The obvious...

I thank the great powers that be that...

I am growing older, not younger,

I can force myself to stay awake and allow myself to sleep in,

That Montana has 4 seasons, even though they are disproportionate in length,

That my husband and the car mechanic forgive my automotive ignorance as I translate for a tune up,

That ice cream has a tad of calcium and it is too late for coffee to stunt my growth,

That I can play Legos with my daughter and we can create something different every time,

Art gives us an alternative to mass media, and allows us to interpret life instead of having it interpreted for us,

That our life is not defined by any single day,

That I am growing into my own shoes- scuffs, skips, and slippery soles and all,

I am grateful for it all.

あたりまえ。。

感謝したい事。。。

歳をとっている、若くなっているじゃなくて、

遅くまで起きるのは出来る、遅くまで寝るのも出来る、

モンタナは4節ある。。。冬は極端に長いけど、

車の修理で、私は車の事は全く分からないままの通訳を許してくれている旦那と車の修理屋さん、

アイスはちょとCalciumが入っている、そして今の歳でコーヒは自分の成長に関係なくなった、

娘とLEGO blocksと遊ぶ時、毎回違おう事を作れる、

メーデアと違って、美術の事は自分で自分の命を考えさせる、

人生は１日で決めれない、

自分の靴に少しづつ居心地良くなって来てる、汚れも、飛び出しも、すべりやすい裏があっても、

全部ありがたい。

久しぶり

特に用件なしですけど。。。日本の友達へ。。。連絡は少なくてゴメンね！
今日は日本に出てちょうど一年になりました。早かったか長かったか。分からない。ただ色々あった一年でした。今も落ち着いてないけど少しづつアメリカの生活に慣れて来た。何よりも日本の友達に寂しい！日本にいる時に気付てないけど、けっこう格好付けないままで過しまして、楽に楽しかった！友達のおかげだと思う！こちらには同じようなすばらしい友達を作るのは時間かかるかな〜。がんばります！また連絡がんばります！

皆は元気？教えてね！

My Michael Memories

Can't help but be reminiscent about Michael Jackson. My family didn't have cable tv, so the only MTV fix I could get was at a friends house. My mother's generation asks the historical question, "Where were you when you heard the news that JFK was shot?" Just last month, a friend and I were asking our own historic 80's questions of, "What was the first cassette tape you ever owned?" (mine was Billy Joel's Innocent Man), and "When and where did you first see the MJ Thriller video?" It was sixth grade, and I raced with 3 of my friends to KS's house after school to watch MTV's 4:00 showing of the video. Last month, while we were reminiscing, my friend and I showed our kids all our favorite classic videos via YouTube and even watched a How-to-Moonwalk tutorial 3 or 4 times until we all half mastered it.

My most memorable MJ story was getting tickets to go see his Black and White concert at the Fukuoka Dome in Japan in 1993. I joined a group of Japanese friends who waited in line overnight outside a department store to get tickets to the concert. We got tickets very near the stage and had a blast. The Japanese Michael impersonators wandering around the concert hall were also amazing, I remember. Cheers to these memories and the friends who were there with me!

今週のニューズでMIchael Jacksonの死亡を聞いてびっくりした。色な思い出が読みがえた。私の時代はYouTubeではなくって、MTVの時代だた。ウチの両親の時代には「JFKが暗殺した日、何をしたか？』を聞く。一ヶ月前に同じ８０代に育った友達は「初めてMichael JacksonのThriller　videoはいつちとどこで見た？』を聞た。私は小学校６年生の時でした。ある日は学校が終わって、友達の家まで走った帰った。４：００の放送はぎりぎりに間に合って興奮した。この前は友達とそのvideoをYouTubeで子供達にみせて、Moonwalkを教えてくれるvideoも見て練習した。

でも、1番いいMichaelの思い出は福岡ドームでのコンサートです。１９９３年で日本の友達と熊本のDaieiデパートの前に並んで、夜中１２時間を待てってticketを購入した。ステージの真ん前の席で、すごく楽しかった。コンサートの中のMichaelの物まねさんも面白かった。その時一緒に行った友達に感謝！

What a relief!

