NATSUKASHII CAFE in San Francisco day one

Hallo from S.F. minna-san!!! Today was full of all kinds of travel 'n things. Going from Oregon to California-- going to a gas station mini mart for restroom and Fuji water-- stopping at the healing room in Redding-- watching the endless moving scenery of fruit trees, wildflowers, marsh-- eating trail mix-- all the usuals in road trip^^ it was fun to just relax and look out the window.


Today was also the day my sister showed up! Just a short while after we got to our hotel in the heart of San Francisco downtown. Then we had a little happy hour in the lobby with complimentary white and red wine^____^ hehe good way to wind down after traveling, ne?


Then we walked a little ways up to Chinatown for dinner @ Chef Jia's (don't you think this is wonderful Chinese food??? yam tofu, sizzling platter seafood, five spice duck, lover's prawns...... and we four practically cleaned all the plates O__O!). Then a walk to North Beach on a search for gelato and the Italian cookie shop we went to before (turns out the gelato place I remember serves TAKOYAKI too. me and sis are gonna go back some afternoon to eat takoyaki and gelato^0^) and there seems to be a shop with anime characters on their sign right next door.... souvenirs???). Then back through the main Chinatown street past open late shops and barred closed storefronts. I found a suteki souvenir for a friend--- and we found boba tea. Onee-chan got a hot green tea coconut milk boba (way bizarre perfumy!!) and I got slushy Thai milk tea boba (kinda really regular normal flavor but it was so delicious). And then walked and walked back. We ate sooooooo much. Good thing we walked so much too, right right???



We also walked by a lomography store-- with all sorts of awesome cameras and film and things! I just stared into the window for a bit. uwaaaaaa isn't it cool the people who can really take the time and effort to do that wonderful photography??? I'm so lazy just use my phone T____T



Anyways, drummers, saxaphone players, hundreds of fashionable cute short Asian people, tons of shops we wish to go shop in (including one of my sister and mine's favorites we discovered in Japan-- Lush!), sidewalk flower shops, lines of people outside of restaurants, trolley car bells, unending traffic of all kinds ......... this is San Francisco ...... and so much more. It's so much of a treat walking around with sister^^ the funometer is up 110% when she's around! And tomorrow big bro is showing up so that's even better to have them both! Such a blessing to be having them on the trip with us. So blessed ^^

oyasumi! Loving hearing the street sounds from our fifth floor window........... hope mum and pop can sleep through the noise^^ looooooooooove street noise.



baibai

Fashion post: sweatpants style

Hi there minna-san^^


A different fashiony treat for you!!!

..... what do you wear while travelling? Plane, train, boat... etc etc. Do you go for fashionable or comfy? Or try to pull off both^____^


Well, tomorrow morning, we're taking a family/business road trip down to the city by the bay-- San Francisco! And I do always seem to leave my heart there*^^*



So it's got me thinking what to wear for about five hours sitting in the car. If it were summer-- jeans shorts and sleeveless top for sure-- but winter proves a different challenge! So let's try for something comfy, and still come out cute and fashionable! Ready..?


Let's go!!!

(p.s. doing this research because I have an oatmeal heather color saurel/harem cropped sweatpants I wanna coordinate with something and I have noooooo idea -____- hehe)

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=14910420721 rabbit printed sweatpants + classic converse + retro-ish jeans shirt and sweater^^ kawaii, ne?


Funny the things you think of to do before a trip-- especially to the city. I'm just now doing my nails haha with my favorite 2% Milk color by Wet n Wild. One or two coats of this polish gives a faux-French-tip illusion, only milky color than pink^^ tottemo suteki desuwa ....... I remember always how nice and sophisticated people look there so I wanna try just a little bit!

 http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=14708644982 Nice classy monochrome look, ne? Sunglasses add the celeb stylish look when you wear such casual things^___^

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=14735124547 Really love this coordi^0^!! Sweater + cute print sweatpants + converse again^^ Kinda wish my pants were that long! Hope it's warm in SF......

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=14371939027 This outfit is nice because it's a little less casual and very suited for walking around the city-- albeit in summertime >~<''....... I figured out how to search shorter pants and then everything turned into summer! Oh if you're wondering, I'm finding these via taobaoseek.com (taobao in English). It's really good for seeing tons of fashions that are popular in Asia 'n places^^

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=10373986429 This one is fun because of the printed pullover^^ and, again kept simple with mainly monochrome theme + a little accent yellow.


So! Do you think hair up or hair down? And nice makeup is probably a must in doing this style good, ne?




Well...... so long if we don't chat soon^^ I'll take lots of pictures I'm sure. Watch out for the pics on Instagram over there on the right sidebar, 'kay? And you can go here too http://web.stagram.com/n/currythecat/ to look at pics. Can't wait to see sis and big bro! Onee-chan will be arriving in the city tomorrow evening^^ and onii-san the next day! I hope we go to Japantown Sunday-- and get some souvenirs. And Chinatown! And this sweets and takoyaki place over by an art museum pop wants to go to...... Na Ya Dessert House-- have you heard about it? I weally weally wanna get takoyaki someplace while we're there^____^ sis really loves it toooo....... poor parents and brother-- they don't like as much Japanese food as us sisters do!


baibai


... p.s. this was actually a hassle to do post T___T partially because on my old computer the wifi stopped working so I have to finish on the family computer..... and it was really hard to find nice outfits! From now on I really just want to post drawings for you, okay? Okay^^;; I'll try better next time. But I do hope you enjoyed it anyways^^




p.p.s. we're leaving early in the morning to stop at the Bethel Healing Rooms for my papa. If you think of it, please keep him in your prayers♥♥♥♥ I was there once before with Gina-chan ...... because she danced there^____^ a few things more are wrong with pop etc etc his long battle with cancers of different kinds-- and please pray if you think of it for the three of us to have faith that the L-rd can heal him. Whatever happens, we have Jesus in our hearts and we know everything will turn out just the way G-d wants and planned it to since before the beginning of time-- but .... after all, I'd like to see my parents grow old together with more grandchildren on their knees sort of thing^^. I mean, they're pretty old already, but you know, right? It'd be nice to see them live out their lives together, right??? Happily ever after, ne? Well, we'll see^^ In the meantime, prayer and faith. Thank you minna-san^___^// Blessings to anyone who reads these things and takes it to heart, if for only for a second of your time♥♥

Happy Valentine's 3 ~ drawings

Hi minna-san! Happy Valentine's Day. This is the third post for today because sometimes holidays are special like that. If you want you can scroll down and see the others^^

Here's Poppie! ハッピーバレンタイン。Do you know how hard it is to draw bicycles? Try drawing one from memory! Finally I had to peek at a real photo of a bike 'cause the seat and rear half looked really wacky and I couldn't figure out why. How did it come out? Oh, you remember Poppie, right? She's a "meet" character in Pirate Cat Six stories (maybe you've seen pictures of her before?). She actually has a really important part in a very turning point story. A little scary of a role to take on, but she is wonderful in it. She is a high spirited, brave, and determined mori-girl. Even before I knew what mori girl was when she was created-- afterwards it seemed the perfect match! Wonder how she's doing now... do you ever wonder what characters do in the meantime while they're not in stories?

