Small Animal Zoo

On August 8th, we visited the Small Animal Zoo exhibit in Sakaiminato at Yumeminato tower. It's the same place where they had the New Caledonia Aquarium a couple of years ago and the Hikari(light) museum earlier this year. The animals were interesting. The sloth really seemed to like Junko. The meerkats were cute. They had a beaver and a capebara. The best was petting a giant tortoise. It was pretty cool, but I was expecting more petting zoo stuff where you can touch the animals, but only the tortoise. Afterward, of course we had soft serve ice cream, vanilla and pear. We passed on the haunted house upstairs in spite of Junko's persistence. Maybe next time.

 

Thomas and Company

This summer, Hana had a special visitor in her 2nd grade class at school. Thomas McKenna from America. His Father's American and Mommy's Japanese. They live in Boston, but come here to visit every couple of years. He and his sister 4th grade Alicia stayed about 1 month during America's Summer vacation. Japanese schools have about one month summer break in August. We all got together at Mr. Donuts right before they left, great family. Too bad I couldn't meet daddy. Hana and Thomas became good friends. They were constantly hamming it up. And Alicia took a real liking to Rika(who can blame her!)

Hana's Piano Recital

On July 16th, the day before Farrah and Jared came, Hana had her first piano recital at Bunka Hall in Yonago. Grandma and Grandpa came, too. She played the theme from, "My Neighbor, Tottoro with Rina-Sensei. She was a little nervous, but she did a great job. Next year, she'll try for a solo performance, and maybe it'll be time for Rika's recital, too.

Farrah and Jarod's visit

Here are great pictures of my poet cousin Farrah and her husband Jared when they came to visit me in Japan on July 17th. We only had a day and a morning. We visited the famous Tottori Sand Dunes. It was my first time in 12 years! They were pretty cool. It was powerful hot that day, not a place for little kids. No shade anywhere. We climbed the dunes and dipped our feet in the ocean on the other side and came back. The place was pretty amazing. It was great to see them. They're the only people from America to come and visit me since I was married!

Jared particularly seemed well acclimated to life in Japan, Peace!