Great news on my lucky number 17 day! I will finally be gainfully employed! And we will be moving to the gorgeous, quaint community of Bigfork, Montana. We are looking for a house that has space for a few guests...so y'all are welcome!

今日は私のラーキーナンバー１７の日でイイ知らせあった。仕事が決めた！９月から小学校の３年生の先生になります。引っ越しになりますけど、可愛い景色が最高な町に住み始まります。お客さんが泊まりに来れる家を探すね。ホッとした。

Sanity...got any to spare? Or need some extra?

Mark, George and Henry say:

Sanity and happiness are an impossible combination.


Sanity is madness put to good uses.

No man is sane who does not know how to be insane on proper occasions.

このネコちゃんは近所のガーラジーセールで見つけた。何か日本に似ている物があた。リオンか牛の似た者があるね。これも日本製みたい。日本はこれ風な人形の名前は誰かしている？気に入りになるかも。仕事のニューズがないので、なかなか話題は出てこないので、モノから話題になっちゃう。

上の英語は訳す出来ないけど。。。ストレスは何だ．．．いいもんか悪もんか？

Bittersweet

I received email yesterday saying that I would get official news today about whether I got the job I interviewed for last week or not. I had told my family that I wanted to celebrate or soak my sorrows with chocolate and wine tonight after I heard the news. Both my husband and father took heed and separately picked up a supermarket cake and bottle of red wine, and the fixings for a full steak dinner. I didn't get the news I wanted, and am still jobless, but will rest well after all this wine!

先週は学校の先生の面接を受けた。今日で決定を発表をすると聞いたから、昨日の夕ご飯を食べた時、「決めて、決めなくても明日はチョコを食べて、赤ウィンを飲みたいな〜」と言った。それを聞いた旦那もお父さんも、今朝からスーパーに別々に行って買ってくれた。バイトから帰ったら、大きいケーキを２つ、ワイン２本と分厚いステーキがありました。残念ですが、仕事は決めなかった。また探せなくちゃ。けど、今日のウィンのおかげで絶対ゆっくり寝られるな〜。　（ちょっと嫌みが入っている）カンパイ！

ドキドキワクワク

今から栄二を迎えに行きます。後で空港の写真を載せるね。

Finally!

Eiji will be here tomorrow! Finally our 6 months apart is done. Safe travels, Eiji!




明日は栄二が来ます！６ヶ月ぶりになる。気を付けて来てね。

Pooh to You!

Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be know.

Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.

Even Winnie the Pooh knows change is good. Change is good. Amen.



くまのプーさんの言葉２つです。日本語の訳は下手かもけど。。。

「たまに橋の一番下の横木で立って、下を見て、ゆっくり流れって行っている川を見たら、思いがけなく全ての事が分かって来る。」

「川はこの事をしっている：急がなくていい。そのうちに着くんだから。」

くまのプーさんも分かっている。変化がいい。変動あった方がいい。そう信じます。

Got Green and Pink Thumbs

Some of the commercial and church holidays I choose to avoid these days, but dyeing eggs is just too much fun! We tried to be neat, but both Lucy and I have pink, green, and blue stained fingers that will likely last through the weekend.

どう？かわいいでしょう？教会の祭り（キリストの復活際イースター）の習慣です。ゆで卵を食紅と酢で色を付ける。自分の子供頃で大好きだたから、なつかしかった。

Yatta!

Can't wait for you to be here, Daddy! Took this shot myself! Whatcha think?

Thinking positive thoughts!

Trying not to get too stressed thinking about Eiji's interview at the embassy today, Mother Nature made it easier. We spent most of the day doing Spring Cleaning in the garage and garden...and found signs of new life in the flower beds. Now, I am sitting and waiting for Eiji to email me or call me and say, "I'm good to go!"

