Editor's note: My co-worker wrote this item for last year. I thought it was so entertaining, I had to share it.
Omaru No Hi
Japan is known for many things—elegant sakura, delectable sushi, futuristic electronics—but to some foreigners who have either traveled through or lived in the country, there’s another infamous aspect of the Land of the Rising Sun. Walk into any public restroom and you’re likely to find something surprising: a row of low in-ground toilets. And yet, while these washiki commodes (sometimes referred to as “squatty potties”) seem a little strange to visitors, they are so culturally important that they even have their own holiday, Omaru No Hi.
Omaru No Hi translates somewhat awkwardly to “Day of the Toilet.” The holiday commemorates the invention of washiki toilets as well as the life of their inventor and Japan’s great unifier, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Hideyoshi ruled with a strict iron fist throughout the late 1500’s, but his beginnings were humble. As a youth, he worked his way up through the ranks of Oda clan as a lowly servant, a sandal bearer, and a castle repairman. His superiors took notice of him as a skillful negotiator, ultimately honoring him with a position as one of many Oda generals. By 1583, Hideyoshi had risen above all other generals and heirs to become the Oda clan’s leader; in the next 15 years, he methodically conquered provinces through Japan, effectively ending the rule of multiple clans.
Though Hideyoshi’s cultural influence manifests in many ways in modern Japan, perhaps his most formidable legacy is the washiki toilet. Beyond unifying Japan, Hideyoshi longed to conquer other lands, from China to Korea. But he did not believe in his countrymen—he thought that the Japanese people had grown collectively weak, unable to toil away in neither the rice field nor the battle field. His great homeland’s honor was at stake. And so he imposed a unique yet logical law: all traditional sitting toilets would be removed and replaced with washiki toilets, forcing anyone using a bathroom to squat and exercise their muscles. He believed that by strengthening the legs of the people, their hearts, souls, and honor would also be strengthened. And therefore, they would conquer.
Though Hideyoshi wasn’t successful in conquering Korea or China, he is still strengthening the legs of bathroom-users throughout Japan. Omaru No Hi is celebrated annually on the first day of April. There are no parades or large festivals for this day; rather, the event is celebrated quietly in public restrooms and private homes. Special wreaths woven from bamboo reeds are placed above each toilet and incense lit (the smoke is believed to cleanse the air). At the end of the day, a bit of salt is flushed to rid the toilet of bad spirits.
So on April 1, if you happen to find yourself in a public restroom, be sure to partake in this small bit of culture—pause and pay respect to the noble washiki.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Overheard at the commissary
Husband to wife, "Was that a regular dozen, baker's dozen, or Japanese dozen eggs you wanted?"
Friday, March 26, 2010
Whale watching
The day started out innocent enough, waking up early on a Saturday morning with the intention to stop by Starbucks to pickup some pick me up for our Olivia's babysitters (Rob & Meridith). With our usual timeliness, we didn't have time to stop and just dropped Olivia off at 7am in order to get to the bus by 7:45am.
As we unloaded the car, we realized how much stuff we "travel" with. Stroller, booster seat with a tray, diaper bag, backup clothes, a bag of toys, bottles, food - and that's just for Olivia. As we passed O to Meredith, we noticed we were forgetting one thing for Olivia, her barrette was missing. Not just any barrette, but the one that we had put in her hair earlier in the day.
That's weird. Check the car, the floor, the car seat, the bags, under the blanket, under the shoes, in the shoes... but no barrette. After 10 minutes of frantically searching, we were convincing ourselves more and more that Olivia had swallowed it. Instead of whales watching, we were thinking we were going to be watching Little Nemo at pediatrics to find out the conclusion of The Missing Barrette.
Thankfully Rob put us at ease by saying "we probably would have heard her if she tried swallowing it." Rob should know, he sees the opening it would have gone down many more times that most of us as a dentist. We knew we were in good hands, and Rob and Meredith would keep a close eye on O.
We cautiously headed back to Camp Foster, trying to assure ourselves that Olivia was ok and did not swallow the barrette. But as we got closer to the base to meet the bus, our anxiety rose exponentially. What kind of parents are we?
