Ibo

So, about two years ago I got warts on my fingers. However, I thought they were just dry skin, so for a year I put lotion on them. Then when my brother was here last summer he told me what they were, so I went to the doctor and he gave me some stuff that did nothing. I have spent the past year using over the counter stuff to treat them, but they have only spread (on my feet) or have gotten bigger. So I finally went to another doctor who put nitrogen on it to kill it. I am happy to finally have a treatment that works, however it could take months or even a year for it to work. In the meantime I know whatever treatment that is used in the US probably works faster, but is illegal here in Japan. So I might have to put up with my fingers looking like this for

a year.

Maybe when I go home I will have someone look at them.

I'm comin home!

Hey everyone, I just want to tell you that I finally bought a ticket to come home. By the time I go, it will be over two years since I was home last. I am a bit afraid to return. My ticket is for September 16th-28th. I hope I can see a lot of people while I am home!

Otherwise, things have been going ok. I am getting used to being in Bando without the guys. Of course I still miss them, but I am ok. I had an open house this past Saturday. In total, thirteen people were there. Not a bad turn out! At the last Saturday of every month this summer Bando is having a small festival. Since my party was the day of the festival we all headed down there. It was a nice relax, chill festival. Next we tried to do some bowling, but the league was having a meeting. We went back to my house and then some people started to leave (it was after ten at this point). After they left a small group of us went to watch the South Korea game. All in all it was a good night in my small town. The only thing missing was the guys.

I am sorry I don't have photos of the party. Other people took pictures though, so maybe some day I will put them on. It was nice to have a fun night in my town again, it had been too long.

Ageha

Well, as you can see from the photo on the title picture, I am raising caterpillars again. The one above will be Ageha (swallowtail butterfly-I only now the name in Japanese because there is a club I have been to called Ageha, is that bad?). I found some of these guys before I left for China. Cotter took care of them for me while I was gone. They all changed, so when I got back I went and found new ones. It has been fun having them again. Cotter has photos of what they look like once they emerge, but for now I have to wait until the ones I have even go into chrysalis. Cotter has really gotten into having them as well. It is fun to have something to share together.

China 2010

Hey everyone, sorry for the long time between posts. I haven't really been up to much. Well, that isn't true. I went to China again. This time it was much more of a chill relaxing trip, verses a sightseeing trip. I had fun though! I went to the World Expo in Shanghai. I can't really explain what it is, I guess it is the modern version of the Worlds Fair? I didn't get the chance to go inside any of the pavilions. The lines were over three hours long, and the Chinese have a different concept of space (basically they have no space bubble, so I was always having people cut in front of me because they thought I was letting them go through, but really I was trying to establish some sort of space bubble!). So I just walked around and took photos. I was so tired though, I didn't even see all of them (including America's, sorry!). Everyone said hands down the best pavilion was from the UK.
Basically it is a big spiky building. I heard it lights up at night! So cool!



Back in Qingdao I had a good time with Corey. I didn't really take too many photos, but we went on a hike to this reservoir where they get the water for the famous Tsingtao beer. While resting there a nice family came to talk to me. The little boy told me his English name is Lucky Boy! I wonder if that is what the characters for his name mean?


I finally got a good view of the buildings in Shanghai. Last time the pollution was so bad.




In Beijing I didn't really do much. I did go the Summer Palace. It was burned by the French and the British in the late 1800's I think, but it has been restored. It was built for the royal family to escape the heat of Beijing. But actually it isn't far from Beijing at all (I took the metro to get there!) and I didn't think it was that much cooler.


All and all my trip to China was very good. I can't wait to go back.

Chloe is missing :( update! and the boys last few weeks...

Hey everyone! After missing for one week (and one day), I finally found Chloe! I found her close to my old place. I am so relived I found her. She is ok, she lost some weight and her fur wasn't as nice as it usually is (probably due to lack of eating) but she is fine. I am not sure what the future is for Chloe and I. I have thought maybe she is better off staying at the old place. But right now she is sleeping in my bed and I can worry about her later.

I haven't updated this blog in a long time (except for recent posts). I really wanted to tell you about all the things I did with the guys during their last month in Japan. However, I didn't take many photos of it, so I was waiting until someone would give me their photos. I have been lazy in asking them though, so I am going to post without (good photos).

