Big Big News!

OK, the wait is over. The big news is that Yukiko is pregnant! We're expecting a bouncing bundle of joy near the end of March next year. How cool! I've got lots of experience playing with other people's babies now I'll finally have one of my own to play with. Don't have too much experience changing poopy diapers though. That'll be my trial by fire I suppose.

Yukiko shows off her pregnancy test!

Yukiko on the phone sharing the great news.

Other big news, my friends Simon and Sarah and their girl Sophia are saying sayonara and heading back to New Zealand. Well Sarah and Sophia are going back. Simon is sticking around to sort out his English school here and prepare for his big new business venture, selling giant, helium filled video displays. He and his friend are going to test out the waters in America first and if they are successful he will try to distribute them in New Zealand. Good luck buddy.

A different Sara I know is going against the trend and moving back to Japan after a 2 year return stint to America. She and her boyfriend Toshimitsu came back for a short visit and we all went out for bite to eat.

Toshi and Sara

And lastly, one of my best friends here, Dan, is also making the mythological return to the womb. He had a big Hard Rock Cafe - bowling - karaoke blow-out that Yukiko and I attended. Unfortunately we had to leave after dominating on the bowling lanes but I'm sure everyone appreciated not having to listen to me crucify 'U Can't Touch This' or 'Ghostbusters'.

Dan shows us how to beat 100 everytime.

Cliff and Yukiko know that bowling is not all blood and tears.

Sith Me!!

Well the last country in the world to receive the latest Star Wars installment has finally gotten it. It's a little crazy. I bet Osama Bin Laden, in his cave along the Aghan-Pakistan border, hooked up to his dialysis machine, has seen this before me. Oh well, better late than never. Saw this with a bunch of other semi-nerds like me who has all watched the previous Star Wars flics beforehand to refresh our memories. Oh yah, Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's father. That was good to keep in mind while watching watching Episode 3. So what did I think of it? Lots of action - that's good. Great Jedi stuff - that's good. Yoda and Palpatine in a lightsabre duel - that's good. Almost no sign of Jar-Jar - that's really good. Sucky romantic dialogue - ouch that was bad. Anyways, I'll review this as well as the other new movies I've seen recently on my other site.
In other news, with all my week days off I've picked up a few extra weddings. I was hoping to get something close by, perhaps in my prefecture, or even in Osaka. But no, I got a bunch that are in Shikoku again, a completly different island. Have I become the Island wedding guy?? At least it was at a place that I've been to before, the Ciel et Mer chapel in Utazu. Utazu isn't very exciting, it's much smaller than Tokushima, the city where I usually go to. In fact it is pretty much filled with recycle (2nd hand) shops and pachinko parlours. The chapel very big and beautiful though. The main attraction in town is the 'Gold Tower', a shiney golden tower that stands near the water. For those brave or foolhardy enough to pay to take the elevator to the top they can enjoy the cafe there. Oh yah!

The Gold Tower in Utazu.

The Ciel et Mer chapel overlooking the ocean. The limo whisks newly married couples off to KFC for their first 'married' drive-thru experience.

We also had another visit from Yukiko's sister Keiko, her husband Seigo, and their little girl Yuka.

Yuka and Keiko

Taking a break from the crawling.

Up close and personal

Happy Belated Star Day

The other day was Tanabata no hi, or Star Festival day. Here's a little write up about I nicked from another site.

Tanabata, also known as the "star festival", takes place on the 7th day of the 7th month of the year, when, according to a Chinese legend, the two stars Altair and Vega, which are usually separated from each other by the milky way, are able to meet.

One popular Tanabata custom is to write one's wishes on a piece of paper, and hang that piece of paper on a specially erected bamboo tree, in the hope that the wishes become true.

Tanabata tree at a train station.

Cry Freedom!

School is out for summer, school is out forever. OK well not forever, but out for the summer is still great. 2 months of paid holidays. This is why I live in Japan. I'll still be working on weekends but and on a few select weekdays but nothing too strenuous. Which is good because the summer heat and humidity have descended on us with a fury. A big, sweaty fury.
Plans for the summer: firstly and most importantly is a big trip to America to see my family. I'll get to see my nephew John-Robert and his house for the first time. My parents will also be flying in from Vancouver so it will be a family reunion too. Just over a week in Ohio and then we're all of to North Carolina to stay in a rental house on the seashore. Here are some pics of the place. Doesn't it look great!











Secondly, head on up to Nagoya to check out the World Expo going on until September. Yukiko and I will probably go there on a 1 day bus tour with her cousin Naoko.

Thirdly, start up the 3rd semester of my linguistics course.

Lastly, say farewell to one of my best friends over here, Dan, who will be heading back to the States. Such is the nature of Japan, most of your foreigner friends will eventually leave. A few weeks ago Dan, Matt and I went to a paintball-like game center. But instead of paint they used small plastic pellets. They didn't ruin your clothes but they sure stung.

Hey is that one of the guys from Rainbow 6??

Kids - guns don't make you cool... it's the haircuts that do it.

Last but not least, Yukiko brought home a cute little katoributa for our apartment. It's a pig-shaped mosquito repeller. I'm sure Susan (www.katoributa.com) will be proud.

oink oink