金曜日から栄二が東京にいます。金曜日は東京の病院で健康診断と今日（月曜日）は大使館で最後の面接です。うまく行くなら、今日でアメリカに来てOK が出ます。今は連絡待ちです。一日は緊張しないように、「春の大掃除」をしてgarage(車庫)と庭の整理しました。先週の寒さはさっそく暖かくなって気持ちいい晴れた日になった。庭に小さいかわいい花を発見！今日の連絡も嬉しいnewsになるように。

Got our fingers crossed!

Today, Eiji left to for Tokyo to do the last two steps of his immigration procedures. First step, a physical and series of shots. The embassy has only a handful of "approved" hospitals where you can go to get an official physical. All these "approved" hospitals are at least an airplane flight away, and cost about $500 plus fees for any extra shots he needs. It doesn't help that he lost his childhood immunization records, so he had to get blood work done to see what vaccines are still in his system. We're guessing that the hospital bit will go smoothly on Friday, then he can play a bit in Tokyo on Saturday and Sunday, then go to the final interview and document presentation at the American Embassy Monday morning. He will turn in medical documents, police paperwork proving he hasn't committed any heinous crimes, and paperwork about our financial assets. If all goes well, he will finally get the OK to come! Got our fingers crossed!

Punk Party Girl

Punked up for a rock and roll birthday party today.

Oh, I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair!

今日Lucyの友達の誕生会。アメリダでは良くテーマの誕生会をする。今日はROCK STARのテーマのパーティので、この風になりました。

How do you catch Larry, and land a job?

With a kindergardener in the house, our imagination is always challenged. My six year old likes to pretend, and we can often be caught "playing" shop, playing day care, playing fashion show, playing school....etc. It gets tiring, but it does keep her imagination alive and vocabulary expanding. Teaching all the folklore and (sometimes commercial or borderline religious) stories in school doesn't/does help. We have spent the past week hearing the tales of mischievous Larry Leprechaun, who is apparently raiding their classroom during recesses to look for gold. So, our homework for the weekend is to make a trap for L.L. First of all, how big is a lerechaun? Lucy says, the size of a potato !?!? Help! How do you catch a spud-size tricky gold-hunter?

While I am seeking advice, I am also actively seeking job interview advice. In Japan, sincerely, resumes and interviews were formalities secondary to connections. So, who I knew, and who could get me the "in" to a school or organization was all that mattered much. Now, I am sweating the details of resumes and interviews, not knowing exactly what to expect. Any advice? What interview questions would you throw at a prospective teacher?

今週はLucyの学校でSt.Patrick's Day (3月17日）を学んでいる。元々アイルランドのChristianの伝説で、金を探している妖精みたいな小人が人間のいたずらをする伝説。学校で子供が昼休みに行っている間、この小人(名前はLarryらしい）が教室にいたずらをしに来ているらしい。だから、週末の宿題はLarry君のワナを作れないといけない。どのぐらい小さいと聞いたら、「じゃがいもぐらい」って。どのワナを作ればいい？皆さんはadviceがあるなら、教えてね。

Adviceと言えば、仕事探しadviceも欲しい。日本にいる時、私が運が良くて、ほとんどの仕事は人の紹介でゲットした。今は履歴書と面接の準備であせっている。こちらでコネが少ない私でどうやてアピールすればいい？Adviceがあるなら、どうもよろしくオネガイシマス。

Are you feeling fatigued too?

I have casually added these terms in conversation lately, and so wondered, to my hundreds of followers, are you suffering from one or more of the following PC ailments:


1. compassion fatigue
2. passion fatigue
3. fashion fatigue

From day to day, I suffer from a combination of the three.

Seriously...

Do people really care about Brad and Jenny? This stumps me every time I go through the check out at the grocery store!

Nostalgic, but not quite right

なつかしい、けど何か違う。
Lucy and I went into Missoula for some shopping, and decided to try out the Japanese-Korean restaurant that was so highly recommended to us by several people. On the restaurant 5-star scale, I gave it 3 stars, Lucy 2, and I would venture to say Eiji would have trouble giving it 1. Here is our critique:
1. The rice. Japan has made me a bit of a rice snob, and after just one bite, Lucy said "this rice is too mushy and has too much sour (vinegar)." I agreed, precisely.

