First Week working in My Room

I have been so busy this week! I'm getting everything ready in my classroom and working from sun up to sun down... and I'm loving every minute of it! I feel so accomplished and satisfied with life now that I have a classroom all my own. I have a purpose and something to look forward to. Did I mention I am super excited about this upcoming year? :)

Thursday was orientation day and I spent the day with other new hires getting to know the school. I called my mom that morning and my younger brother had some advice to give me on my first day at school:
1. Play nice with the other kids.
2. Look both ways before crossing the street.
3. Only make good trades during lunch: my carrot sticks for someone's pudding cup.
He also reminded me that sometimes, when it rains after it hasn't rained in a while, the rain lifts the oils on the road and makes the road slippery. :) (That's a big family joke. Thanks Daddy!)

Today is Saturday and I'm spending it with three wonderful boys and we're going to the Bon Odori festival here on base. I haven't researched the festival much but I hear that it's a Japanese festival that celebrates those who have passed on.

Unlocking the Door

Yet another day filled with work for my classroom. I went in again this morning but only stayed for a couple hours, after I figured out how to unlock the door. I had to pick up a key from the front office since they are not checking out keys yet. I walked to my building and stuck the key in the lock, turned the knob like the illustration by the knob shows and.. nothing. I try the other door... nothing. As I stand there sweating, I think how funny it would be if someone was inside watching me try to unlock the door. So I peeked in the window just to make sure. I walk around the building to try another door and finally got in, although I'm not sure if I actually unlocked the door or just pulled the it hard enough it opened.

In my classroom, there's not much left I can do until the Librarian can laminate my materials. So I headed home to work on cd labels, cubby name tags, and my behavior chart.  Before I could work on this, I had to go buy some more printer cartridges and headed to the NEX. I found all the cartridges and got home, preparing to work my little heart out and... I forgot the single most important cartridge, the big black one. Instead, I worked on other things, typing everything up so I can print them tomorrow after I get the last cartridge.

While I've been out and about, I have noticed something common among the Japanese; they carry a washcloth or small towel around with them to wipe their heads when they sweat. I thought,"How neat! They keep their appearances looking nice and neat even in the heat." I've adopted this practice but have only used paper towels and it is very nice getting somewhere and not dripping in sweat!

And So it Begins

Although new hires are not required to report to school until Thursday, a little extra time in the classroom motivated me to go in today. And boy am I glad I did! I walked into my classroom for the first time expecting to run home, grab my suitcases full of classroom supplies, and then begin the real work. Surprise! All my furniture has been stacked in the corner and the previous teacher had left some decorations on the walls that needed removing. I was so overwhelmed I did not know where to begin. As I walked around the class (several, several times) I decided that a good place to begin would be my desk and the computer center.

After arranging, rearranging, and rearranging again, I finally got a few items placed where I wanted them: the students tables, the center areas, the whole group carpet, and the reading center. I looked around and saw that I still had quite a few tables left to use, in a room that is already full! I counted and my room has 13 tables in it!

While I was sorting the manipulatives and center toys (all jumbled together), a co-teacher walked in and gave me some much needed answers to the mile high list of questions I have. I'm in luck, I can ask that the tables I don't need be removed! Also, she shows me the curriculum that I am required to teach from giving me a bit more relief. she is very nice and suggests that we get together to plan, bounce ideas around, and just alleviate stress. I'm thankful for this lady who walked in today!

For five hours I work at organizing the classroom and gathering ideas of how my days are going to go. I decide that I'm done in the room for the day because I've still got tons to do with the classroom supplies in my apartment. I'm super excited to go work again tomorrow, maybe I'll even get around to putting some things up on the walls and making the room my own.

Life Being 24

Since beginning a new year of life, I have had a revelation. I looked back at who I was in middle school, high school, and my first few years of college, and quite frankly, I'm embarrassed! The way I treated people, my attitude on life, my constant need to find myself better than others...

I wish I could find a way to apologize to people without awkwardly hunting them down and giving them a random apology. Apologies over email or FB seem so shallow, as if one is afraid of face to face contact. The only thing I hope for is that these people who I have wronged will not hold it against me. Maybe I will run into them again one day and be able to set things right then.

Blogging Without a Computer

It sure is hard to blog without having a computer handy. In Japan, Alan and I use our iphones for everything from email to Facebook to googling for answers to questions. So when I finally do open up my computer again and try to use it, I am met with an old battery that won't hold a charge.

To recap, Here's what has occurred in the months (yes months) since I last blogged.
I went back to Japan and spent time with my hubby before he had to work again. We took a trip to Tokyo and visited Disney, the Ueno Zoo, the Ueno Museum of Nature and Science (which was huge!), and the Tokyo Tower, Japan's version of the Eiffel Tower. Sadly, pictures are still in Japan so I'll have to upload them when I get back.

After our Tokyo trip, we tried to get back to life as usual but Alan began working long hours and I hardly ever saw him. I went back to subbing at the school which I loved and it helped pass the time. I have  been reading like crazy, oftentimes 4-5 books a week. Finally, about a week and a half ago, I flew back to the States to spend the summer with my family and friends.

I can say one thing though: I am beginning to hate going through Customs and Immigration when flying between the two countries.

Heading Back to Japan

I am filled to the brim with emotions tonight. I have two flights tomorrow that will bring me to Tokyo, then a bus ride to Atsugi. I feel excited yet anxious, happy but sad, sleepy but restless. I am overjoyed at the thought of seeing my husband again, I have missed him so much. It has been two months since we have seen each other; two months that was only supposed to be two weeks. I'll say, this has been the longest two weeks of my life.

To celebrate being back together, Alan and I are taking a honeymoon. we didn't have one after the wedding because we were married so close to Christmas (two days before). This will be the first trip that Alan and I will have taken together, just the two of us. I'm excited about this as well. We are planning on seeing several sights around Tokyo, Disney, the Tokyo tower, and maybe even a concert.

Maybe I can rest tonight. Luckily my trip tomorrow is not nearly as long as the trip to the States. I pray that it all goes uneventfully.

The Boat Ride

Daddy took us out on his boat for a most excellent, relaxing ride through the bayou. After putting in, we began to putter, and did just that! Putter! We lazily rode along, watching the banks, remarking on the houses we saw, and calling attention to any wildlife.

There were many beautiful houses right along the edge of the bayou (think river). One in particular had an outdoor chess set in which the pieces were about three feet tall and a large chair, over ten feet tall, like the ones my granddad made that my mom had set out on the front porch when we lived in Georgia. Another house had a beautiful cabana by the pool, a place that I would frequent everyday if I lived there.

We saw many birds of different kinds, seagulls, osprey, and red-winged black birds. A huge nest was built in a dead tree high above the water and the mother and father bird could be seen flying about it.  The seagulls congregated around the fishermen we passed on the shore, hoping for a bite of whatever bait the men happened to be using.

Perhaps the most exciting of the wildlife we saw was none other than, an alligator. He was lurking near the shore when we puttered by and sank lower into the water until we passed so that you could only see his eyes and the tip of his nose.

Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen

Last night I was so excited to finish reading this book that I went to bed early just to read. After finishing, I must say this was an awesome story! It did have a couple sections I skimmed over because of content, but otherwise a wonderful book.

