Today was 海の日, the "Marine Day" holiday, so Tod & I headed down to Shonan to visit with MJ & Yoshi and enjoy the sea breezes under a cloudy post-typhoon sky. The waves were high and the beach littered with storm trash, but we sat above it all in the sand and played Catch-phrase (thanks again, Ultra Mom) and attempted badminton in the wind.
What we didn't know until later is that while we were en route, there was a huge earthquake in Niigata of the same magnitude (6.8) that destroyed so much of the area in 2004. I tried calling my friends up there, but the phone lines are congested or out of service. I'm confident they must be OK, but I will try again tomorrow until I can get through. Just like everyone else, I guess.
Today also marked the 9th anniversary of our landing in Japan. Hard to believe we were only going to be here for three months and we haven't gone home yet. Time has flown and it hardly seems like nine years could have elapsed so quickly.
What a lovely afternoon we had.
(btw you don't have tv - but NHK have said please don't call unless it's a complete emergency - phone lines still congested)
Glad it worked out for you, and brought you to this blog, too.
My husband and I went to Japan for a two-year assignment that ended after seven months...he had "empty pockets".
Mochiron! Umi-no-hi! Wasurechatta.....
Have you been able to contact your friends yet?