Praying for peace of mind

While on our long bike ride yesterday, my family stopped by Akatsuka Hikawa Jinja in Itabashi.  For the most part, it is a pretty standard small neighborhood shrine.  There is a torii at the entrance, dirt grounds without any grass or vegetation besides very old trees, and stone paths leading from the entrance to the various buildings throughout the sacred grounds.

We noticed some small changes due to Covid 19.  The purification fountain had been turned off and there were not any ladles to cleanse one's hands.  At the main shrine building, the fabric used to ring the bells as part of the prayer had been tied up.  And the office building was closed (but that might have been for other reasons, you never know).  Despite all this, we took a few minutes to wander around and say a few prayers.

After visiting the main shrine, we looped around the building to see all the smaller shrines.  One of them made my husband stop in his tracks.  It housed the demon of smallpox (in Shinto if a demon is elevated to the level of a god then they can no longer do harm).  Long ago, Itabashi had a smallpox epidemic that was devastating to the region.  In response, many people went to the local shrine to pray for protection against the cruel disease.  They also displayed dolls dress in red in their house to protect their home and all the inhabitants from smallp.  It was believed that the demon was afraid of red.  In fact, the fear had some real ground to stand on, as one of the eventual treatments used to reduce scarring was the use of red lights.

The marks on the stone represent the scars left by smallpox.

While we didn't purchase any charms, we made sure to say prayers asking for protection against Covid 19.  As a pretty superstitious society, I was surprised that there weren't other people at the shrine seeking protection.

While I don't actually think praying at a shrine will protect me from a virus, I do think it is good to set my intention and ask for help when I am feeling helpless.

A complaint was lodged

Today was filled with ups and downs.  From the start of the day, my son and I were grumpy and short tempered with each other.  We'd make up and hug after a disagreement and then start quarreling very shortly thereafter.  We were just off on our rhythm all morning.  

Although it was a national holiday (Showa Day honoring the birthday of Emperor Showa), my husband had to work a half day.  By the time he wrapped up his work at noon, my son and I needed to a change of scenery.  

We decided a long bike ride was in order.  We headed out just after 12:00.  We biked for a while and then stopped to pick up some take out for lunch.  Then we biked a bit further and found a park to eat our lunch in.  After eating, we walked around the wooded area and let our son run around in an empty grassy field.  We hopped on our bikes again and rode some more.

We got home shortly before 4 pm.  Our positive attitudes had been restored and we felt refreshed by all the sunshine.  I asked if my husband and son could play outside for a few minutes to respond to a couple emails that needed attention.

They headed out to the courtyard with my son's rubber ball to play "basketball".  I had asked for 15 minutes, but they returned to the house after only 10.  My son had a sad look on his face and he told me that the woman next door (who never talks to us even when we bump into her in on the sidewalk) told him balls were not allowed in our courtyard.  

I understand this is a shared space, but I was shocked to hear "no balls allowed."  In the two and a half years we've lived here, we've never heard anything of the sort.  My husband shrugged his shoulders and said "maybe she was in a bad mood and we should just tread lightly for a week and then proceed as usual."  

While I agree with not making waves, I was mad.  Super mad, in fact.  Kids these days are having everything ripped away from them.  They aren't able to go to school.  They can't play with their friends.  They aren't even able to hang out with extended family members.  Vacations are gone.  Team sports, including my son's beloved ballet and swimming lessons, have been canceled.  Everything!!!

And now this woman was complaining about the one thing he still has - the ability to play just outside our door!  It wasn't even an obscene hour.  I never let him go out there before 9 am or after 5:30 pm.  Since there isn't a basketball hoop, his ball bouncing time only lasts for 10 to 15 minutes at a single stint.  He's been trying to teach himself to walk and dribble at the same time so he can dribble to the park someday and not worry about loosing his ball on the way.

I just wanted to scream and I could see that my son wanted to cry.  We hadn't been to the park today because of the holiday and the beautiful weather, as it gets super crowded on days like today.  But I didn't want his day to end on such a sour note.  So I gritted my teeth and said "let's go to the park!"  

