Dinnertime

Tetsu pronounced last night's rice to be delicious and a big improvement from what our old rice cooker made. In all honesty I cannot tell the difference but he knows rice better than I do.

This was last night's dinner.

White, unadulterated rice.

Pumpkin simmered in soy sauce and sugar.

Fermented soy beans called natto (Tetsu elected to have the cold tofu).

Potato salad.

Eggplant and deep fried tofu strip miso soup.

And grilled fish.

That grilled fish is something from a horror movie. It is split down the back and opened and then slightly dried pressed flat. Yep, eyes and teeth and everything split right down the middle and looking up at you like a monster from the deep. I didn't take a picture of the skin side up in case the two eyes scared you away for good! Delicious but it takes some getting used to. It no longer bothers me anymore...

The left over rice in the rice cooker got made into rice balls some with salt on them to be later zapped in the microwave for lunch or a snack. Another favorite is rice balls with sour-salty plums that make your mouth pucker.

Care to join me for dinner?

Rice

The electronic store is making a lot of money off of the Watanabe family this week.

By the way, I took my external hard drive and computer to the store and someone very kindly gave me a private lesson on how to use the thing. I think I can (at least for the next few days until I forget) back up some of things in my computer.

Back to other reasons why we are supporting the Japanese economy. The same day of our car problems, Tetsu inadvertently sent our old rice cooker to its grave. He was washing it for me and I guess water got into its inner parts. So for four days we've been without a rice cooker and have been eating noodles. Tetsu tried numerous repair jobs but to no avail. The 15 year old rice cooker is not to be resurrected.

As a conscientious husband who holds himself accountable for the broken rice cooker, Tetsu went out yesterday (different electronic store than the one I was at) and bought us a new rice cooker. Mid-state of the art model...

Last year I think I mentioned that my mother had given Takumi money for a rice cooker and many of you were surprised at why a rice cooker should cost so much. Marcy was horrified too but I have to say, a good rice cooker is worth its weight in gold. Tetsu can spend all he wants on a rice cooker! Since rice is a staple in Japanese cuisine, not only does the rice cooker have to make delicious rice (no soppy sticky stuff nor too chewy) but it also has to be easy to clean. We eat rice 6 days out of 7!

Sorry Marcy, your thin, aluminum rice cooker with the lid that jiggles while the rice cooks does NOT make the grade for the Japanese palate. And I shudder every time I wash it for you and find enough rice stuck in the pot to feed another person! Rice cookers need to be Teflon coated to make for swish and wipe cleaning!

So Tetsu's new expensive rice cooker (think about $200 but they run up to about $500) is supposed to do magic things with Induction Heating and Pressure Cooker controls. I will have to study how to make rice again!

And while I'm on the subject of rice, this is the way we buy rice in Japan. This is a 30 kilo (65 pounds) bag of rice directly from the farmer. We used to go through this quite easily when the kids were living here but nowadays Tetsu will give half to his mother (who will give half of that to Tetsu's sister). I'm not sure how long this will last us...

And here's a picture of the new rice cooker sitting on its throne. This is a cabinet made especially to hold rice cookers. (Actually I'd like to buy a new cabinet too....) Since steam is emitted from the top of the cooker, the shelf slides out so that the steam doesn't get trapped under the next shelf (which holds our microwave). Next to the new rice cooker is the Tupperware I use to keep a more manageable quantity of rice, but actually under the rice cooker is the rice dispenser. It is supposed to keep the 30 kilos of rice and dispense the right amount according to the number of cups you are cooking. I don't use the rice dispenser anymore (that's why I want a new cabinet) because we don't eat the rice fast enough and I once found bugs in it. Yuck. It is so old it probably has holes in the back that I can't get to...

Let's see... Tonight's menu is going to be miso soup, grilled fish, cold tofu, simmered pumpkin, and RICE!

Non computer literate (as always)

Let's see. Grumble, grumble, pout, pout.

Yesterday I went to the electronics store and bought myself an external hard drive. While in the States my brother had suggested that I buy a flash drive and at least save my pictures (which I've never done) or else someday I'd be sad. One of his computers crashed a few months ago and they lost many of their old pictures. So taking my brother's advice I bought a 16 gigabyte flash drive. Of course I didn't really know how to use that but my brother did download my pictures into it for me.

