the random-themed blogpost typed up in 7-8 minute intervals....

tomorrow is issei's undokai (sports day) at school and tonight, as i was doing dishes, he asked if i could make some cookies for dessert.

"for tomorrow?"

"well....yeah."

....

.....

(picture me, giving him a "really??" kind of look)

......

.......

"okie, dokie, then....."

and once again, i will prove to my son that i can pull the proverbial rabbit out of a hat....or....

cookies out of the kitchen at a moment's notice.  

(and thank the goddesses above that i accidentally bought too much oatmeal awhile back!)

even as i type....some very yummy smelling oatmeal/chocolate and caramel chip cookies are baking.

hence....the 7-8 minutes.

let the randomness begin.......

so...i turned 50 in april.

remember that.

yeah...i got a bit wigged about it there for a bit, but...meh. it's all good.

i do have a suggestion for those of you who are going to help a friend celebrate a momentous birthday....

tiara.

yep. t-i-a-r-a.

she'll need one.

when i was in the states, my one of my very bestest friends in the whole wide world friend, dena, gave me one to help start the celebrating.

it was very cool.

i'm sure i look even more fetching that what i imagined.

(and yeah...i'm giggling as i'm typing!!)

ANYway.....

fast forward to the party my friends and i had.

it just so happens that one of my friends has the exact same birthday (she's just a little older) and another friend (who is the same age) is the day after.

cool, huh?

so....i went to "that american accessory shop that is in every shopping mall "to see if they had tiaras.

of course, they did.  even in japan.

so i bought two for my friends.....and...yeah...okay...

one more for myself.

(a girl can never have too many tiaras!)

aren't we lovely? 

that's us...and some young'un sneaking into the picture!!

we had a great dinner...much to drink...and then dancing.

 i seriously think that the tiaras might have really 

helped the fun along.

really.

they did.

you need one

(or two!!)

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

last week was our 'golden week' holiday.

we had monday and then thursday and friday off  and since the k-man only got the last saturday and sunday off from work, we chose those days to do something.

so we took a drive.

we drove to a small island about 3 hours away and it was lovely.

we went to a museum that focused on the dutch trading connection that was around hundreds of years ago....seriously....the original building was built in 1639.

while it wasn't "whoohooo! that really blew up my skirt!" exciting, it was pretty interesting.

the drive was nice.

we went over a cool bridge

and another one to the next island

we climbed a hill (getting a great view of the newly planted rice fields)

and we went to my personal 'power spot'....a kannon, a goddess that has powers of some really good stuff for me...i could just stand in her glory and.....breathe. 

relax.

refresh.

power-up, baby.

it really was a great day.

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

i just put i the last batch of cookies into the oven.

the recipe said that i could get 48 cookies....

i just counted and there will be 65!!

(not counting the two that i ate fell on the floor!)

booyah!!

**********

and the cookies are done which means that i really need to get to bed.  it'll be a 'regular' day tomorrow, with issei getting up at 6:00.....i'll have to get the bento ready before the rest of us head over to the school, about 9:00.

by the way, this years bento will be a bit different.  instead of being like everyone else (as we usally do...spicy fried chicken, onigiri, various veggies.....), we going to live dangerously and stir things up a bit.

i'm making......*wait for it*.....a french bread sandwich.

i know.

crazy right?

we'll see how it goes.

there will be pictures.

**********

oh...and one more before i go....

hApPy MoThEr'S dAy

to all you moms out there!!

i hope your day is just fabulous.

my first ramble of a new decade....

*being 50 fifty, is a bit easier to handle when i'm here in japan*

while we were in the states, i was surrounded by oh so many friends and family and it was wonderful, but.....though i absolutely loved being there and wouldn't trade a second of that time,
it was also a constant reminder as to how old i really am.
no....i'm not living in a state of denial, my friends, but,
a state of deceit.


let me explain---
(and for the purpose of said explanation, the friends that i refer to will be the
particular ones that i went to high school with.)


i seemed to have been a late bloomer in life....not knowing what i really wanted to do with my life and taking "the scenic route" through university, not finishing as quickly as everyone else, getting married later than most everyone and subsequently, also having children later.

my  friends have various lives, but, the majority of them can be divided into two main groups:
those who have no children
and
those whose children are  high school age and older
(the son of one of my friends is turning 30 this year, for crying out loud!!).

do you see where i'm coming from on this?

