Spring fever...and, oh yeah...my new apron? It's possessed.

Spring Fever

No...the picture isn't me, (there is some perkiness there on that young thing that, honestly, hasn't been visible for quite some time now on this body!) but it sure is how I feel right now and have felt for the past few weeks.

Blah. Yep, that's the way I've been feeling. Or maybe not so much "blah" as "Eh? Whatever."

Spring fever. Part of the reason I am having such a hard time getting things done that I really should have done weeks...nay, months ago!!

It's the sakura (cherry blossoms) that are absolutely beautiful this year.

It's the driving here and there with the windows down, breeze blowing through the car and fighting the urge to just drive to the beach, the pier, somewhere other than class.

It's the mixed feelings I have about the youngest of the Kuroiwas about to venture into the world of education and his total excitement about this whole process.

I do love spring with the beautiful flowers all over the place and the cool wind/warm sunshine combination that we have been blessed with this week.

I'm even thinking that the rain that is expected this weekend will be good...I do love a spring rain...and it will be a good excuse to stay home and get some bags made for our soon-to-be-1st grader to take to school.

~~sigh~~

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And about that apron.....

Here in Japan, women do love their aprons. Now...I don't know about you, but, as for me....the only time I can honestly say that I actually wore an apron was during Home Ec class in high school. Mrs. Christie told us that if we wanted to cook, we had to have an apron. And since she was really kind of scary, I wore an apron. Other than then...no...never did.

But here....EVERYONE wears an apron. Even if you go to the supermarket, I can almost guarantee that you will see one person wearing an apron and shopping....almost like she just ran to the store to pick up something while she was in the middle of making dinner.

Not only do the ladies have the aprons, when they come to your house for a party---they bring those aprons...because they will help you clean up and God forbid should you do dishes without an apron on! (Personally...I like this part...a lot...sometimes my kitchen is cleaner when my mother-in-law and her sister leave than it was before they came...taking the good with the sometimes annoying...a trade-off I can live with!).

I have a very lovely collection (she typed, tongue-in-cheek) of aprons given to me by various students, all folded up nice and neat-like in a drawer in my kitchen. When my mother-in-law, her sister or any other "older generation" person comes to my house, I will wear one when doing dishes, because, well...that's just what you do. Most of them are just too....hmmm...how do I say this?....so very NOT me...I sometimes wonder what it was about a particular apron that made someone buy it just for me. What part of all that lace and bunny rabbit appliques was saying "This is for Debbie!" to them at the store? I've also wondered if, maybe, they were re-gifting an apron someone had given them. Hmmm...that's possible.

Anyway....on Friday, one of my good friends gave me an apron. It's lovely. There is no lace. There are no bunny rabbit (or any other animals, for that matter) appliques. It's yellow and it has flowers. And. It. Fits. Me. Perfectly. (size-wise, that is.)

But...do you remember in the movie, The Mask, how Jim Carey's character
after putting on this


became this?

Well, my friends....when I put on this....

I become.....

this.


It's actually a bit frightening. Something comes over me and well....I'm a little different.

For example.....

Sunday dinner...I made an incredible Bar-B-Que Beef with caramelized onions Pizza AND I made some peanut butter chocolate chip cookies

Monday...I made an awesome dessert (layered spongecake, fruit, homemade pudding and whipped cream in a cup) for a hanami (picnic under the cherry trees) I had with students on Tuesday

Tuesday...I baked a huge pan of brownies to take to class on Wednesday to help explain the difference between cake and brownies. (I've baked more in the past 3 days than what I have in the last 3 months!!)

Wednesday...in 10 minutes I threw together a pan of spaghetti sauce that all the men in my family raved about.

My living room is now cleaner than it has ever been...EVER!

I also did some creating in our genkan (entrance way) using a couple of baskets, some flowers, an obi, and some candles.

"Somebody stop me!!"

But, wait....not yet...maybe I should put on the apron and come into my room for a little while. Maybe the Martha Stewart channeling can take place and I could actually, possibly be able to get this room into shape. Oh....dare I hope?

Is it the apron? The spring fever? A preview of how the mid-life crazies will affect me? I don't really care, just as long as it lasts until my room gets clean!!

Rock on, "Martha"!!

Okay....I'll say it....for the first time ever....I like my apron!