I took him to a small local park that is basically a patch of dirt that we could bounce his ball in.  There were a couple other people there, so we just stuck to a tiny area in the corner.  Soon we were laughing and having a good time.

When we returned, my husband informed me that our lease said nothing about balls in the courtyard.  Instead, it said "no excessive noise or violent activities."  To me, a bouncing rubber ball for 15 minutes is not excessive or violent.  But whatever.  I shall heed my husband's advice and be quiet for a bit.  But I will also be angry with this woman for a very long time.

Granola time

I've been cooking even more than usual since going into quarantine over a month ago.  Many things I was already making, but some of it is to replace things that I used to buy.

I'm still making copious quantities of yogurt, using about a gallon of milk a week to make it.  I think I am still making up for lost time after not having thick organic yogurt for the first two and a half years of living in Tokyo.  But now I am making the granola that we sprinkle on top instead of buying it at Costco.

I don't buy Japanese brands of granola because it is more what I would consider to be a muesli.  Although once I found a little café that made and packaged their own granola in Nishiwaseda.  I bought some of their packaged granola and my son and I gobbled it up.  If I'm ever in the neighborhood, I will be buying more granola at Forucafe!

My friend emailed me a granola recipe from a beloved cookbook that I didn't bring to Japan with me.  I already had all the ingredients.  With my son's help, we whipped up a batch in just a couple minutes.  He enjoys weighing everything out and being my official stirrer, which makes things go much faster because I concentrate on getting things in and out of the cupboard as well as heating items as required by the recipe.

Naturally Sweet Food in Jars by Marisa McClellan

I did substitute walnuts for pecans.

As we wrapped up the granola, I realized that I was almost out of real maple syrup from Canada.  This was a special bottle we brought to Japan with us.  It's robust flavor is perfect for baking.  While I am certainly used to living without many favorite items, some are harder than others.  Also, running out of beloved items only makes it more real that it has been way too long since I've been to the US.

I know I can replace the syrup at the import store.  It will be with a different brand and grade.  But I won't be completely out.

If I don't get around to picking any more maple syrup up at the store, I guess next time I'll have to use a different recipe!

Tight parking spot

It is pretty hard to get a drivers license in Japan.  I've heard that the driving test is pretty difficult to pass.  So, most people choose to go to a driving school.  If they pass the class, they don't have to take the driving portion of the test at the Department of Licensing.

I didn't have to take a test or go to a driving school because I fell into a special group of people that is just allowed to exchange their license for a Japanese one.  Despite having a Japanese driver's license, I have never used it except for ID.  I honestly think it is better that way.

Every time I see a crazy tiny parking space at someone's home, I am reminded that it is a good thing that I don't drive here.  I think I would ding up a vehicle very quickly trying to park around here!

I often wonder if they bought the car to fit in the spot, or if they made the spot to fit the car.

Rubbing elbows

I've often said that houses in Japan don't have any elbow room.  As my family took a walk today through a neighborhood (instead of a park), I couldn't help but once again notice the closeness of people's homes.  While we are still advised to stay at home, we decided wandering around smaller streets with next to no foot traffic was a smarter decision than going to the park on this day with glorious weather.  This way we would get our Vitamin D with reducing the potential of crowds.

We currently live in a townhouse, but many stand alone houses are less than an arm's reach from their neighbors.  My apartment in Osaka (back in 2002) was approximately 7 inches away from the building next door.  I'm not joking.  I could stretch out my thumb and pinkie and touch both buildings!  I often wondered about fire codes when I lived there.

The closeness of buildings didn't bother me a bit today.  Instead it reminded me that I was in Japan.  It has actually been easy to forget at times since we've been at home for the majority of the past month.  In fact, I've been jolted back to the reality every time I've been to the store.  It really is the most stressful part of my week.

As we wandered around, I smiled at the familiar architecture.  All these various styles of homes stacked upon each other, creating a quilt of sorts that just screams Japan to me.  The tiny yards, the building materials, the cars squeezed into parking spaces... it all comes together.

