All I want...

I am pathetic, I really am. My birthday is over, Kana went home, and all I can do is sit around thinking about how bored I am and how the only thing I wanna do is see Danny. I found out the other day that I am not going to be able to see him when I was hoping to, so I am pretty bummed about that. It is almost November and I am not going to have any family for Thanksgiving and I just a birthday without any family too.
Yes, some nice things happened. I met Kana at the Yokohama train station and we went to dinner. It was the best Chinese food I have ever had. Trust me, the stuff in the states is crap compared to this. She bought me a pretty pink rose from a flower shop I love and then came to the house. She bought toys for the cat and gave me a really awesome picture frame. We made pumpkin spice cake together and watched the new Curious George movie. Danny called me before I went to meet her and again today. Now all I can think about is how much I miss him and about how homesick I am getting.
It would be so easy for me to get home. I could catch the same flight I did on the way here out of Yokota which flies out once a week. I would be space A, which means I may not get on the flight if there are not enough seats available, but it would only cost me a little over $25. You really can't beat that. I just don't know what I should do. I have to wait for my cat to get fixed before I can even think about leaving. I have to take her in to the vet and then officially adopt her. Then I have to watch her to make sure she is healing okay. By then it will be at least the middle of November. I am not sure if there would be less of a possibility of empty seats on the plane. Anyone taking official leave for thanksgiving would have priority over me. Anyone who really needs to get home at a certain time is more likely to take a civilian flight out of Narita. Sorry for rambling, I just need some input. I am really lonely over here and I just don't know what to do. I am making friends, but it is just not the same. It is exhausting to hang out with people you really don't know and it is hard to relax in a country that is not your own. Most of you have probably never experienced this, but take my word for it. Its hard.
I am open for your comments and input. I am incapable of making a decision on my own.

quick update and a few thoughts

Sorry I haven't written in the last few days. I have been busy with my compass class (new navy wife orientation). It has been particularly interesting because there are Japanese wives in the class and I get to learn a little about the area. It is way better than taking it in Bremerton because I already know too much about it! I have to drive 45 minutes to the base everyday (but our car gets fantastic gas milage) and it runs from 9-1, so I loose a large chunk of the productive part of my day. It is 11 though and I have been busy.
I think the military is just out to use up our time. I am now applying to subsitute for office positions in the elementary school and I pretty much have to sign my life away. I think I have used up a few trees and a ton of.. well, where ever ink comes from. It is a heck of a lot of work when you don't even know if you'll get the job. They make you fill out forms you would only have to complete if your were actually getting the job. I will never complain about applying for a non-governmental job again (unless I forget about the hours I have spent doing this!)
Danny seems to be doing a little better and I hope he has given up the campaign to get as little sleep as possible. I think he said he was hoping to get at least 8 hours tonight.
One last thing before I go to bed... I just wanted to say happy birthday to Becky and Beth. I feel like I am forgetting someone. Well, forgive me. I have spent the last two hours filling out government forms! (And no body better forget mine!)

Another rainy monday

Things are okay around here. I have been keeping busy hanging out with friends and making some new ones. Not much to say, except that the cat is driving me crazy as normal. Her newest thing is prying the closet open and hiding in there. I don't understand it. She has the shortest memory span in the world. She will be laying on my lap purring then I have to get up and go to the bathroom or something. When I come back she acts like she is afraid of me and runs away. Someone suggested I should call her Dory (from Finding Nemo for those who don't know).
Danny has been writing me lately. He has been gone a week and things have been very stressful for him. It doesn't sound like he is getting a lot of sleep and hasn't adjusted to having duty everyday. To make matters worse, he just got kicked out of his room becuase someone else will be sleeping there. I don't know how long this will last or why it is okay ('cause he isn't getting a new room), but I just hope things get better for him. I told him "at least I won't kick you out of our bed" :).
Thats pretty much all the update for now. I am going to "new navy wife orientation" this week, so hopefully I will learn something.

Finally

So, I broke down and bought a couch yesterday. I swear it looks better than the picture lets on. It was a set of a sofa and a loveseat. I get it on the 3rd.

Things that remind me of home

This is more like an inside joke, but my dad used to have this on a shirt and I had to post it here so he could see it. The things I remember...

Trust me!

Yokosuka Report

Danny and I were on the Yokosuka report (the base's "televised magazine"). It should be online until the end of wednesday here if you wanna see it. http://www.cfay.navy.mil/News/YokosukaReport.htm

You know you are a Navy wife when...

You know you are a Navy wife when you are shopping in the commissary the day your husband leaves and you have to go home because they start playing love songs by Chicago over the speaker system and you think you are going to cry.

Guess who is alone again...

