NEKO CAFE Last Saturday I went with my new friend Tomoko to a Cat Cafe (or Cat'fe, as I like to call it.) You pay to sit around drinking tea and petting cats, which is somewhat of a luxury in a place where many of us are not allowed to have pets.

Today is my first virtually plan-less day for quite some time.
The weeks behind me have been amazing, then horrible, then quick, then endless...  But one thing these past several weeks have had in common is that they've been unapologetically BUSY!!!!

Leading up to today, I'd planned to spend it tidying up my house, working in my garden, and catching up on e-mails, letter/thank you card-writing, and this blog.  As it turns out, what I most needed to catch up on was SLEEP!  I got my first 8 hours of sleep in ages then got up and ate some fruit and watched Alice in Wonderland on DVD.  (Thanks, Tusculum CPC!!!!)  Then...I went back to sleep!!  I woke up and read a magazine (Thanks, Mom!!!!) Then...I took a 2 hour nap!!  ::sigh::  The funny thing is...it's now almost 4:30 in the afternoon and I've nothing to really show for it.  I haven't DONE anything productive, I haven't SAID anything worthwhile, I haven't even really EATEN anything substantial!!  Furthermore, I could *honestly* go. back. to. sleep....

It's true.

After that last nap, I decided to make myself something to eat.  I'm notably low on groceries at the moment (that was on my to-do list today as well), so I opted for the trusty good-any-time-of-day egg.  I made this crazy-good dinner for me and my friend Hugh last Tuesday, and bought a dozen eggs then, so there were 6 left.  (There was meant to be a potluck at my language school today, but the afore-described sleep marathon prevented me from attending.)  Yes, so I decided to fry a couple eggs.  "Maybe I'll even throw in a little basil from my garden," I thought.  I heated up my olive oil in the frying pan.  The bottle was nearly empty.  "I need to be sure to add that to my shopping list." I moved the pan around to cover the surface with oil. "Maybe I can go grocery-shopping after church tomorrow." I grabbed two eggs from the refrigerator. "I'll need to remember to bring my bags to church with me. ...Oh! And I should go by that open market to buy my produce!" I tapped the first egg on the counter and raised it over the pan... and as my thumbs pressed in...
GREENISH BROWN LIQUID ERUPTED FROM THE SHELL SPLASHING INTO THE PAN AND BEGINNING TO FRY BUT ALSO SPLASHING ONTO THE COUNTER, THE FLOOR, AND...MY ARMS AND LEGS!!!!!

I threw the pan into the sink beneath running water.  I threw the egg into the trash.  ...I was in a bit of shock, I think!  There I was just carryin' bout m'business and suddenly I'm covered in nasty stinky egg matter.  It was like an episode of "Fear Factor"!!!!!!!

I had no choice but to jump into my shower where I stayed a little longer than usual scrubbing the contaminated areas and collecting my thoughts.  When I opened the shower room door to get my towel, a cloud of egg-stank infiltrated my safe zone and I knew I needed to address the offender head-on and fast.  I cleaned up the counter, carried the trash bag out to my back porch, (Trash day isn't until TUESDAY!  Boo.) and attempted to rinse the pan.  Rotten egg is obstinate!  It was stuck on there like you wouldn't believe.  I poured in a bunch of soap and added hot, hot, hot water, and have now left it there to soak.

In two hours, I'm meant to be in Ebina for a hanabi (fireworks) display with the folks from the church there.  I definitely need to eat something before then, but...the egg option no longer appeals.  I also DEFINITELY need to clean that pan so it doesn't make the whole house stink while I'm gone.  It's just so GROSS!!  And...how do I clean it??  With my regular sponge??  I'll not be able to use it ever again and it's brand new! 

I tell ya, this is just one--granted, rather bizarre, and yes, somewhat comical--example of a trend I'm noticing more and more in my life here in Japan.  I am constantly faced with things with which I'd rather not be faced.  I'm constantly needing to do or expected to do things I don't know HOW to do.  Sometimes I surprise myself with the way I dive right in or the way I obliterate the challenges before me.  Sometimes I'm amazed by what I can achieve, how others receive me, and how exciting and lovely life can be when I fearlessly move through the challenges.  Other times (like this one), I notice that I'm cowering; that I'm an almost-paralyzed type of reluctant; that I'm wishing there was someone other than me to help take care of the issue...  But there isn't.

I'm the girl who must tote heavy bags up a huge hill to get home every day.
I'm the girl who must find her way when she gets lost in the world's most populated metropolis.
I'm the girl who must maintain a schedule that sometimes feels too crowded.
I'm the girl who must manage new relationships and friendships in a new place despite language barriers.
I'm the girl who must find English-speaking doctors and attend to my health, even when I feel I'd rather be taken care of.
And yes, I'm the girl who must get up and go in that kitchen and clean up that disgusting pan so that I can figure out what I will eat next.

I'm not alone.  Not at all.  I know that.  I feel that.

The depth of the friendships I have and the connection I have with my family are very, very powerful.  I'm also growing in my faith every day.  ...I guess, just sometimes, the sense of solitude grabs hold and there is nothing I want more than...someone with an iron stomach who can clean up a mess. ;)

BON ODORI This was a summer festival being held in my neighborhood.  I attended by myself and ended up joining in the dances, which were led by the women on the stage.