Kitchen Adventures

See, the thing about living in a foreign country, where English is not the primary language spoken and written, is when you want to venture into THEIR stores you are often lost. Why do I venture to Japanese stores when the COMMISSARY is right here and I could eat the SAD (Standard American Diet)? Because we want to explore, investigate, fully LIVE in Japan....and so we keep exploring.

Arielle was feeling fine yesterday....and sick again today. I wanted to make her some of our new "Ramen" this afternoon.

This happens often lately with bills. It's a strange feeling not to understand what you are being charged for. We signed up with GI Bill Pay a GREAT service offered here. We took one "bill" in and asked them how much we owed. Turns out it was simply a notice telling us we had signed up for cell phones. ::snort::

Just as I was about to add the flavor packet, I looked closer....

Ah....X....must not be the flavor packet.

Another little tidbit...the Japanese (at least around here) have a great way of making sure that we understand when the answer is "no" or "don't enter" etc.....they cross their arms in an X fashion and sort of motion in front of you. I've found myself doing it with the kids. They seem to understand clearly what it means.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

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

Nikuman

This is Siopao. One of my favorite foods from my youth in the Philippines.

I've dreamed of finding a source of Siopao in Japan since early February. I've looked and only saw it ONCE...at the airshow.

Today, Akikosan brought Nikuman to the house.

Beautiful, aren't they? She asked first if we were vegetarian. When I told her no she showed us two boxes of these.

She told us that they are "Japanese Fast Food" - like American hot dogs. They are considered to be a convenience food and sold at places like Lawsons and Circle K - not the restaurants where I've been looking. I was so happy. They were oishi.



Akikosan told us stories of growing up and stopping a Nikuman on the way home from school. They are only sold in the WINTER (fall/winter I'd say as they sell from Sept - April) which explains why I'd not been able to find them. In the winter they are kept by the cash registers in steamers, WARM, all day.

I don't remember a huge variety in the Philippines. Here they Curryman, pizzaman, as well as dumplings filled with veggies, chicken, seafood, beef and pork. The ones we had were darling, but my camera battery was dead.

Not to fear, most the kids loved them and we'll go buy some more soon, I'm sure. In fact, maybe next week for Ladies Lunch and Bible study at our home. LOL

Our Japanese lesson was a lot of work and fun today. We had to write our names. The kids all earned red flowers at the top of their page. I got red corrections. ::snort:: We read the hiragana (not smoothly) for all the colors. We talked. We worked on introductory phrases. Mike came in at the end of the lesson and we were glad to introduce he and Akiko.

Akiko told me, "Sorry, De'Ettasan, making miso is very hard. You should buy it in the restaurant." BUT she did show me the hiragana characters to look for. Kim, I'm going to try some cooking links and find a recipe. Do you make Miso Ramen?

I was also glad that I'd gotten a small gift for her.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

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

Success

We now have 3 personal computers that are running through DSL/FIBER OPTICS and not dial up. The wireless is working. I'm not sure WHAT the man did, but Mike understands. That was the best $10 I've spent in a long time. ::snort::

Skype is up and running on the laptop - with volume.

I promptly decided to change the header and then realized if you don't use skills for say 7 months, you get rusty. I didn't save the code...royally messed it all up...played around and will try to get it perfect later. I want to smash it a bit and get the frame to fit nicely.....and I'll be much more careful now to be sure I remember how to do something before I start in. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

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

Tidbits

{Shhh...I didn't really blog yesterday. I pre-posted the last two photos. ::snort::}

Here are a few tidbits from yesterday.

Local PWOC. I'm serving as the interim Children's Ministry Coordinator. I love the children, am learning to work better with other's children who don't really like Inductive Studies, continue to wonder about one little one with a snot fetish, and totally LOVE the fellowship with my partner.

I took the 3 younger ones with me yesterday. I really don't NEED Arielle on the weeks that Christie can help. She and Jared are able to stay home and work. I need to take the younger ones. Twyla is running a homeschool room and I so appreciate her care and oversight for my young students. I KNOW that Zander cannot work independently for 90 minutes...and there are older kids in the room every other week...but I so appreciated Twyla's willingness to work with him...even though Zander needs to learn some social skills and not fight with her son. I'm working on it. Twyla, you're a gem! Of course, we NEVER really get done what we would at home, so I continue to feel behind and evaluate Tuesday a.m. involvement. I feel a great need to BE HOME when I'm home because I know more travel is in my future.