Good. My problem is finished... Except that the flash drive seemed very small and it was more likely that I'd lose that before my laptop crashed. Takumi then stepped in the picture and said what I ought to do is buy an external drive.

"I have no idea what you are talking about and I haven't even gotten the steps in my head about how to backup pictures on the flash drive like you uncle just explained to me."

Still, Takumi seemed to think an external hard disk that would sit on the desk and not get moved around would be best (and hold more stuff.)

A few days later when Leiya and I were visiting Takumi she needed some data from his computer transferred to hers (I guess) and both children suggested that I give up my newly made flash drive so that they could use it,

"because you're going to buy an external hard drive anyway when you get back to Japan."

So I came back to Japan without having any of my pictures (from 9 years previous!) backed up. And wouldn't you know when I got back to Japan my computer froze on me (changing routers? interrupted security service?) and I spent a couple of frazzled hours trying to get my computer functioning again. Yes, I really need to back up my computer!

I discussed the external hard drive with the boy in the electronic shop. He assured me that it was very easy to use. No installation required, just plug in and go. I explained how I do not like having to read instructions in Japanese. Shouldn't be a problem. I got home. Plugged things in and lots of windows started popping up and different dialog boxes began blinking. Tanya, you can do this... Somewhere along the line the external hard drive let me know it was backing up my entire computer.

"Oh. That's nice of you. I didn't know you were going to do that but that might make my job easier."

Unfortunately though I started at 3:00 pm, it was still backing things up at 10:30 when I went to bed.

This morning I come to my computer and can find no trace of anything backed or even a way to back things up. As far as my external drive is concerned we are meeting for the first time.

"Starting initial computer backup. This will take a few hours..."

"No! Wait. You did all that yesterday!"

I'm taking the external drive AND the computer to the shop today. I sure hope someone will be able to explain it to me.

Sewing projects

I'm trying to figure out what I was sewing before I went to the States and what I want to put on my to-do list for the rest of the year... Just off the top of my head I can think of 10 projects, 5 of which are Works In Progress and 5 that are just things I want to start.

• WIP include the Feathered Star which I'm NOT going to get back to for a couple months. It is too hot to think about hand quilting. Japan is in the middle of a heat wave and Choco is digging holes to sleep in, the cats are laid out here and there on the wood floors and I am dripping. This is NOT the season to quilt.

• The Patches and Pinwheels quilt is almost finished and just needs some machine quilting on the border but I'm not doing that either until we get a break in the weather. All in all, anything that requires me to go up in the sewing room is out. The sun beats down on the second floor and it is unbearable during the day. I've even moved Velvet downstairs to the cat house which is shaded and may get a little breeze...

• The Tisket a Tasket BOM August block needs to get started and I may think about that today and bring it downstairs to applique. I need to try out my new applique pressing sheet that I bought but do not know how to use. Anybody want to give me a quick lesson? I also have the neat applique set that Takumi bought me at the Long Beach quilt show and that includes Glue Baste It, curved scissors, an applique and pressing tool, freezer paper, a stiletto, an I-Denti-Pen, a stencil brush, straw needles, Thread Heaven (a thread conditioner?) and OK to Wash glue. When the lady demonstrated at the festival with all these tools she made it look so easy... Maybe I needed to have bought her DVD too because I don't remember how she used all these things now... Ah well.
  

• I have to make 2-4 blocks for our group's block exchange and I have Mrs. Harada's instructions in hand. She wants blue and red pineapple blocks. I did two in the last three days that I've been back so I can work on this project or leave it for awhile. A good in front of the TV hand piecing project.

• The Alabama Beauty blocks have been united... The 6 I'd made before leaving Japan and the 8 I made while in the States. I have no idea where I'm going with this...

So those are the 5 WIP. As for the other things that I would like to start...

• A wonky flying geese quilt using a pattern from Julie.
• Tessellating cats from a pattern that Mona kindly tore out of her quilt magazine for me.
• An I SPY quilt using cat and dog fabrics from June that I know my mother would love.
• A Wonky Word quilt, again for my mother... She repeats a certain phrase over and over and it has become a joke for my California family...
• A landscape quilt using batiks from Jay and Sina. I think I want something with an ocean theme that I could make for Takumi.

I have my work cut out for me (not literally unfortunately). I hope to get some sewing done before school starts.

Crashed

Sometimes I feel like I live in a soap opera. Espisode 1????.

