Oh, Did I mention we are back in Japan?

Thanks Mom, for calling me a slacker...:-)

So yeah, we have been back in Japan for like three weeks now.  I may have forgotten to mention that since I have not updated since we evacuated.  Sorry 'bout that.

In other news, We are back in Japan and glad to be home.  The trip stateside was an unexpected bit of fun of course.  We stayed ~3 weeks in New Jersey with Jon's parents.  The kids were thrilled to see the older cousins three whole times during our trip!  Plus they met and played with the baby cousins too.  Which they loved, but the elder two are the same age and hence more exciting (sorry Jeff, yours will grow:-)  As an added bonus we also saw Great-grandpa Cies (Dadju) and the extended family on the Greek side (for Greek Easter, which means yummy food!)  We also had a mere 5 days in Illinois with my family.  There was a wonderful family gathering for Good Friday (one of the traditional extended family celebrations for someone I am sure) and there were much loved cousins and chickens to play with.

Alexandra was 'homeschooled'.  We went with the unschooling method of learning for the most part, but threw some math and time and writing in there for good measure...also that girl can consume some chapter books!  You would never know she could not read in October.  Thor was on break from school for part of it, but really he is in PreK/Kindergarten and we like Waldorf methods where academics don't start until 1st grade anyways; conveniently this is the same philosophy the Japanese follow.
The plan (HA!) was to fly to NJ, stay a couple weeks, fly to IL stay until recalled, then fly back to Japan from Chicago (since that is the layover).    In reality after being told it would be a week before departing, we had two days notice that we were being evacuated voluntarily departed. The flight to NJ was on March 29th.  We still figured a couple weeks there and then to IL for the brunt of the evac. departure.  We stayed an extra week in NJ so we could be sure to see all the cousins and I bought a one way ticket to Milwaukee for each of us for the 25th of April.  Since the layover between NJ and Japan is at O'Hare, Jon confirmed that we could depart to Japan from Chicago and just do the first leg on our own (no additional cost to the gov).  Instead the week before we left to IL the DOD announces they are bringing the departed home by the 2nd of May.  That sucks since it significantly cuts down on time in IL, but those are the breaks.  During the hubbub of paperwork Jon has to file and refile they decide that we have to fly home from NJ...they don't want to cut out the leg of the flight and on and on and on blah blah blah.  So here we are getting ready to go to IL, having to decide if it is worth it to fly out on Monday, fly back on the weekend and then fly to Japan, though O'hare, on Monday.  Could Jon convince them to fly us from O'hare, is it worth the hassle, do we pack to fly to Japan for a quick trip...lots of angst and all.

Net net, there was another set of one-ways purchased, We went to IL, the kids and I saw the lovely Detroit airport (nice one btw) returned to NJ on Saturday, drove ~3hrs for Greek Easter on Sunday (and back again) and then flew to Chicago and then Japan on Monday/Tuesday.  Fairly annoying, but it turned out well in the end and hey, more stories to tell.

It was great to spend unexpected time with the families and we did enjoy the trip.  I wish there could have been more time in Il, but at least we saw everyone at least once! (BTW I wish I had said it at the dinner table, but thank you so much to my Parents and Siblings, neices and nephews, Aunts and Uncles and Cousins who  skipped Good Friday service to come and have a family dinner and see me and the kids. I was so thrilled to see all of you and love you very much.  Being so far from all of you is the only downside to marrying a man who earned a degree in Ocean Engineering.  {{{hugs}}})  (Sorry for the sap trap there).

The plane ride home was long, but the kids did sleep for a portion of it and watched Shrek for the first and second time, so that was fun for them.  There were lots of women and children on the return flight, but many others returning home or visiting Japan.  Though the plane was tight, it was heartwarming to see a full flight of people headed to Japan.  Once we landed my gallant husband braved the Tokyo traffic to pick us up and drive us home.  I say that not really in jest.  There was another mom I talked to who, after landing, had to wait another 3 hours for the base bus transport because her husband was scared to drive the hour to Narita airport.  Seriously?  Man up!  Plus going straight home instead of adding another leg to the trip was really nice.

