On the way to lunch... I know I shouldn't 'shoot' and drive...but it was so beautiful I had to take some shots..there is nowhere to stop on the road I took them otherwise I would have!
After 16 years in Japan it was time to go home...not to my home country of NZ, but to my home family in Australia. I returned in February 2009, so posts before then are from our travels in Japan. Now I will be sharing with you the beauty I find in Australia, and the family I have joined here.
A Bumble Bee on Orange Cosmos on Miyajima, Hiroshima.
It was estimated that nothing would grow inHiroshima for 75 years after the bomb...but a few weeks after the blast many plants began to sprout green shoots.
My new look...
First time to have short hair since I was 11...
New Adventures
Here is our new Z4. Colour co-ordination with the car was not intentional.
Latest Hobbie
BMW Z4 3.0i. Mid life crisis?? Maybe...but it's only a temporary thing.
Many of you have probably seen the strange English written on Japanese products...sometimes they are so funny. Here is the one I found on my new marble frying pan:
'It is a will of adamant in marbly. we assist in the strong will.'
Shibby and Ken, Jo and me. Ken is a little (!) camera shy....
Poole Gakuin University
Here's the Uni where I used to work. This is the chapel. It's a beautiful campus set in a luscious park, and has that old English 'feel'.
Funny kids...weird things our kids do and say...
In Sunday school Ken was asked to write something he was thankful for to God. So he wrote: I thank you for our new VNW. Chris asked him, 'What's a VNW?' He said, 'It's a car'. Chris said, 'Oh, you mean, BMW?'. Ken said, 'In Japanese we say V.N.W...' !! He was so sure that's what we had been saying all along....!!
Recently we just planted some cucumbers in our garden for Jo to look after. A couple of weeks later Jo says to me: 'Mummy, I can't water the cucumber any more...' 'Why not?' I ask.' Because the plant has grown too tall for me now...' ???? A little puzzled I asked him what he meant....and it turns out he thought he had to water all the leaves and put water in all the flowers...!!! I taught him about roots and how plants drink (wink) so I think he has sorted that out now....hehe!
Our Spring Garden
Friends Forever
This is my good friend Erinn...what would I do without her???!! She is the REAL mum of Jordan...hehe. Not only was I there at the birth to witness that fact..but she proves it everyday by being the super mom she is! Her blog is better than mine..so take a peek!
My friends and I answered a survey about each other. Some of their replies were really special...so, if you want to know a little more about me, here are some of the answers they wrote. 1. What was your first impression of me upon meeting: O wow! Another foreigner in my little town! Ditto, you looked really friendly and smiley. An infectious laugh!And then, after we started exchanging life in Japan and motherhood stories I was so excited that I found someone like me, at last!! Very friendly, and laughs a lot. 2. What's one of my favourite things to do?: Eat whipping cream...watch movies and TV shows and chat on the computer. Go horseback riding, cook. Work on your blog, sing! TALK!! laugh, eat...after taking photo's of the food of course! Plan parties, have fun with friends, camp, dance, sing... (Thanks, you know me well!) 3. What's the best feature about me?: OOh, can I only pick one?? Your charming smile, lovely soft hair, fair skin... Your generousity and friendliness... Your singing voice!! You have a BEAUTIFUL voice. Mmmm, is that a feature? Your love for others. Your magnificent eyes! Your voice, singing that is. 4. Am I a rebel or do I follow the rules?: Follow the rules...most of the time! :) come on now, I know all your secrets. A bit of both. Mostly a rule follower. Oh come on, a rebel. Who WANTS to follow rules. (Oh yea, this is about Renee...) I haven't quite figured that one out yet, are you a rebel at heart who tried hard to follow the rules, or are you a follower of rules who just can't help but rebel? 5. What's your favourite memory of me: (This is my favourite bit!) I think when you were holding my hand at Jordan's delivery. (Me too, but I didn't write that cos I didn't think you wanted to be remembered that way..hehe!) Drinking tea and eating cake with you. (of course all the best memories have to involve food!) So many...how beautiful you looked at your wedding! How am I sposed to pick one memory....there were those saturday mornings we would go down to the squash courts and bounce the ball around for a while before getting down to the real business of planning our(and everyone elses) social lives! Staying the night at your house on your bedroom floor and talking for hours, before I realised you had fallen asleep!,dressing up together so many times.that time you freaked me and nicole out by bleeding and we had to take you to the A and E before going off to a rock and roll party,(wasn't funny then, but it makes me laugh now!), getting flowers from you, after my heart had been broken yet again, praying together, dancing wildly, til the sweat was pouring off us, camping ...remember the rain., and us holing up in the airing cupboard, oh, I could go on forever!! Singing in church. 6. Any special talents?: piano, cooking, putting on parties, excellent blogger, singing, teaching, friend, mother, wife, dancing, talking, eating, caring, enjoying life! 7. If there was one good nickname for me, what would it be?: Creamy (my favourite!) Little Miss Sunshine, coz you're good at brightening up a dull day! (Nah, THIS one is my favourite!) You'll always be Nae. (True) Miss Chatty. (True) 8. If you and I were stranded on a desert island, what is one thing that I would bring: Cream to keep you from going insane. and a DVD player with lots of batteries and DVD's. Your family. I'll bring the cake, and you bring the fresh cream!!
Thanks for all your answers! This kind of thing makes you realise what wonderful friends we really have! I am truly blessed!
1 comment:
Now I know you have become Japanese. Driving or pulling to the side of the road just for a photo opportunity. I would have honked ya! :)-
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