lunch @ ana hotel
Originally uploaded by renfield
back from gunma
Tonchan spent most of Saturday afternoon playing with Chiepon's nephew Ryoma so P and I relaxed in the onsen.
We took Ton into the rotenburo but it was cold outside and hot in the bath so that didn't last long.
In the evening we had a stupendously huge dinner of unending pork shabu-shabu and a million other courses, the Tonchabeast literally running circles around the room.
On Sunday we checked out the various crafts of Takumi-no-Sato village. Did some traditional indigo-dying and baba decorated a cool ceramic dolphin for Ton which she wore proudly as a necklace.
Heading back Ton was running out of energy and I carried her most of the way. She mainly slept on the shinkansen back and was pretty mellow, not eating much dinner, and she crashed shortly after bathing.
This morning she had a lovely fever so stayed home with P; a bit too much excitement with double grandparents and travel and running about!
We took Ton into the rotenburo but it was cold outside and hot in the bath so that didn't last long.
In the evening we had a stupendously huge dinner of unending pork shabu-shabu and a million other courses, the Tonchabeast literally running circles around the room.
On Sunday we checked out the various crafts of Takumi-no-Sato village. Did some traditional indigo-dying and baba decorated a cool ceramic dolphin for Ton which she wore proudly as a necklace.
Heading back Ton was running out of energy and I carried her most of the way. She mainly slept on the shinkansen back and was pretty mellow, not eating much dinner, and she crashed shortly after bathing.
This morning she had a lovely fever so stayed home with P; a bit too much excitement with double grandparents and travel and running about!
@ Taiyokan onsen ryokan in Gunma
@ Taiyokan onsen ryokan in Gunma
Originally uploaded by renfield
Chiepon's childhood home! Which is great because her nephew is the same age as Tonchan so I have not seen my daughter for hours because she is off playing with him.
found!
For the past few days I have been missing my work ID. I keep it in a little black Tumi business card holder, with some cards and other insignificant bits and bobs.
At first I thought I left it in a pants pocket but I checked with the dry cleaner and he didn't have it.
So I figured the Tonchalizer had done something with it, as I remember she was playing with it on Saturday afternoon.
After much agonizing and tearing up the house looking for it, I gave up and got a new ID at work...and then this morning there it was sitting on the window shelf behind the trashcan in the bedroom.
Ah, the keen insight and cunning of a two year old!
At first I thought I left it in a pants pocket but I checked with the dry cleaner and he didn't have it.
So I figured the Tonchalizer had done something with it, as I remember she was playing with it on Saturday afternoon.
After much agonizing and tearing up the house looking for it, I gave up and got a new ID at work...and then this morning there it was sitting on the window shelf behind the trashcan in the bedroom.
Ah, the keen insight and cunning of a two year old!
breakfast of TonChampions
- Cheese (single slice, processed)
- Chocolate (individual wrapped, milk, two pieces)
- Nori (unflavored, strips)
snacking on koganeimo
snacking on koganeimo
Originally uploaded by renfield
Spent the day at Ueno Zoo with Baba and Tonchan. She liked the bears and birds and gorillas, she watched the porcupines eat carrots and fed the goats and sheep grass, but her absolute favorite part of the zoo? The monorail!
Mama's got some great photos and blogged it too.
On the way home she fell asleep but woke up when we got to Starbucks in Roppongi Hills so I carried her home. Then we watched sumo and snacked until dinner.
playing with layla
conference calls
If I may get my bitch on for a moment here:
Friday night 9pm conference calls suck, for many reasons.
I've already worked a good 60 hours in the office (never mind the hours spent on the blackberry. And I sleep with my cellphone next to my pillow. Not kidding.) and I am not in the mood.
You, on the other hand, have rocked up to work in London some time before noon in order to get on the phone with me and explain that you have not, in fact, read the reams of documents and lengthy email responses to your questions I have prepared.
In fact, you have a whole different set of questions which only manage to establish that you have not been paying attention, and even if you were, you don't get it.
