One Down

The wood stove is installed and working perfectly. That means that one project is done and I have ten thousand more to go. The next headache…I mean project…is to repair, apply sealant, and stain one side of the house. Most of the upper logs have been completed. I still need to clean up the white panels and prepare them for primer and paint. The middle section of logs will require a major repair (see an earlier post). I decided to leave that for later. Since the scaffolding is on borrowed time, I need to make the best use of it. The weather has been stable, but each day begins with mist and the temperature gradually warms as the day progresses. This pattern should continue for another day or two before it starts to get really cold. I’m at the mercy of mother-nature which means that I can only do what I can do.  I’ll continue removing the grey wood along with the mildew using a product called “Wood Renew”. The stuff is amazing and it doesn’t harm the environment. Just mix it up, brush it on, wait ten minutes, and scrub the remaining gunk off. Like magic, the original wood color appears. I’ll post before and after pictures as soon as I get around to it.

Our friends and neighbors have been kind enough to provide us with some hardwoods to burn in our new stove. The problems are that we don’t have a place to store seasoned wood and the wood needs to be cut into 45cm pieces. We purchased a wood splitter in the U.S., but we need a chainsaw. A good chainsaw is expensive in Japan. I feel uncomfortable asking our neighbor to use her chainsaw all the time. We’ll try to shop around for one this week. I wish we could find a good used one, but I know I’m dreaming. Our front yard has a truck load of starter wood in one pile and a truckload of logs in another. We are expecting another 2 tons of wood to appear next week. It sounds like a lot of wood, but I was told that we may not have enough wood to get us through the winter. We’ll see how it goes. As the season gets colder, the price of firewood rises. Hopefully, we’ll make it through our first winter without freezing to death.

What a nice day!

Even though it's cold and winter is near, we frequently have beautifully clear and sunny days here. I often take advantage of it and hang our blankets outside. The blankets airate under the sun and smell nice and fresh when we use them at night. It may be a luxurious life we are having without money. There may be so many rich people who want to experience this...a life safe from guns and gangs, from pesticides and chemicals and from polluted air and water. I gradually understand why George loves it here. I can see that George has never experienced this kind of life before. He yells, "Good morning!"when he opens the front door each morning to let the dogs out. He really loves it here.This castle is for Kiley and George. Hopefully, someday it will be for Lucky and myself.

Erika

Pizzaaaaaaaaaaa!

George missed American food, cookies and pizza. Our friend, Nami-chan, took us to COSTCO in Fukuoka. It took 2.5 hours by car, but it was worth it. He kept saying, "pizza" all the way to Costco.

 

We ordered one large combo pizza which was more than enough for the three of us. After that, he was tired of pizza, which was a good thing. We can't afford to go to Costco so often. As soon as he finished the pizza, he grabbed some cookies and headed to the car to spend some time with the doggies. Of course, the doggies got some pizza and cookies. They enjoyed the whole trip in Nami-chan's comfortable van. Thank you Nami-chan!!

We can afford this kind of luxury once in a while, can't we???

Erika

I guess this is what they mean when they say, "Having all your ducks in a row?"    George

Observations

Maybe, you imagined that George would treat me like a princess since I agreed to live in Japan. No, our relationship has not changed.

George and I installed the parts to the chimney. I was so scared to climb up to the top of the scaffolding in the strong winds. My legs were trembling and my heart was pounding. One thing I was sure of...I was not ready to die. George felt sorry for me and allowed me to climb to the third level instead of the top. I was okay and I enjoyed the views while spying on what the others' were doing.

I observed that the field of Susuki's next to our house to be huge and beautiful. A nearby neighbor owned a large property with many buildings. I also observed that Lucky had the best seat in our yard. Earlier, I cleaned the dogs' beds and airated them under the sun on our patio table. Of course, Lucky chose the most comfortable bed with the best view. He didn't know that I was watching him from above.

 

Erika

Another Day at the Office

Here’s an update on the remodeling of our home. The giant blue tarp was removed after a year of protecting our home from the torrential rains in Tsukahara. I managed to apply Perma-chink sealant to all of the seams and joints that could possibly cause a leak. This took about five days to accomplish. I found some gaps between the logs and the concrete backer board. It’s no wonder that we had some serious leaks in the house. After completing that long and tedious project, I decided to remove the side roofing structure that looked like a two-year old had built it. The eye-sore was causing more harm than good. I was surprised to see how much rot was behind the bracing for the structure. These photos will give you an idea of the extent of the damage. Our neighbor’s jaw dropped when she saw the gaping holes after I removed some of the rotted wood. I’ll need at least a week to get this area stabilized.

Earlier this week, Erika and I installed the chimney section of piping for our wood stove. This wasn’t an easy task since the piping was heavy and awkward. Fortunately, the scaffolding was a great help. I could barely reach the chimney, but it was doable. We are trying to install the wood stove before winter arrives. The floor tile for the stove area has been cut, but we are having trouble finding thin set mortar to install the tile. It looks like we will have to use some sort of adhesive to lay the tiles. The adhesive is extremely expensive and I’m not looking forward to using it. The working time is ten minutes and that’s not a long time to use a material that I have no experience with. I’ll take photos as soon as that project is done.

