They apologised for the delay.
I understand that there were (and still are) so many things to be sorted out at first.
Wednesday 6 July 2011
Receipt Arrived!
Here is the receipt Miyagi Prefecture has issued for Cakes for Sendai event.
They apologised for the delay.
I understand that there were (and still are) so many things to be sorted out at first.
Thank you everybody for supporting us - This document has been brought to realise once again that how successful the event was.
They apologised for the delay.
I understand that there were (and still are) so many things to be sorted out at first.
Tuesday 21 June 2011
Tuesday 17 May 2011
Mummy power
While Risa was in Sendai, I (Aoi) have been supporting other fundraising efforts in London, mostly through my yummy mummy network.
A network of Japanese mothers in south-west London has been really active after the earthquake.
There has been a lot of cake sales at nurseries, schools, and children's centres all over in London. If one mother crys out for support by e-mail, 10 of us would bake cookies and make sushi.
I helped about 5 -6 events - Even on the days I was in office, my cookies were being sold by other mums.
One of the events in April held at St Mary's church hall in Wimbledon raised over 6000 pounds.
Also there was a group of mothers succeeded to send 10,000 disposable feeding bottles and cartons of ready-made baby milk - both not available in Japan for some reason - to the tsunami affected area where mothers of babies are struggling to find clean water.
This operation required a massive effort - from finding sponsors, sorting out the logistics from UK and within Japan, and even translating the how-to-use instruction.
You can see the smiling babies recieving bottles on their own site.
Who are we?
Tuesday 10 May 2011
How did people in Sendai live after the disaster - my parents' story
Fortunately my parents live towards the city centre, they got a lifeline fairly quickly.
This is the story in my parents area. For people who live farther from the centre, it took a long time to get them back.
No water supply - for 4 days
The city set temporary water supply centres. My dad walked for 20 minutes to get 3-4 litres every day.
No electricity - for 3 days
They had only 3 hours before sunset after the earthquake. Everyone was rushing to tidy up things and do whatever they could to. My mum said that it was like a race against the sunset. They lived under the candle lights. I saw candle wax stains here and there in their house.
No gas - for 5 weeks
My parents' house had changed to an all-electric system from last year and they don't need gas. My parents' neighbours couldn't take a bath/shower until the gas supply was back. My parents house became their community's "bathhouse" for 5 weeks.
Limited amount of food - for 1 month
No milk or yoghurt - dairies seemed to be a big problem. Japanese favourite "Natto" (not so many fans among non-Japanese...) - fermented soy beans weren't in the market. Fresh vegetables were limited. As soon as they were on the shelf in the store, all went so quickly. Now it seems to come back to normal, but the ones grown in the nuclear power plant area have been hard to sell - people are worried about the contamination in the vegetables and have avoided them.
Limited amount of petrol for 1 month
You needed to queue for hours and were only allowed to top up 10 litres at a time. The price of the petrol has soared. When I went to the petrol station, I needed to pay 23 pence more than usual per litre.
Shops
Some are still closed - the ones currently closed mainly have building safety problems.
Some of them have received a "red card" from the city - the order of demolishing the building.
Radiation problem
I didn't hear much news about it. The public criticise the government; they kept changing their opinion. I suspect that some information is covered up. My mum was worried about the radiation and hung the washing in the house and she wouldn't open the windows. Most people wear masks all the time. We don't have enough information about what is right and what is wrong. People still live being threatened by the danger.
Community
People shared information and food. When my mum received food from my brother in Tokyo, she cooked them and gave some to neighbours. When one of my neighbours found bread sold in a shop, she bought a lot and delivered to my parents' and other houses. They shared information about which supermarket re-opened or when etc. My mum has realised how much the bonding in the community is important. This disaster has taught us something we tend to forget in the contemporary life; you don't live by yourself; you live your life by supporting each other.
Limited information resource
The only information they could get for 3 days was from a radio. When I had been horrified by the overwhelming Tsunami video in the UK, my parents were too busy tidying up the house and dealing with never ending aftershocks. My dad told me that when he heard the radio news saying that 200 dead bodies were found on the shore, he thought that a passenger ferry or something was brought down by the wave, and he never imagined that the Tsunami intruded inland this far. My parents were so shocked to watch the video with their own eyes - that was 3 days after the disaster.
This is the story in my parents area. For people who live farther from the centre, it took a long time to get them back.
No water supply - for 4 days
The city set temporary water supply centres. My dad walked for 20 minutes to get 3-4 litres every day.
 |
| water supply truck. People queued for a few hours to get water. |
No electricity - for 3 days
They had only 3 hours before sunset after the earthquake. Everyone was rushing to tidy up things and do whatever they could to. My mum said that it was like a race against the sunset. They lived under the candle lights. I saw candle wax stains here and there in their house.