And yes, I would just love to make some more documents for you to answer your additional follow-up questions so that you can ignore and not read them, and then we can get on the phone again, including a bunch of other people.
The only reason I am on the phone with you in the first place is because your counterparts here in my time zone are physically incapable of actually taking responsibility and making a decision, so they defer to you, he whom doesn't know nor care, isn't willing to bother, and will end up deferring to someone in New York anyway.
At least I got to make snide comments about you in Japanese to my coworkers, right under your nose.
Friday night 9pm conference calls suck, for many reasons.
I've already worked a good 60 hours in the office (never mind the hours spent on the blackberry. And I sleep with my cellphone next to my pillow. Not kidding.) and I am not in the mood.
You, on the other hand, have rocked up to work in London some time before noon in order to get on the phone with me and explain that you have not, in fact, read the reams of documents and lengthy email responses to your questions I have prepared.
In fact, you have a whole different set of questions which only manage to establish that you have not been paying attention, and even if you were, you don't get it.
And yes, I would just love to make some more documents for you to answer your additional follow-up questions so that you can ignore and not read them, and then we can get on the phone again, including a bunch of other people.
The only reason I am on the phone with you in the first place is because your counterparts here in my time zone are physically incapable of actually taking responsibility and making a decision, so they defer to you, he whom doesn't know nor care, isn't willing to bother, and will end up deferring to someone in New York anyway.
At least I got to make snide comments about you in Japanese to my coworkers, right under your nose.
zen
Just finished Brad's latest book. It was of course most excellent, especially the parts where he calls me a "sword master" and a "tough guy". I love it!
The flooding of my apartment figures reasonably prominently as well, so it's like I'm basically famous now.
Therefore please click on the link to the right and buy the book. In quantity.
Actually reading the book and writing about reading the book on my blog are just excuses to avoid doing my daily zazen, which as I'm sure you've figured out already is really. boring.
However something must be happening because the other day Tonchan grabbed the tiny zafu (ass cushion) that found it's way into the living room and sat on it and said "Papa, this one...like this" and tried to cross her legs and I had one of those Dad Moments.
Not one of those Dad Moments when you think "Wow, my lovely little daughter is learning and growing!"
But one of those Dad Moments when you think "Holy crap! Was she watching me pick my nose when I was brushing my teeth that one time too?!"
Speaking of teeth, I got mine cleaned this morning. I have already mentioned numerous times (about every six months for the past 12 years I think) how awesome my dentist be.* Turns out they just (well in the last six months at least) remodelled the tiny reception area to the tiny dentist office. It is now all cool modern wafu, with traditional wall-paper patterns in soothing colors and all quite tasteful. Yeah, my dentist kicks ass.
* For those dangling grammar police who prefer "how awesome be my dentist" I can only quote Churchill: "Ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put. "
The flooding of my apartment figures reasonably prominently as well, so it's like I'm basically famous now.
Therefore please click on the link to the right and buy the book. In quantity.
Actually reading the book and writing about reading the book on my blog are just excuses to avoid doing my daily zazen, which as I'm sure you've figured out already is really. boring.
However something must be happening because the other day Tonchan grabbed the tiny zafu (ass cushion) that found it's way into the living room and sat on it and said "Papa, this one...like this" and tried to cross her legs and I had one of those Dad Moments.
Not one of those Dad Moments when you think "Wow, my lovely little daughter is learning and growing!"
But one of those Dad Moments when you think "Holy crap! Was she watching me pick my nose when I was brushing my teeth that one time too?!"
Speaking of teeth, I got mine cleaned this morning. I have already mentioned numerous times (about every six months for the past 12 years I think) how awesome my dentist be.* Turns out they just (well in the last six months at least) remodelled the tiny reception area to the tiny dentist office. It is now all cool modern wafu, with traditional wall-paper patterns in soothing colors and all quite tasteful. Yeah, my dentist kicks ass.
