Maru In Snow

I am not sure how much Maru actually gets outside but this is fun to watch. I bet if his owner put out a waxed cardboard box, he would be all over that!!


Still my favorite YouTube kitty!!
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Four Years Ago on In My Words...Maru and Many Boxes (big surprise)

Maru...Just Because

This kitty makes me so happy...he is so determined and then so content.




I am so glad his owner has chosen to share him with all of us...lol

Old Comforts

One lovely thing about finally getting all of our stuff and then getting it unpacked is seeing some of the stuff we have had in storage for years, once again.

This cup is one of my souvenir purchases before we left Japan the last time, and it is one of my faves for a big cup of tea or even to use as a soup bowl. It has a small map of the island as well as some map points of some of the major spots on the island. It also has the name of the island and country in kanji on the sides.
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Two Years Ago on In My Words...Two Favorite Things

Smile 62/100 Curry

Okay, so there is this awesome fast Japanese curry place in Japan call Coco's. For most of us that have lived there, we have had addiction problems with it at one time or another.

Leaving Japan makes most of us into recovering addicts. There aren't many places outside of Japan that this restaurant is found so we are forced to make do.

One of the ways that I do this, is by using the closest Japanese curry I can find and creating a little bit of "Coco's" in my own kitchen. Now if you have really good friends still living in Japan, you can occasionally get them to send you actual real packets of Coco's curry, but if not, Golden Curry in the black box is the next best thing.

For this particular dish, I varied a bit in that I used leftover jasmine rice I had in the fridge rather than using Japanese rice. I used Trader Joe's chicken drummettes because they are the "cleanest" freezer breaded chicken that I can find, and then I added fresh quartered mushrooms.

One of my favorites to have at the real Coco's, was a seafood one, so I might have to try this with shrimp next time.

I took in our kitchen this picture with my Fuji Finepix f50 with no flash but with the macro turned on. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color and light and then aded the fuzzy border.
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Five Years Ago on In My Words...Yummy In My Tummy

Maru Gets Me Every Time

I love this kitty...and now with his year old friend Hana, it just gets better.


These two are hilarious. It is so obvious that Hana doesn't get the box thing the same way Maru does, and he seems so content with just his face peeking through...

It looks like from these newer videos that Maru and his family live in a new home and everyone seems to be adapting well.
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 One of my first posts about Maru...Maru And The Very Small Box

Smile 9/100 Japanese Maple

This is the third house we have had, that had a Japanese Maple in the yard...it is weird that it happens that way.

The first one we had wasn't as small as this one but I really like the shape and location of this one. We put in a little Japanese lantern almost as soon as we took the house over from the rental company. I can't wait to get our shisa dogs and put them out on the porch.

This little guy just got all its leaves on and they are just such a great color that I couldn't pass up getting a shot of it.

I took this picture in the evening in our front yard. I used my Fuji Finepix f50 with no flash. I edited the image in GIMP 2.6 for color, light and to add the fuzzy border.
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Seven Years Ago on In My Words...New Eggs To Watch

POTD Day 18 Five Years Ago

This picture is of my friend's foot in tabi socks and geta sandals with her kimono at my first traditional Japanese tea ceremony.

I joined Okinawa International Women's Club (OIWC) the fall of 2008 and in March our culture group had a tea ceremony. One of our members and her mother were tea ceremony senseis and they had a tea ceremony facility connected to their home. When we did this same ceremony the following year, I had all my kimono parts and was actually able to dress in kimono for the event and it was such an honor.

I really took advantage of our time in Japan during this second opportunity we had to live there and tried to submerge myself in the culture whenever I could. OIWC was a huge part of that. I made life long friends in that group and will forever be thankful for the adventures, experiences and friends.

I took this pic in the morning with my Fuji Finepix f50 with no flash. I edited it in GIMP for color, light and to add the fuzzy border.
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Five Years Ago on In My Words...Kimono Adventure, this has pics of my kimono parts and then some images of me in it at one of our luncheons.

POTD Day 13 Perfect

This is the perfect lunch or dinner. I don't usually do rolls, but on occasion it is just the ticket. Some good edamame and a hot pot of green tea almost always compliments this. Finding really good sushi is kind of hard when you live 3+ hours from the coast.

Most of the sushi restaurants around here are actually run by Korean families, but that is okay because that means not only do you get good sushi but you also get good Korean food too!

This picture was taken at the restaurant I treat myself to when making the trek to the grocery store.

This picture was taken with my Fuji Finepix f50, no flash but with the macro enabled. I edit it in GIMP 2.6 for color, light and added a fuzzy border.
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Six Years Ago on In My Words...Musubi

POTD Day 2 Favorite

Oh my gosh...Norikane is one of my favorite artists, and I only discovered him a few years ago. I had gone to a fundraiser at a local gallery when we were in Japan and saw this piece and fell in love. For me, a lot of the time, art is about the story and when I saw this print, I just felt there was a story and I loved it.

We actually now own 5 or 6 of Norikane's prints and they all make me smile, each one with a story, which I think is kind of just his style. This one is called Miyajima-2 and I thought that the shrine torii with the water beneath just was so cool. I wanted immediately to know what the story was. This link explains part of it, if you are interested.

I took this picture in our office in our house in Japan with my Fuji Finepix f50. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color, light and added the fuzzy border.
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My other posts about Norikane's works that we have.

