grateful

Friend Mayumi, sent us a box of veggies that she grew in her yard...

potatoes

shiso (perilla)

komatsuna (Japanese mustard cabbage)
 

huge radishes (the teeny perfectly round ones are the ones I had bought earlier in the week)

garlic

bags of shiitake

and green beans

with veggies kinda pricey these days, we really appreciate her kindness

Thank you M!

thank you

(photo taken in october)

What a year!

Thankful for everything (good and bad)

Hoping 2026 will be healthy, happy with more travels, new connections and reconnections for everyone

Be well, be kind

takaya marche

Takaya Marche is a shop in Ashiya, Hyogo

My host sister recently sent us their salt sable (cookies), financiers and caneles for Christmas

She said the salt sables are really popular.

We appreciate her kindness and look forward to enjoying these during the nenmatsu nenshi (year end and beginning of the new year)

Thank you T!

Takaya Marche

5-26 Funato-cho

Ashiya, Hyogo

Closed: Sundays & Mondays

Hours: 10:00-18:00

grateful

Sometime during the ending part of November, friend Mayumi sent me several photos of her persimmon drying project.

She said she was drying 200 of them!

Today, she sent me 25 of them!

I put most of these into the freezer...and will eat some in the the coming days!

Thank you Mayumi! 

thank you

Thank you A for sending us a box of apples.

These apples are called San Fuji. 

Crisp & sweet

If you are interested in the difference between Fuji and San Fuji apples, please look here.

We appreciate your kindness A!

whoa

Friend Mayumi sent me this photo the other night...

“I'm sending you some grapes”, she said.

She said, “My friend grew Shine Muscat but they aren't super sweet”

I should’ve known when she said, “I cut the stems so I could fit more in the box”…

 

the box came the other day

when the post man delivered it, he said, "it's heavy" before putting the box in my hands...

I weighed it and it was a little over 4 kilos (8 pounds)!

I tasted some, it wasn’t super sweet like shine muscat usually is, but at least they weren’t sour/tart

I put some into the freezer, I would give some to our building’s cleaning lady but because they aren’t super sweet, I don’t think I should...

We’ll try to eat as much as we can and I’ll try making jam too

Thank you M!

we’re 20

so much has happened in 20 years

some bad

mostly good

lots of travels

lots of delicious 

if you’ve been with us from the beginning…thank you

or joined us mid-way…thank you

with so much uncertainty these days 

not sure how long our tiny blog will continue but we are glad you are here with us

be well 

be kind

 

thank you

We received a boxful of grapes from my host mom.

Pione (dark purple) and Shine Muscat (light green)

Thankful for her kindness.

We'll be enjoying this in the coming days.
 

thank you

Thankful for the experiences (both good and bad) that we had this year.

If you read, commented and/or lurked our little blog, we are thankful for all of you.

Hoping 2025 will be filled with good health, adventures and everything delicious. 

Be well! I'll post after Satoshi goes back to work on January 6th.

we’re 19

Can you believe it?

This blog is in its last year as a “teen”

Who would’ve thought this blog would still be going

Most bloggers, that are still my friends on social media have stopped blogging, miss those days!

Not sure how much longer this blog will continue, but I’m glad you are reading and coming along on our adventures.

Thanks for today!

thanks for today

Last Friday, friend H, messaged me that she and her husband were in Japan and if I'd have time to meet up

So, yesterday that's what we did.

Haneda Terminal 3 is now decorated with fresh hydrangea, so pretty.

 

we met up at Kyoto Saryo Suisen inside of Haneda Airport Garden, this was the same shop we met up at back in 2022, but a different location (that time was at Yokohama).

It was nice catching up and chatting with H

H gifted us this cheesecake from Le Tao

Thank you H, I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip and appreciate you contacting me to meet up.

thanks for today

Tuesday, got to spend some time with V who is here for about a week with her friend M

First off, Suitengu Shrine to pick up some omamori (lucky amulets)

Then back to Global knife shop, Yoshikin in Roppongi

loved the windows on this building! looked almost painted on
 

And then lunch at Shake Shack at Roppongi Hills.

The fries! so crispy! love

V gave us so many goodies!

Thank you!

And also from M! Thank you!

I'll see them again just before they go back to Hawaii, I hope they enjoy themselves while they are here.

Thanks for today V!

this and that

(furry) Tokyo People, I think this was a pekingese 

Tokyo People, one on patrol

Tokyo People, this reminded me of rubber stamping with embossing powder, they were sweeping off the access powder, before heating it
 

Hangry, this furry one was looking for food

so teeny

so teeny

surprised to find 12 eggs! most cartons in Japan only have 10

Thank you to H, Greg's sister, who sent us this care package for fulfilling her bucket list to eat anime style crepes.

We appreciate her kindness, thank you!

beautiful ume tree

tried the Opera Frappuccino...it was similar to the MOS burger shake, a little too sweet for my liking…700 plus something yen (don’t remember).

It was also made with almond milk and had almond bits in it which made it a little hard to drink…meh

super teeny radish

relatively decent sized radishes from the lanai

Tokyo People...delivering bento

The temps dropped to -2C (29F) yesterday...brr!

Have a safe weekend.

thank you

My aunties sent us a care package filled with all sort of goodies like prune mui, lemon curd, chocolates and cookies!

love it when they line the box with local newspaper, so I can read up on things...

I shared some of the cookies with my dentist's staff

Thank you Aunties, we appreciate your kindness and for thinking of us.

thank you

What a year! full of baseball, lots of meeting up with friends and family in Japan and Hawaii

I continue to mask and social distance, Satoshi, not so much.

There were sad days as well as good days

Definitely lots of delicious days

Grateful for our adventures and for you being a part of them.

Wishing everyone good health, new adventures and a delicious 2024.

Be well and be kind

Thank you!

sunset photo taken in September 2023

we're 18

Wow!

18 years.

If you remember, please tell us how you started reading our little blog?

We appreciate your comments.

Not sure how much longer we’ll continue this blog but we are thankful for you coming along with us on our adventures. 

thankful

This trip home was a nice chance to catch up with many friends and family.

To share pandemic experiences.

Laugh, cry, just "talk story"

And eat!

Boy, did I eat. 

V wanted to know how much weight I gained…4 pounds

Thankful Satoshi let me stay for as long as I did and BFF who let me stay with her.

Looking forward to doing this again next summer.

Be well everyone and I appreciate everyone spending time with me.