Tiny yard filled with a tiny garden that will bring 

so many wonderful vegetables to this family!

It would be odd to me if people had American-sized yards in the major towns of Japan.  It just wouldn't be right.

Still renting in Japan

Just in case you were wondering, movie rental shops still exist.  Just because Blockbuster went under, doesn't mean the rest of the world goes without.

Today we popped by the local video store, Tsutaya (t-sue-ta-ya).  It is actually a bookstore, not a video store.  However, in every Tsutaya I have been in, the first floor was dedicated to books, magazines, and stationary, while the second floor is video rentals.

Being homebound, we've greatly relaxed our tv watching limitations.  So we made a quick list of videos to seek out and headed over.  That way we wouldn't spend a lot of time browsing.

Last time I lived in Japan, the video store was a lifeline for me.  When I needed a break (and couldn't get to the closest Starbucks), I would rent a video.  It was a little escape to someplace fun or interesting whenever I needed one.

Tonight I am re-watching one of my all time favorite movies, You've Got Mail.  It makes me feel a range of emotions, including gratitude for not having to deal with dial-up anymore!  Every time I turn it on, I'm sucked right into the story.  My husband loves to watch it because I misquote it all the time - attributing a quote to You've Got Mail that is actually from Forest Gump (Birdie didn't buy stock in some fruit company, instead she bought Intel at 6!).  Whatever gets him to watch it again is fine with me.

It may have taken us almost three years to walk into Tsutaya, but in this super crazy time, I'm so glad it is there, offering its services of escaping reality.

A place to vent

I was able to take a bit of time for myself today and join a group chat of moms.  While my husband worked and my son watched a couple episodes of Mister Roger's Neighborhood, I chatted with friends.

It was so good to talk about the difficulties of parenting during a quarantine, especially admitting that no one knows how to do it!  Emotions can run high when life is so crazy.  My son has been super edgy the last couple days.  He's obviously processing the strange environment we are currently in.

If I can't wrap my mind around a pandemic, how can I expect a 6 year old to do it?  All I can do is listen to his worries and hold him when he cries.

Talking with the other moms didn't really give me any concrete solutions.  After all, there aren't any guidebooks in how to deal with the ramifications coronavirus.  But just knowing we were all in this together, giving the best we can, reenergized me.

Bringing back a classic

Growing up, I watched my fair share of Mister Roger's Neighborhood.  Since that time, I have held a special place in my heart for the cast and creators of that show.

When my son was little, he loved watching Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood - a spin off of Mister Roger's Neighborhood's Land of Make Believe character Daniel Tiger.  He was so obsessed, we took him to meet the character when we lived in Seattle.

As he grew older, we transitioned from Daniel Tiger to Mister Roger's Neighborhood.  We brought a collection of his shows with us to Japan.  It is a good thing we did, because they do not have Mister Rogers in Japan.

As much as that saddens me, my son doesn't really realize that his friends don't know who this gentle man is.  Since we have been isolated, he has asked to watch Mister Rogers several times, explaining "he makes me happy."

Today, my husband and son worked together to recreate the Land of Make Believe in Legos.  It was a fun project for them.

They just used their imaginations and went to town.  Well, they built the town anyway.

It saddens me that the era of Mister Roger's is over.  We need him now more than ever.  If only there was a social isolation episode I could refer back to.

Same schedule, different day

We are very into a routine in our home.  Some might say stuck in a rut.  But it is working for us.  I'm encouraged to see how eager my son is to do "school work" and how much he's improved with reading, writing, and math, because we work on these almost every day (sometimes we have pajama days).

He's doing so well working one on one, but I am wanting to give him more.  I wish I had some sort of curriculum to follow.  Beyond a couple worksheets from the school (which he quickly finished) and a remedial TV program, we've received no further instruction from the school.

The look of pride on his face yesterday after reading two books in Japanese and today after reading one in English, is so heartwarming.  Obviously things are going well at the moment.  I'd like to continue this upward momentum.

Cluster at the hospital

The hospital down the street has announced it has a cluster of Covid-19 diagnoses.  9 to be exact, including 7 nurses and 2 patients.  The infections were diagnosed between April 17th through 20th.

