Thank you so much to everyone who entered the raffle here. We didn't quite reach 100, but did manage to sell 97 tickets. In total, on my blog alone, you donated $268 (US), 122 pounds and $10 (Aus)! Wow! I can't wait to see the grand total from everyone involved in this.
But that's not really why you're here, is it?
I numbered each ticket in the order it was bought (eg MeeABee got 1 and 2) and then put the numbers into a random number generator. Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out how to show that here on my blog (I know, I know...), but you trust me, right?
The winning number was... 29
... which means the winner is seeks!
Congratulations! I'll be emailing you now to see what kinds of fabrics you prefer.
Once again, thank you to everyone who entered, your donations will make a big difference in the lives of many people.
Now, if you don't mind, I think I'm going to go and have a baby...
Showing posts with label earthquake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label earthquake. Show all posts
Saturday, 26 March 2011
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
A message to raffle entrants
Thank you so much to all of you who have already entered the raffle. There have been so many generous donations and I'm excited to see how much we can raise in total. And of course there is still time to enter here!
I have just one request for you:
I have just one request for you:
Please make sure I can contact you !
I have had several entries with neither an e-mail address nor a public Blogger profile. I have queries for a couple of people and can't get in touch with them and, of course, I need to be able to contact you if you win!
Don't forget that there are lots of other great raffle and actions going on too, each needing their own donation to enter. Jo has also posted about where the money is going; I think it's a great combination of emergency measures and long-term aid.
There are still a few places in Northern Japan where they don't have enough of basic supplies, but in most areas aid is getting through well now. The number of people in shelters has halved since I last wrote about it, as people become able to return to their homes or find family or friends who can help them. Electricity is still a problem for many, whether due to damaged supply lines or the nuclear plants being out of commission. Temporary accommodation is already being built and different areas around Japan are offering public housing to people who have lost their homes. Our neighbouring prefecture which, like many rural areas, is suffering from a distinct lack of young people, is offering free housing and a cash incentive to people who move there! There are a lot of sad stories on the news, but the discovery of an 80 year old woman and her 16 year old grandson, alive and uninjured in the rubble of their home, cheered us all.
And while the future of the nuclear reactors is still unsure and worrying, H told me some reassuring information about the current situation. News reports of double the usual radiation level in Tokyo sound bad but apparently the usual, background radiation level in Rome is 6 times the current level in Tokyo! It all depends on what you define as 'normal'...
Saturday, 19 March 2011
One week to go...
...until the raffle to win 25 fat quarters of lovely Japanese fabric. Thank you so much to all the people who have already donated to the earthquake relief fund and entered the raffle. There are still tickets available though, so have a look here if you are interested. Jo has put together a Master List of all the raffle and auctions going on, which you can see here, there are lots of wonderful things you could win so please do check it out.
And less than a week to go until The Arrivals! Mum and Dad will be getting here on the 25th (Friday), which also just so happens to be this baby's due date. I wonder who will make an appearance first? When I was expecting K, Mum and Dad arrived 3 days before his due date, but he didn't bother to join us until about 10 days after it. Even then he was in no hurry; the birth was induced, which only seemed to result in an extra-long labour as the baby still hadn't dropped down into position. Hopefully this baby will make an appearance before the doctor wants to induce, but ideally not until Mum and Dad are here to look after K...
H took some pictures of me at the park on K's birthday, 2 weeks ago. From the front it's not too shocking...
...but side-on you get the full, watermelon-up-the-jumper effect:
At that time I was having a lot of pain in my lower back and hips, but I'm very glad to report that that has improved somewhat. It's not as painful as before, and the type of pain has changed too. I still feel it every time I walk or move in any way really, and turning over in bed can be excruciating, but at least H isn't finding me sitting on the kitchen floor in tears anymore...
Apart from that (!), I'm feeling fine. The doctor told me that I was about 2cm dilated 10 days ago which prompted a slight panic, but he said the same again on Wednesday so maybe I can relax a little. When I was expecting K I was walking for an hour every day, but this time I'm getting no exercise at all and I can feel the difference. Just going upstairs leaves me feeling quite tired out, so I'm not sure how prepared I am for the task of giving birth!
feeling the baby move, a few days ago
Dr K checks on my baby...
...and his!
All that's left to do now is get ready for Mum and Dad to arrive, which basically means housework. Oh joy. I'm torn between 'must get everything clean and tidy before they get here' and 'they'll need something to do once they're here, right?'. I know that they wouldn't want me to be worrying about housework on their behalf, but, on the other hand, they don't know quite how bad it is and I don't really want them to either. At the very least I must go through the cupboards and throw out food which expired before K was born, and sew the buttons on the pyjamas that Mum helped me make (everything finished except for, yup, the buttons) in summer 2008...