Yesterday Tetsu and I cleaned awhile and then went out to lunch. Did some shopping, ran into a friend and had coffee together. Came home. Correction. Tried to come home. About a mile from home a van crossed over the center line and rammed into our car! My new little Toyota was assaulted!

Tetsu swerved to the side of the road when he saw this van coming toward us and I wasn't even sure we'd been hit. We pulled off into some factory driveway while the van stopped at the side of the road and sure enough our side mirror was gone and the rear side was smashed in. Not a lot but enough! The young man driving the van (working van) apologized up and down but didn't have the slightest idea of what he should do next. My husband somewhat successfully kept his temper under control.

Call the police. Stand around for 15 minutes while they get there. It's not like you can make pleasant small talk with the crashee. Tetsu barked out suggestions.

"Don't you think you should call your employer? Don't you think you might have him contact the company's insurance agent?"

Finally the policeman showed up (I was barely in America and I met one policeman, I'm barely back in Japan and I meet another one) and questioned both parties and vaguely let us know that after he took his report it was up to us to figure out who was responsible... That did not make Tetsu happy.

"Excuse me. HE crossed over the center line."

The young man was on his cell phone trying to get someone in his company to come out and help him. Tetsu was on his cell phone talking to his insurance person and the car dealership. Tetsu and the young man were exchanging cell phones to give their respective parties information and Tetsu was having more and more trouble keeping his temper down. (Also, as it was explained to us, since our car was also moving we are 50% responsible.)

"Everyone is incompetent!"

After two hours of sitting in the sweltering car I struck out towards home... Got my daily pedometer count in... and Tetsu arrived home an hour later still fuming. All I can say is that I now realize why it is important to carry a cell phone.

This morning Tetsu is in a bad mood. Barely grunting at me and scowling at the world. I don't know why he's angry at me! Thank goodness I wasn't driving! Makes me wish I'd stayed another week in the States! Good luck to the people in his office today!

On the bright side (which even Tetsu recognizes) no one was hurt, the car isn't badly damaged, everyone has insurance. My poor little car is going in for repairs today...

Home.

Ohayougozaimasu! ("Good morning!") from Japan.

I arrived in Nikko where I live after a 10 hour flight, a three hour bus ride and a quick dinner of sushi with Tetsu. First of all I am happy to report that all animals are healthy and relatively happy. Tetsu did it! He survived the summer! And one of his first comments to me after a kiss hello was that he didn't want to see any cats for awhile (hardly possible with six of them in the house but you get the idea.)

The flight from LAX was very easy. It was the first time for me to try online check-in and that surely is the way to go. I hope I remember how to do it next year. No extra charges for baggage either (surprise!) and that may be because most of my gifted fabric I protectively carried in my carry on bag.

Tetsu was waiting for me at the bus stop with a big smile that let me know that the animals were fine and that I hadn't done anything dumb at the airport this year. One year he greeted me frowning and snapping at me because the airport had called to let me know I'd gone home with the wrong suitcase. Yes! That doesn't just happen in the movies. I'd picked up a red bag that I'd bought at Target and it turned out to be someone else's red bag from Target. When I got home and opened it I found not my gummy worms and t-shirts but lecture papers and books. The poor man visiting Japan had to wait two days until he got his things back...

The cats have been sleeping all over me every time I sit down. Chip especially is happy to see me but the other cats vie for places on my lap and near my shoulders. They haven't resolved any of their relationship problems so a lot of spitting and hissing. I will have to unpack my Feliway dispenser as soon as possible. Choco is as noisy as ever and I wish I'd gone ahead and bought a bark collar... The cats also tore up Tetsu's carpeting job in my sewing room... Poor Tetsu.

The house is covered in mold though Tetsu did his best to keep it at bay. I couldn't face it all yesterday and just napped claiming jet lag as my excuse. Wiping down the surfaces with bleach will be one of this weekend's jobs.

I had a good summer and will have to let Tetsu play around on the weekends now that I'm back. (He likes pachinko. Boo.) He deserves some carefree time off!

Today's first job is unpacking!

End of the summer pictures

We took Leiya to the airport last night. It's amazing how jam packed and crazy LAX can be even at 10:30 at night! Poor Marcy has to make the trip to LAX again this morning for me. Why we couldn't have scheduled ourselves better I don't know but we didn't.

I got a lot done this summer. And it was truly a fun summer. One that I wasn't expecting. At first Leiya hadn't planned to come, then Maxine fell ill, my mother hadn't been in very good health last year so I didn't expect this year to be better.

