Life in Thia's Worlds

Zen Maki January 2012 for MPC

2012-01-26T22:50:00.000-08:00

2012-01-22T15:06:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lectFYNs3T0

Here's some of Zen's BASKETBALL playing!!! Taka did the most work to make this for YouTube!

2012-01-22T14:08:00.000-08:00

Here is a little highlights video Taka and I made for Zen! Of a little of Zen's basketball playing this first half of the regular season with MPC. ENJOY!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lectFYNs3T0

January at home~ in Aptos

2012-01-13T10:26:00.000-08:00

We got some mochi going- once!!!

Maybe it was the brand of mochi...it didn't cook so well.
It was like the mochi we've had in Japan~ or the cooking method was the problem?!

I love this stuff~ YAMAIMO! Slimy potatos...it's what I was holding, and then after cutting it into bite size pieces, with SHOYU and KATSUOBOSHI (shaved bonita)~ QUITE the appetizer! Margi and Tim visited from Oregon, and got to try it, and I got their thumbs up on it AND NATTO!!!

Yes, we got to hang out for the first time since 1982 Margi figures! That was when she came through Santa Cruz and met up with me last- since our '80 HS graduation.

Margi and her man Tim were on their way south to LA, and had two nights sleep, some good food (I must admit) and GREAT catching up!

It's our first winter in our house on Porter Gulch. The sun never shines on the yard now. It's constantly wet. But, these sweet peas are still growing! And FLOWERING!

I keep helping them grow UP the poles. I keep winding twine up the "fencing". Yes, I still hang laundry outside. After two days it does get dry! I do what Japanese would never do, leave it hanging outside all night long! For NightS!!!

Daikon

grows! I don't know

how much underground it's grown...

MISUN...that skinny leaf isn't growing well. And I think it's slugs that like it. So I'm trying beer~ they like beer and drown in it. I've heard. Most of what's drowned tho are black bugs...I don't know if they have been eating my pitiful veggies...

Mushrooms are growing everywhere

I don't know what mushrooms are edible~ no idea~ and am not interested in experimenting with them!

Taka got our first cold frame built!

Soon I will plant seeds in little pots.

I hope the cold frame will help keep seedlings a little warmer...not sure it can/will~ will see!

Maybe the sun will shine again, more and more in our yard and on our home, come...March? Not until April? It was shining in our kitchen windows last May when we moved in~~

Zen's MPC Lobos team vs. San Jose January 11, 2012

2012-01-13T10:06:00.000-08:00

Zen hasn't gotten to play recently because of a kind of tendonitis in his wrist. But after a few weeks off, he's back playing. The team lost this game, but Zen played well.

Below are some photos I got~~

I love this photo~ 32 & 23

~these boys sitting all squished together~ don't seem to mind.

Their head Coach sitting to the far left: Blake Spiering.

Above, #40 Andrew Young~ is being sought after big time~ http://www.montereyherald.com/sports/ci_19726489

Below, Shayne Perryman, who played with Zen for 3 or 4 years, on a summer league team.

2011 has gone, 2012 is here!

2012-01-01T14:26:00.000-08:00

[I'm pretty bummed~ I've already written/inserted what I wanted to say here twice- so for the third time I need to rewrite~ blogspot layout has changed and made it confusing!!!]

YEAR OF THE DRAGON 2012

really from January 23rd, since this is the Chinese calendar we're talking about

Since May, when we moved onto Porter Gulch, we have driven past this deer warning sign. I looked forward to Christmas to share this picture! I also posted this pic on Facebook and someone commented "Reindeer Crossing"!

For my 50th
birthday

Zen and Taka really surprised me with flowers and a cake.
No, I didn't do anything big for myself. I would have partied at a party for me if others had started one, but...nah~ make it big and it would feel big. So many people don't want to really think about being 50 years old. I think about it a little...well, maybe a little more than a little!

For Christmas season I brought this toilet paper back from Japan!!!

Christmas morning Zen and I visited Grandmom and her doggies. Lynn was there cooking Christmas dinner too.

Ahhh, over Zen's winter break he surprised me by agreeing to play Scrabble with me~ then he went and beat me!!! I'm impressed~ happy for him~ sad for me! He says he's regularly playing "words with friends" on his phone. It does appear to help!

With my birthday money, I splurged on the recently for sale again- Japanese Dot shirts!!! Taka and I had missed getting one of these a few years ago. They were sold out.

Now they are being printed again!

AND a special treat~ see Taka and me in the little corner picture of a picture below? With Eiko and John in Hawaii, we got to skype-talk!!!

That was mostly what the "holy-day" season was about this year!
Hoping for a wonderful 2012 to all!!!!

From MPC~ some pics of Zen at their games...

2011-12-19T09:22:00.000-08:00

An East Coast Antique shop visit

2011-12-09T10:11:00.000-08:00

Janet and I had taken a break from moving from her place, and throwing things away...to this antique shop~ and there there was: PINK FLOYD playing on the turntable!!! An "ANTIQUE"!

I loved seeing the SLED, and ice skates took me back to my youth~ and missing SNOW!

I don't know what was with the "phillies" cigars. Wondering if they were from Philadelphia?

This vending machine was so cool~

And then there had to be something from Japan~ This was found in a basket of other doll house furniture. Though it wasn't for a doll house when in Japan!

Pennsylvania~Sayonara "until next time"

2011-11-29T03:51:00.000-08:00

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.

I'm waiting for one more photo from Mom of Janet and me last night.

Check back again for that~~

Fun after dirty work every day to move

2011-11-23T15:40:00.000-08:00

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 my sister, 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- for the most part, almost all are.
We still have some dressers, and other furniture to fit in. But it's getting close to done

Gone East

2011-11-22T12:27:00.000-08:00

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.

I'm tempted to post before and after pictures of her place! xoxox But then again...think I've done enough of that (see October posting of my moving in Japan)

But, for now~ the only photos I've really thought to take have been of some BIRDS!

(Coincidentally, my sister 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

2011-11-11T08:21:00.000-08:00

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!

2011-11-05T13:07:00.000-07:00

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!!!

2011-11-03T13:13:00.000-07:00

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 that "custom" works- which can be just as well. But the PRODUCTS are making for quite a big 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 (another day playing I missed with Jelani)

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! (Sayoko is who is the owner of Cafe Ocean, the Organic Farmer's Kitchen which Ischin and Naomi work)

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 adzuki...and what else Naomi?! SO complimentary of the meal!

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

Cleaning house in Japan~ after 25 years! In two weeks and two days!

2011-10-30T07:02:00.000-07:00

Taka and I knew we needed to make this storage room of ours empty~

empty since Ischin's girlfriend Kahori will use the room.
Taka was in Japan the end of September for two weeks and he went from this:

to this:

Taka did take some things to his old house where his father lives in Okazaki, 45 mintues away.

But also he brought back MANY negatives and photographs to the States.

So, I went to Japan October 12th for two weeks and two days, and finished cleaning...this room ( the "finally empty room" above with the carpet).

I did it while also preparing for a 25 year party for the English school downstairs- It also was in perfect timing for two sets of house guests visiting (Haruna and Natsumi for the 25 yr english school party

and then Yuya and Armando, on the way from Yuya's moving from Tokyo to Kyoto).

Downstairs was where I had this space I used as my dressing room:
And I knew since I'm not there most of the time now, it should be emptied so it can be used. Therefore I moved out all of these clothes and things:

and THEN...

I needed to move everything I was keeping into this one room- the "futon" room upstairs.

This futon room, these photos show what it looks like now, stuffed with our stuff!

Ahhh, the epitome of Japan! Small quarters for LOTS of stuff!

In the far left corner (the third photo) are six plastic drawer boxes for my clothes. Behind the pink/red bag of futons on the floor, are 25 photos albums. HEAVY photo albums!

There are way too many futons saved,

even though I did give away a few blankets...next trip we'll sift through the rest.

In the futon room, when Taka and I go in April, we'll be able to squeeze in and sleep there.

It's comfy, and our memorable are there. It's still "home"!

New Age Connection Celebrates 25 years Oct. 22nd 2011

2011-10-24T16:48:00.001-07:00

There are so many people to thank!!!

We celebrated with only a few of the many we wish could have come.