And here's a little illustration from yesterday of Heide from the story in the past. The Valentine's story I really wanted to write for you but the inspiration never came T___T ....... do you notice a crazy similar resemblance to both these girls??? It's uncanny... I don't know what to think. My only wish is that they are indeed two completely different girls and not one and the same at different ages. ... Heide has such a chance at having a wonderful family again and on the other hand, Poppie's grandma is her only known living relative and she had a terrible time in her last few years living with scary scary guardians. ... Actually, on second glance, I think it's safe. They do look different enough even though they both have really long hair. whew yokatta ne. ....... then that must mean that when Eddie met Poppie, she must have reminded him a lot of Heide. hmmmm something to think about. ... And then probably forget -___-"



Minna-san forgive me for writing too much commentary all the time. Probably less than half ever makes sense.




Well, bye for now. On the back of the drawing of Heide is a plan for a better layout to Natsukashii Cafe, so be excited for that^^ yay! I'll try to get around to that sooner or later. And I've been running across various illustrators and their blogs and their art is so wonderful and stuff... it makes me wonder, being so drawn to that, maybe that's what I should be too? I'm pretty terrible at writing manga for the one fact that .. I haven't written any and I never seem to practice or be inspired for that either. hmm I dunno minna-san...... when do you ever know? Sometimes it feels like I'm meant to do something that's been under my nose my entire life, and other times it feels like there's something new out there that I've never tried before and that's what I should do. Whenever does one know what to do?

At any rate, this time I don't wanna get all stressed out about it. In this time of my life I need to help out at the shop and home and etc because life is tough right now and we need to comfort each other in our little family. Especially little mummy needs somebody to be kind and gentle to her. The future doesn't look any brighter than right now-- unless you look far enough to Heaven-- so for right now, this is where we are and who we are. Daydreamers dreaming toward something better, even if it's just for the dream itself. G-d will take care of us and guide us to where and what we need to be in proper time. So thankful for that......... and blessed.





baibai and good night. Sweet dreams♥ You are loved, every one of you. Valentine's Day isn't just about couples and lovers, it's just about love, right? And there is no greater love I know than this--


For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NIV)




A very famous verse of the Bible, huh? And there's a reason for that^^ it's wonderful....... I feel so loved♥ and there's nothing I can do about it^___^

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35, 37-39 NIV)

Amen to that. I don't want to ever be separated from Jesus' love. Love here on earth seems so intermittent sometimes-- look at all the movies. People love each other, break up, find somebody new, break up, etc etc. But true love knows no end. True love that comes from G-d lasts through eternity. It is that love that there should be more of in the world and I wish to be able to love like that. Not brotherly love, not mushy love, but beyond that-- the love that you would lay down your life so that another could live, kind of love. ah it's mind blowing......... have you ever encountered that love, minna-san?




hehe I already apologized for writing too much and here I go again^^ guess 'cause I can't express these things in real spoken words to anyone-- and my heart would burst if I had to keep this all inside. Good night again! Gotta put the laundry in the dryer now..... bye♥

Valentine's Day 2 ~ the cd player

Hi hi again^^

Toward the end of the day, a lady was in the shop listening to some used CDs to see if she liked them. We have a cd player for people to do that, you see? Well, see, the skip track button fell through the hole it's supposed to stick in and it wouldn't work-- then the whole thing didn't do anything no matter what buttons you pushed (it's about seven years old so it's kinda surprising it lasted that long anyhow...)! After the lady left, I asked mummy if I could take it apart. I WUV taking things apart hehehehe....

Inside! I didn't know where to start, so I looked at how cool everything looked for a while...... and again borrowed mummy's phone to take photos.

Isn't it cool though? I have no clue what anything is. And I don't really wanna learn........ this is probably the kinda stuff that my big bro messes with and designs and builds, my guess. But much cooler and expensive stuff than this little boom box sort of thing.

Well, the button was proken off but a few pieces of scotch tape set that in order. Tape is amazing stuff, huh? I wasn't gonna even try to figure out what made it unresponsive earlier and hoped it'd just go away, so then I put it back together and plugged it in...... (really didn't wanna fail 'cause then pop would probably be mad....) ...



............. *suspense*..





....








... and it worked!!! I even changed the time to correct daylight savings or whatever we're on now^^ thank you Jesus! Thank you for letting it still work^___^

*whew* but that was probably the most fun thing I did all day. Silly, right? hehe^^. One time I was in super concentrating mode and I shooed mum away with my hand like Sherlock onii-san does to people. ... umm mostly to Mrs. Hudson? hehehe^__^ ...... T___T sorry mummy that was rude of me.....

One more post tonight coming soon!

chotto matte ne^^

Valentine 1 ~ yogurt shop

Happy Valentine's Day!!! Yeah I know, half the world has already had Valentine's and it's night already here. But not too late!

Minna-san, did you get to spend today with somebody special? I really hope so^^ ... I spent the day at work with mummy. Papa is doing okay up north and probably spending a nice Valentine's dinner with my aunt and uncle^___^ lucky him! Oh yeah, and Prince Kot hung out with me today, not the whole day. And most of all Jesus hung out with us alllllllll day long^___^♥

One of the best parts of today was when we went to Yogurt Hut. There's another yogurt shop a hop skip and jump from our shop, and that's where I really wanted to go, but they were closed T___T I hope not for good, but Ashland is pretty small for two yogurt places....... So we got wet in the rain and walked to this one^^

Credit for photos: first one I took on mummy's phone, then mummy took the others. I forgot my phone at home today^^;;

My yogurt cup!!! It's so close to soft cream that I love it. Soft ice cream is sooo hard to find here in America. One more reason to love Japan-- there's soft serve ice cream everywhere in tons of cool flavors all over Japan and especially in touristy places^___^ Choco (a must for Valentine's Day) and angel food cake frozen yogurt and carob chips, sugar cone, passion fruit flavor "fish roe", strawberry, sprinkles, and mochi! yummmmmm this ranks among the other things lately I've said I could eat all day long. I've forgotten most of those ... 'cept for the hot pepper hummus I got yesterday......

Me n PK yogurt pose!

Another me n PK pose!

