I'll take "Random Crap" for 50, Alex.

Some women are just the same....no matter where they're from.

On Friday, I had to go to the store to get some material and extra stuff for some sewing I needed to get done for the boys before the start of school (which is tomorrow for Issei, by the way!!). As I was checking out with my purchases, the clerk (who is about my age) mentioned that if I had my cell phone, I could scan a special bar code and get an extra 10% off my total purchase.

Never one to pass up a good deal, I quickly got out my handy-dandy phone and proceeded to do what was necessary. When it was all finished....the clerk noticed the picture on my screen.

And that is when I realized that if you put---

2 Japanese clerks,

3 mid-40's shoppers and

1 foreign woman with

this on her cell phone....

You might possibly get 6 women in a very intense discussion over what is "sexy" and what is "too much".

We were divided, by the way....3 of us thought My Man Dwayne was just what we needed, the other 3 thought he was a bit too much. ("Ew," was an actual comment by one. Can you imagine that? I was nice and forgave her, though.)

I can honestly say that the 10 minutes this all took place, were the funniest 10 minutes of the day. Well, it was probably more than 10 minutes, because I sent the picture to the other 2 ladies' cell phones...and that took a bit longer!!!

The best question by one of the clerks?

"Is that your husband?"

I think I might have snorted at that!

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

I had a "bag lady" kind of weekend.

As I mentioned before, school starts tomorrow. Actually, the "opening ceremony" for Issei and the rest of the students is tomorrow, the "entrance ceremony" for Koji and the new 1st graders is on Wednesday. Issei is not happy about the whole going back idea~~at all. As usual, the vacation went much too fast for him and no, he is NOT ready to go back. "Suck it up, mister", says I, "you're not old enough to get a job yet and you need an education if you want that really great job at CNN/MTV/some place other than the 'golden arches'." Which, when I start lecturing talking to him about, I'm so sure he mentally reaches up and totally turns me "off". Oh well....I might have possibly done that to my mom (No, Mother, I didn't...of course I didn't...I just said that for the sake of the blog...of course I listened to absolutely every single thing you jabbered on about discussed with me!)

So anyway....the list of various things that Koji needs for school is quite long and there are about 5 bags of various sizes he needs, to carry different items. Thinking I could take the "easy way out", we went to the store to look at and possibly purchase some bags, but....sadly...none of them appealed to my persnickety 6-year old. (Damn.)

I am a woman who faces challenges. I have a sewing machine. I can sew, dammit. Making these bags? No problem.

Actually, it really wasn't too terribly difficult...just a bit time-consuming...but I did it.

When Issei was a 1st grader, I also had a 1-year old AND a job that allowed me very little time for anything else, so...we bought his bags.

The guilt I put upon myself about that was intense...yes, I can take myself on wonderful "guilt trips", I really don't need anyone else, thank you, very much.

So....a few of the bags....I made two...one for each of them. Yes, I know that Issei will only use his for one year. That's okay. I don't even think he realizes that he didn't have "momma made" bags...doing this was more for me...he just thinks it's cool that he has a new bag...we are both happy.

*Big tote bags to carry everything

**small bags for their toothbrushes/cups and

***a bigger one for Koji's PE shorts and t-shirt

****bags for their school shoes

I have only 3 more bags to make for Koji and then I am done. He won't need the extra ones until next week, so I have some time....to procrastinate, you know!>

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

"I'm not happy and I'm running away."

Koji got mad today. Issei and I are not really sure exactly why he was mad...I'm sure it was something that one of us said/did/didn't do/whatever.

It made him even madder when I mistakenly chuckled at him and his preparation for leaving.

He had wrapped all his "very important stuff" in a small flannel blanket and tied that blanket onto a baseball bat. With the bat over his shoulder, he left the house, looking sadder than you have ever seen!

That kid breaks my heart, sometimes!!

Oh, he didn't go too far...I ran after him and after talking to him for a bit, I convinced him that it was late and getting dark and if he really wanted to leave, tomorrow morning would be better...plus, didn't he remember the yummy pie we had made earlier to eat after dinner?

(That might have been the clincher.)

Later....I was curious as to what he had packed into his bag, so while he was taking a bath with Daddy...I went out to the genkan and found this by the step:

I carefully opened it up....and here is what I found:

Koji's very important stuff:
*a cow hat
*a small radio (looks like a milk carton...thanks, our very special aunts!!)
*a page of Pokemon stickers...most missing
*a small bean bag
*2 Happy Meal robots
*a gold dragon and
*his Snoopy wallet with 1,800 yen (about $18).

I folded it all back up and tied it on the bat....just in case, you know, that he still wants to leave tomorrow morning.