Let's look one last time. Once last look rummaging through the car, in her socks she pulled off, pulling out the floor mats and car seats. You know what fell out? A little green barrette. And the V-Team breathed a sigh of relief. The called the babysitters to confirm that The Case of the Missing Barrette had been solved. Without the barrette case solved, neither of us were going whale watching.
And off we went toward the port to to request permission to come aboard the Chateau something for a morning of whale watching. (Michelle identified this trip as my annual water duty for being in the Navy. Last summer it was a fishing trip with friends that seven of ten people got sick on).
The Relieved Couple
We were only 20 minutes from the shore when the first call came out. Our tour guide translated the captain's announcement for the 95% American passengers on board that they "expect to see two to three whales spotted in this area". The kids on board squealed in excitement and jumped from the seats to man the rails. Photographers assumed the ready position. And we waited.
This is where it gets interesting. In California, whale watching meant watching for the blow from 100 yards out. You need binoculars to see anything much closer. The conservation laws don't let you get much closer. In Japan, however, a blow sighting results in many radio calls to the other boats to relay the information and get much closer.
Get your cameras ready sports fans, whales spotted 2 o'clock
Blowhole!
This was the only picture we took of the whales. It was much more fun watching them with the naked eye than with a camera. I think too many people missed seeing all the action because they were too occupied trying to catch it on camera.
After the call went out, the Japanese Armada arrived with its fleet of tour boats
The other tour boats, with a boatload of people
The grass was much greener and we were happy with the legroom on our boat
After an exhaustive morning searching for a barrette, then a fun-filled morning watching the whale-watching boats stalk their prey, we were hungry. No tour would be complete without lunch on Kokusai Street. We were on a mission to feed by baby momma and to eat at the restaurant that we've always wanted to eat at, but never could because of the huge waits for dinner. This time it was for lunch and were were easily able to get a table at Helios.
Too many choices, so we had to try them all
Even the sausages came on a sampler
The micro brew was fantastic, but the sampler didn't come with the goya brew.
Thanks to the bus for doing the driving.
As we unloaded the car, we realized how much stuff we "travel" with. Stroller, booster seat with a tray, diaper bag, backup clothes, a bag of toys, bottles, food - and that's just for Olivia. As we passed O to Meredith, we noticed we were forgetting one thing for Olivia, her barrette was missing. Not just any barrette, but the one that we had put in her hair earlier in the day.
That's weird. Check the car, the floor, the car seat, the bags, under the blanket, under the shoes, in the shoes... but no barrette. After 10 minutes of frantically searching, we were convincing ourselves more and more that Olivia had swallowed it. Instead of whales watching, we were thinking we were going to be watching Little Nemo at pediatrics to find out the conclusion of The Missing Barrette.
Thankfully Rob put us at ease by saying "we probably would have heard her if she tried swallowing it." Rob should know, he sees the opening it would have gone down many more times that most of us as a dentist. We knew we were in good hands, and Rob and Meredith would keep a close eye on O.
We cautiously headed back to Camp Foster, trying to assure ourselves that Olivia was ok and did not swallow the barrette. But as we got closer to the base to meet the bus, our anxiety rose exponentially. What kind of parents are we?
Let's look one last time. Once last look rummaging through the car, in her socks she pulled off, pulling out the floor mats and car seats. You know what fell out? A little green barrette. And the V-Team breathed a sigh of relief. The called the babysitters to confirm that The Case of the Missing Barrette had been solved. Without the barrette case solved, neither of us were going whale watching.
And off we went toward the port to to request permission to come aboard the Chateau something for a morning of whale watching. (Michelle identified this trip as my annual water duty for being in the Navy. Last summer it was a fishing trip with friends that seven of ten people got sick on).
The Relieved Couple
We were only 20 minutes from the shore when the first call came out. Our tour guide translated the captain's announcement for the 95% American passengers on board that they "expect to see two to three whales spotted in this area". The kids on board squealed in excitement and jumped from the seats to man the rails. Photographers assumed the ready position. And we waited.
This is where it gets interesting. In California, whale watching meant watching for the blow from 100 yards out. You need binoculars to see anything much closer. The conservation laws don't let you get much closer. In Japan, however, a blow sighting results in many radio calls to the other boats to relay the information and get much closer.
