tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-241013192024-03-07T17:36:53.155+09:00Ichigo AdventuresMy strawberry-scented life here in Japan.Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-19364010755902115162010-08-08T19:06:00.003+09:002010-08-08T21:37:40.032+09:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdLWT5Lw943XrYeKspII2NQgamMxVUEzueSumYxym8lp-dnzMn7tLOUkSQ-K-yBqDequq5FYIxqQA-15qy0fmtsfbT9JjCEg3_dWXGAy_OOSBwFTbL_QhfiZ4HNwRFIkQRZEppA/s1600/DSCN9027.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 229px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdLWT5Lw943XrYeKspII2NQgamMxVUEzueSumYxym8lp-dnzMn7tLOUkSQ-K-yBqDequq5FYIxqQA-15qy0fmtsfbT9JjCEg3_dWXGAy_OOSBwFTbL_QhfiZ4HNwRFIkQRZEppA/s320/DSCN9027.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503014889382523282" /></a><br />Ready for her debut!<br /><br />I'm less than two weeks from my due date, but I have reason to believe that my baby girl will make her debut a bit early! My midwives and a very talented reflexologist all think that she will arrive before her due date. <br />Knowing that I'll officially be a mother this week or next is an exciting, overwhelming, unbelievable position to be in. I am so thrilled to know that I'll soon meet my little girl.<br />I've worked really hard to stay healthy and to prepare for my birthing time. I've overcome all the obstacles that tried to get in my way during this pregnancy. And now, I am right on track to have a water birth at a midwife-run birth center in Tokyo using hypnosis during the birth. <br />Alright, baby, I'm ready for your debut!Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-63051303384457209112010-04-25T22:43:00.002+09:002010-04-25T22:49:34.779+09:00<center><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Baby, oh, baby!</span><br /><br />I have been quite the neglectful blogger for the past 6-8 months...<br />The weddings in the US went well, but they left me drained and exhausted. <br />And then...<br />I got pregnant! The baby is due at the end of August, and we are so excited! It's been a roller coaster ride so far, but I am officially past the half way point! <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIm6HG56xMtj0uEcW2YjEVz7ree9uLAkN-rpE4VMG-tzZL_RgMC77PEwusSw3UEODbY4GeBd4p5v9lPZ5GeF4G0suFE_cLFPPSsSNPHhDVVNuCX-dNh_AtvfztfDotLL7jjBSi6A/s1600/DSCN8901.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIm6HG56xMtj0uEcW2YjEVz7ree9uLAkN-rpE4VMG-tzZL_RgMC77PEwusSw3UEODbY4GeBd4p5v9lPZ5GeF4G0suFE_cLFPPSsSNPHhDVVNuCX-dNh_AtvfztfDotLL7jjBSi6A/s320/DSCN8901.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464071522342005058" /></a></center>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-51472780027083254142009-07-18T00:25:00.003+09:002009-07-18T00:31:39.684+09:00I am so tired of wedding planning.<br />I thought I might be one of the people who post online and share all their great wedding planning tips, but I am not. I am one of those people who feels like they're drowning in a sea of details and wants it all to be over already!<br />Thank God for my wedding all-star team a.k.a. my mom and my friend Genevieve.<br />They're doing so many things that I can't, because I'm half a world away. <br />And soon, Stan and I will have our wedding, our reception, and then fly to California for another reception. Soon. Very soon. Then I can relax. Maybe!?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QGrL_OKD5DZOiinkxVt5mOLJ1w1YBgg54poGjPNK_auwZqPvSSPcEs0a2DJFGN6sDWg-hiWMY9pKFM0aEKeUWQ9dFFixQvfSXG0pccqnZR77Ph2XS5QWztKqy4oiZROVrWnxWw/s1600-h/DSCN0001_3.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 317px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QGrL_OKD5DZOiinkxVt5mOLJ1w1YBgg54poGjPNK_auwZqPvSSPcEs0a2DJFGN6sDWg-hiWMY9pKFM0aEKeUWQ9dFFixQvfSXG0pccqnZR77Ph2XS5QWztKqy4oiZROVrWnxWw/s320/DSCN0001_3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359451437319005298" /></a>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-77392244090491438322009-04-15T00:17:00.007+09:002009-04-25T23:53:45.826+09:00Ok, so I have a sinus infection and I should be sleeping, as it's currently 12:17am in Tokyo, but...<br />I'm getting married! For real! It's all coming together and my mind is spinning.<br /><br />My family situation is complicated, to put it mildly, so it's looking like we have to hold 2 ceremonies and 2 reception/parties- one for mom's side and one for dad's side. And at first that made me want to curl up in a ball and cry, but I'm warming up to the idea now, and realizing that it could be LESS stressful this way. <br /><br />Oh, and I forgot to mention. There's also going to be a big, Chinese dinner with Stan's family in California. OMG. This is getting complicated.<br /><br /><center>Stan and I live in Japan. <br />Our families live in the US. <br />We are going to make this all happen in just under 4 months. <br />O, my.</center><br /><br />This is one of those "It takes a village" situations. And by a village, I really mean, a lot of help from moms, aunties, and assorted other friends and family members!<br /><br />Wish us luck. I think we're going to need it!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguE4XGLarm1q43U9ZQPLKzC5IoJhXdd5nl4UyI0QZ6mbNM1ESyw4pj308zO30gq6KuuDxPs9228Xo9wihVEv9tSReX2buyjq4-XcTgGRTuH4-OGUdyv3-K0YMbMn1M5RVizQjA2w/s1600-h/DSCN8097.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguE4XGLarm1q43U9ZQPLKzC5IoJhXdd5nl4UyI0QZ6mbNM1ESyw4pj308zO30gq6KuuDxPs9228Xo9wihVEv9tSReX2buyjq4-XcTgGRTuH4-OGUdyv3-K0YMbMn1M5RVizQjA2w/s320/DSCN8097.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324568339941064066" /></a>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-63823946115068494352009-04-09T22:35:00.007+09:002009-04-09T22:56:14.282+09:00Cherry Blossoms are everywhere! But the petals are already falling; creating pale, pink snowflakes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6Q-LTf5_mOOWtG-DOUY7l9JFRMidLW19y7_4HRPGtEMseolN9_uT0vixbUNbyRnc1ElHNmXM9j_RDCkRE_ojXejcTk5jHVa3By6_uVt18Znt2aOU_yReUss8ZVjxzjD0v7Gkyg/s1600-h/DSCN8184.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6Q-LTf5_mOOWtG-DOUY7l9JFRMidLW19y7_4HRPGtEMseolN9_uT0vixbUNbyRnc1ElHNmXM9j_RDCkRE_ojXejcTk5jHVa3By6_uVt18Znt2aOU_yReUss8ZVjxzjD0v7Gkyg/s400/DSCN8184.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322687526555083522" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bi2tvcWYwlkvILYUCGetLgaGFOaNVyu_5Xg2MKRTMiObaNuG79Vgk_tZ2qYlhW2rYUM4f737fs1hfkESFBqWbIipmZe6x8nweobPTjd1a0dLZwZuJzTT4RDaE4PbAlaOB9M1bw/s1600-h/DSCN8200.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bi2tvcWYwlkvILYUCGetLgaGFOaNVyu_5Xg2MKRTMiObaNuG79Vgk_tZ2qYlhW2rYUM4f737fs1hfkESFBqWbIipmZe6x8nweobPTjd1a0dLZwZuJzTT4RDaE4PbAlaOB9M1bw/s400/DSCN8200.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322686906538037778" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJUx7GbJdmfRnXCslztztVxHwo0o02Rkmzp2BZq3QNn4akcAWcayXsPgod9AdxtG5nSe7Ql4P2c5K2760ekFAj_Qnfui3guATHqCi1fWA8WXi52O_uf-q-4oQkOGN5KhI5PxNVg/s1600-h/DSCN8199.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJUx7GbJdmfRnXCslztztVxHwo0o02Rkmzp2BZq3QNn4akcAWcayXsPgod9AdxtG5nSe7Ql4P2c5K2760ekFAj_Qnfui3guATHqCi1fWA8WXi52O_uf-q-4oQkOGN5KhI5PxNVg/s400/DSCN8199.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322686704479860754" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QCsqlQavs4l7szF2NGCIuK3ZTDNb67oR_JsWXpFetBaqB7vLgsZeN_UwSBEN28MLRnIevQZzGkonNMnUUBAmvaXkaE_701lZLOVzQRAujMykCuPGaC6hi9ascjHnVu10vf1Y_A/s1600-h/DSCN8187.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QCsqlQavs4l7szF2NGCIuK3ZTDNb67oR_JsWXpFetBaqB7vLgsZeN_UwSBEN28MLRnIevQZzGkonNMnUUBAmvaXkaE_701lZLOVzQRAujMykCuPGaC6hi9ascjHnVu10vf1Y_A/s400/DSCN8187.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322685194493759938" /></a><br /><br /><center>And finally, tiny hands collecting petals...</center><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjByT5UaKmJ1Zp3RAtdK20fVXtHt3NeYqlBq8EBHGuSWc1d2R3YGjCO8JDXuLFxK5chCgRP5grMp5bbUkmFNgjmmwwEtAkPVT5CA-pftfjtltz9uLu7VH7z1Ox2rwXfsZ4tPS8Mow/s1600-h/DSCN8195.