a note that suits

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Marjorie

I’ve always loved those little quotes pinned on cute little stands in Cafe Mary Grace tables. Seemed to me that every time I eat there, the quote I chance upon is always applicable to me.

Chancing upon this note, which almost sums up what Hubs and I feel for each other, on the eve of our wedding anniversary makes it all the more sweeter.

Thank you for the love you are giving me, for the joy you are bringing me. But most of all, thank you for bringing yourself into my life. – Karen Skonicki

Happy anniversary A & M!! 🙂

Ookagawa Sakuramatsuri

Posted on April 7, 2012 by Marjorie

Been waiting for weeks for this weather. Thankfully, the great weather came on a weekend when most of the sakura where already in full bloom, roughly 80%. Of course, it’s gonna be a busy weekend.

First destination for the sakura season: mobile sakura matsuri (cherry blossoms festival) traversing the 4.5 km Ooka River. There were so many people as expected. But I’m happy I was lucky enough to take some shots of “serenity” and not chaos.

Love the last photo.

I also love shots of the sakura against the water.

Hello there duck!

Now these are both our (Atsushi’s and mine) favorite. Reminds me of my favorite line in my favorite cartoon movie Mulan,

The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.

But lo, how beautiful the illuminated sakura is!!

But of course, it being a matsuri/festival, food stalls also line the street selling traditional Japanese street food like yakitori, takoyaki and okonomiyaki among MANY others.

Popular among kids are the candied strawberries, apple and banana.

Ahh tsukareta (tired). But it was fun indeed! Especially since we met up with Atsushi’s friend Kamio-san. I love listening to their laughter as they patiently wait for me while I was busy clicking around.

Time for bed as tomorrow is gonna be a busy one as well. 🙂

Thank you for today Lord! And thank you for technology – with it, my parents can see how big I am already even when they’re oceans away.

turning 32

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Marjorie

And the leaf has just turned. I’m now 32!!! Albeit nowadays when I’m asked of my age, my instant (innocent) reply is that I’m 29. And then a pause. And then I say “wait”. And then I think about my real age. Haha. It’s not that I dislike having birthdays, reminding me that I’m getting older. In fact, quite the contrary. I’ve never really outgrown that childlike attitude of looking forward to my birthday, all giddy and excited. It’s just that at some point, I stopped counting the age, it’s just a number!

But what I would count though are the blessings. There’s been lots for the last year! Let’s count shall we? 🙂

• March 5 of last year, I officially became an immigrant. The process was tedious! And the CFO (Center for Filipinos Overseas) experience was both humiliating and utterly infuriating. But am still truly thankful that I was able to travel to Japan and be with my husband on my birthday without any hassles

• because I was able to fly to Japan for my birthday, I was with hubby during one of Japan’s most difficult time – the March 11 debacle. I couldn’t imagine how lonely and depressed hubby could have been had he been home alone. And I couldn’t imagine how paranoid I would have been had I been in Manila at that time, far from knowing the real situation Hubs is in! Of course I’m not thankful it happened! But I am thankful that we were together during that very trying time and that we survived it.

• we had a very beautiful wedding. Civil marriage here in Japan is totally devoid of any ceremony or emotion. And so we’re truly thankful for our beautiful Church ceremony. And we’re thankful as well that we’ve given our families a memory that they’d always cherish. Even now, almost a year after, when I recently heard our Ninang tell her friend that ours was a very beautiful wedding, my heart warmed and I feel jelly-like all over. 😀

• thankful for the gift of friendship. Our wedding wouldn’t have been that beautiful if not for the help of friends. For old friends albeit far and rare to see, still we’re able to foster a friendship that would (hopefully) last a lifetime. Thankful for new friends as well! 🙂

• Thankful that I was able to work. Thankful that I was able to keep my position and career and work in the main company. Thankful that I’m now working on a very interesting project, with my work scope being one of the plant’s core, both a challenging yet very interesting experience. Thankful.

• thankful that this last year, we were able to travel to very beautiful places! – El Nido, Vienna, Cesky Krumlov, Prague.

• thankful that we were able to spend the New year with Atsushi’s family and where I experienced for the first time the true and very interesting Japanese New Year festivities. But most of all, I am thankful for the kindness Hubs’ family had shown to me. I’ve heard “horror stories” from other people about other people’s experiences. Hence I am truly thankful of the kindness Atsushi’s family has shown to me

• thankful for my family’s good health back home!! 🙂

• thankful for that lovely surprise request although we are yet to know of its outcome

• thankful, thankful, for this little wonderful person growing inside me. Thankful for this miracle of life. My morning sickness is truly bad, yes, and it can sometimes last till midnight. But what’s surprising is that whenever I’m in a meeting and couldn’t get to the toilet for hours, I don’t feel the urge to vomit at all. Even when still inside the womb, I’ve an ace baby already 🙂

• of course, thankful for my husband. Our blogsite has been witness to how great a husband Atsushi is. Of course he’s not perfect, I’m not blind with his faults. But he’s “perfect for his imperfections” and perfect for the imperfect me.

