This week has been FULL and draining.
Lots of ministry catch up to work on this week.
Lots of long distance calls and emails.
Lots of school.
LOTS OF PAPERWORK! I had no CLUE it would take so much paper to junk an old van and buy a new one. In Japan, every 2 years one must pay for a JCI (inspection) on their vehicle. Your car needs to be in good working order to get this sticker. We affectionately call our van,the beast and it was amazing gift to us a year ago. When it literally began thunking and slamming into DRIVE I knew the transmission was going. It was going to cost as much money to get it to pass the JCI, as it is for me to buy another van that has just passed the JCI and will last us 2 more years.
Did you follow all that? This meant we took the van to the junker and picked up paperwork. I took the license plates, title, junking receipt and various recylcing receipts to the base's Pass and ID. They gave me "deregistration papers". This is to derigester with the base and with the prefecture. I thought I could buy the new van and then continue to work on paperwork to junk the old one. BUT I discovered you cannot own more than 2 cars at a time in Japan.
I took that to the insurance company. They did a BUNCH more paper work which was sent to Hachinohe. I was given several more pieces to take to the realtor and the police as I live off base and needed a parking permit. I got maps and stamped pieces of paper and took THAT back to the insurance today. They had more papers from Hachinohe. The plan is that I can take THESE papers back to PASS and ID Monday - with the seller of the new van and he can sign the van over to me....THEN I'll take it all back to the insurance again for some more fun.
On my last stop at the insurance Stacia was asked if she was an only child. Oh my. She said, "I have 8 brothers and sisters." The lady thought she was wrong.
I said, "Yes, she does." Oy vey - the chattering and discussion that ensued. I think they were genuinely interested in our lifestyle.
I answered the questions, we laughed and then she said the thing that made my day, "Do you think so many children are a treasure?"
"Oh, yes!" I told her, "They are all treasures." She agreed.
I had several evening outings this week....farewell season is in full swing.
We had Akikosan over for pizza tonight. She was excited. She brought all sorts of little treats. THIS is one we'll have find again. You mix a little gel/liquid packet with milk and it makes a smoothie/yogurt...not sure how to describe it... dessert. I asked if it could be for breakfast, but Akikosan says, "Only dessert." I'm wondering if a packet of that thrown into yogurt would be good. LOL
Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...
We love finding signs in Japan, made by Japanese, written in English, by people whose native language is not English. I have discovered the same kind of thing in Afghanistan but with German, French, Italian, Dari and others writing the signs. Now, I am willing to bet that what this sign is prohibiting is actually not a real problem. However, if it is a real problem, I do not want to meet the individuals who are struggling with this as an issue in their lives. I am thinking, though, if you were really wanting to discourage people from smoking, allowing smoking only where it is prohibited by the sign, would significantly decrease all but the truly dedicated smoker's desire to smoke at all. 