I'm thinking he has changed his mind...at least, I hope he has!

You all have a great Sunday....and if you feel like running away, don't forget to pack a bag of your "most important stuff", but, I hope someone convinces you to wait for another day..... you'd miss your mom something terrible....and you might miss a really delicious dessert for dinner.

It may take a village to raise a child, but.....

....it takes just 2 Japanese women to put a

foreign woman in a kimono.

If someone were to ask you what "traditional American clothing" was, how would you answer that? For me, when people ask (and it happens more often than you can imagine), I always think of the clothing style from Gone With The Wind....the petticoats and hoop skirts, parasols, lacy gloves, Scarlett O'Hara run amok. Or, I imagine the American Indian style of clothing....leather, beads, feathers...a Dances With Wolves R Us sort of thing.

One of my great-grandmother's family was from Czechoslovakia, but I don't have anything that represents that culture in anything I own, clothing-wise. My other grandparents were from such a mish-mash of cultures (we're not really sure where they came from) and I definitely don't have anything in my wardrobe that would be representative of any distinct culture...unless you count the Mexican dress I bought and wear as a cover-up in the summer.

A quick search on the net for "traditional American clothing" brought up, as I imagined, mainly the Native American costumes. There were a couple of "Uncle Sam" costumes and quite a few sites for flannel and American flag patterned shirts. I expected to see a couple of jeans-and-tee shirts thrown in, but, no...at least not on the first 4 or 5 pages.

In my search, I also typed in "traditional Japanese clothing" and it's amazing how many sites and pictures came up....kimonos, yukattas, getta, tabi, hakama...all traditional and all you can find being worn pretty much anytime, anywhere, here in Japan. Young (babies and small children) and old alike wear the traditional style of clothing. Most women (and some men!) have at least one kimono to wear, especially to official functions such as weddings and funerals. There are simple, everyday kimonos and then there are some very elaborately designed and expensive ones. You can buy a ready-made one or you can go the more expensive route and have one made, with your family crest printed onto the material (on the back, up by the collar).

In the 18 years I have lived here, I have, on occasion, worn a yukatta (a light-weight, summer kimono), but I had never put on a regular kimono...until today. I'm not sure why I got it in my head that this is something that I wanted to do, but I did, and since I had an afternoon free, I spent about 3 hours learning about the kimono and all that is involved in putting one of these babies on.

Whether you are wearing a yukatta, simple kimono or more elaborate kimono, you will probably need help getting it on. I know of some women who, after taking classes in how to wear a kimono, are able to do this on their own, but for the majority, they need help.

My friends Kyoko and Hiroko volunteered to help me. Kyoko has many kimonos that belonged to her mother (who wore one everyday, as did most women 50 years ago). She knows a lot about these very interesting articles of clothing and I appreciate her taking the time to help. Hiroko was there today as support, adviser, and photographer! It was a really nice afternoon with two people I do so enjoy spending time with!

Kyoko was very nice, explained many of the ins and outs of the kimono and answered the questions I had. It really was a great learning experience and one that I'm sorry I waited so long to do!

It's amazing how much time goes into putting on a kimono. I also had to laugh at the irony because after working so hard to get a more "girlish" figure, the kimono pretty much makes all that hard work disappear!! With all the belts and ties and padding, there really is no definition....a boyish figure is what you are trying to achieve!

I had expected the whole experience to be more "torture by kimono" than anything else. After hearing stories about how tight the belts are and how you can't sit down and how the whole thing is really more uncomfortable than anything else, I was expecting the worst. But....maybe that was good, because really...it wasn't that bad!! Kyoko and Hiroko kept asking me if I was okay and really....I was! (I'm thinking that after spending most of my high school and university years in jeans so tight I sometimes had to lie down to zip them, the kimono was easy-peasy!! No problem at all!!)

So...here are some of the pictures...from start to finish...that Hiroko took for me. (Click on the collage, if you'd like, and it should come up bigger in another screen!)

And by the way....if anyone comes to visit and wants to experience this....Kyoko is the woman we need to talk to...maybe Hiroko will take pictures and offer tips and advice, too!!

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

Flamingos in our garden...

no...they aren't your basic garden variety flamingos...they...are a bit more elegant...yes, a little faded, but still lovely!!

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!

This....just makes me smile.

I don't know about you, but....really and truly...from the bottom of my heart....Thank God It's Friday!!!

More tomorrow, after I have spent some much-needed time cruising around YouTube and then getting caught up on the backlog of blog posts that have been waiting patiently for me.

(I've been a really sucky reader this month week...not sure why, exactly, but....I'm bowing down in many directions to show you...yes, you....and oh yeah...you,too....that I'm feeling bad about neglecting you. I wonder if there is a Hallmark card for this?!)

