Hi All
It is Saturday morning and mom and I are getting ready to go back to the hospital to visit dad. He went back in the hospital on Thursday night as he develeped some swelling in his right ankle Wednesday night and after going to the doc and ER on Thursday they found he had a blood clot. So he is now back at Mercy and resting in the hospital bed with Heprin IV blood thinner dripping in, to dissolve the clot.
Mom and I will head to EP later to pick up relatives Esther, Jean and Margaret and then a quick visit with Bernie at the hospital before going to the scandinavian dinner of Lutefisk and Meatballs at mom and dad's church.
As of last night. He will still start his radiation on Monday afternoon.
Hope all is well with everyone
Karla
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Nov 5th, 2008 Bernard is home and happy Obama WON!!
Hi All
Just wanted to let you know I will be making my blog updates for the next few weeks while I am here in MN on the Caring Bridge sight which I have made to keep all of the family and friends up to date on my dad's current health issues.
Please go there to see what it is I am doing to keep busy each day while I help my folks pack up the house and take my dad to his daily raditaion treatments.
We just brought him home today from the rehab center and he will start radiation on Monday. He is hoping to go to the Lutefisk dinner at their church this weekend. Next weekend to the Packer game in Green Bay with Mark and the following week to the Iowa Gopher game with his nephew Mike from Iowa.
He walked around the block and down to the mailbox today when we got home and then slept most of the night in his chair while mom and I cleaned up before the nurse comes tomorrow. Already it feels better to have him here and not have to hang out at the rehab place and do nothing all day
Please feel free to call and or send letters, emails or make comments on either this blog or the caring bridge site. Bernie and Solvei would love to hear from each and everyone one of you
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bernardmslick
Good night
Karla and all
.
Just wanted to let you know I will be making my blog updates for the next few weeks while I am here in MN on the Caring Bridge sight which I have made to keep all of the family and friends up to date on my dad's current health issues.
Please go there to see what it is I am doing to keep busy each day while I help my folks pack up the house and take my dad to his daily raditaion treatments.
We just brought him home today from the rehab center and he will start radiation on Monday. He is hoping to go to the Lutefisk dinner at their church this weekend. Next weekend to the Packer game in Green Bay with Mark and the following week to the Iowa Gopher game with his nephew Mike from Iowa.
He walked around the block and down to the mailbox today when we got home and then slept most of the night in his chair while mom and I cleaned up before the nurse comes tomorrow. Already it feels better to have him here and not have to hang out at the rehab place and do nothing all day
Please feel free to call and or send letters, emails or make comments on either this blog or the caring bridge site. Bernie and Solvei would love to hear from each and everyone one of you
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bernardmslick
Good night
Karla and all
.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Oct 27- Nov 1st back to Minnesota with the Slick's
Jean and Karla made their way back to Minnesota and Wisconsin on Monday Oct 27th. We were supposed to leave at 3pm and arrive at noon of the same day....now figure that one out. We ended up leaving late as there was mechanical failures with the plane and in the end they ended up switching all of us to a different jet. We thankfully got here with no troubles and actually had quite an enjoyable and relaxing ride. I slept and so time flew by for me. (pun intended:-) Cindy picked us up at the airport and dropped me off at home. I am slowly adjusting to the time zone and now that I can get on this computer seem to be waking very early in the morning to play catch up for all the days that have passed me by. Yikes I have lots of bookwork to do.
Monday Oct 27th I just hung out around the house and got things in order, bought some groceries, went through mail, cleaned a bit as dust really accumulates in a closed up house.
Tuesday Oct 28th went to see my dad in the Innsbruck rehab center up in New Brighton MN where he is now residing and has been since his cancerous brain tumor was successfully removed on Dec 10th. My dad is doing well and having some physical and speech therapy (not for his speech but for spatial issues).
I have been staying up at my parent's house with my mom so to transport her to and fro to visit my dad. She does not drive and it looks like my dad will no longer be driving either. With his spacial difficulties we feel it would be too dangerous. We will watch and see how things go, but we are quite sure at this point, the reality is that he will drive no more. He is adjusting to that news. He too is having a bit of trouble with his left arm and leg. He does have bursitus in his left shoulder from years before and that seems to be giving him some trouble and soreness when doing his arm strenthening exercises. His spirits seem to be very good, though yesterday he talks of wanting to go home.
