Just a couple of funny moments:

After baseball practice, Cliff and Chase usually go out for lunch or dinner. The other day they called me afterwards to let me know they were on their way:

• CHASE: Hey Mom, Dad and I just finished eating and we are coming home now.
• ME: That’s terrific! What did you guys have for lunch?
• CHASE: We tried a new place and it was really good. I had some vegetarian soup with some meat bits in it.

That sign reads: No Bike Parking

So much for Japanese obedience.

Inside Tokyo American Club Parking Garage

Lately, when I come across funky signs I like to invent my own meanings for them. Like this one says to me:

Slow down or I’ll throw this kid in front of your car! I laugh every time I pass it.

Since I have been in Tokyo, I have started seeing this time as my “Hemingway Daze”. A few books ago, I read “The Paris Wife” by Paula Mclain. Basically it’s the story about Ernest Hemingway and his first wife Hadley. Early on, they lived in Paris and enjoyed a life rich in artistic creation and poor in Francs. Some of you who have been to my home will doubtlessly be rolling your eyes as I continue to blog, but I know the rest of you will feel some of my pain.

Given: Everything in Tokyo is expensive. This includes utilities and electricity. It also would seem that part of the reason the streets are teeming with people at all hours is because in the winter, who wants to stay in a small, COLD, apartment? Everytime I come home late and I see the stations full of people, I keep wondering to myself, “Why aren’t these people at home in their housepants watching TV?”  When I was at Disney Sea freezing my muffs off, I asked Svetlana, “How do the Japanese just walk around like it’s 78 degrees out?” and she explained because they keep their apartments so cold they have become immune to it. I believe it. As for us, we are doing our part to save energy and money. We only heat what rooms we are in. We use electric blankets at night. I think I mentioned that I have started just splashing my face with cold water in the mornings. I walk around the apartment with socks and my Lululemon Scuba Hoodie. Sometimes if it is really cold, I will throw a scarf and my robe on over it. The good thing about wearing all these layers all the time is I never have to worry about showing visible panty lines (VPL).

A MUST to stay warm indoors and out

Of course, I have to beg Chase (aka Foxy) to put anything on more than his usual boxers. When Cliff comes home, the first thing he usually says is, “What the Hell?!? Why isn’t the heat on?” I know many of you will be surprised to learn, Cliff is thin-skinned literally and figuratively. This is usually when I say things like, “Oh. Is it not on Dear?” or sometimes I say, “I was hoping to go grocery shopping tomorrow.” Cliff hates it when I “act poor”.

Scene from Oliver Twist

Don’t cry for me Friends, all these strange “adjustments” have humbled me. The first time we stayed at a hotel and had hot water ANYTIME, it was so luxurious! I laughed at myself feeling so decadent in the heated room. What was that? Would I care for some hot tea? Why yes, and thank you.

Last sunday I took Chase to baseball practice because Cliff had business in Europe but also because it was my day for baseball duty. It was freakin’ cold! I was also surprised when at the first break, the other mom (I think she is the back up mom in case the “Foreign mom” aka ME,  flakes out) busted out a thermos full of hot tea and handed me cups to serve the coaches. I later talked to another mom and she explained that even though the memo about not doing tea service got passed around, the coaches were acting like they forgot what it said. I was out on this dirty, cold-ass field for 5 hours! By the time we finally got home, I was so relieved. I turned on the heat and unpacked the bags. I looked at Chase’s white pants with caked mud all over them and even I knew, I couldn’t just throw them in the wash. I pre-treated the pants and asked Chase if he wouldn’t mind scrubbing them a bit in his shower. For a few brief seconds, I could tell he was debating whether this was “cool” or not, but I think the look on my face made him feel sorry for me because he agreed. I closed the door behind me knowing that my son was hand-washing his baseball pants in the shower and I don’t know why, but it just brought a smile to my face.

Am I living the dream? or is this just a part of our Hemingway Daze? I don’t know. All I do know, is the colder it is outside, the warmer those hugs and kisses are at the end of a very long day. Stay warm everyone!

Until next time…