To Japan with Love

"We are fine" was the subject heading of an e-mail from Kyoko this week. I knew she was probably not in the area where the earthquake and tsunami hit but I wanted to hear from her.

Kyoko came into our life in the Winter of 2002. After years of working a demanding job where there were barely enough hours to commute and work - she had put in enough time to receive a sabbatical. One evening she flashed her mischievous grin and told me, "And I escape to U.S.A."
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"Why Minnesota?" I asked.
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"Snow. I love snow," she replied.
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And as is the way of the world - it barely snowed that year. Kyoko taught Japanese culture at my daughter's middle school - and elementary school. It was the polar opposite of her work in Japan and she revelled in all of it - the kids, the sites, while embracing all things American. Kyoko embraces everything.

She stayed with us for some of the winter. Two years later I received a welcome e-mail in which she announced her intention to experience an American Halloween (she came to the states just after Halloween). And with her boundless enthusiasm - flew from Japan to Minnesota to stay for one day and night - Halloween.

We were the quintessential "busy American" family when Kyoko resided with us. Dinner was always fast. Read: pasta 4 x's a week.

Ravioli with pine nuts and rosemary. With one kid returning late from school because of basketball and another one leaving early to return to school for band, I had years of "what can I make quickly that doesn't come from a window?"

Kyoko did not live on sushi and fish. She loves meat! Weekends often featured beef and pork. The pork chops with blueberry sauce warded off our mild chill.

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"We are all fine.But we have still some small earth quakes .

Everything is very unusual and strange.
Three days passed, still all TV channels broadcast only Earth Quake , Tsunami and atomic power plant.
I have never seen like this.
There is nothing in supermarket and no gasoline in gas station.
and all trains stop.
Usually many kids play around my house, but no kids there. People stays at home.


I am very sorry to hear that victims says they want to have blanket.
It was 27F, so cold isn't it? It is snowing now.

I really hope atomic power plant is safe and many people safe."

And so I have joined forces with other bloggers with their "For Japan with Love" disaster relief.

If you would like to participate, please go to Five Minutes Just for Me.

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"Every little bit helps. Feel free to ask other bloggers you like to join in on this. Whatever impact we can make will be so awesome."

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Visit Ruth Reichl's blog Why Food Matters. These are personal decisions. And please spend some time in thought or prayer or meditation on sending strength to Japan now and in the days, weeks and months to come.
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I'm an Italian-American preparing an Irish St. Patrick's Day meal with my heart in Japan. And I am counting my blessings that I can do so.

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*Today, March 17 at Living Social Deals, if you donate $5 to Japan disaster relief they will double it. Visit: http://livingsocial.com/redcross