December 15, 2002
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From December 2002
A scene from the 'hood.... I risked my life (not really) to get this shot! I waited until the pedestrian light was green and stopped in the middle of the street to snap the shutter.
When I first tried to think of a text for this picture, I first thought of something "nicey" along the line of how nice it is to be under God's wings, but as I checked through the Bible for verses on wings, I came across something quite different. If one examines the original context and applies the scripture in light of Christ's death for us on the cross, one reads of the deep longing of God's heart to embrace the stubborn children who insist on keeping their distance to the extent that they no longer have the ability to hear His voice or to return on their own. It is out of love that the judge removes his robe and steps down to take the death sentence upon himself and to this end that Christ entered into time and history. How can one help but celebrate this manifestation of God's love?
Wakabadai, December 2002
Self portrait taken at a cake shop in Takadanobaba
Below are pictures of our new home in Wakabadai. This is the first time we got inside.
Some Christmas confections courtesy of Mitsukoshi Department Store. I will have you all know that I resisted these goodies, but please don't ask me anything about the blue neon reflected in the second picture!!! I think that this particular product should be spelled with an "S" rather than a "C!" It is too bad the the Cinnabons shop was going to disappear in a few years.
Some goodies from the neighborhood....
First we have Kentucky Fried Chicken, with those same beloved herbs and spices. KFC has a statue of the dear Colonel in front of all of its stores, and when December rolls around he dons a Santa suit, as do the vendors inside. For some reason, everyone here thinks that they need to consume roast (or fried) chicken on Christmas Eve before their Christmas cake, so the Colonel earnestly pitches his sales far and wide.
Next we have dessert offered in another local storefront window. I usually just window shop at a place like this.
The next lot of critters are called "sazae," and are essentially sea slugs in fancy dress gowns. They are considered to be a delicacy, and these particular life forms were donated by a neighbor to whom I had taken a bunch of apples a week before. My husband thinks that it was a very good trade.... Recipe: drop a bit of soy sauce and sake in the shell and then sing "sea slugs roasting on an open fire, boiling in their sauce and broth...."
Last we have our local curry man pulling a shish kabob out of his tandoor! Man, is this place good! I don't like my curry too spicy though. One place that I ate at overdid the spices and I experienced the byproducts of severe brain meltdown running out my nasal cavities!! I'll take sea slugs over that any day.
A couple of interesting motor vehicles from the 'hood. By the way, Pot and Pot is a fast food curry place, not a plumbing establishment, located almost across the street from yesterday's tandoor.
These paper angels were on a Christmas tree in a department store in Fuchu.
The toilet paper roll reindeer cracked me up!
This is awful....Hope that I don't get on Santa's naughty list with this! Three men were sitting naked in a sauna. Suddenly there was a beeping sound. The first guy pressed his forearm and the beep stopped. The others looked at him questioningly.
"That was my pager,"he said, "I have a microchip under the skin of my arm."
A few minutes later a phone rang. The second fellow lifted his palm to his ear. When he finished he explained,"That was my mobile phone. I have a microchip in my hand."
The third felt decidedly low tech, but not to be outdone, he decided he had to do something just as impressive. He stepped out of the sauna and went to the toilet. He returned with a piece of toilet paper hanging from his behind. The others raised their eyebrows and stared at him. He finally said, "Well, will you look at that. I'm getting a fax."
