Doggie Raincoats for the Spice Girls (if they were dogs)

Sesame Street for Baby Spice:

A little Burberry for Posh Spice:

Leopard Print and Bows for Scary Spice:

A tracksuit (with pants!) for Sporty Spice:

Practicality for Ginger Spice:

How to (not) get something done in the Navy

We've recently had new neighbors move in who have 2 cars. In addition to the 2 cars we have, the 3 that our 2 neighbors downstairs have, the 6 parking spots we have are no longer enough because the 7th spot is a handicap parking space. I was hoping to get the parking spot's handicap designation removed since there is no one here who needs it.

First, I called the housing office. They told me to call security.

Security told me to call Public Works.

Public Works told me to call the Help Line.

The Help Line told me they need authority to do so and the Housing Office needs to submit a work order.

The Housing Office tells me that they don't know who has the authority to submit that work order.

I talk to the Housing Director.

He tells me that they have to have so many parking spots that are handicap. I said, "I understand that, but my building is not even handicap accessible, so why my house? The upstairs apartments obviously have a set of stairs, but the downstairs apartments also have a single step to enter the house. Thus, this building isn't even handicap accessible, why have the spot?"

"Well, ma'am, I guess we'll have to put in a ramp then".

Ugh.

Stella! A la Jen.

A few short hours after I posted about wanting a Stella custom print yesterday, look what shows up in my inbox! My sister-in-law, Jen, worked her photoshop magic and came up with not 2 but 4 different designs. These two were my favorite. I might have to get this last one printed and framed somewhere in my house. Look how cute my baby girl is!

I want...Stella Custom Portrait

Glenn and I were having a conversation last night about Stella and her attack. She is doing very well. The cuts are all closed up and she just has a few spots with short hair that need to grow back and she will be as good as new. Glenn has commented several times that the other two dogs were lucky that he wasn't there. They would probably be worse for wear than Stella if papa bear had been home to protect and defend her. I just stuck with protecting her.

The other two dogs have gotten some obedience training, but I have never had any intention of having them put down. Several people have asked me that, but I could never ask someone to do that. Stella is my baby as those dogs are someone else's babies.

We started talking about Stella and dogs passing away. I told Glenn that Stella would pass away in my arms while being medicated for any pain she might have.

He rolled his eyes and said, "well I guess I'll have to take care of it then."

"It's a good thing Stella is going to live forever and we don't have to have this discussion", says the girl who cries extremely easily.

Luckily, Stella is young and on the mend! And I can continue to avoid the issue for many years to come. I have wanted a custom dog portrait for awhile, but have never been able to justify the multiple hundred dollar price tag. I still can't. Maybe someday.

I finally found the perfect artist, too! I'm thinking a grey and white background- maybe argyle? maybe chevrons? Or maybe the Mexican flag to show Stella's "roots". And I already have the perfect picture of Miss Stella B.

I hope we can hang her picture in our new house...wherever that might be!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Happy Birthday to the best mama in the world! I miss you and your expired canned goods every day. I really hope that your trip back to Japan can be rescheduled, but if not, I'll be seeing you in just 3 1/2 short months! I love you!

A Good Looking Bunch

My sister-in-law, Jen, always keeps me up to date with family photos. Thanks Jen! I can't wait to see you all soon!

Laura's Baby Shower

Easter Sunday started early for me this year. At approximately 3:30 am. I put on a headband, brushed my teeth, put on a robe and signed on to Skype for my friend Laura's baby shower. The hardest part about being over in Japan as I've said before, is being apart from our friends and family. I was so happy that the other girls that helped plan the shower, we willing to include me!

I even got to play the "Guess how big Laura's belly is" game over skype! I was pretty darn close, too! We also played a trivia game because I could help with that game. I got to give the answers.

 

My box of goodies from Japan made it in time for the shower as well. I hope Baby J likes Hello Kitty.

Baby J's nursery has a giraffe theme so now she has a play mat to match. Also around this point, I discovered how to move my picture so that my face was not in every screen shot that I took.

Emily's mom, Fran, made a beautiful baby quilt for the baby as well. She is so talented.

Here we are taking a group photo with the computer sitting on Laura's lap. I kind of felt like the head in a jar from Futurama (if that means anything to anyone). I'm so happy I got to be a "little" part of Laura's day. I miss you and can't wait to meet Baby J when I get back to America! You might have a visitor soon.

Happy Easter!