while many most of my friends are becoming grandparents.....
hmmmmmm....
yeah, i'd like to introduce you
 to my 9-year-old.

the very idea of becoming a grandmother is not even remotely in the same vicinity as my 'realm of possibilties'.

when i was in the states, i saw these 2 beautiful girls, daughters of one of my best friends,...

girls i have known and loved since almost the very moment that they were born...
(this is a picture of them from our wedding)
and now, they are mommies.

and their babies....

were playing with my baby.

in japan, as most of my friends are a bit younger, our children are all about the same age (one is in university, but the boys refer to her as "big sister").
while a few of the parents at the boys' schools are my age, most of them are also younger.
i tend to consider myself the same as them.
not fifty.
see....it's deceiving.
and really...i don't mind that kind of deceit so much.
it's something i can handle.

i waited longer than others to be ready to be a parent,
and until i'm ready to be a grandparent, i'll just enjoy the heck out of those
grand babies of my friends....and those
angels that belong to my sisters.

as long as aunt debbie feels young,
she will rock a new generation of nieces and nephews!

some thoughts on being a "soon to be screeching into the station" RAFer

*RAF.....rapidly approaching fifty*

(and yes, if you write the word for that number and not the actual number itself, 

it does seem a bit easier to take/handle/not throw up.
 the pink color and italics seem to help, too)

i have a birthday coming up.

i'm not really sure how i feel about it.

some days, i'm like "oh, yeah...whatever...it's all just a number..look at all my beautiful friends who have celebrated this birthday, and survived. they make it look so easy and wonderful....
meh!  it doesn't matter, really, for i know how old i really feel in my heart" 

(which is about 28, by the way)

yeah.....this is what it feels like.

and then...
there are days
when i'm like
"what?  are you freakin' kidding me??? i'm not that old!
 no. way. no. how."

yeah....it feels just like this.
and while i will be the first in line for most roller coasters....this feeling?
not good.
i know....silly, right?
~~sigh~~

i read other blog posts of people having this milestone birthday and they are all handling it quite well.
amazingly so.
one friend (who i adore immensely) has declared this her "jubilee year".
others are making lists of "things i wanna do, now that i'm fifty".
(just for the record, i have so many lists of "things i need to do today/this week/this year", that i don't really see this concept working so much for me. but, really, you go ahead.)

i downloaded a book or two, thinking that, as others before me have professed, i would find some kind of inspiration or maybe even a way to accept this passing of time.

that first one (which i actually read in university for a psychology class, but as with much from that time, i have completely forgotten) is a classic and the first on most every one's list of "good stuff to read"....and that second one?  seriously, if a book claims 'discovering the fountain of youth at midlife and beyond' as part of its title, it has to be good, right?

i wouldn't know.

about either one.
it seems that just purchasing these two works of literary genius and having them in my kindle actually made me feel better.
obviously....this is the way i roll into middle age.

and just for the record,
while i was in the states, i also bought a pair of these:

having it pointed out more than a couple times, thank you very much lila! by a good friend, that these really do help (whatever!), i folded and bought a pair.
but, i figured that if i was going to actually purchase a pair of "cheaters",
there would have to be some bling on them....
and none of that brown or black color...
yes, my friends, purple with "diamond" bling were for me.

and no.
i haven't actually used them yet, but
they are in my purse and i strangely feel better just having them there.

*********

fyi....i'm already thinking of a post for tomorrow...
"how i'm holding others responsible for both good and bad feelings about this birthday"
(^-^)  happy tuesday, everyone.

oh...yeah...by the way...i'm back...you know...in Japan.....

so, it's been brought to my attention that i sort of came back to japan a little over a week ago and i seem to have neglected telling you about this/letting you know what we did/sharing the fun we had.

yeah.

sorry about that.

after the last post, the boys and i were going great guns and our schedule got wicked busy.

