Time to LAY IT OUT

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





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

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

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

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

Oh, those spirits!!!

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

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

Our 3/8/08 Mock Wedding

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


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


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

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







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

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







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

Satur-night, April 13th, '08

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








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





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


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

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


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

April 2nd, '08

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

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

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

California Sun and Beer, Oh and Work- Yes!

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





and on top, this couple,

him on the electric guitar,

and her swinging around a long ol' sword!

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





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

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






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



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

The Japan Party for Marrying!

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

Zen's Class Graduation from Nishio Jr. High

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

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



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

















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

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






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