TTFN, my friends. Happy Friday!

And the preparation for 1st Grade begins

Public school kids, all over Japan, have one thing definitely in common. They all carry a randoseru, or special backpack to school. (If you'd like, you can read more about the randoseru over at Wikipedia.) Traditionally, girls had red ones and boys had black ones.

But nowadays, more colors are being made and sold. While boys will usually stay with the darker colors (blacks or blues) and some girls stick with the red...there are many that choose to be a bit different and go with orange, green, or pink.

These bags, which are usually purchased by grandparents, can run anywhere from about $90 to close to $500. There is actually one that I saw listed at about $850!!! Granted this backpack will last for the 6 years of elementary school, but still.....$850?!?!?! No...sorry...I don't think so.



Tonight, when Koji and I got home, sitting on the table was...a box....a big box....and in that box....his new randoseru!!!


The excitement that ran through that little boy's body was so much fun to watch. From the time he and dad opened the box, to the time he went to bed...I counted 7 times he had the randoseru on and was walking around the house....practicing.

You see....to Koji, finally getting the randoseru means that he is truly going to be a

pika pika ichi-nen sei, or a "bright and shiny, 1st Grader".

And this.....makes him very happy!!!

Koji, 5 years ago with Issei's new randoseru.......

....and Koji, tonight, with his very own.

He is such a happy camper.

May we all find something that makes us feel this good, if even for a short time, at least once a day!

Koji's Graduation Day....March 20, 2009....and Spring!!

Anatomy of a Kindergarten/Daycare Graduation

The day was perfect. We woke up to sunshine and warmth and it was an absolutely beautiful day. The ceremony was nice, with tears being shed by many...yours truly, included. Yes, I know that crying at a ceremony for one so young is a bit, maybe silly, but, it wasn't only for that.

During the time when the incho sensei (the principal) was reading each student's certificate, she read not only their names, but also birth date and how long each one had been coming to the daycare. Koji, for example, has been going to Yuai Daycare for 6 years and 6 months. After listening to about half of the kids' being read, it dawned on me that here in this room was a group of kids that Koji has been with since he was a baby. These were kids that he has played with almost everyday of his life....and in 10 days, he will say "good bye" to them. Oh, he will see them at times, we will make an effort to get together, but still.....6 years is a long time.

And then...something else hit me...and hit me hard.....I have been going to that daycare, seeing most of the same teachers, almost everyday for over 11 years. When we first started going there, my ability in the Japanese language was so incredibly low....but, in spite of that, the teachers and I formed a bond of friendship that I am going to miss.
It was the incho sensei who, when I was fired not signed to another contract at a job I thought I loved, who let me sit in her office and just cry because I was seriously at a loss at what I was going to do next. She speaks no English, yet, she sat there...listening...with one hand on my arm and the other handing me tissues.

We have laughed about funny things that the boys have done (and believe me....we laughed a lot!!), they gave me advice and support, we talked about being a foreigner in Japan and different things about the English language. (I was the one who explained why it wasn't such a good idea that the older kids were 'flipping the bird' to each other and it probably should be stopped before someone did it to a person who understood what it actually meant.)

Other than the K-man and my family, this is the longest relationship I have had. I'm probably going to go through withdrawals....they said I could always stop by. That made me feel a bit better. But now, I'm trying to find a way to adequately say "thank you" for being such an important part of my sons' lives...for taking such good care of them while I worked....for being there, when I couldn't be.....how does one do that? I'm thinking that a Hallmark card might not do it.
I have a couple ideas that I'm bouncing around....what about you? Any ideas?

Anyhoooots......here are some pictures that we took to remember the day. Go ahead and watch...speed through if it gets too boring...I don't mind! :-D

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

After the ceremony and before the party....we ran by Grandma K's to pick her up and then we all went to the temple. Friday was a National Holiday to celebrate the equinox, but, it was also the day in the middle of what the Japanese call "o-higan"....a time when many Japanese go to the graves of their ancestors and pray. As my father-in-law doesn't have an actual grave, his bones (yes, his actual bones, not ashes) are kept at the temple (I'll tell you more about that later...that's a whole blog post in of itself!).

While we were walking up the stairs, the boys noticed that the cherry blossoms were starting to do their thing....it was quite lovely up around the temple. Spring has come to Nagasaki....it is a beautiful time of year, probably my favorite. All over the city, the cherry trees are filled with buds and some early bloomers and hopefully even with last night's wind and today's rain, they will be okay and in full bloom probably sometime by the end of the week.

Here are the pictures we took of the cherry blossoms....and the camellia tree in the middle of the yard of the temple.