It’s has been raining all day…time to catch up on some much needed rest. I’ve been studying for my driver’s exam. The written exam is supposed to be an easy ten question test. The practical exam is the real challenge. I’m expecting to fail a few times before I even come close to passing. I’ll have a lot to write about when that time comes.

George

Busy, busy, busy

In between doing a gazillion other things, I managed to start remodeling our home. Since winter will soon be here, I need to have the wood stove up and running. I was told that it can get very cold in Tsukahara. It would be a shame to freeze to death during our first winter in Japan. In order to have a working stove, I need to tile the area where the stove will be placed. I cut all of the floor tiles, but I’m having difficulty finding acrylic thin set mortar. Finding anything that has to do with home maintenance is a challenge. In the U.S., I visited my nearby Home Depot or Lowes and they would have everything I needed. In Japan, I visited a home center in Oita City (45 minutes away)and they told me that only a specialist uses this or that. I would have to special order whatever I was looking for…good grief. An example of this nonsense was when I needed to purchase some mortar. They carry only tiny bags of mortar that could cover only a couple of tiles. The cost was 2000 yen. To make matters worse, the grout only came in two colors…gray and white. The person working at the home center didn’t have a clue about using mortar or laying tiles. He tried to sell me a bag of concrete and told me that only specialists use thin set mortar. “Normal people” use concrete. Fortunately, my neighbor’s son works for Diawa House and he brought over some beige colored grout. The color matched our tile perfectly. I’m still working on purchasing mortar.

The chimney pipe also requires installation. A huge scaffold is resting next to our home waiting for me to climb all over it. The plan is to install the chimney pipe before the tile. I’ll need the scaffolding to get near the chimney so the pipe can be secured. Once the pipe is secured, I can install the tile. The stove comes next, then the stove pipe. After all of that fun is complete, it will be time to build a wood storage shed. I also need to install fencing for the yard so that the dogs can play outside while we are away from home. Somehow, I need to find time to repair the leak under the blue tarp that has been hanging on the side of our home for the past year. To complicate things, I need the scaffolding to repair the leak, but I only have two weeks left to use the stand. The mountain weather is unpredictable and it’s hard to determine when a clear day will occur. The best I can do is to keep busy and to get as much done as I can. Did I say I was busy?

George

Thank you

Our life has totally changed. We are now officially POOR, but I have never seen George so happy. His smile has never disappeared since he moved here. Whenever we have a chance to go to the city, he misses Tsukahara.

I am often scared of the strong winds, wild boar, deer, snakes and bugs, but this is the safest environment he has ever lived in, according to George. We don’t have to worry about guns, gangs, violence or lawsuits. Our next door neighbor, Ms. Namba-san, shares with us all kinds of rumors which is a form of entertainment for us. Ms. Namba, often gives us some of her cooking. Her cooking tastes as if a world class chef had prepared it. We get more than enough nutritious food from her. Thank you Namba-san!

Each day, we experience something new…most of the experiences are good. We have so much news to share with you after spending our first month in Japan.

Our new car is a Nissan Moco. George’s cousin, Megumi from Tokyo, gave us a fantastic deal and managed to arrange delivery a day after we arrived home. George was complaining about the color and female interior style, but as soon as it arrived, Lucky gave his approval. That’s all that mattered for us. Since then, Lucky spends most of his time in the car and George has grown fond of the color. Thank you for everything Megumi!

Scaffolding: George had kept asking for it for a long time, but we couldn’t afford to rent it. On George’s birthday, Mr. Kiyonaga-san who is the best friend of George’s good friend, Mr. Yoshida-san called us. He found the great deal on scaffolding and he even helped us for an entire day to set it up. Thank you Kiyonaga-san!

George’s 50^th birthday: Our friends brought a cake for George and shared his birthday. We usually don’t celebrate anniversaries or holidays, but this was special. I did my best to make sure that we moved to Japan before his birthday. I wanted this to be the BEST birthday present that he ever had. Since we had to pinch every penny, he missed having dessert. The cake was sooooooo good. Thank you Nami-chan and Yoko!

Lucky and Kiley: They have experienced all kinds of creatures in this natural environment. They are often scared of strong winds and sudden downpours. Deer often visit our yard and the dogs go nuts! Kiley and Lucky can find all sorts of entertainment from the window. It’s a great relief to see that they have adapted so well to their new home.

I have so many stories to tell, but I’ll just summarize a few for today. Erika

Moving In

We finally received our stuff and our home is a warehouse of boxes. It was amazing to see 6 movers and as many trucks delivering our belongings. They did a fabulous job! In 3 hours, they managed to unload and place the boxes where we asked them to. It took 5 people to move the wood stove. We had 60 boxes of floor tile and 40 boxes of wood flooring to move also. The first thing we unboxed was the dog beds. The next items that were unboxed were the guitars. Finally, the bed was set up. It was nice to sleep on a bed again. In Nakatsu, we will have to sleep on the floor until we can afford some second hand furniture. We have WiFi, so that we should be able to post on the blog more frequently. The problem will be finding the time to post. Docomo seems to be working well in this remote location. We have been away from television and radio for two weeks. So, we have some catching up to do.

