Much Ado About Nothing in Particular

Not out of the ordinary, August was a blur. My 34^th birthday came and went early in the month with a small celebration of just Kimono Hubby and I at an upscale Japanese buffet (they call them "viking"... no, I don't know why) at Aries Sky Dining in Kamiooka. A cool retro vibe permeated the atmosphere in this circular restaurant that rotated on its axis, showing 360 degree views of the surrounding city under twinkling lights. As we had entered the room, the first thing the host asked was if we were the Kimono family. I guess there just aren’t many people sharing our surname in Japan. After being shown to our seats, a server quickly brought out two glasses of champagne. That husband of mine knows well what to ply me with. He had preordered everything to make the evening perfect, right down to the birthday cake… which they brought out only moments after we received the champagne. Since when do you blow out the candles first, then eat dinner, only to return to the cake at the end? Only in Japan.

After the romantic dinner night, we set out early the next day for the 28.5 hours of travel that brought us back to the states. From our arrival in DC, we spent a fantastical whirlwind two weeks seeing family and friends, stocking up at every store I have missed and gorging on every kind of food I can’t find in Japan. By the time we left, I was up four pounds and down a couple thousand. And every blissful second was worth it.

To return to Japan was so very hard. Saying goodbye to loved ones is, of course, the hardest part, but saying goodbye to American conveniences is no picnic either. But where my husband goes, so will I. Back to Japan we came and I spent the past week doing a bit of moping about.

On top of the sadness of saying goodbye, some know and some don’t, but we were trying to return to the states earlier than we had originally planned. It has come time for us to begin looking towards adding a tot into our family mix. We hoped to do so blanketed with the love and support of our families. There were a few doors open, but it seems that it is not in the cards for us to return just yet. We have received word that we will be committed to this location for the upcoming year. When next summer rolls around, we can again put in for stateside locations. While I never allowed my hopes to get too far up one way or another, I must admit to initially feeling a bit of disappointment.

But now it is time to shake all of that off. We began looking forward to our year ahead and are tossing around travel ideas that include both China and Australia. Plus, we have plans in the states for a friend’s Florida wedding in the spring. Of course, these all are being planned around anything that may happen in the next year. (God willing!)

The new semester started yesterday which means it is back to the daily study grind for me. If all goes according to plan, I will be done with that goal by the end of January. School is back in on base which means I am back to substituting as well. Plans were being scheduled with friends for new adventures here in Japan. With everything moving along quite well, I was getting back into my groove. I had regained my footing and my motivation. Until last night, that is.

Just prior to a new episode of Hell’s Kitchen (very old to you back in the states, but please don’t spoil who won for me), I felt a twinge in my backside. Thinking I had just strained something in recent workouts, I went for the Icy Hot only to discover within two minutes that I couldn’t stand up straight, sit down, lie down or pretty much stand my own skin. It took only the first time I fell to my knees for Kimono Hubby to insist on the hospital. With no makeup on and doning my favorite, paint-stained lounge pants that show a bit too much of the derriere, I was forcefully persisted into the car. I already knew the problem and it would be a kicker too. We shall call him Tommy. Tommy is 6 mm tall and is traveling down my left side. May he leave my tract as quickly as possible.

This may be an abrupt ending, but as Tommy is raising hell again, I must call it a day and return to my drug induced state of oblivion. Thank God for modern medicine cocktails.