... my bangs have gotten really long, ne??? Next hair washing I'm gonna cut them I think....... it's more gyraru for long bangs.. but more shorter for mori bangs......... decisions decisions, right? I'm actually very fond of short bangs, they make you look French or something. In a movie one time there was a girl with bob hairdo with short short bangs and I thought it looked so nice! She was French. And also super skinny.. must've been one of those foreign films the parents like.



Oh hey! Wanna hear something interesting about Italy? Well, I'm not sure it's 100% factual, but it seems very very probable. Mummy and us were watching a girly mushy movie and part of it was set in Rome. They EAT in Italy. Like, move up two jeans sizes eat!! ....... I don't think I'd get along very well there. Another thing about Japan (I like) is the dieting. Always about what foods are better for diet (eg. pork ramen vs. salt ramen), inventing cool funny things to get skinnier (massage rollers ~~ I have two such things and they're very cool I need to use them more), bath salts that make you super hot and sweaty...... etc etc. Maybe because all the western influence in diets these days? Anyways, if somehow I got to live in Venice for a little while--- and gained something like ten pounds like in that movie--- that'd make me sooooo depressed T___T I know it's horrible to say so and feel so but..... I wanna be skinny. Like supermodel bony skinny. Last week when I got sick I was pretty skinny and it was cool^^ one pound short of my goal weight. It felt so nice not to feel so heavy and bulgy......... hmmm should I even say so? Somebody's probably gonna yell at me that I'm fine the way I am..... T^T gomenne......


Well, this is only the first post for tonight, so I'd better get busy on the next ones. See you soon!

baibai

Good night drawing

o--oyasumi.......

yaaaaaawwn..........




So first try from the box I made, pulled out the piece of paper that said "the end おわり". Really wasn't expecting that..(￣▽￣) most of the words I wrote were pretty abstract to make you think before drawing, so a tough one to start is good practice, ne!

This is my drawing. Grandpa cat fell asleep in the middle of reading a bedtime story to the little boy-- when, in fact, the boy is still awake waiting for the conclusion and grandpa is dreaming that the boy fell asleep and is dreaming too.

Looking at scans of "Come Home" Japanese interior magazine, I found this sort of hanging lamp and thought it was pretty. Like flowers^^ the rest of the decor besides neko-jiisan's stool is very plain. And who can resist black and white marble polished floor^___^? Cold in winter.... but always classic, ne?



Perhaps another inspiration for my writing is the subtitles on tv. We always lived in apartments, so kept the tv volume low to not disturb the neighbors, so we've always had subtitles on and still do 'cause now sound gets so muffled in our house. The subtitles in The Prisoner often have "(!)" when No. 6 is talking. I'd never seen that before but thought it was cool and made sense, n'est pas?

gao...... we've been watching too much Poirot lately and his speech style is so catchy hehe. Don't you know, mon ami?

Ok ok enough silly tv and drawings chat. Have a good night and sweet dreams. Right now it is snowing. It's pretty...... but rain is nicer. Hopefully it won't hinder pop's traveling tomorrow. I posted on facebook how romantic the rain and grey and fog was earlier and my Japanese friend-- one of the exchange students last summer-- replied something cute^^ if I could copy and paste it here on iphone I would but, it is most impossible.



baibai again^^///

おやすみなさい

日曜日: a little bit of peace

Hi there, minna-san. How are you today?

This morning-- well let's skip ahead a little^^.

But first, here's the sunrise at 7:00 when my alarm rings. Then I fell back asleep 'cause 7:00 is so early..... but it's a good time to try at least to wake up. The camera never does justice to the sunrise. You should watch it sometime for yourself-- if you don't already^___^ start the day with a piece of breathtaking art.

Church was really nice and two nice people greeted me when I came in late^^;;. I got there in time for lots of singing too! ..... but I didn't know any of the songs except the last one. That one is really great-- "Blessed Be Your Name"-- do you know it? When I got home, I played it on my guitar^___^ the chords aren't too difficult, just need practice.

Today's teaching was in Galatians. Actually, Pastor John was sick last week too so I didn't miss anything^___^! Here's what was taught on:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Galatians 5:22-26 NIV)

I love it♥ "Against such things there is no law".... that means we can have these things-- and get more and more and more! ...... I want more. To love more, to have more joy, more peace, more ability to wait patiently, be able to speak kind words more, to be able to do good acts more, to be more faithful, gentle, and to let the L-rd guide me in self-control.....

What if everybody in the world were striving toward these things also? Wouldn't it be a more wonderful place.... and to not brag and instigate and envy each other.

Someday... to look forward to a sincere world such as illustrates here.......

But for now, by the power of the Holy Spirit, please overfill me with this delicious fruit.

The pear trees, the apple trees, the walnut trees--- do you see them struggling and paining to make fruit? No, they just make fruit. Because that's what they do^____^ I want to be like the fruits trees♥

At Goodwill today I found these two wood box shelves. They were terribly fussy to hang up, but what do you think? They're for displaying cool things^^ Maybe the pictures need to be rearranged though.......

Before returning home from church and various shops grocery etc. I got this idea to write a bunch of words and phrases on papers and put them in a box. Then, when I don't know what to draw or write maybe, randomly pick a piece of paper and use it for inspiration^__^ ne, ne, what do you think? They're written on 40mm mini origami paper and folded in fourths. I kinda really wanna try it out soon.... they're things like summer, rain, something lovely, farewell, shadows, dandelion, I wonder if I can see you again tomorrow, milky way, etc etc just a bunch of stuff like that^^ and for language practice, I wrote everything bilingual English/Japanese. A bunch were words I already knew, but there were a lot new too^^ I hope to add to this box and keep new ideas coming in all the time. Someday it shall be a terrific giganto idea box! It would be wonderful to share it too....... hehe^^ it's all things I like though-- pretty and sad and beautiful and lonesome and summery and yummy things! I wonder if there would be anyone who would completely agree with my inspiration ...




Well that's all for now. Tomorrow dad is leaving on a short trip up north to see a doctor and see about an operation. If you could think of him and say a little prayer, that would be fabulous♥ thank you. He's gonna be gone on St. Valentine's Day so this evening-- mum came home with two giant bouquets of tulips pop got her! And a movie about gelato and Rome and girly stuff^^ I was a little sad he'd be away on the 14th but it worked out anyways! Me 'n PK are still planning on choco frozen yogurt. Friends Valentine date!^____^ It would be nice if mum could come to but ..... it'll be a miracle if either of us can get away from work that day..... hope hope. Usually when I plan stuff in advance... happy stuff..... something goes wrong and it can't happen, so really really hope♥ that's why I never know the day or plan ahead^___^ Living moment by moment, ne?




Mummy is dancing and twirling around my room to the FMnatsukashii music hehe^^

Time to go! baiba-----i!

おやすみ: drawing trio

Good evening, minna-san.

