Goeckermobile - Japanese Edition

A "junker" here is a car that has less than one year left on the JCI (Japanese Insurance we must carry) and will require a lot of $ to fix before you can reapply for the JCI.

We were given a junker van. I had DREAMED of a small mini-van. I've been driving a 15 passanger van for 15 years. Over the years the Goeckermobile has been big and noticeable and I dreamed of fitting in with a sporty mini-van. This is our Toyota Hiace (either Hi ACE or Hi A Chee - not sure).

Note from this photo that it is quite a bit bigger than the other vans on the road. It has two sun roofs, which the kids love.

It seats 8....comfortably. It has lots of room in the back for groceries. The middle seats will slide up and back...so lots of options for those with long legs.


It has lots of rust...through in some places....and it's long. It's a diesel and seems to get good mileage - though it sounds and drives like a tank.


I wanted to show this GREAT feature on the cars here. See the little plastic shield that says Hiace? This is a rain guard...you can roll down your window and not get rain in the car. Cool.


This is a great feature on bigger cars...so you can see behind you as the parking and roads are small and narrow.

This photo shows the climb UP into the front passenger seat. Mike and Jared simply swing their right leg up and hop in....but that step is awkward for me and I've not found a graceful way to enter or leave this van. I haven't a clue what it will be like jumping down on to ice in the winter.

Oh - it's 4 wheel drive.

What a blessing it was for us to be given this van. I hadn't a clue they came this big over here. We have been debating what to do about a 2nd vehicle. We thought about taking some of our set aside funds to buy a nice van. We have found them cheaper than stateside and readily available. We are Dave Ramsey Debt free livers. A car is one thing that WILL go down in value. Our home hasn't sold in TX and so we are not sure we want to spend that $ right now on a smaller, newer van. I would like something smaller for the roads here...and this one does have a smell we haven't been able to get rid of. BUT it's free....and we will sell whatever we have in 3 years, so its a silly time to be putting a lot of money into a car.

This one will require quite a few repairs before it passes JCI next year.....but we could junk it then. Someone buys them from you......and so we are are leaning, now, towards buying a second junker for Mike to commute in...and keeping this one for the kids and I for at least a year...... if we do decide to buy another van....we found one we like a lot for $3,500........we'll save this and bless other incoming large families until the JCI runs out. It's still all up in the air as we have the $ set aside to buy two cars....and it will take less than we set aside....but we aren't sure we WANT to spend the $ until we are settled in a home and the TX home sells.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Toire Adventures

{Kim, is that the right word? I'm going to be discreet as readers have previously told me my toilet/potty adventure stories make them squeamish...but this must be captured for family memory.}

There really isn't a lot to this story. Stacia rushed into a stall at Narita airport and discovered this....

She let out a shriek and ran out of the stall...to discover a whole row of stalls with gleaming squatty potties.I must say these Squatty Potties are much more advanced than the hole in the ground that I remember from the Philippines in the 1970's/80's. ::snort::

Across the aisle I discovered this... Western Style Toilets....techie ones...

Cool? This is very self-explanatory. The music button makes a flushing sound to cover any other sounds you may make that would embarrass yourself or annoy your neighbors. The spray buttons....at that point I couldn't tell you the difference between them...the pressure and volume buttons are easy to dicpher....as is the stop. I didn't play with all the buttons. I DID record the music sound for you, but these computer connections are VERY slow for uploading videos. ::snort::

Stacia refused to use the "Western Toilets" too. In fact she refused until late into the night at the hotel in Tokyo. They had a toilet without bells and whistles in our room. ::snort::

Mike told me the chapel toilets had a pink button with spray and he assumed that was for perfume. Armed with this vast knowledge, we went on the second Right Start Tour. I've since been told toilets are explained on the first tour.

Stacia was thrown off by this in the ladies room. I rushed out to make sure I was in the right room. ::snort:: Evidently you can google female urinals or such and find lots of info on these. You all crack me up. LOL I don't have enough computer time to google...limits in the room...so I'm learning by doing....

I realized that I have much in common with Zander. If you wonder how something works - try it, take it apart, explore it. I determined to try this...but this one had no English on it. I pushed the fountain and the lady on top of the fountain...and I remembered NOT to stand up....Kim warned me last Sunday it would spray the stall if I did.

I suppose I should have looked closely and realized that there were no English directions before I used this. I was sure I could figure it out. It sprayed and sprayed...I assumed it would spray and stop. The girls were waiting outside and I was pushing the music button on the left...the other button on the bottom right....I didn't want to push the pink button with the perfume as I was still dealing with various sprays and didn't think I could handle perfume on top of it all......the girls were laughing and I was saying such wonderful things as, "HOW do I make this stop?" and "Kim says I can't get up or it will spray the stall." Stacia was alarmed and Arielle was laughing. In walked our tour guide and said, "Push the red button". I guess red is pink and I should have remembered that from Tokyo. The perfume thing is not fact but a red herring in this situation. ::snort::

Back to Japanese Toilets.....our brochure from the Airman Family Readiness Multicultural handout quotes,

"Japanese style toilets can be found on most public washrooms. This may be a
little bit difficult for some foreigners. The Japanese toilet is essentially more
hygienic since the user does not get in direct contact with it."

Well....Saturday at the park, we had no option but to try the Japanese Style toilets. I should have tried the nice clean ones with handicap rails in Tokyo. ::snort:: I will only say that they ARE more hygienic if the foreigner can hold the position and doesn't lose her balance. ::snort:: ::gasp:: ::chortle::

I'm still not 100% sure which side is the front and back on these toilets. Neither way (yes we tried both) seemed 100% effective. I guess I need to google...it's beyond my Japanese to ask. They got it right on the money that this may be a bit difficult for foreigners. ::snort:: I won't name names or go further into our adventure....but I did use it as a teachable moment...it is wrong to resent the boys who only have to get use to varying heights on a urinal.