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjByT5UaKmJ1Zp3RAtdK20fVXtHt3NeYqlBq8EBHGuSWc1d2R3YGjCO8JDXuLFxK5chCgRP5grMp5bbUkmFNgjmmwwEtAkPVT5CA-pftfjtltz9uLu7VH7z1Ox2rwXfsZ4tPS8Mow/s400/DSCN8195.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322686418987354290" /></a>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-47845419778763204822009-02-27T19:21:00.003+09:002009-02-27T19:41:54.804+09:00<center><span style="font-weight:bold;">A Cold, Snowy Day in Tokyo!</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidNG0WobAbuvLYr0684fLKg6rvS8oNaiPJSmq8xR_I-YS2ZYn_aUDD9ZXkl-xlc6-GCJDzJVS0bxEXy82WGfqYhfF-OzgaY1APgI5xsyrAYpnyssVKX7UOsxf1tWhDpGonuXuUNg/s1600-h/20090227123223.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 222px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidNG0WobAbuvLYr0684fLKg6rvS8oNaiPJSmq8xR_I-YS2ZYn_aUDD9ZXkl-xlc6-GCJDzJVS0bxEXy82WGfqYhfF-OzgaY1APgI5xsyrAYpnyssVKX7UOsxf1tWhDpGonuXuUNg/s400/20090227123223.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307421938307506450" /></a><br /><br />It snowed in Tokyo today!<br />This may not seem like big new, but we don't get much snow in the city.<br />The snow didn't really stick, but it was coming down in big, fat flakes for awhile. The kids at my school didn't believe that it was snow at first. They were all claiming it was rain. When the flakes got big and white enough for them to believe it was snow, they started talking about making snowmen. I felt bad, because I knew that their three year old dreams of making a snowman in Tokyo were not going to come true!<br /><br />In the afternoon, I suggested that Santa might come back since it was snowing. My students thought that that seemed totally plausible. Sometimes teacher humor doesn't compute with kids. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hKfzntnEEnBED61xfsvJO1L0let9WvJoARGtS_nsumGNAb-Rs4Ekj1PFNhtjl-d0chVrWmrPSCiCFoDZwUb9VSNUH86oIaC3ePtuYUGfv7Y77wzLeXgcN-EIiCywrMxN4b3RYA/s1600-h/20090227123200.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 222px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hKfzntnEEnBED61xfsvJO1L0let9WvJoARGtS_nsumGNAb-Rs4Ekj1PFNhtjl-d0chVrWmrPSCiCFoDZwUb9VSNUH86oIaC3ePtuYUGfv7Y77wzLeXgcN-EIiCywrMxN4b3RYA/s400/20090227123200.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307421684852036786" /></a><br /><br /><br />Now it's 7:30pm and I am FREEZING! The snow turned back into rain, but it's still close to zero degrees Celsius, and we are out of kerosene. I do not have it in me to wheel the 18 liter kerosene tank to the gas station on my grandma-style mini-wheelie cart, after dark, in the rain. Nope. Just can't do it. So, I am trying to stay warm using the Japanese air conditioner/heater (エーアコン) that is mounted on our wall, but it is not heating this place up very well.<br /><br />I brought down a small electric heater from upstairs, which is pointed at my legs. I am also wearing a long-sleeved shirt, a fleece turtleneck, cotton pajama pants, fleece pajama pants, a fleece robe, knee socks, slippers, a hat, AND my knee-length down coat!<br />My torso is warm, but my legs and feet are still freezing. Ugh. </center>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-45917655381942490792009-01-31T11:09:00.002+09:002009-01-31T11:14:49.538+09:00Did you read my post, <a href="http://ichigonopantsu.blogspot.com/2009/01/ballad-of-daisy-and-goofy-one-day-back.html">"The Ballad of Daisy and Goofy"</a>?<br /><br />Well, a couple of days ago, I saw Goofy's picture in a Japan Times article about animal adoption events!<br /><br />You can see the article <a href="http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20090120ev.html">here</a>. He's wearing the doggie sweater I crocheted for him in the 4th picture from the top. Awwww. I miss Daisy and Goofy, but I hope they're happily snuggled up with their new families!Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-64787875333960473952009-01-24T22:59:00.016+09:002009-01-25T10:54:30.285+09:00Earlier this month I went to the Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival. It was amazing! <br /><br />I had a chance to walk around and look at the quilts with my friend Molly. Seeing the gorgeous works of art made both of us want to quilt! <br /><br />Enjoy!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAevzqvbzvCmK45e8-rZtM2bjRI4ZnG36riIxqx7dth1QLYXfhshaL7wnplWozci5RRcYq5Bs4UNDPgVK26j4CBIn4ncDQMtEk15xLGNz11eYKkp0MI3RlKSSaSxYRJkbHYsvKmw/s1600-h/DSCN7829.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAevzqvbzvCmK45e8-rZtM2bjRI4ZnG36riIxqx7dth1QLYXfhshaL7wnplWozci5RRcYq5Bs4UNDPgVK26j4CBIn4ncDQMtEk15xLGNz11eYKkp0MI3RlKSSaSxYRJkbHYsvKmw/s320/DSCN7829.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294869343502621122" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiks2mt5JhDAumqR-KOekv4XchLpGoaQD4KJDxORQyEiPArrRxHEfuqAWTorwJo8iTYp4ElwmXGVqeRAZpZSI7xGqOzYCnkq32xUr3ro7V3ey6_9jzsiQV1YR2jAy0b_I9SIcUh1Q/s1600-h/DSCN7830.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiks2mt5JhDAumqR-KOekv4XchLpGoaQD4KJDxORQyEiPArrRxHEfuqAWTorwJo8iTYp4ElwmXGVqeRAZpZSI7xGqOzYCnkq32xUr3ro7V3ey6_9jzsiQV1YR2jAy0b_I9SIcUh1Q/s320/DSCN7830.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294869040353684818" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFahe8Bo91KjetR2gDarb4sMCdI21QAy5FlsG1wgrzSDWxhNpqFdA1UiPCBDMlvLhQPSCwZFrsH6iAm3d97udHqQxfbyZxw037aX1BZ_gR7v_AiXMKuhEvMDyZ4yXtKzWztB6KNQ/s1600-h/DSCN7837.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFahe8Bo91KjetR2gDarb4sMCdI21QAy5FlsG1wgrzSDWxhNpqFdA1UiPCBDMlvLhQPSCwZFrsH6iAm3d97udHqQxfbyZxw037aX1BZ_gR7v_AiXMKuhEvMDyZ4yXtKzWztB6KNQ/s320/DSCN7837.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294868798266381522" /></a><br /><center>Molly and I at the end of the day. We both liked this whimsical quilt.</center><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5JQqu4Xee0zd5Jza2VGnKXpbuynW4M7qBDu_NoIvtBVAM_1dEkaxy6UACpyCRvTTEAv-JmJHbSUS5xZ3q9uIgeW5-Did3KGqj2qELPmv0gOvcXwOHu-sVxUmxx5Z5JNE-wgqttA/s1600-h/DSCN7832.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5JQqu4Xee0zd5Jza2VGnKXpbuynW4M7qBDu_NoIvtBVAM_1dEkaxy6UACpyCRvTTEAv-JmJHbSUS5xZ3q9uIgeW5-Did3KGqj2qELPmv0gOvcXwOHu-sVxUmxx5Z5JNE-wgqttA/s320/DSCN7832.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294868105825029410" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Bj3l9SQ8ZF-PFWxcw8j0vqXVOWcXx_Ibbdy65YP-m2oZCQkLkjZnEMxogAaIJeyYW3KlR7XEkA3YRC5of7e6ABO9NduWcS-Jflb8EiK-WLFSg45LYgiLaBns296s2UGWsjmN2Q/s1600-h/DSCN7833.JPG"><img style="display:block; 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtJ31JQ-o2JFPmWFF44jkfE4NbbdOU3WqmUrnfy0WEAZClcz2-8QMBgomb1HcnSTQMNUq2TcObhb5d3x94d8lv5_OIu8U5fsmle31vUR4IO5qDjNmVr8hnjAz6UGl5uE6Z0BPjwg/s320/DSCN7806.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294863249565316466" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0QrGnG78cbA-I9uM2D2Y7HK09lgowZpv1tds3TbNiHF2QWUc87303fT2XqOk7A984vTd76Z_1moHE8JTO1UGCt6NgDRHV4GPDONHuTk4fz02Pi5t9SOkXDq-fhr_O7dmcwcjWA/s1600-h/DSCN7805.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 280px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0QrGnG78cbA-I9uM2D2Y7HK09lgowZpv1tds3TbNiHF2QWUc87303fT2XqOk7A984vTd76Z_1moHE8JTO1UGCt6NgDRHV4GPDONHuTk4fz02Pi5t9SOkXDq-fhr_O7dmcwcjWA/s320/DSCN7805.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294863074790512290" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAysMRssUrDsa7lA1JAPTrHL_zGeopEJncs0Y0Ioy_DXNbnHU-RHS9gYNfIVisfB0R8bGa-pKneyfX8EMXohZB6t1Dg40o8CvxISLb0efRmoV41UaV0_uvDdnc7PF44vZmv8AiQ/s1600-h/DSCN7812.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAysMRssUrDsa7lA1JAPTrHL_zGeopEJncs0Y0Ioy_DXNbnHU-RHS9gYNfIVisfB0R8bGa-pKneyfX8EMXohZB6t1Dg40o8CvxISLb0efRmoV41UaV0_uvDdnc7PF44vZmv8AiQ/s320/DSCN7812.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294861727743690818" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6vmtT7e46Yv6WdP_wNLUHv_fXGFeMfVSRtLQDpYUHsNq4njvsM6oEsUTMpTgCRvW2x4tYuzOEiNFuMnBYfwvBWflVbJxwWJUCRJa78qhuVOC9Eq5w6GBGe1y8tt6OqcfGuYGQNQ/s1600-h/DSCN7803.