At Dunas in Nishio

Especially thanking...Anita, Jennifer, Hiromi, Hiroaki, Ischin,

Taka, Julie, Prabhu (who were here in spirit!)...Kato-san, Sayoko, Motohiko...on and on we can go, Aya, Chiharu, Akiko, Murakami's...watch for the 30th reunion! Plans are already in the making!!

A couple days after our celebration, the High School around the corner from us, Kakujogaoka, met with Anita and me (discussing English classes to be held)...they presented us with these gifts too! These are AROMASKS!!! Aroma scented face masks (masks have been common to wear for as long as I've known Japanese!!! more than 25 years!)

AND they made special deodorizers which read "25th" in beads in them!!!!

THANK you Kakujaoka High School Students and Teachers Tsuruta-san and Yukiko-san!!!

Zen's team at Monterey Penninsula College

2011-10-21T14:05:00.000-07:00

Their first game is November 7th!

Here's the link:

http://www.mpc.edu/athletics/mensbasketball/Pages/default.aspx

Japan's so much about friends...food!!!!

2011-10-18T13:33:00.000-07:00

Ohhh, OLD friends, friends from way back were in town!!!!

In this photo- on the left, Sayoko is the friend from way back who's restaurant is where Ischin and Naomi work at...and where Yoshie, next to her, came to give a live performance Sunday the 16th. Yoshie came to our english school back in like 1987. The rest is "history". Yoshie also lived in San Fran for a while. In the middle is Kaoriko....who moved to Nishio after the Kobe earthquake with her husband and child, who's birth I was at. Kaoriko and her first husband who are sundancers used to run sweat lodges where we had a tipi set up...there's me...and Julie from Australia, who was in California about three weeks ago visitin us in Santa Cruz and, and...on and on...what everyone is doing!!!!

At Parlor shine the next day, Yoshie went back to see Parlor Shine and Naomi and Sheon. Parlor Shine was the coffee shop she went to when she was in High School, and where I taught english classes for 11 years. Oh, it was so cute, Naomi and Sheon were both blow drying their hair, Yoshie worked for a Beauty Salon, when we first met.

One day last week I cooked for Taka's father....(and others)

From our little old dingy looking kitchen, good food comes out~

I don't have many dishes to share, but this is one...

lasagna in the works...japanese little mushrooms and slim eggplant, pork lasagna (with cottage cheese- no ricotto cheese outside of big cities in Japan)...

I made oatmeal cookies and poppy seed cake. In Japan, poppy seeds are ridiculously expensive and are only in small packages of about 2 Tablespoons for perhaps $3.50.

Oh, and this little oven...THIS is what I get to bake in in Japan. We used to make about ten or twelve pizza crusts, then everyone (four kids and usually 5 or 6 adults) would "decorate" their own pizzas, baking them two at a time.

I can only make six muffins at a time...and cookies can take awhile. That's why sometimes I just put a panfull of cookie dough onto the pan and make like "squares"

OKONOMIYAKI!!!! MAKI~ style!

Ischin-kun's making great okonomiyai!!!

And now, these days, with mochi, THIN mochi on top. It looks a little messy~but totally yummy.

Finally, here's a pic of the kids with their father who's visiting town. In that coffee shop the girls keep working to fix up, Ischin too. The kid's home now!

In Japan, getting ready to celebrate 25 years of our English School: New Age Connection English School

2011-10-15T15:35:00.000-07:00

Taka's back from Japan, but now I'll fly off for there from Tuesday, October 11th

2011-10-06T10:38:00.000-07:00

Santa Cruz County...

October. Got "Indian Summer" and then a buncha rain. But now...PUMPKINS!!! everywhere (thank you for the photos Julie!!!)

Everywhere except where I though we had so many growing. There are these big green squash of sorts~ yes, I planted seeds from a sugar pumpkin a friend had grown last year, and this is what we got!

The do seem to be fine when treated/cooked like zucchini. Before the seeds get too big, get them before this big, for sure!

Julie and I walked down the road a ways, hunting for some wild periwinkle I'd dug up a little of one day bike riding. The tree and sunshine were wonders all around and along the road.

Miya and Yuya stayed one night on their way from L.A. to San Fran, and got to see Zen for an hour! After years...well, January 2oo7 to be exact. In New Jersey Yuya and Miya and family went to see Zen play for the Jr. NBA!!! four and a half years ago! Now Yuya has gone on to Japan, and Miya is back in Boston, and where we will meet next~ who knows~ but hopefully back here in Aptos... oh at least mama Lena?!

So, I was packing for another trip to Japan. And one certain spot to shop for our Japanese family and friends is, where else other than: TRADER JOE'S !!! They open, as they were here, at 8 am~ after I'd dropped Taka off at work

But how about these, guys!

BRUSSEL SPROUTS! (click on th pic and see more up close?!) STALKS of them!!!

And for only $2.99!!! I bought a stalk, it's taking a little while to eat all the brussel sprouts...but also I just planted some in our garden. I have no idea how they will grow, but...this big?! Nah~

From TJ's tho...this trip, just a few of the things: organic mayo, chocolate covered potato chips, apricots, capers, dried tomatos...and FLOUR! Whole Wheat Flour!! Yes, this time I'm taking ten pounds of flour in my carry on to Japan! Easier than going and having to order and wait from a company far away in Japan to send it to me~ oh, and cheaper.

But the other day I bought these potatoes from TJ's! They have great notes on their labels and it helped me know that THESE were the potatoes I needed for MASHED potatos!

(can you read what's on the bag? CUTE!)

Here, is a cup from a new-to-me "mexican" restaurant...I have to check the name of it again~ like the SUBWAY shops where you tell them how you want what you want and they throw it together for you in front of you. But this cup of theirs was cool!

"H2O WATER AGUI" (agui's spanish for water)

and this pan just made me think of me....I didn't buy it~ under the price tag is says "cook"

DON'T LOOK FURTHER

IF YOU DON't want to see

how a nail falls off~

I have had to record this tho~ it's been a "first" for me/us to see the process of

a smashed finger losing it's nail.

Yes, it's mine....

and back about the middle of August, when I was about to slam shut the car door-

I tried to stop it, and my thumb got in the way~~

This on the left was when the nail started lifting off the skin, it seemed for sure that it was going to be-one of those- "losing nail" things. If you look closely enough, you can see about 1/4 of the nail on the right side is still fine and growing normally.

THEN, one day, the blood came out! OHHHH that's what the darkness was before!

So...October 1st I took this pic using a rubber band to hold my nail on. Cause when I was dishes (we don't have a dish washer) band aids and taping just get wet and I've been going through LOTS of band aids and tape. Then I tried using the rubber band and it worked!

Under the nail I can see-it's ugly. So, though I could cut it off, I'd still need to keep it covered.

I will have to post another pic one day soon- at the end of this...the nail has felt like cardboard almost. Strange sensations! Amazing how the body is working this!!!

Back from Japan

2011-09-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

Taka came back with some souvenirs~lots really!

So beautifully Japanesey...

...yes...here is...the epitome of Japanese wrapping.... to the extreme~ rather gorgeous. And in a way laughable ...but, in a way~a shame

These ~ rice crackers~are individually wrapped,

put into another plastic bag...

then another semi-plastic bag...

and finally in the paper bag. Four times over...wrapped~

For me~ a love and hate relationship~

His and her's fans, from Naomi-chan!!!

And his and her's ZORI...Tatami Zori...

a note on the package says "Please Feel"

There should be a note saying "SMELL" cause they smell SO wonderfully of TATAMI

Taka's first meal back- lostsa salad from the yard. The first night-last night- he got to sleep 12 hours! 10:30 pm California time till 10:30 am! THAT'S the way to kick jet lag in the arse!

And the night before~ Julie, Sayoko and Leora, from Australia, Japan and Australia on their way to Escalen~ I got them for two nights before they drove on along the California Coast

And they got to get some gorgeous Califonia sun and redwood vibe here~

The only thing more I wish to ask for is to have had them for longer!

Taka in Japan at the best Ramen Shop ever

2011-09-22T08:11:00.000-07:00

GONKICHI....in my 20+ years in Japan- I've never found a better ramen shop

Taka and Yoshizaki's, Ischin, Kahori, Naomi, Sheon, and Tatzuro EIGHT of them squeezed in to this small RAMEN-YA

Their tantanmen is the ULTIMATE....