You meet Jacob, a worker for a circus, right before a disaster occurs in the menagerie. You read as animals stampede, people scatter in all directions, and a man is killed... Then you meet Jacob many, many years later. Jacob is in a nursing home when a circus sets up across the street. The residents in the home are excited with these new sights and hopes of going to see the spectacular show.

Then you're reading about young Jacob again, finishing school to become a vet when his parents are killed in a tragic accident. He learns his father's veterinary practice has gone under and he receives no money, the house is repossessed by the bank, and he is all alone with nothing. He makes the decision to get away and jumps onto a train that is passing through. It just happens to be a circus train.

The story alternates between younger Jacob and older Jacob, experiencing life in the circus and life inside the nursing home. The chapters of older Jacob in the home really opened my eyes to what some residents must be thinking. How lonely it must be, how it must feel not to be wanted by your children and to be placed under someone else's care instead.

I really love this book. I am excited to see the movie to see how it compares!

I Have a Fantastic Idea

Movies can have great stories, but sometimes they contain things viewers would rather not see: language, nudity, violence. There are many products out which help people to edit their movies by downloading filters so they can bring them down to a family friendly rating without dulling down the movie. Why can't someone do this for books on a kindle? I  mostly try to stick to Christian Fiction because I know graphic scenes and language are kept to a minimum. These stories get old after a while, like reading only history books, eventually you crave something new.

The book I am currently reading, Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen, has a wonderful story, I can't wait to finish it! However, I'd really rather not get a detailed description of a stripper's dance, certain male reactions, and the like. Would it not be acceptable to say that the stripper was dancing minus the graphic scenery? How much harder would it really be to create a "reader friendly" version for those who would rather leave those things behind?

One Home of Many

I was born and raised in Northern Georgia in a rural community. Here I lived for 21 years of life and will forever call it home. I drove through the countryside to visit a very dear family and was nearly brought to tears. I drove down a road and noted all the changes made to local businesses and how the flora has grown and the trees so green. I turn down another small street and pass the butcher's shop where momma used to buy the best meat and yeast rolls you've ever tasted. I keep going through the street lined with houses whose front yards contained evidence of children and many hours spent in the dirt planting flowers. I come to the four way stop and continue slowly, passing the cemetery where my sister and cousin are buried side-by-side.

There are so many memories down this road, such as when momma and I picked up our pastor because he had car trouble. My car overheating and waiting until daddy could pick me up. The house with the llamas. An old house where the nicest man used to live before he passed many years ago.

I pull into the driveway and blink back more tears, telling myself that I'm being silly, but glad to be home.

I Love My Kindle

For Christmas this past year, my aunt MIL, (long story), gave Alan and I Kindles. We tore them open and have barely been able to put them down since! Well, until Alan stepped on mine and I had to get a replacement. :)

In the last two days, I have downloaded 17 books: free! Sometimes they are not so grand, but I have found a few that I really enjoyed. I just search Amazon.com about once a week and look at their top 100 free books and get my fill. The most recent book I read was Alice at Heart, by Deborah Smith.

In the beginning you meet Alice, in strange circumstances with strange habits: swimming nude in the mountain lake in frigid temperatures, webbing between her toes, and a diet comprised of canned tuna. Then you meet Griffin, a treasure hunter who, in the midst of an accident, hears a woman calling to him underwater. As the story unfolds, Alice and Griffin find their true homes. There were a few intimate moments of the book, but nothing that could be compared with a "romance" novel. If you like books that make you wonder and pull you into a captivating story, I think you will enjoy this one.

Banananananana.... Bread

We love bananas, but sometimes they don't all get eaten before they are very spotty. I think that's why God gave someone the idea to make delicious, wonderful, banana bread.

Mom and I used a Paula Deen recipe to make the banana bread today and it turned out delicious!!
1/2 c butter, softened
1 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3 ripe bananas (we used 4)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x5 in loaf pan. Combine butter and sugar and beat till fluffy. Add banana and mix till mashed. Add everything else and mix well. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 50 minutes.

We also added 1/2 c walnuts for a nice crunch. :) Spread a little cream cheese on just before eating and you'll have a little slice of heaven.

Bear vs. Elk

Driving through the mountains of Colorado, you'll see various signs along the highway warning of animals that may choose that particular spot to cross. We were fine until Momma saw the sign for the bear. She grabbed my leg and gasped, "Did you see that?" I asked, "What, the bear sign?" Momma went on to say how much she hates bears and hoped we wouldn't see one.

A few miles later I saw a sign similar but for elk and I grabbed Momma's leg and gasped, "Momma, did you see that?" She nearly screamed thinking I had seen a bear and then realized I was talking about the elk sign... I got her good.

Going, Going, Going

Momma and began our trip back to Louisiana today. We decided to take a different route that shaved nearly two hours off our driving time! And, lucky for us, my oldest nephew Oliver decided to begin sharing... his cold with Nana and Aunt Kk. Instead of driving and getting home sooner, we opted to stop and sleep for a bit.

Funny story: I dropped Momma off at the hotel entrance and went to park the car. As I was walking in, a guy, probably college aged, was walking out. Either he wasn't looking where he was going or I smelled really bad because he ran into the door on the way out! It was slightly humorous. Good, old-fashioned America's Funniest Home Video funny.

While we are taking a shorter route I am missing the old, abandoned buildings we frequently saw on the trip up. Those houses and barns were so interesting! One day, I would like to drive that way again and stop to take pictures of those places. Abandoned buildings surrounded by prairie and blue sky. Georgeous.

Life as a Military Wife

I love all my friends dearly, especially those who are military wives because we are all in the same boat. (No pun intended.) But... if all we do is complain about missing our husbands and wanting to be back home, what kind of life is that?

When we married our husbands, we knew (or should have known) what we were signing up for. Long days of work, his life being ruled by the military, being seperated (sometimes planned, sometimes not), long duty weekends, unexpected working days, and leave requests being denied. We knew that life was going to be hard, we would get the "short end of the stick", and that there would be times when we wanted to sit down and cry in sheer frustration. If we let this get us down, we are only making ourselves miserable.

So chin up! We all know it's hard, we are all going through it, and there's not a thing we can do about it. Look for the bright in life, the silver linings, that extra $40 you forgot in an old purse. We'll make it through. Just think about how estatic you will be when you are finally reunited with that special loved one of yours.

Aunt Kk

"Do, do , do, do, do, do." That's the sound of Oliver talking and playing with you. Way up high and way down low, he loves making noises. He has a workbench that Nana and Pops gave him and we like to hammer on the bench, hammer on Aunt Kk's leg, and hammer on Oliver's toes.

Oliver loves his guitar, playing songs and singing new lyrics. You should see him dancing around with his guitar and putting on a show. He loves music! Singing songs is one of our favorite past times.

The blocks are a fun toy too. Stacking the blocks by color is Oliver's way to do it. He likes to make sure the colors match. He has a toy that you put balls into the top and they wind their way down to the bottom and he likes to make sure the balls match there too. The red ball has to go in the red hole and the green one in the green hole.

