Hi All
Wow..didn't realize it has been a week since I last wrote what I've been up to here in Japan. Seems like all kinds of things happened last week and I just didn't take the time to get it written down here. Sorry...let me fill you in a bit.
Last Thursday march 19Th, I went to the Yokohama's International Women's Club March Luncheon and met a bunch of nice ladies and then went to an orphanage after. They started off with a short business meeting, a young lady entertained us on the piano with some classical music, the singing group sang a song about cherry blossoms "sakura" and then we had our lunch. We had some pumpkin curry soup I think, bread and butter, sole fish fillet with rice and then some pink meringue pistachio type dessert. It was very tasty.
I met 2 ladies from England,1 from MI,CA,LA,KS, any from Japan and Gracia from Teguc, Honduras of all places. Boy were we both ever happy to cross paths. We have been in contact via emails and hope to get together to chat more about my work with Tierra Santa and her homeland when I get back from Thailand... She is darling of course and so warm and loving. Yea!
After the luncheon I went with 3 ladies Futakami-san, Negishi-sna and Cindy-san to visit one of the orphanages the ladies club helps support. It was so fun to see the children and get a tour of the Kofu place. Very different than a third world orphanage. Allot of the kids at this home were also from poverty and will most likely go back home when they are older, They have another home Kodomo, that has kids from abusive homes, which will not go back and most likely live there all their lives at the orphanage. I hope to visit Kodomo possibly next month or in the late summer/early fall after my trip to Honduras. April 11Th CJ and I will go on an outing to the local ZOOrasia with the Kofu kids before Donna and Michelle arrive later that evening.
So that of course was fun for me and I was able to take pics of the building and rooms, but can not take any pics of the kids to put on the web. We can take them to use for the ladies club photo album, but if we print or publicize any we have to blur out their faces. So be forewarned there will not be many pics. Darn!
It was so fun and I also asked if I could volunteer there during the week, or only when they have ladies club functions. The director said, "Oh no, you can come every day from 3-5pm if you like and work on English with the kids"...so I am planning to do that 1 or 2 times a week I hope. Of course as usual, my schedule right now, is so crazy again with trips coming up and visitors coming in to Japan, so a regular schedule of that may have to wait again till July or August. Ugh!
So after that, I walked back home and enjoyed wandering the streets and through the various park looking at all the Magnolia and Dog Wood Trees that are in full bloom right now. It is so pretty and looks like snow on the trees.
Friday March 20Th I walked all over town in search of cherry blossoms. I walked through every park I think there is from here to Landmark Center. I saw lots of fully loaded budding trees, but only a few little spots of blossoming ones. They said last week, with the warm weather we have been having, perhaps they will burst open early, but I am thinking not. It is 3/24/09 today and they are still buds only. The predicted day for the great unveiling is of course March 29-April 5 right when we are in Thailand. :-( Once the first blossoms open they are in full bloom 10-12 days beyond that. Our hope is that there will still be some when we get back on April 5Th in Tokyo and then we will quickly drop our bags and go take a look.
I must say, I will be VERY GLAD when this whole Cherry blossom season is behind me. It has really made me a bit anxious and frustrated at times. Every time I go out and I see a little bit, I WONDER where else they might be and WHAT AM I MISSING...??? Of course, then I have this need to go wander the streets and if I did that everyday, well, I would get nothing done.
I too have been trying to get things ready for Thailand and knowing we will most likely be gone now when it all takes place, well that just makes for more frustration and mostly disappointment. :-( I am trying to tell myself...it is what it is, but it would be sad to think I lived here for a year or so, and stayed home from Honduras in hopes of seeing this and then we happen to have this Thailand trip right smack in the middle of it and may miss it totally. OK enough....
