Seventeen Porta Squatties

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Seventeen porta squatties at the Misawa Airshow! These were all over base. 

Nature's Buffet

We joined the Misawa Home Educators today for a trip to Nanbu. Once we reached the town we split into a couple of groups; which probably made for an easier time getting to know new folks, I would think. 


Four of the families made the trip out to pick apples, grapes and peaches. The rest bought their fruit at a fruit stand and went to a park.

This was fun! Totally not what I expected. In America when you go "apple picking" or what not, you pick as many as you want and pay for them. You take them home and dehydrate, can, or freeze your bounty. Not so in Japan.  It was nature's buffet!!!! We paid Y500 per adult, Y300 per child. We were then allowed into the orchards and able to pick and eat all we could. I've heard they don't let you take produce home...but our farmer was great. He really understood English and loved our attempts at Japanese. He sells produce too...so we were able to buy some to bring home.....If I can find a local store with apples that taste this good the produce consumption around here would increase.

First, we picked and ate and ate and ate.....Aomori and Nanbu specifically are famous for their apples. YUMMMMM the best apples we've had in a long time. We can't wait to take Michael back. 

Tsugaru Ringo

Budo (sour)

Nashi (Pear - wonderful - seems sort of like a cross between and apple and a pear)

It's common to see these little bags around apples and pears on trees. These are the ones that are "perfect" and being groomed to be sold in their little padded boxes for gifts. 

The farmer was wonderful. Jared determined to stay in the parking lot as he couldn't maneuver the orchard trails on crutches. This was NOT flat land with rows of trees...grape harbors and trees marched down a steep slope. The farmer gave Jared a ride down in his truck.  He was a blast to talk to.


He gave me the Japanese name of an apple that he says will work good in pies...and he wrote it in katakana so I can show it too the grocers. LOL 


Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Eighteen

I discovered 18 water bottles in the fridge when I cleaned it out. I know we need to stay well hydrated; but this is overkill. Now that summer and football are over, I limited it to one bottle per person....


Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Nineteen!!!!!!!

Nineteen year old Jamin is the child who caused me to repent of thinking I had parenting figured out - and chased me to the face of God to learn  many lasting lessons in faith and parenting.  This kid who "would never learn to read unless you get him on meds".....blesses me. He reads, he writes, he cleans, he works, he runs......he loves his largish family and we love him.  Jamin is a Sophomore this year at Angelo State University.  He chose to stay in San Angelo and share an apartment with Josiah. We're glad. I'm not sure he's settled on a major.....need to ask him about that. ::grin:: 

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

My 1.7 Seconds with a Famous Person - Michael

We have had more than our fair share of famous people come through here.  We have had Representatives from Congress (lots of them, actually), Senators (yup, lots of them, as well), heads of state (there are over 45 nations represented on the compound), and a few famous and infamous media reporters (Oliver North and that guy from the Rolling Stones).  Sparsely scattered in their midst are a few entertainers.  One such visitor was Nathalie Cole, daughter of the late Nat King Cole.  She came to sing a few songs, promote a movie, and get her picture taken with me.  I was glad to help out.  It took much more time to walk up and turn to face the camera than the actual staging of the photo.  It could not have been much more than 1.7 seconds in total.  After all, there were about a hundred other folks lined up to get their photo with her, too.  So there it is, my moment with a famous person, and she did not even ask for my autograph...

- Michael

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Care Packages in the Heat of Afghanistan - Michael

I received a great care package from my sweetie and kids, today.  Unfortunately, the weather can play a significant role in the transportation of some items in a care packages.  The granola bars were great, the nuts were excellent, loved the shirt, the watch battery put me back on schedule, but the whoppers took a beating from the elements.  I was so looking forward to them, too.

Thanks y'all.  We will get some whoppers when I get home.  :)

Love you,
Dad, Michael

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

A Sign and a Label - Michael

Went out running the other day and found this sign out by the main entrance to the camp.

It took a little looking and thinking, but I believe it is trying to tell folks that if they support the poppy growing industry, they are bringing flaming skulls of death to their country, but if they support legitimate crops like wheat, their children will be able to eat bread with their mouths open.  Just a rough guess.

This label struck me as a bit, hmmm, alarming, bothersome, humorous...  All my life I thought the fact that toilet paper was "clean" was a given.  I am not so sure that is the case out here.  I guess you learn something new everyday. 

-Michael

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...