He sure is a bundle of fun. This is really the first time I have been able to spend quality time with Oliver and I am loving it!

Traveling Fool

I have decided that enjoy traveling. I guess it's a good thing considering.

Sunday afternoon we began receiving calls that my nephew was being born, over three weeks ahead of schedule! Luckily, he arrived with no complications, just a healthy baby boy. Mom (Nana) and I (Aunt Kk) jumped into the car within about two hours of hearing the news and began the long journey to Denver, Colorado.

Momma and I are great traveling companions. We like similar music, chat up a storm, and have similar driving styles so we don't drive each other crazy. We took turns driving every 2 1/2 to 3 hours so we were always fresh and driving safely.

As we were leaving Dallas headed towards Oklahoma City, a storm decided to honor us with it's presence and dropped some rain, blew fierce wind, and even gave s a few hailstones. We decided it was time to pull over for a while. Sitting under a gas station, we watched the rain, the hail (which never got any bigger than a peanut), and the changing winds and were soon back on the road.

Driving through Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado we began to notice something. Every small town (and larger ones too) have their own museum of some sort and had signs placed along the interstate begging travelers to stop by or else we'd miss "the largest prairie dog in the world". Some places were as simple as "so and so's" childhood home but one of my favorites was the Land of Oz. We never actually stopped, maybe on the drive home.

In Kansas we began seeing signs for "Post Rock Country". Momma and I kept wondering what post rock was and finally decided it must be a landmark like the chimney rock. Then we saw fences with rocks as their posts. Oh! That's a post rock!  A light beige in color and always shaped in perfect squared posts. It was fascinating seeing all the fences made with this rock, even houses and grain silos made from it as well.

la Madeleine

Momma and I went to Kohl's, one of my most favorite places to shop! (Yes, most favorite!) We both found some cute things and I scored on a purse for only$3.50!! Kohl's is a short drive away, in the next town over and amongst an up and coming community. Previously, Momma had been driving through and had seen a restaurant that we loved to get dessert at in Atlanta, la Madeleine! We had neve eaten in the cafe portion, only getting yummy to-go treats like a Strawberry White Chocolate Cheesecake. Heavenly.

We stopped for lunch after a morning of shopping and were pleasantly surprised! You walk in and go through the line, ordering your food (most of the time it gets to you before you leave the line) and paying at the end. Momma ordered a chicken salad crossiant with a side of the house pasta and I ordered a Mediterranean salad with chicken. It was delicious!

We were hoping this restaurant would have the same cheesecake as the Atlanta one did, but they did not. Instead, we selected many small treats, perfect for a tiny dessert after a meal. Lemon tarts, fruit tarts, creme brulee tarts, strawberry cheesecake, tiramisu, fruit parfait, and a chocolate cake layered dessert. Momma and I also bought a couple lemon madeleine's to eat on the way home. Oh man were they good!!

Strawberries

In Japan, the strawberries are always delicious! Sweet and rich in flavor! Strawberries are in season here in Louisiana and boy are they good. We have eaten through 4 boxes of strawberries already in the last week. I would love to share a recipe that has become a family favorite, Crunchy Strawberry Salad.

1 pkg ramen noodles
1 c chopped walnuts
1/4 c butter
1/4 c vegetable oil
1/4 c sugar
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp soy sauce
8 c romaine lettuce
1/2 c chopped green onion
2 c fresh strawberries, sliced

Break noodles into small pieces and saute them with the walnuts in the butter until golden, about 8-10minutes. In a jar (or screw top container) combine oil, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce and shake well. Combine all ingredients and toss just before serving.

When we make this, we skip the butter step to save a few unnecessary calories and you can adjust the dressing to you taste, sometimes I like to use less oil and more red wine vinegar. This is delicious by itself or with a grilled chicken breast on  top of it.

Also, we like to make Strawberry Pie, a quick and easy, hard to mess up, recipe.

1 graham cracker pie shell
1 package of strawberries, sliced
1 c sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 c water

I like to begin by pulling a few of the "not-so-pretty" strawberries out of the package and mashing them up really small. I put these strawberries in a sauce pan, add the water and bring to a boil to get all the flavor out of the strawberries. Then you can strain it if you want those little strawberry pieces out of the glaze. Combine the sugar and cornstarch and add to the strawberry essenced water and cook until thick. You can add a few drops of red food coloring if you want the glaze bright red. Allow the glaze to cool then combine the glaze and the strawberries, mixing thoroughly, and pour into the pie shell. Refrigerate a few hours until set. Serve with whipped cream!

I have also made this pie using a reduced fat graham cracker pie shell, splenda, and a tad more corn starch and it turned out delicious.

Suntanning Squirrels

Here in Louisiana where mom and dad live, there is a large population of squirrels: large in quantity and large in size. Everywhere you look, you can see squirrels eating, running, playing, and even tanning! Well, we say they are tanning. You can see them laying on the ground, legs up, eyes closed, and enjoying the sunshine! Typically they lay in the road because we figure that is the warmest spot. Except today is cloudy and I saw a squirrel suntanning... Hmm...

Settling In at the Gym

I came out extremely well in a gym membership today. I had seen a "no contract" offer posted at a gym near mom and dad's house and decided that I should check it out. As I walked into the gym today, I quickly figured out.. it was huge! There are two sections, one for children and one for adults. It has multiple group classrooms for yoga, bodypump, spinning, and more that I haven't even heard of. The enire second floor is reserved for cardio equpiment, strength training equipment, and a core workout area complete with mats, balls, and free weights. The ladies locker room is amazing, furnished with lockers (made from wood, not metal), showers, sauna, and hot tub. The gym also offers wireless internet for those of us who simply cannot be away from the internet, a cafe complete with coffee and nutritional drinks, and outdoor heated pools for anytime swimming.

Leaving Japan and...

A week into staying at my parents, a storm begins brewing threatening flash flooding, hail, and tornadoes. Whew! I thought I was getting away from the natural disasters but they seem to have caught up with me.

So far, no word as to when I can go back. I am looking into joining a gym today so I can have something to keep me busy (also it'll keep me healthy).

I've been shopping and I think I'm set now, got a few more clothes since clothes shopping in Japan is semi difficult. Everyone there is extremely trim so unless you follow suit, clothes could be a challenge.

Latest news from Japan: plutonium was found in soil samples around the nuclear reactors, but right now it's no higher than levels naturally found in soil in other parts of Japan. The TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company) chief says that right now, he has no plan as to how to they are going to fix the situation. There is a large portion of underground water that has been contaminated with radioactive particles. Also, they are still trying to fix leaks from the reactors. Aftershocks are still occurring with the rolling power outages and very cool weather (they had snow last week!). The sea water used to help cool the reactors left behind salt residue that has to be cleaned out not mention the sea water itself became contaminated with radiation.

Please keep Japan in your prayers.

Green Onions

In all my 23 years of being alive, I was told today that I was using green onions wrong! Typically, I would begin with the green end, trim a little, then begin chopping until I got down to the light green part and stop. Momma was watching me and asked if there was a reason I wasn't using the ends. I just thought that was the way to use green onions. Momma went on to tell me about my great grandmother who would eat a "sweet onion" at every meal and eat the lower portion of the onion leaving the dark green parts. I guess you learn something new everyday.