(but, wicked in a really great way!)
we went back to denver...met friends and family again...had some great food and some awesome beer....
then flew to seattle to meet more friends
and had some more great food (mmmmm sushi!!)...
even did some sightseeing.
**quack quack quack**
(^-^)
in seattle, we stayed with a friend of mine from university...after we graduated, we kept in touch for a bit
and then we sort of "lost" each other.
thanks to the internet and its wonderful 'social networking system',
we found each other again....after 25 years!
("hi, terri!!")
aaaannnd....the proverbial 'icing on our vacation cake', was the
meeting of three people i have loved and appreciated for many years, here in the blogging world.
yep.....Mrs. G....GinaAgainandAgain...and Bad Mom.
What a great afternoon that was!!!

one of the most interesting and yet, not so surprising (when you really think about it) things was that
meeting Terri after such a long time...meeting face-to-face those blogging Goddesses....seeing my friend Ken, after almost 12 years....and spending time with our good friend Kim, after almost 7 years....
not. one. time. did it feel, i don't know, uncomfortable.
you know?
like sometimes when you meet up with someone you haven't seen for awhile, the first few moments are weird.
sort of like , "so....hmmmm...how are you?"
and you're looking at the clock, praying to the 'powers that be' that time would hurry up.
yeah...
that didn't happen....not one time.
even with the friends meeting for the very first time.
THAT....was awesome.


