California Sun and Beer, Oh and Work- Yes!

We were driving this road on the way to our place,
and there was this bus in the distance...





and on top, this couple,

him on the electric guitar,

and her swinging around a long ol' sword!

Performing in the sun! Lots of us were out there shooting photos, and of course thinking "only in California"!





Yes, Taka has been back to work. Nice photo Nagisa took!

I've often said, there's nothing like seeing a man with his tools, and at work!!






And California... too many choices of beer, I must admit. I do miss my simple selection of yummy Kirin Lagar and Yebisu in Japan.



Oh, and "real" Japanese food we rather miss! Check out this CHIRASHIZUSHI a friend loves at a "Japanese" restaurant we went to! How do people say that? When something can't live up to the name? Those who don't know, it doesn't hurt though!

The Japan Party for Marrying!

There were those graduations, but Taka and Zen also returned to Japan to celebrate our marrying in California in December, on the Japan side of the Earth! I had to joke about how Taka was getting to introduce his new, old wife!! Meeting Taka's relatives wasn't bad, except for my Japanese not being good enough to speak properly with them. His Aunts and Uncles were very kind and friendly enough. And they noticed and appreciated Taka's having become a more talkative soul! Quite unlike his father, with whom I've never felt comfortable enough with to have much of any kind of conversation. Attribute that to the fact that he just sincerely seems unable to feel comfortable enough to speak. Still I have met his father enough times over the years, and he made it clear he just wanted Taka to already get married and have children. So I have always felt sorry I wouldn't be able to accommodate them that way! In any case- aside from the fact that I could not speak well enough, I really appreciated Taka's relative's kind reception. And then it was from there, we went back to Nishio and Kira, to have one of the best parties I've ever experienced! We met some friends at the Lynx hotel ahead of the party, where a number of us would spend the night. The room our dear friends reserved for us, VIP, "#2 room"!! made you want to just not LEAVE! The middle of the night bath Taka and I were able to enjoy together overlooking the sea was one of the ultimates! My daughters insisted on dolling me up! I got beautiful this one beautiful night before getting to revert to the same old me- maybe that's the let down for the grooms!!! A gorgeous bride, then... "back to the old face!". Our amazing kids and friends- did the true Japanese number! We walked into a MOCK WEDDING!! With the head priest being my First born son, Ischin!!! In auction-bought priestly attire at that! Even the Christian-like alter- we stood in front of! His girlfriend had made us a sweet ring pillow for our ceremony in California, though we got it too late for using there- however in Japan it worked gorgeously. We were lead by Ischin's English and Japanese unique sermon to once again band one another! Our music wishes also were playing out- and another dear friend played his sweet tunes to Ischin's rants! We even got a hit of that marrying song, once we were told to "seal the deal: with a kiss... and crackers went off, and wonderful dancing tunes came on, flower petals were thrown as we were lead to walk past our friends and family, and around to cut the gorgeous cake! The array of food was massive- the drink and ensuing music awesome. I have just wishedi it could have been in slow motion. The flowers, the gifts, the love, it was more than we could ever have asked for! We had very cool DJ friends of Ischins, and also very cool camera man old friend too (photos have yet to be seen... we wait in anticipation!!). We hired a bus to take some of us back to the hotel. Others made their ways themselves, and we proceeded to karaoke boxes. Two rooms of amazing singing- lordy people can SING!!! Cinderella time came around, and we gave into the magic of the night then. If we could have, we would have gone on and on through the night. But we mamged to seal the night , seeing some friends and our kiddies off to their rooms.

Zen's Class Graduation from Nishio Jr. High

This was our other reason to return. To see Zen's "mates" graduate from their Jr. High School!!

We weren't allowed to join the ceremony in the freezing gymnasium (which really isn't any "Pomp" at all) but we waited a couple of hours outside- while it was still really wintry cold as wekk!



It was so cool though, not only to be seeing his friends glad to see Zen there, but even other kids he didn't know yelling hellos to him, as well as parents and teachers!

















Zen's not been able to spread himself out to do everything we hoped for in these eleven days, but I think he's getting almost enough of the food.

This was graduation lunch with his basketball team mates, the far table the moms, and you can just make out Taka's head- if you look carefully!






(Zen's in this photo too- head down, he's back there with the peace sign)

Sheon's High School Graduation!! 2/29/08

Sheon-chan MADE it!! It was a long haul, she said it went quickly, but... I asked, at times it seemed to take a long time, eh? "Yes".
Taka and I joined other parents sitting in this unheated, and very cold gymnasium for two hours. Watching and listening.

Watching the students, along with teachers and occasionally parents being told to stand, bow now, sit now, stand... silence (someone was entering) "BOW", "SIT"... and then, as if to try to keep the students awake, they'd be ordered to stand and bow again... One tall teacher never bowed. I guess he was a Jehovah's Witness.



But, yes, that bowing looked a bit...dangerous- the boys were behind the girls, true, bowing as well, and the girls didn't need to bow any further down, thank goodness, considering the shortness of their skirts.



So, you know, I'm still trying to figure out the system here, and after a HIGH SCHOOL graduation, it's a bit more subdued. Still, AFTERWARDS was when the siblings, their father and friends came- not for what Taka and I went through!




It was all worth it! No doubt!