I think the item that best makes our house a home has been our stereo system. Listening to music was very important to us in the U.S. and to experience music in our home in Japan provides us a feeling of warmth and coziness. I look forward to having our wood burning stove operating. It’s easy to imagine a blanket of fresh snow covering the meadows and mountains. Inside, it’s warm with the wood stove burning some hardwoods and I’m playing the guitar to some friends. I know it will happen…I know it will.

It's raining after a couple of weeks of gorgeous weather. I'm used to the cold of Seattle so that the warm temperature (70 degrees) is refreshing.

I absolutely, positively love it here. George

Update with pictures

Waiting for USDA approval

Last days in the U.S. at Seabrook

Fun at the Seabrook beach

Three had a great memory

Sayonara Best Friend

At SeaTac

At the terminal in Seattle, the dogs were shaking along with Erika and George in anticipation of the long flight ahead of them.

After 12 hour flight, 30 minute boat ride, 20 minute monorail, several bus rides, and one taxi ride, the dogs finally had a chance to rest in best seats at the hotel in Kobe

Next day, we took two hour bullet train ride. The dogs were more terrified and shook up from this segment of the trip than the flight from Seattle.

Finally in Tsukahara with our new Nissan Moco

Lucky with his new friend, Sakura

Arrived!!!

We have arrived in Japan. Everyone is safe and sound. The doggies had to endure a 12 hour flight, a 30 minute ferry ride, a 10 minute taxi ride, a 2.5 hour bullet train ride, and a 4 hour ride in a van. All-in-all, they did extremely well considering that they had to stay in a small crate for most of the journey. I will post pictures as soon  as we get settled. Right now, I just want to catch up on some sleep. Stay tuned....  George

All’s Well That Ends Well

Today’s my last day at work. I wonder what will happen next. I can’t remember the last time I did not have a job. Giving up a career to go onto something else can be a terrifying experience. It can also be exhilarating. It’s terrifying to take that first step off the cliff, but it’s exhilarating to look at where you’re going. I’ve always tried to live by the rule: Don’t look back. I guess for me, I shouldn’t look up. Every time that I do, I see my past career…airplanes. I told Erika that I wanted to move somewhere that didn’t have airplanes flying overhead. Fortunately, Tsukahara is located where only contrails are visible. That’s close enough for me.

Saying goodbye to coworkers has been an interesting experience. Many of them say, “Good luck in Japan.” I know that they mean well, but I wonder who should be wishing whom good luck. I feel like I’m embarking on a new life’s journey. It’s taken a lot of hard work and careful planning over the course of the past ten or so years. This is in comparison to many people who are stuck at the same old job doing the same thing day after day. I wish for those people to have good luck in finding fulfillment before it’s too late. Life is short and I plan to make the most of it…good or bad.

Kiley and Lucky go to the veterinarian tomorrow to get their health certificates. Then it’s on to the USDA in Olympia to get the official stamps on the paperwork. All of our belongings have been shipped and the house is empty. Rather than sitting in an empty house, we’ll be heading for the coast for a couple of days of relaxation before we board the plane. It’s been a wild ride so far and I’m sure that we have only just begun. Stay tuned…

This and That

A huge gasp of relief was expressed as we heard the great news of Kiley’s biopsy and blood test results being normal. Dr. Morlan assured us that Kiley should be fit for travel by the time we board our flight. She is a tough little dog and a fighter. Ganbatte, Kiley!

My left eyelid has improved. The doctor said that it will heal on its own provided that I keep the area clean and use a hot potato as a compress. “A hot potato?” Erika asked the doctor. “Yes, the potato provides heat that lasts and it also moisturizes the area. The heat opens the pores so that the pores can be cleansed,” replied the doctor. Of course my frugal wife asked, “Can we reuse the potato when we are done?” Good grief.

My mother will be making an unscheduled visit next week. I had a feeling that she would see me again before I left for Japan.  She wanted to make sure that she would be of some help in preparing for our move. I reassured her that she would be of great help and to be prepared to do some touchup painting. I don’t know why she just didn’t come out and say that she wanted to say goodbye in person. I’m relieved and glad that she is visiting. Humm, maybe she just wants to see the dogs?

As Erika’s time in the U.S. winds down, I’m starting to feel guilty and sad. She loves this country. She is comfortable here. She is leaving because of me. She is leaving because she wants to see me smile. My smile brings her happiness. Health and happiness are the two most important pieces of the puzzle that we call life. “As long as we are healthy and happy together, we can make it through anything,” Erika often tells me. I have heard those words many times over the course of our marriage. The impact of those precious words is being felt in my heart. She is sacrificing everything to make my dream come true. Erika says that I have made her life perfect for the past 14 years and that all she is doing is returning the favor. Erika and I have never exchanged gifts. We have never purchased presents for birthdays, Christmas, or even anniversaries. We try to show how much we care for each other; not by exchanging gifts, but by how we treat each other on a daily basis. The process of caring is a precious gift onto itself. I’ve reached a point in my life where I should accept her precious gift and take on the immense responsibilities that go along with it. George

Look Out Below!

