tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86237480019421683982024-03-13T12:49:18.103+09:00Recipe for AdventureA food enthusiast's journey in small-town JapanLindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-74270990411060830972009-12-29T16:49:00.009+09:002010-04-16T12:34:10.151+09:00Sendai ChristmasSorry it has been so long since I posted. This was written in December, but apparently not posted...oops!<br /><br />Today is my first day back at work, but I have been working all break. Luke and I spent our vacation time working on our next video game instead of traveling so that we could make money instead of spending it!<br /><br />But we did take a mini break to go to Sendai for three days. We left on Christmas Eve and returned the day after Christmas. It was nice to get out and enjoy the city life for a little bit.<br /><br />Found a great bagel place and had Mexican food for Christmas dinner! Yes, I am from Texas and missed that Mexican food! Pretty good.<br /><br />A few other random pictures and a model at an underwear store...not too sure about her!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1zicil9I/AAAAAAAAAX8/clinGkqhbak/s1600-h/sweet+potato.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1zicil9I/AAAAAAAAAX8/clinGkqhbak/s400/sweet+potato.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420563523541571538" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm0_0nDwRI/AAAAAAAAAWc/-2lxaHzIIfU/s1600-h/bagels.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm0_0nDwRI/AAAAAAAAAWc/-2lxaHzIIfU/s400/bagels.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420562635064328466" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm2BTS1aRI/AAAAAAAAAYU/SM5-xbXYQ3A/s1600-h/pumpkin+pie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm2BTS1aRI/AAAAAAAAAYU/SM5-xbXYQ3A/s400/pumpkin+pie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420563759992498450" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1zdyQchI/AAAAAAAAAX0/zDKBWbVqdOw/s1600-h/Mexican+beer+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1zdyQchI/AAAAAAAAAX0/zDKBWbVqdOw/s400/Mexican+beer+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420563522290479634" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1T2KfNpI/AAAAAAAAAXE/Rd-q7CqQpQs/s1600-h/burrito+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1T2KfNpI/AAAAAAAAAXE/Rd-q7CqQpQs/s400/burrito+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420562979078747794" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1UrSbHrI/AAAAAAAAAXc/-P7-gNY6ot8/s1600-h/quesadillas.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1UrSbHrI/AAAAAAAAAXc/-P7-gNY6ot8/s400/quesadillas.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420562993339113138" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1y8PL2nI/AAAAAAAAAXs/q1x4jg_w90k/s1600-h/lindseybagel3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1y8PL2nI/AAAAAAAAAXs/q1x4jg_w90k/s400/lindseybagel3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420563513285007986" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1UcV4lEI/AAAAAAAAAXU/WRIaJpv69Ns/s1600-h/lukebagel.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1UcV4lEI/AAAAAAAAAXU/WRIaJpv69Ns/s400/lukebagel.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420562989327094850" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm10BFFb6I/AAAAAAAAAYM/cXCN6iW3xL8/s1600-h/sweet+potatoes+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm10BFFb6I/AAAAAAAAAYM/cXCN6iW3xL8/s400/sweet+potatoes+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420563531764690850" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1U2U46rI/AAAAAAAAAXk/C8mI9gg-efg/s1600-h/sushi.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1U2U46rI/AAAAAAAAAXk/C8mI9gg-efg/s400/sushi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420562996302244530" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1Azh49wI/AAAAAAAAAW8/L4pOpJSCTJ8/s1600-h/flowers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1Azh49wI/AAAAAAAAAW8/L4pOpJSCTJ8/s400/flowers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420562651954083586" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1AsOeWYI/AAAAAAAAAW0/53rUxkfHWkQ/s1600-h/buckstea.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1AsOeWYI/AAAAAAAAAW0/53rUxkfHWkQ/s400/buckstea.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420562649993599362" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1AWED1jI/AAAAAAAAAWs/iohAszymmYg/s1600-h/bucks.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1AWED1jI/AAAAAAAAAWs/iohAszymmYg/s400/bucks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420562644044338738" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1AGxcYyI/AAAAAAAAAWk/_DFh3ou0J0Y/s1600-h/bra+bunny.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Szm1AGxcYyI/AAAAAAAAAWk/_DFh3ou0J0Y/s400/bra+bunny.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420562639939724066" border="0" /></a>Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-30533940146290606512009-12-21T10:06:00.008+09:002009-12-22T10:41:55.018+09:00Gospel Town ChristmasI snowed pretty hard Saturday and into the night. Jo was not able to make it to church because she didn't feel comfortable driving in the snow but maybe she will make it next Sunday. The day was still very beautiful and by late morning some of the snow started to dive in huge lumps off the tall pine trees everywhere.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sy7N5EbshVI/AAAAAAAAAVs/wdrvczl0FZk/s1600-h/IMG_5410-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sy7N5EbshVI/AAAAAAAAAVs/wdrvczl0FZk/s400/IMG_5410-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417493782099428690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Parking lot at Gospel Town</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sy7RSCEpzQI/AAAAAAAAAV0/xLXXGpp1CoY/s1600-h/IMG_5401-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sy7RSCEpzQI/AAAAAAAAAV0/xLXXGpp1CoY/s400/IMG_5401-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417497509497523458" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The church was absolutely beautiful layered with a fresh blanket of crisp white snow</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sy8Dkmy-LNI/AAAAAAAAAV8/YQSn69guzjw/s1600-h/IMG_5416-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 217px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sy8Dkmy-LNI/AAAAAAAAAV8/YQSn69guzjw/s400/IMG_5416-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417552804174507218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The Choir sang and got the congregation motivated! They even had everyone sing in English for one verse of a Christmas carol (of course I cried!)</span><br /><br />Then after we all ate a big Christmas meal (Japanese style) together.<br />I helped, while Luke took pictures!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SzAiitGUABI/AAAAAAAAAWE/Q4USq3LULV0/s1600-h/IMG_5420-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SzAiitGUABI/AAAAAAAAAWE/Q4USq3LULV0/s400/IMG_5420-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417868331343675410" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Apparently this is the face I make if you call my name and catch me off guard!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SzAijA5SLcI/AAAAAAAAAWM/lPtOvdcBkcA/s1600-h/IMG_5422-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SzAijA5SLcI/AAAAAAAAAWM/lPtOvdcBkcA/s400/IMG_5422-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417868336657739202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">An even more embarrassing face.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SzAijt-k5QI/AAAAAAAAAWU/BIdIpc4r7RA/s1600-h/IMG_5426-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SzAijt-k5QI/AAAAAAAAAWU/BIdIpc4r7RA/s400/IMG_5426-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417868348759532802" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">As food starts to fill the table we gather to eat. So many different kinds of food. Yes those are pigs in a blanket! I didn't get to eat one but just knowing someone made them put a big smile on my face. The food was exceptional. </span><br /><br />And then we played a game, well Luke and I watched but...It was a cross between telephone and charades! Awesome and hilarious!<br /></div></div></div>Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-72150258924741580652009-12-18T23:13:00.006+09:002009-12-19T08:58:26.079+09:00Winter WonderlandI love snow! I love snow a lot! I love the way the air smells when winter has come. I love walking outside, feeling toasty warm in my jacket and the cold on my face as each snow flake hits it with a lazy kind of grace. I especially love listening to Christmas music as I enjoy the first real day of snow. I want to share with you what I saw today. I know many of you are dealing with typical winter weather, with tons and tons of snow. You either love it or hate it. But try and remember back to all those perfect winter days. Just the right amount of snow, you don't hate it yet, and remember how good it feels to be alive!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuS9eY-OEI/AAAAAAAAAUw/Ci8CeUWKx0k/s1600-h/IMG_5355-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuS9eY-OEI/AAAAAAAAAUw/Ci8CeUWKx0k/s400/IMG_5355-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416584561670633538" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">This was my view out of my living room window this morning. I had no idea that it was going to snow. As Luke was leaving for work and going out the door he called back, "Go look out the window!" In the distance you can see Ohira castle.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuTynlbKeI/AAAAAAAAAU4/ORHD5Pw2Xu0/s1600-h/IMG_5360-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuTynlbKeI/AAAAAAAAAU4/ORHD5Pw2Xu0/s400/IMG_5360-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416585474671847906" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Outside our front door are some beautiful flowering bushes. I was surprised at how late they were blooming but you can still see buds forming in the left.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuTywCsY_I/AAAAAAAAAVA/PgyNpIRMmXE/s1600-h/IMG_5364-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuTywCsY_I/AAAAAAAAAVA/PgyNpIRMmXE/s400/IMG_5364-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416585476942095346" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The empty rice fields across the street from our apartment.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuTzWl2zsI/AAAAAAAAAVI/TJjhQd29b5I/s1600-h/IMG_5374-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 138px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuTzWl2zsI/AAAAAAAAAVI/TJjhQd29b5I/s400/IMG_5374-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416585487290126018" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Ohira Castle</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuTz3_7MKI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/FU9CrvnbaFA/s1600-h/IMG_5381-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuTz3_7MKI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/FU9CrvnbaFA/s400/IMG_5381-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416585496257835170" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Many trees still have berries and oranges on them.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuT0D1ncvI/AAAAAAAAAVY/6GDbDo-xlV0/s1600-h/IMG_5385-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuT0D1ncvI/AAAAAAAAAVY/6GDbDo-xlV0/s400/IMG_5385-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416585499435823858" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The garden at the kindergarten</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuUlKDDZbI/AAAAAAAAAVg/JZdLrpxK2EQ/s1600-h/IMG_5390-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuUlKDDZbI/AAAAAAAAAVg/JZdLrpxK2EQ/s400/IMG_5390-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416586342916384178" border="0" /></a>It's too bad this car is in the driveway. Every house has a beautiful garden. The architecture of the trees is breathtaking...then add snow...magnificent! The houses may not be pretty but who's lookin' at the houses!!!