A Quiet Week

January 21, 2014

View off the back balcony - the back yard

I’ve been in Japan for over a week now, and we have settled into the apartment very well. We have explored the stores at the nearby shopping center to learn what they provide including a local grocery store. I couldn’t read any labels or signs, which encourages me even more to learn the language, but we managed to identify and purchase a few items I have made into dinner – soba noodles, tofu, fish, green onions, and some very tasty sweet rolls. I hope to make more trips to that store as it is very conveniently located and to get a better grasp on Japanese cuisine.

Fresh meat/fish section at the Japanese grocery store. Yes, that is an octopus tentacle

The finished product: Soba noodle soup with chicken dumplings and tofu on theside

While Jim is at work I have finally started making a picture book of our first adventure on Okinawa, while not thoroughly engrossed in a fantastic book series Olivia introduced me to, “Eragon” by Christopher Paolini. I have just finished the second book in a four part series, and have been utterly unproductive since I started them! I have enjoyed the lazy vacation of no responsibilities, but I feel guilty when Jim comes home from a day of work to realize I didn’t even fold the clothes that have been dry for two days. I have promised Jim (and myself) to get a few things done before starting the next book.

Jim enjoyed a four day weekend from work in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. In that time we were able to spend time on Skype with Olivia watching a movie and playing a game of Settlers of Catan. She decided it is much more boring when she can’t move her own pieces or keep her cards secret. Even so she did manage to be the winner of the day. We were also able to continue the bible study we’ve been doing with Jim’s family, the only difference being two of us were one Skype instead of one.

Jim made some fantastic rice pudding for breakfast

Our inventive arrangement so Olivia could see the status off the game board

After a week of quiet I decided I would like a fish for a pet. A rather simple animal to keep, I thought a fish would manageable for Jim to care for when I am gone. We have the tank set up and an aquatic plant in it, but are supposed to wait a week before introducing a fish to the tank, to be sure the natural chemicals in the new ecosystem (ammonia and nitrates) have balanced. I hope to bring home a fish or two this next weekend.

The empty fish tank. The plant on the right is real, the others are decorations in case I manage to kill the real one.

Another new splash of life and color would be the recently adopted porch plants. Not house plants, mind you, because they will live on the porch. That way God has a chance of saving them with rain and sun. I know one is a tiny rose bush, and one is a common non-flowering plant, but the others are a mystery. I couldn’t read the labels, only chose some that looked pretty and inexpensive. Any ideas, flower enthusiasts?

Step 1: Buy stuff

Step 2: Organize the plants and pots

Step 3: Move plants to pots

Beautiful but not aromatic

A miniature rose

This one is very fragrant, and the shape reminds me of a hyacinth

Fun feathery petals

What a remarkable shape, we  couldn't resist 

A nicely colored foliage plant

This one I have seen plenty, and I believe it to be hardy

The weather here has been very pleasant, with temperatures consistently in the low 60s. A few times last week I hoped to go for a walk, but it has been cloudy lately and I thought I might get rained on. I am constantly wondering if the sounds overhead are thunder or planes, until the planes pass by, at least. Maybe, eventually, I’ll get used to it.

We have a bit of a get together planned for this coming weekend, sort of a “come see the new place kind” of thing. It will be a great opportunity to meet more of the friends Jim works and spends time with. I only hope the apartment is ready for guests. Wish me luck!