Today marks “One month to go” before we begin our journey to Japan. I wish I could say that we are ready, but that’s not the case. We are waiting for Kiley’s lab results and my left eye is questionable. The shipper is trying to get us the best deal, but I’m worried that he still has not decided if we ship by ocean or air. Right now, it looks like air. I have a huge “To do” list in order to get the house ready for renting. I’ve never been a landlord before. I’ve heard of all kinds of nightmarish stories. Living 5000 miles away doesn’t help matters. We hope that our property manager can do a good job for us. This wasn’t in our original plans. We had hoped that we could have sold and used those funds to remodel our home in Tsukahara. Those plans will have to remain on hold until the economy improves or I win the lottery. Both scenarios are long shots. Realistically, we will have to live in a warehouse condition for a long time. Nakatsu will be a place for business and Tsukahara will be a place to work (on the house). I don’t think we will be bored anytime soon.

The economies around the world are looking dismal. Japan has fallen to number 3, behind China and the U.S. I’m not sure what that means in the future except that the yen is not going in the direction we had hoped. Purchasing a car in Japan is painfully expensive for us. Actually, purchasing anything in Japan using American dollars is expensive. I guess our timing couldn’t have been worse, but…at least we are moving forward towards a change. I think of change as jumping off a cliff…a very high and steep cliff. Our backs are against the wall and I really don’t want to look down. Who knows what will happen when we hit bottom. The motivation to jump is driven by many factors with one of them being regret. I can’t turn back now. If I did, I would regret that decision for the rest of my life. To force a dramatic change in life requires a lot of energy, stamina, perseverance, and courage. I’ve never experienced anything like this, so I don’t have something I can compare it to. Erika has helped give me the courage to face this change, but it’s up to me to make the jump. My first foot off the cliff occurs when I leave my career of 20 years. I start falling when the plane takes off from Seattle. Look out below!!!!! This will be a heck of a ride.

Changing Attitude

We found a renter quickly. Is that good or bad? We could have asked for higher rent, but George has always told me, “Greed is a bad thing.”

I happened to be there when the couple came to look at the house. They were a very young professional couple. They seemed to be not interested in maintaining the yard at all. They were more concerned about maintaining their privacy.

The bad thing is that they have a dog. We told the property manager, “No pets and no smoking.” We learned of the pet issue after we heard the news that they were serious about renting our home. Yes, we have our own pets, but this is my house. I don’t want other dogs marking on the carpet and leaving hair all over the place. The property manager said, “If the owners are responsible people, the dog is usual well trained.” “Okay, if you can guarantee that in writing, then I will agree.” The property manager was quiet.

I know I can be harsh and difficult at times, but I have been so tired of fighting against so many people to keep my life perfect. My perfect life has been crumbling. Especially after dealing with Kiley’s illness, how could I say, “No dog.” I know I have to take responsibility for my words and actions, but I have to learn to accept others and their differences a little more.

The property manager wanted to find a renter ASAP, using as little expense and effort as possible. Who can blame them for that? That’s their business. I prefer that they honestly express their intentions, but I know that’s impossible. Realtors, car salesmen and property managers are all the same. They say that, “We are doing this for you. We care about you.” No, they are doing this for themselves. But, if I always keep the negative thought in my mind when I do business with them, I can never reach my goal either. Instead, I have to find a common denominator and work on myself. It’s tough, but working on others’ minds can be more difficult. George has helped me a lot.

The funny thing is that when I tried to be positive, flexible and tolerant, I found that I could let go of the problems and at the same time, Kiley’s health has been improving. There have been so many negative aspects surrounding our life this past year along with a downpour of bad karma this past month.  Through it all, we have managed to find someone to help us.

We had a terrible experience trying to sell the house and we ended up not selling. After struggling with a couple of crooked realtors, we managed to find a good realtor. Sure, it was a little late, but we found that we could rely on him to take care of our home in the future. When we were sick, our friends supported us. After we leave the country, we know that we have great neighbors watching our home. The past negative experiences have opened our eyes and guided us to move forward with our lives along with helping us learn to appreciate these people and to create a positive environment around us.

Erika

Another Worry

We just recently had a young guest from Japan. We met her through my friend who said that she had a lot of similarities with me. I was a bit frustrated with our guest while she stayed with us in Seattle. It was not her fault. She was so different from me.  I had problems figuring out what she wanted to do or liked. She did not have an opinion about anything.  I showed her all that Seattle had to offer. I cooked and planned everything. It was just okay for her, not excellent or horrible. When I asked if she wanted to go or do something, her reply was, “Shall we?” I said, “If you asked me, I don’t want to do anything. I’d rather spend time with my doggies and husband. Looking around Seattle was wasting my time and money, but if you want, I’m more than happy to do so for you. So, don’t ask me. Just simply express your feelings and thoughts.” Then she said, “Okay, then let’s try.” She, however, didn’t want to do anything by herself. I said, “I’m more than happy to read a book in the car and wait for you with the doggies. Anything you want to know, ask me. I can find everything on the net.”