Some drawings for you^^

A look into the past.

Girl enjoying guitar in her cafe decor apartment.

Me and PK on the galactic railroad.


.... I went up to my room tonight and thought how it'd be nice to watch Nokto de la Galaksia Fervojo (fancy name for Night on the Galactic Railroad^^ es.. esperanto, right?). The moon was outside my window and a piece of the big dipper right overhead. In the summer we gazed in awe at the wonderful Milky Way in the back yard. The stars are so cool ne? The nightlights G-d made for us^___^ Then thoughts wandered into comedy and drama. ..... There is a time and season for everything. Though it goes without saying, I prefer drama. Even if endings are somewhat bittersweet and crying and heartache are normal circumstances....... through pain and trials, one feels more alive, don't you think? Stars are brighter, flowers are lovelier, baguette is butterier. There's more reason to pay attention to the here and now because that's all that matters. The next minute a new tragedy may occur, so why not savor a split second of beauty-- for beauty undoubtedly always fades away.


Such is life on this earth.


Heaven is going to be wonderful ne? There, beauty never fades, there are so more sad tears....... everything is perfect and love and light and joy♥ beyond that, I can't imagine. Just that it'll be the best ever.

Might as well live a drama on earth. And then once this short life is over-- happily ever after♥♥ Right right??? Can't wait^___^



But it's kinda funny... the first day I was really really sick last week-- the day water tasted horrible and I couldn't eat anything besides part of a cinnamon roll-- that was the day I was afraid to die. I wonder...... why was that? I'm human after all, ne? It's a natural reaction when one is faced with death to want to live? I wasn't really that sick, but it was enough to dig up my deep hidden human instincts. When it really is my time to go, I hope the L-rd will give me courage to be at peace with it.




It's a fantastic idea though-- the railroad idea? That when you die, you board this train going along the milky way and then get off at Heaven...... or at least hope to. The idea of wanting to travel on the train before you die (Aria the Natural) is also interesting. Giovanni boards it unknowingly in the movie, only to later find out. It's a really tear jerker movie...... and about trudging on. Keeping on even though your heart is breaking. I don't believe you go on a train ride to the afterlife but I can't help but to want to go on it myself (and maybe too because trains are so cool^^).



After all, these are thoughts that often come in the dark of night. When the air is calm and still and tomorrow is so very far away. In the morning we shall be back to wondering what to eat for breakfast, trying not to play on the computer too much, and trying to get ready for church and fit in a little hula hoop too for exercise.


Tomorrow is Sunday, huh^^? They started up Wednesday night Bible study too but then I was sick... it will be nice to go back to church tomorrow. Maybe in time for singing!



Good night minna-san. Sweet dreams, stay well, enjoy fleeting joyful moments before they go. Ne, ne^^?




baibai ( ^_^)/~~~

Rain rain rain came back♥

'Morning there, minna-san.



It seemed to have rained last night.......








And this is the rain from yesterday. From inside the car in front of a used bookshop in an outdoor shopping mall.



Inside the book store, there was a map of the world hanging up high--- with pins on certain places... I wonder still what for? Book shops are cool, ne? I'm not a big reader or anything (too slow reader to be exact... and that way only super interesting books can hold my attention..) but I love books. Two main things on making a house a home-- a big big full full bookshelf and a ton of family photos hanging up on the walls and in frames places. The latter my room is still lacking in (just have one photo in frame of me and my big brother about twenty years ago). But, I think, the nomadic genes still want to thrive in our family and that must be why we never got a bookshelf for the house and we don't have more than two or three photos hanging around. Let's sell all our stuff and go wander! ehehehe mum and pop wouldn't agree^___^

A rolling stone gathers no moss.


. . .


What do you picture in that old saying? There's some really mossy rocks by grandma's house on the coast. Like, everything there is mossy. And the forests are practically all moss. Actually I really like moss-- and get excited when a plant outside starts growing moss by its roots-- it reminds me of Japanese gardens with all the moss. It's wonderful when you plant a garden and all the plants seem to like it there and begin to thrive well in the next years-- how they're completely contented with staying there. ... unless it's a spreading plant....... then they'll try to go as far as you let them throughout the whole garden and beyond-- maybe into the neighbor's garden. And then there's plants that will send out seeds on the wind to travel soooooo far. Like tanpopo! Tanpopo is one of my favorite flowers^____^ and cosmos. ... and carnations. If I had a field of tanpopo and cosmos, that would be cool. I might be thrown out of town for having so many tanpopo and the seeds sprouting up in people's lawns, but.........

... do you know what tanpopo is? Google it and see. I don't want to say its English name on here 'cause then people will start calling it the "w" word and that's one word I absolutely can't stand T____T every plant has its own wonderful name-- call it by its name, onegaishimasu, please.


hehe there's a bunch of cute anime manga pictures that come up when you search tanpopo^___^ the plant is on there too.



You know? I think I'd like to live somewhere where all flowers are welcomed by its inhabitants. Ne, ne? Even wildflowers 'n such. But more than that, I'd like to live somewhere where I can do my life's work. ..... I have no idea what that is.......... but it must be something, right right? Everyone has something they have to do. Like gears in a machine-- I learned that from the movie Hugo^____^ I wanna see that again! The movies hurt poor mum's ears so she didn't come to see it with us. I want her to see it. Then we can both fantasize about going to Paris hehe.


Well....... feel kinda bad not drawing lately. And I haven't spent any time in any of my characters' worlds. It's just one of those times I feel like I have no imagination at all. Looking back on all those other times like this, I don't remember what got my imagination back....... Seems like not a month goes by when I feel horrible like this and want to go cry in a corner. But oh well. All things shall pass. Right? ...... just gotta wait it out.



Oh no! Sorry for being so sad, minna-san T___T!!!!! You have a great day, okay? Make the world shine! Don't pay attention to us artists, we're always gloomy like this. Carry on with your lives and thrive like the spreading plants!



.... actually no matter what, even if I get to wander about the world, even if I have to stay near my hometown all my life, even if I find a wondrous life work or never find it at all, Jesus has my life in His hands and will always be with me, whether I listen or try to run away. He's got a plan for me even if I cower from every good opportunity He tries to give me. Thank you Jesus. I love you.

Just because: morning backyard

Hi minna-san,



This morning PK and I went outside on the patio with bare feet to find things to take pictures of. Tomoya-san thought it was really weird when he saw me and mum on the patio with bare feet-- even though our house is 100% shoe free like a Japanese house (shoes in house really grosses me out ~__~), I can't give up the feeling of pavement and grass and clover beneath my feet. It's a free country^___^ (my favorite saying from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn)


Well I didn't invite you here to talk about shoes or rules...... why not take a look at the pictures? Garden in February is very much alive still in parts^^

The clothespins.