They've closed their doors to outpatient and emergency patients, but the fact of the matter is that hundreds of people could have been exposed.  They are currently tracking down 70 patients to test them for the virus.

I had to pass by the hospital on the way to the store today.  They have tents set up outside.  I've been told they are for Covid-19 screenings.

With a deep breaths, and extra hand washings, we just have to continue on.  We will continue isolating and doing our best to avoid this nasty virus.

The sun will come out tomorrow

The weather has been quite crazy lately.  Rain one day, then sunny and beautiful the next.  Back to rainy, and so on and so forth.  It is very trying on already strayed nerves.

Although today was a rainy day, I had shorts on my mind.  My son refuses to stop growing, no matter how much I tell him to stop it.  This means his jeans are now highwaters.  Luckily it is the season (supposedly) to cut loose and let his knees see the sun.

I decided not just to chop them off, but give them a little flair by adding fun cuffs.  It didn't take very much time at all to sew them on and they turned out super cute.

While I spend most of my time keeping my son entertained, it is nice to entertain myself a little bit here and there.

Our own salad

Tonight's dinner featured a salad straight from the pots in our little "yard", or as we call it, the rock garden.  The little lettuce starts we bought have a few big leaves.  Our pea shoots are doing great, even after I gave them a little trim.  I even cut a few celery leaves to join in the party.  It was a little taste of sunshine on our dinner plates.

Planted just 10 days ago, I'm amazed that we are already eating homegrown food.  It is such a pleasure to eat fresh salad right now.

I've never grown microgreens before, but it was easy to do after watching a couple videos on the topic.  Basically, you start the seeds in really cramped spaces.  When they are just about bite size, cut and eat!  They are packed with vitamins, and super, super tasty.  Plus, they are quick and easy to grow!

Don't let the rain get you down

When I went to bed last night, the rain had already begun to fall.  I could hear it as I lay in my bed trying to fall asleep.  Sleep is very elusive these days.

As dawn broke, the rain was still pouring down.  Since we didn't go out at all on Friday, I wasn't going to let a bit of rain keep me inside on Saturday.  After a wonderful breakfast in bed, made by my husband and son, we got dressed for a drenching.

My husband set up the bathtub to be ready when we got home.  One of my favorite features of a Japanese bathroom is the bathtub that can be ready at a specific time!  Thank you modern technology.

My son and I headed out (my husband thought we were crazy) into the rain with smiles on our faces.  He immediately ran for any patch of water he could find.  What is it about kids and water?  Give them permission and they just go crazy with joy.

The rain fell from the sky in buckets, but we didn't care.  We ran and jumped and laughed so loudly.  By the time we got to the park, it we found a place of joy we haven't felt in some time.

We found super deep puddles, which were promptly stomped in.  We found space to scream and let out the frustrations of the current state of the world.  We found rocks to throw, that made awesome and satisfying splashes.

After almost 2 hours in the rain, it was time to come home.  Despite our rain gear, we were soaked from our splashing.  Since my husband had stayed home, he was able to greet us with towels on the floor to the bathroom where we took our hot bath.

For the rest of the day, I have felt a sense of calm.  The release of stress was cathartic.  I kept smiling every time I recalled hearing my son say "Thanks mom.  That was epic!"

The world is still a very scary place.  Playing in the rain didn't solve anything.  But even when I heard later in the day that the hospital just a few blocks from our home have confirmed a nurse is infected with coronavirus, I wasn't overwhelmed with fear.  It wasn't another block stacked on a wobbly tower.  Instead it was something to note and reenergize my diligence to safety - wash often, reduce outings, and keep in touch with loved ones via technology.

Pajama Day

Sometimes you just need a pajama day.  A day where you don't get dressed and just do the least work possible.  Of course with a 6 year old, one cannot really do nothing all day.  But we did our best.

We watched some television, including the school promoted program.  I read several chapters of "Ramona and Her Father" aloud.  My son colored, played Legos, and finished his math homework.  I cooked lunch and my husband cooked dinner.  My husband also worked all day, but my son and I did not.  We vegged.