And less than a week to go until The Arrivals! Mum and Dad will be getting here on the 25th (Friday), which also just so happens to be this baby's due date. I wonder who will make an appearance first? When I was expecting K, Mum and Dad arrived 3 days before his due date, but he didn't bother to join us until about 10 days after it. Even then he was in no hurry; the birth was induced, which only seemed to result in an extra-long labour as the baby still hadn't dropped down into position. Hopefully this baby will make an appearance before the doctor wants to induce, but ideally not until Mum and Dad are here to look after K...
H took some pictures of me at the park on K's birthday, 2 weeks ago. From the front it's not too shocking...
...but side-on you get the full, watermelon-up-the-jumper effect:
At that time I was having a lot of pain in my lower back and hips, but I'm very glad to report that that has improved somewhat. It's not as painful as before, and the type of pain has changed too. I still feel it every time I walk or move in any way really, and turning over in bed can be excruciating, but at least H isn't finding me sitting on the kitchen floor in tears anymore...
Apart from that (!), I'm feeling fine. The doctor told me that I was about 2cm dilated 10 days ago which prompted a slight panic, but he said the same again on Wednesday so maybe I can relax a little. When I was expecting K I was walking for an hour every day, but this time I'm getting no exercise at all and I can feel the difference. Just going upstairs leaves me feeling quite tired out, so I'm not sure how prepared I am for the task of giving birth!
feeling the baby move, a few days ago
Dr K checks on my baby...
...and his!At least now I am starting to feel somewhat prepared. This week I did my last private lessons and finished off the transcription work I had, and from now on there is nothing marked on the calendar at all. K is now on spring break from pre-school too, so we don't even have to get up at a particular time. H has brought all the baby stuff down from the loft and is getting it all cleaned up, and I have washed and sorted all the old clothes and bought a few new bits and pieces. I finally packed a hospital bag for me, and a bag for K in case he has to go to H's parents at short notice. The hospital admittance form has been filled in, the cot is set up and I've even managed to make something for the new baby!
OK, so it's only a couple of squares of material with a bit of crinkly plastic in the middle and some little ribbon loops around the outside, but I made it and it is finished. Which is more than I can say for the blanket I'm crocheting, so we'll move swiftly on...
All that's left to do now is get ready for Mum and Dad to arrive, which basically means housework. Oh joy. I'm torn between 'must get everything clean and tidy before they get here' and 'they'll need something to do once they're here, right?'. I know that they wouldn't want me to be worrying about housework on their behalf, but, on the other hand, they don't know quite how bad it is and I don't really want them to either. At the very least I must go through the cupboards and throw out food which expired before K was born, and sew the buttons on the pyjamas that Mum helped me make (everything finished except for, yup, the buttons) in summer 2008...
Thursday, 17 March 2011
Spring?
Will you excuse a frivolous, non-earthquake/tsunami/nuclear crisis post? Actually, after reading this explanation of the situation by the British government's Chief Scientific Officer, I'm feeling quite reassured. You don't need a degree in nuclear physics to understand it (or even a GCSE in Science), and it's definitely worth a read if you're concerned.
So, is it spring yet?
I thought so. In fact, I started writing a blog post in late February about the change in seasons. The sasanqua was blooming beneath a blue sky...
...the snowdrops were flowering...
... and so were the first of the crocuses.
But then at the end of February we had some flurries of snow, and my declaration of spring seemed premature. At the beginning of March the daffodils (rescued from Tim's old garden) started to flower...
... but then we had a few snowflakes once again. This week though, it must be spring. On Monday it was 20 degrees. 20! K enjoyed playing in the park, and there was not a coat in sight. By then we had a full complement of flowering crocuses, yellow, white and purple, more daffodils and even the plum tree was starting to bloom.
So where are all those flowers now? Under a couple of inches of snow. After a 20 degree day on Monday, today it reached 2...
So, is it spring yet?
I thought so. In fact, I started writing a blog post in late February about the change in seasons. The sasanqua was blooming beneath a blue sky...
...the snowdrops were flowering...
... and so were the first of the crocuses.
But then at the end of February we had some flurries of snow, and my declaration of spring seemed premature. At the beginning of March the daffodils (rescued from Tim's old garden) started to flower...
... but then we had a few snowflakes once again. This week though, it must be spring. On Monday it was 20 degrees. 20! K enjoyed playing in the park, and there was not a coat in sight. By then we had a full complement of flowering crocuses, yellow, white and purple, more daffodils and even the plum tree was starting to bloom.
So where are all those flowers now? Under a couple of inches of snow. After a 20 degree day on Monday, today it reached 2...
