6:19 a.m. - 2007-10-18
Time flies when you are having fun!
A few weeks ago we went a restaurant called Torricho's. It's a yakatori restaurant – lots of different chicken parts on a stick. They also serve some vegetables as well on a stick. The restaurant is set up so there is a U shaped table and behind it are all the chefs and the fire and where they cook everything. It's a casual but nice restaurant and when you walk in the chefs yell something to you (reminds me of Moe's in Atlanta). When you want something you just yell at the chef to get his attention and order a few things. You do this all night until you get full. We each ordered a piece of white chicken with wasabie on top then a few chicken balls – like meatballs but made with chicken. Both were delicious but I really liked the white chicken. I ordered another. This time I took a bite and it was medium rare in the middle and very juicy. It was really good. I looked about and the Japanese were eating theirs medium rare too. So I figured it was ok and I'm sure the chicken was so fresh that you could eat it without getting sick. I never in a million years thought I would like medium rare chicken. I would only eat it here – never in the states no matter how nice the restaurant.
Colin had another modeling job on Saturday. This time it's for a holiday catalog for a department store. It was a tough job. He had his picture taken in 4 different outfits. All were very cute! He worked from 10:00-2:00 and it doesn't sound very long but trust me to a 4 year old it was eternity. One of the shots he was suppose to wear a wool hat but he absolutely refused! He was also begging to go home at this point. I was begging him just to get through the shoot. There were 3 kids total – 2 little girls and Colin. In 1 shot he was by himself which was easy but the other 3 shots he was with one of the little girls. It was hard to get a good shot with 2 kids each 4 years old. As soon as you get one situated the other one moves or one's smiling and the other is making silly faces. Nobody spoke good English so it was hard to figure out what they wanted them to do plus there were 30 people taking care of them – hair, make-up, lighting, etc… I'm not sure if Colin will ever be asked to do anymore modeling and if so if he will even be willing to do it. Elisabeth isn't even considered for modeling because she would not like all the people or the camera. She is shy.
Geoffrey had a couple of friends in town for business over the weekend. I was telling them how safe it is in Tokyo. I can leave my purse in the park and walk away for an hour and nobody would touch it. That afternoon I took the kids for ice cream. I parked the stroller outside the ice cream store with my purse and helped them with the ice cream. I was close by but not keeping an eye on the stroller. When I got home I threw my purse in the closet as usual and didn't pay any attention to it until that night when I realized my wallet was not in my purse. My wallet had everything – credit cards, money, Japanese drivers license, Japanese alien registration card, atm card, etc… I was a little worried but figured I left it at the ice cream store or it fell out of my purse on the way home. I thought someone would find it and either put it in my mailbox or turn it into the grocery store nearby or the ice cream shop. The next day I check the mailbox and I stop by the grocery and ice cream shop. No wallet. I am still determined that it will show up. I'm still convinced that maybe it's at home or someone will give it back to me. I'm also trying to remember if I put it on the top of the stroller or back in my purse, etc… I just knew that it was not stolen. Needless to say that night I did find my wallet. It had fallen out when I threw my purse in the closet and it fell behind another bag. I wish home was this safe! Of course things can happen here but nothing like at home. Our friend was telling me their wife left her wallet in the grocery cart while she ran after her 3 small sons and someone stole it. Another friend went home over the summer and went to the doctor and left the stroller outside the dr. office and someone stole it. I leave the stroller outside the dr. office all the time and wouldn't even consider it getting stolen. I leave the stroller outside everywhere – the restaurants, dr. office, grocery store, etc… Also many places are not big enough for a stroller so it is very common to leave strollers everywhere. I've had friends leave ipods, phones, and jewelry in taxi's and got it back. They called the number on the receipt and the taxi driver had it.
Geoffrey celebrated his 40th birthday this week. I had a surprise birthday party for him at a restaurant in Shibuya. It was really nice and a lot of fun! We are so fortunate to have so many wonderful friends in Tokyo!
Our friends were about an hour outside of Tokyo and stopped to get gas. I have never seen a self serve station in Japan but they found one. It was all in Japanese and the options were red, yellow and green buttons. They selected the green and filled their tank full of Diesel fuel. Needless to say they got stranded on the side of the road. What a nightmare – not just getting stranded but then dealing with the Japanese to get a tow truck and get the car towed into town. Ideally you would love to have the car towed to the dealership but that's wasn't an option. Once the car finally arrived to their apartment they had to push it into the garage. I felt so bad for my friend because there are times in Japan when everything about it is so hard. As long as everything is going fine then it's great but once you run into a problem it can be a nightmare.
The same day another friend took their son to the dr. and found out he had strep (for the second time). The first time the antibiotics didn't cure it. They were giving their son the medicine with instructions written in Japanese. That afternoon they started to question if they were giving the correct dosage and number of times a day. The dr. office was already closed so they needed someone to translate what was written on the bottle. They found someone but you sure hope what they are saying is correct when it comes to medicine and your child.
Gotta run - I'm potty training Elisabeth. She is doing amazing! I cannot believe she is already 2 years and 5 months. Just seems like yesterday when I was potty training Colin and writing about it on this blog! Time flies when you are having fun!
P.S. We've been having a few small earthquakes lately. Shake, Rattle and Roll! It will be strange with I move back to Georgia and don't feel any earthquakes.