Wednesday Oct 29th we went to talk with the oncologist and she told us about the different options of chemo and radiation. She thought radiation would work best for dad at this time and so we are pretty sure we will take that route. We have an appointment on Tuesday Nov 4th to talk with the radiologist. After the doctors visit we took dad home so he could have dinner with us there and to have some time together to discuss things we just learned at the doc's office. He enjoyed being home again and was surprised at all the food we were preparing.
Thursday Oct 30th
I spent the day with mom and dad and getting voting ballots for them and then enjoyed a nice dinner and get together with my Honduran buddies Bob, Donna,Hoda, Dave and Steve at Michelle's. Was fun to see and chat with my friends again.
Friday Oct 31st---Happy Halloween !!!!
I spent most of the morning at my EP house on the phone with social workers, Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield while trying to find out what coverage we have for long term care,radiation and or chemo treatments. Also talked with some assisted living services and we will meet on Monday Nov 3rd to see what kinds of options we might have there as well. We are thinking it may be time to move mom and dad to another place besides the house where they have more access to things especially since neither of them drive. We are looking to get them closer to Mark and Lisa in St Paul as who knows when or where I will be living in the near future and it takes alot of time and energy for Mark to come this far north after work each day.
So we are busy trying to sort out many different ideas and aspects of this new found health crisis we have at hand. Helped mom and dad fill out their election ballots and then took dad for a ride in the wheel chair outside to enjoy some fresh air and the last of the fall colors here in MN. I was very happy to see some brillant colors upon my return here to MN, as they have yet to change in Japan and I presumed they were done already here in MN. Have enjoyed asking my dad who is a man of very few words, some questions from a book "Questions for my Father"--finding the man behind your dad that I had and learning more about his youth and the things he likes, what he thinks... Came home last night and had Taco Friday with my mom and then played some games of Sequence with her. She kicked my butt !!! No trick or treaters here, but we did see a few little ones that came to visit relatives at the rehab place :-(
Saturday Nov 1st
I am now here at my mom and dad's and will soon be going to the rehab center again to visit with my dad. I have to first drop off their absentee voting ballots at the court house. WOW...can I just say here, I can NOT believe all the money that has been spent on advertising for this upcoming election. We get so many advertisements in the mail each day, it makes me sad to think how many trees were destroyed to print all that junk mail that just gets tossed in the garbage.:-( I have only been here a few days but already I can't wait till election day is over. It has been interesting to come back to this side of the world and to see and hear all that is going on, as I really have heard nothing much for the last 4 months. I have NOT missed it at all.
We are going to check with the doctors to see if dad can come home and to see how he and mom cope here together. I will be here to supervise for the time I am in MN.
More soon
Monday Oct 27th I just hung out around the house and got things in order, bought some groceries, went through mail, cleaned a bit as dust really accumulates in a closed up house.
Tuesday Oct 28th went to see my dad in the Innsbruck rehab center up in New Brighton MN where he is now residing and has been since his cancerous brain tumor was successfully removed on Dec 10th. My dad is doing well and having some physical and speech therapy (not for his speech but for spatial issues).
I have been staying up at my parent's house with my mom so to transport her to and fro to visit my dad. She does not drive and it looks like my dad will no longer be driving either. With his spacial difficulties we feel it would be too dangerous. We will watch and see how things go, but we are quite sure at this point, the reality is that he will drive no more. He is adjusting to that news. He too is having a bit of trouble with his left arm and leg. He does have bursitus in his left shoulder from years before and that seems to be giving him some trouble and soreness when doing his arm strenthening exercises. His spirits seem to be very good, though yesterday he talks of wanting to go home.
Wednesday Oct 29th we went to talk with the oncologist and she told us about the different options of chemo and radiation. She thought radiation would work best for dad at this time and so we are pretty sure we will take that route. We have an appointment on Tuesday Nov 4th to talk with the radiologist. After the doctors visit we took dad home so he could have dinner with us there and to have some time together to discuss things we just learned at the doc's office. He enjoyed being home again and was surprised at all the food we were preparing.