Just want to mention that there was a huge rushing sound there for about two minutes and the rapture did flash through my mind, but I think it was just some drag racers.  At any rate I am still here, so either I'm not going or it did not happen.  Not to surprised either way:-)

Back to the story.
We are home.  The kids are back in school.  Thor is now a Kindergartner, A is still in 1st grade.  Io is desperate to go outside whenever her siblings do.  The weather is currently lovely, but it is suppose to rain all of June.  Not having Daylight Savings Time is odd.  The sun rises about 4:30am and sets around 7pm.  It is strange to wake up at 5am and have the sun already up, it makes me feel late.  We missed the cherry trees blooming, but saw the wisteria and azalias and now it the time of Iris festivals.  The house still has no dressers, but we do have a couch and carpet and tv now.  I love it all except the tv.  The tv-less time in the house was so nice...no begging for shows less fighting and screaming.  But now there is Disney again a couple times a week so all is well in my children's world.  On the plus side Io mostly ignores it so I don't have to worry about her getting any screen time. 

We had an awesome day at two nearby parts the weekend of my B-day.  First was the Sledding park, there is a big hill with plastic grass holders on it.  The city loans out sleds that the kids can (hey!) sled down the hill on.  It is great fun for all.  There is also a skate park there.  We brought A's scooter with and she went on the park (not sharing with T).  Jon bought Thor his very own scooter so now they are rockin' the skate park with all the other kids.  Then we left there and went to Kanazaki Park.  It is like a state park with a beach and trails amphitheater and various things.  We hiked 20 min to the short slide park.  It was up-(steep)hill the whole way, but so worth it.  The playground set is about 1/5th of a mile long and leads to these slides.  The slides are made up of a series of many small rollers, aka like the old conveyer belts that dad moved the green bean boxes on.  There was a web-like trampoline and a climbing wall for kids.  Way Awesome.  There is another play area with longer slides that we may hike to soon...it is another 15 min past the first one!  The walk back down was short, especially with the kids whizzing down on the scooters :-)  I had to go back up and find T's dropped jacket, but that means a quiet walk back to the car during which I was able to examine all kinds of plants.  They had jack-in-the-pulpits growing right along the trail, and ferns galore and beautiful trees.  Very nice.  By the way, informational signs found on trails are not nearly as interesting if you cannot read them, but we stopped to try anyway.

Hmm what else...things are generally back to normal in Yokosuka.  Everyone is trying to conserve power, so fewer lights on in homes and stores, but AC mostly won't be an issue for a couple weeks yet.  The base commander seems very surprised that usage is creeping up...perhaps due to all the families that are coming back???  Sigh.  Fresh produce is still available they test it and certain areas may no longer produce.  I hate to think of the farmers who have lived on the land for generations being told that their soil is toxic and they may no longer farm.  Land is so \precious here...where can they go?  It is the story for anyone who owns land in the evacuation areas, but so much more for the farmers who have more than a house lot and really know their land. 

The air and drinking water are clear.  I worry about the seafood, but the kids and I don't eat it much anyways and none of us, Jon included, are fond of the filter feeding clams and such.  It is clamming season here,  there are kits for sale in the 100yen shop.  I would love to take the kids out to try it, but feel guilty collecting if we won't eat them.  Perhaps we will go and just give them to some one else. 

There have not really been earthquakes since we returned.  I have only felt one and it was small.  A worries about it, but she seems to be able to put the worry aside and play with the friends.  One benefit to the evac. is that many families have not returned yet.  They are finishing the school year state-side, so her class is down to 16 kids, one of which is a neighbor boy whom they are fond of.   I finally had the parking spot certified.  I had a whole day at home today (except for kid pick-up).  Jon is on a trip this week, but returns tomorrow (Saturday) presumably with local honey.

We are getting back to normal.  It is a relief.




