A Walk (Ride) in the Park

It is such a beautiful day! Our thermometer registered 122.7! Perhaps I need to change its location... (Presently against the house, on top of the metal a/c unit - the metal gets quite warm in the sun!)

Today was Ian's last day for the year at Seika. He will return on April 11th in Sweet Pea.

It is an Awana night, so I put Ian down for a nap and the other two went to the park. An hour into the nap - THUD! Nap over - Ian on floor :(


So, he donned a bike helmet (his Seika standard issue earthquake helmet, actually) and off to the park we went.


He is getting really confident on the scoot bike and makes laps around and up the hill so he can come zooming down.

The Sakura trees are starting to bloom - amazing! Beautiful!!!



Dougie befriended a girl (Fumika - he asked her name after I prompted him...). They made a water slide out of the drinking fountain. It was incredible to just listen to Dougie chatting away in Nihongo. Even Ian came in at one point and was using his Nihongo!! It's times like this that I am so glad we sent them to Yochien!

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The Post Office

In the States, the only things you can do at a Post Office are:

1. Stand in line
2. Mail/ship letters and packages
3. Buy stamps
4. Buy USPS logo chachka
5. Get your passport

In Japan, you can do those things, plus:

1. Buy mailable treats (Kit Kat are given for good luck here and they come in a million different varieties - spring is here, so Sakura flavored are now out!)
2. Same as above, but with a smile!
3. Pay your bills
4. Pay your insurance
5. Pay your traffic tickets...

Taura Ume no Sato - Part I: Getting There

Lisa, I am going to be more diligent about posting pics of where we go, how we get there and where things are located!


Taura Ume no Sato - Part I: Getting There


Spring has Sprung, The Ume blooming.
Gee, I feel a sneeze is looming!


We took advantage of a late spring and some beautiful sunshine and went on a field trip this Sunday. We were meeting some friends at Taura Eki (train station) to go hiking up the Plum Groves.  The path behind our house is now starting to bloom.  It is really beautiful, only being marred by a fog of mosquitoes as the summer ramps up.

The neighbors behind us border the walkway.  They are quite the gardeners!  Here is one of the trees in front of their house, edging the walkway.  Notice the futon's hanging on the upstairs railing to air out?  Very Japanese.  Laundry and such does not deter from a nice home :)

An Ume tree blooming on the walkway

The boys walking down the path toward 7-11.  Below they are at the 7-11 corner.  7-11 and Denny's are used as landmarks!  This one is at the end/start of our path where we walk up to the train station.

The gomi bins in front of 7-11.  You will never find a public trash can, but you can always find recycling bins in front of the convenience stores.

Stefan & Dougie in front of the gomi - how fitting ;)

Train schedule.  9:46 is the train to Kurihama - 11 cars.  9:55 to Haneda Airport - also 11 cars.  That is our train - it is going the direction we are!

Waiting for the 9:55.  Got on the same car as Wes and Carlyn!

A very beautiful Japanese Garden.  I met the owner when I was taking the picture.  She is a lovely, older Japanese lady whom was very happy to have me take a picture of her entry!

All the boys in front of a beer vending machine.  The machine on the left is a sake vending machine.  We opted to go inside the store and buy some cans of Kirin.  They were decorated with sakura blossoms!

Notice the lady on the side of the sake machine?  I imagine that it is what happens when you have too much sake - you take all of your clothes off!