Thursday Oct 30th
I spent the day with mom and dad and getting voting ballots for them and then enjoyed a nice dinner and get together with my Honduran buddies Bob, Donna,Hoda, Dave and Steve at Michelle's. Was fun to see and chat with my friends again.
Friday Oct 31st---Happy Halloween !!!!
I spent most of the morning at my EP house on the phone with social workers, Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield while trying to find out what coverage we have for long term care,radiation and or chemo treatments. Also talked with some assisted living services and we will meet on Monday Nov 3rd to see what kinds of options we might have there as well. We are thinking it may be time to move mom and dad to another place besides the house where they have more access to things especially since neither of them drive. We are looking to get them closer to Mark and Lisa in St Paul as who knows when or where I will be living in the near future and it takes alot of time and energy for Mark to come this far north after work each day.
So we are busy trying to sort out many different ideas and aspects of this new found health crisis we have at hand. Helped mom and dad fill out their election ballots and then took dad for a ride in the wheel chair outside to enjoy some fresh air and the last of the fall colors here in MN. I was very happy to see some brillant colors upon my return here to MN, as they have yet to change in Japan and I presumed they were done already here in MN. Have enjoyed asking my dad who is a man of very few words, some questions from a book "Questions for my Father"--finding the man behind your dad that I had and learning more about his youth and the things he likes, what he thinks... Came home last night and had Taco Friday with my mom and then played some games of Sequence with her. She kicked my butt !!! No trick or treaters here, but we did see a few little ones that came to visit relatives at the rehab place :-(
Saturday Nov 1st
I am now here at my mom and dad's and will soon be going to the rehab center again to visit with my dad. I have to first drop off their absentee voting ballots at the court house. WOW...can I just say here, I can NOT believe all the money that has been spent on advertising for this upcoming election. We get so many advertisements in the mail each day, it makes me sad to think how many trees were destroyed to print all that junk mail that just gets tossed in the garbage.:-( I have only been here a few days but already I can't wait till election day is over. It has been interesting to come back to this side of the world and to see and hear all that is going on, as I really have heard nothing much for the last 4 months. I have NOT missed it at all.
We are going to check with the doctors to see if dad can come home and to see how he and mom cope here together. I will be here to supervise for the time I am in MN.
More soon
Oct 25th Colorful Kyoto
After breakfast we got another daily bus pass and then were off to check out more of the 2,000 temples and shrines here in Kyoto.This is a big spread out city and so it takes longer than you think to get around. I also read about a flea market that happens every 25th of the month and so we made our way to check that out after visiting a very big and old Buddhist temple.They were very busy getting it in tip top shape for the upcoming 150th anniversary.
At the flea market, it was fun to see all the ladies and girls digging through very colorful piles of old kimonos, and to see the old toys and collectibles the Japanese folks have accumluated over the years. There were food stalls of all kinds. Lots of pickled veggies, dried fruits, octupus balls, pastrys filled with that tasty bavarian cream,something that looked like Lefse and they fried it and then dipped it in curry or sesame flavored sauce...
They had the usual carnival games for kids,and goldfish to take home. It was a very colorful atmosphere with lots of people and activity. We had planned to see more temples but got caught up in the sights and sounds, tastes and smells of the market and then another street fair we happened upon when in search of the zen temple. We got a quick peak at a very colorful tree and some raked gravel before the gates shut for the night and we had to be back to the train for our night ride back to Yokohama. We ran back to the hotel to get our backpacks and then off to find the BIG PIE place before boarding the train. We sadly got all turned around and were too tired from all our exploring to try and find the Dessert Heaven. So after taking a photo of Jean with some Harajuku looking girls we grabbed some other gooey pastries and made our way on board the lightning quick train and our rapid return to Yokohama.
It was a delightful day and a weekend of wonderful waether. A great way to end the trip and visit with Gma Jean here in Japan. Back at home we enjoyed our pastry with it's flaky crust topped with vanilla custard frosting and blueberries and inside yellow bavarian cream on the bottom and in the middle some poppyseed like cake...almost too many things happening at once for me, but it was good!