<br /><br /></div>Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-60774845372672182802009-12-18T22:35:00.005+09:002009-12-18T23:15:55.561+09:00Gospel TownAs Luke was discussing Christmas with Reiko, his adviser, the subject of Christianity came up. Luke told her that it is a Christian holiday. She wanted to know if he was a Christian and when he said yes she was interested. She had never met a Christian before. Kinda cool. So she looked up the church in Ohira for us and drove us last Sunday. We knew that there was a church some where but we had no idea how to find it or how to get to it once we did.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuKyvRAZSI/AAAAAAAAAUg/lcr6BD2loJM/s1600-h/IMG_5322-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuKyvRAZSI/AAAAAAAAAUg/lcr6BD2loJM/s400/IMG_5322-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416575581129041186" border="0" /></a><br />Reiko drove us there and when we got out and had met someone to take us in she said that she wasn't coming back to get us. We were both very confused but apparently she had already arranged for some one to bring us back.<br /><br />The whole church area is called Gospel Town. It is composed of several buildings with a pond in the middle surrounded by flowered bushes. Both pastors (husband and wife) speak pretty good English but the services are in Japanese. Luke translated for me. A familiar song was played, Silent Night, of course in Japanese but as I sang along in Japanese I could hear Luke singing in English and then on the next verse he sang the Japanese and I sang the English. We both were so overwhelmed by the experience and the song. There were many tears of joy.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuK73T1WHI/AAAAAAAAAUo/ByAhOSO3XMM/s1600-h/IMG_5329-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 244px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuK73T1WHI/AAAAAAAAAUo/ByAhOSO3XMM/s400/IMG_5329-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416575737907206258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">All of the buildings and furnishings within were imported from America. I believe the church has been there for 20 years or so.</span><br /><br /></div>The pastors have a pretty cool story. They both attended Baptist seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas! That is actually where they met. They were the only two Japanese people there and when they finally met, each thought the other had been Korean and were surprised that they were Japanese!<br /><br />We did meet another American family who sat behind us. They live in Izumi, near Sendai. Very nice people. After the service everyone eats lunch together in one of the other buildings. It is a good chance to get to know other members of the church. As we were waiting for our ride back to our apartment (another hour and a half) we sat in on a bible study that meets to discuss the message from the morning.<br /><br />It was a great day. I was invited to a tea the next day for the women of the church which I attended. That was also a great time. Getting to know the women of the community, share some pastries (who doesn't love that!) and work on my Japanese language skills!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuKyK5KJyI/AAAAAAAAAUY/Vgkwax20fNQ/s1600-h/IMG_5354-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuKyK5KJyI/AAAAAAAAAUY/Vgkwax20fNQ/s400/IMG_5354-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416575571365340962" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">This is the Cafe where the ladies gathered. </span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuKwky-q4I/AAAAAAAAAUA/ouD-3-oZI5o/s1600-h/IMG_5310-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuKwky-q4I/AAAAAAAAAUA/ouD-3-oZI5o/s400/IMG_5310-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416575543959006082" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The pastor is on the left and the American woman is Adena and then her friend and her friend's two children. American furniture but we are still all sitting on the floor! I guess I never really noticed the difference in children who are raised with Christian parents and those that aren't in the US but here, in this culture, you can definitely tell. This brother and sister just loved each other and played endlessly. Full of joy and no worry. It was beautiful.</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuKxCyozTI/AAAAAAAAAUI/CZOduGuRM5M/s1600-h/IMG_5311-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuKxCyozTI/AAAAAAAAAUI/CZOduGuRM5M/s400/IMG_5311-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416575552010636594" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">More women from the church. The lady on the left made the pastries, and also makes beautiful jewelry, so she and I are going to be good friends! I got the recipe for her meat pie already!</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuKxmB6NII/AAAAAAAAAUQ/mMyp_LscM5o/s1600-h/IMG_5319-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SyuKxmB6NII/AAAAAAAAAUQ/mMyp_LscM5o/s400/IMG_5319-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416575561469932674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The kitchen in the Cafe. Everything in these buildings down to the cabinets were imported! The pastor said that we are welcome to come and use the big oven any time! Oh yeah!</span><br /></div><br />Before training on Wednesday Luke and I went with Jo to the library to renew our books and I invited her to join us for church on Sunday. As it turns out she went to college for two years at a Christian college. Very interesting. But she has never been to church. This Sunday is all the Christmas festivities so this will be a great day to go to church. I can't wait!Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-71670102463915645392009-12-18T22:04:00.002+09:002009-12-18T22:35:22.214+09:00Let's get physical!On my last trip to the library Jo and I took a new way home. It was beautiful, through the mountains and past a gym. She asked me if I liked to go to the Training Center. I said it had been a while since Luke or I had been to a gym, college to be exact. But now we are members and have been three times! So glad we could find something to keep the rest of our muscles active. All that biking is great for the legs but not so much for the rest of the body. Working out is always more fun with friends! I will be sure to add pictures of us as we change.Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-5466070144784377742009-12-07T10:07:00.006+09:002009-12-08T10:41:01.749+09:00Japanese ThanksgivingThanksgiving is a time of celebration. To gather together friends and family, old and new. That is exactly what we did this year, thousands of miles away from our American families.<br /><br />When Luke and I first got married I decided that I wanted to cook the Thanksgiving meal. Christmas was always spent traveling and I wanted to cook a meal for the whole family. This year was no exception. Being in Japan wasn't going to stop this girl from cooking a big traditional meal!<br /><br />Thanksgiving, as you well know, falls on a Thursday and since the Japanese don't celebrate Thanksgiving (they have Monday off but don't actually do anything) we switched our dinner to Saturday night so that I could have some time to cook.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SxxcZ90hZzI/AAAAAAAAATo/hiOoglgIRlM/s1600-h/IMG_5279-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SxxcZ90hZzI/AAAAAAAAATo/hiOoglgIRlM/s400/IMG_5279-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412302453353834290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">I spent most of the day like this, head down and cooking!<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;">It took me a very long time to come up with the menu. I first thought of everything that I usually cook and then had to search the grocery store to be sure that I could find all of these ingredients! Quite a challenge.<br /><br />The guest list was 9, more than I had cooked for before, but I was up to the challenge! Made my list, checked it...more than twice, and went shopping. When I was almost done with shopping I got a text from Luke saying that three of our guests would not be coming! Of course that didn't stop me from making food for 9! My friend Jo (the one taking me shopping) said that her family would eat lots! I was grateful.<br /><br />My planned menu:<br />Deviled eggs<br />Luke's cozy stew<br />Thyme and lemon chicken legs(instead of turkey)<br />Amazing stuffing!<br />Cranberry sauce (if I could find cranberries!)<br />Green bean casserole<br />Chive mashed potatoes<br />Three-seed rolls<br />Cranberry Orange Cheesecake (of course I made a cheesecake!)<span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><br />While shopping for ingredients, and a hand mixer, Luke finds a can of whole cranberry sauce in an import store! I am grateful!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SxxcYnpruxI/AAAAAAAAATQ/HUNDHwdEo7w/s1600-h/IMG_5277-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SxxcYnpruxI/AAAAAAAAATQ/HUNDHwdEo7w/s400/IMG_5277-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412302430222924562" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The cheesecake I made with a chocolate crust. These Milenium cookies did the trick. They're like a Japanese Oreo (complete with Vanilla spelled Baunilha!) I find you can use any hard cookie to make the crust of a cheesecake!<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SxxcZjTHJUI/AAAAAAAAATg/no_g8gcxQuQ/s1600-h/IMG_5283-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SxxcZjTHJUI/AAAAAAAAATg/no_g8gcxQuQ/s400/IMG_5283-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412302446234379586" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Ok so I go a new hand mixer just for this occasion...but as I was mixing the cheesecake filling (<span style="font-style: italic;">first</span> item of the day) the motor burnt out! I was very peeved. Here you can see me mixing by hand once again!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SxxcZO4cDSI/AAAAAAAAATY/7f4T4-g3IYs/s1600-h/IMG_5278-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SxxcZO4cDSI/AAAAAAAAATY/7f4T4-g3IYs/s400/IMG_5278-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412302440753794338" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Then it was on to Deviled Eggs. I have never made these before, and I think after this adventure I will leave it up to someone else. Apparently very fresh eggs are hard to separate from the shell, so my mother told me as I was cursing at the eggs that morning. I got most of the out, gave up on some, but none were pretty! </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">While slaving over the eggs, my mother tells me I would be crazy to try and make the rolls from scratch, sans hand mixer, so I nix the rolls.<br /></div></div></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SxxcaWIfpbI/AAAAAAAAATw/cIFM4VswTsI/s1600-h/IMG_5284-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SxxcaWIfpbI/AAAAAAAAATw/cIFM4VswTsI/s400/IMG_5284-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412302459880056242" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Chive mashed potatoes. Creamy and buttery. While washing the potatoes to put in the boiling water Luke looks at the mass of potatoes and we decide that I don't need to put in the whole 4 pounds. Yet when I got to the stage of adding the cream and butter I forgot that I didn't have 4 pounds of potatoes and added the full amount of cream and butter. They were VERY creamy potatoes, but loved just the same!<br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;">No pictures of the other menu items because I was too busy slaving, but I did manage to find corn meal at the import store to make the cornbread for the stuffing from scratch. In the time crunch the green beans were cut as well. As we were eating our chicken, I was describing what I usually do with the stuffing, that it was missing dried cranberries because they can't be found in Japan. Then I remember, the cranberry sauce! Crap. Luke says it's fine without it but I say, "We got this freaking cranberry sauce and we are going to eat it!" I quickly heat it up on the stove, add some cinnamon and we are in business!