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6vmtT7e46Yv6WdP_wNLUHv_fXGFeMfVSRtLQDpYUHsNq4njvsM6oEsUTMpTgCRvW2x4tYuzOEiNFuMnBYfwvBWflVbJxwWJUCRJa78qhuVOC9Eq5w6GBGe1y8tt6OqcfGuYGQNQ/s320/DSCN7803.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294862742419597922" /></a><br /><center>This was one of the most gorgeous quilts I saw.</center>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-41958048286415564092009-01-24T22:36:00.007+09:002009-01-25T10:56:43.382+09:00Last year I became totally obsessed with tawashi, or Japanese magic scrubbers.<br />I've made several for my mom, but she can't seem to bring herself to use them, because they're too cute! I've heard that same sentiment from others as well. And I've been asked if I really use mine to clean. My emphatic answer is: YES!<br />Tawashi work so great for scrubbing dried food off of dishes and pans. They clean counters and sinks like a dream. And best of all, they're cute and fun to use!<br />Below are some of the tawashi I regularly use in my kitchen. I keep my bathroom tawashi in a separate place.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9hdCXDC6L3TEH8tNzKMxlL-IcRqrEZnwVVGZqWq5kdQGFxdIbP4Q0foMbbJ9IvLC_iGDJtHvZdnXJcbUhgYZ7EuXowu7Y16krMLXPZw-45nI9Jz38kWtnWbOi224VJTzZAR-TA/s1600-h/DSCN7841.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 258px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9hdCXDC6L3TEH8tNzKMxlL-IcRqrEZnwVVGZqWq5kdQGFxdIbP4Q0foMbbJ9IvLC_iGDJtHvZdnXJcbUhgYZ7EuXowu7Y16krMLXPZw-45nI9Jz38kWtnWbOi224VJTzZAR-TA/s400/DSCN7841.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294856119091984482" /></a><br />These are all made by me, of course!<br /><br />If you are a member of the crochet and knitting website <a href= "http://ravelry.com">Ravelry</a>, check out the Tawashi Town group for more info.<br />You can also check out tawashi yarn and pattern books in <a href= "http://ichigonopantsu.etsy.com">my etsy store.</a>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-18338176046628121452009-01-10T18:50:00.012+09:002009-01-15T22:28:59.633+09:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">The Ballad of Daisy and Goofy</span><br /><br />One day back in November, I passed by an animal rescue group that was fundraising outside Shinjuku station in Tokyo. I picked up one of their flyers and gave them a donation. Then in December, I started looking up information about animal rescue in Japan and...<br />I found out that Stan and I could foster an animal who is looking for their forever home!<br /><br />I contacted ARK, an animal rescue/welfare organization about fostering a dog or cat over the holidays. And we were blessed to have a sweet miniature dachshund named Daisy come into out home! I didn't have any experience with small dogs, and Stan was new to pets all together. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4icY9mtqb3-8yrXODfR2QUS_k2Mo_k6Pt51rUogtbRFABy4sWK8HcPDMxDes5yCxky1TPlv9GBcIngOgZVmomO2Wrbah-CpM_TfptdlkBPZqMnV6Ow3JgUK5-j1QVJjnfdx-Uw/s1600-h/DSCN7685.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4icY9mtqb3-8yrXODfR2QUS_k2Mo_k6Pt51rUogtbRFABy4sWK8HcPDMxDes5yCxky1TPlv9GBcIngOgZVmomO2Wrbah-CpM_TfptdlkBPZqMnV6Ow3JgUK5-j1QVJjnfdx-Uw/s320/DSCN7685.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291499211053680306" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vTmEzpfv5fI3hLwNdLGVm_B-KxW7Y83HdoVx1QGV28piEf72zHexvwqpoUYP3wHGs8DpT71RM1EDfyJpbDdQsoxSe8bofZCMij_tePEy_W_2pyqVXMn6IWnuUQMdW7JGyEaM8g/s1600-h/DSCN7672.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vTmEzpfv5fI3hLwNdLGVm_B-KxW7Y83HdoVx1QGV28piEf72zHexvwqpoUYP3wHGs8DpT71RM1EDfyJpbDdQsoxSe8bofZCMij_tePEy_W_2pyqVXMn6IWnuUQMdW7JGyEaM8g/s320/DSCN7672.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291499667648020194" /></a><br /><br />Taking care of Daisy was a lot of fun and a lot of work. A few days into taking care of Daisy, we were asked to also foster her former breeding partner, Goofy (both were fixed after being rescued). We decided to take the plunge, and suddenly we had two snuggly, ridiculously sweet dachshunds running all over our apartment! <br /><br />We had read up on dachshunds before Daisy's arrival, so we knew that they liked to burrow, and maybe even hide under covers. But we really weren't prepared for how hilarious a dachshund is in your bed! The first night Daisy was with us, she burrowed under the covers and then ran laps around the bed- while still under the covers! She spent the night spooning us and finding the warmest, softest spots on the bed. Once Goofy arrived, it was all-out snuggling mayhem come bedtime. Stan and I could no longer spoon each other, because the dogs were in charge!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYs01RBJNmGyW03vMCA_pmsvWyyCpCPS_PX8Dc60naMVlJnR1yf6VwhdNQh7b5vYcCZPrUvbP0998dXLUeehfNaq8YUiShTHCyKYYg119QanqoBZmp4YnukulEaudOFg9bpSYzwg/s1600-h/DSCN7713.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYs01RBJNmGyW03vMCA_pmsvWyyCpCPS_PX8Dc60naMVlJnR1yf6VwhdNQh7b5vYcCZPrUvbP0998dXLUeehfNaq8YUiShTHCyKYYg119QanqoBZmp4YnukulEaudOFg9bpSYzwg/s320/DSCN7713.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291498048726088162" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpUwUu9FoxDJMwrbuQFpg7U5NRv78W4ANUrAEdArQZn8OsvE2bG5XQXe2RcOYD_p2dOS7Ze6wmwaBxfpfAZ3XjRI0oPFAugEGleTu5v6zTLUsi4jchkZRPMGnhNFkLSDEtB61OFw/s1600-h/DSCN7692.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpUwUu9FoxDJMwrbuQFpg7U5NRv78W4ANUrAEdArQZn8OsvE2bG5XQXe2RcOYD_p2dOS7Ze6wmwaBxfpfAZ3XjRI0oPFAugEGleTu5v6zTLUsi4jchkZRPMGnhNFkLSDEtB61OFw/s320/DSCN7692.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291497153618224386" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3DIFAQ1p4Lgfd_uVkJmcJoFX9557VEnklFmmn8Ihe4O8b_4rvw9rGdS7ifbqN0ajMbCyP9TE_87XXU6UjEBh75daG-WTQ1oEVt1EqfgO2wyUXw6c8KejB7I3BdTN8BlSlWlLQsQ/s1600-h/DSCN7724.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3DIFAQ1p4Lgfd_uVkJmcJoFX9557VEnklFmmn8Ihe4O8b_4rvw9rGdS7ifbqN0ajMbCyP9TE_87XXU6UjEBh75daG-WTQ1oEVt1EqfgO2wyUXw6c8KejB7I3BdTN8BlSlWlLQsQ/s320/DSCN7724.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291496859212599026" /></a><br /><br />A couple days after Goofy arrived, Daisy was adopted! I was an emotional wreck. Seriously. I was so sad! But I knew that things had happened as they should. Daisy had found a family to love and take care of her for the rest of her life! Goofy kept us busy, and I snuggled him even more. After about a week, we were able to see a picture of Daisy and her new family. It made me feel so happy to see her with them, and to know that she'd be loved.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3NoiEWNwQzlkeZm8-PrTvMti7F7h1jFO4uFzfVvWPPkH0xHUFHd9JfQgZrXaCEaOdJ9s0f6dTqA2tIKWCdCfOWosqtDyR_XjA3wokt929gkbCJlCboSRGbXSIhyphenhyphenec1EFk0l6TQ/s1600-h/DSCN7752.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 296px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3NoiEWNwQzlkeZm8-PrTvMti7F7h1jFO4uFzfVvWPPkH0xHUFHd9JfQgZrXaCEaOdJ9s0f6dTqA2tIKWCdCfOWosqtDyR_XjA3wokt929gkbCJlCboSRGbXSIhyphenhyphenec1EFk0l6TQ/s320/DSCN7752.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291496277695748594" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DDQ-Y4rMw4ALK5W9Emx2yg1bHymUwlqC8WYgYFzOxZTj9lQi8aeW19BDHEyypfWp1GKx2nAFprkIAcELho1kyNlHtNTStP7USJEJvVbjIJeXGoW2lHPhXp28_OxV0maHySCjnA/s1600-h/DSCN7741.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DDQ-Y4rMw4ALK5W9Emx2yg1bHymUwlqC8WYgYFzOxZTj9lQi8aeW19BDHEyypfWp1GKx2nAFprkIAcELho1kyNlHtNTStP7USJEJvVbjIJeXGoW2lHPhXp28_OxV0maHySCjnA/s320/DSCN7741.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289609353676931186" /></a><br /><br />After Daisy left, we continued enjoying our time with Goofy. I discovered all sorts of interesting things about my neighborhood while walking Goofy, like a "birds' forest" park, temples, shrines, and some interesting stairways and steep, windy roads.