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!