May 1 2009 Happy May Day from Japan

Ohayo
Well it is May 1 and that means a HAPPY May Day to those of you in the USA, Labor Day in Norway (I noticed that, as I changed over my calendar) and we are in the midst of GOLDEN WEEK here in Japan.
As you can tell I continue to be busy exploring and have left no time to write all I want to here on the Blog. Being that all or nothing person that I am, I guess I have left it to nothing.:-( Sorry about that for those who look here everyday to find the latest happenings.
The beginning of the week I took a black and white painting class and tried my hand at a painting a bamboo root and some strawberries. It was fun and I met 3 more new ladies from Canada, Wales and TX.
Then the next day, I enjoyed a walk with Jenny and 2 new friends Lynn from Seattle and Janice from Wales. We had a great time meandering along the harbor area and then met a wonderful and funny man Miyuki on the promenade. He was so knowledgeable about US history and could recite many a date I did not even know myself (History was never my thing). He sang the US National anthem to us and the UK anthem as well. Quite impressive. I got a great video of him, but who knows why I failed to scan over and get the girls laughing and listening to him as he chatted away. He really loves to practice his English and was very enthusiastic about it. I got his name and address, so I am hoping he will write to me as does my other pensioner friend Jojiro whom I met on APril 5th wehn we went to see the chery blossom tunnel of trees in Kamakura. I find it interesting, that five of the Japanese folks I have befriended here, are all from areas close to Kamakura, so I am beginning to think that is the place to live. Lots of outgoing and fun folks come from those parts. I don[t think I told you the sory about Jojiro,. We had just arrived back fomr Thailand and dropped our bags and went south to Kamakura to catch FULLL blossoms. As we exited the white tunnel of trees I ran into this cute little old man who tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I would be his pen pal. Well of course I said "YES" and so now we are writing and sending hand written snail mail or common mail as he calls it letters back and forth. Most of the retirees I have met, do not have computer access so I type mine out on the computer and then mail them. I want to be sure they can at least read what it is I wrote and you know how my hand writing is? :-)
So this sweet little man sends me the cutest letters with pictures of Japanese things cut from magazines or travel brochures to decorate the paper. It is so fun and already in one month he has written me 3 times. He also told me I have made a dream come true for him, so who wouldn't want to write. FUN!!!
Today CJ is working 1/2 a day and then we plan to take the train south to Enoshima and explore tht island and hillside full of temples. Tomorrow they are supposed to be building floral carpets on the Nihon-odori street of tulip and rose petals. Sunday there is to be a parade at Yamashita Park.
Wednesday was the Last Emperoor's BDay and a National Holiday. CJ had the day off an so we spent the morning at the local St Maur Int'l School Annual Food Fair. We invited our friend Shohei to join us and he had fun tasting various different foods from Indonesia (chicken satay), India lentil paddies, samosas stuffed with potatoes and chick peas, chicken curry and rice. CJ of course was craving an all American hamburger and BUD. Shohei resorted to more familair fare and he had a Korean omlet call "CHEEMEEGEE" and his favorite Chinese Steamed dumplings. I tried some Tapicoa bubble tea and a shaved ice with mango juice on it. Shohei got one with a brown liquid and CJ asked him if it was soysauce. He chuckled and said "No it is root beer".
We then walked past the western mansion Yamate 111 and peeked inside to see my manager friend Takeuchi. She had it all decorated with floral arrangements for a wedding. It was so pretty. She was not working that day though, so I did not get to introduce her to Shohei. When Shohei entered the house there was large boquet of very fragrent Calla Lillies and he got a bit choked up as he told me they are called Yuri here and that was his mom's name. She died 2 years ago and he commented how it made his heart ache to see them. I said that is your momma from above to let you know she is here with you :-)He said yes I think so and that she watches over me.
We then made our way to Harbor View Park where many couples were sitting on the park benches enjoying the sunshine. Shohei commented on how this must be the "Love Park" as so many pairs of people were here together. I told when he finds a girlfriend, he can bring her here one day but to be careful she may want to get married then. He laughed and blushed a bit as well. He enjoyed the view over the Harbor and kept telling us these are all new places he has never seen before. I was a bit surprised by that as he only lives about 20 minutes from here by train, but then again people are so busy with work and then playing catch up on the weekends, that they probably don't venture too far?
We went down by Yamashita Park and walked all along the harbor area where lots of people were enjoying the sunshine, flower displays, a street performer who could juggle, unravel Rubiks cubes, balanced on rolling cylinders while jumping rope and sqeezing his body through a little ring. He was quite the entertainer and had attracted a rather large crowd as he very quickly moved from one trick to another.
Down at the Red Brick Warehouse area we saw a Harley Motorcycle display and also the big mechanical spider. Then we took the ferry back to Yamashita park as the sunset over Yokohama Bay. When we bid Shohei farewell at the train station he said thanks for the journey. It was a fun day and always enjoyable showing people new things they have not seen or experienced before.
I had better wrap this up and get a few phone calls off to family.I have not talked with my folks for more than a week as I have been so busy running to and fro. Graham is busy as ever with his RUGBY and is on his way today to the Maggotfest in Montana. I am NOT exactly sure what that entails, but I will be anxious to hear the stories next week.
Kalen and Michael I would guess are enjoying there last few days together in Chicago, before Michael heads to Iowa and more Shakespeare Shows until July. Kalen continues to massage folks in Evanston, do Yoga, and I hope she is finally able to enjoy some spring like temps?
Check out the pics on Facebook, as I seem to be able to get those up easier than I can get my long drwan out stories down here
Love ya all
Karla and CJ too