* For those dangling grammar police who prefer "how awesome be my dentist" I can only quote Churchill: "Ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put. "
20 minutes
Hit the dojo tonight for about 20 minutes. Just jumped into an ongoing class and went through a few kata. Did about 3 minutes of teaching. Nice to do my own mellow training for a bit. Lately I have no patience with myself. And if there is anyone else in the dojo, invariably I am asked to teach. Much prefer the dojo to be empty when I want to practice, otherwise I really get nothing done. *sigh*, that's how it is these days.
singing abc
singing abc
Originally uploaded by renfield
She got her rhythm from her dad and her voice from her mom. Don't ask why she's wearing an apron: I have no idea.
french fries
french fries
Originally uploaded by renfield
Spent the day shopping with mama and tonchan. We hit Tokyu Hands in Shibuya and then bought a bunch of quilting material at the cloth store for the new baby quilt. Skull and bones -- love it!
Then went upstairs and had lunch upstairs at TGIFs. Tonchan has been snuffling all weekend, her nose running just as fast as her little feet. She didn't have much of an appetite but with a pile of ketchup she did some damage to her fries.
Then we walked up through Aoyama, Ton happily dozing in the stroller...until we got down to Nishi Azabu crossing and some truck with a monster speaker blaring it's cheap trash collection and moving services at 150 decibels woke her up. We headed up to Roppongi Hills for a 'Bucks break, then hit the slide park and came home.
Mama made a mountain of potato pancakes that we had with steak and apple sauce. Tonchalizer liked the potato pancakes but still wasn't so hungry so she only nibbled a bit and chomped a couple bits of steak.
She doesn't have a fever but is sniffling and snuffling so we suspect it'll be a nice cold in a day or two...or she'll blow it onto a friend at school and pick up an even more pleasant virus!
tonchan directs
tonchan directs
Originally uploaded by renfield
I think she likes the music classes at school. Here Tonchan directs P and baba in a rousing chorus of "ABC". She's got more rhythm than I, and whenever baba sings she says "Shhh! No quiet please!" so she's got a decent ear for music, too.
playing with layla
playing with layla
Originally uploaded by renfield
This bodes well: Ton loves having a little kid around. She wakes in the morning and the first thing she asks is "Baby?" If she hears Layla crying she goes into the guest room and gives her a toy and jumps around trying to make her laugh. I only hope she is this nice when it's her own mom's baby, not some other random lady's kid who is staying down the hall for a week.
fruit dessert
fruit dessert
Originally uploaded by renfield
Took my Finance team out for some supposedly veggie dinner in Roppongi Hills. Ordered the black truffle course, but they were out of black truffles so instead we got...lots of MEAT! I love the vegetarian concept in Japan. Vegetarian = with vegetables. In beef broth. Restaurant was high on style, quality, and price, low on satisfaction and volume. Typical of the 'Hills.
me & mama new sneaks
me & mama new sneaks
Originally uploaded by renfield
On the wayto UR to get mama's hair cut we passed The Cool Sneaker Shop in Urahara. Mama got a fly pair of white sneaks with gold trim, and I took home the ever-stylish orange ZIRA complete with haibiscus logo.
fresh kicks
fresh kicks
Originally uploaded by renfield
shopping in urahara and picked up a pair of sweet orange zira sneaks
baba and chiepon
baba and chiepon
Originally uploaded by renfield
We had soba for lunch before they went off to the Quilt Show and we goofed off around the neighborhood.
touken hataya
After zazen I and the boys went down to Machida to see Hataya-sensei at his shop. Always dangerous to go down there; even though I was there to sell some stuff and have him do some repair work, the urge to turn around and give him all the money back just to walk out of that shop with more stuff...anyway we did well, chatted and looked at all kindsa great toys and finally left with a lighter load and more money in the wallet. Always a good thing.
helmet and wiggy
helmet and wiggy
Originally uploaded by renfield
Proper cranial coverage is required for a safe work environment.
kumitachi
Managed to catch Gosoke's kumitachi practice last night and the jikimon practice tonight. Did lots of neat variations on the kumitachi, including some truly nasty versions that are in close and ugly. The Good Stuff. Will be fun running through these with Salty, Elvis, and the LA posse.
my nose is runny
my nose is runny
Originally uploaded by renfield
Ton's got a bit of a cold and is here demonstrating proper nose-blowing technique.
carpets and raw liver
Had the carpets professionally steam-cleaned so we were out of the apartment all day. Went to Ginza in the morning and ended up at Muji where the ladies had lunch and I said good-bye to get to the dojo and run the monthly promotion exam.