Sunday Oct 26th
we just hang out in the house and repacked for Gma and KJ's return back to the USA.
Sayonara from Japan
At the flea market, it was fun to see all the ladies and girls digging through very colorful piles of old kimonos, and to see the old toys and collectibles the Japanese folks have accumluated over the years. There were food stalls of all kinds. Lots of pickled veggies, dried fruits, octupus balls, pastrys filled with that tasty bavarian cream,something that looked like Lefse and they fried it and then dipped it in curry or sesame flavored sauce...
They had the usual carnival games for kids,and goldfish to take home. It was a very colorful atmosphere with lots of people and activity. We had planned to see more temples but got caught up in the sights and sounds, tastes and smells of the market and then another street fair we happened upon when in search of the zen temple. We got a quick peak at a very colorful tree and some raked gravel before the gates shut for the night and we had to be back to the train for our night ride back to Yokohama. We ran back to the hotel to get our backpacks and then off to find the BIG PIE place before boarding the train. We sadly got all turned around and were too tired from all our exploring to try and find the Dessert Heaven. So after taking a photo of Jean with some Harajuku looking girls we grabbed some other gooey pastries and made our way on board the lightning quick train and our rapid return to Yokohama.
It was a delightful day and a weekend of wonderful waether. A great way to end the trip and visit with Gma Jean here in Japan. Back at home we enjoyed our pastry with it's flaky crust topped with vanilla custard frosting and blueberries and inside yellow bavarian cream on the bottom and in the middle some poppyseed like cake...almost too many things happening at once for me, but it was good!
Sunday Oct 26th
we just hang out in the house and repacked for Gma and KJ's return back to the USA.
Sayonara from Japan
Oct 24 Gion Corner in Kyoto with the Geisha Girls
CJ Jean and I got up very early to catch the Shinkansen to Kyoto. We enjoyed the very fast 2 hour train ride at 180 mph and were happy to arrive so quickly at Kyoto. Of course Karla and Jean were excited to see real live Geisha Girls and so we were off in search of our up close and personnel encounters with the mystery girls behind the white made up faces.
We arrived in Kyoto and were greeted by perfect weather and lots of new sights for our eyes to see. Jean and I thought we died and went to heaven when we passed a pastry shop that had all kinds of huge fresh fruit pies. We vowed right then and there to be sure to stop and get one before we left to go back to Yokohama. YUM!!
Next we hopped on the shuttle bus to the Righa Royal Hotel, where we dropped off our bags, bought a day bus pass and then made our way to the Gion district in search of Geisha's, Geikos (what they really like to be called) and Miekos (apprentice geikos).
First we made our way through a very big Shinto Shrine where I captured a photo of CJ and Jean with a couple in traditional Yukata robes and their Ricksaw driver. We then walked down the street to Gion Corner and to our surprise and delight we ran into the first of our many sightings and encounters with Geiko Girls two stood chatting outside the entrance to a tea garden. YAHOO!!! It was so exciting for me and I felt like a real paparazzi. FUN!! We watched girls walk down the streets in the daylight and then as night fell we saw them return to the streets all made up with their painted white faces and hair adorned with many a bow, comb, bangle. It was VERY EXCITING!!! My camera of course did not reboot and click fast enough and so I didn't get as many good pics as I had hoped for. I did enjoy myself though.
In the daylight we made our way through the different geisha districts and shopping areas. I still can NOT believe how much shopping is done here in Japan, it is CRAZY how many shops there are, everywhere? We also walked along the river and watched an old lady feeding some very big birds hawks or falcons of some kind. Hunger took over and we stopped for a Delicious meal of pork loin and croquettes. It was a fun meal as we had to prepare our own sesame sauce for dipping the tender and very succulent pork slices coated with some kind of flaky batter. They gave each of us a mortar and pedestal and we ground up our sesame seeds and then added two kinds of soy sauce to it. Jean had crab, CJ had soy/mushroom and I had potato/veggie Croquettes. The pork and Croquettes were also served with thinly grated cabbage and some yummy dressing and pickles too, which Kyoto is known for. It was mighty tasty and fun.
