Tangerine Beer

I still remember the first time a colleague of mine asked me to try a "Fruit" beer and I thought to myself, why would I try a sweet beer? It turns out that it was the best beer I had ever had. Luckily for us, it is in season now but it won't last long.

New Summer Cushion Covers

It is the little things in life that are so joyous.  I got new summer cushion covers at Nitori (Japanese Ikea comparison). Januck teases me that I must want to be in Hawaii but I love my living room and just looking at the cushions.  It reminds me of the time off from work at the end of July that we will have to hopefully relax.  

Mt. Fuji

I know it is a bit out of focus but it is still beautiful. We were nearby on Saturday and I was able to snap a couple of shots. I am always amazed of how majestic it is!

Strange names

Sometimes we see names of places or things in Japan and we aren't really sure what they mean.  Why is this place called "Laugh"?  Nothing on the menu indicates laughter or would make you chuckle if you ever visited.  Maybe it is just the idea of if you went in maybe, you would find life amusing.  I really don't know.

Fire Department Field Trip

After spending many of my childhood days at my father's fire department, it was awesome spending the morning at our local fire department on a field trip. They were so nice and it really brought me back to the days when I visited my father when he was working. I think the students had a great time!

 Locker room.

 Getting ready for the students.

 Fire trucks.

 Very cool!

 Their number one most used vehicle. The ambulance.

 They let the students try on their gear. Very cool!

 Their lockers swivel depending on the shift so they can have three people per locker.

 Sleeping rooms.

The training facility. They performed a rescue drill for us and used our Japanese partner.

Brave men!

This year's Culture Club

I love flower arranging and didn't know how mathematical it was until I took it with my students a few years ago.  This year again my Culture Club is Ikebana- flower arrangement.  I usually put the flowers on Tuesdays in a vase and display them in the entrance way at school but it has been so hot lately that last week I brought the flowers home to put into a vase.  No Ikebana here....

Election

Well I thought the election poster board would be filled up or partially filled up by now. Looks like there are only two candidates this time around for whatever election is coming up. Must be a local election. I'm just glad we haven't had the trucks with loudspeakers on top blaring support for one of the candidates. Yay!

White House

We were so honored to visit the White House...oh wait...this is our local wedding chapel. It kind of looks like the White House but not quite. We sometimes hear the bell ringing on the weekends so we know someone just got married. 

2020 Olympics

I think they are starting early to think about 2020 but it is all good!  They always have an English menu and the cheeseburgers taste the same as they do in  the States.  It is really the first Olympics signage I've seen- much more to come I hope :)

Big Storm

We are having a big storm move through the area and it is difficult for the students to go home in this weather. Normally, when I go on the weather website there is usually green and sometimes yellow when it rains. Rarely do we see red but when we do, it is some serious weather. We are getting 1/2 - 1 inch of rain per hour. The wind is very strong too!

The red lights on the side of the screen are flashing red lights.

We pay how much for a watermelon?

Yes, I know it is hard to believe, especially coming from California but I'm used to paying around $5 for a nice large watermelon. We can get an eighth now for about $3 but usually have to pay about $5 just for an eighth. Here is a nice and beautiful watermelon for about $20. We stopped trying to convert yen into dollars but sometimes the fruit is just too expensive! (We still buy fruit anyway because we love it!)

Anime

When we were out walking, we found some more of this anime around town. The posters and door covers are life sized. Some even have their birthday posted above them. We just don't like that they are school girls depicted in this manner. Maybe we just don't understand it but we can't believe how popular they really are and we see people taking pictures and having their pictures taken with them.

 This is the entrance to our local mall.

On the side of some building.

Kobe flower

   The month of June has these beautiful hydrangea flowers blooming all over the city.  This one was particularly interesting because it was the size of my entire face.  I always loved this Kobe flower and have enjoyed seeing so many different colors of purple, blue and pink.

Father's Day

So many emotions going through my head on Father's Day. Was I a good Dad? Did I do and say the right things? How are my kids doing now that they've gone? Have I taught them enough on how to survive in the world? I had to take a walk and clear my head but then they both called me and made me feel that we're in a good place.

My kids called me to wish me a Happy Father's Day. I am now complete.

Volunteer Library Reading

 
 Last year, I had the idea of reading Children's books at the Numazu City Library as a volunteer project.  Two reasons really- I used to love to take Rachel and Alex to Reading time at the Corona and El Cerritos Libraries when we were off-track from school.  The other is the limited English being spoken here compared to China and Korea.  Being a teacher in an Immersion program, I can see how children learn from being reading to.