2. The sushi. Again, we were spoiled in Japan. Even the sushi at our favorite Dollar Sushi Bar in Japan was twice the size of these $5 sushi. Lucy was happy to have Maguro (tuna), and happy that they automatically serve the wasabi on the side here.

3. Tempura. Yummy, we both agreed...except that Lucy preferred Japanese veggies over peppers, carrots and zucchini.

4. Pot stickers. Yummy!

5. Miso soup. Too thin.

6. Salad. This is where we most disagreed. They had an amazing cucumber-fruit salad with sweet and sour sauce that I could have eaten three servings of. Lucy, and her father surely would agree, didn't like fruit interrupting her veggies.

7. Restaurant ambiance. Decor was simple and cool, and at 6:30 on a Friday evening, the place was packed. We were disappointed to learn, however, that this Korean-Japanese restaurant's main chef was neither Japanese nor Korean, but Philipino.

8. Price. Worth it for the nostalgia, but too pricey to justify not making it ourselves the way we like it.

金曜日の夜だから、昨日は近くの「大きい町」に買い物と食事に出かけた。何人がすすめた日本＋韓国レストランに行ってきました。レストランの5星ランキングで、私は３星、Lucyは２星。栄二はまたいないけど、本人がいたら１星しか与えないだろ。この８点で評価をつけた。
１番：米。日本に住むとお米の事がうるさくなる。Lucyは一口を食べたら、すぐ「ごはんは水ぽいとすっぱい物（酢）は入れ好ぎ」。あたり！私もそう思った。

２番：寿司：Lucyは久しぶりマグロを食べて大喜び。でも100円回転寿しより、この＄５寿司はちょど半分ぐらいな大きさ。Lucyが喜んだのはこちらで最初からワサビは中ではなくて、横に付けっています。

３番：天ぷら：美味しかった。しかしLucyは日本の野菜ではなくてピマンとズキニの天ぷらは嫌だたみたい。

４番：餃子：美味しかった！

５番：みそ汁：薄かった。

６番：サラダ：私は大好きだた。キュリとフルーツサラダでした。甘酢パイのソースが付いてお美味しかった。でもLucyはダメだた。栄二もたぶん食べられないと思う。野菜か肉にフルーツを付けて好きじゃないから。

７番：レストランの雰囲気：レストランのインテリアはシンプルと格好いい。金曜の夜で６：３０頃ですぐ満席になった。私たちはカウンターで座って、料理人は近くに見えた。メインの料理人だけはアジア人で「日本／韓国のレストラン」ので、どちの国から来たと思って、最後に聞きました。日本人ではなくて、韓国人ではなくて、フィリピン人でした。

８番：値段：なつかしいから、まあいいか。でも、自分で自分が好きな風に作れるのに高かったな〜。

また買っちゃた。

Visited Helena this weekend, the town I did some really fun, and really stupid things. Going over McDonald pass, my head was spinning with flashbacks. I think I WOULD actually go back to that part of my life.

週末は久しぶりHelena市に行きました。大学時代はそこで４年間を過しました。町に入った瞬間に色な思い出が頭に出て来た。なつかしい！また２０歳だたら楽しいな〜。
今日はリサイクル店とAntique店に行った。これは気に入りはこの物だった。日本製みたい。かわいいでしょう？

ほかはblueの物が多かった。安く見つけたワクワクします！

Lucy's class on Valentine's Day. Can you find her?

Valentineの日。Lucyのクラスです。皆かわいいいいい！

Valentines

I actually am taking the day off to go to a kindergarten Valentine's party today. Ya, I'm not sure that makes sense either... I'll report back later about any inspiration found there.