I'm still adjusting to driving here and can proudly say, I was able to stay on the right side of the road! (Only by repeating "right side, right side, right side") Once in a parking lot I forgot for about a second but luckily Aaron was with me to remind me. :)

Riding on the Trace

This  morning, Momma, Daddy, and I got loaded up and drove over to the St. Tammany Trace. It is an old railroad track that has been paved over and is used now for walking/jogging/biking/skating. It is a beautiful trail filled with local flora and fauna. Today we saw Cherokee rose, Army worms, and swamp life.

As you begin, you cross a few roads and then ride the shaded path. You pass a small pond-like area which is filled with lily pads blooming with flowers. As you keep riding through the pines, you can see houses close to the trail and more roads to cross, some with heavier traffic than others. A small bridge comes up surrounded by the green trees and a small picnic bench. More swampy regions pass with a small creek running beside the trail (today it didn't have much water in it). Near our turning point, a bush with purple flowers lines the right side of the trail. Momma says rabbits live in these bushes that will run out at you while you ride by. Luckily we did not encounter the rabbits today. Finally you reach the big bridge and we stop to take a break. The bridge crosses the Lacombe Bayou where you see pretty river houses and wildlife. Today we saw a few turtles poking their heads out of the water and it is rumored that an alligator lives there too.

We made our way back, passing other people riding, walking, and jogging. They are very friendly, almost everyone saying hello as we pass. We get back to the Expedition, pleasantly exhausted, and head home after riding 11.5 miles.

Being Home

Home is wonderful. The only thing I wish is that Alan were here with me. He left for Guam three weeks ago and is expected to stay in Guam until we get the "all clear" to return. However, the possibility of something going terribly wrong and not being able to return before Alan's cruise lingers on my mind. I would not be able to see him for an additional six months. But for now, I'm trying to think positive.

Being home has brought many adjustments: riding on the right side of the road, not seeing kanji on every sign, not seeing the town filled with Japanese nationals, not using my iphone, humidity, green grass, and temperatures warmer than 55 degrees.

Home also brings crab legs (yummy), beautiful scenery, anything that you could possibly want at your fingertips, clothes, Walmart, more than 20 channels on the tv.

Although I'm glad I'm here, I cannot forget what is going on back in Japan. On the news this morning, it was stated that, "God is punishing the Japanese". For what?! The crime rates in Japan are lower than anywhere in the U.S., despite this crisis, they are calm, patient, and grateful for any help they receive. There has been no looting, riots, or uprisings. They are some of the kindest people I have ever met.

I do pray the situation gets under control and recovery efforts move quickly and efficiently.

The Trip Home - part 2

On the shuttle back to the airport, I talked with a girl who traveled with us who was headed towards Kingsland, Ga (where my Uncle David lives). We chatted and went in together because we were on the same flight to Atlanta at 6:10 in the morning. Delta has kiosks to check in so we went up some and punched in every number on our itinerary and could not pull up our reservations. We asked an agent to help us and she tried once and said, "Oh, well I guess you'll have to go through the line". We looked over at the line, by now filled with about ten people, and headed over. Twenty minutes later, 4:20, we had not moved and the one agent was still helping the same person. I began getting ancy and decided I needed to do something about it. Now typically, I'm not the "take charge" type, but this morning, there was NO WAY I was missing that flight. I found a different agent and began explaining our situation and she agreed to go find some more agents to help us.

We quickly moved through the line, breezed through security, and had time for some breakfast before boarding the plane. The little over 4 hour trip to Atlanta passed uneventfully.I purchased the in-flight internet because I was extremely tired, getting grumpy, and needed something to help me pass the time. It seemed that in no time, we landed and I was on my way.

In Atlanta, Aunt Jan and Grandma met me and helped me get checked in for my next flight and we chatted and talked because I had a five hour layover. Well, I thought it was only going to be a five hour layover. A couple hours before my flight I decided that I needed to go ahead and get through security (where I found a half-empty water bottle in my carry on) and headed towards my gate. I arrived and sat down for the short wait to board when I glanced at the screen at noticed that my flight was not expected until 9:15, more than two hours past my original flight time.

Once again, I turned to the internet to keep me entertained, chatting with Momma and friends on Facebook. I was lucky enough to get a seat near the charging station so I was able to plug in my laptop and go. The plane was delayed due to storms in Pittsburgh, tornadoes, lighting, and torrential rain. When we finally boarded the plane, I was so relieved to be on my last leg of the trip.

When I landed for the very last time, I started crying, relieved to be finished, to be home. I met up with Momma and Daddy and we very quickly got home. When I finally did the math, I figured that I had been awake for 53 hours and had only gotten 4 hours (at most) of sleep.

The Trip Home - part 1

When I finally knew I was really going on that plane, I was so excited. I thnk I had one of the worlds biggest smiles on my face! We waited about another hour until the plane was prepped and ready and then we were called to begin boarding. Since I sat in the exit row, the back of my seat didn't recline. One girl who had been selected like me was complaining and really made a big deal about it. Then again, she was wearing some fluffy feathery creation on her head with leather pants and three inch heels. Interesting choice for airplane wear.

I was lucky enough to have plenty of leg room! Sleeping was a challenge and I knew that I rarely sleep on a plane. What little sleep I did get was on the tray table in front of me. Too bad there was also a little boy sitting that chair who, when he saw me tryingto catch some shut-eye, would shake the chair!

First we flew from Atsugi to Anchorage, a little over six hours, and then sat on the plane while it was refueled and loaded with more food, about two hours. From there we flew to Seattle and quickly went through customs and had iteneraries inland for our final destinations.

From there, I was taken to a hotel nearby to spend the night since my flight was at 6:10 the next morning. At the hotel, which was very large, I had my own room and began settling in for, what I hoped would be, a night of sleep. It turned out my cousin, Missy, and her husband and son, Dan and Jordan, were just down the road eating dinner! Missy came to pick me up and we ate a delicious dinner at The Cheesecake Factory.

Back at the hotel, I made a few phone calls with the free calling card supplied by the American Red Cross and tried to get some sleep. I woke up two hours later. That did give me plenty of time to re-pack my bag and clean up before the rest of my journey. Before I knew it, I was out the door on the shuttle back to the airport.

How I Got on the Plane

Things began on Tuesday as any other Tuesday. I got ready and went to school to sub in a kindergarten classroom. Throughout the day I was concerned with filling out forms to possibly get a ticket through PSD. After school, a couple friends and I went to PSD to try and book a flight. When we walk in we acetone that no more tickets would be booked that day and to come back in the morning. We made plans to meet at seven.

I returned home and was deciding what to do with the rest of my day when I get a phone call. "Thank you for answering your phone," the voice said. "Do you want to get on the flight leaving base today?" I asked her if she was serious and she asked," Are you packed?" I had thirty minutes to pack, tidy up the house, and report to the cinema. I have never packed a bag so quickly in my life. Before I knew it, I was at the cinema waiting to begin processing. Since the group currently flying was full of pregnant mothers and small children, the exit rows could not be occupied. That is how I got on the flight.

