smiles...coming and going

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

monday was a long day....two classes and then a pta meeting at koji's school were on the schedule.

(the pta meeting, by the way, was an hour of my life i'll never get back again. ugh!)

 after the meeting, i had to race to the supermarket to get something for dinner and then 'ride like the wind' (vroom vroom) to pick up koji at the after-school place by 6:00 and finally i could

drag my butt make it up the stairs to the house and i was stopped by a vision in the garden.

{and by vision i mean "oh my gosh! what the hell is that?" }

wait.

can you get a better look?

i started laughing and happened to turn my head...something else, behind me, caught my eye...

(look....this one has a flower!!)

the neighbors probably wondered what i was doing.

i sort of had 'a moment' ....standing there...loaded down by the many bags i had to haul into the house...surrounded by kitsch (that i have pretty much made fun of for oh, i don't know...forever!).

giggling maniacally laughing.

it seems that my mother-in-law thought i'd like these fun little garden gnomes.

(she has a few of her own and thinks quite highly of them.)

strangely enough....those little guys?

did brighten my day.
so, i'm certain....

leaving my house...returning home...the garden gnomes will make me smile.

wait.
are you thinking what i'm thinking?

something tells me that i might possible be needing something else for this part of the garden...

hmmmmm.....

i wonder....

wonder...

what i might be needing.....

heh heh heh.

here's to something that makes you smile today....
i hope you find it....

maybe even a couple of things...
(^-^)/*

an 'onegai' to you

an onegai in japanese is a favor or can also be "please" when asking for something ("onegaishimasu.")....and i have an onegai for you today..

it's been a month since the earthquake and tsunami.

the level of devastation is hard to comprehend.

the stories are heartbreaking.

and yet...there are so many people who are working so very hard to help the people in these areas try to find some kind of "normal" in their daily lives.

they need your help.

big or small....your donations are great appreciated.

and still needed.

desperately.

jason kelley and his crew working at socks for japan are working so hard to help the thousands of people living in the shelters.

and they are doing it with socks.

amazing isn't it?

it's wonderful how a simple pair of sox can brighten a cold, wet day for someone.

a pair of sox....and a note of encouragement.

jason is documenting his travels and deliveries on his blog.

go and read....it's heartbreaking to see the pictures of the destruction and the conditions in which so many are now living. but.....we canNOT forget that they are there and they need our help.

so...here's my onegai for you....

if you belong to a group....a church...a club...a sorority...a class...or even if it's just you and a friend or two...think about donating to jason kelley and his socks for japan organization.

your goodness will help jason and his goodness and that's...well....

good.

whether it's socks...or money...or something else....

the people....the children...need your help.

"onegaishimasu."

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

aaaaaahhh.....it's spring......

finally.

it feels like we've been waiting for so long for her.

we hope she stays for awhile...because we really, really like spring.

we have for as long as we can remember....and before that.

sunday, the k-man, little k-boy and i took a drive.

(teenage k-boy had better things to do...or at least that is what he mumbled as he and his 'crew'

shuffled out of the house.)

it is cherry blossom season in southern japan.

it's the season for hanami...or 'cherry blossom viewing'.  this is the time of year where many people gather under the cherry trees, have picnics with friends, family or co-workers...and celebrate the warmer weather...they celebrate life.  it's wonderful.

our mission on sunday......to do some hanami-ing.

we found, not only some absolutely beautiful cherry blossoms, but also tulips...and other flowers we are not really sure by what name to call them.

 it was a great day.

spring.

it makes me feel so.....alive.

and this year....i have the desire for something.

not sure what that something is, but....something.

we may start with a haircut.

i haven't had a cut since the k-man got out his clippers a couple of months ago.

 

(not exactly redford and streep, but,....)

i usually take a picture in to my hairdresser whenever i want a change or if i have something in

particular in mind..

i have an idea (have had it for awhile) and i'd like your help.

which picture (of the hairstyle i want) do you think would cause the least amount of laughter in the salon....

 a picture of

a japanese, tranny, make-up artist, entertainer?

or.....

a karaoke-singing, cross-dressing minion?

oh, wow.

so....if i do get this hairstyle...

will i look like a tranny?

or...

a minion?

(i do have a pretty pink dress!!)

hahahaha!!

happy spring everyone....how are YOU feeling???