Hey! There were no emergency room trips this year (one Urgent Care trip for Grandma that wasn't that urgent.) Despite the funeral everyone's spirits were high and laughter abounded between Marcy, Grandma, Leiya, Kiana and me. (The males in this family are either going through adolescence or have a history of non-smiling.) I am so grateful for the laughter that Marcy can nudge out of everyone even in strained times and my mother I think finds laughter a good way to pass over her mistakes and weaknesses. I learned a lot from watching those two again this summer.

I was tickled seeing Takumi's new interest in things (aquarium and cross stitch?!) and I carefully observed his relationship with Bianca. I am happy to report that Bianca does crochet and beading and a bit of hand sewing (she was making a stuffed animal when I saw her last). She proudly showed off her new sewing machine to me and is ready to jump into the applique kit she bought. Good girlfriend to pick out!

At the beginning of the summer I didn't expect to make it to the Long Beach Quilt festival where I met Annie and Tanya and Gigi (and Takumi bought me some great toys!) and that was such a wonderful and fun day!

I surely didn't expect Jay's wonderful batiks and in the midst of the last packing days Sina sent me some of her beautiful batik stash too.

Mona and Julie gave me more things to put on my To-Do list with patterns and sweet things and of course June gave me her gift of love by quilting my Orange and Cherry Jubilee quilt for me (and she sent another package with doggie fabrics to go with the kitty fabrics she'd previously sent.)

Marcy and Kiana and I made yet another prayer quilt for Marcy's friend and Leiya and Kiana were very productive with two aprons made apiece.

I even set Colin to work one afternoon sewing himself a PSP holder (what is that?!) out of some scraps.

My brother's two lawn chairs visited the sewing machine and as a reward I made it a cover so that it can stay dust free until someone plays with it again.

All the doggies have brought smiles to my face daily but I'll be happy to get back to my own family of animals and TETSU!

Flying off in a couple of hours. See you when I'm back in Japan.

Packing up

Leiya and I are in the midst of packing and cleaning up. At this point of my vacation I am always irritable and frustrated. It is not so much sadness at leaving people and summer activities as it is I ABSOLUTELY HATE TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING IN MY SUITCASES!!! I probably won't get back into a good mood until I am checked through at the airport.

For many years I would juggle suitcases during the last week of my summer stay, and since Takumi and Leiya and I would be traveling together I'd have 6 suitcases I could work with. Which suitcase weighs the most? Which one can the heaviest things be put in to balance things out? 6 suitcases gave us a lot of possibilities. There have been a few times when Tetsu would come to the States for a week and leave for Japan early. I always bought up heavy things during his week here and sent him home with two full, heavy suitcases. Even so I was usually shuffling things around in the suitcases at the airport check-in line when I went home alone weeks later.

The past three or four years since I travel alone, two suitcases just doesn't do it for me. I have to pay for overweight baggage. It makes me feel like I've done something wrong, that I'm a bad traveler or something. That's ridiculous because a week's tourist and me living a month with my American family, find different things that "need" to be bought. I shouldn't feel guilty about all my purchases and my lack of control but I do.

Last night while watching me stuff things into my two humongous suitcases my brother made the WRONG comment that I had too much fabric this year.

"Just stick half of it in a box and leave it here. You aren't going to get all that used up in one's year's time anyway. When you come back next year you're going to have only used a fraction of all that stuff. Put it all in baggies and number them and if want something tell us the number and we'll send it to you when needed. I know you won't need it though."

Boy did that send my bristles up! And besides, next year when I come I'll be buying more fabric so that was a dumb suggestion. (Besides most of my fabric from friends I'm putting into my carry on case. I DO NOT want to have the airlines lose that!)

Another subject...

I have said good-bye to Takumi and Bianca. They made a stop by on Sunday night. Just together time, a little shopping for Tetsu (a birthday present from his kids). Here are a couple of interesting pictures... I wonder what Tetsu will think when he sees this post.

When Leiya and I were in Long Beach with Takumi we made yet another stop at JoAnns to buy Bianca some Heat and Bond for her soon to be started applique project. And while there Takumi discovered a sales bin with books, tools, and kits. He went through the cashier's line before I did and so I didn't realize until later that he'd bought a cross stitch kit.

"Who is that for?"

