Home Sweet Home...and a sushi story

Well, it's finally here...our move in day! We've been in Japan for one month now, and our house is finally ready! We picked up our keys this morning and were able to check it out, move some things in and finally get some real groceries!! The Lodge was nice, but we only had 2 burners and a mini fridge, so we're now living large!! I'm thinking they may put everyone in temporary housing for a bit just to make the base housing feel like luxury!!  (to those of you that may visit - the Navy Lodge is probably where you'll be staying and really not at all bad, it just gets old after a month!)

I forgot to take pictures of our lovely home today, but it was naked, so I'll post some once it feels more like home!! Someone had warned me that it was 'pink' but I didn't think a thing of it at the time...come to find out, all of the cabinets and some floor tile truly are pink. It appears, and I say appears because I feel it will change once we start unpacking boxes, that we have a good amount of storage and closet space. I think Andrew's favorite part of the whole deal is the backyard. He's figured out how to work the door already, and can let himself out, and the neighbor  (who we share a backyard fence with) has a dog! He was trying to tell the dog 'c'mon' this morning and was frustrated when he couldn't get through the fence to our backyard. Well, we're excited to finally get settled, so hopefully it all goes smoothly!! 

A sushi story...

We have a sushi restaurant right outside of the Main Gate to the base. People call it 'The Fish Tank' as there is a fish tank in the window. (the first time we were looking for it we were looking for English on the building reading 'The Fish Tank' but come to find out there's just a fish tank in the window...I guess we have to get used to the landmarks instead of English!!) This is a hole in the wall sushi place with maybe 6 stools at the bar and 2 tables (traditional Japanese tables where you take off your shoes and sit on you knees or with your legs crossed). We have a couple of stories that go along with our first experience there...first, we've realized that we need to point to the menu to insure we're getting what we ordered. Example...I ordered a coke, which the waiter repeated back as 'co-ke' (sounding like coke-ay), and I just assumed I was saying it incorrectly. WRONG. I guess I was ordering a grilled (or cooked) fish! Thankfully Dan had room to eat it...I never did get my coke!! Second...Dan has been dying to go to this place just to get the 'fresh' sushi, or sashimi...I may be misspelling this?! Anyway, the fish tank in the window houses the fish they serve. You guessed it...you order it, they catch it, they kill it and you eat it. They serve it to you soon enough that you get to say good-bye to the fish...he takes his few last breaths, and you enjoy him. (see video clip below, hope it works?) I'm sure you all know me well enough to know that I wasn't touching the poor thing!!! Dan said it was good and I'll take his word on that!! After we were done eating, and waiting for the check Andrew noticed the fish from across the table, so I handed him to Dan to get a closer look at the fish. As Andrew was reaching to touch the adorable fish that lay displayed for all of us to see Dan grabbed him from behind as if the fish was biting back, and Andrew about went through the roof...he was mama's boy after that!!

Well, we have been off base again, to Ebina for Mother's Day where we did some shopping and ate at Outback Steakhouse. It was Andrew's first experience on the train, a.k.a. 'choo choo,' and he was pretty upset when we had to get off and it drove away. We've also had a playdate where Andrew showed his true colors...stepping in the dog's water dish, peeing on the floor, sitting on the dog, and screaming as we left. We really hope they invite us back!! :) All in all it's been fun!! I hope to get some more pictures and stories up before too long!!

Andrew's first train experience!