Sumo Yokosuna Asashoryu Retires in Disgrace!

Wow -- REALLY big (no pun intended - well maybe just a little!) news in the world of Sumo today! Grand Champion (Yokosuna) Asashoryu has been involved in one scandal after another and was never MY favorite wrestler - he was a great player & a winner, but never modest and respectful as the sport demands. I always rooted for the other Grand Champion Hakuho, who seems to live & respect the sumo lifestyle. But what's MOST amazing to me is that here in Japan, you actually CAN'T buy your way out of scandal & you're actually NOT too big to fall . . . I assumed that he would just pay someone off (after recently injuring a man during a drunken brawl) and continue to reign at the top of his sport. Although from Mongolia, he's been Grand Champion in Japan since before I began watching Sumo, so it's going to be weird not having him around. Read more details HERE ! ! !

Setsubun Festivities 2/3

"With Japan’s version of Groundhog Day, the Japanese don’t have to worry over the precarious nature of an oversized skittish rodent to determine whether winter will end or not. It’s not the shadows of groundhogs that concern the Japanese. It’s the devils infesting their homes that they are worried about. Instead of calling upon the professional services of an exorcist, however, the Japanese take matters into their own hands." For more great photos & info about Setsubun Spring Rituals in Japan: CLICK HERE!

Obama Sushi Roll (or Only in Japan!)

Found this recently while surfing: "My upcoming recipe book 'Cute Yummy Time' features adorable sushi... Obama’s skin is made out of ami (little shrimp) boiled in soy sauce, his hair is made out of black sesame seeds, and his teeth are made from fish paste. (Too cute to eat?)." Check out the cookbook author's website HERE for more cute food photos & info!

Big Snow in Nashville, TN

Some of Lisa's recent pics . . . Here's our son Larry in their yard.


Grandson Andy - I believe that's an Auburn hat he's wearing.


Granddaughter Natalie holding an icy snowball.


And Granddaughter Amelia on her sled.


Their dog Callie was having a ball pulling the children!

Like me, Lisa's the photographer, so she's not often in pictures. Click here to see MORE of her great pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38443962@N03/sets/72157623316658004/show/

January Skyping

Here's Nancy & Eldon Skyping us from their home in Vicenza, Italy.


Natalie & Amelia - Everyone in their house is having snow days in Nashville, TN because of heavy snow & icy weather.


Andy has joined Natalie & Amelia. They were telling me about how much fun they've been having playing in the snow!


Cody - closeup


And Kelly

Christmas Skype Photos

Heather, Cody & Kelly opening presents on Christmas morning.


Andy & Amelia opening our box of presents. They especially love the unwrapped surprises!


Natalie singing to us . . .


Cody & Kelly are copying Grampa's "walrus look" (he uses chopsticks, of course!)


Cody & Kelly before Christmas - when Cody still had hair!

Hiroshima with Barbara 1/27/10

An employee at Tokyu Hands is hanging up cherry blossom decorations - Spring can't be too far away!


We've left Tokyu Hands and walked over to Sogo Department store & into Pacela Mall. Barbara thinks she may have left her camera here the night we went to the Kodo drum concert in early December. First though, we're going to eat lunch. This one looks interesting . . . Fantasia Italian restaurant on the 9th floor. No English menu or plastic food, but we were determined to order lunch!


Yum! We had a great, relaxing lunch of salad & chicken pasta, but no pictures - sorry! I liked this cute wine glass holder. The stems lift out separately from a single stand.


A beautiful elephant outside an Indian restaurant nearby.

Bike with beautiful leather bags & decorations - outside a leather shop.


Here's the price - 176,400 yen - about $1764 - yikes! Don't think this includes the bicycle either . . .


Looking up at the ceiling of the mall . . .


Entrance from the first floor of Pacela Mall in Hiroshima. Unfortunately, no one at the restaurant nor at the Information booth had found Barbara's camera . . .


Beautiful fresh seasonal flowers at the bottom of the escalator.

Click on "Older Posts below to see more of this entry!

Listen to this beautiful chiming clock at Pacela Mall in Hiroshima. Sorry it's a little wiggley - I was trying to walk to get right in front of it! CLICK ON THE ARROW BELOW . . .

Me at the bottom of the escalators.


One last stop at Starbucks at the train station & Barbara found the 2010 cup she wanted!


Isn't it cute?


Some schoolgirls came in & Barbara noticed the backpack on the girl on the left.


It's a shark with it's mouth open!

Seeing Avatar 3D in Downtown Iwakuni

Once we park in this small lot downtown (whoohoo - we got the last available space!), a bar comes up underneath to lock our car in place. When we return, we enter in the number of our space into this machine & it tells us how much yen we owe.


Our car just before the bar goes up underneath . . .


The theater is just around the corner on the main street.




What I DIDN'T get a picture of, were the cozy fleece lap blankets stacked on shelves as we entered the theater. Very thoughtful . . . Notice that Stan's reasonably sized popcorn serving is covered in a plastic bag to help eliminate mess. Also, our goodies came in a small plastic bag we could use for our trash.

Stan in his cute 3D glasses.


Here's his glasses. Oops, I flashed . . .

The movie was FABULOUS and it made me cry. I want to believe that in the future (when this movie takes place) our country will have changed it's foreign policy, so we are no longer taking what we want by force & ignoring the indigenous people & their cultures . . .

Hiroshima with Elaine & Pat 1/2/2010

Saturday after New Year's Day & it's crowded on the train. We're going to show the Pattersons how to get around Hiroshima today & see the Christmas lights one more time.


We've taken them to our "new favorite" steak restaurant on the 2nd floor of the train station. That's beef for our dinner. I like watching the food being prepared & cooked right in front of us!


I think these are scallops for someone else . . . ?


This is our chef.


We've taken them over to Tokyu Hands department store. This is our new favorite store & where we'll do our shopping from now on. They have such interesting things! These are spray bottle covers . . .


Closer view.

Sweets cleaner . . . (to dust with?)


Cute teapot & cup sets.


Awww . . . Pat & Elaine on the streetcar.


Looking down into other cars.


The Pattersons at the light show. We had fun walking around, but STILL didn't see it all!


Click "Older Posts" below to see more of this trip . . .