I was able to find a fairly reliable site that is both monitoring and posting the levels of radiation now appearing in California. There are trace amounts showing up, but after reading everything, it really can vary depending on the amount of "existing" radiation already present in your area. I think we really need to look at why there are "existing" areas of radiation so much higher in some cities and states than in other areas. Here is the link I have been following:
http://www.nuc.berkeley.edu/ucbairsampling
After spending countless hours sifting through the hipe and videos and countless web sites involving radiation I come back to one sure thing. Our prayers and efforts need to be directed more at Japan than the United States. While I'm a little concerned that we're still accepting exports from Japan right now, I am more concerned about the magnitude of what this has done to the inhabitants of Japan. I was amazed to watch a video of residents of a refuge shelter as they were all stretching and exercising in their one pair of clothes despite the traumatic events they just faced. I've read that many people will go through "ordinary" motions during these times and that it's healthy for them to do that to maintain their sanity and sense of hope. In this case, it's obviously good for their health as well. Grown men and women of all ages were stretching and doing Tai Chai.
I watched other videos that showed how quickly their world changed and how quickly the water devastated city after city. I say this as I'm sitting here at my computer wondering if I have raisin bread or cereal for breakfast and wondering what shirt I should wear with my pants today. Of course, I need to go on with my life as usual-- we all do, but there must be something more that I can do besides donating to Red Cross (which I encourage all of you to do as well because we know their far-reaching benefits). Yes, I know, I'm supposed to be clearing my plate, but I was thinking more of having my primary children do something as a whole to help in Japan. I will keep thinking on that.
Speaking of children-- had a good weekend with the grandchildren, but I'm very concerned about two of our youngest grandchildren-- Jilly and Bradley-- who have been very sick. Jilly's doctor diagnosed her with RSV yesterday and when you are living with a family of five children, that's not good. When you have a baby brother who is congested and is less than 3 months old--that's even worse. Thank goodness I have spring break this week so I can go over and help. Saturday we took the older three (and Rellie) to the movies and McDonalds. That gave the two younger sick ones some much needed quiet time and gave mom and dad a little break. House hunting is on hold briefly as their children recover. The definitely need a bigger house to help with the germ sharing control. Time to go through all my toys and clean them too.
Jas, Anne, and Maddi came over for Sunday dinner and Maddi discovered Raff-- the tall wooden giraffe that almost every grandchild has been enamored with at some point in their life. Some of them have carried him around like their long lost friend and others have been untrusting of him. Maddi really wants to give him a kiss, but freaks out at the last minute and runs. Got it on video and it's so funny. She's quite the dancer now too. She was with us Saturday when we went to pick Rellie up and she went from almost zonked out on the ride over to wound up and dancing after two minutes in the car with Rellie. When we added the other three cousins and headed to McDonalds, she was beside herself! Another few months and Kayson (a.k.a. "fathead") will be big enough to join the cousins for a few things. I love that our family is growing and that the cousins can spend so much time together. I hope that doesn't change like it did in my own family. We were all so close when were little and even in high school, but then we all moved away and grew apart. Sad really.
What's really sad though is what's happening in Japan, so I need to go put on my thinking cap and see what we can do. THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING WE CAN DO.
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