The brothers have run the restaurant~I've tried to talk with them, but they hardly will respond...and have never wanted to get their photos taken~~

When we go to Japan, GONKICHI is ALWAYS where he have to go to eat at least once- the more the better.

From the past couple of days

2011-09-13T10:27:00.000-07:00

Yellow is all over.

It feels so Autumn~y

before, the baby sunflowers started...

This was before putting in the arbor, when we planted the Jasmine from where we moved in May...

This was June 20th>>

and this was 9/2011! Oh what less than three months can do!

I met this woman~ Three years ago, in this blog, I posted a pumpkin she'd carved- Halloween~y so.... her names' Petcharee~
and her website is: www.peaceinmyheart.com

Trashing~ and Building~ in Santa Cruz County

2011-08-31T12:39:00.000-07:00

Taka and I went to the DUMP.
The seagulls I love...I know many people think of them negatively~because of THIS.

Here, I have to admit feeling uncomfortable about those birds!

Can you see how they are EVERYWHERE?!!
How this works is that we pay beforehand. We drive up to this space- large space of land- and back in. Taka's on the truck unloading our household wastes. The cute, young, woman next to us had paid to empty her car of her mattress and bed frame~

At this dump we also paid to trash the broken washer and dryer.

Since in our new home, we don't pay to have dump tucks take our trash away, we pay much less by doing this by ourselves. It's a very "enlightening" experience, seeing how our trash gets worked.

In another vein~~

A little while ago, at the mobile home park where Grandmom lives, a new home was being trucked in. We got to watch it being assembled. It was a long process~ and crowds gathered to watch the event!

The first half of the house had been set in...

...we got to see the second half lowered in.

Quite a production!

This is how it looked the next day:

Perhaps two or three weeks later, after all the landscaping...two cars could also squeeze into the parking. Grandmom swore she couldn't see how they could do that!

Grandmom and Uncle Lynn

Grandmom gets Uncle Lynn's landscapers taking care of her yard~ (including Taka)

Friend, Bethany, whose mom lived across the way from Grandmom, her kids Kayla and J.J.

went with me on some dog walks recently! J.J.'s got Charlie Brown, and Kayla's walking Peppermint Patty

I loved that Kayla and I happened to both be wearing butterflies on our shirts!

New friends and old friends

2011-08-17T07:32:00.000-07:00

Leslie and boys Zach and Josh came visiting, playing, partying over the past ten days-

from Boston. Here, below with Jon in outside the house~

Misty morning love~

YESTERDAY I went to CARMEL "by the Sea"

To see- NONE OTHER THAN~ the VERY first FOREIGNERS I met when I moved to Japan in 1986!!!!

EIKO AND JOHN!!!! Allllll the way from Honolulu....

I got to see one of their boys with them, Jackson. Handsome, sweet young man that he is now! It'd been 12 years perhaps since Taka and I had visited their family in Honolulu.

Today they will drive Jackson to his University in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

In Carmel is John's relative's home which they have helped to keep up~

"The Bark House"

If I remember correctly, a female architect designed this home back in the early 1900's.

Now it's an historic landmark!

The best other info I could find so far was this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/from_linda_yvonne/2299130898/

"The bark house

Built in 1922, this unique cottage was conceived with the ocean spirit of Carmel summer days in mind. The facade of the house was made of redwood-bark boards.
The current owners maintain this exterior by retreiveing and storing fallen pieces from the forest sof nearby Big Sur"

Now back to getting Zen ready to move into an apartment in Monterey, only minutes from Carmel- for College!!!

a few days ago- my first time seeing a dragonfly here

2011-07-29T08:24:00.000-07:00

the dragone fly landed on me, suddenly~ "out of the blue"!!!

and OH so blue!!! I was scared to move...I wanted my camera from inside but I didn't dare going inside with the dragonfly sitting on me~
I used the photo booth on my Mac to take these photos...and after about 20 minutes of it sitting on my shirt...

I got it to climb onto my finger!

Then I wanted to show you~ it was the same blue as my eyes pretty much! The blue clashed with my earrings, so I took them off

and then I had to put on my glasses to study the gorgeous creature.

Finally I needed to say good bye and I told the dragon to fly on~ I don't know where he went. But The next day I swear I saw him flying around in the big space of our yard.

Gardening in Aptos, and looking for advice!

2011-07-15T08:40:00.000-07:00

We moved into our house share with lots of property waiting to be gardened.

I've never gotten to garden before, so I'm doing this for the very first time. Before my 50th birthday, I've got a new hobby.

We got started with lotsa japanese seeds~

but bought some herb starters~ though the chive seeds are totally not making it.
We got one little bunch of chives, but all in the center I've been watching tiny little chive leaves coming up, but oh-so-slow, and not seeming likely to make it.

Trader Joe's basil has always struggled whenever I've bought the planted pots. Even putting it into the ground. So I bought basil seeds and I started a few pots of them and am hoping we can get some nice basil- some day

Back at the end of April, I planted some chiso in a planter, but those guys just aren't happening. And now, 2 1/2 months later, it's totally...weak...and bugs are eating at them.
I did plant some more CHISO (good in salads but popular around SASHIMI or as tempura) in another plot a few weeks ago, they are very slow coming up. And the Mizuna looks like they weren't planted deep enough... : (

I need a better, finer, watering pot...and must mulch here too it seems.

Back in the beginning of June when I was starting sunflowers for sprouts, I put some in the yard in places...here alongside two beds of veggies:
mid July they've gotten to be more than a foot tall~

and beyond the sunflowers, pumpkins are growing from one sugar pumpkin a friend gave us last winter. I had save the seeds in the fridge, and planted them the beginning of May.

Funny, two pumpkin seeds found their way into another spot, and here they are growing all the larger and quickly

I have had a hard time thinning things out. Feeling sorry for the baby plants. But I got to taking out about 17 pumpkins from the 4' by 5' plot. Now there are about 10 left. Is that still too many? Maybe...

The first time in almost 30 years I grew sunflower sprouts!:

Taka build two beds, in one of them I planted CHINGUSAI, CILANTRO, red radishes & MIZUNA,

it looks like too much CHINGUSAI at the far end tho (we keep making tempura and saute with it)

...but it's the CILANTRO that's losing ground with the Radishes growing SO large!

planted the end of May, here in June:
and now, mid-July:

The bed next to that is an array of japanese salad greens, along with arugula/rocket lettuce (as the australians call it)

I must admit, maybe I've gone a bit crazy having planted perhaps 4 different areas of arugula! Tho true, now there are also four other beds of different kinds of lettuce. We're eating salads with nearly all of the greens from our garden almost every night, or every other night anyway.

I've been able to get lots of free seeds , poppy seeds, blue Nigella, calendula, feverfew...
so I must keep finding semi-sunny places to plant everything, it's a little of a challenge. But, freecycle has allowed me to help pass on/exchange plants too. It's so cool~~

Taka put together a fantastic arbor for two jasmine plants we moved over here from our condo.

Taka put together the shed for our storage (to the right)...then we tried to hide it with the lattice and with the dream of the jasmine growing all over it and around the kitchen windows. There are some sunflowers around too, but they aren't growing so well without more sun.

Taka's been working slowly but surely on a fence, because the deer have been coming around since the dog ran away a few weeks ago.

(can you see the kitty coming through the fence? He runs randomly through the young growing lettuces...doing more damage than deer~for now!)

We got 6 tomato plants from one of Taka's co-workers...then ten more from a freecycler~

I've been given conflicting advice as to how much water to give. Too much makes soggy tomatoes so I should "stress" them, and not give much...but too little water doesn't help the plants grow much...what's right?!

Guess I'll find out...cause I'm inclined to give medium amounts of water but...don't know!

You know?

Next to the tomatoes are Okra which grows very slowly. I planted more red radishes between the okra, but now I'm worried whether the okra will grow quickly enough so the radishes don't overtake, and shadow them!

Japanese cucumbers, also, take a looonnnng time to grow, too. Or- it's the sun-less-ness I guess. I did move them to a sunnier bed and started some more seedlings~(true, I need to mulch!)

From our kitchen window....