A few weeks before Easter, my students were asking questions about the holiday. I started to describe what we do for the holiday- dying eggs, Easter egg hunts, church, brunch, bunnies. The more I talked about it, the less it made sense. I equated it somewhat to Christmas how it is a religious holiday but we have a non-religious element aka Santa Claus. I didn't even get in to Lent, fasting and giving something up for Catholics. That would have been another 90 minute class.

After explaining dying Easter eggs, I told them that the following week, we would dye them as well. They had carved pumpkins, but never taken part in this holiday. I was kind of excited though- I hadn't dyed eggs since I was a kid.

We mixed up all the colors and dyes. I even bought a glitter kit. Surprisingly, Keita and Hatsuki got pretty in to it! They were having fun doing an "experiment" as they called it. I guess with all the measuring and ingredients and different techniques, it was a little like a laboratory. I sent them home with a dozen colored and glittered eggs. There are only so many hard-boiled eggs that I can eat.

Stella wanted to join in on the fun as well. Sorry Stella, you need thumbs to hold on to the eggs. An update on Stella though, her wounds are all closed up and she is doing great. Now her hair just needs to grow back and she would be back to normal.

GNO: Shin's and Karaoke!

Last Saturday, me and a few girls headed out for some delicious sushi and karaoke in Zama.

We decided to try a few new things since Amy's sister-in-law was visiting. She wanted to be a little adventurous...or we wanted her to be. A little octopus...

Sea urchin and scallops with all of it's other parts...liver, "legs" and something else.

Salmon and avocado! Yum!

After sushi, we headed down to the street to a karaoke bar. They only had a 4 person room available so we all crammed in, along with some of our new friends!

Happy Birthday Annie!

Happy Birthday to one of my favorite ladies! I hope it is a wonderful day and I wish I could help you celebrate and rub that baby belly! I love you!

He's Home!

In case my post on Thursday wasn't clear, Glenn is home! Happy dance time.

I've Got a Feeling...

or maybe tomorrow... it depends on this weather...come on sunshine!

Slightly Darkened Streets of Tokyo

I saw this video on the web today. I thought you might enjoy it. I think it's beautiful, but it makes me sad as well.

Wordless Wednesday: My favorite Street in Japan.

 

What I wake up to.

7 days out of 10, this is what I wake up to. That's about the frequency that Glenn and I have shared a bed in the last year so Stella has gradually taken over his side of the bed. After she wakes up, she comes over to me for her morning belly rub. Is she spoiled or what?

Then she has to go poop outside in the snow/rain/cold though. That sucks.

Fukushima Power Plant Info

I meant to post this a few days ago, but since the departurees will be returning soon, I thought it was still relevant.

Questions and answers: Japan, Chernobyl disasters

The Associated Press
Published: Today Japan raised the assessment of its nuclear crisis to the most severe rating Tuesday, on the same level as the Chernobyl disaster, the world's worst to date. Some answers to questions about the assessment and health and safety concerns:

Q. Has the situation at the Japanese nuclear power plant worsened?

A. No. The heaviest radiation leaks at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear complex occurred in the first days after the March 11 earthquake-triggered tsunami crippled the plant's cooling systems. Workers are trying to lower temperatures in the overheated nuclear reactors, but still don't have full control. Problems persist, like the leak into the ocean plugged last week, but authorities say the radiation leaks are declining.

Q. If the situation's not getting worse, why did Japan raise its assessment of the crisis?

A. The decision was based on new assessments of radiation leaks since the crisis began, rather than on deteriorating conditions. The new data showed emissions exceeding the threshold for a "major accident," level 7 on a 1-to-7 scale set by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Only one accident has previously rated 7, the 1986 meltdown at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

Q. So is Japan's crisis as bad as Chernobyl's?

A. Not yet. Chernobyl was a fast-moving crisis. A routine shutdown went awry, causing a reactor to overheat, explode and burn. For 10 days, the reactor spewed high levels of radiation into the air and only cooled after helicopters dropped sand, clay, lead and other materials on it. By contrast, Fukushima crisis has been a slow cascade of problems over a month. Explosions occurred at three of Fukushima's reactors and one may be leaking. But the two plants' reactor designs are different. Unlike Chernobyl's reactors, Fukushima's have pressure vessels of steel six inches (15 centimeters) thick that may have helped contain the damage.