More Precautionary Measures

For those of you who did not read my father's note on Facebook, let me fill you in. Planes are trickling in, each holding approximately 125 passengers. From Atsugi, 2200 people would like to leave. At this rate, I will be next in line for a plane by about middle of next week. Hopefully, more planes will arrive.

Potassium Iodide tablets were distributed on base today. We have not been instructed to take them but were encouraged to pick them up as another precautionary measure. I am beginning to get extremely frustrated with the entire situation. The iodide tablets help the thyroid gland repel the radiation. When radiation enters the body, it alters the thyroid gland and creates long term health problems. Today, we were given a five day supply in case the need arises.

I will go back to work tomorrow, but not as the teacher I have been serving a long term sub for. I think maybe so many teachers have left that the school is trying to use all their resources just to fill the mainstream classrooms and the specialists are being pulled to help. I will be glad to be working, but I sure am ready to get on an airplane.

Passing the Time

I am very lucky to have some great people in my company. They have been great through this ordeal, keeping their heads on straight and waiting patiently. We have been hanging out, playing games, and watching movies to pass the time. Last night we played Apples to Apples and Quelf (an awesome and completely random board game!) Today, a Harry Potter marathon is playing on the tv and I could not be more excited. I love Harry Potter.

The base commander has instructed all venues on base to open to day so we can have things to do, bowling, the theatre, eating out. I have yet to re-pack my bag, but I plan on keeping the weight around 50 lbs so I can actually be able to handle it. As of now, I'm still waiting, anxious for news and for planes to arrive.

(Subbed) Nuclear Boy うんち・おならで例える原発解説

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sakN2hSVxA&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Sent from my iPhone

Update on "Hurry Up and Wait!"

The first category was called this morning approximately 9:30 and told an hour later to go back home, there has been a temporary delay. I was heartbroken because I had gotten so excited for things to finally have gotten started. Now, several hours later, we have been given much more information and I am passing it on to you.

1) We are now required to travel with TDY orders (no clue what TDY stands for) so we will be able to gain re-entry into Japan. Luckily, these orders are supposed to take me directly to my final destination: New Orleans, La., on the Navy's dime.

2) I am now authorized two (2) bags weighing up to seventy (70) pounds each! I don't think I could pack that much stuff but I am definitely re-packing tonight.

3) I am authorized to receive a safe haven allowance for any additional expenses I might have, but our COLA (cost of living allowance) will be terminated.

4) The planes that arrived today were the wrong kind of planes, military and in order for this evacuation we need commercial. Now the next expected planes are for Monday.

5) They are expecting another small bout of radiation Monday night and Tuesday. We are advised to take the same precautions as this past week.

In preparation for this evacuation, I cleaned out my refrigerator and freezer Thursday night. Unfortunately, we have not left yet. Cleaning out refrigerator + not leaving yet = no food. The commissary and a few restaurants on base are still open so I can get food, but this has been such a hassle.

Hurry Up and Wait!

For the last almost 48 hours, there has been many questions but few answers. As of this morning, no one has been evacuated. I went to a meeting yesterday and there I was told that I needed to find my category and group from a list and then when my number is called, I bring my luggage to the theatre and begin the process from there. As of this morning, there is no list.

In the back of my mind I wonder if we are really going to get out of here.

However, I received two pieces of good news: 1) I am allowed to carry a 50lb bag, and 2) the Japanese power company is holding off on our power outages until Tuesday. Living here on the small, english-speaking island of Atsugi, many rumors are started, much information is miscommunicated, and we receive different "official reports". So now I get to play a game, the "hurry up and wait game".

Lunch yesterday was amazing though. Two friends and I went to an Indian restaurant and ate curry and naan! I had been missing this food for quite a while and it was delicious!

On the Road Again

This afternoon, it was decided that we would evacuate Japan. at first, we were just told to go home, pack our bag, and be ready. A few hours later, the message changed to, "we are definately evacuating". With so many things to do, I went into "commander mode" where I just focus on what has to be done and then get it done. however, when this "to do" list becomes a "to done" list, I sit here, thinking about all the possiblities.

If things go smoothly, maybe we will be back within a month and life can resume. If things go badly, I may never see these belongings again. It is an incredibly hard decision sorting through things that can be left and things to take and it all has to fit into a bag weighing no more than 35 lbs. My life, has to be placed into a 35 lb bag.

I think of all the papers I need, the certificates and such. Then, the things I can't live without: some jewelry, my Bible, some wedding pictures. Then, a few changes of clothes to get me by. To top it all off, Japan decided to quake some more, giving us another taste of why we are getting out of here.

As I sit, finishing yet beginning my night, I look around at all the things I can't take with me. I know this shouldn't be about the things, but the things! Our Christmas decorations (though an "our first christmas" ornament did find it's way in), our books, our kitchenware! All things I am unsure if I will ever see again.

I have a meeting in the morning, 10am. Here I am led to believe that I will sign up for a flight and receive further instruction. I may fly out tomorrow, I may not. But in anycase, I will keep my blog updated as much as possible.

An Aftershock a Day Keeps What Away?

Luckily, we haven't experienced another major aftershock although I was woken this morning by a small quake. If you're curious to see the aftershocks, where they are, and their strength, you can Google Japan Meterological Agency. Click on "earthquakes" and you will see the latest aftershock. Another button ( I think "earthquake information") shows all the aftershocks and their strength.

Today we were sent a note informing us that the radiation is out of the air but still lingers on the ground. We are still advised to stay indoors whenever possible and to wash our hands after we go outside. The radiation on the ground will likely stay until the next rain.

Many people are going back to the states, mainly those with small children. Still, school is in session and the only things that have been canceled are afterschool activities. We have plenty of supplies, still get food shipments daily, and are expecting the gas resivior to be filled within the week. Gas is being rationed but as I don't have a car, I have no need to worry about that. :)

Radiation Levels

This is the slide that was shown to us during the town hall meeting. As you can see, the level of radiation is so low that we receive more from our computer monitors and tvs everyday. In order for an evacuation to occur, the level has to be near 5000, something that is off this chart. The base has very sensitive equipment and monitors the radiation levels eight times daily.

My Interview with a California News Channel

http://www.kpsplocal2.com/Content/Headlines/story/Interview-With-Woman-in-Japan-With-California/3mtIRO0B5EC7jNc3UoDlGA.cspx

Earthquakes, Power Outages, and Radiation... Oh my!

Well this has certainly been an adventure. Yesterday morning, we were told that low levels of radiation were detected here on base. Of course after that the entire base was in a flurry of panic: parents pulling children out of schools, people emptying the commissary of bottled water and non-perishable items. Everyone lived in fear for about four hours until we received official word that the levels were so low that you would get more radiation on a two hour flight. Last night, a town meeting was held.

In the meeting, we were reassured of the extremely low levels of radiation: two bananas give off the same amount found here. Officials have advised us to take precautions, very conservative precautions, and say we should limit our outdoor activity and refrain from using heaters and air conditioners. When asked what level of radiation would evacuations take place, the number is many, many times higher. Nearly 10,000 times. That being said, everything here is fine. We have a long way to go before we need to worry.

