and beautiful.

During the day we help each other clean up the mess in our homes. People sit in their cars, looking at news on their navigation screens, or line up to get drinking water when a source is open. If someone has water running in their home, they put out a sign so people can come to fill up their jugs and buckets.

It’s utterly amazingly that where I am there has been no looting, no pushing in lines. People leave their front door open, as it is safer when an earthquake strikes. People keep saying, “Oh, this is how it used to be in the old days when everyone helped one another.”

Quakes keep coming. Last night they struck about every 15 minutes. Sirens are constant and helicopters pass overhead often.

We got water for a few hours in our homes last night, and now it is for half a day. Electricity came on this afternoon. Gas has not yet come on. But all of this is by area. Some people have these things, others do not. No one has washed for several days. We feel grubby, but there are so much more important concerns than that for us now. I love this peeling away of non-essentials. Living fully on the level of instinct, of intuition, of caring, of what is needed for survival, not just of me, but of the entire group.

There are strange parallel universes happening. Houses a mess in some places, yet then a house with futons or laundry out drying in the sun. People lining up for water and food, and yet a few people out walking their dogs. All happening at the same time.

Other unexpected touches of beauty are first, the silence at night. No cars. No one out on the streets. And the heavens at night are scattered with stars. I usually can see about two, but now the whole sky is filled. The mountains are Sendai are solid and with the crisp air we can see them silhouetted against the sky magnificently.

And the Japanese themselves are so wonderful. I come back to my shack to check on it each day, now to send this e-mail since the electricity is on, and I find food and water left in my entranceway. I have no idea from whom, but it is there. Old men in green hats go from door to door checking to see if everyone is OK. People talk to complete strangers asking if they need help. I see no signs of fear. Resignation, yes, but fear or panic, no.

They tell us we can expect aftershocks, and even other major quakes, for another month or more. And we are getting constant tremors, rolls, shaking, rumbling. I am blessed in that I live in a part of Sendai that is a bit elevated, a bit more solid than other parts. So, so far this area is better off than others. Last night my friend’s husband came in from the country, bringing food and water. Blessed again.

Somehow at this time I realize from direct experience that there is indeed an enormous Cosmic evolutionary step that is occurring all over the world right at this moment. And somehow as I experience the events happening now in Japan, I can feel my heart opening very wide. My brother asked me if I felt so small because of all that is happening. I don’t. Rather, I feel as part of something happening that much larger than myself. This wave of birthing (worldwide) is hard, and yet magnificent.

Thank you again for your care and Love of me,

With Love in return, to you all,
Anne

Wondering how you can help? Aid relief efforts by clicking here to donate to the Japanese Red Cross, or text redcross to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Welcome to my party

Leilani closed the door to her room, it was past bedtime and very quiet. I looked in and saw her writing. She wrote a long time.
It’s now 1/2 hour after bedtime and I’d better put her to bed now. She wrote

Welcome to my party on the back porch there is ….
…..cake and made even some lemonade with honey
If you want something ask my mommy or my dad
or me. If you have any childeren
They can come in my room
but tell them not to make a big mess

She said: “I drew the rest so I didn’t have to write so much”

From top: Somebody’s hand holding a beer

(below from left)
shaking hands

Dingdong (mirror writing) nect to doorbell

come in the door is open

You can wear shoes or go barefoot

Dinner with Lisa

We went too the Little Sichuan with Lisa

we didn’t let Leilani have the good camera, so she took a lot of low-light pictures with the iphone

Strange pictures

Feet again

but she manages new variations

She took about 10 photos of this line of objects… including some of herself arranging it

Still life with Soy Sauce

Real Still Life

After the dinner we went for a little walk