Q. Then why the same severity level rating?

A. The IAEA defines a level-7 accident as one in which a large amount of radiation is released into the atmosphere, likely harming human health and damaging the environment over the long-term. That threshold is set at several tens of thousands of terabecquerels - a unit of radiation - of iodine-131, a radioactive element commonly released in nuclear accidents. Leaks at both plants have exceeded that limit, but the Japanese government says Fukushima's are still one-tenth of those released by Chernobyl. The possibility Fukushima's emissions could surpass Chernobyl's is considered small, but still a risk until Fukushima's cooling systems are restored.

Q. What are the health risks?

A. Radiation normally occurs in the environment, and at low levels cause no health problems for people. In higher doses, radiation may cause types of cancer. Limiting exposure is key. Because radioactive elements are heavy, they tend to concentrate closest to the source, in this case the nuclear plant. The Japanese government has evacuated people living near the plant and advised people a bit farther out to stay indoors.

Q. Are only people close to the plant at risk?

A. Winds have been blowing to the northwest of the plant, rather than out to sea, carrying radioactive elements farther inland. The government has banned the sale of vegetables and milk from certain areas after they showed contamination. The government on Monday also ordered people in five communities outside the evacuation zone to leave to avoid long-term radiation exposure.

Q. What about people outside Japan?

A. Weather patterns are already carrying traces of radiation from Fukushima to South Korea and China. Airborne radioactive particles have also reached the United States. In all cases, the governments say the amounts detected aren't dangerous.

Q. Didn't people die at Chernobyl?

A. Thirty-one men died mostly from being exposed to very high levels of radiation trying to contain the accident. About 5 million people were exposed to radiation. Higher rates of thyroid cancer have been found among people 18 or younger at the time of the accident. An IAEA study said about 4,000 people would ultimately die from cancer, though a U.N. study estimated cancer deaths at more than twice that number and other groups put the fatalities many times higher.

Q. Is the same thing happening at Fukushima?

A. At Fukushima, 21 workers have been exposed to radiation doses the equivalent of 100 millisieverts. Two were treated for burns after walking in heavily contaminated water in a plant building. But no deaths from radiation exposure have occurred so far. Cancers often take years or decades to develop.

Q. What radioactive elements have been found so far?

A. Most measurements have focused on two, iodine and cesium. Radiation from iodine-131 dissipates quickly, falling by half every eight days and nearly disappearing after 80 days. If inhaled or swallowed, it can concentrate in the thyroid and cause cancer. Cesium-137 lingers far longer, 30 years to decay by half and 300 to disappear. Cesium too can build up in the body and is linked to cancers, though studies after Chernobyl did not find an increase in cancers linked to cesium.

A Nice Little Sunday

I headed in to Tokyo on Sunday morning for an appointment and it turned out to be a beautiful day! Lucky!

The salon was across the street from the Tokyo Tower as well. An added bonus to taking the train for 70 minutes for a 30 minute appointment.

Afterwards, I walked 15 minutes to my and Glenn's favorite burrito shop. It wasn't a Christian holiday like usual, but I figured, it was Lent so that works. :) (Last year we coincidentally went to Frijoles on Christmas Eve and Easter). I grabbed a Ginger Vanilla Latte and a seat on the outdoor terrace and enjoyed US Weekly, my carnitas burrito and the sunshine. If only I'd had my hubby and my puppy, it would have been pretty darn near perfect.

Fighting Japanese Allergies

I had lunch with my student, Sumiyo, yesterday at her house and I was constantly reaching for the kleenex box. She offered me several solutions. First was a Chinese tea powder:

I thought I would mix the powder with some hot water, but instead she offered me a spoonful and some water to wash it down! This was no sugar either, after a small puff of green from my mouth, I had it down. Blech. If it helps my allergies though, I'll try it!

The second solution is pretty standard in Japan. A face mask. As I walked from the train station to my car, I noticed that about every other person I saw was wearing a mask. Maybe I fit in more with a mask on than without in Japan!

Good News?

I'm sure some people are not so happy about this, but I hope it means that Glenn can come home soon!

The important part being "The Department of State has lifted Voluntary Authorized Departure, allowing dependents of the U.S. government employees to return to Japan."

Japan

April 14, 2011
This Travel Alert replaces the Travel Warning for Japan dated March 31, 2011.  This Travel Alert expires on June 15, 2011.

