On the Flip Side...of the Planet

So we are back in your neighborhood, at least in that we are most likely on the same continent and possible the same time zone.  I received word from Jon Thursday night (Mar 24th) that we would likely be leaving this week, Wed.  to Friday. It was nice to have a solid time table.  I went through the luggage and unpacked a couple of things, reorganized a bit and relaxed with the knowledge that we did not have to be on call to get up and go.

Then I got a call from Jon Friday morning telling me we were leaving Saturday morning.  Hmmm…  At least he called before we had left for the train station and our adventure.   Instead I sent the boy out back to play and repacked everything.  Again.

Luckily the wind had shifted Eastward and the air was safe again.  So the two eldest children went out to play after school, soon joined by baby and me.  They got out the wiggle and finally had some fresh air, saw some inu friends (dogs) and played in the universal language of kickball. 

Jon’s work command arranged for a bus to move evacuating departing SRF families to the airport Saturday morning, and there was room on the bus so he joined us for the ride and killing time at the airport.  We left at 11am Saturday.  Killed the time, said goodbye to Daddy, who caught the train home, and went through security.  Everything was fairly painless and we boarded our plane for the 6:05 pm departure.  The kids slept most of the time and watched a movie, we had salmon and noodles for dinner and pizza for lunch(?) with a sandwich in the middle.  We then landed at about 3:40pm, Saturday at O’hare Airport.  The lovely staff helped to get my numerous carry-ons, carseat and stroller off the plane (in part because I was holding them up), helped us to get a ride on the big beeping cart, smoothed our way to baggage and customs and wished us well.  We received a free luggage cart (in Ohare!!!) and collected the baggage just in time for a huge line of spring breakers to be headed into customs, but I with my stroller, luggage and three kids was diverted to the no line area;  a “we just evacuated from Japan” and a wave through got us to the handy baggage check-in point for connecting flights.  That was where my lovely parents popped out to surprise the kids and I and provide an escort to security for the connecting flight.  Plus some brief quality time with (and treats for) the grandkids.  Thanks Mom & Dad!

     We hopped though the security line (after removing Ioanna’s shoes and ours…no shoe removal in Japan btw) and had a treat of McDonalds for dinner(?) and boarded a mostly empty flight to Newark where we landed at about 10pm Saturday.  We had another lovely flight crew escort us and our carry-ons off the plane and down to the main area where a delighted A & T greeted Poppy.  We made it to the house by 11:30 pm where a pot of meatballs was waiting to greet us.  Yay Yai Yai!

All told we left 10:30am Saturday from our home in Japan and got in 11:30pm Saturday to the current home in NJ.  3 suitcases, 1 stroller, 1 carseat, 8 carry-on, and the children, one of which counts as a carryon seeing as she walked nary a step and I had to heft her the whole time.   The carseat and heaviest bag were in the stroller.   That was the longest Saturday of my life, about 30 hours if I am doing the math right, but I am still a bit jet lagged, so no promises.

So Jon is bach-ing it in Japan with all the other DOD Geo-bachelors (single by reason of the family being far away).  The men are petitioning the base captain for rights to the general mess so that they can feed themselves somewhat well.  Barring McD’s, the mess is the only place open on a regular basis and it seems many men don’t bother to put any time into meals for themselves.

     The radiation level in Yokosuka is going up and down, depending on the wind.  Some was found in the water (one of the three city sources so plenty of clean water still available).   No word on when the families will come back, but they are still trying to settle everything out so that is understandable.  We are roughly planning on 30 days plus processing time.  In the mean time we will hang with the grandparents and play outside in the freezing cold weather.  

I have my old phone reactivated so if you have my Florida number (904) you can give me a call or e-mail of course. 

Current plan:  New Jersey for 2 or 3 weeks, Illinois for the remaining and then home...Japan

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.