I still grow alfalfa sprouts...and then I'm into giving a second chance at life for those

green onion end roots!

In a "nutshell"~ hardly! But this has been some of what I've been up to since May and moving into our Porter Gulch digs. Ha~ yep, two and a half months of digging into our new "digs"! : )

Zen at work; and going to play (in Japan)~and miscellaneous more

2011-07-13T13:35:00.000-07:00

Whenever I'm departing from San Francisco airport I always want one of these:

Eggs Benedict!

Zen was ravenous so~ he could appreciate it, totally. He was the one to be departing this time~

Zen'll be gone to Japan from 7/12-8/8...I get choked up when I think about having ALL four kids half way around the world away from me. And homesick...

So, I have to stay busy...and thankful, and grateful. The kids are all SO happy and healthy in Japan. And we are here in California too~ really!

But, anyway...here...back to other things of interest~

I saw, for the first time, at the entrance to the metal detectors and gates at San Fran airport,

a mailbox.

Where we can send home...what we're not supposed to be carrying through the detectors

How considerate!!!!

Speaking of signs...

four plus years ago when we first moved over here to the U.S.

I heard about how we weren't supposed to use cellular phones when fueling our cars...

that it could cause an explosion~

Last week was the first time I see a sign SAYING to not use phones!

I'm so surprised more notices aren't around, considering how everyone uses phones so...often~

Last week, before leaving for Japan, Zen got a little more work in at Uncle Lynn's landscaping company. Here, below, with Taka...putting together more gopher baskets~

Using planter pots to mold it around, then lock it and hammer it tightly together.

Zen smiled for me! : )

Ahhhh, another day...at home, Joseph saved a lizard from the claws of the cat...he had a leash for the lizard...keeping the lizard safe until he could release him elsewhere.

That was so cool, a leash out of some twig!!!

Just before saving the lizard, the cat had already gotten part of the tail~

Poor thing, that lizard~ Joseph the savior!

4th of July Family Weekend

2011-07-04T09:07:00.000-07:00

We got to have Taka's relatives come for a BBQ from over the hill, Los Gatos. Well Aunt and Uncle Tsuruta were visiting from Tokyo and were to fly back on Sunday.

The kids, Luke and Noah got to hit whiffle balls in the batter's cage and also get in the hot tub~ all after a day at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk.

There was a stone in my salivary gland!!

2011-06-28T10:34:00.001-07:00

A Stone in the Salivary Gland~

It took 24 hours after starting antibiotics to pop out the stone from the salivary gland under my tongue.

What happened:

Wednesday, June 15^th, 2011, I felt my left lymph gland in my neck was swollen. It happens about twice a year, perhaps from getting run down, drinking too much, and I usually feel like I’m on the verge of getting sick.

I’d gone for a full check up about a year ago at the urging of a friend, and was fine.

But on this evening of the 15^th I noticed that inside my mouth, under my tongue on the left side was sore and swelling too. Eating was becoming uncomfortable.

Thursday morning, out for a birthday brunch for my son, it really hurt to eat. I had to chew slowly, and couldn’t eat much. I began to notice that my lymph would swell, and inside on the underside of my tongue too, was swelling every time I ate something. Drinking didn’t seem to bother me as much. The swelling and pain would pretty much go away when I wasn’t eating.

Thursday night, my son’s birthday bash was going to go down, and we were packing to leave the next morning to go camping. I knew I could be in trouble~ I googled “pain and swelling under the tongue” and read that my salivary gland could be blocked. It was about 8pm. I went to the Urgent Care.

I got to see Dr. Karl Segnitz, who helped me with an infected bed warmer burn on my foot more than a year ago. (I met him also when 91 year old Grandmom was sick a little bit back. She remembers and likes him too).

The doctor said I was right, and that dehydration probably caused it. A stone in my salivary gland. He tried to get it out, couldn’t, and prescribed antibiotic “AMOX TR-K CLV 875-125 mg tablets” to take twice a day. 20 tablets. Ten days?! Also painkillers, I didn’t think I wanted, but then changed my mind when later Thursday night, and the next morning when the pain was so bad after eating again (The pharmacy’s PC went down when they were trying to fill the prescriptions Thursday night- I had to go back the next morning, tho they gave me 4 tablets for until I’d return).

I was also told to gently massage from my throat, along the underside of my jaw, out to the front of my mouth, to try to help get the stone out. And to use a warm compress. If the stone didn’t come out in a few days, I would need to go to the hospital to have it removed, the Doctor said.

I couldn’t imagine it was honestly like a stone. I hadn’t thought to ask the Doctor whether the antibiotics were going to help dissolve the stone~ or what? The pharmacist didn’t know either. And everyone I told about this, no one has ever heard of this.

About 13 or 14 hours after going to Urgent Care, while I driving to Mendocino county through San Francisco, I tried to eat again, and the pain brought me to tears. I hadn’t taken pain killers but it felt like I would want to-maybe.

I kept drinking lots of water and massaging… and I actually ate a bunch of a sesame stick snack about an hour and a half after that tear jerking pain, and I didn’t have the same pain! (I was hungry!!) Also my lymph swelling seemed to be staying down.

We got to the campsite, and set up camp. I wasn’t uncomfortable…and I could drink without pain. And then, Friday night, about 24 hours after the first antibiotic on Thursday night, I was running my tongue down around the sore area and the stone popped out!

It really WAS like a stone. Or like a miniature tooth, about a cm round? It looked a little like a mini piece of popcorn, but like a tooth, it had some sharp edges, as roots do, three of them. THAT’S what all that pain was about! From then on, all was fine. My lymph swelling proceeded to go down and go away.

Thanks Doc!!

Sierra Nevada World Music Festival June 17th-19th, 2011

2011-06-27T10:32:00.000-07:00

We left cool Santa Cruz with Joe and Zen in our Suburu for the four hour drive to BOONVILLE, California, in Mendocino County~for MUSIC!!! We warmed up (with the weather) as we got closer to the festival site~

June 19th-21st.

vineyards look so beautiful~ohhh California~
And seeing bales of hay always makes me feel....good~

our lovely, trusty ol' '94 Subaru, made it with our huge load

and when we were finally parked, everyone jumps out to set up their camps as quickly as possible the

Zen and Joe set up a little ways away~

There were two stages again~ this smaller one's called the Village Stage (the larger is the Valley Stage). I loved their little bamboo fencing

and the little boy, and my big boy sitting on a cool tree stump of a seat!

The HAIR DOS! The woman with the feathers, when she danced those feathers fluttered in the wind.

SOOOO many children wore these "ear protecters", ear "muffs"?! I don't know what they're called, but a very nice idea!!

The food...expensive, and so-much-of it, was everywhere. It was hard NOT to indulge.

I never have seen people trying to light a smoke with a magnifying glass! True...to make a fire, I've seen it~ I was impressed actually... lighting this way to be natural?!!

We found this woman Barbara who we met last year when we were with Sayoko-tachi!

Barbara is a faithful concert goer~ and supporter of many people and causes, including the people she bought this coffee from.

Toot's and the Maytal's were the highlight for us~ though Coli Budd's band was NICE!

I loved seeing all the young people loving the old bands we grew up loving.

I got turned onto Toot's for the first time right here in Santa Cruz when I was a new College student! So~ it brings back good, nostalgic feelings!

The Kids

2011-06-24T15:59:00.000-07:00

2011 balloons from Zen and Joe's graduation~ they are STILL floating in the air TODAY, the 24th! TWO weeks after graduating. Got our money's worth~(they were $50.00!!)

Sheon's birthday was June 18th, she turned 22! Naomi-chan made the ice cream cake Sheon likes...Taka, Zen and I missed being there to celebrate : (

Ischin plays guitar now too! It had been gathering dust in the corner of his room for a while~ I can't wait to HEAR him!

Santa Cruz High GRADUATES! June 10th, 2011

2011-06-12T12:07:00.000-07:00

The kids and teachers all were "up above" waiting until the time to descend upon all of us below~

And below, Cabrillo College Stadium:

The ceremony went on for two hours. It really was wonderful. And tho it was so sunny, there was a slight breeze. It was pretty much perfect except for no sisters or brother of Zen's being there, or any of our blood! xoxox

Zen got to walk between two of some of his best friends, Cody Love and Joseph Marden, on their way to getting their diplomas!