Things I have noticed in Japan.
1.  They do have buttons are some of the cross walks (standing around for 10 minutes gets you looking for such things)
2.  It is a HUGE complement to tell a native speaker that they speak English well.  They never believe you.
3.  Everyone sweeps the street in front of their homes, and scrubs the stoop (guess who was chastised).
4.  You really have to watch when driving since a car may be parked in the driving lane along almost any curb.
5.  American kids are really loud, I was actually shocked to hear a Japanese toddler throw a tantrum.  It was the loudest noise I have heard from a native child!

PS I have seen multiple articles about this lately and would like to inform any who care that I double space after my sentences not out of ignorance (anymore) but out of habit.  Plus I think it looks nicer.

Told you I would start slacking!

Well turns out I only write regularly when Jon is `not` home...but here I am again.  Jon is not gone, just working his new normal of ten hour days again.  So...

Since updating you last month we have had more adventures of course!
Also I had the warning about using kids names on the web, good advice which I should have used from the start.  The past posts will be updated but my eldest is now Al, the middle is TJ and the youngest is Io.  And onto it we go...

  Al & TJ and Io and I headed off on our first solo foray on the trains...off to the mall.  We paid a bill at the 7/11, because in Japan all the utility bills have barcodes and almost any place with a scanner will let you pay the bill there.  Talk about easy!  There is a Shinto shrine at our local train station.  Very nice tree behind it, maybe the reason for the shrine.  Had a nice time and the kids did not complain too much about all the walking.  They seem to be getting used to it.  Also discovered a new favorite candy.  Melty Kisses.  Seriously good.  Luckily (and I normally do not like this) they are all individually wrapped so you have to think about each one that you are eating instead of letting one after another melt in your mouth.  Send me your address...I'll send you a box (or two, no need to be cruel!).

TJ, Io, a friend (who happens to speak Japanese) and I went to register our driveway...yes that is right we have to prove that since we have a car, we also have a place to park it.  It is illegal to park on the streets overnight in Yokosuka, and much of Japan.  So we hopped on the train going opposite from the mall and went for a ride.  Off to the police station we went managing to not get lost along the way.  Yeah us!
I, of course, did not bring the car registration so it was a futile trip, but I now know where to go next time, and I did score a broom.  Outside they use an old-fashioned broom-brush branch broom, and I have a ton of little rocks in my driveway but could not find an outdoor broom until that day.  Now the rocks are gone, and since Japanese tend not to show public amusement at people, I did not get any funny looks on the train. 

I also went to our second Preschool tour.  This was the one!  TJ is now enrolled in Mabori Kaigon Preschool and Kindergarten.  It is the local Japanese kinder. but my neighbors daughter volunteered to be my translator.  (She even rewrote my application into Japanese)  Aoi  (ah-oh-ee) has a son in TJ's class who speaks a hint of English plus the other two English speaking kids in the school are in his class also.  One is fluent in both Japanese and English so he is the little translator. :-)  TJ now wears button up shirts and zipper shorts to school every day.  Previously he has refused all but elastic, but now he gets to wear shorts in winter so that makes up for it.  Did I also mention the tights...it gets cold here man! There is a little blue hat, jacket and shorts plus a white shirt to wear to school.  When the kids get there they change into a different pair of shorts (elastic) and cover the white shirt with another blue smock.  I have to hand wash that smock almost every night because he gets it so filthy!  At lease I can get blackmail money from the pictures some day.  The children have mud to play in and a garden to grow and lots of room to run around, plus we can bike there in three minutes.  Lots of good stuff about this school, including the fact that I am alone with Io to enjoy her babyhood again.  That boy can be exhausting!

Jon returned home safe and sound and fairly tired.  Caught the bus to base and we picked him up there.  There was a little welcome home party.  Ya know the kind where the kids get a bunch of presents:-)  

So TJ has started school and I am 5 year-old-less during the day.  It allowed me to go on a field trip to the post office with Al and get a few more things put away...still looking for those dressers and bookshelves.  I did find laundry sorters, who knew what a relief that could be?  I even had a haircut.  Woo-hoo! Now it is time to start going exploring, small jaunts, but I should be able to get around a bit with the baby on my back.