POTD Day 18 Happy Place

Beaches...gosh I love beaches! This pic was taken while collecting seaglass with one of my girlfriends while we were in Japan. Beaches have always been a calming and relaxing source for me. I love everything about the beach...the water, the sun, the waves, the sand, the seaglass...etc.

When we lived in Japan, we lived 2 blocks from the beach. I saw it everyday and now that I only see it in pictures, I miss it so much. Both times we lived there, we had to drive along the beach just to check our mail...we actually probably didn't appreciate that we had the beach there for the taking each and everyday.

It gives you perspective when you lose something you didn't realize was so important to you. These days, the beach is a 3 hour drive...thank goodness we have lakes and rivers to help with the withdrawls...

I took this pic with my Fuji Finepix f50, no flash, macro enabled. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color, light and then added the fuzzy border.
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Six Years Ago on In My Words...Ocean

Maru Has A Friend

Looks like Maru has a new housemate named Hana...she is a cutie and full of spunk! Seems Maru is not completely sure what to do about her...LOL.

I haven't seen the full story (if there is one) on how Hannah came to be part of the family, but I sure it will come out eventually.

I am happy for Maru to have a playmate!
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Last Year on In My Words...Newish Maru

Sushi Options

We don't have a lot of options for Asian food here.

At times I have to put in orders to my sister who lives near a couple of really good stores so I can get ingredients for some of my Thai and Vietnamese recipes. We do have a really small Japanese and Korean market that I can use and it is attached to a little Japanese/Korean restaurant. This establishment is in the same parking lot with my main grocery store so I treat myself to sushi there sometimes.

Between this place and another place near my house, I have found pretty decent sushi (nothing will ever be like eating it in Japan), but the one near our house is a lot more expensive.

I don't get to use my minimal language skills much because most of the people that work in both establishments are not native speakers and I don't want to put them on the spot, but I do thrown in a few konichiwas and arigatos when I get a chance.

So anyhow, on this day, I was enjoying a roll (which I usually refrain from), some ocha, and some edamame. It was a nice little snack before tackling the grocery shopping.
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Six Years Ago on In My Words...Anyone Want A Drink?

Soup And Tea

Trying to fight off a head cold I probably picked up on the plane on the trip to the midwest I took last week. Been living on fluids, soups, vitamins and rest...

So I took this udon soup and added fresh garlic, fresh ginger, and fresh green onions for lunch...made up some genmai-cha (green tea with roasted rice) as well. Should be a nice boost to the immune system (fingers crossed).

Last night, I took some egg drop soup and added the same fresh ingredients to it for dinner and added some warmed up jasmine rice I had in the fridge for extra calories. It tasted pretty good. I have bouillon for pho bo, tom yum and tom kha, so I am covered for a while and still don't have to eat the same soup twice!

Gotta run, want to get to this beautiful bowl of soup before it cools down!
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Five Years Ago on In My Words...Calendars, Etc

Final Product

Still had to weave in ends

Finished the blanket up last week and sent it in the mail to my niece this week. It came out better than expected and I am sure she is going to love it. I have a lot of yarn left over since I purchased yarn before I completely knew what I was going to do design-wise, so I am thinking I might make the extra yarn into squares and then just store them until a new projects rears its head.

I have started working on the stitching for my quilt from Japan again...would love to get the face of it done so that when the fabric for the rest of it gets here, I will be ready to go. I try to have a little creative something to do while watching TV or a movie. Makes me feel like I am being productive.

Don't know if I have another blanket in me right away but we'll see. I am sure I will see a pattern somewhere that I want to do and then creativity will take over. In the meantime, I have my photos and the Japanese quilt to work on, and of course my A+ certification I should be studying for...LOL
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Two Years Ago on In My Words...Finished The Blanket (this is a blanket I made for one of my other nieces)

So Glad To Have Found Maru

I swear, this kitty makes me smile...this one is a collection of Maru and some of his favorite boxes...he seems content to just have his head in one if he can pulll it off.

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Eight Years Ago on In My Words...Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Maru Fix

My sister shared this video with me today...loved it and the Sunny Spot one right after it. Needed a little Maru fix for sure and here it is.
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Eight Years Ago on In My Words...Tolerance Is A 9 Letter Word
I wonder if we have learned anything in these eight years. Too bad the linked article doesn't exist anymore...

Maru Is At It Again

Maru's owner has quite a few new videos on there but this was my favorite today. I just love how determined he is. I just found out that Maru has his own Wikipedia page...looks like that kitty has created quite the career for his owner.

The look on his face when he accomplishes what he set out to do is just adorable. And even when he isn't completely successful, he maintains that he meant to be in the position he is in.
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Four Years Ago on In My Words...Tea Is Your Friend

Maru, Fat And Happy

I just had to have a Maru fix after this week of intense political BS. Even just watching this fat and happy kitty chase a toy makes me smile. His look on his face says he had to work for it...LOL


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Seven Years Ago on In My Words...What Happened To The Classics?

Some Maru Cuteness

This is exactly how Chase was when I would trim her nails...both front and back feet. So trusting and unbothered...


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Five Years Ago on In My Words...Packing Tape Monster

Maru Strikes Again

This is new Maru...somehow, he just doesn't seem that satisfied with this less compact version...

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Five Years Ago on In My Words...House
So weird that it was five years ago...feels just like yesterday!!