I shared my experience with my aunt. My aunt said, “That’s Japanese. You don’t want to say anything bad, but probably she wasn’t satisfied or wasn’t certain of the answer. She chose the most polite answer. You have to adapt to Japanese culture and learn how to express yourself.” “Ha, ha, I can express myself more than enough,” I said. “That’s the problem,” she said.

George jokingly tells people, “Erika was kicked out of her country.” Sadly, some people believe him. I love the U.S. because I can express myself freely. I just have to be responsible with my words. I have regretted a lot for what I have said, but George always supported me. I hope he works harder for me in Japan.

Erika

The Countdown Begins

With a little less than a month to go before I put in my 2 week notice, I’m beginning to get anxious. I’ve complained countless of times about my job to Erika. The past 20 years at work has taken its toll on my health. I have neck and shoulder problems that I will have to live with for the rest of my life. I wished that my company hadn’t closed the hangar in California. The bitterness I feel towards my company has been reflected in my work attitude over the past 7 years. With the help of Erika, I’ve tried to channel those negative thoughts into giving me courage to make this move. I recently asked one of my senior coworkers how they managed to stay with the company for so long. His reply was, “I do as little as possible”.  That reply reminded me as to why I was leaving. I can’t imagine not having regrets about life with the notion that you had spent your life doing as little as possible.

The mountain of paperwork for the dogs is just about complete. The veterinarian needs to issue a health certificate on Sept 28^th and the USDA needs to give the official government stamp on the 29^th. If everything goes as planned, the quarantine office in Osaka will keep the dogs for no longer than a couple of hours. Customs will be a major obstacle when we reach Japan. This will be a test to see if our shipper knew what they were doing. Unfortunately, we will be the one to suffer for their negligence.  Who knows…maybe everything will go as planned. I also believe in Santa Claus.  George

犬の魅力

ここ最近、カイリーがずっと入退院を繰り返した。原因は未だ不明だが、食事を受け付けず、吐いてばかりで、脱水症状まで陥ってしまった。緊急病院に入れて、少し快復したと思ったら、また悪化して入院。やっとで、ここ2日ほど落ち着いている。できるだけ自然食でドッグフードを作りたいと、ジョージが一日中ネットで調べ、オーガニックショップで材料を買って、必要なビタミンやボーンミルなどを加え、彼女の食事療法にも気を付けている。

ということで、最近は、ラッキーだけを散歩に連れて行くことが多かった。そうすると、あちこちからカイリーはどうしたのかと心配のお声が掛けられた。私は、会ったこともなければ、話をしたことのない人まで。ちょっと離れたご近所さんは、毎日のように電話を掛けきて、カイリーの様子を心配してくれる。ジョージや私たちが病気になっても、これだけの人から心配されたことなんて一度もない。

カイリーが病気になって初めて便が出たとき、喜んでジョージに電話して知らせた。電話の向こうで、彼がすごく喜んで大騒ぎしている様子がよくわかった。ジョージ曰く、あまりにも喜んでいたので、同僚から理由を聞かれ説明したら、周りにいた、今まで話すらしたことのない同僚まで、自分たちの経験を語り出した。無口で、無愛想な同僚たちまで、財布から写真を出して、自分たちの犬の話を熱心にしたらしい。奥さんや子供の写真は持ち歩かなくても、犬たちの写真は常に持ち歩いている人がほとんどだったという。一度、そういうことをニュースで聞いたことがあったけど、本当なんだと、改めて犬たちが人間に与える魅力を感じた。その日の午前中の仕事は、犬の話でおしまい。つまらないミーティングより、ずっといい情報交換ができたとか？はははっ、アメリカらしいな。

The Excitement Continues to Build

Imagine trying to purchase items for a remodel that hasn’t even occurred yet. I have a rough idea as to how I want to expand our home in Tsukahara, but what about the dimensions? How about compatibility, metric vs. English, 120 volts vs. 100 volts, Japanese vs. American construction methods, availability of parts, Japanese vs. American codes, etc.? The list goes on and on. For example, I had to guess on the amount of tiles and flooring I would need to complete the remodel in Japan. Some the rooms do not exist yet; just a rough sketch on a piece of paper. I think Erika is spoiled. She has this notion that I can do anything if she asks for it. She said, “Order all of the items now for Tsukahara that will be too big to carry in suitcases when we visit the U.S. in a couple of years.” “Ummm, okay,” I replied. My answer was, “Okay,” but my mind thought, “Good grief. You must be kidding!”

The pallets of tiles, laminate flooring, stains and wood finishes, cabinet doors, wood stove and chimney piping, sinks, faucets, and plumbing are here and ready to ship. It wasn’t easy or cheap, but it’s here. The future remodel will be designed according to the materials that were purchased and not the other way around. I guess I’m used to doing things backwards. The first winter in Tsukahara will be miserable. We won’t have a stove or any room to move around in. I’m guessing that we will probably spend most of our time in Nakatsu trying to get the business going. The home in Tsukahara will be used mainly for storage.