The wonderful clover that loves to grow everywhere.

The grape vine cuttings I planted along the lawn.

The feet belonging to Nastassia^^

The flag pendant I made last year to make the patio more festive-- tattered and torn.



. . .



Actually, the reason for today's blog-- the reason for going outside and taking photos in the first place....... well I've been thinking.......... (and taking random pictures gives me a good excuse to write a blog about thinking) you know how I love to visit cities because of all the window shopping and snacks and markets... well the one thing that makes a city a city-- its people-- is a thing I don't think I would be able to handle. It's one thing to go on vacation there, but to live in one? I would sure to turn out as a recluse without friends because it's so overwhelming. A Bible study with three other people, maybe I could even join in the conversation a few words. A church service of 200, its near impossible for me to do anything but gather my things and leave once it's over. ..... That's the best example I could think of 'cause church is the only "social" thing I do anyways.

So! I've decided ... (though I need to pray about it a lot and see what Heavenly Father thinks too) that I shouldn't set my goal on the big city. Instead seek out a smaller community to spread light and beauty out to♥♥ and if the occasion arises, be the go-to consulting detective (hehehe halfway kidding(￣▽￣)).

The big city is cool 'n all, but chances are I'd get fat 'cause of all the yummy foods within arm's length that line those disheveled boulevards, ne?

And you know what that means? There's sooooooo many towns along the ocean^____^ It would be good if it were a touristy town, so all new people would be stopping by all the time... and a town you could bicycle everywhere, weather permitting... and a bakery that bakes fresh bread... and it looks like a fairy tail village...



hehe now we're going into fantasy again^^;;

But the reality is, all I've ever known is to be a child of a family. I'm absolutely rotten about going out and making my own way. I like having a strong pillar to follow in the shadow of^^ ...


etto........ anyways... the whole travel-the-world sort of thing looks a little dim right now. And I wouldn't be surprised if in five years I found myself in the exact same situation I'm in now. That's why it's rather dull talking about me. What's up today for you, minna-san? Don't you think how Sherlock Holmes can escape the boring repetition of daily life by solving mysteries-- don't you think that's awesome^___^? Wouldn't it be grand to have a way like that to escape "the everyday"?



Ah, dream dream dream .........



The sun came out today and the weather is threatening to reach 60 degrees. And the wind has vanished! ... hopefully before winter says its good-byes it will rain again, ne.

baibai

Collage: lazy day

Hallooo minna-san.


Today I feel like a writer.. so I'm writing. (eheheh...... writing blog doesn't count, ne!) Actually maybe I'll write you a story this afternoon? In my head, I can see so many things but it's so difficult to draw them on paper -__- ... so that's why I'm writer today.

...

And also crafter, it seems. Collage: Bus from yesterday. It was fun to watch the landscape fly by, only like you can see in a bus or train. ~~~ The flag pendant I just made from fabric and string and glue. No sewing^___^ ~~~ Flags over the tv. This is my tv stand that has undergone a recent redecorating. There are a few apartments in the Mori Girl Interior book that I love and wish to copy ideas from-- the flags idea is from one of those^^ ~~~ PK crashed out on the sofa. I feel kinda bad life has been so dull and stay-at-home lately for him. At least yesterday we got out and had a bus adventure^___^ And soon the weather will warm up and we can walk and bicycle places...



Oh so wanna hear what I dreamed last night? Well.... it was some sort of outing with kids and I was coming along too. Or maybe it was a touristy place that kids like? But it didn't seem like it was families..... I don't really remember the place. But I met a little boy wearing a hat named Eddie. I thought that was cool and told him about my character with the same name^^ he had a really pointy nose and didn't look like my Eddie at all. And then..... like out of nowhere, my Eddie comes up waving his hand from the distance and I call out to him, "Eddie-kuuuun!" hehehe o^^o He was really glad to see me and then all three of us hung out for a while. Then it was just me n Eddie and we had gotten captured by a pirate captain (still in that tourist place?) and he was threatening to sell us off, meanwhile the three of us sitting around a small round table with a tablecloth and plates etc. and crackers on our plates. The captain had tied our hands up so he was surprised to see us freed and munching on the crackers with our fingers. I think I woke up then, but fell back asleep...... and was in a parking lot in a pleasant neighborhood (maybe belonging to a restaurant) and Eddie was there too. .......

... I felt so warm inside that he should actually want my company.. they were good feeling dreams^___^ like friends, only deeper somehow. How ever does a writer know if her characters really appreciate her?



.... This will be the fourth year since I met Eddie-kun for the first time. suteki desune^___-。I'm so lucky to have done so! *tear* g-gao sorry for getting all emotional. ... In the dreams, he was more like a blur of a person, you know how dreams are. But I could tell it was him.

Ah well enough about dreams^^ but that is what I love about them. The ability to meet people in person that you normally wouldn't ever-- maybe because they're fictional, not alive anymore, too famous, too far away, etc etc. Even if all it is is the leftover things running around in your head at the end of the day, and purely your own imagination making it up, it's still cool to me^___^

Have you ever met any cool people in your dreams, minna-san?



...

Today it's really windy again. But cloudy too...... I hope it rains again and chases the wind away. Winds around here are so drying...

Oh on another decorating note, somehow I was able to turn my desk around to fit the stool and chair both at it and look out the window from either seat^___^ I missed the window... that's the one problem with sticking a table in an interior corner. Now the chair is in the corner(￣▽￣)... all it needs is a rug underneath!


Anyway anyway, gotta keep an eye on mummy to make sure she's not doing too much work while she's sick..... she's slamming cupboard doors now.. （ーー；）better go see what's up with her.



baibai! Be safe and well! May our L-rd Jesus shower you with love and grace and blessings today♥♥

Yesterday and today drawings and etc.

yaaaawwn good morning, minna-san.....

I dreamt that I was peeking in a doorway to a classroom with a full class going on. Perhaps it was history or geography or something natural-y... but it was the feeling of I didn't belong there so I had to sneak hearing the lesson and yet I really wanted to know what it was. A little familiar....... like I was expelled.. or had died... and it was no longer my place to be there even though I wanted to. But more likely I had done something super bad to the school system and I would have to prove myself to them. And then I found myself sitting in the back right desk just beyond the door (the unknown person outside the door with me earlier was now gone) with a boy that I recognized as sitting next to before (for they were partner style desks). He went on to chatter annoyingly and then perchance the teacher, a young-ish lady on the chubby side, came down and asked me basically who I was and what I was doing there. I excused myself with a thankyou and left..... then I could see back in the classroom the teacher asking who it was. A girl farther up from the door told her "Snasha" *shiver* (`へ`*)) and then the boy tried and then somehow I was able to whisper out to the teacher my name. Then I was on the side of a building squatting at a little makeshift desk trying to write out my name on grid paper....... Maybe the teacher felt sorry or something but next I knew I was invited to go with her class on a field trip to a creek. I was really happy^___^ but then...... then.. I was drawing everyone on the field trip on paper... I was thinking how if anyone fell into the creek, then I'd go rescue them and maybe show them I was a good person after all but I woke up having not gone T____T



ummmm anyways ^^;; ....... how is your morning?