After PWOC the younger ones and I did our big shopping at the commissary. The ladies loved my choices of 5 lbs of rice, Miso stuff, and noodles...but when I asked them if the noodles I'd chosen and Miso were o.k. they really frowned and tried to communicate with me. It appears I need soy noodles. I'm not sure WHAT the noodles I bought were for. I was sure they'd be great in broth...they said no. I asked if you'd put veggies over the top of them....no. I asked what you do and they said you cook them and put them in bamboo. OK - I'm lost. They ran and got me "Miso kits" but these seem to be glorified Top Ramen. I plan to grab a friend to take me shopping at the Japanese supermarket and we'll find Ramen noodles....fresh would be lovely. I know I can make Miso Ramen at home. I honestly didn't want the Miso Kits....but as often happens....once they are SO helpful I don't have the heart to say, "Nevermind, I don't want it after all". This accounts for several recent home purchases. ::grin::

Mike worked late again last night. The kids and I ate dinner (YES - REAL FOOD). I worked on the Protestant News. They practiced. Then we put on Narnia and vegged.

There you have it....I called Heronet and requested tech support. He'll be here today at 11:00 a.m. He planned on coming yesterday but since I'm clueless about routers and such I thought he should wait until Mike is home (today is Veteran's Day). Since we have "plan A" this will only cost approx $10 and we should have all 3 pc's and the wireless working.....

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

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

Normalcy

Yes, life is getting back to normal.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

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

Amusing "Sign"

This is the FUNNIEST sign yet. I haven't a clue what it says. It looked like a great parking spot. Until I came out of the store and realized NO ONE was parked near me....then looked closer and surmised it was a lane through the parking lot. This time the jokes on me....

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

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

Shopping Adventures

It's always an adventure to go shopping off base. What a delight for each day to feel like a field trip and an adventure.

After piano lessons we dropped Jared off on base for Cross Training (Youth). Arielle was ill and home....with the cell phone and Windy's number programmed in.

On the way home the younger ones and I stopped to get lightbulbs. We wanted Japanese lightbulbs as the rumor is they'll last a bit longer off base than American bulbs.

We found lightbulbs....we also found....

More Christmas Decorations

But again - not one single Nativity or Baby Jesus. It saddens me that the world has exported Christmas without the meaning of the Holiday.

Zander's face was priceless....he was so excited to see a cheap DVD bin (like Walmart) but then realized all the letters were in Japanese. We DID buy a Japanese book....and I thought that was great until Stacia said, "Mommy, will you read this to me?"

Some things are easy to figure out...like the new rice bowls I bought and the lightbulbs...but what ARE those things in the orange package. I had to know. They aren't chocolate! ::snort:: They taste sort of like a root of some sort....I hope they are meant to be eaten and aren't some sort of fertilizer. ::snort::

Stacia charmed a Grandma. Zander bowed. The lady said, Konichiwa and was simply charmed when the kids responded. She rubbed Stacia's hair. We were picking out rice bowls, which she approved of...but then she picked up the Hello Kitty rice bowl and handed it to Stacia. Stacia was thrilled, the Grandma was thrilled...I would have thought it was a bit more endearing if she'd handed some yen my way for the bowl. ::snort:: Seriously, it was a GREAT idea and one I would not have thought of. The rice bowls I picked are pottery. This way Stacia won't break hers. Grandma did me a favor. Back at home Stacia got out the rice steamer and insisted I make rice...and ate two bowls.....I also bought chopsticks....yep....just a couple of months here and it simply TASTES BETTER in a bowl with chopsticks....sort of like tea TASTES BETTER in a fine china cup.

Who but the Japanese would invent such a charming fly swatter. We can smash them AND clean them up....

What else did we do today....I answered some PWOC emails, I created some documents for our local PWOC Children's Ministry, I prepared the story and such for tomorrow.... maybe I'll go to the Onsen tomorrow night. OH, the little boys were playing Zoo Tycoon and came running out to say, "Jamin is on the computer!" Jamin AND Josiah were on Skype...the volume worked and Jared had a great talk with them. Tonight the computer froze on me.

Mike got called in on a duty call - second time in one night....so I'll check email and call it a night. Y'all have a good day on that side of the world.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

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