Sunday, August 03, 2008

Some sweat, some love, some more love...and finally...some wannalove!

Today has been an interesting day....not in a bad way...just got off to a bit of a different start. In the city of Nagasaki, today was...and since my translator and assistant translator are in the bath-I'm just going to give it my own bit of a twist here....today was the annual "Let's Get Out There Real Early in the Morning and Clean Up Our Neighborhood" day (or Park, or Street, or.....). Every neighborhood in the city participated....the trash men are going to love this tomorrow!!!

The K-man had to drive his mother to her hometown to attend a 3rd-year memorial service for one of his relatives. So, I was the one delegated to represent the Kuroiwa House in this neighborhood endeavor.

At 8:00...bright and early, with a small towel around my neck and sunscreen sufficiently slathered on...I joined the neighbors in the small park very near our house. First of all....I was severely under dressed. My sleeveless t-shirt, shorts, towel around my neck and flip-flops were no match for the long-sleeved, long pants and towels draped over the heads with a hat on top of that, that all the others had put on.....oh...and gloves. I, at least, had my own gloves...which, I'm sure, saved me from ridicule. (One lady mentioned to another that, well, I was "younger than all of them and a gaijin (foreigner)"....so I guess those two factors were working in my favor.

So...there we were...all 12 of us...armed with our gardening weapon of choice...and for the next hour, we weeded the small park. Now...by park, I mean "small square piece of land where children can play", and in no way should you think there is grass. No....no grass...but there were a whole hell of a lot of weeds...dandelions...and small rocks that needed to be dealt with.

At about 9:15, one of the ladies decided that we had done enough and it was time to quit. So, we bagged up all the weeds (Koji counted 9 big bags!!) and then we all gathered on the benches for tea.....AND BEER!!! And the angels began to sing. I don't know where you live, but here, in Nagasaki, Japan....it's hot and muggy and sweaty at anytime after the sun comes up in the summer. At 9:15...after pulling and cutting and raking...it is hotter than "insert your favorite phrase here".

Yes...a beer before breakfast...what a great way to start the day!!!

And yet...the rest of the day was a bit off kilter. A beer buzz at 10:00 in the morning is NOT the best thing to have...unless you are thinking about continuing that feeling and I definitely was not!! I had five a couple of cups of coffee and I was ready to seize the day!!


Actually....I felt pretty good after the coffee...once I got back in the groove...and got quite a bit done today!! Plus, I'm thinking that I must have sweated off a good pound or two....which is always good!!!

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A while ago, I was lucky enough to be given a couple of "bloggy love" type awards. The whole idea of these lovely little gems is to, once you get one, pass them on. And I'm going to do that right now.


The first one was from Bad Mom. I do love reading her blog and felt so incredibly honored that she would pass this on to me!! Thanks Steph....this made my day!! (Even now, I'm smiling as I type this!!!)

Now I have to follow some rules:


1. Please put award on your blog. Check.


2. Add link to the person who awarded you. Roger.


3. Nominate 7 fellow bloggers for this award. Seven feels hard; so I am going to follow BadMom's lead and go with 4. (any concerns, contact her!!)


5. Add links to recipient. Will do.


5. Leave a comment so the recipients know they have received an award. Alrighty right then!


And so....I humbly pass this on to:


Christal at Ms. Teacher


Meg at A Day in the Life


Jenn at Juggling Life


Mary Ann at Very Mary


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I am continually amazed at the group of bloggers I have chosen to surround myself with. When I first started this whole blogging adventure, I wasn't really sure of what I was doing. But...little by little, post by post...I have learned so much.


Many people ask, "Why do you blog?" Well....in the beginning, this blog was for my family and friends in the States and Australia to keep up with us and what we were doing. It was a way for me to keep a journal of sorts as to our lives here so far away from the ones we love.


Living in a foreign country is wonderful. But...it is also very hard. Being so far away, not only from family and friends, but from life in a world where I truly belong and am accepted is sometimes so difficult...I felt so out-of-touch with what was going on.


But, by reading blogs....those feelings of being lost...of being homesick...are getting less and less. The people I read, I feel almost as close to them as to some of my friends from home. You have invited me into your homes....your families...your jobs...and your hobbies...and for that, I am truly grateful.


The next award I got was from a relatively new friend, Moxy Jane. She is a homeschooling mom in Texas and her blog is one that I always look forward to reading (when it doesn't freeze my screen!!). She writes with such love for her darling girls and her life, in general. She's smart, funny, has great taste in music. She is also one of the "bloggers I WILL meet someday"...we'll have so much to talk and laugh about...over drinks, of course!!


And from her I got this.....

Rules of this award: SHARE THE LOVE!!!

