Having Friends Over

I like to have my friends over to our house every once in a while, and they are usually our boys' good friends and their mothers. When our boys were still not in any schools yet, I used to go to "play group" every week and it was always pot luck. I really enjoyed the time together with other moms to chatted and exchanged recipes with, while kids played together. I learned a lot of new recipes from them and improved my cooking and baking.

Having people over is not always an easy task. First, you got clean your house, and plan a meal, if it applicable, then go to grocery store, and cook, host, and clean again. However, I see it is a good motivation. Because I can really get lazy about how this house look sometimes, or forget about trying new recipes. Well, trying a new recipe for the guests isn't really a good idea for serving people for first time unless they are super close friends, but I usually try not to serve the same meal I've cooked before, unless it's requested.

These days, every occasion I get talk to Japanese friends is always about what is really going on in Japan, of course. It really hurts us to know what exactly going on in individual levels...However, we haven't giving up  our hopes yet.

Our second son't school had a PJ day last Friday and it was called "Jammies for Japan." It was a several forth graders' idea to raise money for Japan! I was very amazed how much little children are participating for the event, and brought so much coins and more... I went to see the class who organized it and wanted thank to them, it almost made me cry...

I've just purchased an album  Songs for Japan. Since I pledged not downloading music illegally since my dear friend "laptop" got infected by an evil spy wear some how, this deal is great! New and classic 38 pop songs for $9.99 and profits goes to Japan Relief effort. I've seen harsh comments several times about helping Japan is not necessary kind of things. But it is not true. Many of people lost everything, really no house, no vehicle, no job, no heat, even at evacuation site they still not having enough food. It can be happening to you. I am pretty sure, those people have been helping others whenever possible before. We never know what can natures do to us...

Now their water is in danger...radiation level is getting higher as of today. In Tokyo, the officials are recommending not to give the tap water to infants. I have been trying to talk to my parents, who live near Tokyo, to move here or at least come visit us until things gets settled...but they love the place where they belong. I guess as well as those people currently evacuating and being patient. If it was me, I might have moved to another place and start my life over. I can think of this way, maybe because I left my hometown when I found my love to be with and haven't really got stayed one particular place more than three years, so far as an own family. What if it was where I grew up and had everything right there, like most of people in community...

I've heard that many of them have the thought, if they leave now to evacuate to another place, not helping out the community, even everything gets rebuilt in the future, they might not be accepted or welcomed by the community. However, I just read a news that government secured 42,000 housing and it will be available to those people have been evacuated.

Now many people outside of those affected areas are discouraged to have fun. It is understandable. Plus, many of them are suffering with the planned black outs to save the electrics nation wide as much as possible...Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea are currently closed. Many restaurants has to close during the hours while they are having black outs. So many temporary workers out there works by hours, hours of the work they missed or missing by the disaster won't be covered by the company. How in the world, can Japanese economy still be remained strong like it used to be....?

I heard the most serious damaged site, only get two rice balls each per day still! It can't be happening... So please, help them out whenever, however you can and I'd really appreciated all your help. Thank you!!