This is What She Does When We Say...

....Bikkuri Gao (make a surprised face)!

Dinner @ Hardys'

During which, as with all old friends, we had to discuss when we saw one another last and how we can't or at least shouldn't let that much time pass before we meet again. Hope to see you in less than eight years!

Even If the Shoe Doesn't Fit, Wear It

Lincolnwood Turkey Trot 5K Successfully Completed

The Wonders of Mama's Powder

Because everything is more interesting right before bedtime.

Breaking All the Rules

Though I like to think of myself as a free and easy person, the truth is that I have a lot of rules. 

For example, "no talking on the phone at night".  There's nothing inherently wrong with talking on the phone at night, of course, but I would much rather connect in person than on the phone.  And by the evening, I have usually expended my energy for the day already.  So all I'm good for is holding a book in front of my face.  Or looking at the computer for way too many hours on end.  Which is another topic for another time. 

At any rate, last night a long time and long lost friend got ahold of me at around 9:30 pm.  I made an exception to my rule for her.  And then, then, after that, before I knew it, when we finally said good-bye, it was 1: 20 am and my rule was blown to all kinds of tiny smithereens. 

Lesson: talk to long lost friends, in the evening or otherwise, more often than once in four months.  Two birds with one stone effect: long lost friends will be found, and rules will be obeyed.   

Misaki's First Date

with Minato at Bravo Italian Restaurant.

Hail Holy Queen

Back in April after Koji started going to the Japanese elementary school, I joined the chorus for moms that is associated with the school. I love it. The only thing I don't love is that we only practice once a week. I would be up for more, that's how much I enjoy singing in a group! "Hail Holy Queen" is a song that we're practicing now. I hope I can get all that tricky clapping down.

In Five Days Izumi Will Be Four and a Half

Which is a HUGE deal to her. Should we have a half-birthday party?

Music Class

Today was observation day at Koji's school.

Ryuichi Sakamoto

Last week, or maybe it was the week before? we went to see Ryuichi Sakamoto perform at the Vic Theatre with Erik and Jan.  We were still jet lagged, as were the kids, so it was pretty traumatic for us just getting out of the house.  But once we extracted ourselves, once we found somewhere to park, once we met Erik and Jan and once Mr. Sakamoto stopped making strange noises while cleaning the inside of the piano, we had a wonderful time.  The above is meant to be a picture of the front of the theatre with Mr. Sakamoto's name on it, but alas, the backlighting was too much, so you'll just have to take my word for it.  At some point, maybe I'll replace this with the photo that actually has us in it.  Until then, please use your imagination. 

Thanks very much to Erik and Jan for a wonderful night out!  I hope we can do it again soon!

Dearest Misaki

Please sleep this soundly at night, all night, in your crib. I know you can do it. Love, Mama

Yearly Kick

Oops, I'm already one day late for that yearly kick in the trousers of this blog

*pause to imagine a blog wearing trousers*

nablopomo

Which brings me to discuss, am I the only one who thinks Americans, when referring to split-legged garments worn on the bottom halves of their persons that aren't jeans, should really give up "pants" and switch to "trousers"?  Please?  Anyone?  Perhaps it sounds a tad hoity-toity on its first trip off the tongue, but one can get used to it.  Meanwhile, the word pants is entirely too close to "panties," and it in fact means just that in numerous other languages that aren't American English. 

If you're not following me entirely but you're female and feeling a bit confused, another idea is to just switch to dresses and skirts.  It's working for me. 

No, I am not planning to use this space to blather endlessly about whatever I want for every single day this month.  But then again, even if I do, won't that be better than the lengthy silence that was here before?  I shall tell myself so.  Talk to you (whoever "you" are, if in fact "you" are still out there somewhere) tomorrow.