A couple weekends ago Jon decided it was time for us to go on an adventure to Yokohoma.  Let me be more specific, Jon decided it was time for us to go on an adventure to the big camera shop turn toy store in Yokohoma!  So Saturday afternoon we hopped on the train and took off on our first real family outing.  Everyone enjoyed the train since we managed to get seats.  The kids looked out for cave trolls (lots of tunnels out here) and Io amused herself by amusing the Japanese...who all LOVE her little blonde smillyness!  We arrived, found our way and got lost on the 6th floor (toys).  They have all kinds of stuff here that aren't on the shelves in the US.  They also have all kinds of stuff here that is either twice as much or half as much depending on the toy.  Jon and TJ went gaga over the transformers and such.  Al just loves the many manga girls in very short skirts who look so pretty on all the posters...actually Jon likes that too!  I am saddened by the lack of wooden toys here, but it is an island and they are Shintoists so I guess I understand.  Plus we already have enough toys, so it is for the best.  Instead I try to remind myself that all the children I know can wait for their birthdays to get really weird random stuff from Japan.  Hello Kitty sushi set anyone?  (actually I gave Genny dibs on that one, but can get another if needed).

  After shopping and not buying too much stuff to carry home we went to a resturant.  Until this day I did not realize how spoiled we are in Yokosuka.  This close to the Navy base there are translated menus and really good plastic food replica of restaurant menus.  We picked a nice looking place that smelled good.  They had a menu, could not tell you what was on it though.  So we pointed to a couple pictures and a couple random lines in the menu and hoped for the best.  We did not quite get it, but at least dinner was edible and varied.  There was a decent soup with ramen noodles and seaweed.  Then there was the yakitori (bird on a stick) and the pork version of the same.  But in Japan they do not just eat the meat, there was meat on a stick, liver on a stick (Al liked that even after we told her what it was), cartilage on a stick, skin on a stick, fat on a stick.  All cooked and edible, kinda.  Just not quite what we had in mind.  I did like the salad dressing though!  So after dinner Jon got us lost going the total wrong direction to the Toys R Us.  But I did finally get a winter coat when we found an LL Bean so it worked out (for me at least). 

Jon had his first big drive in Japan this last week.  He has been biking about 4 miles to work almost every day, not rain nor sleet nor windy day keeps him off the bike.  It helps that we only have one car and he wants me to have it for emergencies. Great for getting in a workout, but he has not had as much practice driving with the Japanese. So he went off to the airport in Tokyo; talk about jumping into the fire!  He managed to get there but missed some turns on the way back. It seemed like he was showing his new intern around the area...yeah...that's EXCTALLY what he was doing...a tour.  Sure.  But he did not crash and did get her to the Navy Lodge.  He also drove us out to his boss's birthday party, which was a nice bit of grown-up time (plus the kids, but still).  We had a chance to meet the new girl (the only female engineer in engineering btw).  She seems very nice and exuberant.  Very excited to tour around and party in Japan.  His poor intern thinks she is making out on a government funded vacation to Japan for three months.  The girl has never been on a ship.  I almost feel bad for her, but if she actually works hard she will learn a lot from Jon.  If not at least Jon will be amused getting a lot of work out of her crawling through bilges and fuel tanks.  And I get to hear the stories with his embellishments.  Most of you have heard Jon's stories...the embellishments are the best part:-)

Thus far we have had sushi and tempura, hot Soba noodles, food on a stick, meat grilled on a little hot grill in front of you (dif. from the hibachi grills), a steak dinner at Family Garden (local Italian joint) and some surprisingly tasty meals at a tea house down the road.  We have not hit all the food types yet, but slowly will get there. 

So if I had written the blog as often as I planned there would have been more fun/boring details, but hey, you now know we are still alive so that is what really counts right?  Though if I wrote more often perhaps my postings wouldn't be quite so long. Hmmm.

Next time...We have a playdate and Al goes to the Aquarium and who knows what else...

