(Amanda, along with Brian, Laura, Jason, Sean, Arrian and Shea, kept us in good spirits for nearly two years). I must say, our merry band of Refugees have conducted a remarkably successful campaign to destroy our favorite watering holes in the Ballston neighborhood of Arlington County. Any place we like gets shuttered muy pronto. Our […]

There was snow on the ground here in Arlington when my bleary eyes popped open this morning. I have developed a new sleep pattern- in bed fairly early, then awake in the small hours to read for a while, and then taking the second installment of a good night’s sleep (GNS). Consequently, rather than rising […]

平成29年12月28日 = (29TH YEAR OF HESEI ERA, 12TH MONTH, 28TH DAY) – – – – – = This week’s poem: 大晦日の焚き火 (O-Misoka No Taki-Bi/New Year’s Eve Fire) Votives and charms, last year’s luck, Are burned at the shrine In an old metal drum… Fortune’s smoke wafts and curls Up into what will become… { From […]

Oh goodness. It is starting again as the clock ticks inexorably toward the new year. The lists- you know, the significant things that define a very strange year. I can’t grapple with it all. It began with the Russia Collusion scandal- or whatever it is. There were calls for the President’s impeachment before he even […]

Christmas Eve already. Amazing how the time flies, isn’t it? I have a string of lights out on the patio and a festive light shining on the pumpkin on the porch. The World’s Most Pathetic Christmas tree spreads it wire-and-green needles in the corner with some merry colored lights to buoy my seasonal spirits even […]

COMMENT: Below is provided FYI, from Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) webpage. I bullet-ized it for easier digestion —— BTW, from Yokosuka, the core of the U.S.-Japan Alliance, I wish you: Merry Christmas, Seasons Greetings, and “Yoi O-Toshi Wo”…! = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = […]