Fancy Lucy!

Dancin' around the house in our new fancy clothes...thanks Auntie Sue and Grandma!

Fancy Mom&Girly!

Showin' off our new Christmas gifts!

Fancy Cooks!

Getting ready to glaze the Christmas ham, and we are STYLIN' in our new aprons from Auntie Marilyn!

Fancy Goods!

Bitter-sweet

Happy Anniversary, Eiji!

Makin' Cookies with Grandma

Grandma Lanor made Lucy an apron (whipped it up in an hour!) so she could be stylin' for the cookie decorating event at the Daly Mansion. Loved every minute of it, and has had the apron on all day!
昨日、こちらのばあちゃんがLucyにかわいいapronを作った（１時間で出来上がり！）。今日はばあちゃんがVolunteerしている所で、クリスマスcookie作りに行った。楽しかったみたい。そしてそのapronは１日中に着た。

Is this the real Santa?

Do you remember when you found about the truth about Santa? Mine was a hot summer day when I went out bragging to my neighbor friend that I had gotten 35cents from the tooth fairy. I think I was six. This is when I got the devastating news that my parents were actually traitors...they had been faking not only the tooth fairy, but the Easter Bunny and Santa. More than having been fooled by them, I think I was more irked by the fact that my neighbor, who I usually outsmarted in everything else, had found out before me! Well, now I am on in the traitor business, trying to convince Lucy of the same stories. This year, we are trying to keep the presents to a minimum, but can't resist letting the myth of Santa stay alive while she still believes. It serves as the magical discipline trick this time of year too..."If you don't behave, Santa won't be bringing you anything but a lump of coal"...so I'll use it while I can. We had a dilemma in trying to buy the number one item on her list, because I couldn' t find a way to buy it without her there. So, I came up with a crazy story: Santa called me. His elves don't know how to make the High School Musical cell phone that she and so many other girls want. So, if I buy it, then somehow get it to him, his elves could reproduce it in time for Christmas. So, we bought the silly thing, and I have convinced her that Santa came and got it while she was sleeping and will, if she behaves of course, bring a new one back on Christmas eve. All too complicated. I hope she learns the truth by next Christmas!

Oh, post note, she has seen so many fake "Santa helpers" in the last month, that she wants to know what the real Santa looks like. She has proposed that we put the digital camera out next to Santa's milk and cookies and ask him to take a photo of himself. How do we solve this one?

またサンタさんにあった。こちらで、あちこちサンタさんがいる。学校に来た、shopping centerにいる、どこでものイベントに来る。皆はどの時にサンタの本当のこと知っていた？私は6歳の夏の日に近所の男の子から聞いた。両親は裏切りものより、その男の子が先に知っていたのはがっかり。サンタはしつけの時、蝶便利。。。「ママの言う事は聞かないなら、サンタがプレゼントを持って行けないよ」でも本人が一番欲しい物を探すのは大変だ。困った。やっとそのおもちゃを見つけた時、本人がいった。うそ話は作るしかなかった。。。「サンタさんから電話があたよ。Lucyが欲しい物はサンタの工場の小人が作り方が分からないだって。だから、ママが買って、サンタさんに渡して、小人が作り直して、クリスマスにまた（良い子なら。。）持って来るって」の話になった。大変だ。来年まで、本当の話は分かって欲しいな〜。楽かも。
それと次の問題。色なサンタが会ったから、本当のサンタの顔は見たいって。本人が作戦を考えた。クリスマスEveにサンタにcookie, milkと手紙に置きます。その横にdigital cameraも置いて。そして手紙の中で「サンタの本当の顔を見たいので、このカメラで写真を取ってね」。どうしょう？

Kinderconcert

Can you find Lucy? This is their Christmas concert. The music teacher explained, that at this age, they don't all sing perfectly, but what they do do, we don't call shouting, but "projecting."

Lucyのクリスマス＊コンサートです。皆は５ー６歳の子。歌っているより叫んでいる子が多いけど、皆は超かわいい！

Top

Ivory top details. Only Eiji will care... I hope!

FireKing Find!

Found this for you, Eiji. Ivory...you will like it! Can we call this your Christmas present?

Self-inflicted snow blizzard!

Today, even more snow fell, so I let Lucy run around on the deck. That way, I could watch her and not have to get cold myself!
今日はまた雪がいっぱ降った！土曜日だし、本人の誕生日だし、家の前で（私が中から見える所で）遊ばせた。心配しないで、この後直ぐ暖かいお風呂に入れた。

Happy Birthday to Lucy!

Today was Lucy's Birthday. We decorated cupcakes....entertainment for the snowy day!

