Today I made Valentine’s Day cupcakes with friends. Here are their creations:
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Recently, my responsibility at church has been music chairman. I have been arranging musical numbers on two Sundays a month. I was really looking forward to church today. I had arranged for a young violinist to play. She had an amazing accompanist and they played one of my favorite hymns-A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief. I love listening to stringed instruments. It was wonderful.
I began playing the violin as a third grader and loved it. I continued until I was in seventh grade and then for reasons I don’t remember I asked my mother if I could quit and she said yes. When I see someone with talent like Scarlett has I am so sorry that I quit. I am so grateful for talented people who are willing to share
I’ve always said that I am a city girl, although most of my life has been lived in suburbia. For the last eleven years I have been a true city girl…
London
Singapore
Tokyo
I have loved living in these cities. Rick and I spend many of our Saturdays out exploring and love walking, taking the train, subway or buses to get around. In cities as large as these we have barely seen anything. I am grateful for the time I have had to live in these cities and I really think I’m going to miss it.
I am grateful for my life and how Heavenly Father has blessed to be so much better than I ever would have been on my own.
I am always searching for a great hairdresser. The last 11 years have been interesting. I had some scary haircuts in London until I found Manuel’s on Blenheim Terrace. Carlos colored and Manuel cut. Carlos was brilliant! Singapore was interesting…my hairdresser would come out look at my hair and then go back in the office while his “girls” did the work. My first hairdresser in Tokyo liked giving me orange highlights and when my hair turned a greenish color I stopped going there. My next Tokyo hairdresser turned my whole head an orangish color. Finally, I found the salon I go to now.
I started going to the owner until last year when he was forbidden by the authorities to touch anyone’s hair. I did not know he wasn’t licensed in Japan. At first I was sympathetic and then I was just mad because I needed to find a new hairdresser. I decided to try a Japanese guy, Fabio, who was working in the same salon. It turns out that I like him better than the owner. I am grateful for someone who is great at cutting hair and it’s not orange or green either.
Japan has more earthquakes per year than any other place in the world, anyway that’s what I have heard. They have long been my most feared natural disaster. We lived on the gulf coast for many years and I became a tropical storm, tornado and hurricane watcher. The thing that is different about earthquakes is the inability to predict them in enough time to give warning.
This week I have been pondering why I should be grateful for them. Right after the Great Tohoku earthquake (that is how it is referred to here in Japan) on March 11, 2011, my friend Toshi expressed his gratitude for the earthquake. His home suffered considerable damage and they were without water, gas and electricity for a long time. Toshi said he was glad for the trial run so that he can be better prepared for when the “Big One” hits Tokyo.
I am grateful that I was here on March 11, 2011. I learned where I am weak and where I am strong. I am grateful I got to experience my reaction and also how others react. It became a fight or flight situation when we found out about Fukushima. I learned to rely on on the Spirit and learned that he doesn’t always tell everyone the same thing. What was right for us was not right for everyone.
Earthquakes show me my vulnerability and reinforce the fact that we cannot control everything. They also teach me to have faith and move forward without fear. So I am grateful for what they teach me.
I am grateful that I have a doctor here whom I trust and speaks English
Sometimes I am grateful for days like today.
The view from my window
I am grateful for the pot of red tulips brightening my days. Thanks Karine!
Since yesterday was the first day of spring here in Japan, it only made sense that it was a gorgeous, spring like, day here in Tokyo. Early today I was still cold on my bike ride, but when we went out around noon it had warmed up a bit, the sun was shining and there were hardly any clouds in the sky. We started with lunch at our favorite tonkatsu place. Next we took the train to Kasairinkankoen. It’s also known as Tokyo Sea Life Park. We walked around for awhile.
Space Mountain
View of Tokyo Disney
I am grateful for wonderful Saturdays.