The rolling blackouts began yesterday and sent the base into darkness for around three hours. Only the last hour did it really get dark as the sun set. Today power outages are expected to begin around noon and I'm curious to see how the children react. We have been conserving as much energy as possible through holding class with lights off and only turning on our computers for short periods of time.




Also last night an aftershock occurred which was pretty large. Not quite as large as the initial quake we felt but larger than the other aftershocks we have been through. Luckily, no damage was reported at the epicenter of this aftershock and the news channels have gone on to report about the tsunami victims. It seems as if people here do nit worry about an earthquake unless it has damaging effects. However for me, I literally get so shaken up it is hard to calm down.

Power Outages

Although we were warned, the power has yet to go out on us today. But we have been encouraged to use as little electricity as possible to help with the energy efforts. Tomorrow though may be a different story with power outages scheduled for twice a day.

We had another aftershock today while at school. I thought I had finally gotten over the feeling of being on a boat but today brought it back.

Earthquakes

My first earthquake occurred in Georgia in the middle of the night. I was woken by movement similar to someone shaking the foot board of my bed. It only lasted a few short moments before I fell back asleep. Then I didn't really know what an earthquake felt like, thinking that maybe I had just woken up feeling queasy. However, I can now say that an earthquake is the most terrifying experience of my life.

It began when a friend and I had just entered a car and were preparing to leave. At first we thought something must be wrong with the car until we looked around and noticed everything else was quaking too. The parked cars across from us looked as if they were filled with kids bouncing around inside. The trees swayed as if a hard wind was blowing. But I think the thing that was most surreal was watching the glass on the storefront wave back and forth. I was sure it was going to shatter. This feeling kept on for about five minutes until it finally stopped.

My friend took me to my apartment where Alan and I live on the fifth floor. Inside, dvd's had fallen off the stand, books knocked over, and a few picture frames flipped over. I walked around to check the other rooms of the house when I heard this sound coming from my closet, almost as ifsomething had gotten inside and was trying to get out. I then noticed the blinds begin to quiver and it dawned on me: aftershocks. I jumped into the nearest doorframe and watched as everything began swaying; I could even look out the patio window and see the apartment tower next to us moving. I felt so helpless and terrified at what I saw and could do nothing about. About four minutes later, that quake ended and I decided I needed to talk to someone.

I called my mom and began explaining what was happening. While I was on the phone, a second aftershock began and I jumped back into the doorframe. This time I was bawling, terrified because I was alone, because Alan is in Guam, and because I did not know how long the quaking was going to last. When the light fixture finally quit swaying I bolted for the door determined to find Mt friend and get out of the tower. We quickly learned of the damage and watched footage of the tsunami wash away everything. We stood in awe, wondering how many people were affected and what would happen next.

The rest of the evening was filled with reassuring loved ones, excited talk, and trying to unwind from the stressful day. The aftershocks are still occurring but are so weak I can hardly feel them. I am very thankful to say that all is well.

Busy, Busy, Busy

I am officially in the middle of my second full week of long term subbing - and I love it! The teachers I work with are wonderful, one even lets me teach a lesson to her class on occasion. The kids I have are great, almost no behavioral problems so I can really focus on helping them read. I am filling out my official teacher's application this week so I can (hopefully) get a classroom of my own next school year!

Before I had the long term subbing job, I agreed to a babysitting job where I went to the house in the morning before school and helped the boys get off to school and then pick them up from school and stay with them in the afternoon/evening until their parents got home. I hated to back down, so the first of this week, I got up at 5 every morning to get myself ready, then go to the other house to help the boys get ready, then go to school, then go back home with the boys and stay until the evening. It was fun keeping the boys but I am glad that I don't have to get up quite so early tomorrow. :)

I have been missing having a puppy again this week and am debating getting a hamster. It's about the only thing that is allowed in the apartment towers that I would want to have (we're not big cat people). So, maybe. If a hamster is in our future, I'll definately post pictures.

Finally, I'm Working Again

Last week I was called and asked to sub long term for a teacher who was expecting. Without asking nay questions at all, I said, "Sure! I'd love to!" Only afterwards did I think to ask what grade and get some more details. To my surprise, it's not a grade: it's an ESL (English as a second language) classroom. I began to worry because I only had a few ESL students while getting my degree, but after going to shadow the teacher for a day, my fears were quickly relieved.

My days are busy, I have seven or eight groups of students throughout the day and walk from classroom to classroom. The kids are all well behaved and so far, I'm loving it. Even though I have to plan many lesson per day on different levels, I can mold each lesson to each groups needs and not have to worry about differentiating for an entire classroom.

Our lessons range anywhere from learning to read and sound out words to grammar and perfecting their writing technique. Some groups I just sit by and assist as needed while the mainstream teacher conducts the lesson. I am liking this more than I thought I would. It's also great to have an excuse to wear my work clothes again. I love looking professional.

Today was my first day going solo (the teacher went into labor a couple weeks early) and everything went very smoothly. I actually had tons of free time to decide how I wanted to run the classroom because one grade level took a field trip and I have two groups from that grade. So I planned a lot today and then came home to plan some more. :)

Happy Valentine's Day(s)

Since Valentine's Day fell on a Monday this year, Alan and I decided that we would celebrate by making dinner Sunday. Our menu: roasted lamb, potato and cauliflower dauphinois, steamed broccolini, and Samoa ice cream.

The dauphonois is a recipe by Alan's long time favorite chef, Jamie Oliver, and was so delicious! You begin by simmering heavy cream, milk, 2 bay leaves, 4 cloves of sliced garlic, and some nutmeg for five minutes. Just this made the kitchen smell wonderful and I instantly wanted to turn this recipe into a version of mac and cheese. Then in a casserole dish, you layer slices of potato and cauliflower, pour the cream over top, and bake for 40 minutes. After the first bout of baking, you press down on the mixture (use a kitchen towel, it's hot!) and top with Parmesan cheese and bake again for 10-15 minutes until browned. Delicious!

Then came time for ice cream, my favorite! I made Samoa ice cream this year with an entire box of cookies mixed into a coconut ice cream with caramel swirls. By the way, this is NOT Somona approved. :) Alan and I had the best time cooking together in the kitchen, even though it took dinner longer than expected. Monday rolled around and Alan went to work leaving me with a few household things to do and one babysitting job when he tries to figure out when exactly I would be home. Then he kept checking making sure that I was home. I had a pretty good idea of what he was trying to do. So I got home and waited... and waited.... and waited some more. Several hours later I asked Alan if someone was supposed to be coming by and he seemed surprised that no one had yet. So I waited some more. And finally,

The best hubby ever. :)

Back in the Saddle Again

Today I subbed in a first grade classroom and, I have to say, it was one of the best days I have had in a while. At first I was nervous, I didn't know what we would be doing or what the kids would be like. Turns out I was in luck, the kids were awesome, no behavioral problems at all! The teacher in me kicked in when it came to lesson time and the day flew by. We had a really awesome day! Some of the kids even said I was the best teacher ever. I talked about spelling, grammar, reading, and science today, even expanding on the lessons to help explain. I must say, I cannot wait until I am teaching my own classroom and am hoping for a  long term sub position to pop up before the school year is out.