The biggest highlight (to me) of the guys last month in Japan was their farewell party. I surprised them ;) I told them that Emily and Reiko wanted to have dinner with them on a random Thursday night, which they totally bought. What was really going on was I had a bunch of people come to town to throw them a party. However, many of their close friends lived far away. My friends were happy to come, but I didn't want to throw a party for them and just have my friends attend. I was lucky because each one of them had a friend come to surprise them. One (good friend) coming is better than none, right?

I was so nervous the night of the party. Of course everyone was late (which I expected) and since it was my job to distract the guys while everyone arrived, I couldn't be there to set up for the party. It wasn't that I didn't trust my friends setting up, I knew they would do a fabulous job (which they did)....I was just so nervous that somehow the surprise would be ruined and setting up for the party would have been a good way to distract me. Instead I had to play it cool with the guys.

Once I got word that they were ready for us to come, I began my surprise. I placed them under arrest. Their crime-leaving me behind (or as my mom put it, "leaving the scene of a good time!"). I handcuffed, blindfolded and got them into the back of my car (with Cotters help). It was so funny! I had never seen such babies. At one point Jack's noise itched and somehow he leaned over to have Jeff (who turned to his side) scratch it! It was great!

The party was fun. As mentioned, my friends did a wonderful job setting up, and the boys were really surprised and touched that so many people came to see them off.

The days after that are kind of a blur. I saw them say good bye to so many people at that time, it was crazy. On their final day I drive both of them to Kashiwa. I took Jack to the train station there, and Jeff to his friend Stephen's house. The two last photos I took of them were at their apartments. They both lived in apartments called Leo Palace. Though it looks like they are the same room, actually they lived in different buildings. When I took the photos I remembered how my parents used to take photos of my brother and I on our first day of school. They would dress us up, take a photo and send us off into the world. I kind of felt like I was doing that to the boys. I was letting them go by taking one last photo of them at their place.

I would be lying to you if I said I have been happy in the weeks since they left. Actually, I have been quite sad. With them leaving, Jetta getting adopted, my move and then Chloe missing (but now found!) I have been on quite an emotional roller coaster. Minus the Chloe missing part, I did have plenty of time to prepare for all the changes, but it still hasn't been easy. I do miss my "old" life.

I think that is the real reason why I didn't update this blog. It wasn't just the photos, it was I wasn't ready to put the guys in my past. I take my own time getting over things and I guess I am just going to have to wait this one out.

In the end I realize I how lucky I was to have such wonderful people in my small town in Japan that I had such good chemistry with. I can honestly say that I did know and appreciate them while they were here, but of course now that they are gone I am seeing even more how lucky I was. I am so thankful to have had them...and I made sure they knew that before they left.

So that is all I have to say about the boys for now. I will post photos as I get them. Thank you for reading my last post (for now) about them. I hope to see them again one day.

Chloe is missing :(

The past two months have really been an emotional roller coaster for me. First the boys left, then I gave away Jetta, then I moved. I haven't been as happy as I was before, but I was hoping things would settle down and I could get used to all the changes in my new apartment with Chloe. I was wrong. Chloe is now missing. It has been several days since I saw her last. She followed me when I walked to a restaurant the other night and she didn't wait for me outside like she usually does. I haven't seen her since. I have looked for her but came up with nothing. I am still hopeful she will find her way home. I have made a missing poster (which Reiko translated) that I plan on putting up as soon as it stops raining (which should be tomorrow). Let's hope Chloe comes home soon.

Bye Jetta

Hey Everyone. It has been a long time since I wrote last. A lot has happened since that time. The biggest thing is I moved into my new apartment. It is a really nice place. I am lucky to have such a nice apartment. I really am. The downside to moving is I had to give away Jetta. On April 5th I took her to Tokyo. She was really scared, but a good girl on the train. I gave her a to a shelter. Once there she was fixed and then put into a foster home. The shelter told me it might take a couple months for her to get adopted. Imagine my surprise she was adopted in under a month. She was a really good cat, so maybe I am not too surprised so was adopted so quickly. I was happy and sad at the same time. Happy she found a good home, but sad she would never come back to mine. I told myself everyday I was going to Tokyo to bring her back, now I can't. I hope Jetta makes her new family as happy as she made me. Bye Jetta, I love you forever.