With Mr. Free, who was the keynote speaker! Can't get better than him!!!

Well, Obama could be close! xoxox

Then back to our place to eat, drink, celebrate them and us, and be even more merry~

Akilah celebrating the boys~

Taylor back from U.C.Berkeley and in town, and Iggy graduated from Soquel too~

Iggy's Mom Patty, and brother Willy~Akilah along with Willy and Nahshon~

I want to close out this entry with these two pictures Zen drew in one of his last classes at Santa Cruz High~ so, in thanks to his school too!

Getting ready for ZEN & JOE'S GRADUATION PARTY!!! 6/10/2011

2011-06-08T11:53:00.000-07:00

This is looking up the road from the entrance to our driveway~ "Wow

There's nothing like living with a HANDY MAN. Well, wait, double them up! Living with TWO handy men is THE LIFE!

Taka and Jon were putting down more gravel at the entrance to our driveway.

And then getting rid of the unneeded wood from yard work~ Jon stayed out there late into the night!

Then we had this tub~

and once I got it cleaned out...

...Jon's hot tub man came through, and after a few days of filtering and all~ now we have the heavenly luxury of taking hot tubs any time of day we desire.

At night...when I look up at the trees surrounding the house, they appear to be hugging our home. It's so beautiful!

Zen Maki Highlights 2011

2011-05-30T13:27:00.000-07:00

This was put together by Mr. Free~ one of Zen's assistant Coaches. He's one of the awesome~est people...and doing this for Zen and Zen's team is truly SUCH a gracious thing. THANK YOU FREE!

AND Thank You Zen, for all your work to make such incredible basketball playing!!!

a sunny afternoon at our "new" home @ Porter Gulch

2011-05-22T09:31:00.000-07:00

This is looking at the house from partway down the driveway. That's a hot tub waiting to be nursed back to health there. And yes...lots of yard to the right and further...to be GARDENED!

The feline...Lynx.He's learning how to be a true blue animal~ which means lots of life OUTSIDE the house!

I've only come close to an asthma attack twice since moving in...the cat's being outside- lots-and lots of vacuuming helps

Can you see the cat- attacking Zen's arm? He is a character...you should hear his hissing...maybe I can get it on film one day!!! That'd be cool!

Moved! But still in Santa Cruz County~~

2011-05-13T14:54:00.001-07:00

Got back from Japan the end of April, and hardly unpacked...but went right into packing up and cleaning to move in with our long time friend Giovanni~Jon~Man! Ahhh, and then there's the dog Levi~ and one more critter~ a furry, big house cat still learning to be an outdoor cat Linx.

I got to sell a bunch of our things with a woman who has garage sales most every Saturday, near our condo...and dear friend Val, who I met at tennis and am otherwise now great friends with, joined us for a little chat, and time in the sun too.

AT GRANDMOM'S...I hung the KOINOBORI Ischin got for her 92nd birthday!

May 9th, 1919 Can you see, I could get a balloon that reads "Happy 92nd Birthday"

So where we've moved is a home up Porter Gulch Drive, a mile and a half back from the main road, into the redwoods.

Moving in with Jon, his home is furnished already, so Taka and I bought a shed to put together, for all the things we don't need to add to our home.

No wonder it was so reasonably priced- $200. for a 6' by 8' shed....but 40 pages of directions for putting it together has meant...it's taking TIME!

First we had to chop out the stump of a tree, back in the corner of where we wanted to situate the shed.

Managed to get Zen to help as well~ a little bit.

Then had to make a foundation-floor~

The walls are up, but then it's rained for the past two days~now everything's soaked, and the past two nights, good ol' Taka proved he's also a great fire maker as well!!! We've gotten to warm up home via the wood stove~

One more bit about my last, recent days in Japan

2011-04-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

These are those rape blossoms in earlier photos, that I said were in the salad

fields of these at this time of the year~

...the colors of the fields make my eyes tingle

One day with Naomi, we went to Nagoya, to KIKUYA I think it was called. Where Naomi found they had the most inexpensive whole wheat flour- which I wanted, but also kitchen appliances Naomi needed for her

"Organic Farmer's Kitchen" job.

It was pretty cool seeing the kitchen lesson room.

Very professional, there was a mirror over the bakers so everyone could see what they were doing

~but it also looked very detached between the bakers and the students.

"Professional" that's what it was.

Another day, with Sheon, we were out looking for Naomi's birthday presents.

She just looked so pretty. Both these daughters always look so pretty. I really am always in awe. I was taking these photos this afternoon, Sheon asked me why, it was the way she had tied her pony tail up with her own hair wrapped around it (how stylish!!) , and the glistening band, her shades...she just looked so PRETTY (I never looked so stylishly pretty!)

When I was visiting a friend in Nagano, with another friend, we took a walk. There was this resort right near by. In one area they had blueberry farms.

I had to take a photo of this sign:

The friend I was walking with, he's VERY intelligent. Yes and his English is fatastic , but even he

thought the sign was saying the blueberries were CLOSE!

NOT that they had misspelled CLOSED

(I moved the sign to show him that behind the "CLOSE" was "OPEN")

English is not easy. Neither is Japanese.

But here below, Ischin... my oldest child~ He's in his corner of the house, studying.

Japanese literature. On a little carpet I took to Japan from his Great Grandmom. (There's tatami mat otherwise, not good with wheels on the chair) Ischin writes on his computer from right to left, from the top to the bottom...his literature homework, and the book he's writing.

I missed taking a photo of his computer Japanese writing.

I just thought it looked so cool.

I hadn't seen computers do that until I saw Ischin's writing (not that I can read any of it!)

And then there's our cat Sylvester,

he makes himself comfortable in Ischin's lap every chance he gets!

Some of the beauty of this Spring in Japan

2011-04-19T16:35:00.000-07:00

I went with Yaari to drive the car we were donating for Tohoku area, taking it first to Ina, Nagano.

On this night, getting gas for the drive, to Yoshie's easily I could use my credit card, and by myself do self service in Japanese!! I really don't read Japanese, but just enough to get by on (25 years of practicing deciphering!) ...but I did it! It's still a relatively new thing- self service in Japan. And finally they are catching on- to put convenienve stores alongside the gas stations- finally.

It took Yaari and me about four hours to drive the back roads to Ina. We got there after midnight. When we woke up in the morning this is what we got to see, from her bedroom window:

It's very sad, but this friend, ever since the accidents, she hasn't been able to feel good. She told me...whenever she starts to feel happy, she remembers what people are going through in Fukushima, and she'll always feel sad. She doesn't sleep upstairs anymore. She stays downstairs, where her sons are. It's safer to be on the second floor, but she can't stay there, instead, for the sake of her boys, she's camped in her living room.

This is called the Japan Tibet because the mountains look like they do in Tibet.

This area draws tourists, for it's nature.

This was one magnificent house...liket a palace to me. I do believe it's someone's home.

and next door...This place actually had a sign that said it was a "something-something resort". It's not like "resorts" around the world. It's what companies call such places built for their prestigious employees to vacation at.

Across the street- tennis courts! Now THAT'S luxury. You hear about Japanese Salarymen working crazy amounts of time, it's true, but when they get to relax, some of them get to do it like this! (Not that all of the men WANT to be spending time with colleagues, but they're obligated to really).

In Ina, Nagano, Japan, the farmland can go wide and far- for Japan.

This sign looks like it might be saying it's a Cosmos flower field, ("カモス" sounds like "Cosmos" for the flowers, but rather Yaari and I found out it's a lavender field!)

Still we don't know what KAMOS means for this Garden!

If you look closely, you can see leafless short trees. I do believe those are fig trees.

Below, this is typical of Japanese concreting streams and oceans...but then again, this time I thought about the building up to the right; if that stream were free to have worn down the hillside, for sure the buildings above would have fallen down into those waterways.

I had always thought it was just a money making thing, to concrete EVERY (well almost "every" it seems!) stream and river, and even ocean side.

And for the tourists, a short walk from Yoshie's was a hotel that has...rabbits housed....

ostriches to see~

and feed...maybe.
They are rather scary, and supposedly their eggs taste terrible. But these are used for their meat~ so we are told.

And ponies...

