Around Akasaka

It's warmed up just the tiniest bit, and most of the snow has melted off, but there are still some cute snowmen hanging around.  I ran across this cute little guy wearing an instant ramen bowl as a hat. They're predicting more snow this weekend, so maybe there will be even more snowmen next week. I'm so excited to be on the beach in just a couple weeks!

Life is good in spite of the cold.  Today I saw a couple walking a ton of poodles, and one was being carried in a bag. Maybe he's got a hurt paw?  It's impossible not to smile though when a horde of little dogs goes running past you. Raku and I also got samples of the newest drink that Starbucks will be rolling out on February 15 - the Sakura Latte.  Sakura season is always big at Starbucks, they have limited edition tumblers and drinks that sell out quickly each year.  Last year I tried the sakura white hot chocolate and my eyes almost popped out from a sugar overdose. The sakura latte is a lot more enjoyable, but I suspect a full cup might still be too sweet.  It has the same sakura sprinkles/flakes on top that are really pretty, but they're where a lot of the super sweet flavor comes from.

In other news I made ribs in my slow cooker over the weekend and they were delicious!  It's not easy to find that cut of meat here, but Costco came to the rescue - a whole rack for only 1200 yen!  It easily fed 4 people! I also got some really great chipotle bbq sauce there too.  Honestly, it can be a pain to get there, but having a membership is soooo worth it!  Especially now that I know you can takkyubin (mail) the stuff home.  They'll ship anything that isn't perishable.  Raku and I normally split a huge box, and it only costs about 1000 yen.  Then we can haul more fresh fruit and cheese home with us on the train.

The dog on the right is wearing a sweater with floppy bunny ears on it. 

So pretty, but soooo sweet.

Going with the Flow

Are you very good at going with the flow? I'm trying to get better at it. When we first moved here I felt so out of control. Everything was so hard - I had the responsibilities of an adult, but what felt like the abilities of a very young child. As a coping mechanism I tried so hard to plan ahead and be in control of every small thing in my life that I could. In the beginning that was really helpful for me, but lately I've been thinking I need to relax a little more. I've found that I'm becoming resistant to change, something I never would have expected a year ago.

I know it's still more than a month away, but since September I've been trying to figure out what to do for Thanksgiving this year. It's easy to stress yourself out doing obsessive research and trying to make a plan to recreate a perfect experience. It makes you evaluate how important certain things are. Is having a "normal" Thanksgiving a way to hold on to treasured memories and traditions? Or is it a way to try and pretend that life hasn't really changed since moving here?

Yesterday I went to Costco and was delighted to discover they are selling pumpkin pies! A piece of my Thanksgiving plan was falling into place!  But, it turns out that Costco Japan carries pumpkin pie in October, and by November they're probably out of stock. I guess it's a Halloween thing? After some debating in the store, I realized that rather than being disappointed that I wouldn't be able to come get one for Thanksgiving I should be excited that I have the opportunity to have it all. And that what's really important to me about Thanksgiving is spending time with people that I care about, sharing laughter and delicious food, whether it's traditional or not. Even if it's not on the 4th Thursday of November.

So last night we had pumpkin pie, and I was thankful to be able to share a fall dessert with friends. Full disclosure - I bought a second pie and put it in the freezer for Thanksgiving. I guess I haven't completely let go yet.

Costco Pumpkin Pie