Hello September.

Well, we are four months into this whole six person family deal and let me tell you, it is something else.

This guy is a gentle giant weighing in this month at 17.6 pounds and 27 inches long. And he's got three bottom teeth rising out of his gooey gums like pearls.

September means that summer is on its way out and school is back in session (thank goodness). It also means that a certain person around here will celebrate her matching digits birthday by taking a trip to Nara and Kyoto with the whole gang in tow.

I love the mild seasons and look forward to cruising around town on our bikes under the golden ginkgo trees.

Hope all is well with you and yours.

Summer Lovin'

We have been having a blast this summer. Now that everyone is healthy we are making the most of getting outdoors. We only do excursions twice a week since Jason and I are both working on projects that require us to be home. Also, these excursions are a little exhausting and require a bit of recovery time. Like yesterday's trip to the beach. Without a car, getting four littles and their reluctant father to the beach was not an easy feat. We left early and came home late with countless station transfers in between. The sunburnt shoulders are proof that we not only made it to Utsumi Beach, but that we played in the Pacific Ocean for as long as possible.


One of the reasons we are enjoying summer more this year is due to the recent acquisition of the long sought after Family Bicycle. It makes getting around so much easier that for a few days it was hard to keep us indoors (and working on those projects I mentioned earlier).


We have a few more excursions before Nico has to return to kindergarten (for marching band practice of all things). Science museum, zoo, Pokemon movie, and the city fruit park. Sebastian is really excited about the last two things. The lull between the excursions are deemed boring but I think he also likes the lazy days too of reading comic books and building monsters in clay.

Summer is now ranking as the number one season on our charts. How's it going on yours?

Hello Summer?

Today is the coolest July 21st I have ever known. Right now it is about 68 degrees and drizzly. I am extremely grateful for such an odd day in the middle of summer but it is a little strange.

Jason had today off, another odd thing since Saturdays are his busiest teaching days. So we headed down to Sakae for the weekly farmer's market. (We were a little late since we had to drop Nico off at school for his overnight camping trip with his classmates. His first overnight away since moving to Japan.)
 Even though the cool and damp morning made me think of October, the tables at the market were covered with the bounty of summer. Tomatoes, garlic, herbs, peppers, bitter melon, eggplant, and squash. The rainbow colors were vibrant against the grey day but I had a hard time thinking of summertime recipes to use them in. (My rule is I cannot buy vegetables unless I know exactly what I will make with them. This avoids the tragedy of wilted/rotten organic veggies.) I meant to buy more but ended up with just a dinner's worth.


The real prize were these guys and gals. Two pairs of kabuto mushi for only 200 yen (2 bucks). We felt like thieves but gladly accepted the chance to buy some really nice beetles, raised by elementary school kids in the mountains. Made me miss country living, like I always do on market day.


When we returned home, Sebastian's pal Hikari-chan was waiting for us. They spent the rest of the dreary day playing with the beetles and hamster (notice the non-plural) on the porch, letting the guy beetles fight on the goya (bitter melon) vine.



Tonight we were going to go to the giant festival out at the port (3 kids instead of 4 makes such feats seem feasible) but the drizzle continues, making home the better choice. The main attraction of the festival is the fireworks. I am betting they will be a tad dull this year.
Besides, next weekend is the matsuri (festival) at Sebastian's school so we can get our festivaling in then. And we have our own (family-sized) sack of fireworks, just waiting for the best night.
Tonight though I think we'll enjoy a little less fighting (brother v. brother), a glass of beer, and the cool breeze flowing through the open windows. So cool in fact, I think I need my light sweater.  Is it really summer vacation already?

The Business at Hand

My summer holiday has definitely gone a different direction than I anticipated. Instead of the laziness (I mean, recuperation)that I had planned on, I have been working on what I suppose can now be officially considered my small business. I have learned a lot about what it takes to make the shop really run, mainly due to making many mistakes along the way.

What is really important when involved in such a project is to remember the motivating force behind the ambition. My favorite way to achieve this is a trip to the park, with the "motivating force" in tow.






Yes. I remember now.
xoxo

Natsu Yasumi! Summer is On!

8 days, 8 days....

Eight days until the wonderful man delivers and installs our a/c. Eight whole days. Today we had to go to the park around 7 am to avoid the unrelenting heat of the day. How did we do it last year? No cooking, lots of iced drinks, fans and more fans, siesta, kiddie pool, showers and more showers, parasols and cold packs. Surviving summer in Nagoya is exhausting.
But summer in Japan? Definitely one of my favorite seasons. Festivals, fireworks, shaved ice, swimming, cold somen noodles, watermelon, sunflowers, cicadas, yep, definitely in the top four. Neck and neck with winter.



Hope you are all staying cool wherever you may be.
xoxo

Heat Island

This is what Nico looks like on the way to school. And on the way home. And, well, pretty much all the time now.

It is hot. Like, really, really hot. Nagoya is nationally famous for being one of the hottest places in Japan because the mountains curve into a pocket to trap heat, with the Ise Bay as a wall so that air cannot escape. Humidity, concrete, no wind plus geography added together equals misery. So we broke down and laid a fairly large amount of yen on the department store's counter and proceeded to whine and beg until they agreed to bring us an A/C. Sorry Al Gore, but it isn't optional this year. We feel bad about it, we do, but perhaps worse about sweating in our sleep.Starting July 11th, our footstep will be just a tad heavier. We said we were sorry.

行くよ！

It's go time, folks. My shop is up and running and we are celebrating the modest opening in a grand way by offering you a ten percent off coupon. Just enter the coupon code 'rockscissorspaper' when you checkout. I'm also offering free shipping during the grand opening week.

Here is the shop update schedule for the next month:

June 16th: Infant/Toddler Cloth Slippers (Suripa)
June 17th: Sundresses (Natsuko Line)
June 18th: Cloth Dolls (The Aki-chan)
June 20th: Pinafore Dresses (Arisu Line)
June 24th: Japanese Cut Fabric
June 30th: Jimbei (Midori Line)
July 4th: Sundresses (Yoko Line)
July 16th: General Update
July 20th: Lunch Kits (Obento)


I am really excited to launch the shop finally after so many minor and major delays. Thank you for all your support and encouragment. It meant/means a lot to me. Domo arigatou gozaimasu!

xoxo

The dawn of mushi season

It's still a little early but the nets have made their way into our daily walks again, both boys ready for whatever will fly or jump their way. Or out of their way.



Right now, butterflies are the main thrill. Sebastian has learned how to catch them in his bare hands and in doing so has come to realize just how delicate they are, how easily their short lives can be ruined. He has returned to the net, preferring now to watch them briefly in the plastic mushi case before releasing them back to their clover and dandelions. It is in turn amazing for me to watch my son's innate respect for life blossom and grow.



Soon, we'll have mushi cases housing preying mantis and beetles, cicadas and grasshoppers stacked on shelves and cabinet tops. Everything will buzz and hum, tuning in harmony with summer. Dripping with sweat and determination, the kids will check every bush and tree trunk for more six legged creatures to invite home. The nets will seem like extensions of their bodies.



I would hardly recognize the season otherwise.