It was pretty cold all day and by the time I met the ladies at the Azabujyuban park Tonchan was nice and cold but wouldn't stop playing on the swing.
We finally went for yakiniku but since it was Sunday they didn't have any raw liver. P ordered regular liver but every time she tried to grill it Tonchan screamed and started crying. She even grabbed a raw piece and stuck it in her mouth.
How many two year-olds like raw liver so much they cry and scream when you cook the poor, delicious liver?
Luckily I managed to chill her out with some bibimba and she ate about half the bowl.
When we came home the carpets were clean but still needed to air out so we slept in the tatami-room.
It was pretty cold all day and by the time I met the ladies at the Azabujyuban park Tonchan was nice and cold but wouldn't stop playing on the swing.
We finally went for yakiniku but since it was Sunday they didn't have any raw liver. P ordered regular liver but every time she tried to grill it Tonchan screamed and started crying. She even grabbed a raw piece and stuck it in her mouth.
How many two year-olds like raw liver so much they cry and scream when you cook the poor, delicious liver?
Luckily I managed to chill her out with some bibimba and she ate about half the bowl.
When we came home the carpets were clean but still needed to air out so we slept in the tatami-room.
hanging on slide
hanging on slide
Originally uploaded by renfield
Finally got video uploads working again on Flickr so I've uploaded a number of videos from the past month. Check out the indestructible Tonchan dangling inches from sudden death at the top of The Green Slide! Watch her eat icecream! Drink a soy chai latte talk at the same time (unsucessfully!) Abuse a stuffed animal! Sing to a toy bus!
pre-fighting donuts
pre-fighting donuts
Originally uploaded by renfield
The ladies enjoy some healthy snackage before an hour of dojo torture
Ukulele - She don't use jelly - The Flaming Lips
A classic song...done on ukulele. This is what the internet is for.
one for daboo
one for daboo
Originally uploaded by renfield
Across from the dojo is a store that sells nothing but foldy bikes
her latest goofy face
her latest goofy face
Originally uploaded by renfield
no idea how she came up with this one, but she does it all the time now
new year's
Spent a couple days back at the homestead in Ibaraki for New Year's.
It was of course freezing cold; colder inside the house than outside (outside there is sunlight.)
Spent most of the time buried under the kotatsu, eating and watching bad television.
And eating. And eating.
Went over to the Big House (honke) and the Third House (sanshitsu) and played with Hanachan, who is a year older than Tonchan.
Also played with Jiji a bunch, said hello to dead Jiisan a number of times (she liked putting out the incense candle and ringing the bell), and ate a bunch of cookies, sweets, crackers, and snacks.
It was of course freezing cold; colder inside the house than outside (outside there is sunlight.)
Spent most of the time buried under the kotatsu, eating and watching bad television.
And eating. And eating.
Went over to the Big House (honke) and the Third House (sanshitsu) and played with Hanachan, who is a year older than Tonchan.
Also played with Jiji a bunch, said hello to dead Jiisan a number of times (she liked putting out the incense candle and ringing the bell), and ate a bunch of cookies, sweets, crackers, and snacks.
player piano
player piano
Originally uploaded by renfield
Accompanied by some Russian (?) kid. Was playing jazz so nobody noticed their random key banging.
sleepy
After a full day of walking around and shopping in Shibuya, Harajiku, and Omotesando, Tonchan skipped her nap.
As soon as she finished dinner she started to fall asleep in her chair.
harajuku swing
harajuku swing
Originally uploaded by renfield
she doesnt really like swinging but if another kid is having fun she wants to do it too.
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