After dinner we went back to Gion Corner for the traditional Japanese Arts show. CJ and Jean were pooped from walking and so they waited in line at the hall for tickets while I made my way down to the street and was ecstatic when I came upon a house where the Geikos were leaving and getting into taxis and some went walking right past me on the street all made up in their makeup, silk gowns, geta wood sandals and white tori socks. FUN FUN FUN!!!
I then made my way back in time for the show...and yes it was hard for me to pull myself away. The show was enjoyable and Jean got to participate in the tea ceremony with a lady from Switzerland. We saw a tea cermony,Japanese dancers, flower arrangements made, puppetry, noh skit. After the show, Jean and I attended another Tea Ceremony and learned the art and rituals of a Japanese green tea ceremony. It was very interesting and quite different then the chinese tea ceremony CJ and I attended when we were in Sweden last June. I found I like chinese green and ooolong leaf tea better than the powdered and foamy green Japanese tea.
When the show was over we made our way back into the lit streets of Gion Corner and caught many more glimpses of the girls going in and out of the different tea houses and restaurants. CJ and Jean were tired and so they made their way back to the bus and the hotel, I on the other hand was too intrigued with all the goings on and so I stayed and walked the streets some more getting glimpses of this very different lifestyle. I had nice visits with other "paparazzi" from Switzerland, France, Germany, Canada... had many more pics to take and just had fun watching the girls moving to and fro.
Finally pulled myself away so to catch the last bus back to the hotel. I did not want to walk across town in the wee hours of the morning. When I got back to the hotel I had a whole other experience trying to get into my room. When we dropped our bags off earlier in the day on arrival to Kyoto we could not check in and so I did not know what room we actually had. I had hoped to quietly sneak in the room as I figured CJ and Jean were fast asleep. The guy at the front desk told me the room number, wouldn't give me a key and so I went up and knocked on the door. No one answered. So I went back down to the desk and asked for a key and explained to him how I had hoped not to wake them up. He finally gave me the key and when I went back up and put the card in the door and when I pushed it to open it was double bolted and I could here people talking in Japanese. They sounded scared. :-( So I apologized "sumimasen" and quickly shut the door and went back down to the desk and once again tried to explain what happened. They called that room and asked for Chuck-san but all they got was Japanese people talking. So now I/we had woken some strangers up and scared them half to death.
I then pulled out CJ's business card and they finally got me the correct room on the 6th floor not the 8th floor. Before I went up I had them call the new room and sure enough Jean answered and luckily they were still up.I still wonder what that poor couple must have thought when some foreigner was trying to get in 2 different times and interrupting them in the middle of the night? Crazy!
We arrived in Kyoto and were greeted by perfect weather and lots of new sights for our eyes to see. Jean and I thought we died and went to heaven when we passed a pastry shop that had all kinds of huge fresh fruit pies. We vowed right then and there to be sure to stop and get one before we left to go back to Yokohama. YUM!!
Next we hopped on the shuttle bus to the Righa Royal Hotel, where we dropped off our bags, bought a day bus pass and then made our way to the Gion district in search of Geisha's, Geikos (what they really like to be called) and Miekos (apprentice geikos).
First we made our way through a very big Shinto Shrine where I captured a photo of CJ and Jean with a couple in traditional Yukata robes and their Ricksaw driver. We then walked down the street to Gion Corner and to our surprise and delight we ran into the first of our many sightings and encounters with Geiko Girls two stood chatting outside the entrance to a tea garden. YAHOO!!! It was so exciting for me and I felt like a real paparazzi. FUN!! We watched girls walk down the streets in the daylight and then as night fell we saw them return to the streets all made up with their painted white faces and hair adorned with many a bow, comb, bangle. It was VERY EXCITING!!! My camera of course did not reboot and click fast enough and so I didn't get as many good pics as I had hoped for. I did enjoy myself though.
