1 Week

Until Christmas...wow.
Chilly and windy, a good day for nesting (aren't most winter days?).
We ended up going out to Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaakeda Sportsu (if you heard the radio ads, you'd understand) to pick up new goggles for Chris, since his cheap-ass ones fogged up badly last weekend, pretty much ruining his final run of the day.

As soon as I find where I put the camera, I'll post pictures of the household decorations.

12.19 eta: I found the camera (and the pix).


The gates to Hell. I mean, my house.

Pine Garland. At night, it's lit up with mini lights.
It looks pretty, especially with the snow.

A peek into the kitchen.
The funky tree was a gift from my Aunt Den.

A shot of into the Tatami room.
My tree is white and silver, based on the Uchikake (wedding robe) in the Tokonoma (alcove).

Candles are good. Lots of candles are better.
The runner is actually a salvaged obi,
with the seams picked apart and then ironed flat.

The sideboard, with a mulberry topiary.
And candles. Of course.

My coffee table. You can just see
the corner of a christmas book.
It's a Japanese translation of a British children's book
about Father Christmas. I can just read it.

My nativity. The manger is a handmade
pottery model of a traditional Japanese farmhouse.
I bought it last year.

The nativity figurines came from Mexico.
The camel figurines came from India.
The Buddha came from China.
Buddha is happy because
Baby Jesus has arrived!
The Buddha is saying:
やた！いえうすですよ！
Yatta! Ieusu desuyo!
Yay! Here's Jesus!
Could it be Jesus actually lived in Japan?

I hope Gaspar doesn't step in the camel pie.
It's not actually a turd, it is a raisin.
I think it adds some realism to the scene.
The raisin came from California.

Not a decoration, but a present for a friend.
A suprise benefit of kimono training-
Mad gift-wrap skillz!
That is ONE piece of ribbon, and there are NO knots in it.
I would be more smug if I, myself, knew how I did it.