"Me. It was on sale."

WHAT?!! Sputter, choke, walk into a wall. My son wants to do cross stitch?! NO WAY!

Sunday Takumi brought his already started cross stitch and spent a couple hours working on it as we all sat around chatting. He needed a couple basic lessons

"Use a florescent pen to highlight the stitches you've already done or you're going to get confused."

"Make your stitches going in the same direction."

but he was going at it with great gusto. Who would've thought...

Maybe someday I'll get to put the finished product up on my wall.

Mother and daughter

Leiya and I have been able to wear each other's clothes for quite awhile now. Not that we particularly want to but I guess even this morning I've borrowed her sweater. Leiya rarely takes an interest in my clothes just because I'm uncool. And I don't understand her fashion sense with long dragging pant cuffs and tank tops with various straps visible underneath.

This weekend however Leiya wanted me to try on her skinny jeans "because they're so comfortable." I think they feel like someone is strangling my ankles. And while I was struggling to get myself into those she put on my shorts and t-shirt. The first thing I knew she was pulling her shirts and jackets over my head and Grandma was laughing so hard that we had to pose for posterity.

This is entitled Mother and Daughter.

You can see I tried to be authentic with the peace sign fingers and Leiya's sparkly sandals. Leiya threw in a few props too that she thought best represent me. Reading glasses perched on my nose, my big ol' handbag and a pedometer on my belt. (What, no cat and sewing machine?) Look at that smirk on her face. Do I really look like that?

I am usually a very staid and serious person. Someone must have slipped something into my Starbucks.

A visit to Long Beach

Takumi and Bianca came to spend the day with us yesterday and late last night around 11:00, Leiya and I decided to follow Takumi back to Long Beach to spend the night. Besides getting lost (thank goodness for the GSP) we barged in on the other two roommates and Leiya and I bedded down easily on the sofa and living room floor.

Bright and early this morning Leiya and Bianca and I took a long walk down to the beach enjoying the unique beach houses along both sides of the streets. At the beach itself there were loads and loads of joggers and loads and loads of dogs out playing at the surf.

Back home (I bought another dozen donuts for breakfast) we took off for a day of shopping at JoAnn's again (for Bianca) and then to a tropical fish store to buy coral for Takumi's aquarium.

I can't believe that I got excited about coral but I must admit it was great fun to choose from the different colors and shapes. I bought him two. One from Leiya and one from me... He's going to do his best to keep them alive...

Takumi has a nice aquarium, some good roommates and a lovely girlfriend. What with a part time job and lots of studies I think he leads a pretty fulfilling life.

Surprise!

I love surprise endings. Something about reading a story and thinking that you know how it is all going to turn out and suddenly... What was that? Wait, wait. I need to go back and read that all again. Where did I miss those clues?

Yesterday I had a real life, wait a minute. Why didn't I know that? moment.

I have a blog friend, Jay, whom I've corresponded with a couple of times; a comment or two on my blog, an e-mail offering me fabrics from an unused stash. I've mentioned that I can't get batiks in Japan and Jay offered to send me some. Actually that was a while ago and I assumed that the cost of sending to Japan had been a deterrent. (Maybe I didn't assume anything. I think I forgot about the offer.) But a few weeks ago Jay wrote again apologizing and wondering if the batiks could be sent to my mother's house.

Yesterday a box arrived on the front porch and in it I found yards and yards of the most beautiful selection of batiks I've ever seen. Leiya and Kiana kept pulling out more and more cuts of fabric and with each one my mother would ooh and aah while I sat there stunned. And my mother kept asking where the box had come from and who it was that could part with all these beautiful things. And I realized I didn't know.

I didn't know if Jay was a shop owner or a quilt designer or even a blog writer. I wondered how I could not have been more curious about a blog friend who was willing to give so much to me. I flipped through my old e-mails and read the ones from Jay trying to discover who this person was. But all I knew for certain just by looking at the contents of the box was that Jay had a big heart!

I e-mailed back immediately to thank Jay and to ask her to tell me more about herself.

My first surprise came in an e-mail last night and Jay turns out to be a male quilter! I know there are male quilters but I've only read about them in magazines and wondered if they made a lot of cowboy themed quilts or something. Talk about stereotyping! Why did I think that fabric artists couldn't be Van Gogh or DaVinci or some other male? Why did I just assume women had the monopoly on quilting? Why did I think the guys have to collect fishing poles? Why couldn't they be fabric collectors? I have to tell you, if the sampling of what Jay sent me is any indication, Jay is a very serious fabric collector.