I traced these "prints" last night maybe for using on greeting cards. The little ballerina is my favorite. An un-secret wish of mine is to get some ballerina slippers ... and hop and spin and twirl around^__^ hehehe

The shooting star design is from awhile ago. And then I couldn't quite get the whole walking-with-hands-behind-back sort of thing... I think it's due to her head being too far to the left, ne?

This morning's sky.

Morning's first drawing. It's Renè holding his camera.



I've been drawing a lot since recovering..... maybe it was the fever tweaking my mind back toward the fantastic... whatever it is, harsh reality hasn't returned in full force yet. So thankful....... possibly it will today 'cause I need to go to work especially 'cause mum got sick now T^T. Work always gives you a good dose of scary reality. ... I wish we owned a cafe instead. With a marvelous old wooden bookshelf stuffed with great stories. And writers and poets and artists would come and munch on biscotti and become inspired! It would be very French-northern Europe themed with unmatching cups and natural wood everywhere and little souvenirs and posters in different languages everywhere. Oh and cool old b/w family photos hanging up^___^ the curtains and cloths and accents would be creme color to set off all the other interesting things around. hmmm.... and there'd be lots of cool old ticking clocks. And we'd play French cafe type music. hehe^^ Ah, too many visions and ideas, too little get-up-n-go. How's this for another idea? A storyline about some kids in gradeschool-- and after school they're always discovering strange weird things. etto.... dunno what yet, but it just popped into my head.


May the L-rd pour out his blessing and healing and love and protection today on us all. We give You thanks-- sooooo much thankfulness♥♥


baibai for now^___^

おはよう drawing for you

Woke up a little early today so I drew something for you, minna-san^^

She's dressed in mori girl style-- (though how did one cuff on her coat come out darker 0__0?)... kind of bohemian/ethnic too.



There's a lovely blonde wood color kokeshi doll on my shelf who came here from Matsushima, Japan, and that's who I got the hair inspiration from^___^. Kokeshi dolls are so cute, ne? I think Pinoko-chan has hair like that too^^



Anyway, last night I was trying to think of what would be good design to make greeting cards with on my "printing press"....... something like this -details -windy. What do you think?



Breakfast time now^^ my appetite is almost back.... I've enjoyed being thin, but weight loss from getting sick never stays long, ne?




baibai have a good morning and Sunday^___^ stay safe and well!

Hello today: drawing

I drew something just now^^ Panning for gold really doesn't have anything to do with it, but it rhymed a little, ne? (bad at rhyming(￣ー￣;))

This is PK, me, and Eddie ... I drew it with my Rilakkuma double-sided fruits scented brown pen, but no matter how I tried I couldn't get the color to come out T___T. We're all stuck in bed 'cause...... guess I passed on my being sick to them oops(｡-_-｡) PK's got the major headache and Eddie has the fever. What a miserable lot we are, eh? Eddie-kun is the most perturbed 'cause none of really us knows why he can catch colds n things and they stick around, and yet his body heals of outward stuff almost immediately-- and he (the most out of all of us) can't stand sitting around doing nothing.

But you know what^___^? Grandma sent me a gold pan a few weeks ago-- can't wait to try it out in the back yard-- or on the other side of the fence where there's a little stream/swamp of sorts. That was one of the most fun things we did at summer camp when I was little^^ sometimes I'd find a mini piece of gold or mini gemstone or more than likely, fool's gold-- hehe^___^ when we get better and buy some waterproof gloves we should totally try to pan for stuff! yaaaaay can't wait.



So in other news... I started writing two lists before nap today. One is "stuff N can do". It's a little list of things I can do better than other things in hopes of figuring out some way to make a living with them... and yet part of me still wants to join a traveling actor's troupe^___^ hnn... I wonder if some of my long lost relatives were nomads..... wanderlust burns within me hehe! And the other list is .... -/////-)).. "Nastassia's dream boy"..... I don't think I ever made this list before. Kinda embarrassing eheheh.. BUT! Pop made a list like that one time and then met the perfect made-to-order-style mummy right afterwards^___^ so it does work! Wonder why I thought of it today though.. so many things lately to wonder about T___T... wonder when.... wonder who..... wonder where.... wonder why..........




With all this extra wondering time, I'm so glad it's nothing I have to worry about. Whenever I get anxious like a cornered kitty or the little mermaid ... then I ask Jesus to deal with it all^^ 'cause He doesn't want me to worry about stuff, that's His job.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6, 7 NIV)

何事も思い煩ってはならない。ただ、事ごとに、感謝をもって祈と願いとをささげ、あなたがたの求めるところを神に申し上げるがよい。 そうすれば、人知ではとうてい測り知ることのできない神の平安が、あなたがたの心と思いとを、キリスト・イエスにあって守るであろう。 (ピリピ人への手紙 4:6, 7 JA1955)

That doesn't mean I can be lazy and sit around and wait for everything to fix itself before my eyes. Ant and grasshopper, right right?



...



I've been reading some of my Zelda comics (remember from yesterday?). One of my favorites is "Oracle of Seasons". Trying to get inspired to draw some of my own manga .... it's cool how the two authors took video games and made them into stories. I started reading "Majora's Mask" next and the whole three days time thing and all the tons of stuff you're supposed to do in that game-- I can't believe how clearly they put it into a book! I could never have imagined a storyline out of all that! The pages are drawn looking very nice too but it gives me kinda a headache with all the parts not contained in the frames and trying to figure out what bubbles to read next, you know? Guess I'm old fashioned that way^^;;



Ah, mummy just came home! Is it past 5:00 already??? So far it doesn't seem like mum or pop have caught this bug I have. よかったわ。So thankful♪( ´▽｀)

Until next time, minna-san! baibai




p.s. (post script!!! did you know that??? learned that from Poirot last night^^) Just wanted to say to all my family and friends I love you all! And many many blessings to all of you♥♥ And I miss you♥ That's all^^

Drawings and sneakers

Hello there! Are you having a nice day minna-san? My gypsyitus has now moved onto my nose. So thankful that's probably the last place it'll make home in hehe^___^

So! I'm out of the house! .... but not for long -___-. Sitting on a stool at the shop-- afraid I'm not much help at work with sniffling so much......