More different things about Japan:
  They wrap everything in plastic here  I bought two carrots...they put them in a bag and then a bag.
      Luckily they also recycle everything here so I don't mind too much.
  Those SARs masks are for allergies too.  It is hayfever season with the bloomings and more people are wearing them than usual.
   Going really slow feels(25mph) really fast on narrow roads with drivers that change lanes all the time.
  Also it does not feel as slow because there are no mph on the speedometer to compare it too (vs driving in Canada)
  The Seahawks are crazy.  I had to take Io's granola bar away because I saw one ready to swoop at the park.
  Japanese bath (soaking) tubs rock!
  If a head of lettuce (for example) is pricier than the one next to it, it is because it was grown on the island instead of China
   I find I am not ~quite~ so opposed to things made in China now that it does not have to go around the world to get to me...unless it is in the base commissary, in which case it went around the world twice. 
  If I bow to you when I talk to you one the phone, at least you cannot see me and laugh, unless it is on skpye and then I am screwed.  (btw just look up my name if you want to skype some time!)
  New furniture tends to be a little bland here, but the antique is beautiful, and the price proves it!
 Al's new Japanese word...ichi kudasai  "one please"   Mine is Mizu "water"


Have a lovely tomorrow!
Christine

Daddy Missed the Snow

  Since barely anyone in Japan knows about this blog and you all live to far away to break into my house, if you could find it!  I will say that Jon is in the states for two weeks and it kinda sucks.  He has an audit of the San Diego Navy base to attend this week, then since he is "so close" anyways he is hopping a plane to NJ and to meet his new nephew and see his parents, and pick-up things that we left behind in the rush to get out here.

In the mean time we sit at home and twiddle our thumbs and wait ever so patiently for him to return to us...
or, ya know, not.

So last week was busy since Jon was working all hours in prep for his two week absence.  The kids each had a Daddy lunch so they had a bit of one-on-one with him. (Thor picked the chief's club for the ice cream sundae and Alexandra picked pizza on her day off from school)

Wednesday we went preschool hunting.  There is a nice international school up the hill from the base.  The uniform for boys is hot pants and suspenders with a white shirt (really, shorts all year round, Thor is thrilled.)  There is a bus for the preschool so he would be gone from 7:30 to ~1:30.  Can you imagine!  I think all the schools here have buses just to avoid the parent pick-up traffic. We visited the class he would be in, a whole bunch of little dark-haired Japanese children and then a little blond boy.  Just the opposite from the Playgarden and its sea of light haired children with the occasional dark-haired!  He liked it but was too shy to leave us to talk to any of the kids...I use talk loosely since ~maybe~ one speaks English.  But Thor wants to learn Japanese and he already likes the foods (school provides a Japanese lunch daily).  Jon was saying each child's name.  They took turns jumping in front of him so that he could butcher the name and they could laugh.  It was great fun.

The children do get to wear shoes inside, but it is separate indoor shoes.  There were slippers waiting for us for the tour.  They bring a toothbrush in a special bag and a calendar bag and gym clothes in a bag and have a musical instrument (in a bag) they learn...it is like a little keyboard but you blow into it.  Some horrible amalgam of a 80's bagpipe gone wrong.  But there is a concert at the end of the year!  The school is large, the interesting thing being that is is open air, literally there are windows that overlap but do not touch in order to let fresh air in at all times.  So it was COLD when we were there.  Waldorf places such an emphasis on warmth for the children, it is an interesting twist for me.

After the preschool trip, Jon and Thor did lunch and Ioanna and I strolled off down Blue St. to the Mikasa Mall.  I purchased my fancy new Droid phone, I am still not sure what it cost.  I barely understand cell phone contracts in the states, try adding a completely different language to it!  The saleslady was very nice and I think she let me cut in front of 5 other people who were patiently waiting in line.  (I did not see the number tabs and she did not correct me).  All in all I have a droid, she changed the presets to English so I can mostly understand what it is telling me, and I already installed the lightsaber app, much to the kid amusement:-)

However I only have one person in my address book, Jon ... A little sad really but it shall grow.  It shall grow.
I also popped into a craft store and a the local yarn shop.  I did not buy anything, but it was fun to look.  Plus I found the next craft kit to send my nieces way, after they tire of jabbing fingers with sharp felting needles:-)  Bumped into a knitting group lady there...I would put her in my address book, but she is also a new arrival and does not have a phone yet.  Actually she joined the kids and I on a trip to the commissary and we took her home..an awesome place, four stories up the side of a mountain.  She is already tired of the stairs and only moved in the day before.  However she says she can see Yokohama (17 mi away) from her bedroom on the top floor.    

