The in-laws come to Florida

I blame this large picture update for slowing down my posts.  Hopefully in hindsight this trip is as funny/ridiculous as I remember it.

In attendance:  Kyohei's Mom and Dad, his little sister, Maki and her friend Kaori

Day one:  Already lots of stuff from the mall.

Bath&Body Works

Everyone at The Top.  Hooray for corn nuggets.

Day 2

Hare Krishna Lunch followed by a trip to the shooting range (naturally...)

Though I've been to a couple NRA banquets and I come from a place where school was canceled for buck and doe hunting seasons, I'd surprisingly never shot a gun before now.  Now I can honestly say, having had the experience, that they are terrible, terrible, terrible.  I wish they had never been invented and I sincerely hope that I am never shot or have to shoot anyone or any animal.

Off to Orlando to go Outlet shopping.

and, of course, a Japanese Steakhouse.

Day 3:  Disney World, Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom is awesome! I forgot how much fun it is!  Space Mountain is the best ride EVER!

father-in-law and I in Its a Small World

Magic!

 

Note to self, see the Princess and the Frog sometime

All of us trapped on Tom Sawyer's island

SOAKING wet after Splash Mountain.  I walked around with a wet bottom until 11 pm.  No joke.

Only one thing could cheer me-- a corn dog!  I LOVE CORN DOGS!

Do you think Maki (red) and Kyohei look alike?

stealing the pirate treasure in Pirates of the Caribbean

Wow, the castle changes color at night!!! It was so pretty
 

sisters!

Since it is now Christmas time, it was decorated with wreaths and started to "snow" at night. 

Since the entire trip was quickly becoming a marathon shopping spree, I decided to roll with it and get some merchandise shots.

Lollipops!

I quickly pirated Kyohei's candy

awh

more later

Happy, happy, happy

Today's Chinese Horoscope:

Hi Sarah! Here is your Daily Chinese Horoscope for Monday, November 22

Put your party hat on. You'll probably be racing around town attending coffee dates, lunches, cocktail hour and dinner parties. It'll probably be a good day to eat, drink, and be merry. Bring your famous talent for fun along. It's almost impossible that you will not enjoy yourself.

Hooray!  Sometimes these things are so spot on. 

1) I'm going to atypicalindividial's tonight for an early Thanksgiving dinner.  Can't wait. 

2) just gave my annual Shinto guest lecture in T's class and got to have a nice lunch with him afterward.

3) got invited to a party on my walk back to work

it looks as if I might start enjoying friends and cheer again now. 

ALSO I randomly got $112 deposited from work into my account.  Some sort of benefits overcharge from 2009--no one can figure out what it is.  Oh well!  Thanks, GOD. 

I must be feeling back to normal somewhat:  U.S. & NorKor News!!

Good work, Obama!

Thursday, Nov 18, 2010 13:35 ET

North Korea slapped with new sanctions

Just got back this morning from dropping off Kyohei's family at the Orlando Airport.  I think I got like 3 1/2 hours of sleep last night, but I decided to come into work for 5 hrs today (I wasn't scheduled to be back until tomorrow).  Now I can get a jump start on my email, personal email and other internet-related activities.  I also need to get back on the Turkish!  10 days of all Japanese and I can barely remember how to say "good morning"  gah!

Anyway, it was a good trip, long, very long.  Gainesville-Orlando-Miami-Key West-Orlando.  I am exhausted and Kyohei is sick.  Lot's of things to post and I will get on that soon.

It's good to be back.

Japanese invasion

 The in-laws are here.  I am reeling from having no sleep Sunday, Monday and then not getting to sleep until 3am last night (their flight was late etc, etc, etc).   We just all went out to lunch which was fun though. 

After working at the flower shop on Saturday, I flew up to Pennsylvania Sunday-Monday for grandma's service.  It was a really nice service and there were many people there.  It was a good day for crying and seeing people I haven't seen in 20 years or so.  I'm glad they had such a nice service for her, she deserves it. 