I was also surprised that I hadn't realized before now that I had a male blog friend. It just never occurred to me that there would be any other male besides Tetsu that might read my housewifely, decidedly ditzy blog about cats and quilts. (And Tetsu never "reads" my blog). And then I thought

"Oh my gosh! I once wrote about women's foundations garments. Did Jay read that blog post too?"

Ah well, it doesn't matter. Jay has shared with me some of his wonderful collection and given me a gift that will keep my heart singing for many, many years. I hope he'll tell me more about his passion and about his art.

Are these not an absolutely gorgeous display of color?!

Thank you, Jay! What a guy! Surprise!

Memory alleyway

We are headed back to LA again today to pick up Leiya's passport. Though we only live about an hour away, I can count the number of times I've been to LA on the fingers one hand. Not too much there that entices me. I am reminded of one of our few trips...

I think it was 4 years ago when Takumi was living in Hollywood (oh please!) and Leiya had come to California on her way to Ohio. Brother and sister wanted to spend a day at the Six Flags theme park and Takumi was driving his old, used battered up car. I bowed out on that outing and let them spend some sibling time together. Unfortunately they chose the hottest day of the year to go and by 3:00 they were wiped out because of the heat and decided to come home early.

That summer my brother was playing surrogate father to Takumi and he was fed up with perceived teenage irresponsibility and unsavory choices. Personally, I thought Takumi was doing well on his own but since my brother was acting as adult in persona while Takumi's parents lived across the Pacific, I kept my mouth shut.

Late afternoon Marcy gets a call from Takumi.

"My car broke down and is making funny noises. I've pulled off the freeway. What should I do?"

Keion had just come home from work and Marcy and I accosted him saying that Takumi needed help and we needed to get to Los Angeles as soon as possible.

"The dumb guy doesn't take care of that car. Serves him right."

No matter who was right, Takumi and Leiya needed help and so Marcy and Keion and I headed off towards Los Angeles. Marcy kept in contact with Takumi by cell phone and we tried to find out exactly WHERE my children were in Los Angeles.

"I can see two freeways crossing... I don't know which ones. I can see a run down gas station."

Marcy stayed on the phone giving Takumi a running stream of advice while my brother drove and muttered.

"He doesn't even know where he is. This is like looking for a needle in a haystack."

Sure enough we'd get close and go too far and have to circle back with my brother getting grumpier and grumpier.

Marcy, in the meantime was still talking through the situation with Takumi.

"What can you see? Is there a cross street? Takumi, whatever you do, DON'T LET LEIYA OUT OF YOUR SIGHT! You are in LA. Be careful! I know it's hot but roll up your windows and lock your car doors."

Gradually we zeroed in on Takumi and Leiya's coordinates, and spotted Takumi. BUT NO LEIYA!

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, where's Leiya? Takumi's left Leiya someplace!"

Sure enough, Takumi had parked his car in an alleyway, told Leiya to lock the car doors and went out to flag us down. Why the alleyway I don't know. He probably thought it was safer in a back alleyway rather than out where all the dangerous people might be walking up and down the street. WRONG LOGIC.

My brother was incensed.

"Of all the stupid moves that kid can make!"

Keion doesn't swear but he was sure sputtering some expletives in his mind.

We pulled up alongside Takumi's car and found Leiya looking lost and scared inside. Marcy and I motioned Leiya to make a wild dash (6 inches) from Takumi's car to Keion's and in seconds we three females were rejoined and felt safe in togetherness.

I'm sure a lot of this was all part of a very active imagination but I can remember thinking we were acting like we were in a war zone with all the precautions we were taking.

Keion and Takumi huddled over the hood of Takumi's car with Keion coming back to his own car's trunk now and then for some rudimentary tools. I felt sorry for Takumi having to absorb his uncle's fury. Takumi, not mechanically minded, just held up the hood and dropped things that were handed to him. Pretty soon the engine started and Keion came back to his own car.

"He's only going to be able to go a few blocks. We're going to have to find a mechanic and buy a new something-or-other before he drives that thing any farther."

And in a couple of blocks we found a sleazy looking, rarely used mechanic pit. Takumi came back from talking with the mechanic saying the part he needed was going to cost such-and-such amount of dollars. Marcy was flabbergasted.

