Hiroko's Hitokoto

Hot chocolate with home made marshmallow

Received this license board from the kimono school I've been with. I'm officially allowed to dress up people in kimono...

Displayed at American Club. Right is US flag, left has Japanese flag, the red round sun inside the bowl.

George used Ton's key while he was staying at our apartment while we were out in US. He took it with him back to US, and here it arrived in a FedEx package.

Kids chopped potatoes and carrots, mixed with summer veggies they grew at kindergarten, and cooked curry for about 100 people. I volunteered and it was hard work, though kids loved the curry!

End of the fun gathering at E&O with mango creme brûlée and decaf.

Thanks to Auntie Emi and Barbara baba.

Goodies from Bi-Rite !

 Entree nectarine with honey yogurt.  Sardine bruschetta  Batter beans  Duck and Quinoa Trio of berries

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Could not resist... Pretty good moist cookie. I like it.

At Palace Hotel, San Francisco.

Video here . Mo dancing along with Pharrell Williams’ song with minons.

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 Kids did fine on the flight. They were busy watching videos, movies, iPad, etc. They fell asleep about 3 hours before landing though they did good. Kids meal, with snacks...

Photos here . Wondered around the garden the ryokan owns before check out, then took its shuttle bus back to Hachinohe station. We met with Mocchan, a friend from my university, for lunch at the station. She worked too hard she collapsed a couple times (!?) in the past, but seems doing OK. It was wonderful catching up, also talking about those days we were together. Thank you, Mocchan! We took the green shinkansen again, headed back to home.

Photos here . Started the day with awesome breakfast buffet at ryokan, Emily and Maple came to pick us up with their mom. We went to Misawa Aviation & Science Museum so that we can stay dry in inside. It was actually very fun place, lots of touch&feel type of exhibits. Girls decided to make your own single chord guitar at craft class they had, after playing the most of all exhibits. Meanwhile, Mo was busy testing airplane simulators, helicopter simulator, etc. and also never forgot checking out the air crafts in the outside such as F-16A, T-33A, T-2 which Blue Impulse of Japanese self-defense force uses. Then we drove to the largest fish market in Hachinohe city to have sushi lunch, followed by snacks inside the shops. Emily & Maple went to home once and came to meet up again at ryokan for dinner. Kids were so excited to meet/play rather than eat. We said good by and promised for the next time maybe in Tokyo!

Photos here . Took green shinkansen called Hayabusa to up north, Hachinohe city in Aomori from Tokyo station. Kids (including their father) were all excited to take this shinkansen for the first time. Off course lunch and drink are must. It was less than 3 hours ride to Hachinohe from Tokyo. Then the hotel's shuttle bus took us to the hotel, checked in and had a quick hot spring before heading out to NEBUTA festival. The bus took us to Aomori city in about 1.5 hours, early evening before the festival begins. Had a Korean BBQ dinner as we wanted to be inside because of the rain. Lots of foreigners in HANETO costume, probably US-base related people, were on the next table, having fun. As time approached, we proceeded to our reserved seat which was board walk type of high raised temporary viewing area. The rain wasn't so bad in the beginning, though lantern floats and drums were all covered. The rain stopped for the first 1 hour, then it started pouring. We gave up and esca...