We are a bit concerned here, upon hearing the news about the earthquake centered in Indonesia. Wednesday, Dear Husband’s third son flew to Japan to meet his wife, and then they flew to Phukat, Thailand for the Christmas holidays.
We didn’t know where they were planning to be in Thailand until this evening, and the news from Phukat is on the grim side. Those who were sunbathing at the edge of the water or snorkeling, or scuba diving apparently were lost as the tsunamis rolled in.
We have not heard from the kids, but we are thinking positively about this. Third son is a geologist, so he would have known to go to high ground when they felt the earthquake. I’m assuming that it’s nearly impossible to get a line out, or in, at the moment, so we are going to wait for word, and do our best not to worry.
I’d appreciate any form of good thought you care to send on their behalf, but your prayers would be really appreciated.
UPDATE:
There may be a ray of hope here…. The kids have not been able to call, but they did leave an itinerary with Third Son’s mother. Thru the grapevine, we’ve heard that they intended to go to Bangkok first, so they may be safe, if stranded. Bangkok is a coastal city, but it’s on the Gulf of Thailand, and may have been sheltered from the tsunami that hit Phuket. I think the kids may have a slightly different holiday than expected. We’ll continue to hope for their safe return.
UPDATE #2:
They’re SAFE!!! Third Son’s mother managed to find the travel agent that made the arrangements, and together they traced where the kids had gone from Japan. It turns out they were in Bangkok when the tsunami hit Phuket, and are safe. They got a phone call at 3:00 a.m. their time with a VERY angry mother asking why they hadn’t called to reassure us that they were safe. She also suggested that our daughter-in-law needed to call her family.
Perhaps it’s a function of their age. Maybe they didn’t realize we would all be concerned about them. I can’t tell you how relieved I am to know that they weren’t snorkling at Phuket when the tsunamis hit.
From the grapevine, we think they will be flying to Singapore, and then on to Japan. Please, God, if you could spare the time with so many lost and grieving, could you send them home to us safely?
Thank you, everyone, for your kind words as we worried for the kids.

The other day I was listening to the radio and the subject under discussion was receiving (and/or returning) gifts. I really need to put my two cents in on this discussion.
First, let me set the scene. A woman, probably in her thirties, called in, and said that she knew a family where everyone, INCLUDING the adults wrote wish lists. My head just about snapped off, because I thought she was going to talk about the family into which I have married. They all make wish lists, and now so do I. At first it was really upsetting, but then DH explained it all to me. These lists are what the kids WISH for…..not necessarily what they receive.

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As I start this post, there are just three minutes left of Christmas Day, 2004. It was a very nice day at Chez Buffy. I think I could use the trite phrase: a good time was had by all.
Yesterday I had a first in my life. I NEVER shop on Christmas Eve. For decades I have been teasing my husband about the male tendency to go Christmas shopping on the eve of Christmas. Then aliens came and took him and left someone in his place. This creature shops early and often, and has even used the computer to do some shopping. I was astonished to find that his shopping was complete several days prior to Christmas this year.

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