Get your cameras ready sports fans, whales spotted 2 o'clock
Blowhole!
This was the only picture we took of the whales. It was much more fun watching them with the naked eye than with a camera. I think too many people missed seeing all the action because they were too occupied trying to catch it on camera.
After the call went out, the Japanese Armada arrived with its fleet of tour boats
The other tour boats, with a boatload of people
The grass was much greener and we were happy with the legroom on our boat
After an exhaustive morning searching for a barrette, then a fun-filled morning watching the whale-watching boats stalk their prey, we were hungry. No tour would be complete without lunch on Kokusai Street. We were on a mission to feed by baby momma and to eat at the restaurant that we've always wanted to eat at, but never could because of the huge waits for dinner. This time it was for lunch and were were easily able to get a table at Helios.
Too many choices, so we had to try them all
Even the sausages came on a sampler
The micro brew was fantastic, but the sampler didn't come with the goya brew.
Thanks to the bus for doing the driving.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
1st Birthday Photo Shoot
I'm trying to limit myself in the number of professional photos I have taken of Olivia. After all, as my sisters will remind me "whatever you do for Olivia you have to do for all your children."
Before she was born, I hoped to take newborn photos and a 2 year old photo and call it good. But then I didn't find/reserve a photographer for Olivia's newborn photo shoot and before I knew it she wasn't a newborn anymore. In Okinawa and Korea, a baby's first photo is taken when he/she is 100 days old. One of my co-workers told me that she reserved the photo studio for her daughter's 100 days photo the day after she got out of the hospital. I didn't think about having Olivia's 100 days old picture taken until she was 135 days old.
When we in the States last summer, I was tempted to get some pictures of little O. So on a last minute plan and with the help of a tutu, we had a great 20 minute photo shoot in Minnesota.
Then I found out that many people take a picture of the child when they are a year old and I cracked. Besides I REALLY wanted a photo of Olivia in a kimono. Afterall she was born in Japan. So I booked an appointment with this off-base photo studio that specializes in children's pictures. The business advertises in the magazine I write for and I wrote a column about their business. This photo shoot would be a test to see if my assertions in the column were correct.
First the photographer took pictures of Olivia with a Japanese birthday cake, complete with fake strawberries that she loved to munch on. And yes, I did buy a real version for her birthday cake.
Olivia refused to stand by the cake (which I wanted her to do), but otherwise she was pleasant.
Then it was time for the kimono photo. So many options. First the photo tech asked if I wanted an Okinawan kimono or a Japanese kimono. Both I said. Then she asked if I wanted a a yellow or red. Yellow, I said. Then they proceeded to dress Olivia in the Okinawan kimono.
At first it went well. Then she started crying and wouldn't stop. I think she got hot under the two layers of fabric. Somehow they managed to snap this darling picture.
Next was the red Japanese kimono and since Olivia wasn't happy, I was willing to cut our losses. But the photo tech convinced me that everything was ready to go as Olivia did another costume change. The backdrop was a traditional hina doll display. Girls Day is celebrated on March 5 in Japan and since Olivia's birthday is near the special day for girls in Japan, it seemed like an appropriate cultural photo.
Again Olivia was not happy. Apparently she prefers Carters to kimonos.
Good thing Olivia only turns 1 once.
Before she was born, I hoped to take newborn photos and a 2 year old photo and call it good. But then I didn't find/reserve a photographer for Olivia's newborn photo shoot and before I knew it she wasn't a newborn anymore. In Okinawa and Korea, a baby's first photo is taken when he/she is 100 days old. One of my co-workers told me that she reserved the photo studio for her daughter's 100 days photo the day after she got out of the hospital. I didn't think about having Olivia's 100 days old picture taken until she was 135 days old.
When we in the States last summer, I was tempted to get some pictures of little O. So on a last minute plan and with the help of a tutu, we had a great 20 minute photo shoot in Minnesota.