I felt SO sorry for those dear little guys, I had no 100 yen coins on me to pay for carrots for them (and there were farmers near by watching us!) ...how cruel! Placing these carrots like this in front of those poor bored ponies!!!

In the middle of "nowhere" it's really unique seeing these graveyards. Where whole family's created remains keep being added in.

That was a very quick trip to Ina. Yaari and I returned to Nishio before 24 hours had passed.

A few days later, I would go with new teacher Anita, to meet one student. Her yard is so magnificent, I had to take pictures.

By her front door...old tiles used creatively:

Me and Anita~

The epitome of the perfect garden!

Even inside~

And one night, where Ischin works, at YOTTEKO: with dear old friends here:

And then again on my last night in Japan, again at Ischin's work, with Naomi, and Kahori and Taka (who came back to Japan a few nights earlier) It's another amazing beautiful place, and I'm wishing I could show better photos, but cameras don't do justice

anyway!

Oh these Japanese know how to pose!!!

Below is a photo of Taka's mother. His father took it. She died 23 years ago. There's going to be a special memorial soon. 23 years is another important number for such a ceremony. Taka doesn't know what's with the random numbers.

"How is Japan?" people ask me...

2011-04-09T16:25:00.000-07:00

Asking me how Japan is, is like asking L.A. people how California is if San Francisco went through these world changing accidents.

People, for the most part, understand the situation is grave.

I thought that people know, that that wasn't "the big one" yet. Basically there are one or two other faults that are overdue to quake.

Those were two natural accidents and one man made horrendous accident that will have fallout forever. Literally. The man made accident is the whole world's fault. Governments around the world have allowed the development of nuclear power plants in spite of the understanding that the toxic waste can not ever be not toxic, nor gotten rid of. Unless you could send it to another planet. But then it would be there.

In Santa Cruz, one whole week after the accidents, it was on different news broadcasts. Here in Japan, those first days there were NO OTHER programs. No commercials. Just continuous news and continuous video footage on every channel.

But it was edited right away. It had struck me too, not seeing people washed away. I had wondered how everyone had gotten away. But footage HAD been shown of people washing away. It had been quickly removed. It was too disturbing for the people to see.

Still there were people who didn't know what had happened. My oldest son, in our town 400 miles south, didn't find out for two days. He doesn't get a newspaper and mainly just turns on the TV to watch soccer. Two days afterwards, when he went to work, he found out.

I want to ask my Japanese friends here:

What do YOU think?

What do you FEEL?

It's so hard to put into words.

People have asked if we knew in California when it happened.

Japanese mostly don't realize how much others from around the world care and have appreciated, and think so highly of them in Japan.

I have one foreigner friend who immediately picked up and left Nagoya. Where people still say a month afterwards, is perfectly safe. (About 400 miles south as is our town, Nishio).

Another guy left Tokyo after a week of family begging him to. Left Tokyo for Osaka, and then to return home to Boston.

One friend in Saitama, just north of Tokyo. Sounded exasperated in one mail on FB. He said "I'm comfortable and warm, we're not going anywhere". But he's on edge...I was talking on the phone with him on the 7th? when that other quake began. He told me on the phone "it's an earthquake...it's big...I've got to go..." Hung up, and I felt dizzy as if it were happening where we were as well It wasn't) He called me back soon. How can you not be anxious?

In a way, I thought of this as being like cancer. Having cancer. You know there's a chance you will die. Or you are going to die. So you have time to put things in order. We have time to think about this. Think about what to do.

My girls could go south to their father's. I spoke with their dad some days ago. He says this is why he moved south. It has been prophesied that this would happen.

Or they could go to California. Thanks to Zen, we have gotten to make a home there too.

We have escape routes, whereas so very many others don't.

I was at a Starbucks, last week and noticed a jar for money and said "Oh they have TIP jars now?!" (because Japanese don't have the custom of tipping- I thought "wow! they're changing") But that was a donation jar. That's how far away from Fukushima it feels. We are living our lives almost normally.

One student-friend said "Everything's fine!"

But then, one old friend spoke about how- when on Facebook or Twitter live news was getting around- and it was incredibly severe news, but somehow it ended up "magically" disappearing...

The government is controlling what people get to see and read. Maybe that's one thing that has kept the Japanese so orderly?

A few people really understand that finding another source of energy is necessary. But it doesn't seem the government believes they can push that.

Even one friend who's home I visited, who DOES understand we need to change electriacl usage habits, when I went to sit on the toilet in her home- which is NOT centrally heated, and it was a freezing night...I knew the toilet seat cover might be shockingly cold to sit on, I barely touched it, it was heavenly warmed. It's a serious luxury to have a warmed toilet seat to sit on in an otherwise mostly freezing home. It's something people are going to have a hard time letting go of.

While visiting this friend, we stayed over night. When I woke up in the morning...the first book my eyes were led to on her book shelf was this one:

From an event which happened on 8/8/88 (eights are very special numbers in Japan). It's been going on a long time in Japan, among certain groups of people, antinuclear work.

In the meantime,

in the spirit of "normalcy"

...and on the way to getting more "simple, which is one way to get better...

...What I have had to be doing the past three weeks in Japan, has been to work on my

school-house. My school has lost almost all of it's students. The last two teachers couldn't care for the school well enough, or keep, or get, new students. It has been four years since Zen, Taka and I went to Califronia for Zen to go to High School and persue (I'M BLANKING- HOW DO YOU SPELL THAT!) his basketball career.

My manager had given notice 8 months earlier that she would finish her work for the school. So I organized a thank you party for her...she had been an incredible help, and friend, for almost ten years! I made this photo album for her before the Thank you party I put on for her

But, yes, we are able to keep the school running because a long time friend, Anita, is returning to Japan to help take care of of the school while I'm still in California.

It will be 25 years this Fall since my school has begun.

And 25 years of accumulating school materials is a whole dusty lot.

I've kept busy these weeks also organizing; getting ready for Anita's coming on the 17th; ridding my office and classroom of any unnecessary things, and dust, this whole month.

First off though, was this one spot in my office, this shelf space, I noticed...

over there beneath the light, the shelf appeared to be sinking down. The weight of the metal shelves and books was finally taking a toll.

But no...maybe it had been that earthquake?

Underneath: three broken support bars!

I ended up taking out all the books and shelves, and Ischin picked up this wooden sheet.

And I bought new shelves. (Thank goodness the landlord's outdoor storage had just enough space to put the metal shelves, which had come with this rental house)

I put together the white shelves I bought, and the woody shelf happened to be upstairs and JUST fit into that corner of the space. Perfectly.

This is looking from the classroom back into the office where I did that shelf work to the left.

Back inside the office...files~

Beneath that reworked shelf space located above the files, are many envelopes of copies for lessons. I had much more than this amount of papers to file away

We also file in binders...the pile of papers I have has been waiting for me to have time for more than a year!

In those drawers, also...are of cards and such, which are really organized well enough...

but this drawer of color pencils, markers and crayons needed cleaning up.

I DID it, and then found a whole 'nother box......and even and then one MORE drawer of more markers to clean out.

There was the drawer of ink pads and stamps...I was rather dreading having to sort through and clean these, ut I got some good music on my computer, spread out, and did it one morning.

Also these texts have accumulated. I'vee sifted out about fifty books at least~books I never used, didn't like...and will freecycle them, or am giving away ones I don't want.

Please do look at these game playing pieces! I love these guys! And the students do too~ many oldies from when my kids were little.

See, I love my school!!!

And I will finally stop here.

For Naomi's Birthday April 7th

2011-04-08T16:16:00.000-07:00

The day before Buddha's birthday is Naomi's birthday. This is where we celebrated the perfect day! Thank You Naomi!!!!

This is what Naomi got to wake up to on the morning of her birthday!

(Sign designed by Sheon-chan!)

I had this great idea, cause I knew the girls wanted to get this space planted.

Ischin and I went to a nursery nearby, and got LOTS of flowers and plants!

Then, to surprise Naomi, after she went to bed (in the room on the second floor above where we worked- so we had to be really quiet, whispering with each other!)

Sheon arranged where she liked, quickly~

It was about midnight when we finished. Oh, and we used the compost I'd been making!!!

Oh, my babies~ they are GOOD!!! no~ GREAT!!!