Yup, thats right. Alone. Again. I am already counting down the days til I go to Hong Kong. I find great joy in looking forward to that. Other than that, there isn't much to look forward to. My search for a job has been unsuccessful. I don't have much to say. This last weekend Danny and I went to Tokyo and participated in a festival in Yokosuka called the Mikoshi parade. We carried the Mikoshi through the streets of downtown Yokosuka and onto the base. Traditionally in Japan, a mikoshi looks like a small shrine and is said to carry a divine spirit. The navy has its own mikoshi that has the names of all the commands associated with the base. The mikoshi carriers where a shirt called a hapi coat, a good luck necklace and a cloth wrapped around the head like a head band. I will post pictures.
In Tokyo, Danny and I went to Akihabara (a area dedicated to technology, very popular with the American men) and Ueno. The first was obviously Dannys thing, he had a goal and a purpose, and the second was to keep me happy. In Ueno we walked around the Ueno park, which was huge and really beautiful and had McDonalds before we came home. I had McDonalds here before, but it tasted better this time and I am still excited about getting tea with sweetener and lemon.
I have a few things to accomplish soon. I heard they are having a 75% off sale at the furniture depot, so I gotta go look at that, and a navy wife orientation class next week. I was suposed to visit Sierra in Yokota, but I don't think it is going to work out. Since my birthday is soon, Kana is going to come to the house after she gets off work and spend the night here. I am really excited.
Alright, I am going to post some pictures now. Enjoy. P.S. Ueno is pronounced "oo-way-no"










Pictures: 1- Convience store 2- Yokohama 3-Danny in Ueno park 4- me in Ueno park 5- Danny and I in Ueno park 6&7- more Ueno park 8&9- Ueno/ typical Tokyo scene 10- Danny at Mikoshi parade

Pictures of our fuzzy baby

The shelter named her Sandy, but we are thinking about renaming her Mocha. She was being cute last night, but then she got mad at me for pushing her out from under the dresser at 11 last night. She did it again this morning, so now she runs from me and is hiding in some box downstairs. I am glad she got some bonding time with Danny before he left. 

Our new addition

Danny and I have a fuzzy child. She is a tabby cat named Sandy. I would post pictures, but she is always hiding in our cardboard forest. I bought a can of tuna today and bribe her with a few pieces. She will eat them out of my fingers. Actually, she licks it until it falls apart and waits for me to pick up and put it near her mouth again. I moved her dish way back into her hiding spot and I think she was eating earlier. Usually she shakes when I pet her, but she has a really loud purr if you find her happy spot (she likes butt scratches). I am hoping she comes out sometime during the day. She spent all of last night walking around the house meowing. I feel so bad for her. Hopefully she won't be freaked out tomorrow when Danny comes home.

Car Time

So I just wanted to let everyone know that Lori and I are finally getting a car. While the public transportation is great here, it's not always convenient. So anyway, we're getting a 1991 Nissan Skyline (yes, a Skyline). However, it's only a 4-banger and a 4 door, so it's not the sporty thing everyone always thinks about. Regardless, it's only $700 and it runs well and frankly that's all that Lori and I need. Anyway, I figured it was my turn to post so have a good one everybody!

Something new I discovered

So, I finally watched "Lost in Translation" tonight. The storyline is dumb, but it is so accurate to Japanese culture. It is funny to watch it and recognize so many things I have experianced myself. They are almost all little things like the sounds in the background (like the ravens, sirens or trains) or just recognizing places in Tokyo. If you haven't seen it, you should watch it. Ignore the story and just pay attention to the Japanese culture. It is hillarious for me and incredibly accurate. If you have watched it, you should again just to get a new perspective on Japan.
Since I am writing, just wanted to let everyone know that I am doing better than two weeks ago. Things don't go perfect all the time, but I have been trying to stay upbeat and busy. Danny is starting me on an exercise routine and I have been working on my garden, so I am happy. I think I am going to get brave tomorrow and explore by myself. There is SO much I want to see while I am here and am not going to sit around waiting for everyone else. Plus, I have more freedom to do what I want when I am alone.
In regards to my garden, my goal is to be voted first place yard while we're here. Danny and I are already talking about how we want to lay everything out. We should have a car soon, so I will be able to go to the Home Store (Japanese Home Depot or Lowes) and get some stuff. I am really excited and proud of it already. Most my plants were freebees from people who PSCed, but they're still plants. Even my potting soil was free!
I think there was one more thing I was gonna say, but I forgot. It will come to me later. Goodnight everyone.

Bebinca

We've got another typhoon....

More softball

Just some more pictures. 

Softball game

Last night, Danny played softball on base with a bunch of people from the ship. His team lost, but it was fun and I got a few pictures. There may be more later.

still here

Sorry I haven't written in a while. Not much to write about. Just wanted you to know that we're still alive. I'll write again in the next few days.