<br /><br />Both Daisy and Goofy had severe separation anxiety, probably stemming from the traumatic years they spent with a breeder who taped their mouths shut. So, it worked out well that we fostered them at a time when we were able to spend most days at home with them. The couple of times we had to leave one of them alone, they panicked and barked for hours. <br /><br />After three weeks, Goofy was scheduled to go to an adopotion event and...<br />He got adopted! I looooved Goofy, but it was a little easier to let go the second time. The important thing is knowing that a family had committed to love and care for little Goofy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoleGr-wOuJho1r7whNbyUs5y0nZyhFmCPwvhG5025noSK4ohx7a4dghSQ-b-kLkSToE2HW6VgdX4YvvfO5npN_7ydzPNGOR_ErMwRdEQIB55uQv8NhaGqrvCs-cPNTegG0IWLA/s1600-h/DSCN7758.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoleGr-wOuJho1r7whNbyUs5y0nZyhFmCPwvhG5025noSK4ohx7a4dghSQ-b-kLkSToE2HW6VgdX4YvvfO5npN_7ydzPNGOR_ErMwRdEQIB55uQv8NhaGqrvCs-cPNTegG0IWLA/s320/DSCN7758.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291511183923389314" /></a><br /><br />Our house has felt quite quiet without the little, fuzzy snugglers around. But with Stan and I both starting new jobs, the timing of Goofy's adoption was great. We are planning to foster a cat or two. So, there'll be more animal adoration pics coming in the future!Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-61426892872820430762008-12-30T20:59:00.012+09:002008-12-30T21:44:04.026+09:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">The Tokyo Apartment Hunt!</span><br /><br />When Stan and I were planning to move to Tokyo, we didn't really have time or money to come to Tokyo and properly hunt for an apartment. So, we found a temporary apartment, and decided to look for a longer-term one once we were in Tokyo.<br /><br />In September we used a company called Tokyo Rent to look for an apartment. One of their employees showed us 3 places on a very, very rainy night.<br /><br />Here they are:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Apartment 1<br />This one is around 50 square meters (538 square feet) on two floors, in a two-unit building. It's good points are an open floor plan, a toilet on each floor, a double vanity, and nearby supermarkets and restaurants. The possible bad points are that the open floor-plan could make it hard to heat.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjBN0mCmhpZjJsldkgDdRvHeH75FnKg6yBdGod0LYSf7zj0Moro65XEo2GVqVWPEOmtWl0Bn1NJ6aPE1YeLzhvOF9AOuzysqaKIzAcQz9ng5fd-GSlRIQewYWdwNC-rVfVa0Olg/s1600-h/DSCN7259.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjBN0mCmhpZjJsldkgDdRvHeH75FnKg6yBdGod0LYSf7zj0Moro65XEo2GVqVWPEOmtWl0Bn1NJ6aPE1YeLzhvOF9AOuzysqaKIzAcQz9ng5fd-GSlRIQewYWdwNC-rVfVa0Olg/s320/DSCN7259.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285555284799763682" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWdOkH1WWNYoR4PT3vRwOPM9nt5pncCO-GdAhxlHuhxk42MPE3yobjtLeMQO_jsCz5bnbwf6-azTZp9zrM27HkQluA-jDi1-F-J01YtmlluJe504SE6D6wF7w7OeZFaX0jeF6yxQ/s1600-h/DSCN7260.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWdOkH1WWNYoR4PT3vRwOPM9nt5pncCO-GdAhxlHuhxk42MPE3yobjtLeMQO_jsCz5bnbwf6-azTZp9zrM27HkQluA-jDi1-F-J01YtmlluJe504SE6D6wF7w7OeZFaX0jeF6yxQ/s320/DSCN7260.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285555072858456962" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw58KV8zOkPQbIID1sCkZJxwADQ6aqRMf4EHNjywFeMJNyxCzDwHATo6dOLi0FB_TPkoMTDpOUvBynWxG5IPLpO2H6Ip190M5Lphg1PqAWFghyE74JagkV3RXmz6tQO0d-ECrHXQ/s1600-h/DSCN7261.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw58KV8zOkPQbIID1sCkZJxwADQ6aqRMf4EHNjywFeMJNyxCzDwHATo6dOLi0FB_TPkoMTDpOUvBynWxG5IPLpO2H6Ip190M5Lphg1PqAWFghyE74JagkV3RXmz6tQO0d-ECrHXQ/s320/DSCN7261.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285554846930847922" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Apartment 2<br />This one is about 40 square meters (430 square feet) on the second floor of a two-unit building. The good points are a big kitchen-dining room, and an oven and clothes dryer included with the apartment! Clothes dryers and ovens are a rarity in Japan. Very tempting! The bad points are that the living room and bedroom are one room, and the entry hall smells like cat pee!<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrL-twErD0HJ1SwsVujJ_Q0if370GCYQAr3SUVa0I8DpY409BreE5xd_aVTXCFQlYGXz0opP5KwC2TTZDen5GPcZXJ9N8RO8mi3gdfpk1o45Q6_LN2CLScQUGFAM_NSRv44xCnFA/s1600-h/DSCN7255.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrL-twErD0HJ1SwsVujJ_Q0if370GCYQAr3SUVa0I8DpY409BreE5xd_aVTXCFQlYGXz0opP5KwC2TTZDen5GPcZXJ9N8RO8mi3gdfpk1o45Q6_LN2CLScQUGFAM_NSRv44xCnFA/s320/DSCN7255.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285554542206707458" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrVRNdFzOoU0AKEsufHKlGw8QQgfBQ0TWScLZmAFJg7nZdMuQs_cOJnoxGeC1nNCNJAN7KKePjm3Wekob_GqyIEHN4bTTdhlTLN-JUakLHlVF1CpE74SkFSccrXToz2t3j5ZQvA/s1600-h/DSCN7256.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrVRNdFzOoU0AKEsufHKlGw8QQgfBQ0TWScLZmAFJg7nZdMuQs_cOJnoxGeC1nNCNJAN7KKePjm3Wekob_GqyIEHN4bTTdhlTLN-JUakLHlVF1CpE74SkFSccrXToz2t3j5ZQvA/s320/DSCN7256.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285554377113634562" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizMbCLR3-bbkz-QmUYdOKLwvJrCl7R7XNxd7ex8fCVgkGZ6BMpz1rEf717k9cxCfO5A1EpNIZZDiaItf0X5hF19FFcHuhjxrWznxgQb6TBBctnESWR3RBPcHD1d_4bI7-_CpYMxQ/s1600-h/DSCN7257.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizMbCLR3-bbkz-QmUYdOKLwvJrCl7R7XNxd7ex8fCVgkGZ6BMpz1rEf717k9cxCfO5A1EpNIZZDiaItf0X5hF19FFcHuhjxrWznxgQb6TBBctnESWR3RBPcHD1d_4bI7-_CpYMxQ/s320/DSCN7257.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285554153287805506" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3KiIbAY4JzWZF-sAeqWaHkQfkD0Pv0b2Oj9Wo03LPL11K7TSMpIUWy7rjKcQKj62_yzU8V5QRLd2pNt-moxgjOotB5vbfTB-XJmbulu5rKU-WlObpoXNfla52P01bqhc4L9X_A/s1600-h/DSCN7258.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3KiIbAY4JzWZF-sAeqWaHkQfkD0Pv0b2Oj9Wo03LPL11K7TSMpIUWy7rjKcQKj62_yzU8V5QRLd2pNt-moxgjOotB5vbfTB-XJmbulu5rKU-WlObpoXNfla52P01bqhc4L9X_A/s320/DSCN7258.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285553983193381842" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Apartment 3<br />This one is also about 40 square meters (430 square feet) on the third floor of a 6-unit building. This place has a kind of quirky design with lots of red metal in the apartment. The good points are the design and a bed is included with the apartment. The bad points are the TINY kitchen and fairly small living space.<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGDXTIQGiXYz_tl0ejwLsiwWWn4fRNyNz-VFFlHvhCMOgH9zapmhbNhOtthMXzq5zEI-9JigbjWVtgvrjdi6hzvgKNdhDigvqtPCx-i3bBvM1Wcq1ty1j4kU4G5PWVk6abT-owg/s1600-h/DSCN7251.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGDXTIQGiXYz_tl0ejwLsiwWWn4fRNyNz-VFFlHvhCMOgH9zapmhbNhOtthMXzq5zEI-9JigbjWVtgvrjdi6hzvgKNdhDigvqtPCx-i3bBvM1Wcq1ty1j4kU4G5PWVk6abT-owg/s320/DSCN7251.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285553393470175714" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczAcxw_rx4R9cuc0VHRUCP-DNih3FjcPQLmJpvfEdNzfOAoZnJpK_JRB9fiVeLz_QyTojZ9qxIFmGHS2CWWT6OMV1kizvN_k1QVwBOOAZvJ1gnCJT-tXPZdnbPFKP15O6k55mJg/s1600-h/DSCN7252.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczAcxw_rx4R9cuc0VHRUCP-DNih3FjcPQLmJpvfEdNzfOAoZnJpK_JRB9fiVeLz_QyTojZ9qxIFmGHS2CWWT6OMV1kizvN_k1QVwBOOAZvJ1gnCJT-tXPZdnbPFKP15O6k55mJg/s320/DSCN7252.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285552653659942322" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEHU6y2p8vz4oCO3xTCpoE4YXPf-5piFQmzlMFd0Eeiu4Z6y0Lty1LWlGg6btDwFD2CX7VZzZN4xHxdsk_AbKHO5wWEWrxOaXnVJ1Io1htw9SzFHtetp1mu2N3z4VebvIaXPrIg/s1600-h/DSCN7254.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEHU6y2p8vz4oCO3xTCpoE4YXPf-5piFQmzlMFd0Eeiu4Z6y0Lty1LWlGg6btDwFD2CX7VZzZN4xHxdsk_AbKHO5wWEWrxOaXnVJ1Io1htw9SzFHtetp1mu2N3z4VebvIaXPrIg/s320/DSCN7254.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285552481706279394" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBcfWcibLxAr6HtEpfUlxEq0CwXU5Zie6pCVvkOHrD_SS7NdVknnqS1pAxDn4bfvW8hAWF1tns-TItq4zrFn5pOPHDU-PgbnBrFYS6xRU1fsJK8mXZK6tOMUVwjyNOMF0h8VA0Iw/s1600-h/DSCN7250.