Share this award with all those blogs out there that you love. All the people who make you smile. All those that make you laugh. All those that make your day. All those that leave uplifting comments on your blog. **All I ask is that you include a link to this post with the award and ask your recipient to do the same**



And so....as I was thinking as to whom I would pass this on....many of the ones I thought of, have already received it.....MoxyJane also gave it to Mrs. G...and really...whatever she said about Mrs. G, just picture me, standing behind her going "yeah...uh-huh...that's right...woot woot!!". Stephanie aka BadMom already has it....hmmmm.....


Okay....I have come up with three people to bestow this upon. I'm sure that with this award usually comes a really great introduction as to why you are giving this award. Well...let me be honest here...many times when I start to do that with people that I really like, I can get kind of emotional and I end up with writing that belongs at the back of some high school year book....you know..."Dear so-and-so...you are my best friend. We have had some great times. Never forget the time we.....yadda yadda yadda."


So...to escape from that....let me just say that the three ladies I'm giving this to are three bloggers that make me smile, make me laugh (out loud, many times!), make me think, and even make me cry. Two of them, I have been reading for quite awhile now....and look forward to each and every new post. The third one is a new friend...but one that I feel I have known all my life...hell...when they say "sister from a'nother mister"....that's her! I seriously need to sit down with her, have a drink and then we can figure out all the things that we have in common....'cause honeys, that list is loooong, I do believe!!!


And so.....I'm sharin' the love with.....


Cheri at BlogThisMom


Mary Alice at From the Frontlines


and


Hula Girl At Heart at Growing Older But Not Up


And.....to all the others who help brighten up my days....who make me smile and laugh and cry...but mostly who make me smile....


**cue music Thank You For Being a Friend**


Some love for you too!!! Thanks so much for being you...and for coming by to my part of the world for a bit and letting me share my life with you!!!





Oh...and just one more teeny little thing before I go...'cause...you know it's been awhile and...well...I just can't help myself...but don't be surprised, okay? okay.


12 comments:

C. said...

You are too damn funny woman. * laughs * Sounds like you're getting your feet wet over there...and while you may miss home, we're beginning to think YOU have it better. ;)

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

Thanks!

What a nice thing your neighborhood does together. And what is with the freezing your screen thing? I can't read Slouching Mom for that very reason.

stephanie said...

You deserve all the love you get, especially for posting pictures of hotties...:D

Hula Girl at Heart said...

Oooh!! Thanks for the love! You are too kind. I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy now. You are right, my friend. I think we would find we have a great deal in common over a drink...or three. I suspect we would chat into the wee hours and laugh, laugh, laugh..especially if there's karaoke involved. Thanks a bunch! Your sight makes me smile (and laugh), too.

San Diego Momma said...

I don't know how much more of these excellent blog recommendations I can take.

I read many of the people you awarded, but there's more! Always more to read!

You should see my butt! I'm sitting on it WAY too much, making my way through my Google reader.

Also, I love your account of your neighborhood cleanup! We could all use more of that.

dkuroiwa said...

**because I know that Susan will read these....I'm putting this here...*

To Cheri:
Yeaaahhhhh....(she said, scraping her the toe of her shoe in the dirt), I knoooow I"m sweeeet!! :-D

Okay...so she's had a busy weekend....she probably won't find out about it until this morning when she goes to work....says the good friend that I am.
The Bitch that I am says, "time's up!...get a new winner! If Girlfriend had really wanted it, she would have been there...waiting....to see if she had one. ya snooze, ya lose."

i'm just saying... :-D

3rdEyeMuse said...

What a terrific post! Love the whole idea of getting together as a neighborhood and doing something good together - and for a beer afterwards?!? Brilliant! (even at 9:00 a.m. - though I'd much prefer a cider, thank you).

The "awards" section was a pleasure to read - felt the sincerity and am looking forward to checking the winners blogs out. :)

Karen MEG said...

Beer in the AM!!! Now that's worth a whole lot of dandelion digging!

Thanks for the bloggy love, my friend. You are so deserving of all these awards and more...

And the hot dudes pix you post are very much appreciated too ;)

Janet said...

ROFLMAO! I remember those days :-)

Moxy Jane said...

I'm so sorry to freeze your screen! I have way too many things going on in my sidebar...Mrs. G.'s used to do that to me before she pared her site down...I just can't seem to part with anything!!

Good for you for breaking a sweat at 9 a.m.!! I managed to squirt the hose on my shriveled dead things collection this morning before saying to hell with this and diving back in the AC! My plans for today: the library and ice-cream, thank you very much. (But I DID hit the gym on Friday night! Don't tell me I don't know how to ParTAY!)

Helena said...

Beer before breakfast on a Sunday morning?! Well, Hallelujah and Amen.

Grandy said...

Some well deserved awards for you, Debbie. You cheated on the first one though.

I do read some of these already, now I'll have to go check out the others. :)