The assessment of technical and subject matter experts across United States Government agencies is that while the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi plant remains serious and dynamic, the health and safety risks to areas beyond the 50 mile evacuation zone, and particularly to Tokyo, Nagoya (Aichi Prefecture), Yokohama (Kanagawa Prefecture) nearby U.S. military facilities and the prefectures of  Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Gunma, Iwate, Nagano, Niigata, Saitama, Shizuoka, Tochigi, and Yamanashi, and those portions of Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi and Yamagata prefectures which are outside a 50 mile radius of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant are low and do not pose significant risks to U.S. citizens.  

This analysis takes into consideration both various age groups and the classification of the severity of the situation at Fukushima Daiichi as a Level 7 event by the Government of Japan, which reflects what has transpired since the initial incident and the potential long-term effects in the area surrounding the plant.

This assessment reflects inputs from our national laboratories as well as the unanimous opinion of the U.S. scientific experts on the ground in Japan.  Furthermore, they are consistent with practices that would be taken in the United States in such a situation.  Based on the much reduced rate of heat generation in the reactor fuel after one month of cooling and the corresponding decay of short-lived radioactive isotopes, even in the event of an unexpected disruption at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, harmful exposures to people beyond the 50 mile evacuation zone are highly unlikely, and there would be a significant amount of time to best assess any steps that might have to be taken.
The situation at the plant is dramatically different today than it was on March 16, when we saw significant ongoing releases of radioactivity, the loss of effective means to cool the reactor cores and spent fuel, the absence of outside power or fresh water supply for emergency management, and considerable uncertainty about the condition of the site.  Today, while the situation remains serious, and there is still a possibility of unanticipated developments, cooling efforts are ongoing and successful, power, water supply, and back-up services have been partially or fully restored, and planning has begun to control radioactive contamination and mitigate future dangers.  Our coordination with the Japanese is regular and productive, and we have a greatly increased capacity to measure and analyze risks. 

The Department of State has lifted Voluntary Authorized Departure, allowing dependents of the U.S. government employees to return to Japan.

We continue to recommend that U.S. citizens avoid travel within the 50-mile radius of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant. U.S. citizens who are still within this radius should evacuate or shelter in place. 
Japan is one of the most seismically active places in the world.  Tokyo and areas to the Northeast continue to experience strong aftershocks related to the March 11 earthquake.  Aftershocks following an earthquake of this magnitude can be expected to continue for more than a year.  Identifying potential hazards ahead of time and advance planning can reduce the dangers of serious injury or loss of life from an earthquake.  See the Embassy Website for detailed information on earthquake safety:
http://japan.usembassy.gov.

Dear Glenn

Dear Mr,
Happy Anniversary, baby! 5 years already, or is it 4? ;) Notice that I posted this at midnight, exactly between our two anniversaries. Five years ago yesterday/today, we stood in that Pensacola court house and said, "I Do" in that weird gray office with fake flowers on the desk. How old was that girl that married us anyway? I remember her being about 18 years old.


I feel like that was a lifetime ago, but I suppose it was 3 houses, 3 PCSs and a country away. What an adventure it has been. I remember when we filmed our wedding video and I said that I was excited for the life we had ahead of us: new places to live, buying houses and starting a family together. What an adventure it's going to continue to be. I'm so excited!

It really stinks that this is our first anniversary that we will have to spend apart, but after these last several years, I'm getting good at email, Skype and phone calls. You're getting pretty good yourself. I don't always do well with the indefinite and unknown schedules, but you make up for it with your level-headedness and the way you manage to stay calm and collected in most situations. We'd be a mess if we both acted like me. :)

I'm not worried one bit about our future. I'm ready to jump in with both feet without knowing what comes next. With the Navy leading the way, I suppose that's a good thing! I'm so lucky to have you by my side. You may not always be literally by my side, but I love that we have a relationship where you trust me and I trust you. When it came to the craziness of this last month, you trusted me to make a good decision. That means a lot to me. We walk side by side and approach situations together. I know you love to tell me, "You're the boss" in the most sarcastic way possible, but when it comes to the important stuff, we're a team.  We're family.

I'm impressed every day with how well you do your job. You are supporting and defending our country and I'm so proud of you. Many people couldn't handle this lifestyle, but you do it so well and you look good doing it.


Thanks for bringing me on this adventure, Mr. I can't imagine being with anyone else.
I love you,

K

Wordless Wednesday: I just want to eat her up!

Cherry Trees and Puppy Dog Tails

These are a few of my favorite things. I took advantage of the beautiful day we are having to get some pictures of the puppies with the trees. Stella wasn't cooperating as well as Elton so I eventually just had to pick her up. There was just too many people near the front gate for her to look at me!

Here are few of my favorites!