Pennsylvania~Sayonara "until next time"

Ten days in PA.

I got to drive by the home we grew up in.

"Grew up" in.

Well, guess we should say our "childhood home"

In Amber, Morris Rd., Montgomery county.

The yard doesn't look as large as when Janet and I had to mow it for three hours in summer.

When Dad left, the riding mower broke down, and...from then all we had was the push mower.

What's a trip was one house across the street from ours,

they still have this sick statue standing there.

The main reason I went to PA was to help Mom and Janet move Janet out of the apartment she's lived in for the past ten years or so.

Everyday except one, we took loads to the storage. (You can see those pics in the blog before this).

Janet's sweet neighbor~ above between Janet and her boyfriend Mike~ Reece, will be missed.

Yes, this was also the Thanksgiving holidays. Mom and Frank worked on a turkey the day Janet and I did the MOST trips delivering to storage. A day that is thankfully over!

I didn't get to watch the turkey preparations. I've never made a turkey, or stuffing~ these photos are about the only watching I did!Frank's son Taylor also came for dinner.

One afternoon, I got to catch up with Amie in Skippack Village.

Amie's one of the most awesome women (you single men out there take note!!!)

While looking in on some shops, this shop Floral and Hardy got this nice snap of us which they broadcast on their Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/floralandhardy

And then~ I got to see other childhood buddies~~

It was a Wissahickon low key reunion of about 15. True, I didn't get to graduate with these guys, but we have history. I'm loving getting to know these good people again. And realizing how much I miss everyone and Pennsylvania.

Finally one sweet meeting we got in was with my California Grandmom's last living friend. Her childhood friend from when she was 16. Babbi. Babbi was my father's Godmother. She was the epitome of the best godmother a godchild could have it sounds.

Stepmom Eleanor, and Janet and I went to visit with her.

As Babbi, who also is 92 like Grandmom, talked on and on with us...speaking of "lucidity" - or as Eleanor put it "having your marbles" which is how I would have called it- Babbi was also the epitome of having them TOO! She has SOME stories too! What an honor to have met her, though she remembers Janet and me from when we were little children. Perhaps from 45 years ago?! Half her lifetime- almost all of ours!

Babbi had broken her back not even 6 months earlier, but the way she cruised through the Assisted Living Home she's living in, you would never have know.

Fun after dirty work every day to move

Michelle~my Belle!!!And JILL!!! We each drove to meet at a restaurant half way the distance between our homes. (Michelle set it up- I didn't know JILL was going to be there! Gorgeous surprise!!!) I'm SO giving thanks (tomorrow's Thanksgiving!!) for friends like these. Making life ALL the better~

It's Wednesday now...since last Friday night I've been in Pennsylvania. And for the most part, to help move Janet, out of her home here~

There's still much to do, but...day by day~ we load up the car once or twice...

and drive 10 minutes away to this storage unit.

...here is where Janet's worldly possessions are- for the most part.
We still have some dressers, and other furniture to fit in. But it's getting close to done

Gone East

Well, not THE Far East...but I did find this plate which Sheon designed OF the Far East while we were packing (my sister Janet is moving). Janet, has had

a few of the kid's plates at her house. Sweet, I'd forgotten, these pictures.

Janet's moving out is still, slowly but surely, getting done.

No pics for this blog entry of Jan's place,  the only photos I've really thought to take have been of some BIRDS!

(Coincidentally, Janet, has been called "J-Bird" because of her bird-like legs)

I was waiting for Janet when I was here as a matter of fact.

I just love their colors!

And even tho sometimes these days are somewhat hard and tiring~ these guys were inspiring~ and made me feel~ happy.

And just a little bit later, when Jan and I were leaving the area, we had to stop to yield to these geese.

I don't think people here in Pennsylvania have seen many tourists taking photos out of their car windows like I did here. But it was so BEAUTIFUL!

First Game and Tournament for Zen's team MPC

Monterey Pennisula College~MPC

Being that Zen's a first year student (in a two year Junior College)~ that he gets playing time is really fantastic. Below are photos from the first game they played against Foothill College, in Los Altos Hills.

He's not on the starting team, but he subs for another point guard, Connor, who happens also to be one of his housemates~

This first game against Foothill College, was a loss for the team. But it wasn't a terrible game, being that the team was playing "for real" for the first time.

Even the small things are important!

I was flying to Japan, on All Nippon Air (ANA)...I was handed a snack and drink, and also came a napkin. This napkin...was different!

I noticed a smell about it: GREEN TEA!

On the flight home I had to ask for a bunch of those napkins. I said to the flight attendant : "NANKA~MATCHA NIOI GA TSUITEMASU NE? MATCHA KARA TSUKUTANO DESU KA NE?" She smiled sweetly, handing me more napkins, saying nothing, but at least the other woman sitting on the aisle (I'm always by the window) the other passenger sniffed at her napkin too, at least I was assured SHE understood my Japanese!

And "yes" as it says on the napkin, "made of green tea" ...well, says more than that doesn't it?!

I just had to plug in another pretty photo of scenery. I'm already one week back in California, but still feeling part of me "there"..still.

