One month, one week, five days....

That's how long we've lived here - and that's how long it took me to make it to the ocean that we live less than 3 miles from. Sad!

Most of you who know me would not be surprised by this, for I'm not the most outdoor-sy person. What do you mean there's no indoor ocean? But, surprisingly, I was really longing to go there. At first we were staying on base and just too busy. Then we moved into the house and I was busier. Then came Google Earth, yelling, practically screaming at me, "Look how close you are, just take this road, it's right there!! You can do it!"

Hmm, I'm not actually sure if that was Google Earth harassing me or my Mother-in-law. One in the same really.

Either way, I kept returning to the maps, surely I could find it. So a week ago I made my first attempt, by myself. I mean - it's right there!

Or not.

Okay, so Google Earth masks the whole "tiny road, places you've never been, are you sure you're allowed to drive down that street, what the hell do those signs mean?" healthy fear that keeps you from getting killed, or worse, yelled at by a Japanese farmer. No, if it can be seen on Google Earth, it must be okay! Onward!! Then you actually get to the road, freak out and go home.

Now it was really bothering me. Suddenly I was 5 years old, it was Christmas morning and I'm poking at wrapped presents, tortured, while my mom took her sweet time making coffee. I've never been one for the whole patience thing.

A few days later, even more determined, I head out with the boys trying to find a bigger road that I knew had to exist, Google Earth said so! Then about a 1/2 mile from Christmas morning in ocean form, T. calls me and says the guy who was coming to set up our AFN (armed forces network) satellite wanted to come to the house right this very second to install our dish. No, not 20 minutes from now. Now!

Dammit! I turned back.

Finally, Sunday! The whole family is in the car and I convince T. to drive past the house and find the way to the ocean. Umm, you know, the one he took M. on a bike ride to on Saturday morning. Salt in my wound!! It was easy to convince him as he was eager to add more routes to his GPS.

Turns out it was a left-hand turn (and a big blue sign with an arrow pointing to "Miss Veedol Beach") that saved the day. And we arrived!

It was a glorious gift of sand, waves, surfers, freedom. Better than anything you could wrap and stuff under a tree. Better than a great house with 3 bathrooms and heated toilets seats. Seriously now, you all know how much I love Christmas and staying at home, but damn this ocean! It's amazing!!!

T.'s dream life - A bike, a tent, and the ocean....

A Conveyer Belt of Happiness

Let me tell you about the most entertaining (and inexpensive) restaurant I’ve ever been to. No, there is no giant dancing Elvis, no men to set things on fire and catch food in their hats, nor are there peanut shells covering the floor. But…there IS a conveyor belt delivering an endless array of sushi directly to your table, and everyone else’s! And if you don’t like what is on the belt, lack patience, or if someone snatches the last ahi tuna before it makes its way to you, you can order directly from the touch screen menu at your table which, much to our delight, has an “English” button. Minutes later a speedy little shinkansen (bullet train) will arrive, having rolled down the track above the sushi belt, delivering your heart’s desire.

It’s kind of hard to explain really, a picture (and video) is worth a thousand words!

Poor Naoko was probably getting rather tired of us with our “ooh, what’s that?” over and over and over!

Also traveling along the belt is your choice of flan, cheesecake, chocolate cake, coffee jello, and some kind of sesame pudding for dessert. Or, if you are so inclined the shinkansen will rush out a snow cone or a bowl of cantaloupe flavored ice cream (much like the melone gelato in Italy – yum!)

When you can no longer take another bite of anything, push the “account” button on your handy dandy touch screen and an exuberant employee will rush over to count all of your plates and give you your total for the meal. The price is determined by the number of plates you have stacked in front of you and how many of what type of design/color. You can see how many plates we went through…

Now if that doesn't send you scurrying to the travel agency, I don't know what will.