Lucy Birthday

The Lite Brite Set was a winner! Thank you, Daddy.
ありがとうパパ！

First Real Snow of the Year

Lucy was so excited when she woke up to see snow on the ground. When she came home, she wanted to make a snowman. I couldn't tell her that the tiny layer of snow covering the yard is nothing compared to what will come later in the winter. Alas, we made her first snowman/creature.

初雪だ！
朝起きたら、外は真っ白だた。Lucyは大喜び！学校から帰って来たら、「雪だるま作りたい」って。本当に庭には残りが少ないし、もう少し待ってたら、もといっぱい降る日が来ると言ったかたけど本人のやる気に何も言えなかった。出来たのはあんまりかわいいくないけど、Lucyは大満足。

３代いとこパーティ

週末は「いとこパーティ」に行ってきました。アメリカでも珍しいけど、３ヶ月一回ぐらい、私のお母さんと同じ世代のいとこ達の集まり会がある。私の祖父は兄弟９人で、その９人は子供５人ごとぐらいので、お母さんのいとこはいっぱい！ちょど１０年前に誰かが「いとこ会を作ろう」と言って、それから、年４か５回ぐらいに誰かの家でパーティをする。毎回は何人が集まるか分からないけど、今週末の「Christmasテーマ」のパーチィは１６人が来ました！私と私のいとこ一人がその次の世代のメンバーで、そしてLucyといとこの子供３人が３代目もメンバーとして入れてもらった。一番遠いの人は４時間かけて来ました。ただのランチとおしゃべり（今回は特別Christmasプレゼント交換）けど、皆は昔話か家族の話をしてギャーギャー笑って嬉しいそうだだ。女と家族のパーワーを感じた。Lucyも新しいいとこが発見して喜んだ。自分たちの世代もしなくちゃ。
Have you been to a cousin's party? I'd bet not! Well, you don't know what you are missing. This past weekend, I had the privilege of attending the annual Christmas party of the Eccleston cousins. My grandfather had 9 brothers and sisters, and they each had about 5 kids, so my mother has a load of cousins! About 10 years ago, one of them suggested they start a "Cousins Club" of sorts, and ever since, they have been getting together for lunch and festivities at one of the ladies(yes, its bold babes only) every 3 or 4 months. I'm not sure how many people get together every time, but this weekend, we had 16 in the final photo op! My cousin and I were the 2nd generation members, and our 4 girls counted in as the 3rd generation of cousins. It was great to hear them laughing and reminiscing. Lucy was also really excited to know that she had even more cousins than she thought she did. Now, our generation will have to organize something.

Half-hyphenated-mixed-mongrel Hybrid

I've been getting into my new online education course, titled: Meeting the Needs of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners. I was hoping this course would give me insight into what life for Lucy would be like in the classroom after moving here. In reading the text's own attempt to clarify its labels for people (Latino/Chino/Hispanic? Oriental/Asian? etc), I was reminded of a dilemma I had in one of my university classes last year. In the middle of a class debate on the resolution, "Japan should ease immigration laws to allow more foreigners to enter the country," one student was trying to support the resolution by explaining the great number of cool people who were a Japanese-foreign "mix," touting their accomplishments and good looks. When talking about these people, however, she kept using a word I couldn't make sense of. Part of the problem was the infamous "r" and "l" pronunciation problem, but what she said sounded like MOHNGULELL. When I asked her to write it on the board, what was written and made me gasp was the word, "mongrel." Yikes! This was the word that came up in her Japanese-English dictionary for the colloquial term, "Half," to which children like my sweet daughter are often referred. At the moment, I couldn't give her a good alternative word. Somehow, "mixed" seemed too simplified, yet, "people of mixed heritage or parentage" was a troublesome mouthful.

Today, in my reading, I was introduced to the newest, hip term some kids of "multicultural backgrounds"(the PC word these days) like to refer to themselves. HYBRID. Sounds kind of technical or molecular, but modern enough and easy to spit out in a conversation. I think I will adopt it for both myself and Lucy until she wants to come up with an even hipper metaphor.

So, those of you who bother to read this may tire of my ramblings for a while, but I think I will continue to share some of my new online-fed insights and analysis here. What kept returning to my pondering today was, how do I continue to teach Lucy her Japanese culture. In Japan I had often said, "If people are going to call her a HALF, I want her to know and identify with both halves of her identity." Now that she will forever be asked to hyphenate herself as a "Japanese-American," I want to continue teaching her the good aspects of both sides of that hyphen. How? Why? ...to be continued in another posting.

（英語の方が長いけど。。。今日は大学の勉強は為になった。日本にいる時、娘Lucyの事はたまに「HALF」と呼ばれた。「半分」の意味である単語ので、あんまり好きではなかった。しかし、もと良い言葉は中々思いつくなかった。ある日、熊大の学生が「MONGREL]の言葉を使って、びっくりした。「雑種犬」の意味であるので、電子辞典を見せてもらった。載っている！その日も私は中々「HALF」の変わり使える言葉は考えなくて困ってた。でも、やっと、今日の勉強の中で、最近にアメリカの「HALFかMIX」の若者は自分が「HYBRID」と呼んでいるらしい。「HYBRID」と聞いたら科学的な物みたいけど、格好いいし、言いやすいし、すっきりじゃない？とりあえず、使ってみよ！どう？
また、ここでこの話題が続くかも〜。　アメリカに来ても、Lucyの為にも自分の為にも日本の良いところは頑張って忘れないように。どの言葉で表してもLucyはHalfかHybridかJapanese-Americanと呼ぶなら、出来るだけ半々で育って行きたいな〜。頑張ります！

My first taste of reverse culture shock

Lovin' every minute of the classic Thanksgiving dinner dishes and the leftovers that go with the long, lazy weekend, but not so sure what to do with myself when the rush to go out and shop hit. Could be that I am successfully managing to keep the purse strings held tight until Eiji's visa procedures (including financial checks) go through (Especially with new that my IRAs and mutual funds continue to look bleaker and bleaker). Could be that I am just a scrooge and heartless sister/daughter/mom who keeps convincing our family that we don't need to do Christmas presents. Don't know what it is, but I can't get past the overload of consuming! There is too much to buy and too many easy places to buy it all! Too many things I might/could/shouldn't want to remember what I might actually need. After my friend took me out to see this already long line of midnight camped out die-hard Black Friday shoppers, I have to admit that when I was I found myself in the shoe department of a Department store two days later and the announcement came that the boots marked 60% off in front were only going to be that price for another 15 minutes, I couldn't talk myself out of buying them. Might not take me much longer to re-acclimate myself after all!

久しぶりアメリカのThanksgivingを過ごして。一つのびっくり事あった。Thanksgivingは木曜日で、ほとんどの人はこの４日連休がある。そして、この週末は昔から勇名のChristmas買い物の始まり。金曜日は(どうして分からないけど）「Black Friday」と呼びます。この日の朝５時か７時から３〜４時間の大バーゲンがある。日本の福袋みたいに夜中から並びに行く人がいる。この写真は町の電気屋さんの前です。友達は「見に行こう」と言ったからちょっと近くの店まで見に行った。夜11:30頃で０℃で皆はテントか寝袋を持って並んでいます。待っている高校生に「何を買うつもり」と聞いたら、「分からない。友達と付き合っているだけ。」新聞の広告はすっごい！金曜日の午後はちょっとshopping centerに行ったら、物と人は多い過ぎで、Starbucksの缶コヒーしか買わなかった。次の日はまた違う所に行ったら、「朝のバーゲンは後１５分」と言われたら、目の前の6割引のbootsはどうしても買ってしまいました。だて、もう直ぐ雪は絶対に降るからね。

Photos of the weekend

Lucy playing in the yard with Big K and Little K! Had a refreshing, relaxing, and rehabilitating weekend! Thanks Kim and Yuji! Great Kimuchi Nabe at Tim and Koari's too! Keep your fingers crossed for us that we can be within babysitting/kid-swapping distance within the next year!
週末は友達の家へ。４泊５日！食べて、飲んで、久しぶりのおしゃべり、また食べて、寝て、起きたらまた食べて。。。５日間そればっかりを繰り返して。楽しかった。Lucyはほとんど男の遊びに入って頑張った。パパがいなくて寂しいけど、パパが来たら、また行こうね！

Thanksgiving

I have had a crazy year, so I need to say thanks...











for family near and far
for friends who have helped me laugh and stand tall
for color
for boldness
for today and tomorrows
for days when someone else is cooking!
for the message in songs
for a new president that isn't agonizing to listen to!
for Lucy's quick transition into school
for our decision to NOT do presents@Christmas
for my first Thanksgiving dinner in a LONG time!

今度の木曜日は「感謝の日」今年は色々の大変な事あたので、今は特に「ありがたい」の事はたくさん。
家族の事。。。近くの人と遠くにいる家族
友達の事。。。笑わせて、応援してくれて
色の事
勇気の事
今日と明日の事
他の人の料理を食べる日の事
歌に聞く意味の事
聞きづらくない新しい大統領の事
Lucyは学校に早く慣れた事
久しぶりにThanksgivingのごちその事
感謝してます。

You must always be intoxicated.
That sums it all up: it's the only question. In order not to feel the horrible burden of Time which breaks your back and bends you down to earth, you must be unremittingly intoxicated.
But on what? Wine, poetry, virtue, as you please. But never be sober.
And if it should chance that sometimes, on the steps of a palace, on the green grass of a ditch, in the bleak solitude of our room, you wake up and your intoxication has already diminished or disappeared, ask the wind, the wave, the star, the bird, the clock, ask everything that flees, everything that groans, everything that rolls, everything that sings, everything that speaks, ask them what time it is and the wind, the wave, the star, the bird, the clock, will reply: It's time to be intoxicated!
If you do not wish to be one of the tortured slaves of Time, never be sober; never be sober! Use wine, poetry, or virtue, as you please.
CHARLES-PIERRE BAUDELAIRE

My my space

My food for thought.

Full of energy!

First day of kindergarten...a breeze! What was I worried about? Best part of her day? "We had 4 recesses today!" Ok, I think she's running at normal speed and wavelength! And her choice of toys during our day of shopping the other day? This girly bat and ball. She's a decent little hitter too! Learned it all from High School Musical 2, she says!

小学校の初日？楽勝！「外で４回もあそんだ！」勉強は？「した。」終わり。「明日は何回に外に遊ぶかな〜」

この前は色々なおもちゃを見て、このピンク野球セットを選んだ。打つのは初めてと思うけどCoach Michelleが少しだけを教えたら、上手に出来た！今度はgloveを探さなくちゃ。車庫に私のソフトボールgloveあった。なつかしい！

Had an itch!

For those of you who know one of our passions, retro vintage dishes, you will know how hard it was for me to control my itching to go and check out the local antique and thrift shops in town. After a week, had to do it. Can't wait to serve y'all a meal in our all-retro kitchen, now in the making!
我慢は出来なかった！今日はちょっとFireking探しに行った。手前の皿は珍しい子供用の皿！夢はもっと広くなった！今度の家はfirekingばっかりのkitchenにする。皆は遊びに来る時は美味しい料理を付くてあげるね！

Our new view!

This is the blue sky and amazing view that greeted us this morning. Just as the fog of jet lag is finally wearing off, the sunshine decided to bless us with a beautiful day! We spent a couple more hours at kindergarten this afternoon "adjusting." It is fun for me to be back in an American classroom again too. Its so much fun and and cozy with play areas, story time carpets and endless hugs all day. Lucy has become buddies already with the girl in class who seems to have he wildest imagination. When we explained that we had just moved from Japan, she explained that she had lived in Japan too, and that is why she can speak Spanish. Just listen, she said, "Goochee blah ??#**??" And, what does that mean, I asked. "Only my mother can understand." she explains. "And I have lived in every state! (at the slight age of 5)," and the Skittle candies she slithers out of her pocket are "the daily vitamins my mother gives me every morning." Lets hope Lucy's imagination doesn't grow quite so much!

今朝はこの景色が迎えた。時差ぼけが消えて来たと同時に雨と雲も消えていい天気になった。今日も小学校にちょっと遊びに行った。教室はすっごく居心地いいだ！自由に遊ぶ場所がたくさんで「本読み時間」になったら、先生の前でふわふわのcarpetの上で子供が集まって、本を読む途中に過ぎ過ぎ子供が先生の話を反応する。かわいい！直ぐLucyが友達になった子も面白い！日本から引っ越しましたと説明したら、「私も日本に住んだことある。。。だからスペイン語をしゃべる。」そして、「ぐぐばあ？？＃＃＊＊？？」と言いました。私は「どう意味？」と聞いたら、「私のお母さんしか理解できない」。そして、「本当は全州に住んだことある」。５歳で、すごいね！教室戻ったら、この子はpocketからこっそり飴を出してLucyに「お母さんは毎朝にこのvitaminをくれる。また食べなくちゃ。」怖いかかわいいか分からない！月曜日から本番！

A tiny splurge

Not a great photo, but this was our lil' splurge on our 24 hour jaunt through airports and airplanes from Japan to Montana. Neither Lucy nor I have ever had a manicure, and I thought I would let her get one to kill some time in Seoul. She talked me into joining her, so we got matching spotted nails for much much too much wan, but she was thrilled. Showed every person who came within 5 feet of us for the next 3 days! Now that I am home, crashing in my parent's basement until I get gainful employment, and a bit worried about being in this land of crazy medical costs, Lucy's only splurge for a long bit will be one or two of the long list of over-marketed High School Musical products she has been begging to have...for her birthday next month, maybe!

Also a bit surprised at the excess of paperwork I now how to fill our for job applications...including fingerprinting and the whole works. If only the rain would turn to snow and I could get on some skis. This might cure me of my penny-pinching for a weekend or two!

これは日本からの２４時間の長い旅のプチ贅沢です。時間つぶしと思って、韓国のインチョン空港でLUCYとマニクア。同じ水玉でかわいいでしょう？その後、近くにいった人の皆に喜んで見せた。今から仕事を探さないと生活できなくなる私に、しばらく最後の贅沢かな〜。来月の誕生日ぐらいまでに、ちょっとケチなママになるので。。。でも、今日の冷たい雨は雪に変わってく、スキー場に行けたら、ちょっとケチがなくなるかも。。。

やっと！

Finally we are connected and I can write in Japanese. Next, I have to figure out the photo stuff!
やっと自分のPCがinternetにつなげった！また写真の付け方はちょっと分かりませんですが。。。

アメリカに着いて３日しか立てない。時差ぼけが大変。月曜日から、LUCYは新しい小学校に行き始めるので、どうに頑張ります。
またここでNEWSを教えます！

HELLO FROM MONTANA

Sorry, no photos!
We are in Montana.
Slow computer!
Montana is cold!
There is snow on the mountains.
We are trying to recover from jet lag.
We just eat and sleep.
Lucy will start school on Monday.
Michelle will start looking for work soon.
Lucy keeps noticing how big the people are here.
She is still speaking more Japanese than English.
Grandma is starting to decipher our Japanese.
Miss our Japanese friends.
Miss Eiji dearly!
Pray for a faster internet connection!

寂しいいいいいいい！

最近は送別会が次々にありまして、本当に寂しなりました。久しぶりの友達を会って、色々な事を思い出して、やっぱり日本は深く心に残ります。必ずまた遊びに来ます。そして、皆さんは是非、是非、是非モンタナに遊びに来てください！

My last few weeks have been filled with farewell parties one after the other. Seeing old friends and meeting close friends for the last time, I really am sad to be leaving. Memories of Japan will be with me forever! We promise to come back and visit, and our home in Montana will always be open to friends.

Saying Farewell

With just 3 weeks to go before we leave Japan, it is starting to feel real. We have already had to say last goodbyes or hopeful "See you agains" to several friends. We know we will miss a lot of things, big and little, from this place we now call home. So, the 3 of us all have our own, "must do before we leave Japan" lists. Lucy's first was to eat lots of sushi, mine was to pass some of my treasures on to some of my treasured people here. Eiji's was to take Lucy and I to his childhood stomping ground, Amakusa, so he could show us the places he used to live, play and study. We got permission to go into his old high school and watch students as they practices KYUDO archery. He gave us a full commentary on what it was like when he was in the same practice hall 20 years ago. Many things left to do!

この前は家族３人は栄二が育った町、天草の本渡市、に遊びに行きました。そこで、栄二が遊んだ所、卒業した学校に見に行きました。日本に出る前にしたいな事がいっぱい。LUCYは寿司がたくさん食べたい。Michelleは大事の人とゆっくり話して、『ありがとう』の気持ちを伝えて行きたい。時間が足りるかしら？

Dancing at Lucy's Last Sports Day

Last week was Lucy's Day Care's Sports Day Festival. Different than at home, Sports Day in Japan means that everyone (parents, grandparents, friends, whoever!) is welcome to come and watch the day of races, dancing and games. This year, at her new school, it was incredibly organized and Lucy was all smiles! The last couple years, she suddenly decided she didn't want to run or dance in some events, and pouted on the sidelines instead. So, dancing with her in the "Parent-child Dance" and seeing her trying her best in all the events made me a bit teary eyed. This is one of the many things we will miss about Japan.

UNDOKAI

When we told Lucy that we were moving home to Montana, the only thing she cried about was having to leave her friends. She quickly chose a small box full of toys she wanted to bring, and is fervently encouraging everyone who steps in our house now to buy some of the "unwanted" so she can have money to buy new ones in Montana. We talk excitedly about the new adventure awaiting her...riding on one of the big yellow school buses, treading the snow that awaits, having to teach her new friends how to pronounce her last name! We have all had so many wonderful friends here. I hope we will find a community of equally cool and comforting friends in Montana too.

USA へ

I am crazy busy because, WE ARE MOVING BACK TO MONTANA IN NOVEMBER!!!!!! Can't wait to get in touch with everyone back home, but I have to get everything on this side of the Pacific settled and sent off in the next month. Hope to see you soon!

１１月から、アメリカへ引っ越します！！！！楽しみですけど、こちらの友達との別れはちょっと寂しい。アメリカの新しい生活が始まったら、このblogに写真とNEWSをのせるつもりです。こちらにも連絡してね！

Refilling my energy tank.

In a vacuum of my own creative thoughts, I offer some foods for thought from a movie, radio guest, and Vincent:

Its not how much you love a person, but who you are when you are with that person.

If you believe you are lucky, you will be.

If this life is a losing battle, I want to fight the battle worth winning.


The best way to know God is to love many things.

For my part, I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.

One must work and dare if one really wants to live.

Family Trip

Finally, school is out. I still have loads of papers to check and grades to turn in by the end of the month, but we get to sleep in an extra hour and I can spend the day in my shorts and t-shirt! After camping, our next summer venture was a road trip and stay in Miyazaki with Eiji's family. We rented a car, stopped and played along the way, then relaxed in a cool condo by the beach! The three cousin-kids had a blast, and the adults enjoyed getting a break from housework and cooking!

Puppy love

(Sorry about the fuzzy picture, but the puppy is in his doggy-years terrible twos and wouldn't sit still!) Next adventure was to visit cousin Amanda in Fukuoka last weekend. I was impressed with her new, huge apartment, but Lucy was taken by her new puppy, UNME (which means "Fate"). She was afraid of him at first, but after I threw him on her lap enough times, she realized he as just a living, breathing, licking teddy bear, and all she wanted to do was play with him. On the way home, I asked her if she wanted a puppy like Amanda's, and she said, "No, I don't want one like it, I want HERS! I wish I had been fast and got to the pet shop before her to buy it." We also went to the beach and polished up our suntans. Lucy lost her goggles and swim cap somewhere in a wave of water and sand that caught her by surprise. Great fun! We will try to get back to Amanda's place again before the summer is over!

Next, Karaoke!

Its not very often that Ai-chan lets us take her photo, but for Lucy, she is quite vulnerable, or gullible! We fininshed dinner with friends the other night, but it was still early, so we decided to see if the local karaoke had Lucy's favorite High School Musical songs. They had just one, but she sang it twice!

AAAAAAA!

Most of Lucy's photos at karaoke where in-your-face photos of everyone singing. This was everyone's favorite though, the screen showing lyrics AAAAAAAA!

Lots of tears this week in Kumamoto!

Today, three beautiful English babes left Kumamoto to return to England. Tyler, Sophia and Millie, we already miss you dearly! This past few weeks, I can't count the number of times Lucy and I have been to the house, sometimes to help clear out some of the excess belongings, but mostly to hang out and stock up on the positive energy that fills their house. As we mingled with the countless friends that came to their farewell party this past weekend, I vowed to myself that my own house has to become like theirs...a place where everyone is welcome anytime. On any given Saturday night, there was often a handful of girls over for a pajama party, and their house was always a place where, at the last minute, you could call up and say, "Can I come over?" and you wouldn't expect anything else but, "Of course you can," for an answer. Now, I hope when I email them in England in a couple years and say, "Can we come over and crash on your sofa?" we will get the same answer! Until then, Tyler, we await news of your new adventures and look forward to when we can get a refill of your happy juice!

A great escape!

We managed to escape the heat and paperwork this past weekend. We joined 2 of our friends' families for a weekend camp-out. We drove far enough into the country to feel like we were going camping, but the campground itself so beautiful, well equipped and crowded, that you almost forgot you weren't just out in your own backyard. Each campsite was on plush grass, with a sink and running water at each site, showers and toilets a few minutes walk away, and loads of playground equipment for the kids to play. Had a bit of tent and tool envy as we walked around and saw what elaborate gear everyone else had, but between our 3 families, we had everything we needed. Barbecue, bug spray and beer...it works! Can't wait to go again!

Lucy's Favorite part of "camp"

There were never any waterslides at the campsites my father used to take me to. Maybe just an ice cold lake that he would have to bribe us into getting in. Lucy and the other kids managed to get in this pool 3 times in our 12 hour stay! I don't know all of the hydro-dynamics of it all, but the pool was somehow connected to the nearby river, with cool water (warm in comparison to the Montana mountain lakes) running in. I tested out the slide myself. FUN! (Until they discovered the huge stinging centipede on the side of the pool that is.)

Battling the heat!

There is light at the end of the tunnel! Just one more month of university classes! BUT, what is ahead for this next month and the first couple weeks of summer holiday is countless hours of reading through the endless pile of essays and tests. AND, the heat and humidity keep on rising! Last year, I spent too many hours at different coffee shops reading papers over a cup of coffee ( and one too many sweet cakes!), but I am determined to save some money this year and try to stay home. Home means sweating it out with just a fan and cup after cup of ice tea. I am excited about this present my friend gave me recently that is a huge selection of different herbal teas that can be made hot or iced. Any advice for keeping cool?

Need a New Social Life!

My social network is going through transition at the moment, and I am feeling a bit melancholy. The weekly Tuesday night gathering at our friends YATAI restaurant had its last gathering last week as our friend has decided to close down the shop. It has been such a great place for friends, friends of friends, and their friends to drop in, have a bite to eat or a couple of drinks after work. From week to week, you never knew who would show up, but the conversation had and friendships made were always worth the effort to get their rain or shine ( I think my husband, daughter and I had about a 90% attendance record!). Eventually, the shop master may open up shop somewhere else, or we may try to find a new laid-back watering hole, but no plans are set in motion yet. Then, another of our dear friends, TYLER, will be heading back to England at the end of July, and we will miss her, her lovely girls, and the network of positive people she has introduced us to. Having changed kindergartens and dance schools this past year, we are slowly losing touch with the wonderful gang of parents and teachers from these places too. Yet, I have to keep in better touch...and need to maybe find another network of people to chat and vent with! Good luck to Ito-san and Tyler. We WILL keep in touch!

Happy Birthday Hula Hoops!

Yesterday was Lucy's Tap and Talent Show. Every year, Lucy's tap dance teacher, Tyler, encourages her students to show off some of their other talents and take the spotlight on stage. My 5-year old and four of her other friends decided to show off their recently acquired skill, hula hooping! You wouldn't think it is "Talent Show" material, but alongside the line up of jump-roping, a recorder, violin, and karaoke-style songs, they got an equally enthusiastic round of applause from the audience, if not more because they were just so adorable!!

It just so happens that today's morning paper reported that today was the 50th Anniversary of the Hula Hoop, and that it has become one of the hottest selling toys in Japan this year too, with toy stores having a hard time keeping them in stock!

Again, Thanks to my daughter and the positive people who bless her social sphere, we had another wonderful day being doting parents!

Just playing!

Nothing is better than just playing...and playing it by ear. Today Lucy threw on her bikini under her play clothes, we loaded our bicycles in the trunk of the car, and packed a change of clothes and our bath set (shampoo,soap, toothbrushes and towels) for a dip in the hot spring later, then took off for the Ezuko Lake-side park. We ventured from the south side of the lake, rode our bikes to the edge of the city's zoo and got a peak of the giraffe, ostrich, and deer. Then, we splashed around in the small stream that runs through the park, Lucy dashing her bikini, I dashing my pants-rolled-up ankles. Then, before meeting our friends downtown for dinner, we stopped off at a hot spring/spa for a quick rest and clean up. Sun, sweat, fun, and hardly any money spent! Gotta love these kind of days!

DNA or Life?

A question in my class today was, "Why are bad people bad?" There is yet another scary story on the news these days, of a 25 year old man who went crazy stabbing people in one of the busiest shopping districts of Tokyo yesterday. Why? Most of my students agreed with me today that most people aren't bad by any freakish alignment of DNA, but that all the little bad things that happen in our life pile up on people's shoulders or in their hearts at different rates and weights, and if these aren't balanced off with enough good, then we start to tip over the dark side. To anyone out there who is reading this today, I LOVE YOU JUST FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ MY RAMBLINGS! So, take that in and chalk up one more good, and erase one little bad from your pile of experiences, ok? May the force be with you!

Watching the news made me think. Even though I try to keep scary stories away from Lucy as much as possible, in our home where the television is on 70% of the time (whenever Dad is home), it's impossible to keep her from hearing and seeing much of it. I am afraid she is becoming desensitized by it all. Growing up in a home where the television wasn't on so much, I wonder how she will be different than her half-sheltered mother?

The other thing I noticed, thinking of DNA, was that my daughter has definitely inherited the picky attention to detail that both her father and mother have. We were folding origami last night, and she kept wanting to start over because her corners were not at perfectly sharp as mine! I know in some ways, this gene will help her somewhere down the line, but it will probably drive a few people around her crazy too.

Had a good cry!

It is (YIKES! It was 2:22 when I looked at the computer clock...my most unlucky time) well past midnight but I can't sleep because just finished watching a tear-jerking movie that rattled me so much I am wide-eyed and full of energy. The movie was IN AMERICA. If you haven't seen it, do! Its another movie that puts life in perspective, and tries to give meaning to America's craziness.

I just googled "tear-jerker movies," but didn't like anyone else's lists. Here are a few I remember well:
1. Life is Beautiful
2. Memories if Tomorrow (明日の記憶）
3. Crash
4. My Life
5. I am Sam
6. John Q
7. Joy Luck Club

and, the only book I ever cried reading, Where the Red Fern Grows.
There must be so many more, but now I am am finally tired of thinking and can go to bed!

