Breaking bread, sleepy kids and tsunami's surge seen from above the boat basin on Kauai

This weekend has been full of family. And it's been all about reaching out in all the different ways we communicate these days.

I just had lunch with these fine women: My cousin, Cindy; her mother/my Aunt Joan; and my mom, Joyce.

I flew in to Denver to hang out with my mom for a few days. These visits are to catch up, change light bulbs, break bread and go to movies.

BROTHER HAS DISCOVERED FACEBOOK

Some of you will remember my brother who banned all of us from posting his kids' photos on the Web... My nieces and nephews are in protective custody.

Well, he's discovered Facebook and how easy it is to upload pics from his phone.
A tired Moshe and Zev after a full day.

I think he's sent me a dozen photos of the kids this weekend and each one has been posted on bro's new Facebook page. Hmm... His concerns about safety seem to have take a backseat to the fun he's getting from sharing.

BROTHER CAUGHT IN TSUNAMI

The weekend started when I woke early to catch the flight to Denver. I switched on the news as I heated coffee and heard that a massive earthquake had hit Chile.

Terrible enough, but what caught my attention was news that the ripple effect was that a tsunami was heading toward Hawaii... toward family. Residents there were warned that the tsunami would hit Hilo Bay on Hawaii Island at 11:05 a.m.; Honolulu at 11:37; and Kauai at 11:42 as it moved up the island chain.

One of my brothers lives on Kauai. I knew he'd want to get to the basin where he keeps a sailboat to make sure it was ready for the waves or swells to come. I wanted to call him, but it was still just 3:30 a.m. in Hawaii. And reports said sirens would start warning people at 6 a.m. The waves were still hours away.

I waited. But I did call Kelley before my flight left for Denver. (Here is his guest post: Lucky it wasn't the Big One) He was already down at the boat, putting fenders all around it, making sure it wouldn't get too banged up. "You could have called. Three people called me," he said. He was happy for the early warning because he thought once the sirens sounded, roads would be closed.

He got his boat ready and then moved to high ground above the marina to watch the spectacle. Sails went up and most of the boats headed out to sea to ride out the waves. And even though it was reported as the tsunami that didn't show up, Kelley said it really was quite a natural world event to watch.

The tsunami waves caused erratic surges.. kind of like the tide going in and out over and over. Someone sitting on a boat would, one minute, be looking down on a pier and then, minutes later, as the water pulled away from the shore be looking up at the same pier.

Kelley praised the warning system that helped them all get ready.

TEXT, BLOG, FACEBOOK, GCHAT ... OH, AND TELEPHONE

So that's a long-winded way of saying that this weekend has been all about family, wherever we are and however we can reach out to each other.

There were others. Sue kept me up to date on the U.S.-Canada game via text. Kelley's daughter who is on Oahu checked in with me on Facebook chat before chatting with her dad. And I'm sure I mind-melded with my nephew in Michigan.. or however he's communicating these days. =)

Love family. I'll keep up however I need to.

Robin, Tempe