In Los Angeles for Basketball ~ then to Japan!

Zen #22

Playing for West Valley Basketball Club has been a highlight for us.

Zen's Coaches have been so great. Unfortunately the team couldn't excel in LA as they had hoped.

The last game was here at California State University, Dominguez Hills

There were a few different courts where they played...

This is a partial list of the College Scouts who were there~

Scouts weren't at every game, but they made it to many.

This is Rodondo Beach, near where Zen and his 'mates stayed. I thought it would be hotter here so far south of Santa Cruz, but the weather has been gorgeous!

Cats, and Boys heading for South Cal tournaments

The cats aren't going south!

As a matter of fact, this is Sylvester. I've posted many funny pics of Sylvester. He finds the oddest places to sit. He lives at our school-house in Japan. This is a photo Sheon-chan took of him sitting in our key basket.

This cat was literally HANGING out by our home in Santa Cruz.

Cat's usually seem to try to look so distinguished.

Our neighbor's cat just looked comfortable.

As for the boys. This is Zen's West Valley team about to leave from San Jose to drive to Las Vegas.

They are in Las Vegas for five nights, then they will drive to Los Angeles and be there until 8/31 playing games in front of College scouts from around the U.S.

Can you tell which is Zen? It's hard to tell when they all have the same sort of hair cut.

Taka and I will drive down and stay for the games in L.A. After the games there Taka and Zen fly to Japan. This time I will stay behind in Santa Cruz.

Obama and SHISO!

I saw this car about half a year ago and never forgot it. I had wished I could have taken a photo of it, and now i get it for you!

It's still in town.

OBAMA BUMPER STICKERED! Look up close by clicking on it.

Japanese don't use bumper stickers- much.

The younger generation is starting to get it.

MY car in Japan totally stands out with all of the bumper stickers I have.

I'll have to show you!

(And my daughter Sheon drives it and hates being noticed for all my stickers- the poor kid!!)

Do you remember the small SHISO sprouts I got going?

Well, look at them now, about six months later! A tad too bunched together, but I haven't managed to thin them out~

And check it out now, SHISO for SASHIMI but ZEN has informed us he doesn't care for SASHIMI for these days.

Wait until he's back in Japan... from 8/1/09! THEN we'll see if he's still not into SASHIMI!

That country will make it look SCRUMPTIOUS again!

A few miscellaneous, random photos! xoxox

It's my NIECE!!! Jessie, or Jay she's called now! My little sister's daughter. Who's just about to turn 16 next week. She reminds me so much of my daughter Sheon in this photo!

And speaking of "growing things" (well...) I am growing SHISO!!! For salad, and our occasional sashimi.

So, life in California, in the U.S. is still hard money-wise, for lots of people. Yes, around the world, not only here. This is a recycling center in town. I can get about $20. for recycling all the cans, glass bottles and plastic bottles we accumulate in a two month period. Some people go around collecting bottles to make money . The college looking kids on this day, they were just out for summer holiday I believe, and trying to make a little money off all of their recycling.

This is one very cool looking house on the other side of town. It's so unique the City is keeping it, however... it's unbelievable homeless don't get in and sleep there.

It makes me think of Michael Jackson's Neverland in a way! (which is all in the news still!)

at Sierra NevadaWorld Music Festival in Boonville CA.

Yoshizaki-tachi and Yaari came to California for this weekend festival...

They rented an RV and along with their old good San Francisco friend Jeff, stayed four nights out there in Boonville

The town of Boonville was wonderful, right there by the concert grounds. We could buy a toothbrush, and stock up on beer and soda... and this lemonade stand we bought a morning drink from. Click on the photo!! The did neat things with the shovels, and the dog was a beauty sitting on the Jeep!

There was awesome food for sale inside the concert grounds as well~

Often out by people's tents... or vans like this one... people set up their own meal places. Isn't this cool? They used their surf board as a table, without worry that when they were away it might get ripped off (stolen)

Our tent neighbors reminded me of an old friend, Nalu, from San Francisco, just because they were speaking French. Well, whattaya know! They KNOW Nalu too! Nalu's kids and theirs went to the same french school in S.F.!

Their pet DINO!

Their little BOY "Basil" with Dino as his NECKLACE~ neck gear!

Inside, this man circulating around during the days, selling COCONUT milk. He'd chop off the top and insert a straw for... eight dollars? Five? Looked cool, COOLING anyway.

BUT, wait!! Sitting right there in front of us~Check out the young woman in the blue dress!! it's AYUMI!!!!

NALU'S DAUGHTER! ((Nalu, who I mentioned above!)

Ayumi saw ME- I hadn't recognized her, the 26 ? year old beautiful young woman that she is now. (Yes, she's half Japanese too- as are my kids)

This was out near the second stage...The Village Stage

And there was also this great Dancehall~

We have gone to Reggae on the River many years in the past, and though we missed the River in Piercy California, this festival was much less intesnse, heat and people-wise. One to return to in coming years.