Then I found out that many people take a picture of the child when they are a year old and I cracked. Besides I REALLY wanted a photo of Olivia in a kimono. Afterall she was born in Japan. So I booked an appointment with this off-base photo studio that specializes in children's pictures. The business advertises in the magazine I write for and I wrote a column about their business. This photo shoot would be a test to see if my assertions in the column were correct.
First the photographer took pictures of Olivia with a Japanese birthday cake, complete with fake strawberries that she loved to munch on. And yes, I did buy a real version for her birthday cake.
Olivia refused to stand by the cake (which I wanted her to do), but otherwise she was pleasant.
Then it was time for the kimono photo. So many options. First the photo tech asked if I wanted an Okinawan kimono or a Japanese kimono. Both I said. Then she asked if I wanted a a yellow or red. Yellow, I said. Then they proceeded to dress Olivia in the Okinawan kimono.
At first it went well. Then she started crying and wouldn't stop. I think she got hot under the two layers of fabric. Somehow they managed to snap this darling picture.
Next was the red Japanese kimono and since Olivia wasn't happy, I was willing to cut our losses. But the photo tech convinced me that everything was ready to go as Olivia did another costume change. The backdrop was a traditional hina doll display. Girls Day is celebrated on March 5 in Japan and since Olivia's birthday is near the special day for girls in Japan, it seemed like an appropriate cultural photo.
Again Olivia was not happy. Apparently she prefers Carters to kimonos.
Good thing Olivia only turns 1 once.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Dusty days
Since Sunday, the air in Okinawa has been filled with dust, blowing from China. The sky, which is normally blue, is filled with clouds and it seems that a reddish brown fog has taken over the island.
While there hasn't been any reports about the air quality, it does seem to be concerning. Especially when the international news is reporting concerns in China, Korea and Taiwan. What's next door to Taiwan? Okinawa. I guess this tiny island isn't worth the trouble.
But until the dust settles, we plan to keep the windows secured and limite Olivia's exposure to the outdoors.
Oh China.
While there hasn't been any reports about the air quality, it does seem to be concerning. Especially when the international news is reporting concerns in China, Korea and Taiwan. What's next door to Taiwan? Okinawa. I guess this tiny island isn't worth the trouble.
But until the dust settles, we plan to keep the windows secured and limite Olivia's exposure to the outdoors.
Oh China.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Have him eating out of your hand
At age 1, Olivia has her father right where she wants him, eating out of her hand.
Friday, March 19, 2010
an ill Olivia
Olivia has been sick some kind of killer upper respiratory virus plaguing the island. We have been VERY fortunate that Olivia has been such a healthy girl for her first year of life. Up until this week, she has had a runny nose twice and twice went home from daycare with a fever, both times caused by a tooth that was popping through the gum as diagnosed by Dr. Mom.
So I had no experience caring for a sick child. And then I was faced with this. The fever started on Sunday afternoon, welcomed Monday morning by throwing up a few times, followed by a smoker's cough, combined with a constant runny nose while lead to a whiny Olivia only wanted to be held by her mother. And I'm not a fan of sitting in one place for more than an hour. Her fever lasted all week and I was so concerned that on Wednesday I took her to see the doctor, convinced that she was suffering from her first ear infection. Nope, her ears are clean as a whistle, the doctor answered, tapping a crying Olivia on the head and sending us on the way.
I missed the whole week of work. Olivia missed a week at daycare. And I considered investing in some earplugs because the constant whining sound coming from Olivia's lips was started to cause mommy meltdowns. So Benny substituted for me on Friday night, so I could take a shower, brush my teeth and leave the house to see a movie. When I returned two hours later, I felt refreshed and with a slight tickle in my throat.
As I climbed into bed, I started coughing and felt like I couldn't stop. This morning I woke up to a stuffy nose and sore throat. Olivia woke up with a smile for the first time in days, laughing and without a fever. Looks like she'll make a full recovery.
I guess it's true what they say: The best way to get rid of a cold is to give it someone else.
So I had no experience caring for a sick child. And then I was faced with this. The fever started on Sunday afternoon, welcomed Monday morning by throwing up a few times, followed by a smoker's cough, combined with a constant runny nose while lead to a whiny Olivia only wanted to be held by her mother. And I'm not a fan of sitting in one place for more than an hour. Her fever lasted all week and I was so concerned that on Wednesday I took her to see the doctor, convinced that she was suffering from her first ear infection. Nope, her ears are clean as a whistle, the doctor answered, tapping a crying Olivia on the head and sending us on the way.
