Time to LAY IT OUT

These palm tress- they have to cut off those dead leaves- or they get funky looking- I'll have to get a shot of trees not trimmed!





And then our boys- Joe comes over almost every morning to hang out then bike to school. Joe has to commute from rather far to go to this High School. Joe and Zen have basically grown up together. When ever we came to the States we stayed with Joe's family, Mom Ana and I were College housemates back in 1981, so Looong time friends!

So those are sweet sights... but I must be honest. I thought about whether I should get into the "dirty"- "hang out the laundry" stuff that's been going on. I've wanted to share the truth... so, just can't help but say it and hope it explains things. Cause life here in the U.S. is so full of so many drugs it's scary. Two best selling books now, one by the father of a meth addict, and the second is by his son who is still clean maybe? I've bought those for my Grandmom and myself to read. Now I know my one relative we're concerned about is in our neighborhood. She also could possibly even care to read this blog of mine, if she still has this address somewhere. I don't need her wrath- I've had dreams of her trying to murder me actually, so I don't feel able to write about her.

But as of three days ago my 46 year old sister has been hospitalized. She looks to have what my father finally died of. Hepatitis C- and I'm learning about how this is working together, the alcohol got to be too much. I don't know what else. Dad could have a transplant cause he stayed sober for a year and went on a liver transplant list- but Janet won't. So now I'm thinking lots about my sister, and my Mom, in Pennsylvania. I may fly there if Mom thinks I should...

But check out this story!!! Two nights ago Mom told Janet's partner that HE would have to stop drinking too when Janet makes it back home. He proceeded to give all their vodka to their neighbor. Yesterday morning Mom went to the hospital. Janet was in the hall with a nurse getting something taken care of, a man standing there too, Jan introduced him to Mom- her neighbor- and Mom thought "wow, you've already made friends with your hospital room neighbor?!" Oh, no, this was THE neighbor, the apartment neighbor, he took all that vodka. He drank it all the night he got it, and got himself into an accident and landed himself in that big ol' hospital, in a room which so happened to be the neighbor room to Janet's!!!

Oh, those spirits!!!

Ok, these days I may let off more steam here- I'm aching to find a nice photo of Janet to show you. Gosh, we have some stories and memories. That girl has been just so unhappy with this life... we can't figure out exactly why. She "protects her privacy" as mom says. Scorpio- born the year of the Tiger (THAT can make her the ornery bitch she can be- and also with a sarcastic edge!!). Jan has the Tarot card- Lovers for her life too, like my Sheon-chan- ohhh that privacy thing!!! xoxoxo

THANK YOU MOM- she got this for us!!! Me and my sister, Janet Louise Jackson, a photo from about eight years.

Our 3/8/08 Mock Wedding

We have finally gotten the photos from our cameraman-friend in Japan at our wedding party there Saturday March 8th, 2008. I chose that day because it's our "anniversary" day. Eleven years to the day, was our first kiss. I keep that page in my datebook. March 8th 1997.


Ok, so this is the last bunch of wedding party photos i"ll stick here in the blog- there were so many great ones tho. And I KNOW some other people have more photos TOO but they haven't been shared with us yet. I guess I shouldn't promise I won't put in anymore. I mean, old photos can be as nice as photos of the present too, right?


[there were pics here not able to be published unfortunately]

Naomi, and Sheon, the two most beautiful young women in my life. God I miss them when I'm in the U.S.. But it is a trip, I do believe my being away from them, and then my being away from Taka and Zen when I return to Japan, makes us all really love and appreciate one another a bit more. At least that's VERY clear with Taka anyway!







So this party, our celebration, I just wanted to DANCE!!! I mean, the drink and food were a sweet bonus, but to enjoy and have fun was all I wanted to do. Friends and kids made it SO much more memorable finally.

FOOD- There was SOOOOO amazingly much of it. AND YUMMY!!! It's the ONLY regret. TONS ended up being thrown away- and dear Julie attempted to do what I SO desired to do myself- together with her we GRABBED as much as we could and tried to find what ever containers we could before it was taken away to be chucked out.







I was afraid marrying might change something, but it hasn't. True, our case is different, since I had the kids already. Things get all different all over the place.

Satur-night, April 13th, '08

I just helped find a home for my relative's sweet cat- family problems made it necessary... that's one thing that kept me a little busier these days. Grandmom still hasn't sold her house, but at least Grandmom is two months into her new home- a mobile home community for "no one under 55 years old"!








Last Night Taka, Nagisa and I went to a very popular restaurant called Pink Godzilla. Of course we find things "not really Japanese" but we love all the Japanese flavor that does come through! Sashimi is what I've been missing so much of. I saw it again today and craved it as well!





Funny how "Japanese" restaurants here never cease to serve Miso soup as an appetizer!!


Today was the warmest I've felt it since moving these guys here a year ago. I'm sun burned today from playing tennis at noon. This evening Taka and I also took a walk to the beach.

These photos- it's the first time I've ever gotten my toes in the sea. It's always been too cold! Our place is so wonderfully cool- but head out here and there, and you will run into heat!


I found a starfish while in the water...it was awesome, not soft at all, not as hard as the rock it was adhered to, either.

April 2nd, '08

It's been awhile since I've been in any mood to write, and haven't been photographing much. Zen took this awesome photo of Taka and me- it's just almost too nice- I wasn't going to post it but... he's pretty proud of having taken such a nice photo himself!!

Well, family have been such a big part of life here too. Grandmom has been having quite a time, so I've been trying to spend as much time as I can with her. Nagisa and Zen are in school everyday, Taka's off to work. I've gotta figure out txes due 4/15, and also take a Califronia driver's test before the 17th. Oh, and I'll take a "nursing course" that's for being a breast feeding consultant! I've got enough experience having done it- how many years? From 22 until 35?! WIth not much time off between babes!

Ok, well, it's bothering me I've not been better here! I gotsta keep it up- no comments from people makes it less fun- that's the truth though!! xoxoxo