I did see a beautiful garden they set up down by the Brickyard area and things are going along well for the plaza they are building for the upcoming 150Th Anniversary Celebration. All those festivities are to take Place form April 28Th- Sept 9Th. So I am sure we will have lots of things to see and do this summer. Of course I will miss more when back in MN and Honduras in May and June. Such is life...I guess I can't get to EVERYTHING..even though I like to think I can, and of course want to see and do it ALL. :-)
Saturday March 21, 2009
We had another St Patty's Day parade here in Motomachi. CJ and I attended and it was fun to see more bagpipers, bands, soldiers, baton twirlers, dancers.....My friend Maggie and family were to join us, but she got sick the day before and ended up all morning at the doctors office and so we went alone. After the parade CJ and I walked over to the Ooka River to see if it's tree lined banks of Cherry trees were in bloom yet, but only buds there as well. They did have all the Japanese lanterns hung up and ready for illumination, which they do every night from March 21-April 5Th. We then wandered in another section of Yokohama we hadn't been in before and found more parks, a free zoo and some more local shopping streets. Back home for a big plate of Spaghetti and to reload our carbs after all the exercise.
Sunday March 22, 2009
We had plannned to go south to Kamakura to see if the blossoms lining the Boulevard street there in front of the shrine were blooming, but we woke to a very rainy and blustery day and so we decided to just stay home in the warmth and catch up on bookwork, relaxation, TV.. We enjoyed watching some of the Tokyo Marathon and SUMO tourney on TV. My friend John Elliot a former Hogar Volunteer from England is in town and he and his sister Beth who lives and teaches English here in Tokyo were both running in it. We did not see them on TV, but heard they both finished thought John was having some trouble with his leg.
Monday March 23, 09
Was hoping to meet up with John today and tour the Harbor area here in Yokohama, but he called and said his leg was now swollen and he needed to go to the doctor and have it wrapped. So we made plans to meet up with him and Beth for dinner instead. I guess he ran through pain and injury and should probably have stopped, but he said he likes to finish. :-( So I worked here, packed and waited for him to call back after the doc appt, but he ended up being there almost all day and came home with the aid of crutches so we cancelled dinner and rescheduled it for Tuesday night instead. Darn! I feel so bad for him, and that really must put a damper on his 2ND week of sightseeing here in Japan.:-(
It was to be the day of ill health calls I guess, as CJ's siblings then called and said his mom Jean was in the ER with a fever, the shakes and a severe UTI. Next, I talked with my brother who was having some talking/blanking out issues and leg pain at basketball a couple weeks ago and at first they thought he might have had a mini stroke, but I guess they thankfully ruled it to be severe dehydration and no blood clot in his leg. OK so, that was just a good reminder for me to get up off this chair and to take some more water in, as I am SO BAD about drinking and getting up while working here on the computer.
My folks were doing well and now out walking in the spring like weather. YAHOO!! They seem to be doing better and better, so that is great to hear. Now I just hope all the others can get healthy and stay that way too. It is a bit distracting to know they are having some possibly severe health issues when we are way over here.
Anyhoo,...at the moment it looks like they got things under contol, or I have not gotten the next call with information yet today?
So we are planning to see John and Beth tonight and I am off now to peek in the park and see if any blossoms have popped in the last 2 days since I have been busy here in the house.
Tomorrow, I will probably make my way to the Sankeien Gardens or perhaps by the river or stadium where I saw some blossoms starting to pop last Friday on my walk about town. I have to get whatever glimpse I can before we head south.
I too, also need to repack my suitcase one more time and hopefully,lighten the load. When we checked the weather forecast the other day, for Thailand's upcoming weather next week... it sadly looked as if we might be following the rain around the country. My HOPE is that forecast is long gone and they have changed it to sunny??
I would hate to go there and know I am missing the blossom show back home in Japan and then be stuck under an umbrella the whole time I am there. So we shall see...
I am off now to the park, to stretch my legs, soak up a bit of the sun that is trying very hard to get out from behind the clouds and then back home to go up to Tokyo for dinner with CJ, John and Beth.
Sorry this may sound a bit depressing, but as I said, this whole blossom season anticipation thing has been a bit exhausting.
I am having fun really, just DON'T WANT TO MISS ANYTHING...(you know me all or nothing) ;-0
More soon from SUNNY THAILAND I hope.
karla
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