Popcorn and Sushi

I've Moved Haus

2010-01-13T00:18:04+09:00

Despite my lack of presence here for (yikes!) half a year, I have not vanished, but have, in fact, actually moved to Germany. The transition has been greater and taken longer than any of us would have thought (frankly, I'm not quite sure we would have done it at all had we know how hard it would be). But now that we are finally getting settled in, I have started a new blog. It's called Fairytale Hausfrau, and it's hosted at Blogger--due to some design issues here at Typepad. My current plan is to keep this blog up and running, though it may lie dormant. I am considering adding Asia-related content here from time to time. For now, I hope you'll join me at Fairytale Hausfrau!

What I Will Miss, Part 1

2009-05-14T14:37:59+09:00

We leave Japan one month from tomorrow (!). While I am thrilled about our upcoming move, and delighted about all we've done and seen since arriving in Japan almost six years ago, there are definitely some things I'm going to miss. Among them:

Our 'hood (Street names? HAHAHA! Good one--try again!)

Our street. Power lines everywhere=what's not to love? And that monster hedge was ours for almost four years!

The neighborhood soda machine, a glowing beacon when walking or driving up the hill at night.

Brainiacs Second Child and his supah-cool "brother" (that's what they call each other!) using tons o' spare change to buy sodas from said machine and letting them drop down one after the other until they get stuck, thus requiring the attentions of older sister (First Child, taker of the photo) to get them unwedged.

Neighborhood cemetery. There's bamboo (and chestnuts, if the old ladies haven't gotten to them first) in them thar' hills.

The Purple House, one street over. More than a little subversive.

Husband's mini-mobile, nicknamed "Pikachu" for no clear reason. Fighting over the shared arm rest: good times!

Bubble mirrors, for negotiating sharp turns and narrow roads in virtually any neighborhood

frequent walks in the 'hood--apres-sushi this time, I believe

And speak of the devil--sushi. Kappa-maki here, a fave of the kids

Don't forget the Sushi-Dudes--we love them so!

And, the stacking of the sushi plates by color. Yellow=cheap=our favorite. Waaaaaah, sushi!

I'm a Little Slow...

2009-04-28T10:27:13+09:00

Image by tiffanywashko via Flickr

As I've mentioned, I'm something of a procrastinator. I read a lot, and dream. I make big plans and sometimes follow through. I make smaller plans and sometimes follow through. One small plan I had last year was to start making healthy green smoothie drinks. I'd read the book Green for Life after seeing it in my blog-friend Leslie's sidebar, and I was filled with the urgent desire to start making green smoothies and foisting them upon my family on a daily basis. But as is so often the case, I set the book down and moved on to other books and other recipes.

I continued to think about green smoothies, though. It just took me a while to start making them--as in SEVEN MONTHS. I think one thing that held me back was the fact that we don't have a fancy-schmancy high-powered blender. Yes, it is absolutely preferable to have a high-powered blender for making smoothies--but it's not a necessity. I found this out once I actually tried making them.

Green smoothies are incredibly healthy and easy to make and drink--and they taste quite good, too. I even have my kids making them now. We haven't been going by a recipe lately--just using whatever fruits and green veggies we have on hand. Want to know more about green smoothies and how to make them? Rather than blathering on here, I will direct you to a true green smoothie motherlode. Go have a look (you won't believe all you can find at this site--you could be there for hours!), then start blending away!