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBcfWcibLxAr6HtEpfUlxEq0CwXU5Zie6pCVvkOHrD_SS7NdVknnqS1pAxDn4bfvW8hAWF1tns-TItq4zrFn5pOPHDU-PgbnBrFYS6xRU1fsJK8mXZK6tOMUVwjyNOMF0h8VA0Iw/s320/DSCN7250.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285552317569093954" /></a><br /><br />Can you guess which one we chose?<br />Well, we were debating between numbers 1 and 2. The neighborhood around number 1 was vibrant with a lot of interesting looking shops and cafes, while the neighborhood around number 2 was very residential without much shopping or places to eat. <br /><br />In the end we chose number 1, and we haven't regretted it at all! We love the neighborhood, and it's very quiet. Of course, it seemed much smaller once we filled it with furniture and stuff, but it feels like home!Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-1582956193274229212008-10-16T23:03:00.006+09:002008-12-30T20:59:24.331+09:00Well! It sure has been a long time since I've updated my blog.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcAaF6t6sNOrhhzezYxWnwjb33I9xhL_GW3L6Mo-Xdct3QZ-bKm9rmS8Nor4lTD579ItjNGSN2aMcsrCYj-3n-cgBH4unUXG9XdtIwwXVw8EyvUpA4u0_qMep9c9H4dpXEt2X9Q/s1600-h/DSCN7418.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcAaF6t6sNOrhhzezYxWnwjb33I9xhL_GW3L6Mo-Xdct3QZ-bKm9rmS8Nor4lTD579ItjNGSN2aMcsrCYj-3n-cgBH4unUXG9XdtIwwXVw8EyvUpA4u0_qMep9c9H4dpXEt2X9Q/s400/DSCN7418.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285550746420563266" /></a><br /><center>Stan and I in our "box room" at the temporary apartment.</center><br /><br />After moving to Tokyo, I had a lovely, long trip to the US in August and September.<br />The morning after I got back to Tokyo, Stan proposed to me while I was cooking bacon!<br />It was a big surprise! <br />I said yes, of course, and we're hoping to get married in 2009!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3G5ZnhQaOzh1_Re-m1JE8iMi9SzKH06N9K8U4VSiK1lAoE0R4sszVSTpeZUpEhGsXauMCrlvC0ZazTaN2g2L87caMsym-Ioy6ER3cN0dSocyO9GZ_wDh1L7Mq86OHp2xyoaoZA/s1600-h/Photo+17.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3G5ZnhQaOzh1_Re-m1JE8iMi9SzKH06N9K8U4VSiK1lAoE0R4sszVSTpeZUpEhGsXauMCrlvC0ZazTaN2g2L87caMsym-Ioy6ER3cN0dSocyO9GZ_wDh1L7Mq86OHp2xyoaoZA/s400/Photo+17.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257753115553948978" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMVzAqxdqwNydkV9DdOqV3JUo8LyBty3J6GIiuO6qMktcGFtcv-Y17MiNoWWDmj3ZAmKXpGjImWnXgqdMnm8X4Z7asTu_JPoD79U11yFbvwtWW8jC3wb6KAAZXqesjXxzZlY455Q/s1600-h/DSCN6162.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMVzAqxdqwNydkV9DdOqV3JUo8LyBty3J6GIiuO6qMktcGFtcv-Y17MiNoWWDmj3ZAmKXpGjImWnXgqdMnm8X4Z7asTu_JPoD79U11yFbvwtWW8jC3wb6KAAZXqesjXxzZlY455Q/s400/DSCN6162.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257752850347934770" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzO57pOHyEzcuq-jOigMGn2siIk3zTxTUdLD9kifq-qfxI_cbyGzc639oWhkpLloUOA9xpyeMaCLNTXGzM0uTQ_XqfMFCB2NUyUBhU1gXdN40UqvydIIfu4183tzXqj3Myrm0QAg/s1600-h/DSCN5856.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzO57pOHyEzcuq-jOigMGn2siIk3zTxTUdLD9kifq-qfxI_cbyGzc639oWhkpLloUOA9xpyeMaCLNTXGzM0uTQ_XqfMFCB2NUyUBhU1gXdN40UqvydIIfu4183tzXqj3Myrm0QAg/s400/DSCN5856.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257752671451737682" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphzsJ1M2fYH4hMDhsOTS4nQiF-YU_SHh229u-0dkTi1vwEQznk17QRESlTKIhAKKH35Db9s1Lhqatz7MVOIbNyqjNefpKc0wyhAcDRujzhjdm-kntujISxGCT5yQaaKQGVO-JRQ/s1600-h/DSCN5573.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphzsJ1M2fYH4hMDhsOTS4nQiF-YU_SHh229u-0dkTi1vwEQznk17QRESlTKIhAKKH35Db9s1Lhqatz7MVOIbNyqjNefpKc0wyhAcDRujzhjdm-kntujISxGCT5yQaaKQGVO-JRQ/s400/DSCN5573.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257752402535330178" /></a>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-44937263789595347432008-10-16T22:55:00.003+09:002008-10-16T22:58:18.996+09:00Have you ever tried pineapple with chili powder? It's good, good, goooooood!<br />You mix a little salt, a little chili powder (the amount is up to you), and a little more sugar. Then cut fresh pineapple into small pieces, and mix it all together.<br />It is just divine.<br />I ate an entire pineapple prepared this way one night!<br />Umm, does that mean I have a problem?Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-21758482169505376392008-09-16T10:35:00.001+09:002008-09-16T10:40:12.745+09:00A long overdue project has been completed!<br />It's Baby Felix's blanket!<br />This is the first baby blanket I ever finished, and I am very pleased! Now I have to start a blanket for soon-to-arrive Baby Gavin. <br />I am using thicker yarn this time!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLh7Npqd1SpTujMeplx-yBVWtv6guXa7zytt8xjlyJY3hwFFFdP354ks3j1mRJiUy4BkIIQ0zh5GHi_RuYIq17cellOpQaKnlgcIXMMVcdXTtzjuypXZa1q7JJ-eUFcOVC2APPg/s1600-h/DSCN7225.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLh7Npqd1SpTujMeplx-yBVWtv6guXa7zytt8xjlyJY3hwFFFdP354ks3j1mRJiUy4BkIIQ0zh5GHi_RuYIq17cellOpQaKnlgcIXMMVcdXTtzjuypXZa1q7JJ-eUFcOVC2APPg/s400/DSCN7225.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246427356997839426" /></a>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-32963774779175446012008-09-16T09:10:00.013+09:002008-09-16T09:52:34.532+09:00When I was a child, I spent a lot of time in northern Michigan, a.k.a. up north.<br />Last week, I went up north with my mother to pick up my grandparents. It was an emotional trip for a lot of reasons. It was hard to see my grandparents so frail and in poor health. And then I was flooded with memories and emotions as I saw places where I had spent so many hours as a child. Wanna take a walk down memory lane with me?<br /><br /><center><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElYZTxiNJ1zm5MMSaRgrLd3T4u8Me3tPKoem7RYNxRVG4TIrnG0Syh38tVxsRp3yZsvQnJtu8J8rk06DAcC69m7XJIZLOJz1JR0Lyy8qzknHEmVoq8RDt3t8f-2P9MBSN6NX5wA/s1600-h/DSCN7149.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElYZTxiNJ1zm5MMSaRgrLd3T4u8Me3tPKoem7RYNxRVG4TIrnG0Syh38tVxsRp3yZsvQnJtu8J8rk06DAcC69m7XJIZLOJz1JR0Lyy8qzknHEmVoq8RDt3t8f-2P9MBSN6NX5wA/s400/DSCN7149.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246408763784887794" /></a><br />Lake Huron<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh03asQa2NwRv0YJKNcZV8gzd1TRl78mUrD6dm7H8wpa2Ft3bLeUzFfWtCiMYjGWjYHONW8suwgbehAqPJ6HIKUenin2nhT0Ps2Ajjol7AZVBLTnCSvNXhW4DgbakQOJ5HTTWU9Ug/s1600-h/DSCN7154.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh03asQa2NwRv0YJKNcZV8gzd1TRl78mUrD6dm7H8wpa2Ft3bLeUzFfWtCiMYjGWjYHONW8suwgbehAqPJ6HIKUenin2nhT0Ps2Ajjol7AZVBLTnCSvNXhW4DgbakQOJ5HTTWU9Ug/s400/DSCN7154.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246408162345709378" /></a><br />Rainbow<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUBzpVQhl3zTRUutlEiOM_zwMB5XrVJgiH84yp2RJOPLiTKqEHjZifNz1NdKhp9JPD1mhKqWXDqRSIYBAjk9kNxDOvh8QcEq2d9ZgG0U5wL_IYmHRQ_uQ0YwZM7apSzH_Vcp6nGQ/s1600-h/DSCN7159.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUBzpVQhl3zTRUutlEiOM_zwMB5XrVJgiH84yp2RJOPLiTKqEHjZifNz1NdKhp9JPD1mhKqWXDqRSIYBAjk9kNxDOvh8QcEq2d9ZgG0U5wL_IYmHRQ_uQ0YwZM7apSzH_Vcp6nGQ/s400/DSCN7159.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246407985878699218" /></a><br />Docks in East Tawas City.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ghDlrnwgH3GSYFmLoZiK9q6AeanqlwI686ASnVpqiuhrVePHxB1t8fHrCAOd0B1mfDB3HX07yE9GwX0t9uOeCQXz6zP3bLG2xuFnETQX-crhTKNJWXQT9IH3me6CH72VFfMOsg/s1600-h/DSCN7167.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ghDlrnwgH3GSYFmLoZiK9q6AeanqlwI686ASnVpqiuhrVePHxB1t8fHrCAOd0B1mfDB3HX07yE9GwX0t9uOeCQXz6zP3bLG2xuFnETQX-crhTKNJWXQT9IH3me6CH72VFfMOsg/s400/DSCN7167.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246407272808343682" /></a><br />The sign outside my grandparents' cottage.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWjM-JVA2IFVso0inN7bMqlIfzvsQMqReP9oesjCT-BBD3I8VjmZ6be7I5Ou9cMa6_DBx58W7Td3BuTPfQyCjESmXVZ4jTnopeEk_9Qwe1vCcWa-KEEmlyQ-mMZqvLdDCEzhfAQ/s1600-h/DSCN7169.