"That's too much! They're trying to rip him off. That's ridiculous!"

But Keion was at the end of his rope. More silent swearing.

"It's not like the kid has any choice. He can dump his car for good and ride home with us or he can pay the price and get a new part. He cannot go shopping around for a more reliable mechanic. That car is not moving until it gets a new part."

Takumi decided to pay the price. I asked if he had money and told him to call me when (if) he got home. And then we took Leiya with us and left him. In a sleazy part of LA. My brother was coddling him no further. Too bad if Takumi felt wary and abandoned. It was part of my brother's way of raising teenagers.

I don't think Takumi's ever much liked LA since then. (But he's made up with his uncle.)

Shopping

We had a good evening yesterday with the whole family out for dinner and shopping. Usually shopping gets done in different combinations of participants. Marcy and I go out often and do everything from fabric shopping to groceries. Marcy and Kiana go out for school clothing. Leiya and I go out bargain hunting. Keion and Colin go out looking for sport equipment. Occasionally the pairs will merge into trios or sometimes quartets.

But on all this browsing and spending of money Grandma rarely gets included. Grandma is slow and doesn't like making decisions and none of us want to plod along at her pace. She also doesn't have great balance so walking with Grandma means one of us carries her purse and two of us hold on to her elbows. And then there is the constant reassuring of the whereabouts of her purse that she would really rather carry herself. (Why is it that though there is nothing of necessity in her purse, it weighs a ton?)

Last night ALL seven of us went out for dinner and an evening of shopping. Good dinner out with Colin being insulted because he was offered a child's menu with coloring options on the back. Grandma took advantage of the coloring. Grandma also paid for dinner. Thanks Grandma!

After that Keion went off looking for wheelchairs to borrow and though Grandma fussed about not being that decrepit,

"I am not that decrepit."

she settled in and she and I went in one direction while the rest of the family went in another. Kiana and Leiya did young girl shopping and Grandma and I went looking for a blouse for her.

We had a great time. The many sales sent Grandma into gales of exclamations about how the stores can survive if everything is 60% off. We passed by the old lady blouses for something vibrant and happy and I heard the running comment about how Grandma hadn't been out shopping in ages. And Grandma bought me a t-shirt too. Not a color I would normally choose for myself but she loved the little birdies on it and I must admit that there probably aren't going to be too many times when my mother will be able to choose clothes for me so I accepted her choice and her money graciously.

Met up with the family again and then it was off to Yogurt Land which Grandma thoroughly enjoyed (even though she didn't eat a lot.)

A good family night for all of us.

Don't we look spiffy in our new clothes?!

Sewing school

My brother walked into Grandma's house last night and wanted to know if I've started a sewing school. I wish!!

Marcy's good friend found out that she needs some surgery so Kiana wanted lessons on making a prayer quilt for her. That meant a trip to M & L, a LARGE, warehouse-like fabric store in Anaheim.

"Chose 7 fabrics for the top and one for the backing."

(I always make the same prayer quilt.)

And of course even non-sewers, when they get a whiff of fabric, hear the rustle of material, take in the splashes of color, and run their hands along the many flannels and soft cottons, get drawn in to the primeval urge to SEW!!!

Leiya and Kiana decided that they wanted to make aprons and so we spent more time choosing good "kitchen-wear" fabric. While they wandered through the aisle piling on bolt after bolt of possible fabrics I guiltily bought a couple more batiks.

Back home Kiana and I started on the prayer quilt. Kiana is getting to be an old hand. Last summer she successfully put together two Wickedly Easy quilts and a table runner for her room. She knows how to use the roller cutter and ruler, and she can align the walking foot for 1/4 inch seams. In a couple of hours she had most of the prayer quilt pieced and Marcy was telling her to leave some work for her too (it's Marcy's friend.)

You can tell Kiana likes that color of teal. She even wears it on her fingers.

In the evening Leiya started in on her apron and that was finished easily. Leiya will be moving into her own apartment this September and she will be COOKING so she wanted an apron. She chose cupcake fabric.

In the meantime Kiana came back and started on HER apron and by late last night Kiana had finished hers too. She chose sushi fabric.

So now the girls are ready to cook and eat.

And Marcy finished up the prayer quilt and all of us got down on the floor pinning it so that I can put some binding on it today.

We're thinking of going back to the fabric store so that we can make more aprons.