WOW. Can't believe it has been almost 2 months since I have written on here. I have been very busy and enjoying my life here in Japan that is for sure. Too much has happened since then and so I will not elaborate on it all here. You can see it all documented in my Facebook Photo Albums, which I try to keep up each week, if your interested. I ran out of photo space on here and have not had time to delete some onld ones, so that is why I have not added any new ones here.
We had a nice visit from Johan and Hanne Marit-- CJ's two cousins from Northern Norway in Mid September. We spent many days wandering Yokohama, Kamakura, and the usual Tokyo sights with them while helping Hanne Marit to find shoes for her very small feet. She was like Cinderella and so happy when they actually fit her feet perfectly,... I guess they don't carry small sizes in Norway. :-)I also learned where many shopping centers and coffee shops were as that is not usually my thing, but it was theirs and so now I know many more things about the area I didn't know before they came.:-) We enjoyed another SUMO day while they were here too and CJ was able to join us for that. This time Asa won.
After the Fagerli's left, I have been keeping very busy with many different Japanese craft classes and loving them all. Quilting, washi paper, origami,sewing, will learn some more new things in the coming months such as indigo tye dying, chigirie paper tearing art... and I am really looking forward to that.
I too have been learning to play mahjong, gone on a few different walks with my friends and one down along the coast with CJ on the weekend. I attended numerous luncheons and programs over the last 2 months and have enjoyed live traditional Japanese music and all the various instruments. I also took pics of my lady friends modeling recycled Kimonosthe other day, enjoyed a Kabuki theater performance and tour backstage after the show. I wished so bad I could take pics to show you of the elaborate costumes, but photos were not allowed as usual in the theater. It was like torture when I was sitting right next to the trap door entrance on the catwalk where the actors were inches from my eyes as they arose up through the floor and on to the stage.
Wednesdays I work with the orphans at Kofu, but that has been sporadic as of late with many kids having the FLU and them telling me to stay away. Our outing to Tokyo Disney got cancelled last weekend as well, so that was disappointing. :-( CJ and I visited the other Kodomo orphanage one weekend with some others and had a fun day picking sweet potatoes and then a picnic and relay games after. We were to go back yesterday but 3 kids got the flu there as well and so Midori asked us to reschedule in November.
As one typhoon blew through Japan...I spent a really enjoyable and different kind of day at the traditional Japanese onsen. There I made a BIG SPLASH, when I didn't see the extra step underwater when entering the hot tub. That must have been quite a sight for the others across the room when this BIG TOTALLY NAKED body landed spread eagle in the pool of hot water. I was thankful I did not hit my head,get hurt nor crush some little Japanese lady... Thankfully I was the only one in that pool at the time. I made my own tsunami ...haha
CJ was back in the states in late September and got to see Grambo play rugby in Duluth, had dinner with my parents, Mark and Stafford for B and S fall birthdays and he also spent a few days in Chicago with Kalen and Mike. Currently another typhoon is blowing over Japan and that is why I am housebound today and figured I will do a quick update.
Now I need to go pack my things and also give this house a quick cleaning before we head out to South Korea. We will be there for one week in Busan and Seoul for CJ's work and my play.
My parents are doing well and still waiting to get a spot in the assisted living home. My dad loves riding his bike and mom enjoys her time alone in the house. I hope they will stay healthy and active through the upcoming winter months when they will be more confined to the indoors.
CJ will go back to the states in mid November for a week of work and some bird hunting and then we both are planning to go home for the holidays for a month in mid December to mid January. I am staying here this fall as I want to soak up as much as I can of this wonderful country and the experience of living abroad. I love it and I was telling CJ the other night I think it could easily get addictive. He wholeheartedly agreed.
The kids are doing well with school, work, rugby, yoga, biking. Graham will be student teaching in January somewhere in the cities and then graduate in May 2010 from Duluth. Kalen is going to an oncology massage seminar out in California in November and I will be very interested to hear what she learns and experiences there. Mikey will soon start rehearsals for The Christmas Carol at the Goodman in Chicago...and we look forward to seeing him in that when we go to visit he and Kalen for Christmas.
Mark's kids are doing well and Sarah just finished her very successful first year out in NYC doing plus size modeling. His son Stafford just moved to LA to pursue his dream of playing pro beach volleyball. Mark continues to diligently help mom and dad with all their needs and doc appointments. When not doing that he is working, hunting or trying to spend time with his parnter Lisa .
CJ works,runs,and loves all the walking he gets to do to and from work each day. He is enjoying his job here and travels to China every 6 weeks or so to the Asian headquarters there. Life is good here and we hope it is for you and yours as well
Karla and Cjo
Sunday, October 25, 2009
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