Oh yes, I guess I did break them then

I went to my local Japanese doctor this morning. I needed new prescriptions for my regular medications and I needed to collect the results of recent tests. As part of the Japanese Health Care System people as old as me (actually anyone over 40) are invited to go to the Doctor once a year for some tests. Since I need to get blood tests every three months because of taking cholesterol lowering medication, I had the tests done this time under the annual invitation. I also had other statistics taken like height and weight, had an EKG and a chest x-ray. I can also have other tests done like an upper GI if I go to clinic with the needed equipment.

So as I said, I visited my Dr. He had all the reports in front of him and my chest x-ray on the usual lighted panel. The first thing he said was, "You had broken ribs." I looked at the x-ray and saw whiter, more solid looking areas on three ribs on the left side. I explained to the doctor that at the time I took the fall (June 2008) doctors couldn't say for sure that they were broken. Well, now they could I'm sure, but who cares?

Personally I feel vindicated because I knew that I really did hurt whether or not the reason could be proven at the time.

For those of you who know about my recent health concerns, the numbers are improving - Hallelujah!

Yokohama Quilt Week 2010

You might notice a new slide show running to the right.  These are pictures of  yesterday's trip to Yokohama for the annual quilt show sponsored by Patchwork Tsushin magazine. My quilting sensei tells me that this show is older than the Tokyo Dome show and before the Dome Show was the biggest in Japan. Why it's called a week when it's only held for three days only seems to trouble native English speakers.

The trip by train from Ichikawa takes around an hour. The venue was  where the APEC Conference was held recently - a huge Convention Center complete with a view of the harbor, shopping mall and amusement park rides. Everything looks really neat and clean - lots of glass and stainless steel.

Many of the quilts were unavailable for photographs, but I was able to shoot some quilts that really caught my eye. I also got photos of a couple vendors that attracted my attention. One was the booth of Su Designs which has materials for Korean Pojagi and embroidery. I had a nice chat with the proprietress, and saw examples of some amazing work.

Another area was set aside for the work of women on an island in the Philippines where a Japanese woman has gone to teach them to quilt. She brings their work to shows like this and sells the quilts and returns the money to the quilters.

Japanese quilters are truly amazing.

If you would like to see the pictures one at a time with captions, all you need to do is put your mouse pointer on the picture and click. This should take you to Picasa where my photos are stored. You can view my other pictures as well.  Click around on the tabs and see where it takes you. Happy viewing.

Comments are always welcome!

A Clever Cat and Discovery at Daiei

You may remember Stubby chan, the Guest Home Cat. She's lived at the GH longer than anyone else. Since Gareth and Ruth are away, Stubby and I are taking care of the GH this week. My primary responsibility in Stubby's estimation is to ensure she has food in her bowl at quite regular intervals. On Saturday, my day off, the upstairs neighbor was asked to perform the feeding duties. Today I was about a half hour later than usual. After filling Stubby chan's bowl I saw the neighbor coming out of the office next door. She asked if I had fed the cat. Sometime earlier she had come out the front door of her apartment and there was Stubby waiting on her doorstep as if to say, "Georgia's probably not coming today, are you going to feed me?" Stubby is in her late teens, and looks more like an 'old cat' all the time, but where food is concerned, she doesn't miss a trick.

After making sure Stubby had an adequate lunch I walked into the town center to the Daiei Department store's food floors to get ground coffee and something for lunch. Coming up the escalator I saw that the display at the top had a definite "Christmas" theme. There was a small display of Christmas cards in the corner. To my delight I found 4 different cards that had an evening snow scene that included a church with a cross on the spire, and no mention of the new year inside! The cards are from the Sanrio company (Hello Kitty's Company).