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWjM-JVA2IFVso0inN7bMqlIfzvsQMqReP9oesjCT-BBD3I8VjmZ6be7I5Ou9cMa6_DBx58W7Td3BuTPfQyCjESmXVZ4jTnopeEk_9Qwe1vCcWa-KEEmlyQ-mMZqvLdDCEzhfAQ/s400/DSCN7169.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246405995130056850" /></a><br />Cedar Lake<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJUi8jcu_LeGU746l2n6AvqtznwcGWeIGCX6ABQrnPzUkrnHVt3op6v5BVmow9MUPIEoCNGOdypGMAlWqYb3QGXtfBYxb6IhGXIvyPkwXMxst3sOIVppUKQ0TSg3Pmu40cDiZRw/s1600-h/DSCN7173.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJUi8jcu_LeGU746l2n6AvqtznwcGWeIGCX6ABQrnPzUkrnHVt3op6v5BVmow9MUPIEoCNGOdypGMAlWqYb3QGXtfBYxb6IhGXIvyPkwXMxst3sOIVppUKQ0TSg3Pmu40cDiZRw/s400/DSCN7173.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246405581847983074" /></a><br />The apple tree I used to climb.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNCzrQnnh_VgkTq2Kr4SVfpv-CwbIJFNU8lYvqriWDXnnu7Z9dKFnoIvtcL5_qP1E4OJ8gusq8hZhZgeFa83KHpJ3lbb51tEGqyb88JFCYR8YD0GnGYNgxOXzmhnFvhmnWPRHfg/s1600-h/DSCN7174.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNCzrQnnh_VgkTq2Kr4SVfpv-CwbIJFNU8lYvqriWDXnnu7Z9dKFnoIvtcL5_qP1E4OJ8gusq8hZhZgeFa83KHpJ3lbb51tEGqyb88JFCYR8YD0GnGYNgxOXzmhnFvhmnWPRHfg/s400/DSCN7174.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246415116935565650" /></a><br />Can you find the 7th grade picture of me?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeB1hFVV0Wmb2q6N-r9dxoFTKAdj2siz-WKJl-zDuOdck148wEW21G-5ypsOmMcZ6zt4rUKekdj1xJdbwv1iOiRPhDjCAbcNhxbBncmIUGkn5EpyyztGMJG8B4MfhpDFrSZepvLA/s1600-h/DSCN7165.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeB1hFVV0Wmb2q6N-r9dxoFTKAdj2siz-WKJl-zDuOdck148wEW21G-5ypsOmMcZ6zt4rUKekdj1xJdbwv1iOiRPhDjCAbcNhxbBncmIUGkn5EpyyztGMJG8B4MfhpDFrSZepvLA/s400/DSCN7165.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246415455192960226" /></a><br />8th grade!<br /></center>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-1574455091543977012008-09-11T12:21:00.001+09:002008-09-11T12:22:57.285+09:00Stan got a new phone!<br /><a href="http://www.kilian-nakamura.com/blog-english/index.php/kuma-phone-teddy-bear-from-willcom/">Check it out!</a><br />Are these available in your neck of the woods yet?Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-68201289001325524682008-08-21T08:11:00.003+09:002008-08-21T08:22:05.981+09:00I've noticed something since I've been in the US.<br />I feel like an attractive woman when I'm out in public.<br /><br />In Japan, the only time that men are looking at me, I know it's because I am an oddity. I am a <span style="font-style:italic;">gaijin</span>* in a country of Japanese. I'm a square block that doesn't fit in the hole.<br /><br />On one hand, it is nice to feel attractive again, but on the other hand, I feel threatened. This is a generalization, but Japanese men are the most non-aggressive men I have ever been around. In the US, men look at you. Men flirt. And you know what? It freaks me out!<br /><br />Thank God I've got Stan, so I can just ignore the rest!<br /><br />*gaijin means foreigner, or outsider.Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-49712585366688323702008-08-09T21:06:00.002+09:002008-08-09T21:20:52.517+09:00I'm back in the US for the first time in almost 2 years. It's kind of crazy!<br />I'm enjoying myself so far, but I'm also in a battle of wills with jet-lag. I feel that I'm winning so far. Well, if winning counts as going to bed at 8pm and waking up between 4 and 5 am! I'm fighting jet-lag like an old school farmer. I don't have any livestock to feed at 5am, but I do scoop out some cat boxes.<br /><br />My first meal on the way back from the airport was Arabic food. It was soooooo good. Stan and I make hummus regularly, but having tabbouleh and falafel was just amazing!<br /><br />Besides that I have been playing around on and figuring out my new Macbook! It's very pretty and fast. <br /><br />I also went to Costco with my family yesterday. It was GIGANTIC! MASSIVE! Kind of overwhelming! The carts were big, the store was big, everything was big! I told my parents that in three years in Japan, I had never bought as much stuff at once as they did on our trip. You would need about 5 Japanese shopping carts to fit the contents of 1 Costco cart.<br /><br />I have started sorting through all my stuff that's been stored in my mother's basement for three years. Oh, lordy. When you move out of the country for three years, and then come back and look at the things that you thought were worth storing, it's kind of shocking! I had a lot of crappy stuff down there, and I've only scratched the surface! That being said, there are also lots of treasures! I already have a big pile of clothes and bedding for charity, and I'm planning on adding lots more!Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-6298591602112641052008-07-28T22:37:00.013+09:002008-07-28T23:09:10.153+09:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Summer Camp Is To Children What Alcohol Is To Adults</span><br /><br />I finished teaching classes more than a week ago, but this past Thursday I was able to go to "camp" with my students for one day and night.<br /><br />Before we left the school there was a dodge ball tournament and watermelon eating.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3YxmfPUEPTbVUcKVqN1juIUK4kxVYj7D8g343-lLfjKSowu4F9YuBlgz_peti_2NAq6Cddi9v_bLJCMZUHR45mElaBWPB3okSt8ZozHDIAeJoPSubvxXyEfSMIOw3FLJVYNqhg/s1600-h/DSCN6396.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3YxmfPUEPTbVUcKVqN1juIUK4kxVYj7D8g343-lLfjKSowu4F9YuBlgz_peti_2NAq6Cddi9v_bLJCMZUHR45mElaBWPB3okSt8ZozHDIAeJoPSubvxXyEfSMIOw3FLJVYNqhg/s320/DSCN6396.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228059599303261410" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpjusQV2H5_Y5SO5urGU15c-bKRcgvdqMbNeCrg7U7DwCOMqcbO6ev8CYhwaZIeu20uUs8tfUW7X5hVm_0y-P51OJn3dXELYmq9_h_hoZbyxhnXxYOyq0e73uwVAAvRVJwIQyHw/s1600-h/DSCN6394.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpjusQV2H5_Y5SO5urGU15c-bKRcgvdqMbNeCrg7U7DwCOMqcbO6ev8CYhwaZIeu20uUs8tfUW7X5hVm_0y-P51OJn3dXELYmq9_h_hoZbyxhnXxYOyq0e73uwVAAvRVJwIQyHw/s320/DSCN6394.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228059434426482130" /></a><br /><br />Just after we got to camp, it was already time to start getting ready for dinner, because students making their own fires and cooking their own dinners takes FOREVER!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglD30ZbMRcIXBFsf3gFiTRBxKd1uTi9uxk48rmeKOa0nSQIi7ilThiphGcntKsknusAb8Oi7_3o-YRdYde7Wtq760RIhkBZVn_sxFtWV94nWat8Qx6kwr75vvuVGNYDPpMbM_W1A/s1600-h/DSCN6413.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglD30ZbMRcIXBFsf3gFiTRBxKd1uTi9uxk48rmeKOa0nSQIi7ilThiphGcntKsknusAb8Oi7_3o-YRdYde7Wtq760RIhkBZVn_sxFtWV94nWat8Qx6kwr75vvuVGNYDPpMbM_W1A/s320/DSCN6413.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228061690390079234" /></a><br />It's a Lincoln Log fire!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-i0fjLdAXUjFHrJ1BeI-WC1gwnjBe6xOPMSc_wulVpcQnOoaerUO6f9kJ__mqIQUA5gaDhjYvNEF4v6ZqlNIk5tHAuYULCrHFwFfhkDBQTXK52XdZqFHrFYci2AAyoHWF1RKzA/s1600-h/DSCN6422.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-i0fjLdAXUjFHrJ1BeI-WC1gwnjBe6xOPMSc_wulVpcQnOoaerUO6f9kJ__mqIQUA5gaDhjYvNEF4v6ZqlNIk5tHAuYULCrHFwFfhkDBQTXK52XdZqFHrFYci2AAyoHWF1RKzA/s320/DSCN6422.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228061493572838402" /></a><br /><br />The students played a quiz game after dinner. I loved the way they looked in the yellow light.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitfLNNJdwit-TkPWuO_YsrnfEgcJ2AWEdP4ulhpEqqXlyyEZ8oegyTn_YLxekJmsCb8y7q5SOl-dCAxs00B6dlh6lC4XnLUQmpsfNqcacUS_7USc5m7eMdtgofpqKo-tB4eAE7mQ/s1600-h/DSCN6426.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitfLNNJdwit-TkPWuO_YsrnfEgcJ2AWEdP4ulhpEqqXlyyEZ8oegyTn_YLxekJmsCb8y7q5SOl-dCAxs00B6dlh6lC4XnLUQmpsfNqcacUS_7USc5m7eMdtgofpqKo-tB4eAE7mQ/s320/DSCN6426.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228061228732730386" /></a><br /><br />After the quiz game it was time for fireworks. It was a bit terrifying at times, kind of like a hot, flammable free-for-all!