Being away from Eiji My Love (which is how I've typed him into all my email and phone address books...), and watching my daughter get excited about delivering her High School Musical Valentines (now with little temporary tattoos attached!?!?), I was trying to remember any super exciting Valentines Days I've had. Yesterday at the drug store, looking for printer ink, I also saw a sweet row of 4 men searching through Valentine cards. I will make a Montana-fashion-biased guess that 3 of them were farmers/ranchers and the other a banker. Eiji-M-L doesn't get very excited about gifts or mushy cards, so after one attempt at a Valentine's Day scavenger hunt that produced no big fireworks one year, we usually settle for sharing chocolates and red wine (which we do on non-occasions regularly too BTW.) Not complaining...but a tad jealous and missing EML (which will be remedied with the usual choco-wine trick).

栄二へHAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY. XXOO

I've heard too many sad stories from real people around me lately. These honestly are scary times for many of us. I cling to the hope that rings from every tick of the clock. Time shall be the test.

最近は悲しい話はたくさん聞いている。今は本当に色な人に大変な時期だね。私も時計の音に聞こえる希望を期待している。時間は答えになる。

I Touched Her Today!

I woke up having dreamt of her, super-sized and fluorescent green. So, when I saw her again this morning, I drew up the courage and touched her. It wasn't so bad after all...and I think I will grow to like her.

See below!

夜の夢の中出て来た。大きいくてまぶしい緑色ではっきり覚えている。だから、朝から触ってみた。恐がり気持ちを押さえて触った。そうなに悪くなかった。好きになるかも。

。。。次の見て。

Meeting the creatures of 5th grade Science

I've been playing science teacher all week. The kids are great, but I keep getting wigged out every time I turn around and am greeted by creatures big and small, dead and alive. Meet the biggest of the live creatures, Peaches. You can only see a bit of her here, but when she stretches across her cage, from head to tail she is a yard long. The kids pet and play with her, and she apparently usually gets a walk around the hall most days. She stays in the cage on my watch!
今週は５年生の理科教室にバイトしています。先生の代わりに４日間は授業しています。学生は良い子ばっかりで楽けどボウットしている時、びっくりしています。小さい物、大きい物、生きている物、死んでいる物はあちこちにあります。この子は一番大きい生き物。名前なPeaches /モモちゃん。頭から尻尾までは１メートルあります。学生は触ったりえさを与えたりします。普通は廊下で散歩もしているみたい。ごめんね,Peachesちゃん、私がいる間は散歩なし。

More classroom ambiance

Skulls of every shape and size fill every nook and cranny of the shelves and counter space. この教室は 何でもかんでもの骸骨があちこちに飾ってあります。

More creatures.

One of the smaller, foot-long creatures. もう一個／ 一匹／一頭？この子なただの３０cmくらい。

What I like/ What I miss

I've been back in the states almost 2 months now. I wish I could say that time flies, but it has been a terribly long two months. Friends who have made the same move have asked me if I am experiencing reverse culture shock yet, but I honestly can't tell. I am happy with where I am, physically and mentally, but a little anxious to taking the next jump forward into a full time job, house hunting and decorating, and time alone with my my husband and daughter. And leave my laid-back part time work, my parasitic living conditions that include free babysitting, and have to get dressed up for an evening out on the town? Maybe the reverse culture shock has hit me harder than I thought!

Today my parents asked me if I am missing anything in Japan besides my husband. I have 4 big ones: food, friends, the absence of talk about religion, and the anonymity of the city. What I like about being here: family, food, my daughter's enthusiasm for school, the energy of young people, and the local public library.

アメリカに来てそろそろ２ヶ月になります.　早かったと言いたいですが、そうではない。長かった。旦那は４月に来る予定と思えば、ただ半分ぐらい。海外に長く住んだ事ある人はたまに聞きます「逆CULTURE SHOCKになった？」。。。分からない。今はこの場所にいる事、そしてこの生活変化を決めた事は嬉しい。でも次に待っている事。。。仕事探し、家探し、家族３人でゆっくり出来る事。楽しみけどちょっと不安もあるな。だて、今はチョウ楽なバイトしてうるし、Parasite Singleではないけど両親のParasiteになっていると言えるかも、そして娘のタダの子守りもある。逆CULTURE SHOCKはまだ今後に待っているかもね。

