This week I celebrated my birthday (never you mind which one). It wasn't anything too exciting, but I was happy to spend time with my family.
We didn't really go anywhere this weekend either; still up to our ears in boxes. Actually, that's not entirely true. We've been working hard and are now down to our knees in boxes, but there's still all the stuff that belongs on the walls on the floor. At least we can navigate from room to room without obstruction. We even found a little room for some added furniture.
Twice each year, the Misawa Officers' Spouses Club hosts the Far East Bazaar. This weekend was the second of the year. We found lots of stuff we wanted, but we don't yet know what kind of space we have available so we mostly restrained ourselves from making impulse purchases. We did, however, find a couple of lamps we couldn't walk away from. They are actually from Hawaii, but that's kind of "Far East-ish." Right?
For now, we're looking forward to the next bazaar. Of course, we have to keep our options open, cause we'll find a lot of stuff we won't be able to live without over the next few years.
Otanjoobi omedetoo gozaimasu (to me),
Marty
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Boxes, Boxes, Bed, Bed
Our stuff was finally delivered Thursday. Ness and I (at this point just Ness, cause I'm typing this) are currently digging ourselves out of stacks of boxes. Some of the boxes are like Christmas presents; they're labeled but it's a big surprise when we actually open it up to see what's inside. Movers have a funny way of grabbing something left over from one room and squeezing it in with a completely random box of wares. They also like to use lots and lots of packing paper. I really shouldn't complain cause all that packing paper keeps my precious pencils, pens, straws, and silverware from getting broken.
Many of you have seen, or heard about the bed I made Aiden a few years ago (loft, complete with slide and "stone" wall). That colossal masterpiece (if I may say so) took up most of his former bedroom. Because we didn't know what kind of space we'd have here, we opted to leave it behind in storage and buy the boys a bunk bed from Ikea. I spent a couple of hours after our household goods delivery putting together their new bed . After two nights, it seems like it's going to work out. Ethan even slept on his big boy bed last night.
When we moved out of the temporary lodging on base to our home in town for the next three years, we borrowed furniture from the base (No, I'm not using "borrowed" liberally. They actually have a Furnishings Management Office that has lots of loaner stuff). These furnishings included large appliances, living room furnishings, dressers, and beds. We quickly discovered a sticking point with the beds.
We live in a Japanese-style home and things are a little more quaint than we're used too. For instance, I have to duck my head to get into the upstairs bathroom (I've only forgotten once!). The movers with the loaner furniture tried to move a queen size bed up the stairs and discovered our dilemma; it wasn't going to happen. Knowing we had our own queen size bed on a voyage across the ocean, we had to look for an alternative solution. We used the two twin beds that we originally borrowed for the boys and pushed them together, while Aiden was able to enjoy the queen size bed downstairs. Of course Ethan didn't sleep on the floor; we kept him hostage in a pack-n-play.
We shopped around some local furniture stores last week and found a couple of twin beds that, when pushed together, will make for some spacious snoozing (and a some nearly wall-to-wall furniture) for the next few years. They delivered and assembled the bed today and, although it's only 3 P.M. here, I'm ready to go try it out. Good bye unpacking, hello mid-afternoon nap!
O-yasumi nasai,
Marty
Many of you have seen, or heard about the bed I made Aiden a few years ago (loft, complete with slide and "stone" wall). That colossal masterpiece (if I may say so) took up most of his former bedroom. Because we didn't know what kind of space we'd have here, we opted to leave it behind in storage and buy the boys a bunk bed from Ikea. I spent a couple of hours after our household goods delivery putting together their new bed . After two nights, it seems like it's going to work out. Ethan even slept on his big boy bed last night.
When we moved out of the temporary lodging on base to our home in town for the next three years, we borrowed furniture from the base (No, I'm not using "borrowed" liberally. They actually have a Furnishings Management Office that has lots of loaner stuff). These furnishings included large appliances, living room furnishings, dressers, and beds. We quickly discovered a sticking point with the beds.
We live in a Japanese-style home and things are a little more quaint than we're used too. For instance, I have to duck my head to get into the upstairs bathroom (I've only forgotten once!). The movers with the loaner furniture tried to move a queen size bed up the stairs and discovered our dilemma; it wasn't going to happen. Knowing we had our own queen size bed on a voyage across the ocean, we had to look for an alternative solution. We used the two twin beds that we originally borrowed for the boys and pushed them together, while Aiden was able to enjoy the queen size bed downstairs. Of course Ethan didn't sleep on the floor; we kept him hostage in a pack-n-play.