In the daylight we made our way through the different geisha districts and shopping areas. I still can NOT believe how much shopping is done here in Japan, it is CRAZY how many shops there are, everywhere? We also walked along the river and watched an old lady feeding some very big birds hawks or falcons of some kind. Hunger took over and we stopped for a Delicious meal of pork loin and croquettes. It was a fun meal as we had to prepare our own sesame sauce for dipping the tender and very succulent pork slices coated with some kind of flaky batter. They gave each of us a mortar and pedestal and we ground up our sesame seeds and then added two kinds of soy sauce to it. Jean had crab, CJ had soy/mushroom and I had potato/veggie Croquettes. The pork and Croquettes were also served with thinly grated cabbage and some yummy dressing and pickles too, which Kyoto is known for. It was mighty tasty and fun.
After dinner we went back to Gion Corner for the traditional Japanese Arts show. CJ and Jean were pooped from walking and so they waited in line at the hall for tickets while I made my way down to the street and was ecstatic when I came upon a house where the Geikos were leaving and getting into taxis and some went walking right past me on the street all made up in their makeup, silk gowns, geta wood sandals and white tori socks. FUN FUN FUN!!!
I then made my way back in time for the show...and yes it was hard for me to pull myself away. The show was enjoyable and Jean got to participate in the tea ceremony with a lady from Switzerland. We saw a tea cermony,Japanese dancers, flower arrangements made, puppetry, noh skit. After the show, Jean and I attended another Tea Ceremony and learned the art and rituals of a Japanese green tea ceremony. It was very interesting and quite different then the chinese tea ceremony CJ and I attended when we were in Sweden last June. I found I like chinese green and ooolong leaf tea better than the powdered and foamy green Japanese tea.
When the show was over we made our way back into the lit streets of Gion Corner and caught many more glimpses of the girls going in and out of the different tea houses and restaurants. CJ and Jean were tired and so they made their way back to the bus and the hotel, I on the other hand was too intrigued with all the goings on and so I stayed and walked the streets some more getting glimpses of this very different lifestyle. I had nice visits with other "paparazzi" from Switzerland, France, Germany, Canada... had many more pics to take and just had fun watching the girls moving to and fro.
Finally pulled myself away so to catch the last bus back to the hotel. I did not want to walk across town in the wee hours of the morning. When I got back to the hotel I had a whole other experience trying to get into my room. When we dropped our bags off earlier in the day on arrival to Kyoto we could not check in and so I did not know what room we actually had. I had hoped to quietly sneak in the room as I figured CJ and Jean were fast asleep. The guy at the front desk told me the room number, wouldn't give me a key and so I went up and knocked on the door. No one answered. So I went back down to the desk and asked for a key and explained to him how I had hoped not to wake them up. He finally gave me the key and when I went back up and put the card in the door and when I pushed it to open it was double bolted and I could here people talking in Japanese. They sounded scared. :-( So I apologized "sumimasen" and quickly shut the door and went back down to the desk and once again tried to explain what happened. They called that room and asked for Chuck-san but all they got was Japanese people talking. So now I/we had woken some strangers up and scared them half to death.
I then pulled out CJ's business card and they finally got me the correct room on the 6th floor not the 8th floor. Before I went up I had them call the new room and sure enough Jean answered and luckily they were still up.I still wonder what that poor couple must have thought when some foreigner was trying to get in 2 different times and interrupting them in the middle of the night? Crazy!
Oct 22 -23 Tokyo and Graco with Gma Jean
Hi All
Well I finally got this computer hooked up and am connected once again with the outside world. Yeah, Can't believe it has been so long since I was last on here. Alot has happened since I last wrote on here. Let me try to get you up to speed.
Wednesday Oct 22 Jean and I spent the day in Tokyo and had a lovely day strolling in a lovely Japanese garden right in the middle of the city just below the Tokyo Dome. We enjoyed watching many coi fish eating bread crumbs tossed to them by local children, walking over rock paths across the water and up many a ster and over bridges of all varieties. A few trees were starting to change colors too and so that added an even prettier view to the area. We then made out way on the subway over to the Tower but first stopped at a very colorful Buddhist Temple where many child memorials were all decked out in red caps and bibs along with many brightly spinning pinwheels blowing in the breeze.