Here's some pictures^^

I drew this the night before I got really sick. It's me and PK. I'm thinking about carrying him around in San Francisco like this-- like carrying a plushie toy♥ When I was little, I would carry my favorite plushie everywhere. Even to church I would bring along my trex puppet and Pink Panther dressed in baby clothes^___^ guess I never grew out of that habit♥ I've seen lots of photos of girls (from Harajuku?) dressed up and carrying plush animals n things. hehe so kawaii^^

New shoes!!!!!!!! Haven't had a new pair of converse in forever! Now I don't have to wear mum's everyday^___^

Ne ne, see??? They're kinda mocha latte color! Sooo pwetty yummy color.......

Another drawing^^ first drawing since being sick. My arms came out too short T___T somehow the fever must've made my visionary part of my brain that sees what things look like before I draw them kinda warp a little. Eddie-kun came out better... he's carrying a bag of loot or treasure of some sort. I'm carrying a basket of carnations^___^ The puddles are like in Totoro when Mei and Satsuki are waiting for the bus.

Aaaaaand one more shoes photo! It's cool wearing a pair of shoes for the first time ever, ne? Usually I try to find shoes in thrift shops so this is a real treat!




Oh oh so! I ran across a couple more suuuuper kawaii shops at Taobao so something for you to look forward to-- maybe a new fashion post?




Well I should go now^^ stay safe and warm and well minna-san!

Let's try to get well today!

Hi hi minna-san^^

Even though it's been nice sitting around and having lots of time to ponder life, existence, and etc, it's also been kinda nerve-racking trying to sit still and nap to get over this illness T___T I'm not an active person but I feel bad for missing work so much lately........ pop really wanted me to work today... can't he subtract these days from my paycheck? T^T...

etto... anyways... I am truly thankful to have this rest, don't get me wrong. And I feel 100% better than yesterday^^ whatever this thing is that plagues me has up and left my tummy alone (yaaaaaaay! thank you G-d!) and is now moving into the lungs area (100% better than tummy). ne ne... do you think it's gypsy-itus? hehehe sometimes I wish I could see into mummy's side of the family's past and see whether they really were gypsies. I wonder if Doctor Who could take me back to Bohemia to find my ancestors....... hmmm...

So! Today I prepared in advance everything I should need today all in one spot. hm unless I wanna watch a movie.... then my computer could come over too, ne^^?

Show 'n tell time!

So there's the silvery platter with water, cough drop, Panda herb licorice♥, vitamin etc etc, a cup of oats (yummy snack^__^), tissues, garbage bag, yarn for crochet, Bible, a bunch of Zelda manga, writing book, and drawing book. Now, just watch-- I'll probably fall asleep and not use any of this stuff(￣▽￣;) But I hope not. It seemed quite the accomplishment getting all of it together like this.


Anyways, that's all for now. I was able to put away dishes this morning... wonder if I couldn't go to work for just a little while to hang out with mum while pop's at the doctor's........ my mind doesn't seem to be all back yet but I could be useful somehow, right? If you think of it, minna-san, please keep mummy and papa in your prayers so they don't catch my gypsyitus. It's the sort of thing that likes to move around... no doubt once it's done with me it'll wanna find someone new to infect and roam about in(｡-_-｡)




baibai! Stay well, minna-san!

Today in photos: sick day

Hi hi minna-san. My throat doesn't feel good so I won't talk too long. ((that makes no sense because of the typing but somehow it seems like that to me?))

I missed a bunch of work days last week for various cool stuff so I was kinda hoping to work today as a good gesture, but turns out my throat is all scratchy and taste-bad-y (like, water tastes really gross and I usually love love drinking water T___T).

There's a few hypotheses I have on why I got kinda sick ... but for once I won't share it until I've completely solved the case-- like Sherlock onii-san^___^ hehehe. hmmmmm... I actually started a notebook to write down mystery cases in-- wonder...! "The Case of the Scratchy Throat"! Aw but mysteries are only fun if they're about other people ~__~.. ne?

etto... anou.. etto.........

Picture time^^;;

This is the basket obasan got me for birthday present-- I put a bunch of yarn in it to make a new smaller scarf for not so freezing weather^^ Still using up all the scraps left from when I bought the colors of yarn to make a Doctor Who scarf. That one's about as long as the one I just finished about a month ago.. This one will be retro theme with mustard, charcoal, grilled red pepper, a splash of fluorescent red, milk choco brown, and plum heather purple^^

Early this afternoon I spent some time copying lyrics and guitar chords down on paper so I'll feel like getting back to guitar practice. They're by Ai Otsuka-- "Shabon dama" (actually kinda on accident copied this one and then I realized it wasn't the one I meant--) and "Ame no naka no melody" (the one I really wanted^^). They're both really nice songs, haven't you heard them before on FM Natsukashii? Problem is, she's a pianist so the chords translated for guitar seem really difficult -___- .. but if I could almost learn "Toire no kamisama" with all its tricky chords, then why not give these a try^^?

And since I don't think I've ever properly introduced you to my guitar, here you are! Minna-san meet my little pink guitar^___^ ... I know usually, like, eight-year-olds play this guitar but I began playing strings on ukulele so it's a way big big step up. And there's PK lounging on the cushion^^#. It's so awesome how he hangs out with me even if I'm under the weather.

Aaaaaand lunch. Chicken noodle soup is good right? I put half a chikuwa in too. ... and some more mixed veg. And end piece of baguette with cream cheese. g-gao... but something about it wasn't right...... something my tummy didn't wanna eat... the soup was organic.. but after the potage ordeal last night....... don't want no more soup (￣へ￣)! Wanna eat rice..... white Japanese rice..




Well gotta go! Stay well minna-san T^T it's no fun being sick. Gonna need some more cough drops, licorice candy, yogurt.. *totally starts making shopping list on blog post* hehehehe ^///^ ok really going now!

baibai

2008: today's random old drawing

Good morning ~おはよう~ minna-san!

A few posts back I was telling you Geo was in a different story a long time ago......? I just found him^___^

So turns out I tried to start drawing manga style about 2005-- and by the time of this drawing, I had completely decided upon losing "Western" style-- 'specially since at at the beginning of this sketchbook all hands are drawn with five fingers instead of four.

Geo, a rather normal average quiet person, wakes up one night upon hearing gunshots right outside the door of the country motel he'd taken board at some weeks before -- only to find himself awake once again but this time at a city building rooftop park near the scene of an already inspected crime-- a body outline marking the spot-- with some sort of strange other-worldly creature with a leaf growing out of its head-- and to find that his white hair had suddenly become black as night and the patch that once covered a blind eye was gone and he could see perfectly and the fact that he was an investigator himself!