<br /><br />All in all, it was a success.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SxxcgoA489I/AAAAAAAAAT4/7UBpgbsdl7k/s1600-h/IMG_5293-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SxxcgoA489I/AAAAAAAAAT4/7UBpgbsdl7k/s400/IMG_5293-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412302567759213522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The whole gang, with stuffed bellies!</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> My friend Jo to my right and her daughter and son, and Mitch (another JET) to Luke's left.</span><br /></div>Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-20661264446115313872009-11-16T12:03:00.002+09:002009-11-16T12:31:41.459+09:00New Hair Cut<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SwDBVXax72I/AAAAAAAAATI/K9v-P0gXroE/s1600/new+hair.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SwDBVXax72I/AAAAAAAAATI/K9v-P0gXroE/s400/new+hair.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404532125652348770" border="0" /></a>Got my hair cut on Saturday! I love it! They give you a head, neck and back massage with aromatic oils on your scalp before they start the cutting. It was AWESOME!Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-87777516325662567532009-10-22T14:09:00.002+09:002009-10-22T14:16:39.867+09:00The Best Fries EVER!<div style="text-align: center;">These are the best fries EVER if I do say so myself!<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/St_p0B5cKKI/AAAAAAAAASg/7Iu3oELK1Es/s1600-h/IMG_5052-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/St_p0B5cKKI/AAAAAAAAASg/7Iu3oELK1Es/s400/IMG_5052-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395287958684969122" border="0" /></a><br />I discovered how to make these fries for Thanksgiving last year and have been making them ever since. It was a quick and easy treat that we would eat upon occasion in our apartment in Waukee. Now that we are in Japan, it is something that reminds me of home. I had been feeling a little blue and remembered that I could make these. We had all the ingredients! Now when I am feeling like I really miss America and being home, I whip up some of these delicious fries. <br /><br />What food reminds you of home?Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-74618339646442405412009-09-28T11:14:00.017+09:002009-11-01T15:32:11.429+09:00Frodo and Sam vs. the Volcano?At long last I have been able to complete this post! I won't go into lengthy detail about where we were when because you probably already read the itinerary so I will just tell you about the interesting stuff. And of course pictures!<br /><br />We had everything that we needed and were practically all packed up, just those few morning things that would need packed. Luke set off to bed and I was soon to follow. In the middle of the night, like 2 AM, I wake to the sounds of my husband puking his guts out in our living room into my one and only stock pot! We thought at first that it could be H1N1 because a child at school got it but it turned out to be something he had eaten for dinner. When we woke bright and early (ok not bright) Luke was feeling much better, just weak from having nothing inside him!<br /><br />We packed everything up and headed on our bikes, gear on our back, to the Yakuba (Village Office) where we would store our bikes until we got back, and then to the bus stop.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWOb7uVgYI/AAAAAAAAARA/QEGwmYl2euQ/s1600-h/IMG_4273-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 254px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWOb7uVgYI/AAAAAAAAARA/QEGwmYl2euQ/s400/IMG_4273-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392372739385688450" border="0" /></a> We arrived at the brand new bus stop 35 minutes early so we would not miss the bus. I am standing on the side of the road, desperately searching in both directions for anything that looks like it could be a bus and I see one. It's going the wrong direction but heading up to where we dropped our bikes off. And then it came back the same way and off it goes. We wait, and wait. We wait for 25 minutes past when the bus should have been there and then I say we need to call someone! If we don't get to Sendai we are going to miss the next bus which we actually have reservations for! Turns out we were given the wrong location to wait for the bus, it was actually that other bus I had seen and we were supposed to catch it at the Yakuba! Yeah I know!<br /><br />So after calling Reiko-San she picked us up and drove us into Sendai. She was headed that way, and she is awesome! We made it to the bus station in Sendai with 20 minutes to spare!<br /><br />The almost 4 hour bus ride to Kisakata was beautiful. Luke and I weren't able to get seats next to each other but, like nerds, we text-ed each other during the trip. "oh look at this girl's purse next to me! It is so cute" "Look how beautiful!" "Did you see that giant set of fries attached to that McDonald's?" "Ocean!" Yeah, we are total nerds.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">We got to town, found a camp site and got some food before setting up camp.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWPufMX0aI/AAAAAAAAARY/Lpx4K3zTAk4/s1600-h/IMG_4348-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWPufMX0aI/AAAAAAAAARY/Lpx4K3zTAk4/s400/IMG_4348-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392374157656183202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Our first tent together! Small and cozy. Sheltered by really tall pine trees and behind the trees...the ocean!</span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWPt0McH7I/AAAAAAAAARQ/Lk7CPZoqNto/s1600-h/IMG_4303-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWPt0McH7I/AAAAAAAAARQ/Lk7CPZoqNto/s400/IMG_4303-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392374146113740722" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Luke getting in touch with his girlie Japanese side outside the Ramen shop. That's my husband alright!</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWPtRek9cI/AAAAAAAAARI/f_TiiPJ5p7Q/s1600-h/IMG_4301-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWPtRek9cI/AAAAAAAAARI/f_TiiPJ5p7Q/s400/IMG_4301-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392374136794576322" border="0" /></a>The man who owns the Ramen shop invited us to bar-b-Q at a friend's house that night. After setting up the tent we head back to the Ramen shop to meet the owner to go to dinner. As we are walking across town we get the joy of seeing the sunset over the ocean. And I begin to get the worst migraine in history! But like a trooper I made it all the way to the friends house before having to lay on the floor under a blanket praying to throw up. After a long time...I don't really know how long, Luke had convinced them that I was well enough to go back to camp to sleep. They don't really understand that when you have a migraine the best thing is to sleep in a dark quiet place. But after a short sleep, when the alarm went off at 4:00, I felt great! We packed up camp and headed to the mountain.</div><br />Some of my favorite moments from climbing the mountain:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWPvM2ASII/AAAAAAAAARg/r5ZJYXubSNw/s1600-h/IMG_4351-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWPvM2ASII/AAAAAAAAARg/r5ZJYXubSNw/s400/IMG_4351-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392374169910397058" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The beginning of the mountain trail....ahhh the bottom, nice and flat and paved with stairs.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWPvkx98qI/AAAAAAAAARo/-GrTFfNjFMI/s1600-h/IMG_4365-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWPvkx98qI/AAAAAAAAARo/-GrTFfNjFMI/s400/IMG_4365-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392374176335917730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">A beautiful lookout a small distance up the mountain. I stopped here coming down as well to get some great pics.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Part way up a really steep climb Luke turns to me, both panting, and says, "Now I know how Frodo and Sam felt!" And I burst out laughing. My laughter could be heard up and down the trail and I fell over on the ground. One of the best hiking moments EVER!</span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWQRZmw1QI/AAAAAAAAAR4/pzicEl8xigE/s1600-h/IMG_4413-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWQRZmw1QI/AAAAAAAAAR4/pzicEl8xigE/s400/IMG_4413-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392374757451683074" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">At our lunch stop at the hidden lake. A husband and wife brought their 6 year old dog with them. He hiked all the way up, no problem. Here he is hiding in the flowers.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWQQ3N_GkI/AAAAAAAAARw/CdzA-NT26f0/s1600-h/IMG_4411-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWQQ3N_GkI/AAAAAAAAARw/CdzA-NT26f0/s400/IMG_4411-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392374748220955202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Lunch at the hidden lake. </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></div><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><span>Mt. Chokai was a volcano at one point and it blew its top off long ago and now it is a lake on top. Totally amazing.</span><span> At lunch we could see the clouds start to come in off the ocean from the other side of the mountain.</span> <span>For more great pictures of this trip and others please visit my website </span><a href="http://www.lindseyharwath.com/">Lindsey Harwath Photography</a>.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">A few things I learned while climbing this mountain: You may not notice the altitude difference until every Japanese person passes you without problem, I need to get better at this...6-year-old dogs and 4-year-old children climb faster than me, always bring more food (there was no grocery store that I saw in Kisakata) and water, it is not a race, enjoy it up and down, and you can never take too many pictures!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It took about four hours to get to the hidden lake and only a hour and a half to make it back down. We had an early dinner while waiting for the bus to take us back to Kisakata where we camped again at the same camp ground. Let me tell you I am not opposed to listening to the ocean while sleeping or waking. That was the best campground view. We positioned our tent so that out one door we could see the sunset over the ocean and out the other we could see the sunrise over the mountain! AWESOME!<br /><br />The next morning we spent lounging on the beach and enjoying the ocean that we never get to see.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWQR4RZ7iI/AAAAAAAAASA/C1HI1L2aL3Q/s1600-h/IMG_4461-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWQR4RZ7iI/AAAAAAAAASA/C1HI1L2aL3Q/s400/IMG_4461-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392374765683600930" border="0" /></a></div><span style="font-style: italic;">The Ocean, early morning, like 5:30. Yes it is that bright here in Japan that early. No daylight savings here folks.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWQSTvCObI/AAAAAAAAASI/3efRIUtxyPY/s1600-h/IMG_4465-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 264px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/StWQSTvCObI/AAAAAAAAASI/3efRIUtxyPY/s400/IMG_4465-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392374773055633842" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Standing in the Ocean you can see Mt. Chokai and to the right in the pine trees is our camp site.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">What a great trip and perhaps the best birthday ever!<br /></div></div>Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-64532431689774265182009-09-18T09:24:00.009+09:002009-09-18T10:36:10.204+09:00Chokai-San Itinerary<span style="font-size:100%;">So it's Friday and tomorrow bright and early we leave to go camping. We will be gone for 5 days but you can follow this itinerary while we are away to know what's going on. (We have given a copy to Reiko-san, have no fear Mimi!) Chokai-San is the name of the mountain we are visiting by the way.