April 20, 2009 WOW... how time flies when your having fun

Kon bon wa
Well I can hardly believe it has been almost a month since I last wrote on here. WOW! I guess you could say we have been very, very busy. We have been to Thailand and back and are very thankful we were NOT there when all the troubles broke out. We too, got back in time to see the SAKURA cherry blossoms in FULL BLOOM. WOW...what an AMAZING sight that was. Now the cherry blossoms are pretty much gone and the tulips are blooming, wisteria and azaleas. There is always something new blooming and coloring the streets.
A week after we got back from Thailand, my 2 girlfriends from Minnesota came for 10 days. They just left today after I walked them all over Yokohama, Tokyo, Hakone, Mt and the Mt. Fuji area. We had a delightful time and lots of laughs and then today I spent cleaning and downloading photos. Please check out my Facebook Pics of Cherry blossoms, Thailand, and adventures the girls CJ and I had while they were here.
We too met up with a few others this past month for lunch OR dinner, that were from CJ's work who were in town and also some new friends I met through Face book and the Honduras orphanage.
Before the girls came CJ and I went on a Zoorasia field trip with some local orphans here in Japan. I hope to do some volunteering there later this summer and fall once I return from my trip back to the USA and Honduras.
This next weekend starts the BIG 150Th Anniversary celebrations of Yokohama Harbor, so you can be sure I will probably have more stories to share in the coming weeks.
I am home for a month before I make my way back to the states May 23rd.
In between all the above, CJ's mom was very ill and in the hospital with UTI that ended up being quite serious when it went into her kidneys. With her diabetes, she was told she is very lucky she is alive and recovering slowly. We are happy with that report form the doc.
My folks are doing well I think (as I have not talked with them in 10 days-hope to catch up with them tomorrow) and they enjoyed many visits and dinner with all 4 of their grand kids popping by for dinners and visits this past month. Mom's sister Esther and some of her family, along with Stafford and Paige were also over Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday Sarah and Cameron stopped by as well. Sarah too, is on page 98 of the May 2009 Glamour Magazine modeling plus size swimsuits Do's and Don'ts. Kalen Mike and Graham were with Bernie and Solvei over Easter weekend.
Now my mom's brother Joe in Texas is hospitalized and suffering from a seizure and pneumonia. We are sending get well wishes, good thoughts and prayers his way and to his family as well .
Well, I think that about wraps it up for now. Hope you and yours are well and enjoying spring temps finally. It has been a lovely 70 degrees and sunny here of late, It is so nice to have the windows open and all the fresh air blowing in
Keep happy and in touch
Karla and CJ