Part of me is disappointed we chose to do this today, because tomorrow is supposed to be rainy.  But when you need to phone it in, you should!

Expanding the Emergency

The State of Emergency in Japan has been expanded to the entire country effective today.  Previously, it was only effective in seven prefectures.

Japan now has over 9,000 confirmed cases nationwide.  28% of these cases are in Tokyo.  The total number of cases has doubled in the past week and the location of diagnosed patients has spread drastically recently.  My husband and I really aren't surprised by this upgraded declaration.  Any time we venture out (which is for our morning exercise walks and grocery store visits only), we lament about the numbers of people out and about, as well as how we feel like they are not abiding by proper social distancing protocols.

In combination with the rise of infections, the cluster of holidays, known as Golden Week, is coming up.  There were several people interviewed on the news tonight that whined about having to cancel their Golden Week plans.  I found myself yelling at the television.  Of course, they are interviewing the people that are already out and about during the encouraged isolation period...

In the hopes to keep people home, the government expanded the State of Emergency to simply say "STAY HOME PEOPLE!!!"

Tune in

We've been pretty much sticking to our schedule that we set up in anticipation of staying home during spring break.  But since my son has been home since March 18, the schedule has become a routine.  We like the routine.  It helps the days pass and gives us some direction.

This week we've been getting emails from the elementary school.  The email told us to have our son start the homework they sent home with him in the welcome packet.  The second email told us to have our son watch a local TV program at 8:30 am.

We had to shorten our walk in order to get back in time for the program.  For the next 30 minutes, our son watched intently to a presentation of exercises (which he also did), a statement from Tokyo's Governor, a Japanese lesson, and a math lesson.

He wasn't necessarily entranced, but he also didn't seem bored.

While most of my friends in the US are reporting online classes for their kids, this is Tokyo's version.  It reminded me of public access shows from the 1980's and 90's. I had to raise my eyebrows when they started covering how to write numbers 1 through 5.  Would all of it be this remedial?  Do they really expect the first graders to not know their numbers?

I get that the prefecture is trying to help out parents that feel burdened, but I don't feel that way.  And in my cranky attitude, I feel a bit intruded upon by a television.  Ack!  Like kids need more television!  And why does it have to be during our favorite time to walk?  And why do I have to use such a whiny voice to complain about this?

I'm sure it will be fine in a day or two.  But right now I am not enjoying this.

Lasagna made with memories

There are certain foods that make people remember certain events and places.  For me, asparagus lasagna will always hold a special place in my heart.

Back in 2003, I was engaged to my (now) husband.  Even though we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together, I needed to head back to the US to get a job and prepare for the start of our married life.  Before leaving, I wanted to do something nice for my fiancé.  I often joke that I needed to give him something to remind him of me.  I decided the best course of action was to cook him something.

I borrowed my neighbor's oven (a little toaster oven of sorts that used a lightbulb to cook the food) and made him several individual-sized portions of lasagna.  I assembled and baked them in little paper cake pans from Daiso (the Japanese version of a dollar store).

The most memorable of those lasagnas was the asparagus lasagna.  It is made with a cream sauce and lots of the scrumptious spring vegetable.  It was just a recipe I found online.  Every time I make it (which is very, very rarely), my husband always smiles and says "this tastes familiar!"

Even though it is clearly NOT a Japanese recipe, it always reminds me of Japan.  And it always brings a smile to my face.

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I couldn't find the recipe online.  Luckily I printed it out many, many years ago and stuck it in our family recipe book.  I got the recipe from Food Network, but it says it was adapted from a Gourmet Magazine recipe.  I've made a couple adjustments because the original recipe had some typos.