I missed the whole week of work. Olivia missed a week at daycare. And I considered investing in some earplugs because the constant whining sound coming from Olivia's lips was started to cause mommy meltdowns. So Benny substituted for me on Friday night, so I could take a shower, brush my teeth and leave the house to see a movie. When I returned two hours later, I felt refreshed and with a slight tickle in my throat.
As I climbed into bed, I started coughing and felt like I couldn't stop. This morning I woke up to a stuffy nose and sore throat. Olivia woke up with a smile for the first time in days, laughing and without a fever. Looks like she'll make a full recovery.
I guess it's true what they say: The best way to get rid of a cold is to give it someone else.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Public declaration
I vow never again to mock my husband for buying, keeping, and storing extra sets of batteries. Those extra batteries saved me from going insane at 4 a.m. when we were trying to get a sick Olivia to sleep in her swing and (of course) the batteries in her swing were dead.
This is my solemn vow.
This is my solemn vow.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Sports .. Time Waster or Best Way to Fill Your Time
March Madness, the Big Dance, starts this week and even though my beloved Iowa State Cyclones aren't in it (instead Northern Iowa will be representing corn fields), I still plan to watch as many games as possible. I completed my bracket and can't wait to see the first upset. I'm one of those people who does less work during the month of March due to my love of the game. In fact, last year I didn't complain about middle of the nights feeding with Olivia because of the NCAA Tournament. Basketball is LIFE.
But it's not only basketball. I'm a football fan and watch college football on Sunday mornings here in Okinawa and Monday Night Football (NFL) on Tuesday mornings at work (in the background). I participate in a Fantasy Football league (last year I got second place). I adore the bowl season. Football is LIFE.
Last month, I watched only a few hours of the Olympics. A darn shame, if you ask me. I was nearly tempted to send a strongly worded complaint letter to AFN for showing all the coverage during the day when I was at work and couldn't waste hours trying to figure out the object of curling. But I did schedule my lunch hour around the men's and women's figure skating finals. I just HAD to. I had to watch. The Olympics are LIFE.
Baseball spring training is back and I was happy to catch a game on AFN. Once I missed work, so I could attend Opening Day at Dodger Stadium. I HAD to do it. Baseball is LIFE.
Sports are the reason that I don't get all the blogging done that I want to do. If I didn't like sports, I would probably have already knitted hats for my family, finished 100 Years of Solitude for next week's book club meeting and be able to complete a master's degree online. Instead I choose sports, a sedentary activity that sucks my free time. Maybe I should just walk away from sports. Forget live television for a while. Focus on work and my 10-year goals.
And I will. Just one more March Madness. After all I already finished my brackets. Go Syracuse!
But it's not only basketball. I'm a football fan and watch college football on Sunday mornings here in Okinawa and Monday Night Football (NFL) on Tuesday mornings at work (in the background). I participate in a Fantasy Football league (last year I got second place). I adore the bowl season. Football is LIFE.
Last month, I watched only a few hours of the Olympics. A darn shame, if you ask me. I was nearly tempted to send a strongly worded complaint letter to AFN for showing all the coverage during the day when I was at work and couldn't waste hours trying to figure out the object of curling. But I did schedule my lunch hour around the men's and women's figure skating finals. I just HAD to. I had to watch. The Olympics are LIFE.
Baseball spring training is back and I was happy to catch a game on AFN. Once I missed work, so I could attend Opening Day at Dodger Stadium. I HAD to do it. Baseball is LIFE.
Sports are the reason that I don't get all the blogging done that I want to do. If I didn't like sports, I would probably have already knitted hats for my family, finished 100 Years of Solitude for next week's book club meeting and be able to complete a master's degree online. Instead I choose sports, a sedentary activity that sucks my free time. Maybe I should just walk away from sports. Forget live television for a while. Focus on work and my 10-year goals.