<br />
<br /></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CLUKET%7E1.HAR%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; 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margin-left:.25in; text-indent:-.25in; font-family:Century; mso-fareast-font-family:"MS Mincho"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Chokai-San Itinerary</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLgc8PpUsI/AAAAAAAAAPo/Q1iaQTuVh7s/s1600-h/Chokai+trip1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 318px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLgc8PpUsI/AAAAAAAAAPo/Q1iaQTuVh7s/s320/Chokai+trip1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382611292473873090" border="0" /></a></span></p> <p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">This is where we are and where we are going on the big map. We live at point A and we are going to the purple spot.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLgdTFHleI/AAAAAAAAAPw/KwZFurnsAqg/s1600-h/Chokai+trip.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLgdTFHleI/AAAAAAAAAPw/KwZFurnsAqg/s320/Chokai+trip.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382611298603734498" border="0" /></a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Closer picture. Chokai-San is the little mountain shape SE of our destination.</span>
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CLUKET%7E1.HAR%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; 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margin-left:.25in; text-indent:-.25in; font-family:Century; mso-fareast-font-family:"MS Mincho"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Saturday</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">7:00 AM Start from Ohira (Yakuba Bus-stop)</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">7:50 AM Arrival at <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sendai</st1:place></st1:city> Station<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLirtQEpJI/AAAAAAAAAP4/1gXwqtkEu_w/s1600-h/Chokai+trip3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 281px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLirtQEpJI/AAAAAAAAAP4/1gXwqtkEu_w/s320/Chokai+trip3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382613745170424978" border="0" /></a></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">To Sendai</span>
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">8:40 AM Start from <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sendai</st1:place></st1:city> Station</span></p><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CLUKET%7E1.HAR%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; 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margin-left:.25in; text-indent:-.25in; font-family:Century; mso-fareast-font-family:"MS Mincho"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">12:15 PM Arrival at Kisakata Station</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span>Ask and confirm about bus times to Hokodate</span><!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span>Stay at Campground by Youth Hostel (<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Kisakata Seinen-no-ie)</span></span><!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Go to Tourist Information Office</span> and get hiking guides</span><!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span>Waterfall somewhere</span><!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span>Find out about kanman-ji (Basho monks like to visit this place, and possibly near town center)</span><!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Sunday</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">***5:50 AM or 7:45 AM Start from Kisakata Station</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""> </span>-Ask and confirm about bus times on Saturday in Kisakata</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 42pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">-40 min.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Arrival at Hokodate</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Climb Chokai-San</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">-Stay at <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Hokodate Sanso (</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: SimSun;" lang="JA">鉾立山荘</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: SimSun;">)</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Monday</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Before 4:20 PM Start from Hokodate</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Arrival at Kisakata</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">4:20 Start from Kisakata</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">8:10 PM / 20:10 Arrival at <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sendai</st1:place></st1:city> Station</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Tuesday</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">- Spend the day enjoying the city</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Sendai Station to Ohira-mura bus times:
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">8:25, 10:30, 13:50, 15:50, 17:50, 19:50
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Look for many pictures upon our return!
<br /></span></p> Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-82881300144861945472009-09-17T10:54:00.006+09:002009-09-18T09:22:29.017+09:00My BirthdaysMy birthday lasted two and a half days. The day before Reiko-san had to take me back to the doctor for a checkup (don't worry, I am fine, I just got dehydrated and it made me sick). While we were out she said she was going to take me out for lunch to celebrate my birthday! She is so sweet. We call her our Japanese mother for many reasons. She is the same age as my mother, I am the same age as her youngest child and she worries about everything we do just like our mothers (and grandmothers!).<br /><br />She sang me Happy Birthday in English in the car on the way to the restaurant! Most English I have ever heard her speak.<br /><br />She took me to this Italian restaurant near the mall that we bike to (I paid attention to the directions in case it was good and I wanted to take Luke). It was called Dono Dono. I don't know if that means something in Italian because it wasn't Japanese. Anyway, the food was AMAZING!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLHyLYtB-I/AAAAAAAAAPA/II0Xi9R30gk/s1600-h/salad.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLHyLYtB-I/AAAAAAAAAPA/II0Xi9R30gk/s400/salad.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382584169524955106" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Started with salad (don't worry those are strips of ham not something wierd)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLHxVZiTwI/AAAAAAAAAOw/v1PfF1bQiQQ/s1600-h/pizza.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLHxVZiTwI/AAAAAAAAAOw/v1PfF1bQiQQ/s400/pizza.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382584155032932098" border="0" /></a>Reiko-san did the ordering and we shared a pizza and spaghetti. I forgot to take a picture of the spaghetti because I was too busy eating this awesome pizza! The pizza at Dono Dono is actually made on naan bread. If you have ever had Indian food you know what I am talking about. And it is amazing. Why we didn't think to do that is beyond me. It didn't have red sauce but lots of cheese and was topped with chopped garlic, pistachios and almonds. Divine! The spaghetti not pictured was also very tasty. Lots of chunky fresh tomatoes and chunks of mozzarella chesse. If you are eating spaghetti at home without the mozzarella on top you aren't eating spaghetti! It is so perfect together, like a tomato and mozzarella salad! Of course it goes together!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLHxDx52BI/AAAAAAAAAOo/xZw5fWgI8uk/s1600-h/cakie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLHxDx52BI/AAAAAAAAAOo/xZw5fWgI8uk/s400/cakie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382584150303299602" border="0" /></a>And of course it ended with desert. Beautiful cake on top of a lemon drizzle (I don't know what the other pink stuff was but it was probably the best thing on the plate!) and a whipped cream flower with chocolate swirl stick and mint leaf. AMAZING! We will be going back there! Reasonable prices too, especially for pizza which I hear is very expensive to get here.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I went to work that afternoon where some of the children made me a birthday card and my boss informed me that his company was going to gift me a cake the next day for my birthday!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLQ0dt72-I/AAAAAAAAAPY/jnR8XCEVfTc/s1600-h/birthday+card.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLQ0dt72-I/AAAAAAAAAPY/jnR8XCEVfTc/s400/birthday+card.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382594104410233826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The birthday card on my fridge at home.</span> </div><br />On my actual birthday I still had to go to work at the normal time but I spent the morning making more cheesecakes, one for Reiko-san and one for me and Luke for my birthday. I also called family so they could wish me Happy Birthday! At work the ladies sang me Happy Birthday and we had celebratory cherry yogurt.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLI5f6h7WI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/G9PRvNRV4M4/s1600-h/soccer3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLI5f6h7WI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/G9PRvNRV4M4/s400/soccer3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382585394806254946" border="0" /></a>I spent most of my time that afternoon outside playing soccer with several of the kids. Ok, so here's the thing, I may have only played soccer in third grade, goalie by the way, but I can still kick and punt and block that goal like a son-of-a-gun. Therefore I am amazing and sungoi (wow in Japanese). Take that tiny boys! I kick butt! Good self-esteem boost for the old Birthday. (25 by the way if you didn't know, that's halfway to 50!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLI5CXVB_I/AAAAAAAAAPI/vx56P-ztcH0/s1600-h/soccer2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLI5CXVB_I/AAAAAAAAAPI/vx56P-ztcH0/s400/soccer2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382585386873980914" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">This is the big field by the Gidokan. To the right is the Gidokan and to the left is the Elementary School. But check out that view. Mountains and the bluest sky since I have been here. Beautiful Birthday weather! Thank you Lord.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">At home I open my cake, beautiful, and also a present from one of the ladies, Jo-san, and her family. We also know her daughter, Jo-san!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLR0RxdtFI/AAAAAAAAAPg/kAo_if6SWUE/s1600-h/IMG_4248.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLR0RxdtFI/AAAAAAAAAPg/kAo_if6SWUE/s320/IMG_4248.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382595200715437138" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">My beautiful cake, it says Happy Birthday Lindsey, and the two awesome coffee mugs that Jo-san gave me. They are metallic looking, hot pink and lime green, my favorites!</span><br /></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">That night I get home from work, tired and dirty from the soccer, and fetching the soccer ball out of the drain on several occasions, and Luke and I look at each other and wonder what we are going to do. Then I see a message on my Facebook from our friend Wesley wondering why he didn't know it was my birthday and why we all aren't out celebrating. I write back and say, "Where are you taking me?" He says he will be right over!<br /><br />He decides he is going to take us to this awesome pizza place. It ends up being closed. But I happened to know a place near there, Dono Dono! I know it sounds silly to go there two days in a row, but it is my Birthdays! I go where I want! Plus it was very cool to introduce these two guys to a place that they hadn't been to that I had (a first!). We order the same pizza and spaghetti that I had earlier and a spicy pizza, Luke's idea of course!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLHx3zOL0I/AAAAAAAAAO4/otdfYnDWiss/s1600-h/spicy+pizza.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLHx3zOL0I/AAAAAAAAAO4/otdfYnDWiss/s400/spicy+pizza.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382584164267470658" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">I know this one looks strange but it is fa-nominal! After telling the boys that the other pizza had no meat, they wanted one that did. The dark circles are actually eggplant, the "sausage" is more towards the center and is a light pinkish color. Here sausage tastes more like hot-dog but meat is meat, right? The red stringy stuff I believe is finely shredded pepperoncino. Strange combination but my taste buds didn't think so!