Ready for Visitors!
On Monday we turned in our loaner Japanese minvan and exchanged it for this IUV (Island Utility Vehicle). It is a 1999 Honda Stepwagon with 100,000 kilometers on it. We purchased this vehicle because it was the closest thing we could find to a VW Vanagon. As opposed to the VW Vanagon though, this thing actually passed its inspection and it hasn’t broken down yet. In case you are wondering, no this is not a minivan!!! We picked it up for a really good price. I had a hard time understanding the Japanese used car salesman, but I think he gave us such a good deal because the steering wheel is on the right side.
Although this is not a picture from the actual incident, it is included for reference. Many of the parks have tire swings like these. This week Denver and McCall were playing at the park. Denver found a nice girl who volunteered to spin him on the tire swing. Of course Denver accepted the offer and I looked on as she spun him around and around for about 15 minutes when Denver decided that he had enough spinning. As he stepped off a look at his ghost-white face gave an indication of what was soon to come. He blew chunks everywhere within about 10 seconds. Needless to say, it was hilarious to observe and Denver was able to learn first hand one of the great lessons of childhood.
We have been experimenting with the different kinds of Japanese noodles and Denver has really enjoyed all of the different types of ‘ramen’. That was until we encountered a type of Zarusoba made with buckwheat noodles. We began eating the noodles and after about 5 seconds Denver was complaining that he really needed a drink because his tongue was so itchy. A minute later I looked over and noticed that Denver’s lips had swelled to over twice the size of an East African Orangutan’s lips. Luckily we had our mobile pharmacy with us and we gave him some children’s Benadryl immediately. It was actually a bit nerve wracking when he went on to break out in hives, talk in a raspy voice, and breath with a heavy wheeze, but we were able to survive this incident without a hospital visit --- which happens to be a good thing, since we don’t know where one is located. So please don’t send Denver any buckwheat-containing products for Christmas.
Holly was shopping this week when McCall managed to grab some fingernail polish off of the shelf, get the cap off, and paint half the bottle on her face and body. Since McCall had used so much of the fingernail polish, and because it was also a cute color she had picked, Holly felt obliged to purchase the fingernail polish. As you can see, McCall has her ways of getting what she wants. To help reinforce to McCall that taking something off of the store shelf is not the way to get it, Holly painted her toenails and fingernails that evening. I just don’t understand why McCall can’t learn to behave.
The youth center at Kadena Air Base sponsored a youth cleanup of the seawall outside of the Base. For the task they equipped Denver with a garbage bag, white gloves, and a limited-edition commemorative t-shirt. Denver actually worked really hard. He happened to be the perfect size to slip down between the cement typhoon jacks and pick up the litter.
McCall did her part at the cleanup by being good for the 5 seconds of every hour that she happened to be walking by this portrait of Mr. Spongebob Squarepants, who lives in a pineapple under the sea and absorbent and yellow and porous is he.
Recuperating at the Kadena Marina Beach after a fun morning of litter cleanup. Holly and I took advantage of this time to lounge on the beach since it was the first time since we had arrived in Okinawa that we didn’t have to constantly look around and wonder where McCall was.
Sam's by the Sea
This is a really nice and fun seafood restaurant that we were able to try out on Saturday evening. After the meal Holly said of the meal: "I don’t know what kinds of fish I just ate, but that was the best meal I’ve eaten in my entire life." I tried lobster for the first time. For those who had been around Denver before he left, you might recall that he had been telling everybody how much he loved lobster and how excited he was to eat it. I offered to share my lobster with him and he was elated and I then decided to record his first taste of lobster....
First Japanese Cuisine – Osaka Airport. 5:00 p.m. Japan time – 2:00 a.m. Our Time. Our last layover waiting for our flight to Okinawa 