And I will. Just one more March Madness. After all I already finished my brackets. Go Syracuse!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Olivia's birthday weekend
My baby is a year old. Where did the time go? Oh, that's right, my time has been taken by my baby. The one whose diaper I'm always changing, whose bottles I'm always washing and don't even get me started on the feeding. When can we wean her of bottles?
But this posting isn't about me, it's about Olivia AKA O and her wonderful first birthday. After much deliberation, the V-Team decided to play this birthday low key. There is plenty of time for birthday bashes in the future ... like when she turns 2. And since her birthday was on a Monday and Olivia is usually dead tired when she gets home from daycare, we decided to celebrate over the weekend. We split up the fun over Saturday and Sunday.
But first we had the Seabee Ball on Friday night. After some frantic preparations while Olivia bounced up and down in her Johnny Jump Up, we drove to our friend, Diana's house. Diana, who is one of the nicest people I've ever met, volunteered to watch O while we went to the Ball. Diana's husband is a Seabee and currently deployed, so she understand the importance of the Seabee Birthday.
So while we were dancing at the Seabee Ball
Olivia was up late, playing with 2 boys who are Diana's neighbors.
Olivia didn't go to bed until 9:30 p.m. She partied hard and was completely asleep when we picked her up at midnight. She didn't wake up when we transferred her from her pack and play to her car seat and from her car seat to her bed. One tired baby.
On Saturday morning, we moved all of Olivia's birthday gifts into the living room and let her pull and open what she wanted when she wanted. At first she was excited about the wrapping paper and the boxes.
And she LOVED the toys from Patti and Bob and didn't find the need to open any other gifts. She just kept playing with her new toys and ignored the other presents, including the shopping cart that Benny and I got for her.
Allowing Olivia open the presents at her own pace meant she wasn't done opening presents until 4 p.m. on Sunday, when I forced her to finish and it wasn't fun for her anymore.
After Alligator Steps and a 2 hour nap, Olivia was taken to Studio Mario, a photo studio specializing in children's pictures for her one year portrait. More about that later. The photo shoot was followed by a stop by the library and a drive to Awase to eat dinner at an Okinawa landmark.
Yes, the waitresses do wear sailor outfits at Sam's, just like they do in the advertisments. It's a Hawaiian, nautical theme that cracks me up. And the food is served on fire.
Olivia felt right at home.
And I toasted Olivia's birthday by drinking a fruity beverage with an umbrella.
On Sunday, Benny ran a 10K as part of the Okinawa Marathon and Olivia and I went to the Air Base to cheer on the runners.
Then I went and bought a cake for her birthday. There was a translation mix up (isn't there always) and the cake said "Happy 7th Birthday Olivia." Good thing I checked it before walking out of the bakery.
After a dinner of green beans, wheat bread and shredded cheese, we sang Happy Birthday to our O monster. She looked at us like we were crazy.
She was given a slice of cake.
She liked the icing. And sucked it off almost every piece, before tossing the sponge cake on the floor.
After cake, Olivia went to bed, an hour earlier than normal. We were exhausted.
But this posting isn't about me, it's about Olivia AKA O and her wonderful first birthday. After much deliberation, the V-Team decided to play this birthday low key. There is plenty of time for birthday bashes in the future ... like when she turns 2. And since her birthday was on a Monday and Olivia is usually dead tired when she gets home from daycare, we decided to celebrate over the weekend. We split up the fun over Saturday and Sunday.
But first we had the Seabee Ball on Friday night. After some frantic preparations while Olivia bounced up and down in her Johnny Jump Up, we drove to our friend, Diana's house. Diana, who is one of the nicest people I've ever met, volunteered to watch O while we went to the Ball. Diana's husband is a Seabee and currently deployed, so she understand the importance of the Seabee Birthday.
So while we were dancing at the Seabee Ball
Olivia was up late, playing with 2 boys who are Diana's neighbors.
Olivia didn't go to bed until 9:30 p.m. She partied hard and was completely asleep when we picked her up at midnight. She didn't wake up when we transferred her from her pack and play to her car seat and from her car seat to her bed. One tired baby.
