Andrea's Rambling Notes - once from Japan, now from Canada

::Andrea's Rambling Notes - once from Japan, now from Canada::

My notes and my memories: sometimes about a mom - sometimes about a wife - sometimes about a woman - sometimes about our life

::Author::

Name::Andrea
From::Small city/town, B.C., Canada
I am a short girl from the west cost of BC, Canada and I am a proud Canadian. I went to Japan in 2000 because my Dad told me I would regret it for the rest of my life if I didn't. He was right. I lived a good life found my husband from the other side of the world and have a beautiful daughter. Basically we lead a pretty normal life filled with normal ups and downs. We both come from different cultures: me Canadian, him Chinese. Living in Japan was a real eye opener about who I am and about the people I associate myself with. I lived and loved in Japan but the time to move on came upon us and in May of 2006 we left and moved to Canada: a huge move for us all. We are now trying to start up again, remodel our lives and create our future for our family. I now feel like a tourist in the country of my birth, my eyes see different and my life will be forever changed. This blog is my notes and observations of our life, our changes, our adventures and new beginnings. Welcome.
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::Recent Entries::

::Personal Links::

My Japanese Culture Teaching Notes

::My Family's Sites::

Alisha - a site set up by friends and family of my little sis

Phrax - my step-brother

Blue Mountain Stable

::Index::

An Index of past posts - the Japan Years

::Archives::

::Image Event Album::

My Image Event Photo Album

::My FlickR Photos::

www.flickr.com

::Tech Sites::

Tech2all

Blog Flak

::Extra Internet Info::

Canadian Atlas

National Geographic

Wikipedia

World TimesZones - please check this BEFORE calling me!

Currency Converter

eigoNavi - a pretty good language converter

The Samurai Appliance Repair Man - a funny repair site for N

::World News::

Generation Woman

Japan Times

Counter Punch

Japanese General Union - a must! read before working in Japan

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Sunday, November 13, 2005

Just another weekend

So it is Monday and on my weekend I did,
Ummm,
Nothing overly exciting.
On Saturday I got my nails fixed and made an appointment for a Christmas pedicure (ahhh)
Then I went home, fed JiXiang and she and I went for a long walk around the town. She was in her backpack carrier. She tends to sleep well in it and it adds a bit more of exercising effort for my ass (which is starting to make me depressed again). We went and checked out all these different shops I have been wanting to step into but have not had the opportunity to. These were those little side street nick knack shops. I did find another belt (pinky purple and perfect with jeans) and a hair clip. Haven’t decided if the clip is going to be for JiXiang or me. I am starting to grow my hair out and it is starting to drive me crazy already. (I have patience: I can do this. Grrr)

On Sunday morning Abby and Alicia came by and then all of us headed out to this festival of sorts near the city office. It was not a traditional style festival, but a music festival. There were different concerts being held by elementary, middle and high school students as well as some older people. When we went there was a jazz band setting up but everyone was in their mid 30’s. There was also a craft fair and a do it yourself craft area. You could make a basket, or make a wooden box and then decorate the top. All were very time consuming so I never attempted, but the box making looked like fun. Then we sat through a short tea demonstration. The lady had this whole tea making set that Li is now determined to find in China and buy. I will admit that it was nice. There was a miniature teapot set that I personally thought was very cool. It wasn’t for sale though. In the craft fair section I of course spent money. Hehe
I bought a miniature Taiko drum, and this giant ball of sorts that has a Japanese and Christmas feel mixed together. I also bought this little hand-held toy (that Ji is not going to be given because it is cool) that is called a ‘Dendendaiko’. It is one of those drums on a stick that you twist and these little flappy things beat the drums. I am pretty sure the First Nations children have a very similar toy but I have no clue as to what it is called.
Abby and Alicia had to take off so Li, Ji and I walked around a bit more. We checked out the Fire truck that was there. You were allowed to climb all over it and check it out. I think that this festival was fireman based in some way. There were lots of firemen around to talk to and quite a few cops that were there for kids to ask a million questions to. Then later there was a traditional Mikoshi parade (a sort of hand held platform that is wildly decorated and carried by quite a few men. The men throw it up in the air all the while chanting and yelling). This Mikoshi had a live fireman on top (who was hanging on for dear life) and they were all chanting the ancient way of screaming ‘FIRE!!’ I have no idea what that was. Can’t remember. Li understood so explained it to me. I took a couple of pictures but I don’t have them available for you to see right now: maybe later.

After that we decided to head to the old junk man and see if he had horded any new treasures.
Not really.
Basically it was all still junk. I have been searching for more masks everywhere but couldn’t find anything there. Li had his eyes working though and he found a ‘Kabuto’, a miniature cast iron samurai helmet. It was pretty dirty and missing the crest that belongs in the middle, but it was signed and dated (1975) underneath. We decided to get it and offered them 800yen. The lady said ok, so I now have yet another piece for my Japanese doll. I just need to find or make a crest of some sort for the middle.

Japanese people out there have any ideas?

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Posted by (Top)Andrea::11/13/2005 :: 1 Comments:

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