今日は両親が「What do you miss about Japan」を聞いた。旦那いがいには４つの事ある：１）友達　２）食べ物　３）宗教の話は出ない会話　４）大きい町の匿名性。　今アメリカの好きなところ：１）家族　２）食べ物　３）勉強は熱心になた娘の姿　４）若者の元気さ４）図書館。

Lucy's first play date

Ice skating at Glacier Rink. After this first attempt, her friend is going to be out-skating Lucy after a few more tries. Little Miss Competitive is already in a huffy! 初めて友達を誘ってICE SKATINGしに行きました。友達は初めてだたのに、後一回ぐらいLucyより上手になりそう。負けづらいLucyにちっと大変だ。SMILE!

What I taught my daughter about today

Last night, instead of our daily prayer before bed, I talked to Lucy about Martin Luther King and the new President Obama. I just happened to by substituting in Lucy's kindergarten classroom yesterday, and had to try and make Martin Luther King's message real to 5 and 6 year olds. After reading a book about his life story, we talked about what ifs. For example, what if only girls could drink from the drinking fountain, what if only kids with blue eyes could ride on the swings on the playground, what if only kids who have a certain skin color can come to school...etc. That wouldn't be fair would it? When I talked to Lucy last night before bed, I tried to explain to her why I am so happy about the new president. To me, and to us as a family, I think that President Obama represents the realization that really everything is possible, for everyone who embraces America's true spirit. When I walked through the immigration lines at the Seattle airport this November, I remember being impressed at the stark diversity, almost identical, in both the "U.S. residents" and "Visitors" lines. Many nations' people cannot say the same, but I know that my own Japanese husband will be granted the same rights, privileges and opportunities as everyone else in this country. I told Lucy that 60 years ago, Japan and America weren't the best of "friends" and actually did some really bad things to each other in the form of bombings and fighting. Our world today really is so much more peaceful and fair, so we are lucky and should be thankful. Watching the festivities today, the thought that brought me to tears was the pure optimism that we are once again on the right track to restoring faith in the American Dream and America's proper place in the world. It gives me great comfort to tell my daughter that she really can be all she wants to be. I don't know how much weight my prayers carry these days, but I do hope with all my heart that the new president will given the chance to put some of his lofty dreams to work.

毎日は寝る前にLucyちゃんと簡単なお祈りします。昨日はMartin Luther King牧師の記念日と今日はObama大統領の就任式のでLucyにこの日の大切さを説明をしたかった。偶然に昨日はLucyの教室に行って、担任の先生の代わりに授業をしました。King牧師について話しないといけないところで、どうやって５〜６歳の子に説明すれば良いと思って。学校は簡単な絵本を用意してあった。読み終わったら、話した。女の子だけは昼食をたべらると言われたらどう？青目の子だけは運動場のブランコで遊べるなら？この色の顔色の人だけが学校に行けるなら？平等じゃないね。LucyにObamaが大統領になって嬉しい理由も教えたかった。私にとってObamaの勝利はアメリカの可能性を現している。本当にこの国にAmerican Spiritを信じるなら、誰でもに何でも出来る。11月はSeattle空港の入国の列に待っていた時、『アメリカ居住者』の列と「visitor/訪問客」の列は明らかに似ている。そっくり。この国こそ、私の日本国籍である旦那はここに来ると皆と同じ権利と可能性がある。Lucyに歴史も教えた。ただ６０年前にアメリカと日本は「友達」じゃなくて、お互いに悪いことした。戦争があて差別もあた時代を超えて、今は本当にもと平和な平等な時代で感謝します。今日の式をみて涙が浮かべた。なぜなれば、久しぶり楽天的になって、アメリカはもう一同に正しい道を向かって、American Dreamと世界の役割はまた意味があると感じます。娘に「自分の将来には何でも出来るよ」は安心に言える。私の祈りは力がないかもけど、Obama大統領は自分の夢をがかなうように祈ってます。

Cheers to Obama

My father, who often brings home found treasures from his daily walks, picked up this Inauguration 2009 bottle opener yesterday. Its noon, but I toast to this moment.