• all of the blessings above only came from One, Who has been generous to me. Thank you Lord, for all I’ve just mentioned, for the gift of life, for the year to come, for the blessings we’re about to receive, for taking care of all our loved ones, for your patience with me. Thank you for empowering me 🙂

Have a blessed day everyone!

Hinamatsuri!

Posted on March 3, 2012 by Marjorie

It’s Hinamatsuri! Otherwise known as the Japanese Doll Festival or Girls’ Day, this March 3 festivity involves displaying dolls arrayed in traditional costume typical of the Heian Period. I was reminded of the Hinamatsuri because of Google’s doodle for the day.

Cute right?

As we weren’t able to go around sightseeing this time, i dug up old photos to show hubby, and share here; photos of my trip with friends in Katsuura City, Chiba back in 2008.

The first thing that greeted us from the station was this.

Even hubby was truly impressed and estimated this must have cost millions. And yep, it was just on display with nary a guard around to look after the display.

The community also displayed the dolls on one of the stairs leading to a temple in the area.

Even a doll collector like me see these numbers of dolls gathered together as quite scary. But look up close and you’d just be amazed at the detail.

An Emperor and his Empress.

Can you count the layers of the doll’s kimono?

A court official.

Court musicians.

Usually, the hina-ningyos of the emperor, empress and courtiers are arrayed like this.

But in Katsuura, we found some displays with elaborate houses.

And some other very interesting displays as well. In bamboos! but oopps, one bamboo window is empty! Could someone have…? (gasp!)

Aren’t they cute?

This manner of displaying the dolls is probably the least of my favorites.

Funny, there’s Anpanman series as well!

This dolls are usually on display from around February up to March 4. Read in Wikipedia that having these dolls on display in the house beyond March 4 would result to the daughter of the house marrying late. I wonder if come next year, we’d be celebrating the Hinamatsuri (for the girls) or the Kodomo no hi (mainly for little boys). Hopefully. Excited! 🙂

Valentines!

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Marjorie

While most of the men in most other countries are racking their brains for original ideas on how to surprise their women on Valentine’s Day, it’s the women who are busy here in Japan every 14th of February. They bake cakes, cookies, chocolates, and other pastries, to give to their men or crushes on top of thinking of ways on how to be original about it. For some who doesn’t have the time to bake though, chocolates and cakes in pretty boxes are available everywhere.

Ten years back when we were first assigned here in Yokohama, we were so amazed on how all of the customers in chocolate stalls as the ones above were only women.

Supposedly, the women give the men gifts on Valentines Day and the men, in reply would give the women gifts on White Day – March 14. We were told that if you gave a guy you were crushing on a gift on V-day and you didn’t receive anything on March 14, well, one could pretty some up the story. 😛

As for me and Hubs, we definitely wouldn’t be going somewhere special tonight as I am now currently in bed, sneezing very loudly, eyes barely open, and tears continuously falling because of very very bad colds. Was absent yesterday, hubby had to be absent as well to accompany me to the hospital as I was already running a fever. Woke up today feeling better so I went to office, only to go back home after staying an hour in the office because I can barely keep my eyes wide open; my tear-filled eyes can’t take the office lights. Plus, I was sneezing and coughing loudly.

I did give Hubs a red, heart-shaped box of creamy Lindt chocolates, one of my favourite brands. But I can’t have even a piece because my throat is swollen.

Dear St. Valentines, please do hear my plea and take this colds away from our house.

And oh! Have you seen today’s Google doodle? A good reminder that it’s not what can be googled and bought but rather it’s the time spent together that matters most. 🙂 Happy Valentines everyone!

Coming of age day

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Marjorie

I’ve come to look forward to the Coming of Age day or what the Japanese call as Seijin no Hi (成人式) – that second Monday of January holiday wherein the young 20 year olds of Japan are celebrated and encouraged as they cross the threshold into adulthood. I look forward to it not because I can participate in the festivities but because it is such to sight to behold the streets of Japan teeming with young adults garbed in their best kimonos, kimonos so impressive in design you’d wonder how much it costs.

I was on my way to the office when I saw these young women whose pictures were being taken by their parents. I asked if they can indulge me to take their picture and they happily gave their consent.
Pretty aren’t they?

Look how elaborate their obis are.

Here’s one up close.

The men wear their kimono too but really it’s the women whom I look forward to see because of how elaborate their kimonos are. Makes one wish for a girl in the family. 🙂 🙂

On Chocolate Hill

A chocolatey journey, with Yui!

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