Thursday the children and I jumped on our bikes (I mentioned my kickin' pink bike last time) and we explored the pedestrian walkway that lines the opposite side of our park.  To the left (west) it heads half a mile to the train station.  To the right it probably trails a mile to a new 'super awesome' park.  It has a tall climbing net, a 4-way see-saw and even has a zip line (obviously the best part).  Ioanna laughed and laughed when I took her down it!  The yards we passed were beautiful and very small.  The Japanese really work to connect with nature in the littlest ways to make up for the fact that they as so snugly packed together.  I cannot wait for spring and the big blooming trees.

The big news of the week was Sunday's snow storm...We maybe got 1/8th an inch.  It started as a few short flurries, but there was a good 30min of storm.  A grassy snowball fight ensued at the park with some other American kids who came out to play.  No Japanese kids, which I thought odd.  I was feeling pretty grumpy before forcing myself outside with the kids, but a snowfall always clears the air.  Alexandra and Thor laughed, I took pictures and chased down Ioanna who was entranced and trying to escape to the main road.  Met another neighbor, a fellow ex-pat as he called himself.  (Are you an ex-pat if you work for the US in a foreign country?)  Ioanna's first snowfall and the elders first at home.  We have been telling them it does not snow here, I am glad we were wrong.  It all melted and hour after sundown, but was lovely while it lasted.  Wish Jon was here to enjoy it.

Monday and Tuesday have been quiet.  I continue unpacking.  Thor goofs and plays, Ioanna practices climbing up and down stairs (Alexandra taught her how to come down on Saturday) and A goes to school comes home and grumps about.  Tonight we knocked on our backdoor neighbor's door (they speak English well) and received a restaurant rec.  He offered to drive so we could follow him, but it is just down the (scary, narrow, cliffside) road so I declined.  It was a nice place in a hotel  I have my firt beef curry, The kids had the "kids set" which consisted of 1st course: cream of corn soup (popular here, Thor liked it) 2nd course fried shrimp and chicken and 3rd course a hamburger & fries (more like a salsbury steak w/no bun).  the Fries ROCKED!  4th course Ice cream (I had a cream puff. Yum!)  All for 900 yen  ~$9.  Ioanna just double fisted the rice with curry sauce and a piece of fried chicken and a french fry wedge.  American-ish.  I was hoping for more Japanese, but new is good.  High point...On the way there way a huge sunset view of Mt. Fugi, all pink and purple and lovely.  It was just on one of the parts on the scary cliff. 

Now the kids are in bed (except the boy, sigh) and I am updating you all on our life this week.  Jon is probably asleep and going to have delicious beach-side pizza again tomorrow (I actually miss (good) pizza quite a bit) while talking to strangers he can understand.  Man is he missing out!  I asked him how driving was going.  He made the solid point that I do almost all the driving right now since he is biking everywhere so he is having no problem back on the right side.

I will post pictures I promise, Jon is the picture guy and has been slacking.  I have no problem blaming it on him.

More different things about Japan.
1.  They pretend that they live in a tropic climate even though it gets cold!  Little insulation and air vents everywhere.
2.   No buttons at the crosswalks because they change for the walker all the time.  Pedestrians rule in the land of the rising sun...you must always yield.
3.  People don't complain if you budge in line, they just smile and let it pass.
4.  yokosuka = skinny man, fat man cooking on the stove, watching tv 
               That is what the characters for Yokosuka looks like (pronounced 'yokooska' btw, silent U)
5.  Moped drivers act like they are bad-ass and weave around traffic to the front of all stoplights ques.
6.  40 kpm feels much faster on skinny roads when you don't have mph to ref on the dashboard.

7.  Can you explain pesticides and organic and local foods in a foreign language you don't know?  Me neither.