On the other hand, I'm back in another saddle, the SD saddle. My husband, whom I love dearly, is participating in this diet with me except on a different level. Junk food once to twice a week, eating cookies, pizza, Taco Bell, and more. All the while, he's still losing weight. So, I decide that I can do this too, if it works for him, why not me? Well, the answer is, not me. So, back to the SD this week, not that I hate it, I really enjoy the food. I just really love sweets also. Last night I got creative and ate an apple cut into slices drizzled with a little honey and sprinkled with a touch of cinnamon and it was delicious! I'm going to have to try a little harder to find dessert type foods that I can enjoy guilt-free.

Happy Groundhog Day

Typically this day goes by with very little celebration, but for me, this day was a great one! After a few days of down and out, I woke up in a great mood. I quickly headed to the gym for body pump then an additional hour of cardio to get my spirits back up and in the mood for healthy eating.

Then I went back home, goofed around on facebook and checked my email. Finally, I received the note saying I was approved and could start subbing. Just after that was an email asking me to work Monday! This just sent my day up and over the top and now I cannot wait for Monday to arrive.

Getting Back on Track

I met with the principal of the elementary school on base Monday, and while it was a good meeting, I left feeling almost discouraged and let down. The good news, I am doing everything right so far, applying for substitute teaching and making myself available. The bad news, nothing really, just that I felt let down. I had prepared all morning, got all dressed up, and psyched myself out on how this was going to be an amazing meeting.

Because I felt down, I reached for the Girl Scout Cookies. But they didn't have the effect I was hoping for. This time after eating a sugary processed sweet, I literally felt sick. I really don't mind giving up these things for the Sonoma (diet). I feel so much better eating real foods, nothing processed. However, a day later, I still feel all messed up inside and I hope it's the sugar.

In hopes of getting back on track, I am making a yummy dinner of fish topped with a zucchini relish, lentil soup, and a small salad. Lentil soup has become a favorite of mine and it's easy to make a couple meals worth. But chopping the onion for the soup has made me tear up and my eyes still haven't fully recovered. It seems that Japan has some of the juiciest onions.

Also, I was hoping to get to the gym today for a run to let off some of this anxiety inside. However, while walking to body pump this morning, I felt that familiar pain running from the top of my foot, up the front of my leg, and to my knee. Well, hello shin splints. I guess I'll be taking it easy for a few days until they heal.

In the mean time, I hope that I will soon receive an email saying I can begin subbing. I cannot wait to begin working again. I have a few babysitting job this week to help break up the monotony but I really want to work full time. I hope that maybe I can get put on a long term sub.

So here's to a better tomorrow, getting back on track and hopefully feeling back to my normal self. The Wednesday morning bible study isn't meeting this week so maybe I'll take the time to finally take down Christmas decorations. Yes, We still have a Christmas tree with garland hanging up.

(Almost) A Day in the Life of a Mom

Today I was privileged to spend my day with a family of the sweetest, most well behaved boys. It began early this morning, just after breakfast, and lasted just until dinner time. At first, it was just the 3 and 4 year olds and me playing with legos and trains. These boys love legos and have many sets. And the 3 year old is going through the Thomas the Train stage. After playing for a while we went to church for my Wednesday morning bible study.

The bible study we are currently doing is by Shaunti Feldhahn on her book, ForWomen Only.In this study, we are learning that the est way to show love to our husbands is by showing them respect. They need to see, hear, and feel this respect as much as possible. By affirming them, we can build up our husbands to be more confident and, in turn, have stronger marriages.

After bible study, the boys and I headed back for some lunch, yummy peanut butter and nutella sandwiches. Except for me. I wanted some of that nutella so badly. And after lunch, nap time! I was amazed at how quickly the boys fell asleep and how long they stayed asleep. I enjoyed some quiet time, cleaned the house a little, and then actually had to wake the boys up. While the younger two were sleeping, the oldest came home and we worked on his homework.

We went outside to play and they ran and ran and ran. I was glad to see them going so much, playing so well with the other kids, and having the time of their lives. They were having so much fun we stayed outside for over an hour despite the cool temperatures. By the time we went in, I was an icicle. Then the woman who stays the night with the boys was home and preparing their dinner.

So that's my day, good times with three adorable little boys. Luckily I have a wonderful hubby who let me come home and relax tonight, he's doing the dishes!

Working on Working

I finally finished my sub application! I entered all the information, printed it out, signed it, and turned it in. I also had to get fingerprinted, a very nasty experience. In Bartow County, I was printed using a digital scanner; no ink, no mess. Here, however, they used the ink and I got to roll, press, and print to my hearts content (it really wasn't that long).  Luckily, most of the ink came off quickly thanks to that orange cleaner, but I still have the outlines of my fingernails to get cleaned. Now I just get to wait until I'm in payroll to begin working.

This week I am babysitting for a family in the afternoons everyday. The parents went on a vacation and I pick up the kids from school, get their homework finished, and entertain them for an afternoon. There is another girl who comes and stays with the kids all night and get them off to school in the mornings. Today her and I got a chance to talk and, come to find out, she currently works in the school on base. She was hired straight from the States, no military affiliation at all. I enjoyed a long chat with her today, getting more tips and hints that teachers are in fact leaving this school year and that I have a hope for getting a full-time job before the summer. I am getting very excited about possibly having a job by then! Now we just wait.

The Never-ending Sub Application

I thought I was almost done, then I get an email and a phone call: I need to go in (yet again) and fill out another paper. My next instructions were to wait for an email.

Then I got the email.

I am supposed to login to a website and answer questions about my background. "Easy enough", I think. Until I began the questions. I spent about one hour and only got to question ten out of at least twenty. On top of getting stressed over not knowing all the answers to my questions, my computer dies in the middle of question ten. So, I decided that Saturday would be the perfect day to complete this form, Alan is working and I'll have almost all day to complete it. After I finish this, it will only be a short amount to time until I can begin working.

Also, this last time I was at the school, I overheard the office administrators saying that a couple teaching positions were opening up before the end of the school year. I plan to apply and hopefully I'll finally have my own classroom!

My plan of attack tomorrow: wake up, go to Body Pump, come home, and get it done. I'm not looking forward to it.

The Hunt for Paint

Today began as any other day would, rising early to make the hubby breakfast, going back to bed for about an hour until I really HAD to be awake, enjoying some breakfast, and making a trip to the gym (today was body pump, yay!). While riding to the gym, my friend and I discussed what we needed to accomplish today and discovered a trip to VivaHome was in store.

VivaHome is a store not far off base that has all kinds of things, similar idea to a Wal-Mart. It has outdoor things, indoor things, hardware things, puppy things (and adorable puppies to look at), and more! My friend was in need of some paint for a home repair and needed a specific color and brand. Our housing office said that the paint can be found at any hardware store. So we entered.

We found the paint... but not the brand. Finally after a few minutes of looking around at all the different options, my friend called our housing office to ask for more assistance. Then before we knew it, we had a sales associate talking on my friends phone to our housing office and trying to find the paint. In our AOB/ICR class (orientation class) our instructors told us to use any means possible to communicate with the Japanese nationals. I suppose we did just that today at the store. Luckily, the sales associate was able to order the paint!