ASPARAGUS LASAGNA
makes 1 - 8"x8" pan, 4 servings

2 pounds medium asparagus, trimmed
1.5 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
8 sheets instant (no-boil) lasagna
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup water
4 ounces mild goat cheese - I cannot find goat cheese in Japan, so I use mascarpone cheese and a spoonful of plain greek yogurt
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Cut the tips off each asparagus spear and reserve them.  In a large baking pan, toss the asparagus stalks with oil, coating them well.  Roast the stalks in a preheated 500°F oven, shaking the pan every few minutes, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until crisp tender.  Sprinkle the stalks with salt and let cool.  Cut the roasted asparagus stalks into 1/2 inch lengths and reserve it.
2. Reduce the heat of the oven to 400°F.
3. In a large bowl of cold water, let the sheets of lasagna soak for 15 minutes.
4. In a saucepan, melt the butter, add the flour, and cook the roux over moderately low heat, stirring, for 3 minutes.  Add the broth and water in a stream, whisking, simmer the mixture for 5 minutes.  Whisk in the goat cheese (or substitute), zest, and salt to taste, whisking until the sauce is smooth.
5. Drain the pasta well.  Place 1/4 of the sauce on the bottom of a buttered 8 inch square baking dish.  Arrange 2 noodles in the dish and spread with 1/4 of the sauce.  Top the sauce with 1/3 of the roasted asparagus and sprinkle with 1/4 of the Parmesan.  Continue to layer the pasta, sauce, asparagus tips, and Parmesan in the same manner, ending with a sheet of pasta (you should still have the asparagus tips, 1/4 cup of Parmesan, and the heavy cream remaining).
6. In a bowl, beat the cream with a pinch of salt until it holds soft peaks.  Arrange the reserved asparagus tips over the pasta.  Spoon the cream over the asparagus tips, spreading it with the back of a spoon, and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan on top.
7. Bake the lasagna in the middle of the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until it is golden and bubbling.  Let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Comfort food needed, enter latkes

As I lay in bed this morning, I listened to the rain.  It was pour down so forcefully I could hear it coming down and hitting the world.  My room was cold as well, adding to the yearning to not get out of bed.  My husband, as usual, got up with our son and fed him breakfast.  I stayed curled up under the covers, reading my texts, email, and Facebook updates as long as I possibly could.

On Sundays, I can stay in bed late.  My son often cooks breakfast with my husband on Sundays and brings it up to me, along with a lovely cup of tea.  But on Mondays, I have to get up.  My husband needs to work and his office is in our bedroom.

I begrudgingly got out of bed this morning and met with a cheerful child in the living room.  My mood fit the weather - cold and miserable.  I summoned up all my energy and asked "do you want to go for a walk in the rain?"  He shrugged and said "no thanks.  I'd rather stay inside today."  Well,  I wasn't going to fight him on that one.

We turned on our favorite farming YouTube channel and watched beautiful scenes of cows being milked, eggs being collected, and kale growing abundantly while cuddling on the couch.  After an hour and a half, it was time to get moving.  We proceeded with our regular Monday schedule of cleaning, workbooks, phone calls, lunch, and math.  After math, I threw in the towel.  I had given my all.  We did a couple puzzles and played memory while watching more farm videos.  My son told me how he wanted to have a cow someday.

Although the day dragged on and on, time finally came to think about dinner.  All I wanted was comfort food.  After thinking for a moment, I decided to make latkes for dinner.  Using the food processor to shred the potatoes and onion, makes latkes quick and easy work.  My son was eager to feed everything through the food processor and mix up the batter of egg, flour, potato starch, baking powder, salt, and pepper.  I concentrated on squeezing out the liquid from the potatoes and onions before letting him combine everything.

A quick moment in the hot oil, and the latkes were done and ready to eat.  We enjoy them with a dollop of sour cream (actually plain yogurt that I make).

I served the latkes with some eggs scrambled with onion, garlic chives, broccoli, and cheese.  Dinner with super simple, but delicious.

The sun is expected to shine tomorrow.  Hopefully, my energy will be revitalized by the sunshine.  In the meantime, I will relish in the enjoyment of a scrumptious, comforting dinner.


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My favorite latke recipe is from smittenkitchen.com.

Temakizushi at home

We didn't even bother getting dressed today.  We simply hung out and didn't do much.

