By the by, Susan, I never forget that my Mud-buddies are out there, ready with support and help as fits their abilities. And I appreciate all that comes my way. I certainly don't expect anyone to jump on a plane and come running with tools in hand. The kind words and prayers are enough to keep me grabbing at the next soot covered box and hefting it down the stairs and on to the truck.

Speaking of "tools in hand" Wakana and her mother have been astonished at what I appear to be capable of turning my hand to. I mounted the medicine cabinet and towel rods in the bathroom, repiped the kitchen sink drain and replaced the innards of the toilet, reglued one of the kitchen chairs, knew how to scrape and paint, replaced the locks in the exterior doors, and intend to replace light fixtures and electrical sockets myself. To me this is just what I, and many of the people I know, do. In Japan they make a point of calling in the experts for these jobs. Wakana seems to think she has a prize in me because of this. I tried to explain that this ability is common and that I screw things up quite often but that seems to have made no impression.