Mountains somewhere between Charlotte, NC and Pittsburgh

My first snow sighting of the season-- there was some on the ground around my hometown too.  brrrrr

After the service, there was food in the church basement. 

cousin and dad

me and cousin.  Am I the last person in the world who wears black to a funeral?  I want to get one of those little hats with the mesh over the face too. 

cousins

I don't know why my photos are so fuzzy.  Anyway, even though I'm super tired (and broke), I'm glad I went.

Tomorrow I am off to Orlando (and the rest of Florida) with my husband and his family!  I'll be back with pictures and how the trip went in about 10 days. 

Happy Bday, Mimi

 In all the confusion and craziness of October, we missed Mimi's 5th birthday.  We celebrated on Wednesday instead. 

Kyohei and I took them over to the nearby school yard so they could run around out back off leash.

big birthday smile

I thought it would be cool to try and get pictures of them running.

It was so hard.  Chitah is just too fast.

and she almost never stands still

birthday pee

watching some kids play soccer

Mimi likes McDonald's, so we picked up a plain hamburger and each of the doggies got half. 

They were quite pleased with themselves    Why Mimi insists on dining on the rug I'll never know.

life (and death) goes on

 Even though I still feel very sad, I decided that I have to make an effort to get back out there and pretend things are going normally until they really are.  I have to remember that before I know it I will be laying in a hospital bed waiting to die.  No time to waste.... grateful to be alive.... blah blah blah blah.  Its all bullshit really, that I tell myself to get through the day.  Whatever works, right?  I know that eventually I will feel happy again, just not now.
 
A (an intense) week in photos   (long post, bear with me)

Food from last Thursday's Italian cooking class

biscotti, yum and yum

Why did this cute photo turn out so poorly?  Anyway, so last Saturday I got on a plane to Columbus, OH.  I stayed that day and night at my college friend's house where she has an organic farm.  This is their roadside stand, though most of their sales go on at the farmer's market.  They are trying to Whole Foods to pick up their honey.  Whole Foods should-- I'm telling you, their honey is AWESOME.

It felt good to be back in the country, especially in autumn.  My friend and I got to work planting 200 tulip bulbs.  I hope the 100 I planted actually come up in the spring.

I did a honey taste test.  Its amazing how much the different plants change the flavor.  Was not really aware of that until now.  My favorite, the lavender-infused honey is not here, but I have some at home

My friend with her daughter.  I hadn't seen her since graduation so I was just giddy to see her again and meet her husband and two kids.

inside the road stand

straining out beeswax

this picture is funny because it is so bad.  The wind was blowing like crazy and I was off to the wedding!

I got lost like 3 or 4 times trying to get to the wedding and arrived 15 mins late.  I was totally flustered and ran up the stairs.  Who greets me at the top the stairs, but my ex, who I was dreading seeing.  In light of what would happen the following day, it seems silly to have been so stressed to see my ex best friends, but none-the-less I was totally hands-shaking-as-I-put-on-my-eyeliner stressed out to be around them. 

my beautiful ballet teacher and her new husband. 

 

Because I am a flower nerd...



like I said, I was late.  I actually missed the entire ceremony.  I was so frustrated with myself.  As I reached the top of the stairs, the waitstaff said, "wait they are just about to come out."  When the bride and groom emerged, my teachers eyes met mine and lit up, "you're here!!"

"of course I'm here"  We had a long tearful embrace.  It was such an emotional moment, I'll probably remember it forever.

Anyway, the reception was lovely.  I felt very honored to have been invited to such a small ceremony.  I had some good conversations with the groom's sons and other dancers from my college.  BUT my two enemies.... what can I say, it was surreal.  It was like they planned to be really nice to me.  I was so shocked by their over-the-top kindness that I just kinda went with it.  It was painful, especially when FB (ex-bestie with kid above) said, "this is [justgotspaid], she was my best friend my freshman year!"  Hey, at least she remembered.   But it was just too weird, the guy who refused to even stand in the same room as me was now hugging me and inviting me back to Dayton to hang out.  WTF?!?  How 'bout a "sorry" first???  Yeah, I know I'm cool and lots of fun, but you'all two totally broke my heart, so... like... stop....touching... me!!!