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobevJio0Sx7TYqy0vXDyj51h6R86NyFqOURd6Ny5K-7D-Fy8PHi154wREwhk5pWBVhBsaopu59CkWisGSq8KPCBIIFzj36N8yp8Mk3teN9yOijoxzRToh29-eoVd2ezppOYKAYw/s1600-h/DSCN6436.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobevJio0Sx7TYqy0vXDyj51h6R86NyFqOURd6Ny5K-7D-Fy8PHi154wREwhk5pWBVhBsaopu59CkWisGSq8KPCBIIFzj36N8yp8Mk3teN9yOijoxzRToh29-eoVd2ezppOYKAYw/s320/DSCN6436.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228060803009106194" /></a><br /><br />During the late-night free time, I played the card game "daifugo" with the kids, and I even won a round! The kids saw how hard I was thinking and compared me to one of their brainiest classmates! It was a flattering comparison in my opinion!<br /><br />All throughout the evening, I walked around and inserted myself into my students' conversations. It was amazing the things they told me! Crushes were whispered into my ear. One girl told me that her secret boyfriend likes to kiss. I heard the details of junior high "dating life", betrayal and so on. It blew my mind. <br /><br />Apparently, summer camp is to children what alcohol is to adults! Perhaps some of the kids also realized that this was their last chance to talk to me, and to share some final connection by spilling their secrets. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMOnera4gVYbAnohSB0zSNM9vlzQRkXokJKHPdVc9fx_IlKBS6629zW4FeVuPMPh2z01MU0dxHzAu4jOq49LX02fD938-2hHVbd9r5Gj7ghNrPDKICtebzYHWfw8ISxy7OJ6iew/s1600-h/DSCN6444.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMOnera4gVYbAnohSB0zSNM9vlzQRkXokJKHPdVc9fx_IlKBS6629zW4FeVuPMPh2z01MU0dxHzAu4jOq49LX02fD938-2hHVbd9r5Gj7ghNrPDKICtebzYHWfw8ISxy7OJ6iew/s320/DSCN6444.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228060624267447474" /></a><br /><center>Post-Card Game</center><br /><br />The next morning, the students and teachers surprised me with a bouquet of flowers, a present, and a declaration of their love for me! What a perfect ending to camp and to my life in this town.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQuDwWKrOvq6XSuk53_wC2fWI3_szS_A6clIrX5GAH4A0LPlf4uZZmicXKlgbJXg3SLtsPC002ywmtFMmSjpGv7ga6IgevvEhgwAvHhtkyYfr7ZkR9xqOiVzbNJrolF40JM-h3Q/s1600-h/DSCN6446.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQuDwWKrOvq6XSuk53_wC2fWI3_szS_A6clIrX5GAH4A0LPlf4uZZmicXKlgbJXg3SLtsPC002ywmtFMmSjpGv7ga6IgevvEhgwAvHhtkyYfr7ZkR9xqOiVzbNJrolF40JM-h3Q/s320/DSCN6446.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228060228350650850" /></a><br /><br /><center>Bye-bye!</center><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPPTpyiBJiC2DqVtpb31KRZ4tuldfQYiSFTbK-RFYvz96V9ngOMdwe1zsK6LR66ZmCrnmBck_gawP1o4lODan6FmcT1NIQ3SZ-lXqv5ngGgd2e4YK5mTPat17ZGOY3KaYtEHt-Q/s1600-h/DSCN6449.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPPTpyiBJiC2DqVtpb31KRZ4tuldfQYiSFTbK-RFYvz96V9ngOMdwe1zsK6LR66ZmCrnmBck_gawP1o4lODan6FmcT1NIQ3SZ-lXqv5ngGgd2e4YK5mTPat17ZGOY3KaYtEHt-Q/s320/DSCN6449.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228059852234508546" /></a>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-80424183484670691672008-07-28T21:02:00.035+09:002008-07-28T22:35:22.542+09:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Sad, funny goodbyes</span><br /><br /><br />Well, I am done being an ALT after three years of working in Taiki Town, Japan.<br />Wow!<br /><br />My final days at my five schools were stretched out over three weeks. I felt like I was on a roller coaster ride in a Belle and Sebastian song. I would break into tears at school, at just the thought of saying goodbye to my amazing students. Then I would actually say goodbye and cry more. Then I would walk to my car, sobbing. Then I would start driving and sob more. Sometimes I would even moan with the physical pain of the sadness and sense of loss.<br /><br />I felt loved during my last days of school, but I also felt confused and at times frustrated. I suppose it was fitting, since those emotions were a normal part of my experience being the only foreigner working in my schools. I received drawings, letters, origami, posters and so on from my elementary school students. At one of my schools the students made a human tunnel with their arms that I had to walk through. I still remember when a sweet, little first grader told me that his first grade teacher and I were his favorite people in the world! Oh, melt my heart!<br /><br />I knew that saying goodbye to my students would be difficult, but the reality of it was more raw and ache-y than I ever could have imagined.<br /><br />I know without a doubt that coming to my little town, sight unseen, and working with these kids for three years was one of the best decisions I ever made. <br /><br />I feel truly blessed by God to have experienced the good, the bad and the unbelievably blissful.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RKj1LqDf-R_AbmjYBxqia53M9lAKbfKrmbFfTSxtf1F-RIrAs83DLrULJwz4J8roZq1E0SaC8RsP8c65oQwUziCq3AlHnZCeUQ3Hy91Y4jlKhn39yo8nclQC7RqHtKCZgIxDsA/s1600-h/DSCN6357.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RKj1LqDf-R_AbmjYBxqia53M9lAKbfKrmbFfTSxtf1F-RIrAs83DLrULJwz4J8roZq1E0SaC8RsP8c65oQwUziCq3AlHnZCeUQ3Hy91Y4jlKhn39yo8nclQC7RqHtKCZgIxDsA/s320/DSCN6357.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228056325797402834" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3rlEBCkDcyHLHeC_rYmxYs4k_kOXrdjYchyphenhyphennZ9NrdcPGN5OGfXVkDTxQFnSZ1jGoZjzkniNzVODJ1F8kcqs4_7fOh4kSGyA9jP1fOLKKyumX-Gj8zOeYcaiNmZ_pOtjCOFr4dg/s1600-h/DSCN6348.JPG"><img style="display:block; 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXfN8CWXD0uJtlcz6pzMBMZHFWQ7X4msSNbz8h58F_VIkv99O-qmV-EZ4c8zYYUt4Jdf56oJJEe5CAS0BDPes-85E9o5kNTOKUy22RdT6hpTXqQRTOan2URN3WC6PH0PUv5Ztt5Q/s320/DSCN6044.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228047193229447906" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKxhJvxnMHbe5ufrlDtkRBmahTE4TbIAJ2mKgbORAa-gn2RjpbfXDu1WKnObZcNvXlnx5zT1akC-G7aJN-p0tpA1Bg2nDWyngQSMVVCYSN8dyc7ytigzLbDDL5L0FL-sk_vdyPag/s1600-h/DSCN6375.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKxhJvxnMHbe5ufrlDtkRBmahTE4TbIAJ2mKgbORAa-gn2RjpbfXDu1WKnObZcNvXlnx5zT1akC-G7aJN-p0tpA1Bg2nDWyngQSMVVCYSN8dyc7ytigzLbDDL5L0FL-sk_vdyPag/s320/DSCN6375.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228056655045297090" /></a><br /><br /><br />As I drove away from the little fishing village for the last time, the clouds were heavy, like my heart.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNxxj0QUePXLbd80UfZPzFDGKAVm4FZuA-hOV-svYqUA73gfJFJm0JMlNWdemsj0Re7nVvFjomoFBEOIDNiUJ4jkANXvv98V-EAmlEaUUycPMZV9raa12cQqsAUJEZmIxr8ttNA/s1600-h/DSCN6380.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNxxj0QUePXLbd80UfZPzFDGKAVm4FZuA-hOV-svYqUA73gfJFJm0JMlNWdemsj0Re7nVvFjomoFBEOIDNiUJ4jkANXvv98V-EAmlEaUUycPMZV9raa12cQqsAUJEZmIxr8ttNA/s320/DSCN6380.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228057014057140290" /></a>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-62733315249522175742008-05-29T10:24:00.002+09:002008-05-29T10:34:01.489+09:00<strong>Mom Sweet Mom</strong><br /><br />My mom has already left Japan, but the two weeks she spent here were soooo much fun, and sooooo needed! I hadn't seen my mom in a year and a half. That's a long time to not see your mom!<br />I started crying at the airport even before I saw her, and then I sobbed and sobbed once she left.<br /><br />I kept my mom quite busy while she was here. Busier than she would have liked, I think! But I felt like I had 3 years worth of places and people that I wanted to show her in just 2 weeks! This included going to school with me for 3 days, so she could meet all my junior high school students and some of my elementary school students. <br /><br />There are more pictures to come, but enjoy this one for now!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/milkichigo/2493966739/" title="Laura on the bridge near Megan's house in Ouchiyama. by milk ichigo, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3108/2493966739_dabdd81668.