</span></div></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLHwvq22NI/AAAAAAAAAOg/C9cMTPQf8BU/s1600-h/happy+bday.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrLHwvq22NI/AAAAAAAAAOg/C9cMTPQf8BU/s400/happy+bday.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382584144905033938" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">And wonderful Wesley not only picked up the tab (thanks so much again) but told our waitress that it was my birthday and she brought me this! Tiramisu! AND Happy Birthday, in English, in chocolate with raspberry sorbet! PERFECT!</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Next adventure is this weekend. Luke is taking me camping/hiking to celebrate my birthday!<br /></div></div>Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-32746679929839444932009-09-17T10:31:00.006+09:002009-09-18T08:19:21.243+09:00What I do some days<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrGSYG6Xw2I/AAAAAAAAAOA/4-b1okR6KA4/s1600-h/gidokan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrGSYG6Xw2I/AAAAAAAAAOA/4-b1okR6KA4/s400/gidokan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382243972554408802" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">This is where I work. The Gidokan.</span><br /><br /></div>Many people have been asking if I have a job and what it is. I had mentioned earlier that the Mayor had offered me a job but I guess I forgot to also add that I took it and that it is working at the after school program for the Elementary school.<br /><br />I work from 2-5 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Children don't arrive until 2:30 or 3:00 usually. This is what it's like when I arrive.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrGSXsQXP3I/AAAAAAAAAN4/xgaHPux862k/s1600-h/bumper+pool2.jpg"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyTuAH5tD6Ml7w99AcYzFzzKb19nBQFAaPShXVD7XZ7sp0JAmWTAA6yHxXAy-ITQDAHkTr3Eh2BDVT19ombsQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></a><br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrGSZ24WuUI/AAAAAAAAAOY/jGZw3Q6u9bI/s1600-h/yellowhats.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrGSZ24WuUI/AAAAAAAAAOY/jGZw3Q6u9bI/s400/yellowhats.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382244002610723138" border="0" /></a>Then the kids start to arrive. Hard to see in this picture but the first ones are the yellow hats. These are the tiny kindergarteners. They all wear yellow backpacks and yellow hats. Totally cute!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrGSYmYQv4I/AAAAAAAAAOI/j_n6nq_sbzU/s1600-h/kids.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrGSYmYQv4I/AAAAAAAAAOI/j_n6nq_sbzU/s400/kids.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382243981001277314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">We play games like Othello! Which I love by the way.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrGSZNhbnII/AAAAAAAAAOQ/hZnOK9ldrgk/s1600-h/studying.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrGSZNhbnII/AAAAAAAAAOQ/hZnOK9ldrgk/s400/studying.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382243991508720770" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">There is a study area where they can practice kanji or color.</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrGSXsQXP3I/AAAAAAAAAN4/xgaHPux862k/s1600-h/bumper+pool2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrGSXsQXP3I/AAAAAAAAAN4/xgaHPux862k/s400/bumper+pool2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382243965398892402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">They LOVE to play bumper pool.</span><br /></div><br />And needless to say, with practically every kid from the elementary school there at once, it's a bit noisy and chaotic!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzieqvlulrT9U_FHhl46Uht_dfvja77gGBmaNZMXFaHYzmfba5XRIQNoe0utb3EnpkwZCd9YyqJ_Xi2QybiPw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">But my Japanese is improving, and I hope their English!</span><br /></div>Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-78976987697823173872009-09-14T13:26:00.003+09:002009-09-14T13:28:07.848+09:00This is for Mimi<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq3GDzhDbqI/AAAAAAAAAMY/I-zICaBLFDQ/s1600-h/clear+day.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq3GDzhDbqI/AAAAAAAAAMY/I-zICaBLFDQ/s400/clear+day.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381174898448363170" border="0" /></a><br />Look clear skies! Not hazy! One of two clear days this week.<br /></div>Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-62759477951311772232009-09-10T14:36:00.017+09:002009-09-17T10:23:05.269+09:00Oh what I can do with a toaster oven!<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Note before you read: This one is long and there are lots of pictures but hopefully it is worth it!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq3COekJdMI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/gePuQpYHygo/s1600-h/toaster+oven.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq3COekJdMI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/gePuQpYHygo/s400/toaster+oven.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381170683756246210" border="0" /></a><br />This is my toaster oven. Although everything is in Japanese it's really not that hard to figure out how to use it. There is only one dial, the timer. You cannot adjust the temperature. It runs at 950 watts and there are little pictures of different kinds of food and how many minutes to cook each. That is it. Very easy to use. But how do you use a toaster oven like this when you want to make a cheesecake? Well I can tell you because I did it.<br /><br />First before I go into the use of the toaster oven let me start at the beginning of the day with my trip to the grocery store. I got to the store at 9:20 AM but the store didn't open until 10:00! I know! Crazy! So I waited in the parking lot for 40 minutes. Then with my iPhone in hand, with my epicurious application ready, I got everything I needed. I couldn't find any graham crackers so I got some biscuits (in the English sense of the word) instead. We don't have a food processor so I bought a mortar and pestle to grind the cookies up.<br /><br />The last item on my list was no-salt butter. Except I can't read! Nothing here is in English. So I get out my iPhone with it's awesome dictionary, also you can draw the kangi characters with your finger and it will translate it. But it wasn't working all the time. So eventually, after staring at butter for 30 minutes, I found some characters that said "miss use" or "un use" or something next to butter and I took it!<br /><br />So I get home and get to work! I have all my ingredients but still have a few more problems. Everything here is measured in grams (I don't know what 120 grams looks like, now 3/4 cup no problem, give me cups every time!). So, I found a conversion calculator online thankfully! Now, all the cheesecake recipes that I have assume you are using a 9 inch pan, mine are 4 inchers. After some searching it turns out that you can take one recipe for a 9 inch pan and make 4-4 inch cheesecakes. Halving the recipe, I start.<br /><br />Also, I have nothing to measure with in this apartment because the guy who lived here before had no idea how to cook, bummer for me! All I have is a coffee cup and regular spoon and my eyes! (The American version, big style of this recipe will be at the end of this post.)<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBjZ-hCCLI/AAAAAAAAAMg/eYUP1V9keBg/s1600-h/IMG_4233.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBjZ-hCCLI/AAAAAAAAAMg/eYUP1V9keBg/s400/IMG_4233.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381910852637165746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Here the bowl has grooves inside to make grinding easier, which is totally awesome!</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBjaaVfyeI/AAAAAAAAAMo/VSC5phHiGiE/s1600-h/IMG_4234.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBjaaVfyeI/AAAAAAAAAMo/VSC5phHiGiE/s400/IMG_4234.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381910860104976866" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Mixing the crust together</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBja_5jHDI/AAAAAAAAAMw/THVXpbTOueA/s1600-h/IMG_4235.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBja_5jHDI/AAAAAAAAAMw/THVXpbTOueA/s400/IMG_4235.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381910870188301362" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Press it into the pan(s) not all the way up the sides</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBjbSSXy4I/AAAAAAAAAM4/ACzz_40_59A/s1600-h/IMG_4236.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBjbSSXy4I/AAAAAAAAAM4/ACzz_40_59A/s400/IMG_4236.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381910875124255618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Our favorite cream cheese actually comes from Australia and is packaged like sausage!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBjb1CysGI/AAAAAAAAANA/rDc4MhG7oko/s1600-h/IMG_4237.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBjb1CysGI/AAAAAAAAANA/rDc4MhG7oko/s400/IMG_4237.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381910884454150242" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">My sugar is fluffy not granules like back home. Tastes the same though, just harder to measure, but who's measuring :)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBkiiAOWXI/AAAAAAAAANI/R6HNTVK-GVY/s1600-h/IMG_4238.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBkiiAOWXI/AAAAAAAAANI/R6HNTVK-GVY/s400/IMG_4238.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381912099113818482" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">My punny new flower flour container!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBkjB7YjnI/AAAAAAAAANQ/8iMhdlxyCl4/s1600-h/IMG_4239.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBkjB7YjnI/AAAAAAAAANQ/8iMhdlxyCl4/s400/IMG_4239.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381912107683450482" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">All the dry ingredients together. I didn't bring my zester with me but my mother gave me this new cutting contraption before I left and I used it to zest instead. The pieces look waffle cut instead of tiny strips. Thanks Mom!</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">The first time I made these I used zest from an orange and lemon (pictured is from grapefruit) but any citrus will do. Kind of fun to mix it up!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBkj5a3UDI/AAAAAAAAANY/xlRkBi40ljc/s1600-h/IMG_4240.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBkj5a3UDI/AAAAAAAAANY/xlRkBi40ljc/s400/IMG_4240.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381912122579439666" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Dry ingredients mixed together. This was a big challenge because I do not own a blender! All by spoon baby, and I have the blister to prove it!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBkkcIYFJI/AAAAAAAAANg/cKtNOAaU7s8/s1600-h/IMG_4241.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBkkcIYFJI/AAAAAAAAANg/cKtNOAaU7s8/s400/IMG_4241.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381912131897136274" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">After wet ingredients, ready to pour</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBkk93A3sI/AAAAAAAAANo/tkrCqbgCduc/s1600-h/IMG_4242.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBkk93A3sI/AAAAAAAAANo/tkrCqbgCduc/s400/IMG_4242.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381912140951117506" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Pour to the top of the pan</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Ok so the first one that I put in the toaster oven turned out like this:<br /></div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq3CN3mRURI/AAAAAAAAAMI/PW4EEAdaVlg/s1600-h/burnt.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq3CN3mRURI/AAAAAAAAAMI/PW4EEAdaVlg/s400/burnt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381170673296167186" border="0" /></a>This is because I totally forgot that there is a heating coil on bottom AND top! oops! My next idea was to take it out, turn the oven on for 10-15 minutes and let it get hot and then when it goes off I put it back in and close the door, using the residual heat to cook. That was taking too long and I didn't even know if that was working.