So I got there, participated in a loved one's special day, survived the exes and got loads of compliments on the outfit especially the shoes (worth every penny!) MISSION ACCOMPLISHED 

I even managed to meet up with Causal, another great friend from college in Columbus.  I felt pretty happy as I drove the 4 hours back to my mom's house in Pennsylvania. 

The next day was another dreaded moment... visiting my brother.  I told him how I felt, cried about twice and when that was done a voicemail from my aunt was on my phone.  I called only to hear that grandma had passed 5 minutes ago.  I've heard accounts of the weird things that happen to your senses when you get a shock like that... but, I'll tell you it was creepy.  My legs went numb, I got tunnel vision, turned pale (according to mom), and couldn't breath.  I was actually in the mall and had to go and find my mom.  I felt like I was swimming towards her.  I can't really remember after that.  I think I fell down.    Another moment I won't forget.

when she was 2010 nursing home Valentine's Day Queen.  Everyone loved her.

The next day, Tuesday, I went with my aunt to pack up grandma's stuff at the nursing home.  It was touching to hear from all the staff and other residents how much the loved her and would miss her.  Somehow, I didn't cry.  I took postcards that I had sent, letters from my brother and a few mementos to remember her by; two angel figurines, a photo, and a picture of Jesus she has had forever.  I remember it from when I was very small.  Most of her things we just donated.  She would want it that way, she hated being wasteful.

I got to hang out with my cousins.  They showed me their pig and horses.

Wednesday, before my flight out, I went to buy some coffee and extra copies of the paper for the obituary.  I ended swinging by the cemetery to see my old friend, Chris.  Halloween is the 11th anniversary of his death.  I like to visit his grave, actually.  I guess being able to visit someone's remains helps you to feel like you can still do something for that person.  Totally irrational, but I like it.

On the way in, I noticed the most beautiful autumn tree!

I stopped on the way back to take pictures of it.

Then a man came out and handed me a piece of paper, "you know 'bout the photo contest we have going on?"
--"at the cemetery??"
"that's right, first prize is $100"

well, I'll be damned.  My hometown cemetery has a photo contest.  Any favorites?

After that I visited with my aunt one last time and then went to see my uncle (unrelated to aunt) who is dying of MS in the nursing home right now.  At least I could say goodbye. 

The first leg of the flight back (Erie-Detriot) was so turbulent.  I'm normally not very panicky when I fly, but I guess with the added stress, I just had a total breakdown.  Sorry to the poor man who had to awkwardly endure sitting next to me.

I had just enough time in Detroit to go through the Light Tunnel that connects concourse A with B & C.

Even though I didn't need to take the tunnel to get to my gate...

The tunnel so cool, I couldn't resist.  I guess a lot of people feel this way.  There are a bunch of youtube videos ha haha.  I think this tunnel is better than the one in Chicago.  Actually, the whole Detroit airport is really nice.  I always enjoy going there.

Now I'm back in Florida.  Thursday and Friday at work were a living nightmare.  My bosses were so mad at me, I feared I would be fired.  Good thing I was pretty much too sad to care.  It all worked out fine though.  I love how they are to apt to over-reacted about everything.

My flowershop friend was having a Halloween party at her new house.  I promised I would go, so I went.  I also went to see a guy from my high school class play guitar in town too (too coincidental not to go to)

I got guilted into dressing up, so I went as a losing homecoming queen/ drama queen.  It was the first thing I thought of that I could do with the materials I already had. 

Perhaps dressing up as a crying woman was a playing it a bit too close to home to be funny right now.

flowershop friends