Eyes Speak

Yesterday, while watching my daughter and a friend play on the city's newest jungle-gym fortress, I was taken aback by how vividly people's eyes revealed their spirits. It has been raining heavily the last couple days, so the play area was a huge maze of puddles and damp grass. One young boy, probably just over a year old, entered the park and made a beeline to the biggest puddle his little eyes could see. Once he carefully submerged his shoes, he proceeded to stomp his feet one at a time with a glimmer of glee bouncing in his eyes, the scale of which was exactly proportionate to the scale of splash he was able to produce. He didn't scream or squeal in delight, just his eyes did. Silently looking on, his mother's eyes cringed at first, until I imagine she noticed the same spark in his eyes, then her eyes softened and a resigned smile emerged. The most striking eyes I noticed, however, were the eyes of an elderly man, probably 65 or 70 years old. He was accompanied by his wife and a young grandson. His body showed his age, but his eyes were dancing with a wild curiosity that is normally lost after a short 5 or 10 years of childhood. He looked at the jungle gym's colorful slides, and was eager to follow his grandson up to the top and then down the long rolling slide. I was almost frightened for him watching his quickened heartbeat flash in his eyes as he came down. My heart felt pity at first, one for the man who had gone full circle in the cycle of life, and secondly for the wife who was now caring for him. Yet, this woman too had a smile similar to the puddle-stomping 1-year old's mother, resigned to living this day as it should be, letting the people she loves do what makes them happy. So, when my daughter insisted on wearing a monstrosity of 15-plus hair pins out to dinner that night, I had to hide my cringe and feed her a bit of praise for her unique fashion inspiration! Later that evening, I shared the story with my husband, imagining this could be us some day, so we should resolve to never argue over trivial things. He first told me not to worry, that his body and mind are stubbornly strong, and that he will gladly change my diapers if I get to that point. He added that maybe our little disagreements have just as much meaning as anything else, reminding us that we are alive and full of spirit. I slept really well.

Yatta!

Travel memories? Here is an old photo that is one of my favorites. Screaming at a gargoyle, elated to be alive! I can't actually remember what cathedral it was taken at...seeing churches in Europe is like touring shrines in Japan...they begin to look a lot alike after a while. I'm guessing its the cathedral in Cologne, Germany. I was traveling by Eurorail alone, but typically hooked up with the first friendly looking English speaking backpackers I came across when I arrived at a new city. Can't remember now who was taking this photo for me. Wonder what they are doing now? I am itching to travel somewhere new again! Just yesterday, I played with the idea of looking for work in South America or Africa. Why not?

Souvenirs

We have been talking about traveling in some of my university classes this week. Inevitably, students always ask me about my own experiences, "What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?"..."What country do you most want to visit and why"...or "What was your most memorable trip?" These stories and memories could take weeks to tell! I have a wonderful curio box that keeps some of my travel trinkets, including these blocks and crumbs of painted concrete.

They are pieces of the Berlin Wall which I helped chisel from the historic wall during one of my most memorable trips. The fall of 1989 I studied in Copenhagen, Denmark, and spent an incredible 5 months studying there and venturing around Europe. (More about this later!)

It wasn't student questions that actually made me dig this pile of concrete out of my curio box. It was a television show a few weeks ago that showed a similar piece of the Berlin Wall (a bit bigger, and still in one piece), being auctioned for ¥40,000 ($400). It made me feel privileged that I had witnessed first hand this amazing turning point in history, and brought back load of memories. Now, I've got a well of memories to fill blog posts for a few weeks!

WHAT IF?

WHAT IF...
I gave you $100 to eat a cockroach?
our imaginings were realized with the snap of our fingers?
You could read people's minds?
men were expected to wear stockings and heels?
scientists proved there was a God?
you were 5 cm tall?
had to eat the same food 3 times every day?
you knew your future?
men made all the rules all the time?
H E L L

What if...
the Hokey Pokey is what it's all about?
I am a genie who can grant you 3 wishes?
you could memorize one book?
you could switch bodies or minds with a person of your choice?
you could be born again in another country?
you could own one company?
you could fly?
children made all the rules?
H E A V E N.

Playing with dirt

I think I could be an addict! Some friends and I went to a friend's pottery studio yesterday. I can't believe how the time flew! I made just 5 bowls, 3 on a simple hand wheel, and two on the electric wheel. What a cool job our friend has! I would love to spend all day creating! When the pots are glazed and fired, I will show them off to you!

THANK YOU DEGUCHI-SAN!

I am nothing...

My
attempt
to
add
on
to
Milton
Kessler's
list:




I am nothing compared to a typhoon's whirls and slaps
I am nothing compared to a taiko drummer's shoulder blades
I am nothing compared to a sleeping child's lashes
I am nothing compared to Magnolia's soundtrack
I am nothing compared to Mother Nature's symmetry
I am nothing compared to my tongue slips
I am nothing compared to Yoda's flips
I am nothing compared to a Copperhead's pride
I am nothing compared to ski tips dancing in fresh powder
I am nothing compared to a student's aha!
I am nothing compared to the pains of childbirth
I am nothing compared to my husband's snaps
I am nothing compared to whispers
I am nothing compared to Joseph Campbell's bliss
I am nothing compared to the schemes of Puck
I am nothing compared to shapely cheeks
I am nothing compared to airport security
I am nothing compared to the clamor of gods
I am nothing compared to possibility