Next we stopped and savored an energy boost ice cream and fruit crepe at the base of the Tokyo Tower while I too enjoyed taking pictures with 10 different cameras of the local Japanese teen girls on a field trip. We then made out way up the first elevator and took in the city scape of Tokyo where we looked at all angles of the big city in the daylight and then up to the next observation area for a night view when it was all illuminated. I had a ton of fun making light photos by shaking my camera and seeing the effects of the 1000's of colors. One of the intersecting highways looked like an orange starfish to me as all the carlights shone along its 5 different arms
We then joined CJ for Shabu Shabu dinner and Jean got to enjoy her first taste of sushi as well. She liked it, but not the shrimp eyes glaring right at her as she took a bite of its tail. She too will need to continue her pratice with chopsticks...she is left handed and that seemed to add another complication to the mix :-)
Thursday Oct 23
We woke to a rainy day in Yokohama and so we hung out at home till it was time to go meet CJ for lunch. We ended up staying home longer than expected as the rain was coming down pretty good and so we opted to meet CJ for dinner instead. We enjoyed our train and subway rides up to northern Yokohama and then the walk along the path through the woods to Graco. Jean got to meet a few of CJ's secretaries and Tad while getting a tour of his office and the newely renovated and cleaned up building. WOW...what a difference new carpet, paint and some banners made. It felt like a whole different building than when I first saw it back in July. Nice Job Ceeg!
We then made our way to a Hawaiian restaurant for supper where Jean and I enjoyed some very good Pina Coladas decked out with umbrella's, pineapple and sparklers. She too enjoyed the slide show on the wall as we ate dinner and she remembered the fun times she had with Harley when they traveled there for their 25th Anniversary.
More tomorrow from Kyoto
Well I finally got this computer hooked up and am connected once again with the outside world. Yeah, Can't believe it has been so long since I was last on here. Alot has happened since I last wrote on here. Let me try to get you up to speed.
Wednesday Oct 22 Jean and I spent the day in Tokyo and had a lovely day strolling in a lovely Japanese garden right in the middle of the city just below the Tokyo Dome. We enjoyed watching many coi fish eating bread crumbs tossed to them by local children, walking over rock paths across the water and up many a ster and over bridges of all varieties. A few trees were starting to change colors too and so that added an even prettier view to the area. We then made out way on the subway over to the Tower but first stopped at a very colorful Buddhist Temple where many child memorials were all decked out in red caps and bibs along with many brightly spinning pinwheels blowing in the breeze.
Next we stopped and savored an energy boost ice cream and fruit crepe at the base of the Tokyo Tower while I too enjoyed taking pictures with 10 different cameras of the local Japanese teen girls on a field trip. We then made out way up the first elevator and took in the city scape of Tokyo where we looked at all angles of the big city in the daylight and then up to the next observation area for a night view when it was all illuminated. I had a ton of fun making light photos by shaking my camera and seeing the effects of the 1000's of colors. One of the intersecting highways looked like an orange starfish to me as all the carlights shone along its 5 different arms
We then joined CJ for Shabu Shabu dinner and Jean got to enjoy her first taste of sushi as well. She liked it, but not the shrimp eyes glaring right at her as she took a bite of its tail. She too will need to continue her pratice with chopsticks...she is left handed and that seemed to add another complication to the mix :-)
Thursday Oct 23
We woke to a rainy day in Yokohama and so we hung out at home till it was time to go meet CJ for lunch. We ended up staying home longer than expected as the rain was coming down pretty good and so we opted to meet CJ for dinner instead. We enjoyed our train and subway rides up to northern Yokohama and then the walk along the path through the woods to Graco. Jean got to meet a few of CJ's secretaries and Tad while getting a tour of his office and the newely renovated and cleaned up building. WOW...what a difference new carpet, paint and some banners made. It felt like a whole different building than when I first saw it back in July. Nice Job Ceeg!
We then made our way to a Hawaiian restaurant for supper where Jean and I enjoyed some very good Pina Coladas decked out with umbrella's, pineapple and sparklers. She too enjoyed the slide show on the wall as we ate dinner and she remembered the fun times she had with Harley when they traveled there for their 25th Anniversary.
More tomorrow from Kyoto
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