"We're fine!"

Hello all, and thanks for your thoughts and prayers. I'm not ignoring you -- I have had no outside connection until recently. My earlier facebook status update (my first ever!) was from a base computer which I had a timed 10 minutes to make (which I spent most trying to edit and figure out how to make a "status update"!) We're back home now with -- just this afternoon -- electricity and heat. I'm typing from our an awkward position in the house as our router bit the dust in the earthquake so I'm plugged in manually (thanks to instructions from my helpful hubby in Iraq). I will not be getting online regularly probably until we get the router fixed up which Rick is going to send in the mail once he finds the one he likes. So be patient with any messages you might send. We're still trying to get up and running because we're not in the clear yet. Things are still in question as to how long we might have power, whether the nuclear power plant meltdown's going to be an issue (shouldn't be), and so I'm still in 'disaster" mode working on trying to get things done and be prepared for whatever. We're absolutely fine though with the exception of developing bad colds from being frozen for two days. I'm not kidding -- their was no place to go for warmth other than your car, though they did eventually get a building or two on base heated with generators. A few hours after the earthquake it was in freezing in my house, and it stayed that way until just this afternoon. We could see our breath! To add insult to injury, we awoke to snow the morning after the quake (and they're calling for more tonight). At least our refrigerator and freezer goods were fine! We bbq-d last night with the neighbors whom I've teamed up with, for who I'm very thankful. Then this morning we headed to the base chow hall for breakfast and MREs and then to the base gym for a shower. We're trying to conserve gas though so we're carpooling and not making any unnecessary trips. We live far enough off base that a bike ride for groceries would really just suck! But if need be....

Anyway, I'll try to write more later about the actual experience (like riding a boat) once we get through some things and these aftershocks stop (only about one every hour or so now, maybe even less). I'll try and post some photos too. I'm -- we're -- just very exhausted from all this, and just hoping to get some rest. Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers, and know that we are very grateful. (While I'm thinking about it, a BIG thank you to Jan Luger for my extremely warm jammies that got me through the icy nights, and to Kathy (and Jan) Luger for all the many candles you sent for Christmas and birthdays. Candles were and are a commodity here because a) the military won't move them with your household goods so no one had any when they arrived in Japan, and b) the Japanese reality companies insist on a "no candle" rule in the houses. So there just aren't any candles to be had and I was grateful to have some and shared them with my neighbors. They really saved us!)

OK, all for now, thanks again, and....."we're A-OK!!"