Midsummer

We are in the middle of summer in Hokkaido now.  The kids are talking about camping, swimming, and going to Grandma's house.  My mother has returned to Hawaii after a two week visit. Thanks to everyone for showing such great hospitality.  She says she had fun.

Recently, I can think of only one thing             ...beer.

Beer Gardenly,

Pat

This is the annual neighborhood association barbecue. Five hundred yen for marinated lamb, karaoke, and all the draft beer you can drink.  I'm not much for morning beer or singing but the lamb was good stuff from Naganuma.

In the afternoon I went to Joyful AK and I was shocked to see that they were selling Hale Koa as a potted plant.  The price tag blew my mind!!  7800 yen for Hale Koa?!?!

This plant grows wild in Waikoloa, the town where I grew up.  It's everywhere.  I　can't count how many times I had to take a saw and cut this stuff out.  It grows very fast and although I'm sure it has some value it always had a kind of pest status with me.

Doubtfully,

Pat

新しい看板。It's NEW!

ひと美のお父さんが作ってくれた看板です。嬉しい！今日も一日頑張ろう。

Golf

I play golf, not well, but I play.  Kai plays golf too.  He doesn't play well in the sense where you count all the strokes and compare your score with other golfers.  Yesterday, he played very well in the sense that two people can take the afternoon and enjoy each others company while playing a challenging game.  I was very proud of him.

Puttingly,

Pat

Just a test

Mobile

It's a beautiful Sunday in Hokkaido. It's still cold, especially when the wind brings that cold air from the mountains down into the city. It's just cold enough to bring back memories of winter. But winter is a thing of the future now. Cherry blossoms are beginning to show more leaf than pink recently but there are a few places that are peaking. Another busy week at English Island. I'm preparing by recharging at a hot spring near Otaru. ガンバ

Refreshingly,
Pat

iPod, iPad, iPat

I needed mail on the go and I'm not all that keen on the tiny little iPhone, although I've never really held one long enough to be sure I don't like it.  I bought it. That is the iPad2 and I haven't really a clue what it wants to do yet, but we are getting friendlier by the day.  Yesterday, we were strangers but today we're chess buddies and Skype pals. What's next?

Paddingly,
Pat