<br /><br />After many freaked out texts to Luke he said, "Did you try the tin foil." TIN FOIL why didn't I know we had tin foil! So I continued to cook this one until it was done with the tin foil on top to stop the burning. Another tricky thing about my toaster oven is that the timer dial only goes to 15 minutes! So I was constantly taking it out and checking it and guessing how much longer to put it in for. I learned from that when I put the second one in. When Luke got home I showed him the burnt one.<br /><br />I wanted to cut the top layer off just to see what that would look like. Underneath was perfection! You couldn't even tell! Although now it did look strange because it had been cut. So to remedy that, being the cooking genius that I am, I quickly heated up a sauce pot, added some of the blueberry jelly that I use for PBJs, added some cinnamon and heated until liquid. I let that cool off a bit and then glazed the top.<br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq3CNqAFBBI/AAAAAAAAAMA/4F7YwG36YCU/s1600-h/after2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq3CNqAFBBI/AAAAAAAAAMA/4F7YwG36YCU/s400/after2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381170669646316562" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Then it looked like this and tasted amazing! Just ask Luke and Wes and Andy! We ate it that night at a dinner party.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBk0f4a7RI/AAAAAAAAANw/wSjX-SdLegY/s1600-h/IMG_4243.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBk0f4a7RI/AAAAAAAAANw/wSjX-SdLegY/s400/IMG_4243.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381912407781862674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">This is what it should look like when done (and what my 2nd, 3rd and 4th looked like)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SrBk0f4a7RI/AAAAAAAAANw/wSjX-SdLegY/s1600-h/IMG_4243.JPG"></a><div style="text-align: left;">A couple of comments about this recipe and cheesecake- this recipe was adapted from one in Gourmet magazine (bless them!). Like I mentioned earlier, if you are working with smaller pans like me you can divide this recipe in half or fourths. If you have never made cheesecake before, give it a try. It's really not this hard...usually! If you do make one after reading this, please let me know how it goes and send pictures! And if you venture over to this side of the world I promise that we can make one together or I will have one waiting for you!<br /></div><br />New York Cheesecake<br /></div>Ingredients:<br />for crust<br /><ul id="ingredientsList"><li>1 1/2 cups (5 oz) finely ground graham crackers or cookies such as chocolate or vanilla wafers or gingersnaps <span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">(any crunchy cookie will do)</span><br /></li><li>5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted</li><li>1/3 cup sugar</li><li>1/8 teaspoon salt</li></ul>for filling<br /><ul id="ingredientsList"><li>5 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened</li><li>1 3/4 cups sugar</li><li>3 tablespoons all-purpose flour</li><li>Finely grated zest of 1 orange</li><li>Finely grated zest of 1 lemon</li><li>5 large eggs</li><li>2 large egg yolks</li><li>1/2 teaspoon vanilla</li></ul>Preparation<br /><br />Stir together crust ingredients and press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of a buttered 24-centimeter <span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">(9 inch)</span> springform pan. <span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">If you use a non-stick pan I don't ever butter it.</span> Fill right away or chill up to 2 hours. Preheat oven to 550°F. <br /><p> Beat together cream cheese, sugar, flour, and zests with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs and yolks, 1 at a time, then vanilla, beating on low speed until each ingredient is incorporated and scraping down bowl between additions. </p> <p> Put springform pan with crust in a shallow baking pan. Pour filling into crust (springform pan will be completely full) and bake in baking pan (to catch drips) in middle of oven 12 minutes, or until puffed. Reduce temperature to 200°F and continue baking until cake is mostly firm (center will still be slightly wobbly when pan is gently shaken), about 1 hour more. </p> <p> Run a knife around top edge of cake to loosen and cool completely in springform pan on a rack. Chill cake, loosely covered, at least 6 hours. Remove side of pan and transfer cake to a plate. Bring to room temperature before serving. </p>Enjoy!Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-10213720848983593382009-09-10T14:35:00.008+09:002009-09-18T08:13:42.261+09:00Sports festivalYes another festival. We love the festivals! Sunday before the dinner with the Elementary School we attended the sports festival for the Junior High School and Elementary School. It was like a track meet on steroids! Totally fun! One day a year the lower grades get together and play lots of games and run track together. They only compete against classes in their own school, not against neighboring schools but still so much fun.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq2tQa1iDcI/AAAAAAAAAL4/4wml1JGkJg0/s1600-h/IMG_3969.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq2tQa1iDcI/AAAAAAAAAL4/4wml1JGkJg0/s400/IMG_3969.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381147627370974658" border="0" /></a>Everyone gets involved, the teachers, school board staff, members of the community, everyone competes, even me and Luke! The race that Luke and I did was for married couples that live in town. Each team was composed of a couple in their 20's (us), 30's, 40's and 50's. We run holding hands 1/4 of the way around the track, Luke blows up a balloon, ties it, and then we pop it between our bodies and then run another 1/4 of the track where we pass off the baton to the next couple. Fun, and if I had know that other couples were cheating when popping their balloons we would have finished better than 4th!<br /><br />The only game that looked familiar, beside just running, was the tug-o-war. Everything else was new to me.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq2tPiAaItI/AAAAAAAAALw/mkTruAmXZbE/s1600-h/IMG_3900.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq2tPiAaItI/AAAAAAAAALw/mkTruAmXZbE/s400/IMG_3900.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381147612115772114" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">One of our favorite games! They run down the field and back on the backs of their classmates! Totally fun to watch.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq2tPNUsiJI/AAAAAAAAALo/dV8atJxcoaU/s1600-h/IMG_3732.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq2tPNUsiJI/AAAAAAAAALo/dV8atJxcoaU/s400/IMG_3732.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381147606563719314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Tiny Kindergarteners in their track suits preparing for tug-o-war. The three girls looking into the camera are girls I know from the after-school program.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq2tOa_D5EI/AAAAAAAAALg/4s45lXFqM6E/s1600-h/IMG_3681.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq2tOa_D5EI/AAAAAAAAALg/4s45lXFqM6E/s400/IMG_3681.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381147593051202626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">A relay race for the older members of the community. Men and women alternate adding a box with each person. The last man carries 5 boxes to the finish line. This one was hilarious. Watching 60+ year old people run around the track carrying boxes...oh wow!</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq2qCeVODuI/AAAAAAAAALY/rM698pzfho4/s1600-h/IMG_3620.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq2qCeVODuI/AAAAAAAAALY/rM698pzfho4/s400/IMG_3620.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381144089256136418" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Groups of people have many colored balls and they try to throw as many as they can into their basket in the time limit.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq2qB-f7EXI/AAAAAAAAALQ/5u_pspw0hZE/s1600-h/IMG_3519.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq2qB-f7EXI/AAAAAAAAALQ/5u_pspw0hZE/s400/IMG_3519.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381144080711094642" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Men and women alternate getting the metal hoop around the track with the wooden stick. The man on the left is the head of the school board.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq2qBS2sYMI/AAAAAAAAALI/-YKDwsPfc2w/s1600-h/IMG_3448.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq2qBS2sYMI/AAAAAAAAALI/-YKDwsPfc2w/s400/IMG_3448.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381144068995440834" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">That's right! Team jump rope.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">All teachers by the way. Here are the teachers from the Elementary School. The man in the middle is the Vice Principal.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Oh the good old days of jump rope!</span><br /></div>Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-68654012872675612522009-09-10T14:28:00.006+09:002009-09-14T09:41:28.747+09:00Perhaps the last welcomeLast Sunday was the welcome dinner for Luke from the Elementary School. I believe that this is the last of such dinners but you never know in Japan, they like to party with food! The style was much like the welcome dinner with the Junior High, several courses seated on the floor around a long table. This time I remembered to pace myself and Luke remembered to drink slower!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqiPBBk-ceI/AAAAAAAAAJw/qlZys4cEiKs/s1600-h/elem+dinner6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqiPBBk-ceI/AAAAAAAAAJw/qlZys4cEiKs/s400/elem+dinner6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379707002660221410" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqiO7M7UQ2I/AAAAAAAAAJo/UjRUMA2331Y/s1600-h/elem+dinner5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqiO7M7UQ2I/AAAAAAAAAJo/UjRUMA2331Y/s400/elem+dinner5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379706902627500898" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Inside the little blue cups with lids was a Japanese pumpkin soup. If you have read earlier blogs you will know how much of a fan of the Japanese pumpkin I am. This soup was excellent.<br /><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqiO6_Nx86I/AAAAAAAAAJg/_ymVLesimfo/s1600-h/elem+dinner4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqiO6_Nx86I/AAAAAAAAAJg/_ymVLesimfo/s400/elem+dinner4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379706898946847650" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqiO6X3n1RI/AAAAAAAAAJY/atHCc5PQrfU/s1600-h/elem+dinner3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqiO6X3n1RI/AAAAAAAAAJY/atHCc5PQrfU/s400/elem+dinner3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379706888384926994" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Ok, so I will try to describe the picture. In the clear bowl is the desert, a square of stuff made out of flower that is the consistency of a gummy bear covered in a power (of course I don't remember the name but when I do I will let you know!) In the teapot is bonito (a broth made from fish) that you pour into the black pot to the right. Inside the black pot is rice and eel, yes I said eel, which was really good. First you eat it dry and then you pour on the bonito. Very tasty! That was probably the most exotic thing we ate this time around.<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqiO5wPiw8I/AAAAAAAAAJQ/sc4FSWEumxs/s1600-h/elem+dinner2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqiO5wPiw8I/AAAAAAAAAJQ/sc4FSWEumxs/s400/elem+dinner2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379706877747839938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The man in the middle is the Vice-Principal and he is totally funny! Especially when he has had a few beers and then needs to look for the keys to his bicycle. Awww good times!<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqiO5inqpII/AAAAAAAAAJI/_Dks0IAyHiQ/s1600-h/elem+dinner.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqiO5inqpII/AAAAAAAAAJI/_Dks0IAyHiQ/s400/elem+dinner.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379706874090923138" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Luke after some beer and sake! Isn't he cute?!<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq2OsO_V1UI/AAAAAAAAALA/PBRAxrV6soA/s1600-h/elem+flowers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq2OsO_V1UI/AAAAAAAAALA/PBRAxrV6soA/s400/elem+flowers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381114020366767426" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">They gave us some beautiful flowers to welcome us to Ohira.