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
Fighting back
I'm not really qualified to write an update on what's happening in Japan right now. In this area life is carrying on as if nothing had happened; in fact if it wasn't for modern media and communications, you wouldn't even know that anything had happened. Just like the rest of the world, I'm relying on the TV and Internet to keep me informed and, just like the rest of the world, I feel helpless and rather guilty to be happily going about my everyday life.
Obviously, things are bad. 500,000 people who survived the earthquakes and tsunami are now living in evacuation centres, in desperate need of basic supplies. Thousands are dead or missing. For people who escaped the direct effects of the disaster on Friday, the nuclear power plants in Fukushima now cause the biggest worry, and lack of electricity is still a major problem for many.
In Japan though, crises seem to bring out the best in people. There's definitely a 'Keep Calm and Carry On' mentality. Yes, it can be hard to decide if reassuring messages in the media are genuine or not, but scare-mongering helps no-one. There is panicked stock-piling of basic food stuffs in some areas, but there is none of the looting or other criminal behaviour we see all too often following natural disasters. Most people seem to be getting on with their lives where they can, and helping others to the best of their ability.
Would you like some examples?
Here is a collection of heart-warming stories of people doing what they can to help. I'll warn you now - some of them made me cry...
Big companies are really stepping up. Sony, Panasonic, Canon, Toyota, Japan Tobacco, Honda, Hitachi and more are each donating 300,000,000 yen - that's about $3 million. Uniqlo is donating 400,000,000 yen and 700,000,000 yen's worth of clothing, while the boss is personally contributing 1,000,000,000 yen - $10 million. Other companies are offering essential goods: $1 million worth of disposable nappies and toilet paper here, 30,000 radios there, 1.4 million cup noodles here, 1,000 generators there. Restaurant chains are distributing meals and convenience stores have been throwing open their doors to people in need.
Ordinary people are doing their bit too. When supplies do arrive, you see people forming orderly queues to get their share. People who have managed to stay in their own homes are taking clothes and blankets to nearby evacuation centres. People further afield are being asked to donate cash rather than goods, due to difficulties in distribution; a 70 year old woman in Osaka has reportedly donated 100,000,000 yen (about a million dollars). News reports show people, who are basically refugees, stoically doing what they can to help the person next to them.
There's a long, long way to go, and Japan will need a lot of help from the rest of the world, but I can't help feeling that the people who rebuilt their country after 2 atomic bombs, and again after the devastating earthquake in Kobe in 1995, will pull together once more and show the world what a true community spirit can do.
Obviously, things are bad. 500,000 people who survived the earthquakes and tsunami are now living in evacuation centres, in desperate need of basic supplies. Thousands are dead or missing. For people who escaped the direct effects of the disaster on Friday, the nuclear power plants in Fukushima now cause the biggest worry, and lack of electricity is still a major problem for many.
In Japan though, crises seem to bring out the best in people. There's definitely a 'Keep Calm and Carry On' mentality. Yes, it can be hard to decide if reassuring messages in the media are genuine or not, but scare-mongering helps no-one. There is panicked stock-piling of basic food stuffs in some areas, but there is none of the looting or other criminal behaviour we see all too often following natural disasters. Most people seem to be getting on with their lives where they can, and helping others to the best of their ability.
Would you like some examples?
Here is a collection of heart-warming stories of people doing what they can to help. I'll warn you now - some of them made me cry...
Big companies are really stepping up. Sony, Panasonic, Canon, Toyota, Japan Tobacco, Honda, Hitachi and more are each donating 300,000,000 yen - that's about $3 million. Uniqlo is donating 400,000,000 yen and 700,000,000 yen's worth of clothing, while the boss is personally contributing 1,000,000,000 yen - $10 million. Other companies are offering essential goods: $1 million worth of disposable nappies and toilet paper here, 30,000 radios there, 1.4 million cup noodles here, 1,000 generators there. Restaurant chains are distributing meals and convenience stores have been throwing open their doors to people in need.
Ordinary people are doing their bit too. When supplies do arrive, you see people forming orderly queues to get their share. People who have managed to stay in their own homes are taking clothes and blankets to nearby evacuation centres. People further afield are being asked to donate cash rather than goods, due to difficulties in distribution; a 70 year old woman in Osaka has reportedly donated 100,000,000 yen (about a million dollars). News reports show people, who are basically refugees, stoically doing what they can to help the person next to them.
There's a long, long way to go, and Japan will need a lot of help from the rest of the world, but I can't help feeling that the people who rebuilt their country after 2 atomic bombs, and again after the devastating earthquake in Kobe in 1995, will pull together once more and show the world what a true community spirit can do.