Proud to be American again more than ever

Let freedom ring ...

What a beautiful, colorful, country we live in...

The pomp and circumstance never felt so fitting

Planted in front of the tv

A school just called to see if I would come in at the last minute today. SORRY! I am planted in front of the television watching the inauguration, and not moving, thank you.

TGIF

Thank God It's Finished! I can't believe that the Bush administration will finally be booted out! What a happy thought! I've got everything riding on the hope that Obama will prove a lot of us right, and a lot of others wrong.

あと２日！もうすぐBushは追い出せる！嬉しい！

Working, sort of...

I got called into work last week. Finally! Trying to get my feet wet in the schools here, so I have myself on the list to substitute in the 4 school districts near our house. Kindergarten and junior high school so far. Same mentality, different age and height. I probably am guilty of letting the kids talk more than they should in the classroom, but I enjoy listening to their chatter. Such a change from Japan. Think I would like to teach in the junior high, so now I have to brush up on the adolescent lingo. Nonetheless, it will be nice to have a few pennies coming in.

やっと仕事あった。まだバイトですけど、久しぶりに学校の教室に入って面白い。今までは一年生と中学校しか行ってない。一年生と中学生は変わらない。年と身長は違うだけ。教室のなかで、おしゃべりは許し過ぎかもけど、若者のおしゃべりを聞いて面白！日本と違う。またまた仕事が入るなら嬉しい。

久しぶりの雪

Happy New Year 2009 in Kalispell. I don't remember seeing so much snow since I was a young kid.
写真は良くないけど、これは１月２日の朝。友達の家を泊まった時。朝から、友達が「ちょっと買い物に行く」と言った時、外を見たらびっくりした。「ちょっと待て。車庫から、出れないかも。」たしかそうだた。２時間かけて、３人でシャベルINGして,やっと車庫から道まで車を出せた。久しぶりこの雪。やっぱすごい！

Gotta Glove!

Lucy hasn't quite figured it out yet, but when we shop, if she can find something that I think might actually lead to some sincere physical or mind activity, I'm pretty willing to dish out a few bucks. Books are my greatest weakness, and Lucy's collection of books can attest to that. Luckily we have made the library here our new favorite hangout in town, so a few pennies saved there. Over the holidays, while we were looking for ice skates (NOT a cheap venture), we stumbled upon baseball gloves, left-over lefties, lucky us. Since we have been hitting the nerf ball around the garage a bit, I had her try one on to get a feel for it. "Cool, it fits perfect, can I buy it?" Mitts must be pretty pricey too, I expected, but when the sales price read $4.99, why sure! Now we just have to find a way to teach her to stop throwing like a girl!

Lucyはある程度は分かっている。私は基本にはおもちゃが買わない。買ったら、一週間であきるから。でも体か頭を使う者ならちょっと考える。特に本を買ってしまう。Lucyは本は持って過ぎぐらい。今は町の図書館が大好きになったから、良く行きます。節約だ。年末前にice skateを探しに行った時、野球のgloveを見つけた。ちょどLucyのサイズの左利き用のあった。最近はちょっと野球に興味があるみたいから「入って見て」と言った。「ちょうどいい。欲しい」と言われて。失敗したと思って。高いだろ。しかし、値段を見たら、時期はずれのセールで、＄５（５００円！）で。『今日は特別でいいよ」。。。ただ。。めちゃめちゃballを投げるのはヘタピ！パパは早く教えに来てね！

So much snow!

This was what the roads looked like when we hit the road to go visit our friends. 出かけに道の風景！

ちび紅白

大晦日は日本の友達の家でPARTYをして。懐かしいので、この小さいテレビで日本の紅白をみた！

Snow bunnies

Lucy and her friend, braving the cold to take a dip in the outdoor hot tub! 大晦日のPartyで、外は寒いなのに、Lucyと友達は水着で外のjacuzziに入った。