  The library was quite surprised that I would want to read to 3-5 year olds for FREE.  My good friend, Tomoko who runs her own ECC English school helped me get it started.  I have read Eric Carle, Dr. Suess and now, Mo Willems' books.

   It has been a way to give back to the community. It has been tricky at times because the library however has no WIFI and limited English books. They are however, very excited to host Tomoko and I every month when we read.  It brings me joy!

Beautiful Evening

There's just nothing like a beautiful sunset. 

Interesting...umm...

In Japan, people love their anime. In our town there is some new anime that we find...well...not sure. It depicts school girls but in a strange way. It can be found in many places and we always see people, of all ages and gender stopping to take pictures of it or with it. We find it kind of creepy.

Walk back from the bay

 

Numazu is on Suruga Bay and there are many interesting places on the walk back to our place that I found.  First, is the place called 'Artist of Fish'.  I am not sure but think it is a fish market.

The second is the Emperor's Summer home.  I am pretty sure the Imperial family does not come anymore as it is open to the public.  The third is this strange adobe looking house that reminds me of Southern California and the mission style I used to teach about in 4th grade.  

Well said!

They love their dogs here in Japan. Many have a cloth to wipe the dog's butt after it poops in the street. Most of the owners are very responsible and some will even lay newspaper down on the sidewalk while the dog does its business. I think someone at this house has had a problem though.

Ice Cream Truck

Usually on Winter nights, you might hear a song for the sweet potato truck coming by your place.  Januck has even run out of the house/apt to see if he can catch it and buy sweet potatoes for 500 yen.  We haven't done that in a long time but yesterday while we were walking we saw our first Japanese Ice Cream truck.  Unfortunately it was moving at the time, so we couldn't buy any ice cream but.....progress or loss of Japanese tradition?

Saturday Lunch

There is nothing like a good bowl of ramen. I'm not talking about the Cup O Noodle kind. I'm talking about a Mom and Pop shop where they cook the ramen. We had dental appointments today and afterwards we decided to walk down a ways to go to a ramen shop that we've been to once before. Let's just say, it didn't disappoint!

I had the Miso Ramen which has a sweet and spicy sauce.

Joanna had the cold ramen that you dip in broth. Look at those bean sprouts!

Family

Our kids are stateside, MI and CA and my mom is in NC.  These days we can text and Skype so it is easy to communicate.  I play WORDS with FRIENDS with my mom now as does by brothers.  Technology can be amazing but also overwhelming and time-consuming.  I want to read a book but end up checking on my email or Facebook instead.  Times are changing!  It will be interesting to see when I have grandkids how it will be...

Politics!

Well, the election season has begun here in Japan and it is time to elect the politicians (I'm not sure what they are running for)! I know it is that time because they put up these boards that will soon be filled with political posters of the candidates. We will post more once they start filling up. Hopefully the trucks with loudspeakers doesn't come too close to our apartment.

Manhole cover

Many of the roads in Japan have manholes but I think our city, Numazu has the coolest!  We have a picture of Mt. Fuji in the background of Suruga Bay and tea fields? possibly.  A friend from California came this past weekend and asked me to take this photo for her.  So....this one is for you, Kathy!
I found out at the Fire Station they use these manholes as a water source.  Pretty cool!

Cow-Dung Bomb

Isn't that a cool name for a volcanic bomb! Too funny.

Oops. The video isn't working. Will try later!

The sulfuric gas coming from the ground. It is quite loud and the video doesn't do it justice.

Cow-dung bomb!

Black Eggs!

Our friends are visiting and we took them to Hakone which is a national park near us. It is volcanically active and there are sulfurous vents in a certain area. They boil eggs in the hot spring water and it turns the eggs black. Supposedly if you eat one then it will add seven years to your life. I ate ten of them...just kidding! They also have black soft cream ice cream which we tried for the first time and it turned our tongues black!

Why Poligon?

Last year my students gave me the nickname Poligon because we were studying polygons and I told them that I was a cross between a dragon and a polygon. One of my students was in stamp club and made me a Poligon stamp so when we started this year, I told my new students that they could call me Poligon and now it is my name of choice!

When a Bloody Mary is a meal!

When a Bloody Mary is a meal!

Last week, Januck and I were shopping at a mall and decided to stop in this Bar and Grill for a drink in Grand Rapids, MI.  We couldn't believe this when I ordered it.  There was cheese, bacon, a pickle, a lemon wedge and a huge stalk of celery.  I enjoyed it immensely and can't say that I have had one like this.  Usually I get three green olives on a toothpick when I have ordered this drink before.  Certain things in the U.S. have been taken to bigger and better....