On Saturday morning, we moved all of Olivia's birthday gifts into the living room and let her pull and open what she wanted when she wanted. At first she was excited about the wrapping paper and the boxes.
And she LOVED the toys from Patti and Bob and didn't find the need to open any other gifts. She just kept playing with her new toys and ignored the other presents, including the shopping cart that Benny and I got for her.
Allowing Olivia open the presents at her own pace meant she wasn't done opening presents until 4 p.m. on Sunday, when I forced her to finish and it wasn't fun for her anymore.
After Alligator Steps and a 2 hour nap, Olivia was taken to Studio Mario, a photo studio specializing in children's pictures for her one year portrait. More about that later. The photo shoot was followed by a stop by the library and a drive to Awase to eat dinner at an Okinawa landmark.
Yes, the waitresses do wear sailor outfits at Sam's, just like they do in the advertisments. It's a Hawaiian, nautical theme that cracks me up. And the food is served on fire.
Olivia felt right at home.
And I toasted Olivia's birthday by drinking a fruity beverage with an umbrella.
On Sunday, Benny ran a 10K as part of the Okinawa Marathon and Olivia and I went to the Air Base to cheer on the runners.
Then I went and bought a cake for her birthday. There was a translation mix up (isn't there always) and the cake said "Happy 7th Birthday Olivia." Good thing I checked it before walking out of the bakery.
After a dinner of green beans, wheat bread and shredded cheese, we sang Happy Birthday to our O monster. She looked at us like we were crazy.
She was given a slice of cake.
She liked the icing. And sucked it off almost every piece, before tossing the sponge cake on the floor.
After cake, Olivia went to bed, an hour earlier than normal. We were exhausted.
Thanks dad
Thanks Dad for installing this safety gate.
It's prefect for pulling myself up, standing and waving to Mom.
It's prefect for pulling myself up, standing and waving to Mom.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
What's shaking?
"What's shaking?" was the question we heard from Tammy when we answered our phone Saturday morning. It was over an hour since the earthquake, but yet, my heart was still beating pretty fast.
Last weekend AKA natural disaster drill weekend, we woke up at 5:30 a.m. to an earthquake. A strong one. Benny yelled "doorway" as he went into Olivia's room to stand there with her. I stook in the doorway of our bedroom and because of the way the doors open we couldn't see each other. All we could do was wait for the shaking to stop. Eventually it did.
No damage to report. Olivia slept through the entire thing. We had two framed pictures fall from the shelves. That's it.
A few minutes later I climbed into bed, hoping to sleep in, when Benny's work phone rang. He received a mass notification call from the emergency response people. A tsunami warning for Okinawa was issued. Now I had trouble falling back asleep, even though we live/eat/work/sleep on the third story of a building that is already built up on top of a wall to protect the land from the ocean. Minutes later it was the phone again, but this time it was our Vonage line. Benny's sister, Patti, was calling to check on us.
Huh, that's strange. The earthquake is being reported in the States. We've had plenty of earthquakes here before, but never have the quakes been covered in Okinawan news yet alone American news.
That's when I got up and checked my Facebook. There was multiple messages asking if we were OK. We are.
Less than 2 hours later, the tsunami warning was cancelled. The threat was over.
The next day we went to church as usual. That's where we heard about the earthquake in Chile and the tsunami warning issued for Okinawa. The tsunami was scheduled to hit at 3:10 p.m. on the west side of the island, but emergency officials were telling us to plan for the whole island to be affected. This time Benny went into work.
Even though we would most likely be OK, I decided to take Olivia and head for higher ground AKA the Air Force base. I drove around for 20 minutes, enough time for the car's motion to soothe her to sleep, before I parked in a shaded parking lot, turned on the radio and opened my photography magazine. I listened as 3:10 p.m. came and went and Olivia slept in the backseat. All is well in Okinawa.
About 3:30 p.m. Olivia woke up, so we headed to the store to measure her feet. Yes, the O monster has been barefoot and proud her whole life, but since she will be turning 1 next week I thought it was time we got her some shoes. We went to the shoe department. I measured her foot and put some keds on her feet. She happily kicked and looked at her feet. When I stood her on the ground, she refused to take a step. It was as though she had no idea how to use her feet anymore. After some coaxing, I gave up and went to look at baby clothes while Olivia nibbled on that shoe.