We shopped around some local furniture stores last week and found a couple of twin beds that, when pushed together, will make for some spacious snoozing (and a some nearly wall-to-wall furniture) for the next few years. They delivered and assembled the bed today and, although it's only 3 P.M. here, I'm ready to go try it out. Good bye unpacking, hello mid-afternoon nap!
O-yasumi nasai,
Marty
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Won't you take me to Takko town
Last weekend we decided to take a trip to Takko town (pronounce TACO) for the annual Beef and Garlic Festival. Having lived in the SF Bay area of California, Ness and I have attended the sister-city garlic festival in Gilroy (not that I remember much of it besides the intense, yet delightful smell of garlic permeating the air).
Our trip down was uneventful, with the exception of this being our longest whole-family trip here to date. It was surprisingly quiet.
I purchased our lunch tickets the week before the trip, so we were assured a lunch of vegetables, garlic, and thinly sliced Takko beef. I think I forgot to read the small print, cause we soon discovered that we were afforded the opportunity to prepare our meal to our liking. We searched through the throngs of people for a grill, then hovered over a couple of folks until they "decided" they were finished eating and moved along. One of the volunteers prepared our grilling surface (I need to find one of those people for my grill), and we set to work cooking our lunch. The boys were eager to, um, help. I hesitate, cause we had a toddler meandering around a bunch of half-barrels full of fire, and a kindergartner who wanted to touch a bunch of raw food on the surface of said half-barrels of fire. We got through the hectic lunch prep and, at least Ness and I, enjoyed some wonderful food.
After fighting with Aiden to eat something, then ultimately surrendering, we ventured around the rest of the festivities. There wasn't a whole lot to do, but we did happen upon the Garlic Spitting contest. We enjoyed watching for a while, but Vanessa quickly goaded me into signing up. She's a good sport, so she didn't complain too much that I signed her up too. We ended up being the last two on the list; 79 and 80. There might have been more contestants, but it started raining; making the already cool mountain air even, colder. Fortunately, the rain let up just before it was our turn.
(can you see the clove of garlic?)
Ladies and Gentlemen, the picture above is the wife of the 3rd place world champion garlic spitter (11.678 meters). I plan to attend next year's festival to try to take 1st.
I actually relished in the spotlight with another Airman, who actually works down the hall from me and whom I shall forever refer to as Number Two. I'm not sure what that says about the Airforce.
That was the excitement of the festival. If you see me around, NO autographs!
Setting my sights on being Ichiban next year,
Marty
Our trip down was uneventful, with the exception of this being our longest whole-family trip here to date. It was surprisingly quiet.
I purchased our lunch tickets the week before the trip, so we were assured a lunch of vegetables, garlic, and thinly sliced Takko beef. I think I forgot to read the small print, cause we soon discovered that we were afforded the opportunity to prepare our meal to our liking. We searched through the throngs of people for a grill, then hovered over a couple of folks until they "decided" they were finished eating and moved along. One of the volunteers prepared our grilling surface (I need to find one of those people for my grill), and we set to work cooking our lunch. The boys were eager to, um, help. I hesitate, cause we had a toddler meandering around a bunch of half-barrels full of fire, and a kindergartner who wanted to touch a bunch of raw food on the surface of said half-barrels of fire. We got through the hectic lunch prep and, at least Ness and I, enjoyed some wonderful food.
After fighting with Aiden to eat something, then ultimately surrendering, we ventured around the rest of the festivities. There wasn't a whole lot to do, but we did happen upon the Garlic Spitting contest. We enjoyed watching for a while, but Vanessa quickly goaded me into signing up. She's a good sport, so she didn't complain too much that I signed her up too. We ended up being the last two on the list; 79 and 80. There might have been more contestants, but it started raining; making the already cool mountain air even, colder. Fortunately, the rain let up just before it was our turn.
(can you see the clove of garlic?)
Ladies and Gentlemen, the picture above is the wife of the 3rd place world champion garlic spitter (11.678 meters). I plan to attend next year's festival to try to take 1st.
I actually relished in the spotlight with another Airman, who actually works down the hall from me and whom I shall forever refer to as Number Two. I'm not sure what that says about the Airforce.
That was the excitement of the festival. If you see me around, NO autographs!
Setting my sights on being Ichiban next year,
Marty
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