Enough said...probably more than some of you wanted said...but this will be a hilarious memory for years to come in our family.

"In this scenario Mom attempts to teach the girls there is nothing to fear but......"

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Sunday's Adventure

The kids and I attended our first chapel service in Misawa. We played "3 ups" at lunch. Renee, tell Rick his preaching was an UP several times. ::snort:: We are also excited to see AWANAS, MOPS, strong Religious Education Program...good stuff. We all attended the Contemporary service at 10:55 (Why that time I wonder?). Mike and I went back for the Gospel service. We'll do the Traditional service next week...or at least I will attend with Mike. I think the kids will settle into the Contemporary service.

Mike had a town hall meeting after the Gospel service. I drove MYSELF to the commissary. I kept turning on the wipers when I wanted to signal....and I DID plop into the passenger seat as I left instead of the driver's seat...but all went well. While at the commissary a lady who works in the Med Group answered questions for me....I was looking for "fresh chicken". I guess that is an item we don't get here. Frozen it is. I asked about buying chicken locally at the chicken farm off base. THAT led to the discussion which confirmed that there are different farming methods over here - even though it ISN'T China. ::snort:: The main thing is that they use "raw manure" (didn't know there was another kind) to fertilize the produce and we don't in the states.....so the motto is WASH IT ALL VERY WELL....My friends know that I'm very lax about this....but I'll become conscientious so that we can have fresh, in-season produce.

I met a lady in the Gospel Service who graciously agreed to let us come check out her apartment in the Towers. If they decide we must live in the Towers, we can make it work. I know we can. The kids don't want to live in the Towers...they're spooked by the balconies....but I think we can do it. I'm going to be looking to get inside 3 bdr and 4 bdr 4 plexes this week. I'm trying to see what the options are so we know what to push for when the time comes. I do want to be sure ALL know that we did NOT ask for a double unit....we are not being greedy. We would have accepted a 4 bedroom 4 plex if it had been offered. We expected it would be. It hasn't been. We're waiting to see what happens with the exception letter....and how Housing interprets the letter, if it is approved...and THEN we'll push for either North Base or a 4 plex.... If you care to pray about our housing...the best of both worlds in our view would be two 3 bedroom units on the North side.....but as always...we're praying for God's will....and a bit of green somewhere in sight. LOL

This evening we played SORRY. I hadn't realized that was stolen and the kids were missing it. Mike and I picked it up at the BX. We also played Blink.

Stacia's birthday is next Sunday. We need to figure out what to do. Hard to believe she will be 4 years old. Wow. She wants pink shoes (sandals), a toy, a kimono, and wooden shoes. ::snort:: This girl has a THING for shoes.

No photos tonight, because I'm on a base computer and it doesn't have tabbed browsing...I'm too lazy (and the computer's to slow) to go back and forth between Photobucket and blogger without the tabs. Maybe we'll go the Weasels' Den tomororw. LOL

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Veedol Beach

I have two videos to upload with the info about this outing....but the videos are taking forever. I need to go get everyone ready for chapel. I'm going to post these photos and Jared or I will try the videos again later.

A special note for Nate, Mom and Dad and the girls






















Our first picnic in Japan - note the 4 pack of apples purchased for $5.35


In this scenario Michael and Jared realize the tables are not built for 6 ft 3 in Americans


I think the 2nd Kanji from the right in red - means NO....we simply copy what others are doing and hope they are obeying the signs. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Hachinohe Train Station

This is where you'll come if you take the Shinkansen in December, Krista. Though, we may get the ETC so we can drive to Tokyo on the toll roads for $10 instead of $300.


We can also get tickets here for about $3.50 from Misawa to Hachinohe.


Did you guess the purpose of the yellow brick lanes below? They are for blind folks. I love it. The dots signify an intersection....we can walk on them, but aren't supposed to stop. Kim filled me in on this, not one guide has. LOL I've seen these lanes at the airports and train stations.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Hachinohe Fish Market

This was a great stop on our tour. I'm really looking forward to the tour of Misawa City, which the kids and I will take in 2 weeks. The Fish Market has FRESH FISH, ice cream, produce, bakeries....a lot of fun.

Did I say FRESH? How about still swimming?

Or dried?

Squid anyone?


I'm not sure how it happened....probably because our group wasn't stepping right up....and I wanted to spare the kids...but I was selected to sample somethng right off the bus....it was INCREDIBLY salty and chewy and I didn't ask what it was. LOL

This booth, however, held great potential. The black is Sesame, the green is Green Tea, the off white is Apple and the white is Vanilla.


There are some perks to being the official sampler in the family! ::snort:: The apple was quite good.

Alas, the Samurai Barber kept the curls! ::snort::


Watermelon - a bit more than $12

Cantaloupe a bit over $4 each...I did find nectarines for $1 each.

Stacia had a hard choice between the Hello Kitty bread and the FACE bread...she chose the face and was shocked to discover at lunch that it was filled with some sort of cream.

These were awesome and I can't remember the name....they are little pancake like things filled with a custard...starts with the Tay...sound.... We had a bad moment when they told us it was squid as the kids happily chomped....then I realized they were SHAPED like squid. I guess there are Red Bean paste ones as well, but we didn't find them.

The Right Start Tours are great fun for families, Windy.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Ever had one of THOSE DAYS?

If so, you might be interested in this shop in Misawa...

Can you read the left, where it's written in English? It's a "Kids Recycle Shop". ::snort:: I asked the guide if I could turn in a soon to be 4 year old for a couple of 2 year olds? She DID laugh....

Seriously, it's a "thrift shop" a "second hand shop".

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...