Monday, November 29, 2010

What I'm Thankful For

This Thanksgiving is our last Thanksgiving in Okinawa. I had a plan for a low-key, tradition Thanksgiving. My co-worker Dianne invited us over for dinner. I was going to make cranberry sauce and green bean casserole.

Then on Monday afternoon, I got a call from Olivia's daycare. O woke up screaming from her nap and was refusing to eat anything. She had a big ulcer-like sore on the tip of her tongue. This symptom could only mean one thing: hand, foot, and mouth disease.

After a stressful four-hour stay at the emergency room, yes, it was decided that Olivia was sick. The disease is highly contagious and the doctor said that it would take 7 to 10 days to run its course. Seven days. The news hit me hard. Seven days inside with Olivia. Olivia hates to be inside. Seven days inside is a prison sentence for our little girl.

But she definitely wasn't feeling well. Actually she seemed kind of miserable. Her mouth and tongue hurt, so she wasn't eating either. There was only one conclusion: cancel Thanksgiving 2010.

I called Benny and relayed the doctor's instruction. Immediately Benny jumped into action. He called everywhere on base trying to secure a turkey dinner. No luck.

I found a recipe online to cook a turkey breast in a crock pot. Remember we don't have an oven. Let's try it. If only there are still turkey breast at the supermarket.

At 6:45 p.m. Wednesday night, Benny went to the on-base grocery store in search of a turkey breast for us. Along with pudding, ice cream, Jello, and other soft foods for Olivia, he found a turkey breast. And we made a turkey in a crock pot for the first time ever. The turkey was done at 3 p.m. That's when it hit me that we didn't have any side dishes.

Plan B activated. We walked to the Japanese Kentucky Fried Chicken to buy side dishes, mainly mashed potatoes, green beans, and biscuits. But at this restaurant the only side is coleslaw. No good.

Benny suggested that we buy some potatoes at the grocery store and do our own mashing. So we did. Along with making some frozen veggies. Add a bottle of wine and that was our Thanksgiving dinner. A dinner that we'll never forget. A dinner that made me count my blessings, including my kind and understanding husband. He doesn't let a little viral diseased toddler ruin our Thanksgiving. And that's what I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Sunday, November 21, 2010

To be 20 months again...


Trust me, it's a lot of fun!
Maybe we should start looking for that rocking Harley (or horse) sooner than later.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

All I Want for Christmas

When we leave Okinawa, I'm really going to miss the parks. Not only to Japanese parks have long rolling slides that require a piece of cardboard to protect your bum, some also have stilts readily available for use without a waiver.

Do you really think I could walk by stilts without trying them out? It was 15 minutes of entertainment Michelle and Olivia will never get back.


A little tricky at first, but I got the hang of it. Enough to feel like the Wright Brothers Flyer and go 120 (uh um) inches.
No kids were run over during this take, although at least three gave Michelle panic attacks as they wandered in front of me. But I was in control the whole time, like a bull in a china shop. Eyes on the prize, ignore the taunting 8-year old boy who walks by on stilts like he was born on them. He wasn't blind folded, but he did stop and jump on his stilts. I had no idea you could jump on stilts. I would have tried jumping, but I was too busy looking like a new born colt with knocky knees.

I'll have to ask Santa for a pair of stilts in order to practice some more and get to the jumping phase. But at least I can start Little O now, while she's still in that no fear stage. Then she can walk by the gaijin (foreigners) and taunt them with her stilt skills.

Friday, November 19, 2010

My First Alaska T-shirt


After 23 pictures, I sat still long enough for Dad to snap this picture.

Friday, November 12, 2010

A Course for Each Year We've Been Married

I really don't know how I'm going to top this one. It may be impossible. I should probably stop now. It's not worth trying. I don't know if I can afford to try.

On October 30, Benny and I celebrated six years of married. Six years ago, we were huddling close together to keep warm on a brisk autumn Iowa day. The whole world was in front of us. And now, in what seems like a blink of an eye, we are living in Okinawa with a 1 year old daughter and more blessings than I can count. It is October and I'm still sweating. Silly Octobers in Okinawa.


Benny and I take turns planning our anniversaries. I planned the 5th anniversary, so this year it was his turn. Last year was also the year that Benny suggest we incorporate the traditional anniversary gift list into the plan. Five years is wood. Six years is iron.

One might think that iron is hard. Stiff. Unromantic. But Benny proved that iron can exciting, memorable, and filling to the stomach. He booked the babysitter and took me out for a teppanyaki (think iron cooking utensils) dinner at Busena Terrance Beach Resort at Onna Village (about a hour from our house). This hotel is set on a private peninsula. It's an open air design. It's modern. It's chic. It's what people are talking about when they say Okinawa is the Hawaii of Japan. Plus it's famous. The hotel was the host location for the G-8 Summit in July 2000. President Bill Clinton came to Okinawa for that summit.


The resort features many restaurants that are considered to be the best on island. The teppanyaki (cooked on a grill infront of you) one uses Okinawa fruits, vegetables, locally caught fish, and beef from neighbor island Ishigaki. In one word, it's delicious.

The evening started with cold appetizers.


Followed by sea grapes.


Followed by hot appetizers.



Followed by garlic chips. Yup, that garlic cut, grilled, and devoured by Benny and I.


Next was a small Japanese salad.



Next was the main course. Benny had the Ishigaki beef tenderloin and lobster while I had the lobster and fish. And the chef was nice enough to offer to share the beef and fish between the two of us.




This beef was perfect. It melted in my mouth. I don't think I'll ever eat another steak this good.

After dipping our lobster in melted butter, we washed our fingers in a bowl of cool water. (I'm so grateful that the waitress explained it to me.)

The courses were bitesize, so we continued one to eat goya champuru, a popular local cuisine and something I will definitely miss when we leave Okinawa.





Then we got to have fried garlic rice. Another favorite of mine. Luckily we both ate garlic so it was bad breath together for our anniversary. The things you do once you've been married for six years.


Then we got a plate of pickled vegetables and a bowl of Okinawa noodles. I didn't eat the noodles. Too full. I'm so happy that I picked a stretchy dress to wear out for dinner.

And finally we got dessert. Benny had a scoop of ice cream with dragonfruit sauce.


I had green tea ice cream and beans. Another thing I've acquired a taste for after living here.


To celebrate six years, we ate a 10-course meal over a course of three hours. It was relaxing and filling. I wonder what we'll eat when we celebrate 25 years of marriage.

Monday, November 1, 2010

This little garden gnome

This little garden gnome refused to wear her Halloween costume to the Monster Mash at the library on October 22.


This little garden gnome decided to wear her costume to Alligator Steps on October 30.




This little garden gnome handed out candy on October 31. She wasn't scared of the children dressed up. Just a little confused.


This little garden gnome was more than happy to run around the hallway while waiting for all the trick or treaters.