Happy Birthday Heather!

It's 12/26 here and already Heather's birthday, so hope you have a great day, Heather! This is a very special birthday this year, since you're carrying Baby Boy (in the room without a view).

This picture was taken last summer on a deep-sea fishing trip near Gulf Shores, where she caught this red snapper -- the largest one caught by anyone!

Just want you to know we're thinking about you & we love you!

Christmas Day 2006

It's Christmas Day & we've opened our gifts. Thanks, everyone! We've also talked to everyone and told you how much we miss you! Now, we're just having a relaxing morning and thinking about where we're going to eat Christmas dinner.

We're babysitting for Mi-chan, the Blanchard's cat while they're in the US. He's a really sweet cat, so we decided to bring him down to play with Sachi. She was a little jealous and territorial at first, but now they're becoming good friends. AND, they're both getting a lot of exercise, chasing & playing with each other.


Sachi's totally worn out, but Mi-chan's still going strong with Christmas boxes & paper.

We're watching Holly (in the long blonde wig & on the left side of both) in her production of "Little Shop of Horrors" -- what a great Christmas present! Sachi's sacked out & staying warm on the tuner next to the TV.

Well, we finally rousted ourselves out of the house. We decided to bike down Hwy 188 for sushi since it's a sunny, but cool day. That's our destination once we cross the street. Stan's getting a lot of attention in his Santa hat today. One of these ladies behind him is hauling groceries & flowers on her bicycle. The other one is pushing an empty wheelbarrow. After I took this picture, they smiled and waved at me . . .

















Christmas tree and beer tank inside Kuru-Kuru -- our favorite sushi restaurant and where we're going to have Christmas dinner!

This chef always smiles when I order in Japanese -- but he understands what I want, so I guess I'm doing it right!

















It's difficult to see, but he's using a special tool to remove the top from small colorful raw quail eggs so he can place the raw yoke on top of some sushi rolls you see ready on the left of where he's working. Notice the entrees passing by on the conveyer between him and where we're sitting. The quail egg sushi was going onto a "to-go" tray. Look at all the fresh ingredients in the containers where he's working.

















When we first arrived to eat our Christmas dinner about 4:30 PM, several chefs were busy preparing many party trays to go (like the one below), but by the time we left, the place was full of customers who were "eating in" like us. This is a very popular sushi place for Americans and Japanese alike. The green plastic "grass" divides the different kinds of sushi.















For clarification purposes (Larry was asking this morning), our understanding is that "sushi" consists of just about anything that's either laying on, tied on, rolled or wrapped around a rice ball that's been slightened sweetened & vinegared. (There is also "Iwakuni sushi" a local dish which is layered and looks like a casserole, but not served in this restaurant.) The rice balls in this restaurant are all hand-made, but some sushi restaurants use a machine. Sushi may or may not include the black seaweed wrap. If there's no rice, then the raw fish alone is called sushimi. These chefs study for years to be able to expertly prepare sushi in a restaurant & there's only one way to correctly do it. In order to expertly cut up the fish (and it's amazing to watch!), sushi chefs have trained the equivalent of a surgeon's medical school & residency! Sushi in Japan is so absolutely perfect and delicious, that there's no comparison in the US -- and -- here's the best part: it's MUCH less expensive! This is why we can make a meal of sushi at least twice a week!

This chef is preparing to "roast" my salmon on a beautiful Japanese plate with a small blowtorch. He turns it on & strikes a match.




















Here you can see the blue flame and the fish appears to be on fire. Hmm, I never noticed that before! Well, anyway, it's delicious & just barely cooked -- perfect!

Red shrimp -- the shrimp body is gray (uncooked) but the heads are cooked and placed on the plate for decoration. Hey Holly -- remember years ago when you & Stan thought you would surprise me and fix shrimp cocktail for dinner from some frozen shrimp we had brought back from the Gulf Coast? Unfortunately, neither of you realized that gray shrimp is uncooked -- or were you just ahead of your time and actually fixing sushi for the family?

















This is either raw squid or cuttlefish. Stan likes it, but most of the sushi I prefer to eat is cooked.

