Sayonara

Yesterday we moved our sayonara potluck picnic INSIDE to our EMPTY apartment since the heat index made it unbearable to expend any energy outdoors. It worked amazingly well. The kids enjoyed themselves in wide open rooms and the adults were comfortable to hang out in the cool with the air con gunned. Everyone brought yummy food to share. We opened my ume shuu liquor that had been fermenting since June 2009 and it was surprisingly tasty, which has me thinking into the future and wondering if I'll be able to find rock sugar and unripe ume (plums) in New Jersey. The boys kept busy in one room doing bey blade battling,

many of the girls and some of the boys took part in the hooping entertainment led by beautiful Deanne of Hooplovers.com.

We leave Japan on Wednesday to begin a new journey back in the United States. The best word to explain how I'm feeling about it is "sad" mixed with "fortunate". Sad because we're leaving behind an amazing group of friends, but fortunate that we had the opportunity to experience Japan and the expatriate life for three years. The bright side is that we're moving to a good location, we will be in the same country as family and old friends, and the environment is more suitable for playing and doing outdoors, something that is almost necessary for a certain six year old boy. Of course there are many things I will miss about Japan, many being the details of life in our little pocket of a community in uber urban Tokyo. While my waistline might benefit from being away from the amazing food, restaurants and Donut Plant's tres leche, my gastronomic senses will likely feel dissed. I found retreat at Sun & Moon Yoga Studio, better posture at DMJ Body Balancing, enjoyment learning to speak Japanese in the comfort of my own home, fun friendship through book club, pampering at Jurlique spa, a community at Kspace international school, ikebana with neighborhood friends, amazing nail art at Nail Aria, nourishment at Karashi & Pio, dresses that fit a western figure at the Royal Closet and Regina Romatica, chocolate at Chocolate Erica, and many many creamy coffees and hours of conversation at Book Off cafe. Outside the neighborhood I'm certain to miss Wantanabe, the Loft, Tokyo Hands, washi crafting under the detailed eye of the patient women in the store and public transportation. I'm sure we'll settle in where we are going and once again build a life. One chapter closes, we have more great friends and experiences for life's coffer, and another chapter begins!