I’m worried about the blue tarp hanging on the side of the house. I hope it will withstand another brutal winter and prevent anymore leaks. I know I have a few more areas that need to be protected from rot. If I can keep the house from falling down until next summer, maybe we will be okay. We heard some good news about our water heater. The gas lines have been installed and maybe we have a new water heater. I’m not sure what is going on since our neighbor (Namba-san) is handling all of this for us. I better remember to make an insulated box for that water pump. I don’t want to have another one explode because of the intense cold.  George

When It Rains, It Pours

The past few weeks have been very stressful for the entire family. Kiley has been very ill and in the Animal Hospital for three nights. She hadn’t eaten and she had been growing weaker.

We took her to the emergency clinic after she showed signs of being in pain. Her back was arched and she was trying to find a place to hide in the backyard. We had taken her to her regular veterinarian first and we were told that she might have something wrong with her pancreas. The vet prescribed anti-vomiting pills and had some blood drawn. Kiley was sent home. I don’t understand why she was not placed on an IV and given fluids. We explained that she kept vomiting, even water, and she stopped drinking. She should have had x-rays or at least an ultrasound ordered. Later that night, Kiley had difficulty vomiting and the pain must have been excruciating. The emergency room vet immediately put Kiley on an IV and ordered up a bunch of tests. When trying to narrow down a liver problem, it’s a process of elimination. They knew what the problem wasn’t. We were agonizing as friends and loved ones waited for news of Kiley’s prognosis.

Kiley returned home after the doctor was satisfied that she could keep food and water down. She wasn’t sure though because Kiley was a picky eater. She ordered Kiley to return home so that we could feed her in a familiar environment. We fed her anything she wanted. It was five days since she was able to keep food down. Kiley started vomiting again and had to return to the hospital. She received an ultrasound and biopsy of her liver and stomach. The ultrasound revealed that her stomach and liver were inflamed. She spent the night at the hospital. It was heart wrenching to leave her there. The following day, Kiley rushed to greet us in the waiting room. We were given 7 different medications to get her stomach and liver under control. We would have to wait for the biopsy results for at least 5 days. She is home and in good spirits. She ate dog food for the first time in a week! We’ve been careful not to feed her too much at one time. Lucky has been quiet and somewhat reserved recently. I think he is jealous of all the attention his sister is receiving. We took Lucky to Point Defiance Park on the same day that Kiley had her biopsy because we were in the same area as Kiley and we wanted to give some attention to Lucky.

On the same day that Kiley received her biopsy, Erika received hers. Erika’s doctor found a questionable spot in her breast during a mammogram. This was the kind of news that shook the foundation of our lives. We were sick with worry. I was beginning to think that we were being punished for leaving the country. After a very tense couple of sleepless nights, we received the news that Erika was cancer free! A group sigh of relief was expressed with the news.  It’s hard to be too enthusiastic right now until we receive the test results from Kiley’s biopsy. If Kiley is found to have a serious condition with her organs we will have to reconsider leaving in October. We want her to be 100% when we make the journey to Japan.

I have been having problems with my knee and left eye. I’ve had some kind of lump and redness in my lower eyelid. I’ve been on steroids to get the inflammation down and I will have to have the eyelid looked at by an ophthalmologist next week. I guess when it rains, it pours.

From my past experiences, bad news always comes in three’s. Kiley, Erika, and I make three. I think we’ve had enough bad news for awhile. It’s time to concentrate on getting our little girl healthy and the rest of us need to stay healthy. If you haven’t had a mammogram done in the past year, please do so. It could save your life. George

Boxes and More Boxes

It’s been a long time since I last posted. My apologies, but we have been in crazy mode for the past month. Moving can be a challenge if it’s from one city to another. My last move was from one state to another. I thought that was a big deal. Moving from one country to another is a huge challenge and not for the faint of heart. I guess it wouldn’t be a big deal if you were a student moving to Japan for a couple of years to teach. Just fill up the suitcase, grab the visa and passport, and purchase the airline tickets…simple. I wish I were so lucky. Okay, my suitcase will be the size of a forty foot cargo trailer. Did I say that Erika and I have been packing everything including a kitchen sink? Not only one sink, but two different types of sinks! Home improvement items are expensive in Japan and the $ keeps shrinking. It’s at 76.80 as I write. It only makes sense to ship it over if we can. We also purchased faucets, tile, wood stove, sealants and stains…well, a whole bunch of stuff. The major problems confronting us are import taxes and insurance. The way this works is that you want to purchase enough insurance to cover your losses, but not so much as to make the taxes ridiculously high. Each item that will be shipped via slow-boat-to-China (I mean Japan) requires a description, quantity and an estimated value. So, how much is that 40 year old extension cord worth? If I wrote zero, the customs agent would wonder why I’m bothering to bring something worthless into Japan. It’s okay to write one cent, but everything has to have a value. Fortunately, Erika is very good at Excel and has been able to keep the thousands of items in a reasonable, itemized order. Each box has an assigned number that corresponds to the list.

