Adventures in Today

I know, I know, today isn't over yet, how could I have had enough adventures to write about already? Well, loyal readers, it's because I'm an adventuresome gal.

This morning I started with... laundry. It's out on the pole. I'm sure it's done by now. Before that I did some abs, hooray for me.

After elevensies (too early for lunch, but I didn't want to be hungry while I was out) I headed out on foot towards "downtown." I could have worn shorts, it's that warm today, but I opted for the jeans because my gams aren't in shorts form yet. I am currently in shorts, but that's in the privacy of my own home and its immediate vicinity.

I loaded up with the digital in my purse and the manual stocked with black and white T-Max and off I went in the hopes that there was something fun going on in town for Children's Day (Kodomo no hi). There wasn't. The brightest part of the trek were the three kids who wanted to speak English with me but couldn't, and walking DOWN BY THE RIVER.
What I learned from this walk: That it takes me about 30 minutes to get to the center of town. Hooray.

When I got back I chugged some water as I was hot, threw on some shorts and a tank top that no one needed to see me in, grabbed my Japanese book and went out to sit in the sun and study. I needed a reason to be in the sun. Now, Japanese women try to avoid the sun at all costs, either with a hat, an umbrella, or clothed to the wrists even playing tennis in today's heat. At first I was down with that, no pressure to have a great tan. However, my gringo sense of "beauty" has won over and I'd at least like to take the edge off my whiteness.

Within 15 minutes I was bored, so I "washed" the Mira and then the outsides of the windows as they were filthy with Chinese sand and dirt. Well, the dirt's probably Japanese. I came inside to wash me hands and get something to drink. As I was looking in the general direction of the sink I noticed something black move by the dish sponge. Upon closer inspection I found that it was a centipede.

Ok, in the States, at least the Northeast where I'm from, we have centipedes. Here in rural Japan we have centi-Mother's! This particular individual wasn't as big as I'm sure he could have been, and I'm using the past tense on purpose here. Those of you who know me know that I don't generally like to kill bugs - I will scoop them up and toss them outside. However, these mofo's are known to drop on your head when they try to cross the ceiling, and potentially to bite you leaving a nasty welt. And I definitely don't need more in my house. So it was down the drain with him, using Cooter's Patented Scary Bug and Spider Annihilation Technique (TM). I also subconsciously turned on the hot water, too, meaning I've fully mastered the Technique. Just like Ichigo, I am unaware of my full power. It just comes instinctively to me.

So, now, having taken a life, I am finishing up the leftovers of last night's Abbey's Famous Japanese Guacamole. It's famous because everyone at my house knows it. It's Japanese because I had to do some substituting. Like, instead of lime use lemon because you didn't see the lime until you'd already paid and were headed out the door of Valor. Instead of kosher salt use regular salt because nothing is kosher here. Instead of picante use no picante. Instead of cilantro, don't use the bagged stuff you bought hoping it was cilantro but which turned out to be something different altogether. Instead of tortilla chips use some funky corn "potato" chips. All in all, it wasn't that bad. A little bland, and now the leftover onion cuttings are stinking up the garbage that I forgot to put out this morning, so now they'll be there until Tuesday.

So, my goals for the rest of the day:
1. Don't spend any money.
2. Take advantage of the gams feeling good and go for a jammin' run.