An American Kind of Shop

 One afternoon, we set out to find some less active branch members on our very long list.  We found the home of some, but no one was there.  We went next door and found out the three sisters we were seeking moved from that home some 10 years ago.  This is quite common.  The branch list is in serious need of cleaning up- and it's our goal to check out every home. 
On the way, I noticed this little shop.  It looked SO American and like the kind of shop I love to browse when we travel.  So we stopped to check it out. 

 It is owned by Naomi- a quilter who loves America and has been there some 10 times in the last few years.  She brings back American products and sells them in her little store that is attached to her home.

I love this quilt she had made to go in an old window.

This is Naomi, the owner

 We purchased a few little things, including some sachets' for our car and closet.  We found it hilarious that, when we read the package, we found out they were made in Ogden, Utah!  We had to come all the way to Tsuruoka, Japan to buy something made in our home state. 
 It felt like home in there and I'm sure we will be going back to visit Naomi. 

Oh No! The Dreaded Dame Sticker

We live in the land of recycling.  You may remember this post I did about when we first got here.  It is a challenge trying to keep track of what goes in what colored bag and what days each of them have to be taken out. 

Over the months, we have noticed, in the local garbage collection bins, rejected bags of garbage with the dreaded "dame sticker" on them.  Dame means no or bad.  We went almost nine months before getting our first dame sticker.  It was on a green bag of garbage we put out.  Why was it rejected, you ask?  Green is for cans, metals, etc.  BUT, evidently you can't put the lids to the cans in there because they have sharp edges.  They go in blue, which is for dangerous things.  So you have to put the cans in green and the lids in blue.  Sigh. 

So on a very hot summer day, here is Elder Hinton out sorting the cans from the lids.

It looks like we're not the only ones.  I saw this bag in a garbage collection and had to take a picture.  I wonder what they did wrong?  Put a rubber band in a plastic container?  Criminal.

Every neighborhood has one of these garbage collection bins.  They are very strict about when you put your garbage out there, too.  It is supposed to go out on the collection day between 8-9 am.  Don't tell anyone, but sometimes Ken sneaks it out the night before- after dark, of course!

I will not miss the recycling when we get home!  It is a bit of a nightmare!

The Irakis Come to Visit!

On the first weekend in September, we enjoyed a delightful visit from the Iraki family.  Yuko, the mother was a mission companion to our daughter Kristen some 15 years ago when they both served in the Fukuoka, Japan mission. 
In 2011,  Yuko came to America and visited us there.  I did a blog post about it.  That prompted Kristen (who lives in Wisconsin)  to fly to Utah and see Yuko and meet up with her in Salt Lake City.  I posted about that too. 
Yuko thought a lot of Kristen and expressed profound gratitude for her and how she helped her through a very tough time on her mission.
She has since married (in the temple,) has a baby, and is expecting another in November.  They live near Tokyo- a six to seven hour drive from here.  We've been in contact on facebook ever since her 2011 visit.  She messaged me and said they would like to come to visit us. 
We met them at our church on Saturday and visited for a little while.  It was wonderful to see her again and meet her fine husband and son.  They are a beautiful family. 

Their little boy was afraid of us at first, but by the end, he warmed up to us.

Ken brought his computer and showed them the latest pictures of Kristen and her family

We then headed out to our world-famous jelly fish aquarium

And then to a local pagoda and shrine

We then took them to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants.  Yuko's husband was so cute with his little boy.  It was a joy to see them as such a happy family.  We both literally cried tears of joy.

They are used to being in a big Tokyo ward where there are many babies. It was thrilling for the branch members to have a little one come.

I really should have taken the picture BEFORE we ate- it looked a lot prettier then.  But after  our three-hour church, we came to our apartment and fed them before sending them on their long drive home

Loading in the car

It was a wonderful and bonding visit.  We are so grateful they would come all this way!  Until we meet again! 

Monthly Shokigiki to Honor Two Newly Married Couples

Two of the eligible bachelors in our little branch got married this summer.  Both found their brides in other cities and brought them to live here.  We are excited to have two new wonderful sisters.  On the last Sunday in August, the branch held a special potluck dinner in honor of the newlyweds after the three-hour church block.  A potluck is held once a month after church.  But this one was in honor of the new Satohs and Abes.

It is so fun to help set it up each month and see what everyone brought.

Hamburgers (not common in Japan, fresh edamame, sushi, and we brought fresh mango/tomato salsa with tortilla chips (thank you, Costco)

The sister in the middle is one of the grooms' mother (with her husband and daughter.)  She is a fabulous cook and always brings something really good.  This was kind of like a pizza.  Kind of.

There were two wedding cakes

I think it's ready

The grooms were asked to give short speeches.  I have no idea what they said.

I asked that they pause for this picture.

Cake cutting ceremony

Cake cutting ceremony

August's Relief Society Activity- Ice Cream Decorating

Though our branch is small and most of the sisters work, they still hold a Relief Society activity each month.  They are always on a Saturday afternoon.  In August, the activity was perfect for the weather.  We gathered and decorated cups of ice cream and then ate it.  It was fun and easy and I thought would be a fun idea for a birthday party. 

There were only five of us there, but it was fun . . . and delicious.  I love how it can be very simple. 

Dinner at Kozue's

Kozue used to be in this branch, but she got married soon after we arrived in Tsuruoka and now lives in Sendai.  But she occasionally comes home to visit and has us over to dinner.  She and her mother make us a feast fit for a king and queen.  On our actual anniversary, we dined with Kozue, her husband and her parents.

Delicious Soba and green salad, a tofu dish, and basil spring rolls and dipping sauce.  The drink looks like water, but it is actually homemade plum juice.  In Japan, you are always given a warm, wet cloth to clean up before you start a meal.

Octopus rice.  It was delicious.

Kozue and her mother.  In this picture, you can also see chips (so American) and mango salsa.  Kozue served her mission in America and learned how to make this salsa and chips.

Watermelon, Lemon Bars (that we brought) and mugichau for dessert.  Mugichau  is a very popular drink in Japan.  It is Wheat tea.

They taught me how to use the burst mode on my phone, so I tried it out on them.  The pictures are a little blurry.

Kozue's dad actually had a party to attend that evening.  But he called from the party and said he wanted to come home- that he wanted to see Hinton san.  So he came home early.  That made us happy.  We had a delightful evening.  As usual, they sent us home with gifts- this time garden spoils from their huge garden- including fresh basil, which I have not been able to find here.