Thanksgiving Sunday

One of the National Holidays in the month of November in Japan is Labor Thanksgiving day.  This year it falls on the 23rd, this coming Tuesday.  The church I attend has a celebration on the Sunday before (today) and as in the States, mention is made of things for which we are thankful and prayer is offered to God for his goodness and generosity toward us.  We also have a pot luck lunch with everyone bringing something to share. The weather is just warm enough to eat outside, which is great because we don't have enough room inside to set up the food and to have people sit. Someone always brings Japanese curry and in recent years someone brings everything for Okonomiyaki. If you are not familiar with this dish it is usually made with a meat like thin sliced pork and then a mixture of chopped cabbage and a little batter made with flour and egg so it is sort of like a thick pancake. This is cooked on both sides on a griddle and when cooked through it is topped with a dark sauce, that's kind of sweet and sour and some mayonnaise and katsuoboshi (shaved dried bonito). Yum! Really!

To see photos of this event you can visit the Church's web site at http://omfthechapelofadoration.org  I took a couple of pictures, but will be a bit slow to get them uploaded this time because I didn't bring the correct cable with me to the office 0.O !

A definition of Shinto

A mini shrine being carried
in a culture day parade

"...though it's indefineable, Shinto is the essence of Japan and the Japanese,  and though it posesses neither theology nor Godhead nor faith nor system of ethics it is our justification for existence. Shinto is a nature cult of myths and legends in which no one believes wholeheartedly, yet everyone venerates totally. A person is Shinto in the same way he is born Japanese."
                            -  James Clavell Shogun

Mama Chari

 That's a kind of Japanglish term for the kind of bike I have - Mother's Chariot. The characteristics of this kind of bike are the front and back baskets and the stable kick stand. Unless you want more features, the price is pretty reasonable (US 150). For traveling around Ichikwa it's great. Many streets are narrow, so you don't get much car traffic.

This morning I left the house for the early service at church with my handbag and a sweater that needed to go to the cleaners in the baskets. After church, I first went to the cleaner's shop near my apartment and parked just outside the front door. After depositing my sweater and getting the ticket to pick it up on Wednesday (US $12), I went to the fruit and vegetable shop a couple blocks away. I was able to park the bike in the alley beside the open air shop while I got bananas, tangerines, avocado, small green and red peppers, carrots, yellow onions, small white potatoes and sweet potatoes ($13.50). That bag went into the back basket. Then I walked across the street, leaving the bike parked in the alley, to the drug store to get toilet paper ($4.75). That went into the front basket with my purse. I then cycled about a block and a half  to a Circle K where I got a small salad and a pizza-mon ($4.85) for my lunch and while I was there, paid my monthly Health Insurance premium ($20) and my water bill ($31). The bike with the shopping in the baskets sat outside the front door. Then I cycled three blocks home.

The weather is kind of dreary and damp, rain is predicted for this evening, so after I took all my things out of the baskets, on went the cover. The bike sits just at the bottom of the stairs to my second floor apartment. I do lock it when I leave it anywhere. The locks are usually built in to the back fender assembly here. Occasionally bikes are stolen,or picked up by the city if they are left somewhere for too long or in a no bike parking zone. When I bought the bike I registered it with the city, so if it does disappear, I can check for it at the city impound lot.

All in all, unless it's raining more than a sprinkle, I'm happy for the convenience of a bike in Ichikawa. On top of all that, I get a little exercise too.

Santa Doll Class

Yesterday I went to a special class held at my quilting teacher's house. She had a visiting American friend hold  three classes (one in Karuizawa and two in Ichikawa) making Santa Dolls. I'm not all that thrilled with Santa in general but figured I might learn something in the process, and always have an interesting time with these ladies from quilting.

The teacher, Mary Anne Eckert, from Boulder, Colorado, had really great kits made up for us so we were able to finish in the one day class. I usually think of dolls as something kids can play with, but this is actually one that is meant to sit somewhere as a Christmas decoration.

At lunchtime we all went into Sensei's dining room and managed to squeeze twelve people around the table. (I'm on one of the left hand corners.)

As always we had lots of food and good conversation. Several of the other students understand and/or speak some English. Sandwiches were accompanied by potato chips, pickles, tangerines, sweets with anco and macha flavored mochi, and chocolate croissant bread.

After lunch we went back to work and in no time an army of small Santas were assembled. We had the most fun, I think, with the beards. Mine is the one in front with the very long moustaches. Later I was able to curl them up a bit for a slightly different look.

I'm not sure what I'll do with the doll, but will treasure the time spent with Japanese friends in the craft classroom setting.