Free Willy

I was sad to leave behind my first garden at home, which was blooming readily and giving us many goodies to eat.
So I took it upon myself to have another one! We have a rare and lovely little plot instead of a plain balcony behind our apartment.



So I bought a little shovel and rake and put all my energy into making a nice little area.



I know it is a little late to plant things, but since weather is a little milder here, I'm hoping for the best. In the meantime, I have also planted some of them indoors to keep them growing.



In the garden I have: Cosmos, Marigolds, Morning Glories, Mini tomatoes, Mini carrots and one potato.
The indoor pots are: Cosmos, Marigolds, Mini tomatoes, Mini carrots, and basil.

It's been 3 days, and the Cosmos have 4 sprouts indoors and one in the garden. It's very exciting!

Also in the garden, there is a little brown lizard that hangs around, comes and goes. I see him about every two days and then he scurries off. I've named him Willy.
Last night, Ed and I were watching a movie when he says something very quickly and looks toward the wall. I look and see a flash of something big and brown before it dives behind some shelving. Thoughts of a cicada or other horrible exoskeleton-ed creature flashed through my head. Before I could scoot away and quell a scream in my throat, he said it was a lizard.
A lizard I can deal with! (It's only the creatures with over 4 legs that want to eat your face!) I assumed it was Willy, a three inch long little lizard with curious black eyes. He must have come in earlier when the wash was being hung up. Roles were reversed and Ed brought me some tupperware and stood a small distance away. I scooped him up and set him free outside. I freed Willy!


Where's Willy?

Pictures

I've added a slide show of the current month's photos to the side. You can click the link underneath to see older photos too!

Back in the saddle again...

Well, I made it to Japan a week ago today. It is very hot and muggy.
Organizing the apartment is coming along fairly well. I will put up pictures and a video when everything is where it should be!

I am now living in Nabari in Mie Prefecture. This is about 2 hours south from where I was living before in Komono. I now live in an actual city (a small city, but still, there is stuff actually around) and conveniently right next to the train station. Although I have left my gorgeous mountain scenery behind in exchange. There are some mountains here however. I can see them if I peak over our balcony between the other buildings. Still, all is well to be surrounded by friends, a social life, and my boyfriend whom I’ve been away from for a year.



Friday all our friends were here- saying goodbyes to the couple who we took over the apartment from and giving greetings to us.

Saturday was the welcome beach party to all the new JETs in Mie. Everyone (so far) seems actually nice and normal- a welcome change from the many socially inept weirdoes that have come over the past two years.
After the beach party, a bunch of us went to an onsen- a natural hot spring. The ritual of going to such a place is: men and ladies go to the respective separate areas, get naked, take a shower, then once you’re clean you may enter the hot water and relax. We were sort of on a hill and had a nice view overlooking the area while lightning flashed in the background. I stayed in too long and compounded with the fact of seeing the most naked people ever at once, I nearly passed out. I barely managed to dry off and get dressed without falling over, and grabbed the closest fizzy drink to get my blood sugar up. That happened to be a grape Fanta. It was completely disgusting, but I drank it and I did perk up.
After this adventure we went to a small Chinese restaurant. I ordered a tofu stir-fry, asking if there was any meat in it. She said it’s just tofu, I reconfirmed it by repeating “only tofu?” and she says yes. Of course it had bacon in it. Bacon is considered ok for vegetarians here. Oh Japan… We spent the night at a friend’s place- 7 of us in one room.
Sunday I saw a few more old friends, went home and had a chance to relax with Ed alone in our new place.

This past week has been lots of cleaning up, rearranging, doing domestic chores and getting some must-haves for the place. I also bought a mini-sewing machine and will be making new curtains!

Tuesday we went to my favorite restaurant, Moku Moku.

It is an all-you-can-eat organic buffet, and it has soy ice cream. It’s a little expensive, but well worth it for the variety of fresh food. After we ate too much, we went to the Melting Pot. This is a bar that was holding the JET welcome party, so I was able to meet some more new people there too.

Thursday we went to the Nara lantern festival for Obon. Every year spirits return home and the lanterns help them find their way back to their families.



Ed and I bought & lit candles at the Big Buddha (daibutsu) and I saw one of Nara’s prominent deer population ambush a small child’s shaved ice. Just snuck beside him and stuck her muzzle right in his cup! The family let her eat it in the end.



That is about all for now!

I'm baaacckkkk

So... I guess I'm a liar!
I am going back to Japan for a minimum of 3 months! I leave in three days!

*doki doki*

"Doki doki" is the sound of your heart pounding in Japanese. That is your culture for the day!

I am nervous because it is approaching so quickly, but after not seeing Ed for 3+ months, I am happy about it too! We will be living together in a new apartment in Mie Prefecture (about 2 hours from where I was living before, but still in the same prefecture).
I'm going to play it by ear, but probably end up teaching English again and doing chocolates on the side. Write me!