I didn't get to see Naomi see the flowers in the morning~ but Sheon told me~

she was so happy she cried...a little! awwwwww~~

There's a bay leaf ("laurel") little tree, there's CHINCHOGE which always reminds me of their Japanese grandmom. There's the yellow forsythia which reminds me of MY mom, and the home I grew up in (when I was little mom remembers she told me the plant was "forsythia" and I responded "for ME?" )...

Before Naomi got the garden planted in~

Kahori organized a picnic- hanami- birthday-lunch for Naomi-chan and friends
Kahori made quiche!!!! And everyone brought other great foods for lunch. (I made the birthday Mimi-cheesecake recipe - tho couldn't get canned cherries in these parts of Japan for on top)

Those leaves on the sushi are "new" and called...something interesting like "wet-something" cause they look like they have water droplets on them. I didn't get to eat one (too much rice for me) but Sayoko told me it relly has no flavor. The wrapping around the ONIGIRI ("rice ball") next to it is made from wakame too. I think the red is UMEBOSHI- salted pickled plum in the rice. Look how moist and sticky the rice is~ I'm sure this rice is organic too.

Mari-chan, and Sheon feeding her baby boy (in the carriage). Sheon's best, best oldest friend is giving Sheon lots of baby-doses!!

Yaari, Takeshi, and Sayoko~~I love these guys!!!

Akko-chan's baby boy, "Teru"? Almost a year and a half

And Akko-chan, getting a walk from Sayoko and Shinji's dog

It was gorgeous weather for celebrating Naomi's 25th!

The cherry blossoms were perfectly bloomed, and the sun shone down on us in this beautiful park at FURUKAWA KOEN

Two days later, it's drizzly, rainy. I'm working to get this car of Julie's and Prahbu's donated for the Tohoku area. I think a guy from Saitama will come get it so they can take supplies up north.

I'm doing lots of work organizing my school right now. Anita will come next weekend from Peru to take care of our school! So~~ but along with the work I get to have some of my favorite beer~ in cans with cherry blosssoms adorning them!
Right now we're not having to use our little heater there in the background. Spring is here!

Not "good food, good people" but "GREAT~GREAT"!!!

2011-04-03T16:40:00.000-07:00

Kahori and Ischin, mostly Kahori? Made dinner for us one night~ SO, so, so good

(can you tell, I'm hungry right now TOO!)

Our little kitchen...a little old, but wonderfully workable kitchen.

And these guys make GREAT food here! (Yes, that big white contraption over the sink is a water heater. And Kahori is in front of a two burner gas stove).

Tofu burgers, and...KABOCHA balls, and...what was that fried thingy with nori wrapping? deep fried- OH HEAVEN! And the SOUP~ kombu~y...hit the SPOT.

Yummy meal in our humble, abode~Naomi, Kahori (Ischin's sweetheart) and Ischin.

On another day, I went out with Hiromi.

I couldn't resist taking this photo of GREEN tea donuts~

and square donuts...I thought Japanese aren't so creative, but boy, have they shown me wrong!!!
I was planning a "Thank You" party for Hiromi (she'd given notice about eight months ago that she would finish working as manager for our English School, April Fool's Day~ bad joke eh?!) and Sheon showed me this balloon shop where I got some balloons for the party the next night.
Out in Anjo, a LITTLE place~

My camera makes it look HUGE!

The next night a few of us got together to celebrate Hiromi.

Oh, and I found this shirt I had to go back to get.

It says: "Thank you for all the damned things you have done all these years"

And the picture is some character, you see the heels of his shoes? He's bent over bowing with his head to the floor, you can kind of see his face between his legs, his butt in the air~ pretty cute! I wonder if Hiromi will wear it?!!

Mikawa Bay, Japan 3/31/11

2011-03-30T07:02:00.000-07:00

This is from about half an hour from our home. Mikawa Bay. Up on this hill is the "eating establishment" called SAN GANE SAN

This is one of the "rooms". There are perhaps thirty of these around the mountainside of this "restaurant"

Inside we cook on a Hibachi, see, we have large paper napkins(with advertising all over it) on our laps to deal with our inadequate chopstick use! Veggies, pork, mutton, and/or beef...and quails eggs~and rice, pickles, tea-soup with seasoning FURIKAKE, and of course, beer.

This photo was from a little while ago. (And in one of the larger rooms) Not this trip...this trip Anita, on the left WILL be RETURNING to our town of Nishio mid April to work with my school. Amy- in the middle, I couldn't get her back yet.

That day while walking around, we peeked into this unused building. Ohhh, to be here at night! You can't imagine NOT getting other worldly entertainment!

I haven't gotten to take many photos this trip yet,

but Taka and I went to this one home the beginning of this trip,

where a man is making "rocket stoves" which don't release as many fumes~

I haven't looked into them in detail but sounds like "the way to go".

http://www.lowimpact.org/linksrocketstoves.html

His place is in Nagoya. It's so cool to find a YARD like this in the middle of the city.

He even had a "TREE HOUSE" in his yard (well, almost a house). A tree house was always something I wanted my kids to get to play in when they were little.

I was looking back at some of my oldest photos on my computer. Just before leaving Japan, four years ago, April, this was Zen one last time with his basketball team mates.

Their sayonara throw.

Four years makes a huge difference. Zen's no longer little like this. That's him in front between holding the ball and by the paper...what's that paper/ceritficate?
WAIT GO FURTHER BACK!!! ZEN AND JOE!!! In Santa Cruz...how many years ago? 7th grade? Ballers By Nature!!!

Japan, southwest of Nagoya 3/28/11

2011-03-28T05:22:00.000-07:00

The first day in Japan, a chance in the middle of the busi-ness, we stopped near home at a restaurant for SOBA. (buckwheat noodles)~
"REAL" tempura (no american carrots or broccoli..."sorry" they aren't meant to be tempura really.)

This is where they make the final noodle cutsAnd then, out the window, the scenic japanesey view~ picture perfect for Japan really

There was really no time for Taka to enjoy Japanese newspaper or TV. He was too busy. Even I...after a week, have started to feel out of it. There's not the tv, or CNN in Japan like we have in Santa Cruz. No, I can't understand the Japanese (language), and interestingly...maybe lots of people are trying to NOT watch it now. Even meeting old friends, people are not bringing up what's gone down. It does make me prefer to hear CNN. I hear more in the States than I can right here in the country of Japan, I regret to say.

March 19th, 2011 in Santa Cruz still...about to go to 日本

2011-03-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

I'm in the Apple Store in Los Gatos...wow, I can use this Photo Booth on my Mac and make my face look pretty good for having gotten up SO early to drive here this morning. Over Highway 17, takes 45 minutes to get here by 8am...to make a purchase for Zen's Graduation present.

before I will leave for Japan on Monday, March 21st, if all goes as planned. I will be like this, in the clouds in 48 hours. Taka is there already...leaving Zen behind~ to play with his graduation present. I don't think he'll miss us too much!
Last night Zen was home, as it poured outside...staying warm...working on his computer, my old one...

Recently Zen's bought new protein powder to drink before workouts. He's body building, and asked me to take these photos to compare...a month from now when I return from Japan.
Some more Photo Booth pics the kids took this past February:

While terrible news has happened, we had to rejoice in the news of ZEN and SANTA CRUZ High

2011-03-15T21:04:00.000-07:00

"END OF THE LINE"

It was one of the best games to celebrate!!!

Can you click on this article and read it?

(and see it's Zen's photo below?)

Salecian is a Private Christian school; Santa Cruz High was the only Public High School to make the top eight schools in these NorCal playoffs in California. There is a very clear discrepancy about this private school allowance to recruit and buy players vs public schools being prohibited from doing just that.

And then there were the referees. We hate to think racism plays a part...but it was hard to ignore how blatant it was. It ended up being against SCHigh. We don't get to veto Referees. And they are supposed to be the best at this level!

In any case, the boys played to the ultimate degree, Zen said it well:
(though whoever wrote the article misspelled "your"!! That wasn't Zen!)

This game was one of the most exciting we got to see the boys play this season. They knew they played well. So "losing" was...not like that at all. All the standing ovations for the boys the whole game long relayed that feeling! xoxoxo

I do wish we could even show some extra appreciation to them all somehow~

And especially, considering all the terrible news these days, taking our thoughts away from them and their work,

but...

for Japan...the sadness goes on for a long, long time...