<br /></span></div>Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-76791119717455955132009-09-10T12:43:00.018+09:002009-09-14T09:27:40.272+09:00Another trip to the mallLast weekend Luke and I headed back to the mall for a couple of things. He needed more shirts to go under his suit shirts and I needed more T-shirts to go with my track suit and wear with everything else.<br /><br />We hit the hardware store first, looking for camping gear (I have decided that is what I want to do for my birthday next week. Luke has a 5 day weekend off of work.) and possibly cooking stuff(I need to make some cheesecakes for some people since Luke talked up the awesomeness of my cheesecakes!). We did find some camping stuff, not sure of the brand and quality but at least we know they have it. And they did have quite a selection of cooking stuff, baking stuff etc. Our local grocery store has a very small section and an empty peg for the spring form pans. The hardware store had plenty so I got two 4 inch pans (all I have seen is the 4 inch pans in Japan). So with all my cheesecake baking things in hand, and a few tupperware containers to keep them in, and a small hotplate that Luke found, to do tepenyake(like we did with the Mayor) in our living room we headed to the checkout.<br /><br />Near the checkout we found a bin of Disney children's DVDs, mostly dubbed over in Japanese but we did find Fantasia in its original English, for less that 500 yen. So needless to say we now have several of those (Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Pinocchio, The Three Caballeros, Dumbo), to help us learn Japanese and to help our future children become bilingual.<br /><br />After the hardware store we were getting a little peco peco (hungry, or peckish in Japanese) so Luke took me to an Italian restaurant that he had been to before I arrived. That's right, Italian food in Japan. The outside looked like a castle and you can't see out of any of the windows, they are all stained glass.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqrkFJv2YiI/AAAAAAAAAKI/4plM9Nx5oY0/s1600-h/italian4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqrkFJv2YiI/AAAAAAAAAKI/4plM9Nx5oY0/s400/italian4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380363482014573090" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Fancy chairs all around. We ate in the turret. You can just see the stained glass in the background.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqrkEjWIcaI/AAAAAAAAAKA/EoGdrqxhHGU/s1600-h/italian.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqrkEjWIcaI/AAAAAAAAAKA/EoGdrqxhHGU/s400/italian.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380363471706157474" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">When you look at the menu you can choose from three variations of multi-course meals.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">And then you choose the entree. Ours came with salads and rolls, soft and wonderful rolls with butter. I tell Luke how when I was a kid I refused to put butter on my bread and now I can't imagine it any other way!<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqrkGH7_S4I/AAAAAAAAAKY/QiIZv95UqDo/s1600-h/italian7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqrkGH7_S4I/AAAAAAAAAKY/QiIZv95UqDo/s400/italian7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380363498708487042" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Luke gets the same thing as last time, spaghetti with bacon and tomatoes</span>.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqrkFn5qKCI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/OaSkuPluSvs/s1600-h/italian6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqrkFn5qKCI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/OaSkuPluSvs/s400/italian6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380363490108778530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">I get spaghetti with bacon, shrimp and peperoncino (not to be confused with pepperoncini which is what I was hoping for...).<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;">Then it was off to the mall to get some clothes and a backpack for me so I can help carry groceries.<br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sqh2iDMPbPI/AAAAAAAAAI4/ziixEhm5sME/s1600-h/singer.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sqh2iDMPbPI/AAAAAAAAAI4/ziixEhm5sME/s400/singer.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379680082238336242" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Live music in the mall, just like last time. It might be a weekend thing since we have only been here on Saturdays we are not sure.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">We look for a backpack first because Luke's is already full from the trip to the hardware store. I finally found one in this cool shop that had second hand clothes (for first hand prices mind you). Here are a few things we also found in that store:<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sqh2TW1eCyI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/_lXYpOVlQ2A/s1600-h/boy+scouts.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sqh2TW1eCyI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/_lXYpOVlQ2A/s400/boy+scouts.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379679829813496610" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">A plethera of Boy Scouts of America shirts and others with patches on them.<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sqh2T_8PKHI/AAAAAAAAAIY/mxvTzHUTxEg/s1600-h/hunting+vest2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sqh2T_8PKHI/AAAAAAAAAIY/mxvTzHUTxEg/s400/hunting+vest2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379679840847734898" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqrpqbiPaHI/AAAAAAAAAKg/WQKWmmCsI7g/s1600-h/hunting+vest.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqrpqbiPaHI/AAAAAAAAAKg/WQKWmmCsI7g/s400/hunting+vest.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380369620002629746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Hunting vests, not for hunting but for actually wearing. Authentic, even has the pocket for the pheasant!<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sqh2UnOkwcI/AAAAAAAAAIo/17nCQXHYJKk/s1600-h/new+backpack.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sqh2UnOkwcI/AAAAAAAAAIo/17nCQXHYJKk/s400/new+backpack.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379679851393630658" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Here is my stellar new backpack</span>! <span style="font-style: italic;">It is my homage to Iowa, the pattern is white and blue stripes just like old overalls (which you can also find to wear here for outrageous prices! Farmer is in apparently!)</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Then we went downstairs to find some shirts for hopefully reasonable prices. I found some great ones in a discount bin which were marked 498 yen (but ended up being 250 yen at the register!)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sqru_0-Z4iI/AAAAAAAAAKw/lfa17AEJhd0/s1600-h/boy+love+girl.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sqru_0-Z4iI/AAAAAAAAAKw/lfa17AEJhd0/s400/boy+love+girl.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380375485167034914" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Boy love girl, variety is the spice of life, love makes the world go round, spicery<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sqru_ZNkfZI/AAAAAAAAAKo/phyyTGGwD3k/s1600-h/dog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sqru_ZNkfZI/AAAAAAAAAKo/phyyTGGwD3k/s400/dog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380375477714451858" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Golden beach, return to paradise</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqiPlx91PEI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/rwoaZxJ-ug0/s1600-h/doughnuts.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqiPlx91PEI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/rwoaZxJ-ug0/s400/doughnuts.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379707634124667970" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">sixty seventh doughnut!</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Don't worry Mom, the Japanese don't know what it means either, we are not the only ones!<br /><br />Then Luke and I decided that to build a wardrobe here we couldn't do it all at once, so everytime we go shopping at the mall we were going to get ourselves one thing to add to our wardrobe that was "Japanese".</div></div></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sqh2VPIyyUI/AAAAAAAAAIw/Y61NnGFB-Io/s1600-h/purse.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sqh2VPIyyUI/AAAAAAAAAIw/Y61NnGFB-Io/s400/purse.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379679862106802498" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Luke gets a man-purse!</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">It's really not girly, it has a clasp so it can be clipped to your beltloop, or you can put your belt through the back or there is a strap so you can wear it across your chest. Now don't judge too soon! Most men in Japan have something like this just out of necessity. We have to carry an obscene amount of change here and you can't just put it in your pocket. The lowest amount on a paper bill is 1000 yen (like $10) and everything under that is change! So yeah he got a man-purse and I make him carry all the change!<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq2NNXgJ1jI/AAAAAAAAAK4/CPhe-6dnceA/s1600-h/my+watch.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 166px; height: 124px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Sq2NNXgJ1jI/AAAAAAAAAK4/CPhe-6dnceA/s400/my+watch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381112390564304434" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">I got an awesome new watch! Very Japanese!<br /></span></div>Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-73050904157524210642009-09-04T11:19:00.011+09:002009-09-14T09:29:17.149+09:00Food updateHere are some pictures of the food and drink that we have had, that I had to get off of Luke's phone. Enjoy and if you have questions just post a comment.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB7cJ5GNzI/AAAAAAAAAHY/q4XKtNlGOjw/s1600-h/sake.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 166px; height: 124px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB7cJ5GNzI/AAAAAAAAAHY/q4XKtNlGOjw/s400/sake.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377433678702327602" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Here is the sake that the Mayor presented to me as a gift. Currently we are one bottle down!<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB7LnmoSkI/AAAAAAAAAHI/-CJ5uunx2S4/s1600-h/luke%27s+curry+and+mac.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB7LnmoSkI/AAAAAAAAAHI/-CJ5uunx2S4/s400/luke%27s+curry+and+mac.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377433394620156482" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Luke's wonderful curry that he made for me and then insisted on putting on his mac and cheese creation the next day for leftovers. I wasn't brave enough to try it, even though he said it was good.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB7LRMAoLI/AAAAAAAAAHA/dHtE6jA3z68/s1600-h/japanese+goulash.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB7LRMAoLI/AAAAAAAAAHA/dHtE6jA3z68/s400/japanese+goulash.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377433388602925234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">In our apartment in Waukee Luke would make this goulash type thing for me that was always so good and homey. On a particularly rough day for me, when I was feeling blue, Luke whipped this up for me and it tasted almost the same, different and still good. Thanks honey for reminding me of home!</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB7MKfGO9I/AAAAAAAAAHQ/5YP6NmNRCuw/s1600-h/Luke%27s+Ramen.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB7MKfGO9I/AAAAAAAAAHQ/5YP6NmNRCuw/s400/Luke%27s+Ramen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377433403983805394" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Some of the cuisine from the ramen shop across the street. This is Luke's plate on our first trip there.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB7K1WQWcI/AAAAAAAAAG4/o3yjujKoUM4/s1600-h/amazing+ramen.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB7K1WQWcI/AAAAAAAAAG4/o3yjujKoUM4/s400/amazing+ramen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377433381129705922" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">My AMAZING spicy ramen. This may be the tastiest thing I have eaten since being here. It was so good I had to have it again a week later. If you visit you are going to eat this, it is a must!