Today's experience makes me thankful for the people who work on base helping newcomers adjust to living in another country.

Static Electricity

Remember in school when the teacher would give us a balloon, tell us to blow it up, rub it on our heads, and the charged balloon would stick to the wall? The funny hair after subsequent balloon rubbing? Maybe it's scrubbing your feet across the carpet then inching over to your friend (or little brother) and giving them a shock?

In Japan, static electricity runs rampant. Yesterday, when making the bed, I was shocked no less than fourteen times. Oftentimes, Alan will come home from work and stop to give me a kiss on the way in, shocking my nose in the process. And finishing my hair in the mornings with the straightening iron requires a dryer sheet nearby to help tame my charged hair. Folding laundry gives me repeated shocks even though we use sheets in the dryer. The static electricity here compares to nowhere I've ever been, shocking you at unsuspected moments and making clothes stick to you and to each other at all times.

I think we are going to try using fabric softener to help with the static in addition to dryer sheets. Hopefully it will help. Needless to say, our lives in Japan are quite electrifying.

(Almost) Three Months In

In four days, Alan and I will have lived in Japan for three months. We are still figuring things out and tell ourselves everyday: "I want to learn to read Japanese". Recently we explored a grocery store off base to find the ingredients to make a beef bowl and udon soup (udon are think noodles). We looked up the kanji (Japanese symbols) for our ingredients and headed out for the store. We walked up and down aisle after aisle trying to find the section for our ingredients and then we tried to match up the kanji we found to what we could see. To further explain this experience, imagine looking for a needle in a haystack, a contact on the bathroom floor, or an earring backing on the sidewalk. Needless to say, we did not find our ingredients.

This month, I started going to gym classes regularly and Alan has begun studying to further advance his Naval career. We keep ourselves busy running (or should I say walking) everyday errands and filling free time reading on our Kindles and watching movies.

The theatre on base plays movies every night and charges $3. We watch a movie about two times a month, sometimes more. So far we have seen Red, Megamind, Little Fockers, Due Date, and last night, Morning Glory. We are going again this Tuesday to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. It released here while Alan was on the boat and luckily it's playing again so he can see it.

Also this month we have started a new diet in hopes of becoming healthier. It's a sensible diet, we're not cutting out any food groups, just moderating our intake of the less healthy ones. I think it will be a successful journey and hope to have pleasant results soon!

Making Pasta

For Christmas, Alan received a pasta roller set to use with our Kitchen Aid. First we had to make the pasta dough, a simple enough recipe but difficult to combine. We attempted two different recipes to see which turned out best. In the end we used both.

First we made the dough and we had to let it sit before we could use it. Then we split the dough into easy to use sizes and rolled it out using the first pasta roller to the perfect thickness of the pasta we wanted to make. Using this, you roll the pasta through over and over again changing the setting between rolling to acheive the perfect thickness.

After reaching our desired thickness, we switched the roller to a fettuchini pasta cutter. This part was quick and simple, putting the pasta in and seeing it come out into perfect noodles. As we do not have a pasta drying rack, we made do with what we have. :)

Japanese Licensing Class

Although Alan and I decided not to purchase a car while in Japan, we did decide that having a license would be a good idea. That would enable us to rent a car if we wanted and would not have to rely solely on the train system to pick up people from the airport and take trips without having to pay the train fees.

Some things we have learned, pedestrians have the right of way and if your car is towed a large sticker will be placed on the ground where your car was telling where your car is. Besides this, the main emphasis of the class was not to drink and drive. The penalties here are extremely severe, ranging anywhere from a few years hard labor (prison that is worse than the United States) to fifteen years and a yen fine up to 1,000,000 yen.

Luckily, our instructor was very animated, reminding me of a flight attendant preparing us for our adventures on the road in Japan. The class was about as interesting and exciting as these things can be but we did learn the basics of the Japanese roads.

 Now I just have to remember to go pick up our licenses. :)

Weekend Adventures and Thoughts about Dogs

Alan and I headed to Ebina today in search of a few things: some furry boots for me and some everyday gloves for him. Also, we wanted to stick our head in at the pet store and glimpse the adorable puppies. We miss our dogs terribly.

After the trek to the train station, we rode just a few quick stops to Ebina and began our quest. The boots were easy, we had spotted the shoe store last time we had visited and knew right where to go.

The gloves on the other hand were another story. We searched store after store for the perfect pair of gloves, finding nothing but the puffy gloves for serious winter weather. Also, most everything was not large enough for Alan's hands, looking funny trying to stuff them into the gloves made for the nationals smaller hands. As we meandered the outdoor mall, we saw a flea market type affair taking place on the bottom floor, many people covering the ground offering their goods. As we walked we saw everything from clothing to figurines to dinnerware to jewelry.

Finally we stopped at the pet shop. It was much more crowded than our previous visit but then again, today was Saturday. We saw the popular mini dachshunds, poodles, and maltese. We oo'd and aww'd over the puppies, lingering by the ones who showed interest in us and would follow our fingers across the Plexiglas. Then, our hearts nearly stopped. There was a small female Chihuahua puppy, marked in black and tan, who looked exactly like Roscoe, our rescued male Chihuahua left with good friends so he would not have to suffer the quarantine process of moving to Japan. As we teared up, we moved on because we knew if we lingered, there would be no way we could leave that puppy.

One day, when we leave Japan for our next tour of duty, we will have a puppy again, and we cannot wait for that day. Our dogs became our family and were very difficult to leave behind. However, we knew they would not go through the process of flying from the States to Japan then through the quarantine process well. Thankfully, we have some of the best friends ever, who took in our furry family members and are caring for them with as much heart as we did.

Korean Barbeque

For dinner two nights ago, we traveled with a group to a new restaurant. In this restaurant, there are grills in the center of the tables and you order your food raw and cook it on the grill in front of you. The waitresses make sure to replace the coals and grate of the grill so you are ensured a clean grill.

We ordered food, two platters of meat: beef, chicken, squid, and one meat we couldn't name;vegetable plates, rice, and beverages. It wasn't long until our food was delivered. Tradition is that one person cooks while the others around eat and then take turns cooking so everyone has a chance to eat. you are served on small plates, no bigger than your hand, and grab a bite here and a bite there. A sauce was served on the tables used for dipping the cooked meat into that had a sweet, tangy flavor. Overall, it was a fun experience, cooking our food in front of us and sharing everything family style.

New Year's Eve

 On New Year's Eve, we took a trip with a few friends to the technology district of Tokyo, Akihabara. Upon arrival, we were all looking up at the tall buildings and amazed by the quantity of people. As we roamed the streets, we were immersed in the selling/buying environment of small sellers bringing their goods and setting up shop on the sides of the streets. There were all kinds of electronic items, some I have no clue their purpose.

We toured the different shops, finding everything from video games to clothing to small vendors with a little of everything. The stores are located in the buildings, different shops being on different floors. Inside, there is a system of escalators that move people up and down the floors. One shop we found looked like a novelty shop, just a little of everything, and the guys all decided to try something on.

Also while we were out, I kept seeing these hangings on doors all around. I guess it's a tradition of Japan to hang these on their doors in celebration of the new year, maybe also to bring luck. In any case, it was interesting to see.