so....to borrow an idea from yet another blogging sistah
(at whose house i do plan on camping out at someday in the near future...count on it!!),
i'm going to do a bit of a
'photo dump' of pictures taken during the last of our trip.
(or was it 'picture purge'? i forget which one she used....)
in order for me to be really lazy to save time, there will be no explanations....if you have a question,
please, ask and i'll try to give you an answer!!!
mahalo, on that.
so...here we go....

~~~southeastern colorado~~~

*no, that's not a real knife...just dorky, yet very lovable, nephew!  

~~denver~~

~~seattle~~

*and, yes...that would be heidi...and jenn...and janet...on sticks...'cause we love 'em*

the other day in class, i was explaining to my students that, when they go on trips overseas, they go to see things...to
visit popular touristy/full of history kind of sites.
me?
i go to see people.
i love my people.
(^-^)
if we happen to do some sightseeing, then that is just
extra special something-to-do with friends.

and yeah...that last picture?
totally an album cover.
you know...if i ever have an album.

have a super week, everyone.
it's monday morning here and the sun is shining and it looks to be a
most
superb kind of day.
hope yours is, too.
you know....superb-like!!

a vacation that was definitely needed......

you know, when there comes a time in your life, when you know....

you just know...

in your heart of hearts....

that if something really good doesn't happen soon....things might get ugly?

well....for awhile, i was feeling the stirrings of this thought.....i wasn't even sure what it was i needed and.....i wasn't 100% sure that a trip to the States was that something but...you know what?

it was.

the boys and i took a big plane across (as my cousin will say) "the big pond" on march 16.

do you know that from the nagasaki airport....to the denver airport...

it takes almost exactly....24 hours.

that's right.

twenty. four. hours.

but....for once...(and i am knocking on wood as i type...) there were no troubles...no

lost luggage...no missed planes...no nothing!!!

it was great!!!

we get to denver and our incredibly wonderful friend dena meets us there and from then on...

oh yeah.

gooooood.

we had some baseball, where the boys sat and did what every young people who don't really like baseball spectators do....

eat sunflower seeds.
...oh yeah...we do so love our sunflower seeds!!!

we met friends....from home, from university, one (of the very best) that we met in nagasaki...some we hadn't seen in a very long time...and some we were meeting for the very first time.
it was great.

then....with family, we drove south....to meet with more family...
aunts, uncles, cousins and cousins' kids and even a boyfriend.
we had good food....and there was even a cake among all the other goodies....

an uncle:  "so....did you see the cake?"
me:  "why yes i did, but really? i'm going to ignore it for a bit longer."
(^-^)

i guess you could say that this was the unofficial start to the
"oh my freakin Lord....i'm turning 50!" denial-a-rama festivities.
i guess.
(the cake WAS good!!)

the family....

i know i'm a bit partial to this particular group of people, but...
we are a very nice family.
really.
we are.

then....another car ride, even further south and east in this beautiful state.
to home.
to my mom.
and my brother and his wife and their kids.
and....my friends.

and speaking of friends...last night, some of them were kind enough (cough, cough) to invite me to their weekly "poker night"....no, we didn't play poker, but we did have some awesome margarita jello shots and, in case those weren't enough, we also had margaritas.
it was such fun.
the talking.....the laughter....the singing of karaoke.
oh yeah.
turning 50 won't be so bad if the celebrations are anything like this!!!
thank you ladies....my face still hurts from laughing!!!

coming home in the winter/early spring is very different from coming home in the summer.
yes, the time is shorter, but...the things we do are even a bit different.
koji went to school today with his cousin, who is also a 3rd grader.
issei will go on monday with another cousin, who is also an 8th grader.
(isn't that cool?)
i went to the 3rd grade class and took some things in for the students...anyone else familiar with the "flat stanley" story in the 3rd grader reading books?  i figure that i have done this project about 15 times....and just for the record...i'm hoping it was the last! oh, i know, it's fun and the kids like it, but really?
i'm tired.
i need a break.
'nuf said.

tonight....we took a bus to a town just to the north of here and played bingo.
yes. bingo.
though a bit pricey when purchasing cards and daubers and food for three....it was still very fun.
the proceeds to a few of the games went to the high school's 'after prom party' that the parents do for the kids.  they plan a great evening for the kids....great prizes for them and lots of things to do.
i don't mind donating money to something like that.
(and no, only the youngest cousin won something and he had to share the $50 pot with 2 others...he was still pretty damn happy.)

and so....that brings us to thursday night....and time to call it a day.
tomorrow koji is going to some 4-H thing with his cousin...there will be cooking and robot making and...not really sure what else is happening, but...i'm sure it will be fun.
issei will be doing something...still not sure what, but he will be busy, too.
tomorrow night is drinks and friends again...a haircut (before the drinks, thank you, very much) for me...here at mom's house. saturday, mom and i and the boys will go to watch the high-school-nephew run track (while another nephew is playing basketball and yet another one is wrestling...all in the three different places!) and possibly do some shopping!!!

life is good.
i hope that your days are also good
and that you have something that makes you smile....
or even laugh so hard your face hurts.

i'm jumping on a rambling train of thought...woooooowooooooo!!!.

it's march.
no, really. it is!
where the heck did february go?  i remember valentine's day...and issei's birthday...and it might have snowed a couple of days...but....
whaaaaaaaa?

i spend a lot of time in my car, everyday, driving from this lesson to that lesson.
while i'm driving or sitting in traffic....i got thoughts.
lots of 'em.
and since i'm not blogging as much as i used to, those thoughts are getting all bogged up in my head.
i really need to let some of them fly.
my friend suz did that...her rambling is fun and inspiring (not to clean a closet or dye my hair pink or anything, mind you)...but to do some randoming of my own (i do it so well!).  while hers was entertaining, mine
 is just going to be therapeutic and might  possibly last for quite a few days so...
okay....
warning over.
************

this is the newly turned 14-year-old in our house.
he is a constant reminder for the parental units of this house the importance of keeping their senses of humor.
he is a dr. jekyll/mr. hyde of emotions right now...but he is our 
dr. jekyll/mr. hyde
and we love him.
i was going through some pictures and found this one....one of my favorites...

he was such a little bean....and man, do i look tired here, or what??
it's hard to imagine him as being that small...but he was.

but, boy howdy, when he started filling out...he took that job quite seriously!!
i look at this cheeks...and those arms...and those legs...and
i wanna numnumnum him all over again.
but...i doubt he'll let me do that now, so....yeah.
cute kid.
(^-^)
happy 14th to my young man...we do so love you!

 ***********
the other day, i needed some scissors and the drawer that usually keeps them, strangely (or not so strangely, i'm pretty sure i know who took them and it wasn't the beforementioned son)  enough, did not have them.  but, there was a pair of pinking shears...so i used those.
just for the record...
now...when i need to cut something....the bottom of a school note that needs to be handed in....old calendars to be cut into memo pads, i use the pinking shears...shoot, i use them to cut open food packages.

pinking shears.
every kitchen needs a pair.
using them on anything that needs to be cut just kind of makes me smile.
and really.....that's nice to have in a day.
***************
because i've been feeling a bit like this...

(you know, but without the hat, white gloves and scary-dead animal wrap)
so, it's a good thing that i'll be able to get away for a bit.

it's sunday night.
on friday...as in, in 4 days...the boys and i are flying to the states for a mini-vacay.
we'll be there for about 2 1/2 weeks during our spring holiday.
we're visiting denver, first ...then, my hometown...and then, seattle on our way out.
oh yeah.
when this mad, crazy vacation is over,
i'll be able to answer that burning question:
"just how many people can debbie visit in 18 days?"
i'll keep you posted.
**********
have a good week, everyone.
and if you have any spare
"good lands, girl, you need to get packing" thoughts,
go ahead and send them my way.
thanks.