Basically-- the "one moment you're just plain you, the next moment you're a different you in an alternate reality-- or is it just a nightmare or hallucination" sort of story. The new you is slightly better and employed in a good career but the new world is missing the things you love-- and the people you love who no longer know you as you. Thus, comes the all important decision whether to stay in this world and try to become the new you, or, undoubtedly, figure out what happened and return to droll regular life back in your home reality. I think the newer story he's in is much better. But it was an interesting change of pace four years ago^___^

By the way, I found the Valentine's Day story and it's only from last year^^! But there's a lot of incorrect stuff in it so hopefully it can be fixed to show you all by this February 14th. A sweet little love story♥

So, minna! Do you think you know who's gonna be buying you a big heart-shaped box of chocolate this year(⌒v⌒?)?? ......... or who you're gonna sip some hot cocoa with? Or who YOU are buying choco for? hehehe^^ I drank a mini box drink of choco soy milk yesterday with lunch-- to me that's very delicious chocolate^___^ I don't really eat chocolates and very few bites of choco bar..... but I hope PK will buy me something at least hehe or maybe treat me to frozen yogurt!

baibai ! Running late as usual-____-.....

Another drawing

Here's some drawings from January 4-6th. You know the painting in the last post?

...

Well I really don't draw pink hair all that often to air on the side of natural colors--- so after thinking about the girl in the painting, something dawned and went *ping!* as to her story^____^

To try 'n make stories short, please let's go farther into the past-- to when Eddie was a little kid in gradeschool. There was a girl in class who often got picked on and he felt bad for her 'cause he knew just what that was like. Having three sisters himself, he was good at making friends with girls and they became after-school-friends to try and avoid more bullying. Turns out, the girl's dad went away some years ago and left her and her mom alone. The girl said that her dad promised to come back on Valentine's Day so she looks forward to that day every year, but he never shows up. It's one February 14th that they had started to be really good friends-- she even took Eddie to see her secret garden patch behind the old buildings where she and her mom lived in a tiny apartment. Then she told him the story..........

hehehe I began writing this probably a few Februarys ago^___^ I forget how the story was supposed to end but.....

Now this is the painting story: you can't see her, but the little girl is there in the rain with her mom. She's clinging to the bottom of her dress and tugging on it to walk faster so they don't get wet, but mummy is daydreaming. Suddenly they see a figure in the distance. The little girl gazes wide-eyed as her mom is still lost in raindrop thought. She runs toward the strong tall man in sea uniform and jumps up into his arms as he gladly bends down for her. She rides on his shoulder as they walk toward mummy and then she realizes-- and the three embrace in tearful reunion. Mummy and papa crying their eyes out in joy and the little girl with her hands outstretched on both of their heads trying to hug them both at the same time and not fall off^^

aww.... ヽ(；▽；)ノ soooooo sweet........ to think I was actually drawing a portrait of her, totally oblivious of that beforehand???! ... Nothing is new under the sun (so it is said)...... The L-rd knows the history and future of every single individual who ever lived, famous and unknown and everyone in-between ... I wonder if when He let me have this idea for a story-- was He thinking of a real story that happened before? Or will happen? Besides for super far-out scifi fantasy etc writers (and sometimes them too!), isn't every story and situation based a little off of real life? G-d must know some pretty cool and sentimental true stories .... right right???

I hope someday in Heaven I'll get to sit on Jesus' knee and He tell me stories^___^ like, allllll day long! And then I'll get sleepy and a cuddly lion will show up and I'll take a nap with my head leaning on its belly. hehehe♥♥ and then Sampson will show up eating fresh honeycomb and he'd drip some on my head *on accident* and I'd wake up with honey in my hair... yumm♥ etto....... how come there's always honey and lions in my little snippets of what Heaven might be like? .. and Sampson??? (guess I've always thought of him as a cool big bro type person^^)

Can't wait to see what it'll really be like, right right??? yaaaaaay

See ya in Heaven, minna-san^^///!

baibai

p.s. well.... prob'ly you'll hear from me again before then^^ hehe but who knows!

Drawing, painting, etc suteki-mono

Good evening, minna-san. Let's go back in time to a splendid moment-- 'twas but two afternoons ago.

Ready?

Ok let's go!!!

Last Tuesday was day off again and I set off to to a watercolor^^ here's the photo story!

So I was gonna start painting early in the afternoon but felt a little hungry..... so I fixed some snacks^__^ there was some vanilla creme brulee flavor coffee still in the French press from the morning, so I put some milk in and ice, and then dried fruits and challie and pistachio and cashew in a little rice bowl. Challie is pet name for challah-- Jewish style braided sweet-ish egg-ish bread. This one's got poppy seed^___^ nihaha if you didn't know, just a little heritage cuisine. Have you heard of Moomin? Actually, I keep hearing about Moomin a lot... I bought a Moomin stationery set with pen case and pencils and ruler and sharpener and eraser at Goodwill one time 'cause it was cute and from China or someplace......... well that's the pencil case and my trusty kiddy watercolor set♥ Also I'm kinda short on actual chairs so PK was hanging out too--- sitting on my lap the whole time painting^^ wonder if I dripped any paint on his head.......

Well..... now all the snacks are gone.. not sure if it was finished then or almost......... that's a mirror attached to the lamp. Best way to draw anatomy-- especially if you're a girl drawing a girl-- mirrors!!! Hands are the most expressive part of the body, but also probably the most difficult to master. And much easier to pull off when you're *not* drawing a giganto hand.

-___-" .... after much trial and error and accidentally moving my hand a little and confusing myself-- etc etc quite a few times...

...

All done. It's springtime-- and a pretty warm day. Almost too warm for a sweater cardigan and especially to button it up. On the way walking to a cafe for breakfast, about a block away it started to drizzle big raindrops. But that's okay. It was really nice^___^ She got lost in thought as she remembered a spring day two years ago when it started to rain exactly the same way.... Then as she lifted up her hand to catch the raindrops, two more hands captured hers in their grasp. She gasped in surprise--- and looked up into the eyes of the other....... then they hugged ギュ♥ and walked off hand in hand to have their coffee and biscotti. uwaaaa suteki desuwa!!! Should it be her boyfriend and that's how they first met in the rain? Or her husband who, two years ago, had to go on a trip or something or military and they made a promise to meet again someday for lattes? Or....... hmm... ne, ne, out of all the mysteries we watch on tv and read... love is the greatest mystery of them all, huh? I don't really think about it much, but I was hanging out with my friend and she loves to talk about marriage and the boy she likes etc etc^^ she's so funny and cute hehe. And I can't wait to see how her wishes come true♥

This is my window-- and the kleenex used with watercolors. They're always kawaii and tie-dye looking! And that's my kawaii tako-fuurin from Matsushima gift shop!!! Love tako^^ one of my favorite animals!



That's all for now! baibai again!


oyasuminasai~~