Ahhh...one other random photo...yes, at a SELF service gas station. FINALLY they are popping up here and there. But check out the machinery...

can you see? Wait, two photos, and it's not about Anita or the numbers on the equipment...

~you could see what's different?! There's a little TELEVISION on the gas pump!!!

You can watch TV while pumping your GAS! Goodness gracious...the "little things"!!!

So much else in those 14 days in Japan!!!

Japan. A country I love so much tears come to my eyes when I let myself think about it.

Autumn in Japan. Persimmons abound. If I can't have a persimmon-well, half a persimmon- for breakfast everyday in Autumn, I feel something's missing

I didn't need to leave our hometown Nishio far to get a city-like feel. Sheon and I drove less than an hour away to the immigration office. Sheon had to apply for her Japanese passport.

They told us, when applying for the visa, that since Sheon was born in Japan she had to chose which nationality she would be. Would she choose to be Japanese or American.

As if she could tear out half of herself!

Really, all that needs be said, though it's supposedly the law in Japan, she just has to say: "I choose to be Japanese...." and leave out the rest of the sentence..."AND American".

The U.S. doesn't expect you to pretend you're not also another Nationality.

Naomi, Sheon and I went to one very nice restaurant. Taka had gone there with the girls last trip too. The decor...so very cool! "Rob's" is the name of the place! smirk- "Rob's" in Japan!

Not Japansey- yet still somehow Japanesey~

Halloween in NIPPON...is now BIG TIME! Japanese don't know how to Trick or Treat, and most may still not know how Trick or Treating works- which can be just as well. But the PRODUCTS are making for quite the business now. Even the workers wore shirts saying: "Welcome to Halloween LOFT" (the name of the department store)

.........Naomi and Sheon..............and Ischin ...having to stop and take a look.

THEN we got to go to Starbucks...where Coldstone Ice cream was close by...AND SUBWAY!

Did I feel like I was in Japan still...yeah~ and I love walking around with my kids. People check us out...whereas usually Japanese will never stare much, people look a bit longer than usual. Wondering about our relationship...related? Or am I a homestay Mother??

Twice I got to play tennis with Ischin...and here was with Yaari, Sayoko, and Ruth.

Sayoko-chan!!! She so totally doesn't look her age, nor ACTS her age!!! And she's older than I...so got me to thinking...about that!

Yes, Sayoko bicycled half an hour or so, from Ishiki, to play tennis with us. And after tennis we went to Louisianna Mama's for pizza, and salad buffet~where Kahori joined us. Never did we have to go long for want of good food!

Often Ischin cooked at home for us, and Naomi came over sometimes when she could (and Sheon)...Naomi below was showing her yogic abilities. Stood stock still...and cute ol' big bro Ischin stood one legged for a while...wobbling quite a bit, but held it, as I loved it and had to photograph my kiddos!!!


Ischin has done three years of Kyoto University, as a literature student. Guess we could say Ischin AND kitty Sylvester~

This may be one of Sylvester's favorite spots with Ischin.

I loved how Sylester buried his eyes into Ischin's tatooed arm, as if to block out the sunlight.

Sheon splurged on an iPhone cover! How long will it stay two eared?

We got to have Yuya come through town! He's moved out of Tokyo (thank goodness) and along with a new friend from San Francisco, Armando, spent a night.

Trying to set the timer on the camera... and the next morning outside our school-house.

We left Nishio for Cafe Ocean in Hazu-gun, of course we had to turn them onto one of the most fantastic restaurants~ and it's not just cause Naomi and Ischin works there, but Sayoko and her husband have created one of the best spots to reconnect- to wind, water and sun!


Naomi's the vegan baker...above had an adzuki desert.

And all of us with our cameras, to get this pic of the SHADOW in the herb tea of Armando's!

What a day!!!

Back in Nishio, in front of Naomi and Sheon's house, "Parlor Shine" where I lived for 11 years from '86-'97...

Nature doing it's stuff!

Inside... what used to be the coffee shop...and even my english school for the 11 years I was there...still stands the piano~ and Naomi showed me how she can still play...

...even as she exercised!!!
not Sheon-chan tho! xoxox

One wonderful class I used to teach...with the Lion's Club~ we met at this Izakaya I love~

and when I admired the waitresses aprons~ next thing you know, they presented me with two aprons for myself!!! How COOL!

My "last meal" at one other of my favorite restaurants...KOHAZAMA...with other favorite people JULIE...and Sayoko...Yaari....Naomi, Ischin, Kahori~missing Sheon

Below, Julie- questioning the color of the ADE!

Ahhh, Yaari!!

And the next morning...off again into the wild blue yonder.

I think in 4.5 years I've made 13 round trips.  Kinda tired of that, but it's so worth it~

Nearing landing in San Fran...what is this? A penninsula off S.F.? Looked like the wing of the plane...moreso just moments before~

Capitola~...and seeing this grass..with Taka-my-hero

It reminded me of Japan..."no, it's different" and Taka informed me, not very well liked by landscapers such as himself!

But for me....I think of Japan