At 5 p.m. the "all clear" announcement was made and Olivia started screaming (no one told me that 11 months, 25 day olds have tantrums), so we left her shoes behind and left the store.
Later I read an article online about the earthquake. Turns out it was a big one. Luckily it wasn't THE Big One.
Last weekend AKA natural disaster drill weekend, we woke up at 5:30 a.m. to an earthquake. A strong one. Benny yelled "doorway" as he went into Olivia's room to stand there with her. I stook in the doorway of our bedroom and because of the way the doors open we couldn't see each other. All we could do was wait for the shaking to stop. Eventually it did.
No damage to report. Olivia slept through the entire thing. We had two framed pictures fall from the shelves. That's it.
A few minutes later I climbed into bed, hoping to sleep in, when Benny's work phone rang. He received a mass notification call from the emergency response people. A tsunami warning for Okinawa was issued. Now I had trouble falling back asleep, even though we live/eat/work/sleep on the third story of a building that is already built up on top of a wall to protect the land from the ocean. Minutes later it was the phone again, but this time it was our Vonage line. Benny's sister, Patti, was calling to check on us.
Huh, that's strange. The earthquake is being reported in the States. We've had plenty of earthquakes here before, but never have the quakes been covered in Okinawan news yet alone American news.
That's when I got up and checked my Facebook. There was multiple messages asking if we were OK. We are.
Less than 2 hours later, the tsunami warning was cancelled. The threat was over.
The next day we went to church as usual. That's where we heard about the earthquake in Chile and the tsunami warning issued for Okinawa. The tsunami was scheduled to hit at 3:10 p.m. on the west side of the island, but emergency officials were telling us to plan for the whole island to be affected. This time Benny went into work.
Even though we would most likely be OK, I decided to take Olivia and head for higher ground AKA the Air Force base. I drove around for 20 minutes, enough time for the car's motion to soothe her to sleep, before I parked in a shaded parking lot, turned on the radio and opened my photography magazine. I listened as 3:10 p.m. came and went and Olivia slept in the backseat. All is well in Okinawa.
About 3:30 p.m. Olivia woke up, so we headed to the store to measure her feet. Yes, the O monster has been barefoot and proud her whole life, but since she will be turning 1 next week I thought it was time we got her some shoes. We went to the shoe department. I measured her foot and put some keds on her feet. She happily kicked and looked at her feet. When I stood her on the ground, she refused to take a step. It was as though she had no idea how to use her feet anymore. After some coaxing, I gave up and went to look at baby clothes while Olivia nibbled on that shoe.
At 5 p.m. the "all clear" announcement was made and Olivia started screaming (no one told me that 11 months, 25 day olds have tantrums), so we left her shoes behind and left the store.
Later I read an article online about the earthquake. Turns out it was a big one. Luckily it wasn't THE Big One.
Monday, March 1, 2010
On the hunt for a tiger hat
After the Buddha experience, we headed to Victoria Park and followed the signs to a New Year's Eve Fair and Flower Market.
The book I read recommended the Flower Market. It's only once a year and only for the Chinese New Year. Since it was New Year's Eve (Feb. 13), this was THE day to buy flowers for loved ones. And with the double whammy holiday of Valentine's Day (yes the Chinese were celebrating this saint with chocolates and roses, too) falling on the Chinese New year, Chinese florists were very happy businessmen.
Just as we reached the edge of the park, the rain started. It rained practically all weekend. It wasn't a downpour that would force you inside. It was a soft, constant sprinkle that made my hair look ridiculous, kept everything constantly damp, and made an umbrella a necessary item.
Walking from the subway station, I first spotted the tiger hat.
I turned to Benny. I MUST have that for the Chinese New Year ... the Year of the Tiger. Plus it was cold and this hat would keep my ears warm and cover my frizzy hair.
We fought through the crowd and spotted more tiger hats. And more hats.
Until finally I saw a booth where I could buy one.
And for 100 Hong Kong dollars (conversion approximately $10) the hat was mine. I'm a big fan of the hat.
Olivia not so much.
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