Gomen Nasai!!

Summer festival was loads of fun... at least, 'til the thunder started...

*So* sorry to be gone this long-- I had no idea we would have to move out of the company housing right after summer vacation.  That's where I've been-- a houseful of kids all summer, and then as soon as  I got them all back to school, I had a month to effect a move.  Found a place September third... and we move on Monday, October third.

Boy-- have I thrown out a bunch of stuff.  Had no idea that much unnecessary stuff was hunkered down in my kitchen.

I must, however, ask your patience for a few more days.  We're changing providers, so as of tomorrow I will be in the Inky Void Of OfflineLand... until sometime next week when we get a new router.

Goodness-- I have so much to tell you all... if I can remember everything.  We've had summer festivals...

Mr. Big Turtle... but Papa put his foot down, and we were Sad

...and quite an assortment of critters in the house...

Chuo Alps-- the Central Alps of Japan

...and we had a lovely vacation in the Central Alps.  In which I took far more pictures of flowers than of my kids, which YokohamaPapa thought very strange, but which I know my mother understands:-)

I have a zillion pictures--and you guys want to see all of them, right?
Good!

Teddy's Cardigan...awaiting zipper

I feel like I've gotten half a million things done (finally sorting out and putting old photos properly into photo albums, for one)... and nothing at all done.  A very annoying state to find oneself in, I must say.  I did, however, finish knitting Teddy's cardigan and am nearly done with Cici's.  And I knit myself a nice pair of hiking socks to climb those mountains in that photo up there-- does that count as getting stuff done?

Delectable Matsutake...

...alright.  I've put off cleaning out under the bathroom sink all day now.  Off I go.

I'll just leave you with a Spyshopper photo I took the other day--

the Matsutake are in the stores!  Note, please, that there are a whole two mushrooms, delicately arranged in that package.  Care to guess how much?

Itadakima---su!  Or.... maybe not.

I kid you not.

Since the dollar is so weak right now, a ten-dollar bill would not be enough for you to take those mushrooms home for dinner...

Sometimes I just walk through the store just shaking my head.

Ittekima--su!  Be back soon!  Promise!
Mata asobou, ne!



p.s.-- I forgot to put this picture in.  We are living amid mountains of boxes...

...two more days...