No gas - for 5 weeks
My parents' house had changed to an all-electric system from last year and they don't need gas. My parents' neighbours couldn't take a bath/shower until the gas supply was back. My parents house became their community's "bathhouse" for 5 weeks.
Limited amount of food - for 1 month
No milk or yoghurt - dairies seemed to be a big problem. Japanese favourite "Natto" (not so many fans among non-Japanese...) - fermented soy beans weren't in the market. Fresh vegetables were limited. As soon as they were on the shelf in the store, all went so quickly. Now it seems to come back to normal, but the ones grown in the nuclear power plant area have been hard to sell - people are worried about the contamination in the vegetables and have avoided them.
Limited amount of petrol for 1 month
You needed to queue for hours and were only allowed to top up 10 litres at a time. The price of the petrol has soared. When I went to the petrol station, I needed to pay 23 pence more than usual per litre.
Shops
Some are still closed - the ones currently closed mainly have building safety problems.
Some of them have received a "red card" from the city - the order of demolishing the building.
Radiation problem
I didn't hear much news about it. The public criticise the government; they kept changing their opinion. I suspect that some information is covered up. My mum was worried about the radiation and hung the washing in the house and she wouldn't open the windows. Most people wear masks all the time. We don't have enough information about what is right and what is wrong. People still live being threatened by the danger.
Community
People shared information and food. When my mum received food from my brother in Tokyo, she cooked them and gave some to neighbours. When one of my neighbours found bread sold in a shop, she bought a lot and delivered to my parents' and other houses. They shared information about which supermarket re-opened or when etc. My mum has realised how much the bonding in the community is important. This disaster has taught us something we tend to forget in the contemporary life; you don't live by yourself; you live your life by supporting each other.
Limited information resource
The only information they could get for 3 days was from a radio. When I had been horrified by the overwhelming Tsunami video in the UK, my parents were too busy tidying up the house and dealing with never ending aftershocks. My dad told me that when he heard the radio news saying that 200 dead bodies were found on the shore, he thought that a passenger ferry or something was brought down by the wave, and he never imagined that the Tsunami intruded inland this far. My parents were so shocked to watch the video with their own eyes - that was 3 days after the disaster.
Our dog - "Daku-nosuke" also went through the disaster
He is an old Dachshund (sausage dog).
His sleeping time has been getting longer and longer and now he sleeps most of the day.
Daku became 15 years old on 1st of May.
 |
| In his bed on a usual spot. |
He was at home all by himself on 3.11.
My mum drove back desperately in the chaos without traffic lights. The snow started to fall.
As soon as she got back, she checked his usual sleeping spot. The space is in front of the cupboard, and many objects fell down all over his bed including a heavy clock ... and he wasn't there... he wasn't trapped under the objects.
Where was he then?
She found him in front of the electricity condenser. That was the warmest space in the house and it was also the safest place. There was nothing falling off from above.
How did he know the situation and manage to move to the safest place?
Was it a so-called animal instinct?
Or it was just coincidence?
Nobody knows except him...
 |
| Taking a bath for the first time after the earthquake. Daku loves bath time. He sometimes relaxes too much and falls asleep. |
 |
| Giving a massage to Dad with Mum |
Monday 9 May 2011
Cakes for Mum and Dad
My mum really wanted to come to the Cakes for Sendai event on 10th of April.
She saw the photos from the day repeatedly and told me how much she had wanted to be there.
So in some small way, I had "cakes for my mum and dad" events several times.
Berry berry tart
These blueberries are from last year from my parents' garden. Mum made a blueberry jam, so I used them.
Blueberry and peach tart
White choc and cheese cake and an Apple cake for a slightly early mother's day.
The tea pot, cups and plates are the ones I brought from England and gave her this time. My mum has collected tea sets and cherished them, but most of them were broken because of the earthquake on 3.11. She got depressed but she was thrilled this time.
For your information, this tea set was wrapped and put in a cardboard box immediately in preparation for the next earthquake.
Flowers and a mother's day card I gave with cakes
Candle cake- I didn't make this one...
This is a bunch of flowers shaped into a cake. These flowers look like vibrant candles on the cake.
She saw the photos from the day repeatedly and told me how much she had wanted to be there.
So in some small way, I had "cakes for my mum and dad" events several times.
These blueberries are from last year from my parents' garden. Mum made a blueberry jam, so I used them.
White choc and cheese cake and an Apple cake for a slightly early mother's day.
The tea pot, cups and plates are the ones I brought from England and gave her this time. My mum has collected tea sets and cherished them, but most of them were broken because of the earthquake on 3.11. She got depressed but she was thrilled this time.
For your information, this tea set was wrapped and put in a cardboard box immediately in preparation for the next earthquake.
Flowers and a mother's day card I gave with cakes
Candle cake- I didn't make this one...
This is a bunch of flowers shaped into a cake. These flowers look like vibrant candles on the cake.
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