Moving Sale

The number of boxes has been growing in the garage, but for some strange reason the closets remain partially full. It’s like we have gremlins running around filling up our closets at night. I’ll have to set traps and try to catch one! Most of the bulk has been my tools for woodworking and my astronomy equipment. We have a large dining table, entertainment center, leather couches, and a Sleep Number bed that will be taking up a lot of room. Some of this stuff we wish we could sell, but the proceeds would be so small it would not be worth it.

Packing, for me, is like a trip down memory lane. I have junk that I haven’t seen since the last time I moved. I guess the rule of thumb is that if you haven’t used it in the past year, throw it out. We have lots of stuff to donate. Erika gets frustrated at all the stuff I have accumulated over the years. She looks at it as if I purchased everything last week. I have to remind her that those “HotWheels” were purchased when I was 7 years old. “Hey, those are collectors’ items by the way,” I remind Erika. “Why did you buy all this stuff if you’re not going to use it?” Erika asks. “How did I know I wasn’t going to use it when I was 7 years old?” We argue often over things like that. “Sell it on Ebay or Craigslist,” are other things I often hear lately. Yes, moving is stressful, exhausting, and frustrating. Thank goodness we have the doggies to give us a reason to get out and go for a long walk. 

Update:  I managed to sell the “HotWheels for $30 plus shipping. Those online auction sites are a convenient place to get rid of junk. Last weekend we had a moving sale. Most of the stuff was given away, so that Erika was frustrated after she spent an entire day standing around getting rid of things only to find that she  made a couple of hundred bucks. She did sell her car and find someone to take care of our home while we are in Japan. I sold my truck a few days ago to a very nice couple from Bellevue, WA. They saw my ad on Craigslist. I wish we could have sold our house so easily. The mover will come tonight to estimate the container size we will need to move all of our stuff. The container will be loaded and shipped to Japan on September 7^th…that’s the plan anyway. In about 8 weeks our belongings should be at our front door in Tsukahara. I don’t know how all of this stuff is going to fit in our tiny house in Japan. I guess we will have to live in a warehouse condition for a while.

The Federal Way house is just about empty now. It’s great for the dogs. We can play ball and no obstacles get in the way. After our stuff is shipped, we can rest a bit and begin preparation for the journey to Japan. George

What a convenient guy!

A long time ago, George and I worked on George’s mother’s house. His mother mumbled, “You see, I miss him because he left me when he married you. He was such a convenient son.” I replied, “You have him plus one…ME.” She said, “It’s different. I cannot get his services whenever I want.” I see…she is SO honest. Believe me, that’s one reason I can get along with her so well…when I can get along with her.

Now, I realize that I am so glad that I am not in her shoes. He is not going to leave me…well, hopefully not.

When I ask what I want…then, here you go, he makes exactly what I want. I said, I want to have a mascot for our business. Something cute, like many Japanese have and like…you know, cartoonish…see, kinda like this and then I showed him a picture on the net. A few days later, what I had asked for appeared in front of me. He’s such a convenient guy.

Erika

Home Is Where the Heart Is

The trip to Sacramento, CA. brought back a flood of memories. The stark contrast of the green forests in Washington compared to the golden hills dotted with live oaks in California, reminded me of why I disliked Seattle. The blue skies and the bright sun caused me to squint. I hadn’t worn sunglasses in 7 years. The temperature in the central valley was unusually mild for July…75 degrees. “It’s so flat and open here,” I commented to Erika. My mom’s neighbor was kind enough to pick us up from the airport. This gave me a chance to look out of the car window and remember that “California feeling”. The cars drive faster, the roads are wider, the stop lights are quicker, and the people are dressed in shorts/ t-shirts. Yes, this is California. The warm sun felt fantastic. The air was dry and there was a light breeze cooled by the distant ocean. Everything felt so familiar. I knew this place like the back of my hand and I wanted to see my old stomping grounds and meet our dear friends. I was careful to say or think that I was back home again. Was I back home? This was a question that I desperately needed to answer before I moved to Japan.

When I was recently in Japan, I made it a point to ask myself if this was the place I could call home. I would sit and gaze at my volcano and wonder if I would miss “Home”. As I walked the back roads of Tsukahara, I wondered if my home was in Japan. To answer that question I had to relate to my current situation…living in Federal Way. I often asked Erika, over the course of the past 7 years, if Federal Way felt like home. She said, yes, and stated that where ever I was and the doggies were, she felt like it was home. There is a lot of truth to that. Home is where the heart is. The problem for me is that my heart was never in Seattle. I moved here because I had to. I could not give up 15 years at the same workplace so easily. It was a good job and we both knew it. We had to move because the situation required us to do so. In all honesty, Seattle has felt like a long stopover. You know the feeling…it’s like staying at a motel in an unfamiliar town. I have never felt like this was my home…not even for a minute. Some of this feeling was because I never allowed it to be my home. We made a few friends and for me that was saying a lot. I do not make friends easily. I have held an unfair grudge against this city because of the way I migrated here. The feeling of living somewhere because “you want to” compared to living somewhere because “you have to” is light years apart. I took those feeling I had bundled up inside for these past 7 years and brought them to Tsukahara. Would I feel the same in Japan?

