SCHEDULE, Part 2

So last week my writing was struggling or at least I didn't say everything I wanted to say.  So I thought I would clarify somethings about our daily schedule.  I didn't want anyone to think we NEVER have a chance to break from the daily grind!

First, since we are senior couple missionaries we are not under the same rules as the younger missionaries.   We are able to e-mail, Skype and keep in touch with others regularly (like daily).  Since our Church places great importance on the family, they realize that we need to keep in touch and have communication with them.  If you are reading this, we realize that there is a reason you want to keep in touch also and we are excited to have you as part of our family!  We have loved hearing from you and in many ways it keeps us going.  Please continue to read and keep in touch (we gladly accept e-mail!). 

Second, we do have a schedule most of the week but it is flexible.  Also on Mondays we have what we call preparation day or p-day.  On that day we try to get things done like getting major letter writing done, go shopping, do some cleaning of the apartment, and getting out and seeing the city or doing some sort of activity (if the weather ever clears up!). 

Third, we have started exercising daily--stretching and strength exercises from a book and rubber exercise band we were given-- and walking.  Actually the walking has been a little difficult lately because of the bad weather but we have hopes for the spring to come!

So having said that, the rest of our blog this week is going to be dedicated to things "unmissionary-like" that we have done:

Last week we went to the Aeon Mall here in Ishinomaki.  The Aeon store is a huge department store and the mall (shown in the first picture) is also large. On the second floor there is a food court with lots of Japanese places to eat (ramen in all varieties, noodles, tempura, etc) and also a McDonalds (see second picture) and a KFC and a Baskin Robbins.  The McDonalds even had a dollar menu (actually more like $1.50 US but that was not bad).  We had some ramen that was really good.  I had a spicy ramen that was great!  Also had some gyoza and fried rice.  Both good.  There was also a bakery that was to die for!  I got a loaf of bread for a reasonable cost that tasted like croissants only was a round loaf of bread.  This is definitely a place we need to explore again!

This is a typical grocery store (above).  The carts are the small ones like you find at our Sunflower Market at home.  They are little carts and then you put a grocery basket on top.  No worries, all the food in Japan is packed so small you don't usually fill up the basket!  The interesting things about the grocery stores:  sometimes they are not heated so you get pretty cold if you are not wearing a coat;  there are maybe 3-4 different kinds of cold cereals but there are 3-4 AISLES of snack foods!



American foods are in short supply (this is Japan you realize!).

Finally, this is our homemaking activitiy we had this past week with the Relief Society (church women's group).  We made Kleenex box covers!  It was a fun time to get together with the other ladies and one of the highlights was when they looked at my fabric and oohed and awed and said, "where did you get your fabric?  from Ameria?"  I laughed and said, "No the dollar store!"  They all laughed because I was the foreigner and they had all gone out and paid top dollar at the fabric store and I went to the dollar store and got my fabric for so cheap!

Well that's pretty much it for this week.  I just wanted to close by telling you that we are in Ishinomaki which has a population of about 160,000.  We live pretty much in the center and whichever way we drive we only have to go 2-3 miles before hitting the end of the city.  It was one of the hardest hit areas of the tsunami.  About 3000 people were killed here in Ishinomaki but the people are amazing. There is NO rubble or visible remains or debris.  It has been all cleared away.  In its place are vacant lots where everything has been neatly cleared away and sometimes shells of homes or buildings that I assume have hopes of being rebuilt.  We are beginning to love this place and its people.