Almost winter

So, it's almost winter. Actually, the Japanese all think that it's winter already but the temperatures are like in that of spring in Michigan. Scarfs, boots, gloves, you name it, they've brought them out. I walk around with my jacket in hand because I frequently get too hot walking around in it. Definitely too many years in Michigan already.

The change of season also means a slow down in festivals and such stuff. The autumn pace was frenetic. Talk about festival fatigue. Drove to a place called Korankei last weekend. Didn't expect to see much except for a small village. Turned out to be a gem. The town is small but the backdrop is gorgeous. Too bad we went like 2 weeks too early or else the leaves would be even more colorful. Anyway, we've updated our Picasa photo site with some of the shots.

We've also been busy studing for our upcoming Japanese Language Proficiency Test this Sunday. Since we only started in August, we don't expect any miracles like passing it with flying colors. I'm resigned to a failing grade but I think Joey will make it through.

Trisha gets a scolding

So, Trisha has been sick for like almost a month now with a variety of illnesses. We are near exhaustion since she doesn't sleep well at night anymore and being fussy during the day with Joey. The joys of parenthood! Anyhow, she seems to be getting better (and we are now sick with the same nameless virus) and so she got her first scolding from her dad today.

Of late she had picked up the habit of throwing her food anywhere and everywhere. And tonight the line was drawn because she was gleefully chucking pieces of chicken and beans onto the floor. She got a stern "no, no" and not-so-nice facial expression from me and the funniest thing happened. In slow-motion her face changed from a happy baby to a baby who had just suffered the worst fate in the world. Her lips pursed, her eyes down and after a few seconds, her lips started to quiver as she tried not to cry. I wished we had the camera out then. Up till now she had never really shown any sign that she understood our wishes and all of a sudden, she gives us another sign that she was catching up. And so it was difficult for us to to stay angry with her, as we fought our giggles to avoid to giving her a wrong impression (no-no should not equal giggles, right??). Happy, happy, joy, joy. Now if only she would stand up and start walking.

Europe

So I left the family back in Nagoya for a little R&R in Europe by myself.....nahhhh...not really. Work is a bummer when one is super jetlagged. Didn't get see much of Munich although I did get to sample some excellent food. The first restaurant I went to was full and the restaurant owner put me at a table that had a couple of chatty Germans. Nice people. Recommended that I try the pork shank with sauwerkraut. Brilliant choice. Now I'm in Paris for a couple of days. Nice to see the places that Joey and I visited a few years back.