pre-shinkansen icecream

pre-shinkansen icecream
Originally uploaded by renfield

champion brekkie

champion brekkie
Originally uploaded by renfield

try-on maid!

try-on maid!
Originally uploaded by renfield

apron from baba

エプロン
Originally uploaded by piroko_kuroda

My mom made this apron. The red pockets on the bottom of the apron come from a pair of my old boxer shorts. Not entirely sure if that information needs to be shared with my daughter or not...

morning!

morning!
Originally uploaded by renfield

squish

squish
Originally uploaded by renfield

Everybody up early and in reasonably good spirits this morning. Here Ton is helping Mo with his morning face.

mud princess

mud princess
Originally uploaded by renfield

After shopping and ice cream, P and Mo went home and Ton decided she'd rather play at the park than nap. So we did the swings and slides and ran around and then made lots and lots and lots and lots of mud. Lots of mud.
Water + sand = hours of fun.

mint chip, of course

mint chip, of course
Originally uploaded by renfield

Taking a break from shopping at National Azabu with some mint chip ice cream.

onion ring

onion ring
Originally uploaded by renfield

We like the onion rings, oh yes.

lunch

lunch
Originally uploaded by renfield

Family lunch at Homeworks in Hiroo. Tonchan's new favorite...onion rings!

big can of calpis

big can of calpis
Originally uploaded by renfield

Washing all the sheets at the laundromat, having a huge can of Calpis.

also taking a break at seibu

also taking a break at seibu
Originally uploaded by renfield

taking a break at seibu

taking a break at seibu
Originally uploaded by renfield

on the subway

on the subway
Originally uploaded by renfield

head shoulders knees toes

head shoulders knees toes
Originally uploaded by renfield

Singing with Uncle Brad.

milk coma

milk coma
Originally uploaded by renfield

ice tea and donut

ice tea and donut
Originally uploaded by renfield

jumping ton and tai drinks the apple juice

jumping ton and tai drinks the apple juice
Originally uploaded by renfield

Had dim sum lunch with Tai-kun and the Cheapy family, then played around in Roppongi Hills for a bit.

jiji ton baba mo

jiji ton baba mo
Originally uploaded by renfield

Came home from the zazen retreat and went to a nice Japanese fish dinner with the family. Stomach was not too happy to be back, apparently. Think I was just way of kilter and I need to get back on a human schedule.

3 days of boring

3 days of boring
Originally uploaded by renfield

This was my home for the past 3 days -- this miserable little cushion. It is harder than it looks, and I mean that in both ways; it is difficult to sit on the damn thing and not just get up, put on my shoes, and go home. And it is filled with some combination of cotton batting and lead pellets or something.

Good things about doing a zen retreat at Tokei-in:

1. Brad is as always simultaneously amusing, insightful, and goofy
2. The food is surprisingly excellent, thanks to Kitamura-san
   
3. Big tiled bathtub

Bad things about doing a zen retreat at Tokei-in:

1. Goddamn spiders in the goddamn toilet
2. Old tatami make me sneeze
3. Zazen is boring. Boring. BORING.

Once again this year I was totally saved by Patrick. Never again shall I mock the Yoga Hippie! He ran us through morning and evening stretches and poses that really need to be an official part of the retreat; helped immensely.
I find that my legs aren't really the problem. After prolonged sitting, it is my lower back and shoulder blades that are sore. Not sure if that means I am doing it correctly and am out of shape, or I am sitting badly...or both?
Anyway my interest is, um, peaked, and so I will see if I can get setup with Patrick come January. No idea how it will go, but like Yoda says: "Do, or do not. There is no try."