Wednesday 21 September 2011

Six months

I've been terribly lax at keeping up with my knitting posts. Mostly because I'm currently stuck on a large project that seems to be a knitting black hole, but I keep forgetting I have other finished projects that haven't yet been blogged...


Like this baby blanket - backed and edged with a soft cotton flannel so it will keep its shape even after being tossed into the washing machine. Sewn up as I experimented with the embroidery feature on the sewing machine I "borrowed" from U's mother...





Over the past few years I've knit a number of baby blankets and one baby sweater for friends but after finishing (and photographing) them I wrapped them up and sent them off, never getting a baby cuddle in return.

Six months ago, however, I finally got my baby cuddle! Umebossy's Little S was very very little when I visited them at the hospital. She slept peacefully in my arms as I held her, then wrinkled her little face into a mask of anger before breaking into an angelic half-smile that was nearly as adorable as the musical tooooooot that emanated from her opposite end.

It was the text message that Umebossy sent me to tell me little S was on her way that convinced me she'd be a very good mother. It was only weeks after the earthquake and there was widespread panic among foreign communities in and out of Japan about the possibility of nuclear disaster. Amid it all Umebossy's text was a voice of well-needed calm and reason. Then there was the added excitement of knowing little S would be on the outside soon, the joy of having good news amidst all the bad.

With one thing and another I haven't been able to see little S (and her mum too!) nearly as much as I'd like in the six months since she was born, but she's growing bigger and doing wonderfully - just as gorgeous as she was the very first day I met her. I love seeing her get bigger, grow more aware of her surroundings, and, of course, I love me my baby cuddles!

Happy Six Month Birthday little S! May you never ever have to experience the destruction, heartache, and fear that so many did only weeks before you were born. Instead may you be surrounded by love and happiness and grow big and strong and healthy.

Oh, and why don't you give your mum a break and sleep through the night?!

Monday 19 September 2011

Community

Living in a foreign country can be incredibly lonely. Life is foreign and family and friends feel so far away.

This past week, however, I have been treated to an amazing lesson in community and just how not-lonely it can be being a foreigner in Japan. It was an amazing experience to watch a wonderful group of women come together in an outpouring of love to support one of "their own." I was honoured to be able to take part, although in only a small way, and am ever so impressed with the women who took time out of their already busy lives to organize something like this for a very deserving friend going through some tough times.

Friday 16 September 2011

Cake

Since I thought yesterday was Tuesday that must make today Wednesday, so here's a photo...



Of a cake, a cake I was given in the lunchroom by one of the curators.

Apparently it is an eggplant.

When offered it, however, I started laughing so hard I started to choke. Please tell me I'm not the only one who saw... something else!? (one of the other curators, the only guy in the room, turned red, and giggled, but the other two made no comment...)

Thursday 15 September 2011

Things I love Tuesday

- freshly made and still warm cheese fondue korokke
- Mow cappuccino ice cream
- falling fast fast asleep on my morning commute... and waking up the stop before I need to get off
- hearing from family members I don't hear from often
- people listening to and then even adopting my suggestions despite being the youngest and least experienced person in the room

Wednesday 14 September 2011

Translation Tunnel

Sent the first part of the mega translation off on Monday night and began to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Or so I thought...

Then U came home last night and demanded I edit his paper (his boss knows about me and, in a completely unrelated decision said there wasn't enough in the budget to cover sending the article to a professional scientific editor).

And then I got an email from the art gallery with their "questions" on my translation and the reminder they'd be sending the next step of the translation next week...

And of course, work at the museum is busy as we rush to pull together all the little ends of a major project due all too soon...

So much for the end of the tunnel... If you haven't heard from me in a few weeks send in the rescue team with plenty of chocolate!

Saturday 10 September 2011

Up down turn around

U pulls the car over to the curb and I crawl out, pulling myself and my bag out through the narrow amount I'm able to open the door. As I close the door U suddenly yells:

"Pull your skirt down, you're showing your underwear!!"

Because U was being conscientious and had pulled the car alllllll the way to the curb, I'm standing waist deep in bushes with about an inch between me and the car, but I attempt to check my skirt. Not seeing it caught up anywhere I make a move to get past the car and out if the bush. But U repeats his yell, with a touch more panic.

"Pull your skirt down!!"

I am confused because I can't find the source of U's complaint and annoyed that I have to stand in the bushes. I glare at him and ask him what the #%£¥ he is talking about. He half reaches out across the passenger seat and mumbles:

"Your t-shirt... shorts..."

Turns out my t-shirt got pulled up a bit and you could see the waistband of the shorts I was wearing under my skirt.

I'm glad I wasn't flashing the entire neighbourhood and it is nice to know U has my back, but wouldn't pulling DOWN my skirt actually have made it worse?!

Thursday 8 September 2011

Things I love Thursday

- my dad buying a ticket to come to Japan for nearly a month over Christmas

- planning a fall get-away to meet my dad in Brussels! (raspberry beer, chocolate, raspberry beer, yummy food... RASPBERRY BEER!)

- international festivals in Yoyogi koen (just in September there are Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Nepal, and India!!)

- busy work days and knowing I'm needed!

- papico (coffee and chocolate ice cream)