Kathy Takes Up Mountain Climbing

Donna was game for an adventure and neither of us had seen the Western-style houses in Yokohama's Yamate neighborhood, so I printed a map, verified train directions, and off we went. Between the sweltering heat and steep inclines, both of which approached 100 degrees, we were glad (a) we had remembered to tuck little towels in our purses and (b) we had not invited any of the under-50 mountain goats on this adventure to witness our wheezing, gasping, handrail-clutching ascension of the first 200 or so stone steps. Remind me to study a topographical map the next time I'm planning an adventure . . .

Yamate is situated on a high bluff overlooking Tokyo Bay. It was designated for foreign settlement in the mid-1850s when Japan opened its doors to the rest of the world. Most of the 19th Century houses were constructed of wood and all but one - currently the Yamate Museum - were destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 (gulp). The museum was worth the $2 (roughly) admission fee. We learned that the vases and ceramic doodads our grandmothers dusted daily (perhaps weekly in the case of my grandmothers) are considered quaint and historic by lots of Japanese people.

The eight houses on the self-guided tour (example above) were all built in the late 1920s, after the earthquake, one of my all-time favorite housing decades. There is no charge to tour the houses (assuming Donna and I did not commit a gross cultural faux pas and overlook a ticket booth while mopping sweat from our faces) and they are blessedly air-conditioned. The two we toured, including the former British Consulate, were not large by Biltmore or even contemporary McMansion standards, but the Japanese tourists wandering through the rooms seemed impressed. Or maybe they were simply smitten with the a/c like the two glistening American ladies.

Donna says we hiked about five miles along that bluff. I decided to reward her for all that effort by introducing her to Mr. Donut and she was so appreciative she let me eat half of her donut after I inhaled mine.

Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On

Thank God none of you guessed the correct date and time the USS Blue Ridge left Yokosuka - yesterday at 2:45 pm - because I suspect we've all noticed the polling gadget I used has a major drawback. How was I supposed to determine a winner when the votes were anonymous?

As many of you know, I have now experienced my first earthquake. Yesterday morning I slept through one, just like I apparently snoozed through half a dozen plate rattlers between 2006 and 2008, but I definitely felt the earth move Sunday evening. We were at a sushi-go-round restaurant with the outgoing 7th Fleet Surgeon (Kathleen Sr's husband for those of you keen on details). The waitress was calculating our bill and I was aiming eye chastisements at the member of our party who had not bothered to stack his dozen or so plates in color order when suddenly the counter started shaking. Weird. A split second later vibrations shot from the soles of my feet to my brain and the concept of earthquake crossed my mind.

The tremors lasted for about 15 seconds but it was a long 15 seconds, the slow-motion, life-flashing-before-your-eyes, totally helpless kind of 15 seconds Michigan drivers experience when the car skids on a patch of ice and floats sideways toward a large stationary object, usually a tree, telephone pole, or Winnebago.

Speaking of driving, so far today I have backed the car into the carport in one (semi)fluid motion three consecutive times. Before too long I'll be able to take this show on the road. Oh, wait, no I won't. Because none of the dozen or so Navy spouses who make a pretty good living running back and forth to the License and Title Office in Yokohama are answering their phones this week and my temporary permit expires tomorrow.

P.S. If you come to see us, make sure I take you to a Mr. Donut so you can try a pon.

Moving Day Again

Japanese people are much better sports about having their ankles photographed than most of the commuters I encountered on the Metro over the past year . . .

Taking possession of a house on base is a lot like buying a house back home, minus the financial outlay. Wednesday we returned to the housing office to sign umpteen documents for Yumiko (of the elegant ankles), Thursday Hiroyuko walked us through the house and presented us with shiny keys, and today the loaner furniture and internet connection guy will appear promptly at 9:00 am and we can start moving out of the Navy Lodge.

Meanwhile, we've been re-connecting with friends, re-visiting a few favorite restaurants, reminding Matt to stay in touch with us while he wanders all over Yokosuka and the base with his buddies, and exploring a few new places. Darlin' Darlene, with less than two weeks to go before she moves to Georgia, found time to wander around Yokosuka with me yesterday. We had lunch at a ramen place, loaded up on plastic zipper cases at the 100 Yen store ("Trust me, Darlene, you can not buy too many of these"), sipped $10 coffee in the ever-so-quaint Cafe de la Paix, and marched into Mr. Donut for glazed pon, angel crullers, and other tasty pastries.

Mastering the Mr. Donut process promises to be a mixed blessing . . .