I HEART chocolate

Now here's a story I can get behind! mmmmm!

http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/1221258968/ID=2110679204

Saturday evening snack

Home baked potato chips... Yuuuuuummm!

English time

A number of my friends and family have started giving me a hard time for not using more English with U. He writes scientific papers in English but struggles to have a regular conversation.

So this evening, as we were rating dinner I switched to English. I asked him about his day, ranted about the blatantly sexist news, and we talked about the food. As dinner came to a close he patted his stomach happily and said "FULL!"

I didn't immediately notice the sly grin that spread across his face as he cocked his head to the side and questioned: "you fuuuuuullll?"

I assented, and patted my stomach but he shook his head and repeated again "you fuuuuuuuulll!"

A giggle escaped him as I noticed the sly grin - the little bugger, he was making fun of me! He wasn't saying "full" but "fool"!!!

I playfully mimed cuffing him upside the head as he laughed, quite proud of himself.

The problem with helping him improve his English? Giving him another language to make fun of me in!

Jack Layton

Last night, instead of working on the translation with a rapidly approaching due date, I spent the evening trying to explain the Canadian political system to U through my tears.

Early in the morning of August 22, Jack Layton, the Leader of the Opposition, lost his battle with Cancer. Canada lost a great man and a great politician. Even those who did not agree with his politics admired the man and recognize the loss. But I just couldn't explain it all to U. He just didn't understand. It is at times like these that I get homesick...

You will be missed Jack, across Canada and around the world.

--------

For those of you who don't know who Jack was, here is just a sampling of what is being said:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/08/22/pol-layton-death.html

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2011/08/22/layton-obituary.html

And in his own words:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/08/22/pol-layton-last-letter.html

TILT - on the road in the wilds of western Japan

U and I headed off for a few days to enjoy our summer holidays. So far there has been lots to love...

- car trips

- tuna sashimi

- our local mom 'n pop izakaya

- rice krispie treats (made with non rice krispie rice puffs and chocolate corn flakes)

- the chocolate coffee icecreamy goodness that is Papiko

- hot springs

- spending time with U

Wordless Wednesday - The Colonel

Supposedly he's advertising the special summer deal KFC has with an anime series, they are offering character thermoses and water bottles or something similar. But I really do think they could have made more of an effort with the "costume!!"

Somedays are Tuesdays

Somedays (like today!) I don't have to work and neither does U and we can jump in the car and head out. But most days he works and isn't home until 9 or 10 pm.

Somedays I end up taking the train with a coworker. Somedays that means a fun chat with a really funny coworker I am close to or interesting conversations with my boss. Most days, however it means I have to dodge the coworker who will not be named (a year later and we're still ignoring each other - yay!).

Somedays I enjoy my commute but most days I have to stand most of the way home or have a biiiiig sweaty guy sleep on my shoulder or the person who makes everybody on the train silently pray "don'tsitnexttomedon'tsitnexttomedon'tsitnexttome!!" will sit next to me (where is the gaijin buffer when you want it?!)

Somedays I don't mind the heat and humidity but most days I find myself exhausted and headachy by the end of the day.

Somedays I am completely at a loss over what to make for dinner but most days I have ideas or recipes I want to try and coworkers and friends with lots of ideas to help.

Somedays I feel very self-conscious about my lack of "fashion" but most days I shake my head over the horrid suit/shirt/tie combinations of the average Japanese salaryman (narrow black and white striped slacks with a black and white check shirt?? My eyes started watering and I couldn't see straight after just a glance!)

Somedays I feel bored and frustrated with where I am and where I am going but most days I am able to step back and enjoy what I do and daydream about what is to come.

Lazy Sunday morning

After scrambled eggs and sausages with homemade kinako bread U figured out the new espresso maker we were sent by the wonderful Gaijinwife. Mmmm lattes and lazy weekends!

Friday???

Friday? Already? Where the he'll did that come from?!

Not quite the weekend yet, as I'm working Tues-Sat as part of work's energy saving measures (all departments are joining the museum and closing on Mondays so we don't run seven days a week anymore). Buuuut!! One more day of work and then I'm off for a week! I decided to take time off while U has his summer vacation, so we're going to go away for a few days and then will spend a bit of time relaxing at home together... Hold on, nope, scratch that... We'll be going away for a few days and then will spend the rest of the time working on non work work (a translation contract for me and non-work related articles for publication for U).

No rest for the wicked, as they say!

Wheeee!

I've been a bit of a mess recently, what with the heat and humidity melting my brain and leaving me with absolutely zero motivation and work being mind-numbing - a week spent mostly editing the English papers to be presented by coworkers at various international conferences over the next month or so. One of the papers was a slightly edited version of am online translation program translation so varies between almost making sense to being a random jumble of words. It would have been easier if I had been allowed to translate it myself from the start but.... myargh... Ah well.

And then I have a contract translation for an art gallery hanging over my head and demanding to be worked on every waking moment. Not that it is getting done, but...

All this editing and translating has me getting antsy to actually write something myself... Now if the heat would let up so that I was able to string together a few coherent thoughts!

Things I love... Friday?!

I seem to be a day behind this week, so I'm not going to fight it...

Things I'm loving this Friday:

- haircuts and being spoiled at the hairdressers
- my Beatles "Let it Be" music box
- starting to sew the squares together for my afghan
- cooking with U
- cooling gel patches
- travel daydreams

Wordless Thursday - Oven Lovin'!

I finally got to use my new oven for something besides toast! I made peach crumble... yummmmm!