BJ, here below. Who we got to see at the Colfax game on the 10th, since the terrible accidents began, BJ has said that if someone from Japan needs a space to stay, they have room in their home. How awesome is that?!!

BJ, who I've referred to as a Mrs. Jerry Garcia~ Who I met in '80 in Santa Cruz~ a dead head to the ultimate degree (and then she went "straight" to study solar engineering at UC Irvine!). BJ ALSO went to Japan and taught for our english school...oh~my dear ol' gorgeous friend BJ!!!

Below is their home in Grass Valley~

And as I write this...Taka is flying to Nagoya via Tokyo.

I'm nervous.

Oh Japan~~

Rocked~Thursday Japan and California

2011-03-11T07:58:00.000-08:00

While Zen's High School team was rocking on the courts, a four hour distance away from Santa Cruz winning in the NorCal playoffs making Santa Cruz High in the

top eight teams in California.

But on the return drive home we heard about the quake in Japan.

Nishio, is about 800 miles south of the quake. My daughter Sheon said, they, ran out of the building it was that strong and scary.

We live near Nagoya, near the center, but where the circle is below Nagoya, by Mikawa Bay (not noted) is where we live. Sendai, North of Tokyo is near where the worst has been affected.

Taka's uncle lives in Tokyo...midwife, old friend Lena and Shunji's son Yuya is in Tokyo...who says he is fine.

So, the combo win and Japan rocking is mind blowing today. March 11th...

Below, are a few photos from the evening of the win though.

And I missed taking a beautiful photo of old friend BJ, whom I first met in Santa Cruz in 1980~'81, and who came and worked for my english school in Nishio! She lives with her husband and 13 year old son- who also happens to play basketball, in Grass Valley, RIGHT by where the game was last night! They came and cheered for the boys too!

Santa Cruz High won 72-43.

Boarding the chartered bus afterwards, the celebratory boys were on their way home~ parents hanging out outside to see the bus head home, getting back home 12:30 am.

The local Santa Cruz Sentinal wrote:

NorCal D-IV boys basketball: No. 5 Santa Cruz crushes No. 4 Colfax in second round

"So Much Things..."

2011-03-07T06:11:00.000-08:00

We have to move...

"move house"...

move things...

move countries...

Moving friends...

Julie is visiting the West Coast again. I am getting to chauffeur her a bit, along with her good friend from Argentina again, Carmen. They were in Escalon again, training...

And this is the home, Jon's home, we will get to move to from May 1st.

And Taka has to return to Japan.... to help his father so much...

And I have to return to Japan ....to help my school so much...

Zen's still got some more basketball, and High School to complete!

Here's where we will move:

Comfy inside! I have to stay away from the kitty though~ but by the time we move in May 1st the kitty will be big and macho to hang outside with the foresty wild life

SCCAL Championship Title won 2/19/11Santa Cruz High #1 in the league

2011-02-24T08:44:00.000-08:00

It was a great day. Zen could help win Santa Cruz High's second Championship Title.

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/sports/ci_17435807

It was broadcasted on community TV as well. The broadcasters even referred to Zen, reminding them of a "Little Magic Johnson" during the game

The Basketball Schedule that was for this year!

2011-02-20T22:42:00.000-08:00

This is a pic from last year Zen,#14, representing basketball for the school team this year!

We didn't know!

Last week, there was a night when parents went to the school to meet new teachers. We hard from somone (cause it was the night of a big basketball game, this was the first year we didn't go? we heard from one of Taka's WOrkmates, that these were hanging around the school! He tried to take one down for us, but "the teacher was watching him"! Instead the next day I talked with administration and got a bunch of posters to share around! xoxox happy camper here!!

Days together~ 1/21-2/13

2011-02-14T13:50:00.000-08:00

Sheon and Naomi came from Japan for 2 and 3 weeks respectively...

My mom came for four nites too~from Pennsylvania,

and for one special nite..."Senior Night"

That night, every Senior on the basketball team had their family go out on midcourt to be thanked. It was special.

The kids cut Taka's hair ahead of the special eventthey are so cool!

Naomi, trying to piggy back Zen...& Zen, me and Sheon...

SASHIMI!

Naomi knows how to make it look SO pro!
And then Mom getting the best service we could give the darling!!!

Naomi and Sheon went with me a couple of times to walk Grandmom's dogs.

Grandmom lives in a mobile home park

we have a neighbor's gate to go through to walk the dogs in the neighborhood park.

One meal outside home which we tried, at a vegetarian restaurant. Didn't quite "go over"

but we felt happy with all of ourselves anyway!

Naomi got her tattoo here... in San Fransisco

"love beauty happiness" the words were translated from

KOUFUKU BI AI and then the opposite direction

love=AI　

beauty=BI

happiness=koufuku

幸福　美　愛

with Mom we went for some mexican food. TACO salad~~

And with mom, shopping...oh those girls shopping, on and on, and oooooooonnnn....

Here, below, Naomi and Sheon begin trying to pack up all the souvenirs and such~

They did get to take back all their stuff. Thanks to another friend, Akira!

Akira used to play with Zen on a team called VSOG, in Nishio, Japan. Zen was an 8th grader and played together with the adult team.

Akira came to Santa Cruz two times now to see Zen.
AND Akira could take an extra piece of luggage back for the girls. Nice for both of them! He got to see us all again, and the girls could pack up extra luggage!

ALSO, coming to see us...

John and his son Marley FROM HAWAII! Well, they didn't come to see us from there, they happened to be in Carmel, just a little south of us. Naomi lived with John, his darling wife, our darling friend, Eiko, their older son Jackson and Marley in Honolulu the year Zen came to California (2007). Catching up with them was GORGEOUS! Especially when thinking that maybe Zen could go to the one University which has accepted him:
Hawaii Pacific University

Speaking of CARMEL

Dear tennis playing friend Val, took us "out on the town" in Carmel!

We got to go to a musem...and nice shops...but the ocean and lunch was the best! Tho COLD!

At Grandmom's~

Four generations of us~My father's almost 92 year old mother, my mom, me and my daughters.

back to the beach, me and Taka~

and a "last meal"

those girls and boy loving each other, is so very special!

Candy Stores!!! and Capitola and Girls. Nice combos!

2011-02-10T06:15:00.000-08:00

With Aria from San Francisco, she came down for a couple of nights to catch up with Naomi andS Sheon

Serious candy buisiness!

The girls are still playing dress up~

Aria and Naomi and a Bear surfing!!
Below is at MacKenzie's Chocolate shop

SHOES that are chocolate...seashells...and, and....on and on!

The heart shaped BOXES are chocolate!

After so much suger we need SALTY! Nothing like American pizza!! @ Pleasure Point Pizza

Naomi's work for Japan in Santa Cruz

2011-02-09T18:16:00.000-08:00

We went to a young woman, Emily's, home near downtown Santa Cruz. Not only did she offer to teach her Vegan cooking to Naomi....she also shared her REPTILE! "Dragon"

Sheon could touch it~not Naomi

Emily had a lovely place!

And her art work was awesome...

as was her cooking! Naomi showed how she made tofu burgers and オムライス. (rice omelets)

And together Emily baked a vegan upside down blueberry cake and green tea cookies.

Naomi needs to take back organic ingredients to her work place in Japan, we compared prices and bought organic ingredients from five or six different health food markets.

This was a butcher's at Whole Foods, around the corner from our home...

I loved how they helped us know what time the meat had been CUT! ("ground")

Naomi...with our friend Victor's little mutt, in San Fran~

Over in Berkely we got to visit with Naomi's father's old from Japan, friend Ko-kun! He's lived in the Bay area for at least 30 years. Before Ko was in the Mission District of San Fran baking Vegan Cookies, which were sold in supermarkets around S.F.

Now in Berkeley Ko has a "new" kitchen~

Ko showed Naomi how he's making a new recipe, vegan waffles

with prunes soaked in water as leavening (could be other ingredients)

Then using a food processor...He whipped it all together and baked them, Freshly done and hot they were really good!

The books Ko recommended

Out in Ko's bakyard he has freinds who come by...

one came out to eat, but the others were too shy!