Instant Family

So, we're in a family way. Not THAT family way. But, we're a family now, cause we got a DOG. Ha! I freaked you out with that, right. Yeah, I freaked myself out a little, too.

His name is Raindrop, he's a mutt, about 35 lbs and adorably scruffy. He was named by a young child, and we will be rechristening him Barley, cause he's kind of barley colored. Also, he looks Irish to me, and I didn't want to name him after beer or whiskey. We get him on the 29th, after we move into our apartment.

That's right, we got a home, too. See what I mean about this family stuff. Next, people are going to start referring to us as adults and expecting us to eat veggies and get to bed at "a decent hour." Yeah, right, we got old like 3 years ago and stared going to bed at 8:30 and complaining about how we could be more regular and need to eat less salt. It's tragic, really.

We got a great 3-story town-house, a block from the ocean, a block from the dog-park, a block from the day-spa, and a block from the sushi joint. I may never return to the states. I shall spend my days thirsty from too much soy sauce, in the sun on the beach, scratching my dog's ears, with freshly painted island scenes on my soft pedi'ed tootsies. Ahhh.

The town-house is newly constructed and is very western-style. Meaning it doesn't have a toaster-oven sized stove in a kitchen fit more for a small sailing schooner than a land-lubbin' house, and that the bath-tub will fit my "western size" booty* and will not be mistaken for an indoor bird-bath. I'm not kidding either. I would have taken a photo of this TINY (I mean tiny - get it, lowercase letters. Ha. yeah, I'm a dork.) bath tub, but I was afraid Mr. Miyagi** would think I was rude. For anyone other than a pygmy to fit into it, you'd have to sit with your knees under your nose. How relaxing.

*For those of you that came up with bovine and or equine images of my booty: I bite my thumb at you.

**Not kidding. Miyagi is a common name on Okinawa.

Knitting news: there is still much work on the Dale gift. I'm with Alison on the "toothpicks and dental floss." In fact just last night, I lost my freaking mind after dropping like 8,564,972 stitches. In the round. In 1X1 rib. On two circulars. In size ZERO. I felt much better after flinging the damn thing from a bridge and tossing back a stiff shot of bourbon. Seriously, tho, would it be tacky to give your oldest friend's first-born a one-sleeved cardigan in February?

Japanese lesson:

1. Dog: Inu. Pronounced EE-nu.
2. Nose: Hana. Pronounced HA-na.
3. Flower: Hana. Pronounced ha-NA. Sneaky, eh?

In America, when you refer to yourself, you point to your chest. In Japan, you should point to your hana (nose).

In America, regardless of what our mothers tried to teach us, we refer to other people by pointing. In Japan, they see this as very rude. Instead, you use your entire hand, slightly cupped, palm up. Think: parade wave, or a "The Price is Right" spokesmodel.

In America, when we are gesturing for someone to come over to us, we wave our fingers with the palm up. In Japan, this is how you'd gesture to your inu (dog). To gesture to a person, you make the same movement, but with your palm down.

And now, I'm off to slave over some toothpicks.