As I walked the back roads of Tsukahara with my wife and Sakura (neighbor’s dog) a magical thing happened. I started talking to complete strangers. A mother and her daughter were blowing their truck horn to bring in the cows that were grazing near the volcano. After a few minutes, the mother started searching for the cows. She must have been in her seventies, but she was as strong as an ox. She marched out into the tall grass and called for her cows. After a while, she disappeared into the bushes. We waited patiently with her daughter. A person bicycled past us and stopped to chat. He rented our home before we purchased it. We talked a bit as the mother continued to look for the cows. I wanted to help search for the cows. Then, another close friend from Erika’s hometown of Suminoe, drove by and stopped. We had known them for many years. All of this occurred on a tiny road in front of the volcano in Tsukahara. What’s so magical about the moment was that I realized I knew all of these people and I was comfortable with them. The new neighbor with the cows invited me to help gather her cows in a future roundup. This sounded like a great opportunity for me because their land was located right next to the volcano and I would have a chance to be a “Japanese cowboy”. Our dogs were invited too. I could not stay to watch her mom find the cows, but we did make another friend. The experience of making new friends repeated itself throughout my recent trip to Japan. Actually, this experience had repeated itself over and over during the many trips to Japan. It’s just that at that magical moment in time I came to the realization that I felt like I was home. I embedded those emotions in my brain and carried those thoughts to a very special place in my heart…Green Valley.

Green Valley stirs up emotions of a wonderful time Erika and I shared. I had a great job, Erika worked at the best place ever and her supervisor and coworkers were the greatest. We had a beautiful home with a gorgeous Japanese garden. We had time to do our hobbies including stained glass and woodworking. I could fly my remote controlled sailplanes off a nearby hill and walk the dogs for miles without seeing a single person. The small community was surrounded by man-made lakes and we felt safe there. A small shopping center opened up which allowed easy access to grocery shopping within walking distance. On Saturdays, we would walk there to pick up some scones or croissants for breakfast. A farmers market was nearby which provided us with all kinds of inexpensive fruits and vegetables. We were in the countryside, so we could walk to pet/feed horses and look at the vineyards. Our next door neighbor was the best. We shared a lot of the same interests and beliefs. We were very lucky to have them. Yes, it was a very special time in our lives.

Of course, not everything was perfect. I did have to commute 1 to 1.5 hours each way to Oakland. The commute took its toll on my health and happiness. I was having personality conflicts at work. I often found myself complaining about the smallest things. When I look back, I felt sorry for Erika. She endured a lot of complaining from me. She worries that I will do the same in Japan. However, she has noticed that I have changed for the better. Rather than complaining, I get out there and do something about it. Erika has shown me how to do that.

During this past trip to California I had a chance to hike a couple of hours in Rockville Park, overlooking Green Valley. I was convinced that of all my travels, there was no place more beautiful than the view above Green Valley. My previous dogs had their ashes scattered there. It was the place where I would go to fly my sailplanes, and the place I could go to gather my thoughts. It was a very special place in my heart. With my memories of Tsukahara swirling in my head, I could finally sit down and answer the question about whether if Green Valley was the home that I longed for or if Tsukahara was the place where my heart was. I walked along a ridge overlooking the distant hills that were shrouded by the marine layer. The marine layer is like a giant fog/cloud bank that provides a natural air-conditioning effect when the westerly winds blow during the summer months. The effect is dramatic and can cool the area by as much as 20 degrees compared to the central valley. This is one of the reasons why the Napa Valley was such a successful wine growing region.

I hiked the park trails and a flood of memories came to me. I could almost see my dogs playing near the mighty oak trees. The air was cool and dry. The warm sun was filtered by passing clouds. It was a glorious day to be hiking in Rockville Park. I felt like I was the only one there. After about 1.5 hours, I hiked back up to the ridge and found the spot where I often thought was my favorite place in the whole world. It was a magical place for me, however it felt different than before. I could see that my attitude had changed. It was comfortable to be back hiking the trails. It felt comfortable to see friends. It felt almost…too comfortable. I imagined my future life in Japan and compared it to my past life in Green Valley. It’s hard to describe, but for some strange reason I had this urge to complain about something. I thought about all of the homes being built right up to the park’s boundary line. I thought of the warning signs: Beware of Coyotes. Keep Your Dog On Leash! I’ve never had to worry about that before. Of course the coyotes are in the park. They have nowhere else to go! New homes are being constructed everywhere. I looked out and saw Fairfield as I stood on the ridge. New businesses and construction were overtaking what I once thought was countryside. I remember back in 1966 when the only stop was a single stop sign (I sound very old) in Fairfield.

When I was climbing up the trail into the park, I came across a lady of Middle Eastern descent. She stared at me like I was from another planet. She continued to stare at me until I could not see her anymore. I felt uncomfortable, as if my comfort zone was violated. I wanted to blame her. This place, that was my home of 40 years, felt strangely foreign to me. It was like the area grew/changed and I was no longer part of it. There was nothing I could do about it. I just accepted the fact and left with the confidence that I had answered a question that had been bugging me for a long time. My future home was in Japan and my heart was on the mountainside overlooking my volcano in Tsukahara. I couldn’t wait to go back.

George