Sunday!

Sunday I woke up in the spare room at James' apartment. I had woken up a few times during the night panicked because I didn't know where I was, but morning came finally! James offered coffee but I ate the sushi I had brought in my bag for breakfast. (I didn't want to shop on Sunday.) We all sat around joking and telling stories and THAT was a blast. Everyone was telling about the ways that their students make fun of them and I didn't have any stories to share. I said, "Well, ya know, my students love and respect me. What can I say?" LOL I think it would be great if they imitated me (and they may do so) but anyway.

After that, James and Devin took Allie and Tom to the station. Limor and I stayed back and hung out and talked. :) Then suddenly Limor gets a call. She turns around to the table, picks up a key and says, "I'm holding it right now." Ya, Allie left her car key at James' place. James and Devin had already left. Then a LONG while later Devin and James showed up. They had stopped by McDonalds and bought themselves breakfast. I'm glad I had brought that sushi! Poor Limor didn't get any breakfast! Though James had served coffee.

Then off Limor went to a music festival she was attending. Since I had an Ohanami celebration with the ward Monday morning I planned on getting home early enough to prep some food to take. Turns out that James and Devin were going to a beer festival in Morioka so we were able to take the train together. On the train everything just sort of hit me: the remarks made to me, other stresses, and my lack of sleep. I just started crying on the train. Luckily I had my sunglasses and James and Devin were asleep. I just wiped my tears and tried to get control of myself. I'm quite blessed to have friends in whom I can confide and who love me (mmm)! Even if they are all in the states. By the time we got to Morioka I was done crying. I led us through the station and left them near the taxis. I told them to text me later if they wanted to hang out after the festival and took off. Then I found my bike (where I'd left it the day before - it was chained!) and rode home. As soon as I got home, I showered and washed all my clothes. I had done laundry the day before but all those bars plus some members of our group smoke so even my skin and hair smelled of smoke. Then I relaxed. It was great! (I had missed church but I was able to sit and just chill. I read a little and Brother Shuwa - my home teacher called. It was pretty funny for me to see that he was calling because he doesn't speak a lot of English. But he soon handed the phone to Elder Preston and I told them I had been in Kitakami and that's why I missed church.) I cooked up the ham I received from the real estate company and put it in the fridge so I would only have to warm it up Monday morning for the ward party. I also defrosted chicken and made white stew this time with carrots and potatoes. Shortly after I had finished that I sat down to write my blogs and received a text. Everyone was down at Pirates (the bar where the owner was really cool to me and gave me free OJ) and they said I could come down for free. (The other time I had to pay a cover charge.) I wanted to see the other Interac people who had come up and I was eager to Karaoke again (I cannot get enough of it!). So I told them I would head down in a little bit and straightened my things, told Bruce about everyone being down there, and then jumped on my bike and headed down.

It took me a bit to find the place (as I'd only been there once before and had followed a group there), but I got there! Johnny was there (Scotlando) already SLOSHED but not running into walls. Then Scott and James and Devin. I don't know where everyone else went! In any case, we sang some karaoke, I played some electric guitar, and made some Japanese fans. This woman ran up to me and asked me to sing again. Aww! This other group of Japanese men really loved our group (this time I tried to pick songs that everyone would know) and sang and talked with us. I kept smelling my jacket trying to get out before my clothes smelled again. (Also, since I had washed my jacket, it was all wet and riding there had been COLD!) As it turns out, Wanted Dead or Alive is a good song for my range. I ended up singing that one solo, but most of the bar clapped for me when I was done. Aww shucks! - The Japanese ADORE Bon Jovi. One of the Japanese guys asked me to duet "Always" by Bon Jovi with him, but I don't know it. So I was unable to do so. I sang a couple duets with Devin who was kneeling on the floor by a group of Japanese women and causing them to blush and giggle and then he went over to Japanese men and did the same. Ya, I stayed in the same spot. I chatted with some people and then some things happened that told me, "Time to go!" So I said my goodbyes and headed out.

I rode home and to my chagrin, I smelled of smoke again. So I washed my clothes AGAIN and washed my hair over the tub as I didn't want my pillow to pick up the smell of smoke. I read Elder Uchtdorf's conference talk (so amazing) and went to bed. Then at .. 3h30 I got a call from James. He and Devin were looking for me place. So I tried to give them directions. James said they were on the 4. Devin said there were on the 106. I finally went out in search of them (with socks in my hair) but after 30 minutes of walking around town they informed me they were just going to catch a train to Kitakami. I wished them safe travel and got back to my place ASAP - after all my jacket was still wet and freezing. Back to bed I went. What a day!

Funny moments:

Allie started the night sleeping close to Limor (I was between Allie and the wall) and at one point I woke up and Allie was RIGHT THERE, in my face. Maybe I have more body heat? LOL Startled me though!

XOXO, A

oh p.s. happy birthday to Matt Bockholt!

All washed up!

Feels good to be clean!

I love making goofy faces!