Even when it came to dinner, it was super simple.  We decided to have temakizushi.  We were able to get a variety of sashimi-grade fish, sesame leaves, and sprouts from the fish shop right next to our house.  We already had everything else - rice (that we mixed with vinegar, sugar, and salt to make into sushi rice), sausages, eggs, and nori (sheets of dried seaweed).

After making the rice, my husband whipped up some tamagoyaki, also known as a rolled omelet.  He also grilled the sausages and plated the raw fish.  I was in charge of quickly toasting the nori.

My husband and son love to eat a family specialty of a mini sausage, tamagoyaki, sprouts, and mayonnaise.  But they also like to mix it up.  Tonight they added eel to their special handrolls some of the time.

The sesame leaves are pretty non-traditional, but we really like them.  Many people put a shiso leaf on their tamakizushi, but it can be a bit too strong in flavor.  We layer the leaf in the handroll between the rice and fish layers.  In fact, we liked it so much, I think I will see how difficult it is to grow them.

Tamakizushi is always a hit in our home.  It is the pleasure of a sushi dinner without leaving our house.  We're having to make a lot of these choices recently.  But we feel it is the best choice for our family.

Stay home people!

My son and I spent the whole day inside.  My husband stepped out to buy groceries for dinner, but otherwise was home with us all day as well.

We did a couple science projects.  We played games.  We even watched some farming YouTube videos.  My son was super excited because we finally got around to making black hummus.  Instead of using regular tahini, we used black sesame paste.  It looked like wet cement or the charcoal ice cream we enjoyed on top of Mount Fuji, but tasted just like "regular hummus."

I felt a little claustrophobic not going outside, but knew it was important to avoid going to a public place as much as possible.  Covid-19 numbers are rising quickly in Tokyo.  We has almost 200 new diagnoses in this prefecture today.

We made the decision that my husband would go to the store by himself.  Fewer hands touching things and so forth.  When he returned home, he reported crowds of people leaving the park.  It was so disappointing to hear.  People just don't seem to get the importance of staying home right now.

The news tonight didn't give me much more confidence.

Tokyo is already in an uphill battle.  It is one of the most crowded cities in the world.  The government is pleading with people to stay home, but the constitution prevents them from mandating everyone to stay home.

I guess we'll just do our part and hope everyone else follows suit.

Loving our morning walks

I am loving our morning walks.  Starting our day with a breath of fresh air and stretching our legs is a great way to start the day.  My son and I have even made a game out of finding funny things on trees.  It started with a smile and a tree trunk eating a bar, but has progressed to several other things.  We really like finding hearts!

The one thing about social isolation is slowing down and really taking the time to notice the small things.

Growing projects

Each spring I get an itch to plant things and be in a garden.  This urge is nothing new for me.  Despite this feeling, I decided to not renew my pea patch (community garden plot or allotment).  The soil was very poor and I didn't have the capacity to nurture it when I didn't have the guarantee of keeping it long term (the city only promises you can use that same plot for 2 years).

Take this desire, plus the need to stay indoors and/or close to home these days, and I knew it was time to get creative with growing a bit of food.

While flipping through one of my son's books of science experiments, I saw some vegetable regrowth activities.  Feeling inspired, we grabbed a carrot top and decided to regrow the tops.  Carrot tops can actually be eaten.  I've made pesto with them and they can also be added to salads.  It has been fun to watch the leaves grow each day, as we can really see a difference in height.

Next we grabbed some peas and decided to try growing pea shoots using two methods - in a jar with a paper towel and in a small amount of seed starting soil.  After almost a week, the soil is the clear winner in the pea progress.  We might be able to eat those as early as next week!

We've also been growing things in containers in our rock garden.  The potatoes are doing great in their "potato bags" and the peas are happy campers.  We also planted chamomile (transplanted from the pea patch) and lettuce.  We've also started basil and beans.

It's been nice tending to the little plants as they grow big and strong.  I like having the touch of green right outside my door.  I spend some time out there everyday while my son gets some fresh air.  He loves to water them and look for changes in the plants.  In time, he'll be busy eating everything as well.