Salmon Ikura -- (and you DO pronounce the L in salmon here) -- smashed salmon with mayo, topped with salmon eggs -- my absolute favorite. It didn't used to be on the menu, so I had to ask & then memorize what it was called. Then when we came back from our last summer trip, the chef proudly showed me the new menu & there it was -- just for me . . . ?
















This is one of Stan's favorites -- red snapper & he's adding wasabi to warm it up!




















These are fried oysters -- one of the specials this time of year. They are lightly breaded and quick fried, so they are very juicy.

Well, we're all finished with sushi & we will be charged by the color of the plates. Can you tell whose dishes are on the left, and whose are on the right? Anyway, now we're ready for our desserts. This is our favorite -- it's called Anin (Ah-neen) tofu -- the American menu calls it Chinese tofu. It's just slightly sweet with almond flavoring and mandarin oranges on top. It's especially delicious with green tea.

Looking toward the kitchen (under the big fish) through the short red noren (curtains). This is where the fried dishes are prepared, but everything else is prepared inside the rotating conveyer. Those hanging signs adevertise the specials, but we can't read them. They do have an American menu though, so that really helps. They know us here now, and usually begin to make our favorites when we come through the door!















Well, our tummies are full and it's time to head home. It's dark, so we will be wearing our reflective gear and turning on our front headlights (mine operates from my pedaling, but Stan's is battery-operated.) We'll also turn on our flashing red taillights. Of course, it helps that we only ride on the sidewalks when we're outside the gates.




















Well, it's been a great Christmas Day, although we missed all of our family and friends back in the US. Please know that we've been thinking about all of you today & we love you!

Christmas Eve Bike Ride

Just outside the gate, Stan's removed his bike helmet (don't tell Sherri) and replaced it with a Santa hat! It's cool enough to wear our coats today, although it's bright & sunny. We're going to bike downtown and then around the Kintai Bridge area & back -- about 25 km total (15.5 miles). Pretty good for us golden oldies, huh?

















Tide's up as we cross the bridge toward town.

This is the entrance to a new restaurant that we've been wanting to try. Since it's on our way downtown, and we're hungry, today's the day!
















A good luck cat welcomes us . . .
















Both our trays. We got a lot of good stuff -- they have a great variety here!

This is a brand-new restaurant & we think cafeteria line is a new concept to Iwakuni. Here's where you pick up your tray & start down the line.

















Lots of choices. The kitchen is open so we can see it being prepared fresh.

















End of the line where you pay. Most entrees were between 100 & 200 yen -- very reasonable!

Look at this cool decoration hanging from the ceiling. Don't know if it's related to the holidays, but it's very pretty.
















Closer view shows many little individuals dressed in red & gold kimono.

In the toire of this new restaurant, I found a compact narrow tank on this potty, but the heated seat was REALLY nice on this cool day! (Oops, sorry about my camera strap hanging down . . .)





















Clever, space-saving extra toilet roll holder above the potty.

Behind Stan's reflection, you can see the smiling face of one of the kitchen workers as we leave this yummy restaurant. Those two containers int he window are rice cookers.















Stan & others waiting for the trolley to pass -- the gates are down.

Hey Sherri -- Your dad thought you would appreciate that this pretty apartment building has assigned car parking AND covered bike parking!

















Stone statuary in a monument business along Hwy 2.
















Behind the beautiful lantern is a Thai-style standing statue.




















This red banner might indicate a big sale today!

An old man ties sprouting beans to bamboo poles. Again, another use for the ever-present bamboo.

















Looking down this open benjo ditch with many crossing driveways, alongside Hwy 2.




















This cute sign is above a plant nursery . . .

Gods at this Buddhist Temple are wearing their warm red hats.
















Closeup of many origami 1000-crane streamers that are made by hand -- one crane at a time -- to bless someone or ask for peace. The haze is smoke from all the burning incense that we could smell before we even reached this sacred place.
















Worshippers light their incense from candles inside this lantern.
















Closeup of the carved wood detail on this roof.

Biking along Hwy 2, we approach a KFC . . .

















where Stan is greeted by the Colonel himself in a Santa suit.