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Laura on the bridge near Megan's house in Ouchiyama." /></a><br />Here's mom on the bridge near my house, ready for a long walk around Ouchiyama!Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-81272514138571941282008-04-07T11:44:00.003+09:002008-04-07T11:49:49.309+09:00The 2008 school year is off to a BLAH start for me.<br />This morning was the "nyugakushiki", or school entry ceremony for the new students at one of my junior high schools. I have an intense dislike (avoiding the word hate) for all Japanese school ceremonies. They always involve sitting for a long time in a very, very cold gym and feeling incredibly awkward.<br />I always feel very much like an outsider, and kind of clueless about what to do next.<br />Today was no different. Ah, can you tell I'm in a mood??Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-51727624491899991702008-02-25T12:09:00.007+09:002008-03-01T17:52:13.409+09:00<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Year of the Eggplant</span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwdr7hujcRK3Syp6Y1bu_lNtSICzYKjYVXFgJZfZYs3wIzVjyIUocga-T2CdJG1c9DdeUdXC_wlAF9TznHUbOqIJlKPsPKgCmf88c2ecwnICshmFOHe2VURFUBP5g85zqFOd36HA/s1600-h/DSCN4111.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwdr7hujcRK3Syp6Y1bu_lNtSICzYKjYVXFgJZfZYs3wIzVjyIUocga-T2CdJG1c9DdeUdXC_wlAF9TznHUbOqIJlKPsPKgCmf88c2ecwnICshmFOHe2VURFUBP5g85zqFOd36HA/s320/DSCN4111.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172688185891030802" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><strong><br /></strong></div><br /><div> </div><br /><div> </div>I have gone tawashi crazy! You may be asking yourself, "What on earth are tawashi?" Or something along those lines.<br /><div> </div><br /><div>Well, tawashi are something you hold in your hand and clean with. There can be sponge tawashi, or kamenoko tawashi (a scrub brush made from palm fiber). However, I am talking about crocheted tawashi, or eco-tawashi. They are handmade scrubbers that can be created in all kinds of awesome designs! Here in Japan there is antibacterial, odor-resistant acrylic yarn, which is made especially for tawashi. If you make tawashi out of acrylic yarn, you can even clean without soap! Tawashi can be used to clean dishes, kitchens, dishes, shoes, cars, anything really!</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>Antibacterial yarn doesn' t seem to be available in the US, so I've been selling the yarn in my online <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5599124"> etsy store</a>. Etsy is a website dedicated to handmade goods, crafts, and supplies. If you haven't been there already, you've got to see all the amazing stuff available! </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>I've also been selling pattern books for making tawashi. Japanese crochet books use very clear charts, so if you can read a crochet chart, you should be able to read a Japanese crochet chart!</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>Tawashi are so much fun to make, and can be made sooo quickly! I've been making them every night! Check out some of my recent favorites...<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjmka6wtYKOR5dsiyZq_Z7UKZ5hOAQcVtqIdwItXxjWv8D3Ey5mMDmE7RyMC61TfXDJERb5z5uyPho4xo_Vhr86P6CeBi3GOj41Ua97MrZGeqKjJkKB6No2ZnB-B5JObzFIiF2w/s1600-h/DSCN3936.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjmka6wtYKOR5dsiyZq_Z7UKZ5hOAQcVtqIdwItXxjWv8D3Ey5mMDmE7RyMC61TfXDJERb5z5uyPho4xo_Vhr86P6CeBi3GOj41Ua97MrZGeqKjJkKB6No2ZnB-B5JObzFIiF2w/s320/DSCN3936.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172690994799642466" border="0" /></a>This tawashi looks like an Ohina Doll, the doll representative of Girls Day (March 3) in Japan.<br />The pattern is available for free <br /><a href="http://www.hamanaka.co.jp/Past/challenge/tawashi/koinoboritawashi.html">here</a><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVcSmRp-8VuakNZGkCFZKNz1REv9qtq2F44mywlib2tSp9ItsDPKWhS-h-MdSOmRT8XVdQYkZIiI3k5eU83q1dJ1oKjbnCbF1ISNCp_gF1sKICO3yFX9Tzzp3d9ey21Kd50Ivkg/s1600-h/DSCN4130.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVcSmRp-8VuakNZGkCFZKNz1REv9qtq2F44mywlib2tSp9ItsDPKWhS-h-MdSOmRT8XVdQYkZIiI3k5eU83q1dJ1oKjbnCbF1ISNCp_gF1sKICO3yFX9Tzzp3d9ey21Kd50Ivkg/s320/DSCN4130.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172690599662651218" border="0" /></a>Samugari no minomushi (sensitive to cold bagworm)<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77YKo5otAa80zbLlEE2ADp-zXduvTyNaf2d3JJJu1-AJE5lvwG4ObIxsiHta_Jn0Lqmc_v0ypnhRc0N67CfMfIqcXlvcq5RUjqxDnUvYH8Fkk8S2ldCBPvYoDNtgBnU9YR7tbbw/s1600-h/DSCN4116.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77YKo5otAa80zbLlEE2ADp-zXduvTyNaf2d3JJJu1-AJE5lvwG4ObIxsiHta_Jn0Lqmc_v0ypnhRc0N67CfMfIqcXlvcq5RUjqxDnUvYH8Fkk8S2ldCBPvYoDNtgBnU9YR7tbbw/s320/DSCN4116.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172690402094155586" border="0" /></a>Puyopuyo Jellyfish<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14bIKM_Ubj3Z8KjpNKN4FwFOY7rFM-0918Q_4PC6rEhyphenhyphen0bpOtCuuvOFSmBaYIQeSQpjCFVUJYDNe4-bQoPw9cvnXmTH_RTXPQnsJ292wSwL-6dgXXfrrw_N6wYrRwsbmL1FleIA/s1600-h/CIMG5518.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14bIKM_Ubj3Z8KjpNKN4FwFOY7rFM-0918Q_4PC6rEhyphenhyphen0bpOtCuuvOFSmBaYIQeSQpjCFVUJYDNe4-bQoPw9cvnXmTH_RTXPQnsJ292wSwL-6dgXXfrrw_N6wYrRwsbmL1FleIA/s320/CIMG5518.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172689397071808290" border="0" /></a>Bear mitten (made for Stan)<br /></div>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-83150371540552299272008-02-25T07:09:00.003+09:002008-02-25T12:09:12.466+09:00<strong>Stupidest Song Ever<br /></strong><br />The daily 7am stupidest song ever was just broadcast over loudspeakers near my boyfriends house. It is then followed by announcements for the "senior citizens club". Those are the only announcements that ever follow the loud, annoying song. As if old folks can't be contacted by mail or telephone! Ugh.<br />My town used to blare announcements every morning over loudspeakers, but then they came up with the clever idea to put a transmitter into every home, so they could invade your <strong>private space</strong> with useless announcements! Needless to say, that monstrosity was promptly unplugged!Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24101319.post-88912896108082960562008-01-29T22:43:00.000+09:002008-01-29T22:54:34.557+09:00I'm having a quiet night in.<br /><br />My kerosene heater is blowing out constant heat, which is a blessing. However, the smell is a curse. My kerosene heater and I have a love/hate relationship. I wouldn't trade it for anything, well, besides central heating. November and December 2005 were cold, cold months back when I didn't have this kerosene heater. It's odd, because it doesn't smell much when it's on full blast. It's mostly when I turn it down that it stinks. I don't really understand the science of it all.<br /><br />It's almost eleven pm and I am definitely ready for bed. I definitely stay up later during the past year and a half or so. In the past, I remember multiple nights when I would pass out at 7:30 or 8 from sheer exhaustion. But now, I am often up past 11, watching downloaded TV and crocheting. I honestly think it's that combo that inspires me not to nap and not to fall unconscious onto the couch in the early evening. I always want to watch another show, or finish a bit more of my current crochet project. Lately, I've caught the lace crochet bug. I have been making doilies in bright colors. I love following the patterns and seeing these beautiful things emerge from the thread in my hands. I still have a lot to learn, but I feel like I am flying along and learning so much for a self-taught crocheter.<br /><br />Ok, I think it's time to snuggle my fleece-clad body beneath my heavy covers and dream away the hours until I have to drag myself out of bed into my almost sub-zero apartment. O, how I hate winter mornings in Japan!<br /><br />お休みなさい。Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252738278205248669noreply@blogger.com0