Oops...I just notice that one picture is on there twice. Oh well....it's still pretty!!

I wish you all a day with some spring in it!!

some flamingos...and then color my butt in bed and asleep

Today for Flamingo Friday, I thought I would share with you some pictures that people have sent to me. It' s great that the pictures were accompanied with "I saw this and thought of you" messages. That totally makes my day!

So, to Jenn, Ms. Lea, my BFF Dena (Will the plastic one fit in a suitcase, you think?), my student Yasuko who is studying English in Calgary, and the K-man....the smiles I have right now are thanks to you!!!

Happy Friday everyone!!!

Just in case you were wondering....Yes, the graduation went off without any trouble...except for the fact that Mom's hair looked like crap (that's okay, because thanks to a cold?/the flu?/a sinus infection?/ allergies? she felt like crap, too!)...but she did find an outfit and yes, she looked pretty good despite the hair that wouldn't do right, Dudley!!!

I took some medicine earlier and am now feeling a big hoojie...and hooji-blogging is not good blogging, my friends. So...I'm going to leave you with just a couple pictures and a promise to give you more details tomorrow ('cause I know you're just a'waiting, right?!)

Mom and the boys....all dressed up and waiting to go.

Okay...so seriously....the tie, the jacket, the shorts (with suspenders) and the knee socks...not just anyone can pull off an outfit like this!!

What is it about little boys and pulling socks up waaaaay over their knees?!?!

Yes...someone pulled them down a bit before we got to the daycare....don't want to have a "fashion don't" following us around, do we?

:-D

Good night...sweet dreams...may the meds kick in soon and help me to feel better!!

Of Kisses and Sharp-dressed little men

I am a lover of kisses. Both the real kind **mwah** and the chocolaty kind.

If you go HERE to the main site of the very famous chocolate company that makes the most delicious little bits of chocolate yumminess, you can find out all sorts of interesting stuff. I have to admit that I was a bit curious as to how many different kinds of Kisses are actually made. According to Wikipedia, many flavors are "limited", some are "international", but I'm thinking all are delicious. Have you ever had a bad Kiss?

(The candy ones, my dears, I'm thinking we've all had at least one bad one of the other kind!! Blech!!)

I do have a special weakness for the peanut butter ones....and the cookies n'creme ones...and ones filled with caramel ones....and...well...I could just go on and on.

Now...you can add another kind to that list.....this one:

One of my students brought back a bag from her trip to Hawaii. Yes...macadamia nut Kisses. They are.....maybe not as high on the list as the peanut butter or the caramel ones, but, definitely...in the top 5. A huge Mahalo to my lovely student...thank you so much for thinking of me. We do so appreciate your kindness. (The caramel corn was great, too!!)

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

Tomorrow is a special day for us here at Kamp Kuroiwa....it is Koji's graduation from kindergarten. Here in Japan, kindergarten is NOT a part of the public school system. You can choose a private kindergarten or, as in Koji's case (and Issei's before him), the last year of daycare is the equivalent to kindergarten.

Graduation is a pretty big deal here. Everyone gets dressed up in their "good clothes" (Issei got a new pair of pants and shirt, the K-man got a new tie, and Mommy? She hasn't decided yet what she's going to wear....grrrrrrr.) The little girls will have on new frilly dresses and the boys might have on their jackets and ties. Everyone is sparkly clean and on their best behaviors. After the ceremony and all the pictures have been taken, the parents, some of the teachers and the kids (of course) are planning on going to the Best Western Hotel for a nice luncheon to celebrate. It is indeed, a very special day.

Here is a picture from Issei's graduation in 2004. He and his friends looked so handsome.

Graduation marks the beginning of the end....the end of Koji's daycare life. On April 1, he will officially go to the "after school care program" that Issei goes to most days, Saturdays and during the holidays. He will be leaving his daycare friends.

As was the case with Issei, Koji is the only one that will be attending this elementary school. Everything and everyone will be new. He does so dearly love his friends at the daycare and we spend most mornings on our drive there talking about how he can meet his friends maybe during the holidays and how he is going to be making so many new friends.

This is a little scary for my usually brave little man.

I know that he will be fine. We just have to convince him of this.

Last night, after bath (hence, the wet hair), we did a dress rehearsal of sorts, for Koji. He has a different jacket and shirt...but the tie and the shorts are the same ones Issei wore...which is really funny, because I don't think of Issei as being that small~~he's pretty husky, now!!

One very excited 6-year-old.

I'll try to post pictures from our day in a day or two....now, I really have to dig through my closet to see if I can find something...anything...that will be appropriate for tomorrow.

~~sigh~~This could be very interesting...wish me luck!!


**Pictures from Google Images and my camera.