Thursday, April 02, 2009

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~~



*******************



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!





12 comments:

Janet said...

No one has ever given me an apron, cause I am SUCH a non-apron wearing chick. But I do buy them for my cousin, who's a chronalogical year younger than me, but mentally 10 years older at the very least!

smalltownme said...

I could use a magic apron like that. For the magic.

Anonymous said...

Apron...hmmmmmm. I to have been having the BLAH's in a BIG way. And my "Frankly I don't give a D@$#" attitude is quite unbeleivable. Then there has been SNOW...I HATE SNOW. So maybe an apron(magic one at that) is what I need. Have a great weekend.
Shellie

JO said...

Are you sure you didn't mean to post this on April 1 as an April Fools joke? Just kidding - tee hee! Way to go on finally finding "the one" - the apron to end all aprons - the one that you wear and things get accomplished!

Gina said...

I have an apron. I like my apron. I wear my apron while I'm baking. My apron is not possessed. I used to think it was cool. Now it just seems kind of sad and lazy...

Moxy Jane said...

My Aunt Vicke gave me and ElmTree matching aprons about 5 years ago. ElmTree wore hers out. I think mine is still in its wrapping in a closet somewhere. Maybe it's time to unearth it!!

Your home is looking lovely. And you, too, Ms. Dishy!

3rdEyeMuse said...

It's the apron ... don't abuse its powers and it will serve you long, long time!

3rdEyeMuse said...

oh! ps ... am LOVING the creativity in the entry!!

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

It is an adorable apron.

I only wear aprons on big cooking days and then I always wonder why I don't wear them more.

shrink on the couch said...

Can we trade aprons? I have one that is blah-red and another that is blah-blue. I wear them rarely to never and no, they don't zap me into Martha. (Wait til you see MY martha post!)

Helena said...

Aaaahhh, Sakura! I was in Japan exactly a year ago. *Daydreaming*

That apron is so pretty. It looks like a nice summer dress. I'm not sure I would want to wear it when cooking in case I'd stain it. Having said that, considering the Martha'esque qualities it's seems to bring the person who wears it... I could really do with one.

Hula Girl at Heart said...

I never wear an apron, but if it motivated me that much, I would. My daughter has to wear an apron at the bakery where she just started working. It's so cute. I refrained from embarrasing her and taking her picture when I picked her up at work Tuesday.