Monday, 14 March 2011
Japan Quake Appeal - Raffling Japanese Fabric - CLOSED
*** This raffle is now closed. Thank you so much to everyone who donated! ***
Here in Western Japan the earthquake and tsunami have not affected us at all. Obviously I am so thankful that my friends and family are all safe, but at the same time there is a certain guilt connected to carrying on as usual when so many people are suffering. I feel so helpless here, especially as local governments in the affected area have asked individuals not to donate goods since sorting and distributing those goods increases the burden on an already overloaded system. So, cash donations it is, and if you too would like to chip in, here is one way you can help...
As I wrote yesterday, Jo at A Bit Of This And A Bit Of That is encouraging bloggers in Japan and around the world to hold raffles and auctions to raise money for the relief effort. For my part, I'm offering...
That's over 6 metres/yards of material in total! This photo is just to give you an idea of the sort of lovely fabrics you might win. All the fabrics will be chosen by me from my shop stock (including some that have yet to be listed there) in consultation with the winner. So if you're particularly interested in traditional Japanese fabrics, or prints suitable for boys, or florals, or a particular colour, or kawaii cutesy designs... I'll pick out a bundle that'll make you smile. Have a browse through the shop if you'd like to see more of the sort of thing you could win.
How to enter:
Here in Western Japan the earthquake and tsunami have not affected us at all. Obviously I am so thankful that my friends and family are all safe, but at the same time there is a certain guilt connected to carrying on as usual when so many people are suffering. I feel so helpless here, especially as local governments in the affected area have asked individuals not to donate goods since sorting and distributing those goods increases the burden on an already overloaded system. So, cash donations it is, and if you too would like to chip in, here is one way you can help...
As I wrote yesterday, Jo at A Bit Of This And A Bit Of That is encouraging bloggers in Japan and around the world to hold raffles and auctions to raise money for the relief effort. For my part, I'm offering...
25 Fat Quarters of Japanese Fabric
That's over 6 metres/yards of material in total! This photo is just to give you an idea of the sort of lovely fabrics you might win. All the fabrics will be chosen by me from my shop stock (including some that have yet to be listed there) in consultation with the winner. So if you're particularly interested in traditional Japanese fabrics, or prints suitable for boys, or florals, or a particular colour, or kawaii cutesy designs... I'll pick out a bundle that'll make you smile. Have a browse through the shop if you'd like to see more of the sort of thing you could win.
How to enter:
Go to GlobalGiving.co.uk (United Kingdom) or GlobalGiving.org (United States) and make a donation.
- Every $5 donation or 3 pound donation entitles you to one raffle ticket.
- After you have made your donation, come back and leave a comment on this post, telling me how much you donated (ie how many tickets you have bought) and your receipt number.
- Don't forget to leave your e-mail address in the comment too - you can write it as name 'at' yahoo 'dot' com if you are worried about spam.
- If you make a mistake or need to change your comment, please go back and delete your first comment and rewrite it.
- Open to anyone, anywhere in the world!
- The raffle will close at mid-day Japan time 26th March and the winner will be drawn at random and contacted by email. However, there is a risk that I will be, ahem, giving birth that day, so please forgive me if I'm a day or two late in posting the results here.
For help with the donation you can refer to this post http://jojoebi.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-to-make-donation.html
The raffle being held on this blog, and others around the blogosphere, is held in conjunction with A Bit of This and A Bit of That. We are in no way affiliated with global giving, that's just our chosen method of getting funds safely to the affected area.
Later this week Jo will be putting up a list of all the blogs involved in this appeal, each of which will be hosting their own raffle or auction, each requiring separate donations. So if you're not interested in fabric, there will be lots of other things to tempt you. Do please check out the others and enter as many as you can afford. Let's do what we can to help those in need. And if you blog, or Facebook, or Tweet, or have friends in real life, please do spread the word!
Sunday, 13 March 2011
Japan Quake Appeal
Following the terrible earthquake and tsunami in Northern Japan on Friday, fellow blogger, Brit-in-Japan and Etsy shop owner Jo (of A Bit Of This And A Bit Of That) has put together a fund-raising raffle/auction.
Bloggers all over the world will be offering all kinds of wonderful prizes in exchange for donations to the aid effort. Here at Monkey Magic I will be giving away a selection of Japanese fabrics from my shop, chosen to match the taste of the winner. More details here later, after I have it all set up, but please do watch this space (and Jo's space too) and spread the word!
Bloggers all over the world will be offering all kinds of wonderful prizes in exchange for donations to the aid effort. Here at Monkey Magic I will be giving away a selection of Japanese fabrics from my shop, chosen to match the taste of the winner. More details here later, after I have it all set up, but please do watch this space (and Jo's space too) and spread the word!
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