Our Road Less Traveled

Yesterday, Saturday, we went to Yamada-san's student Pottery show and some of them have certainly surpassed the master. Table after table of beautiful pots, vases, plates, etc. Some were beautiful glazes, some were beautiful in form, and all were so professional looking. I thought that he was going to include this vase that I made, but instead he put this stupid vase that I was going to toss. *Sigh* one man's trash is another treasure I guess. I took pictures of Sallies manger scene and Charla's yoga people. They were a hit of the whole show.

Yamada-san sells his pots, and they are very expensive, but I have my eye on this beautiful plate that really shows off his skill and artistic talent. The price tag, 50,000 yen or just under five hundred dollars. Taiko, a friend and fellow student told him I wanted one and he is going to give me 'deal', three hundred dollars. SOLD. The top is white snake glaze which is one that he developed, it goes on black, but when it is fired, it puddles up into what looks a little like snake skin. (Iwakuni is noted for its white snakes) Then the colors fade from pink to blue and etched in the bottom is the Kintai Bridge, a noted Iwakuni landmark.

Roy thinks that I should continue with my pottery making, but its an expensive hobby. I would need a kiln, I would need the different glazes and I would need the wheels. And then what do you do with all the stuff you make. Already I have them all over the house. No, I will continue until I leave and then enjoy the memories.

 

 

 

Well, I got rid of that person looking over my shoulder at least for today. LOL But I do want to tell you about both Hiroshima and Nagasaki because if you ever do come to Japan, they should be a "Must See' place.

Hiroshima, along with Nagasaki were the only two places in the world that have been hit by a nuclear bomb and both cities are now dedicated to eliminating nuclear weapons from all arsenals. It's as it should be, they lost hundreds of thousands of innocent lives and I really don't feel that the US knew then the environmental damage that the bomb cause or that leukemia would continue to kill folks for years to come.

I have been to both Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Peace Parks are beautiful, the museums are interesting but heart wrenching and the paper doves the children make every day by the thousands that decorate the area are inspiring. 

 Both are coastal cities and why they were chosen as places to bomb is strange because both towns had large Anglo populations and there was a prisoner of war camp in Hiroshima so we lost a lot of our own with that one bomb. The bomb that fell on Nagasaki actually fell in a Ukrainian prison that was in the heart of a Ukrainian area and we were not at war with Ukrainians then.

But there is a lot more to see and do in both towns. Nagasaki is especially beautiful as it sits on hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Hiroshima has a small but beautiful Japanese castle and gardens that are so beautiful they take your breath away. One garden is next to an art museum which is a must see as has some very famous painting and sculptures.

Mood: Panic
Listening to: Country

Wow, yesterday I was diagnosised with mild scoliosis (is that spelled right, I don't think so) Doctor thinks I fell on my butt at some time in my life, which certainly could have happened. I am not the most stable person and have had my share of accidents.

But you know I am the biggest hypocondriac, every week its something new BUT I have never even considered scoliosis.

Treatment: Lie on right side over a pillow for 15 minutes a day. Humm, well I can do that!!

Just heard  the tenants who are living in our house are moving the end of September so since we don't relish the thought of leaving the house empty, Roy has decided to go home early. Of course, that will leave the packing for me to do, and that will leave me to finish eating all the food in the kitchen and that will leave me to go to the SUMO grand finale alone and that will leave me to deal with packer etc. But thats okay, I can send the furniture home early and we can just get on the road that much sooner.

Also heard that my best buddy is coming to spend Christmas with us and I am so excited as he was my neighbor in California and has moved to Oregon and lives pretty close to us. We are going to show him around Seattle/Tacoma/Olympia and he is then going to show us around Portland.

I also heard another friend lost her husband over the weekend. That will also change our plans as I want to go and spend some time with her. Did I mention our plans were fluid.

Then if all that wasn't enough, I got a call from one of the big wigs in the organization that I work for and she wants me to pull my retirement and apply for a job with her in Italy. This is her second phone call in a matter of two weeks, so I guess she is serious. Don't think so. If I accept the position, I will be on the road to Iraq in a matter of months, and been there, done that, not doing it again. Sorry Ms D, but while I would love to work for you and while I would love to go to Italy, I know what else it involves and I just am not interested.

 

 

That person reading over my shoulder thinks I need to tell you more about Japan.

I wish I could tell you about all the places that I have been to while here, and maybe I will as the days go by. I live in Iwakuni Japan which is above  Hiroshima about 40 miles. I say above because my sence of direction is really out of kilter here. The Pacific seems to be to the east of me, the Sea of Japan to the west, Hiroshima should be to the north, but its not, Japan runs east and west and so Hiroshima is to the East. If I repeat that over and over, I might just get it. (Ill talk about Hiroshima one day because I have some great pictures and great memories of the place, but let me start with Iwakuni)

Iwakuni is a small dot on the Japanese map and unlike most towns, its surrounded by rice and lotus fields not other towns. I mean if you go to Tokyo its mile after mile of city, but we have country here and little gardens and a river and the ocean. Its really not a place that one would come to if you had a two week vacation because there is not a lot to see or do. We do have a bridge that was built 600 years ago and its very interesting and a castle thats pretty whimpy by Japanese Castle standards.

Again I need to post some picture.