<br /></span></div>Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-78152129126496891682009-09-04T11:19:00.008+09:002009-09-10T14:20:33.476+09:00Another party, and it won't be the last!My first day of work with the children at the afterschool program was September 1st. Luke and I went to the Mayor's office first to formally receive our track suits. As with anything formal, you have to look nice, and the only nice shoes I have are a beautiful pair of camel colored peep-toe heels. Great looking, but when you have to ride your mountain bike for ten minutes then hike up a 45 degree incline hill to get to your destination heels are not the thing to be wearing! By the time I could change into my track suit I had three blisters on my feet but was relieved to be in my running shoes.<br /><br />After we were presented with our track suits the Mayor said that we should have a welcome party for me, for starting work, and what the Mayor says goes! Everyone was informed and we celebrated that evening. Tons of food of course.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB6yNc7VwI/AAAAAAAAAGw/fMXnNkf0OP0/s1600-h/all+the+food.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB6yNc7VwI/AAAAAAAAAGw/fMXnNkf0OP0/s400/all+the+food.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377432958103410434" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">See all the plates...those aren't even half the plates we used! Lots of courses.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;">I don't know what we were thinking. The first course that came out, and in my mind the only course, was a giant tray of meat. Big platter, six different kinds of meat to grill on the grill in the middle of the table. This in my opinion is the way every meal should be eaten! Now you can cook and have conversation and eat all at once in one spot. Totally cool.<br />Se we ate soooooo much meat and I was very full and then more food was brought out from the kitchen...kimchi and veggies to grill and then noodles and many other things. We had to try it all but I was sooooo stuffed by the time we went home it was crazy. I should have remembered that it would be a multi course thing, all these welcome parties are. Oh well, it was fun and we did manage to try it all so I will know what to order next time.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB6xdK-eVI/AAAAAAAAAGo/IDaoBr_xwWQ/s1600-h/mayor.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB6xdK-eVI/AAAAAAAAAGo/IDaoBr_xwWQ/s400/mayor.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377432945143216466" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Me and Luke with the Mayor.<br /></span></div>Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-23871964816992397202009-08-31T10:34:00.005+09:002009-09-10T14:39:46.052+09:00Something amazing!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqiI9jM-JvI/AAAAAAAAAJA/pMuAL_6NkbA/s1600-h/who+would+have+guessed.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 166px; height: 124px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqiI9jM-JvI/AAAAAAAAAJA/pMuAL_6NkbA/s400/who+would+have+guessed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379700345897101042" border="0" /></a>Oh yes! That is what it looks like! Oh heavenly brats....how I am glad I found you. These precious gems were found at the liquor store next to our grocery store. Apparently they have quite a large selection of imported foods for pretty reasonable prices. Only about 700 yen for these bad boys. (Around $7 US) We found spices, pasta all sorts of things that we really enjoy cooking with! Thank you Yamaya!Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-29306684507702636802009-08-31T10:33:00.013+09:002009-09-10T14:03:32.055+09:00It's a gatheringLast weekend my husband and I headed to the closest city for a party. It was a gathering for all the JETs in the Miyagi prefecture. It certainly was an adventure. <br /><br />After scheduling two wrong hotels we showed up with a friend at his hotel to check in and managed to get a room, for the same price but it was a smoking room :( Smallest hotel room I have ever stayed in, but not too bad.<br /><br />The bar that we were meeting at was definitely not big enough for the party. We had half the small bar to ourselves, but there were 40-50 JETs. Suposidly free drinks although I only had one because the waitstaff was so small they couldn't handle the drink orders. Not worth the money we paid to get in the door but it was nice to meet some other people that do what Luke does, who speak English, and many from countries other than America.<br /><br />After the bar the plan was to go to karaoke or something but we ended up going to a Jazz Club instead. Very cool to find one in Japan and they had live music that was pretty decent.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqCU_XU7d9I/AAAAAAAAAIA/9FQmeMtrH2s/s1600-h/l%26l.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqCU_XU7d9I/AAAAAAAAAIA/9FQmeMtrH2s/s400/l%26l.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377461771394840530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Interesting how things get funnier the later you stay up!</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqCVAMSM9WI/AAAAAAAAAII/ayR54FqZb2w/s1600-h/l%26l2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqCVAMSM9WI/AAAAAAAAAII/ayR54FqZb2w/s400/l%26l2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377461785610483042" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Now that's a good one. Thanks to Eric Chan for the photos.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">We left the Jazz club around 11:00 or 11:30 and headed to the hotel. I know this sounds early for a night on the town, but when you spend most nights just relaxing after an intense brain workout and bed around 9 or 9:30, staying up until 11 is a big deal! I know, we are getting old!<br /><br />Eric said he knew the way back to our hotel so we had nothing to worry about, and he did, although it seems that there are like 3 hotels in the chain that we booked in the city and we were at the wrong one! Yeah, we managed to find all the other hotels before we got to ours at 1:30AM! Totally the best part of the night. Thanks Eric!!!<br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></div><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></div>Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-51291117838650091882009-08-31T10:33:00.012+09:002009-09-10T13:52:29.389+09:00Track suits and hidden viewsOh the joy of track suits...<br /><br />We went with Luke's advisor, Reiko Watanabe, to the sports store so we both could get track suits. As I have mentioned in an earlier post, the Mayor is gifting both of us track suits, so off we went to the store to find the right one.<br /><br />Reiko-san said we had a budget of one maan each, which is a little over $100. We were very greatful, not only have I never owned a track suit before but now I was about to own a top of the line track suit!<br /><br />When we get to the track suit section Reiko-san goes straight up to the guy working there and says that we want to see the track suits that are one maan, no more no less. Luke and I looked at each other. In America if you have $100 you can get several track suits or even get a cheaper one to save the person buying the present some money, but no, we were getting a $100 track suit exactly!<br /><br />So I pick out one to try on, find what I think is my size and one bigger just in case and get in the dressing room. Low and behold the smaller size fit! It was awesome, I thought I looked good. I open the door and Reiko-san is standing outside with Luke. Luke tells me it looks good and she just looks at me and says that it doesn't look comfortable...<br /><br />So after many smacks on my ass and telling me that I am too big and the store doesn't have sizes to fit me, and trying on MEN's track suits, AND matching suits with my husband, I ended up getting the first suit is the larger size that I hadn't tried on...<br /><br />Needless to say, Japan has a huge weight complex. I thought that it was just America but no, I think Japan is worse, they are in your face about it too.<br /><br />Anyway, moving on. The day did get better. On the way home Reiko-san took us to this place behind our house up in the mountains that we didn't know about. We will have to bike up there some weekend.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB75WlIJpI/AAAAAAAAAHo/m1Fxf0qgIMI/s1600-h/hideaway.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB75WlIJpI/AAAAAAAAAHo/m1Fxf0qgIMI/s400/hideaway.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377434180324435602" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Hey Lindsey look! Me in front of the hidden lake high in the mountains behind our house. A definite biking spot some weekend.<br /></span></div>Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-81436152430763104962009-08-31T10:32:00.006+09:002009-09-04T11:49:35.920+09:00On my ownI finally went out on my own...on my bike...in a new direction...and found something awesome! I have written about the 7-11 that I frequented before I acquired Blue Steel, well I headed in that direction with the plan of passing the 7-11 and just seeing where that road goes. No need to get lost, just take the same road so you can find your way back. And that was a great idea.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB9bWx6C3I/AAAAAAAAAHw/xsIjbAqsiwc/s1600-h/IMG_3180.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB9bWx6C3I/AAAAAAAAAHw/xsIjbAqsiwc/s400/IMG_3180.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377435864005217138" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The road I took goes straight into Taiwa Town at the foot of the mountains. Just a short trip out my front door and I can be at the mountains! How sweet is that?!<br /></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB9b6SXnCI/AAAAAAAAAH4/onZaWyjkpXA/s1600-h/IMG_3184.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SqB9b6SXnCI/AAAAAAAAAH4/onZaWyjkpXA/s400/IMG_3184.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377435873536613410" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Once on the other side of town there are no buildings to obscure the view. Just rice fields and these flowers.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;">I got a late start and left after lunch and had to be home to have dinner with Luke so I was only gone for about an hour. I will have to come back here and explore if there is a way up the mountain. But it was a beautiful day and Luke was right, when it's sunny out the rice fields blowing in the wind really does look like the ocean. Totally awesome!<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></div></div>Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-56637626764886990622009-08-31T10:30:00.003+09:002009-09-04T11:10:32.883+09:00Luke's first day<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Spsn8PwflRI/AAAAAAAAAFw/WCJGAJJ5FVQ/s1600-h/IMG_3170.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/Spsn8PwflRI/AAAAAAAAAFw/WCJGAJJ5FVQ/s320/IMG_3170.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375934496172381458" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Just thought everyone should see what he looks like on his first day teaching for real...with kids.</span> <br /></div>Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623748001942168398.post-66161372746034348392009-08-31T10:26:00.002+09:002009-09-04T11:09:13.196+09:00View from the topOk so I know I haven't posted in a while, but lets face it, between moving to another country, going to welcome parties (of which we still have more to attend) and starting a new job, not to mention biking around town to get to know the place, we have been a little busy here. <br /><br />So I did happen to ride to Ohira Castle and here is the view from the top overlooking the countryside and part of our town.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SpsnlBUr6hI/AAAAAAAAAFg/OPDH8OUkZ_E/s1600-h/IMG_3124.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SpsnlBUr6hI/AAAAAAAAAFg/OPDH8OUkZ_E/s320/IMG_3124.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375934097160661522" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">You can see our apartment in this picture. It's the grey building behind the white square to the right of the blue sign....ok well I can see the apartment I don't know about you!<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SpsnlrKGUiI/AAAAAAAAAFo/Hl5iydhWo5Y/s1600-h/IMG_3128.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yXuKOT_JYg0/SpsnlrKGUiI/AAAAAAAAAFo/Hl5iydhWo5Y/s320/IMG_3128.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375934108390543906" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">To the right of the last picture you have this view. These mountains are part of the seven mountains of Taiwa. Future camping trip?</span></span><br /></div></div>Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18340621859980617290noreply@blogger.com0