Alright, it may not special for most of the people.
Specially for those of green-thumbs out there.
Or those who live surrounded by the blessed of fertile soil, space and green.

But for me, whose so far even cactus can’t bear me.
In this metropolitan city.
The first ever cooporative tomato trees (they are two in a pot) really make my days, weeks, and so far month.
Please tomato tree, don’t you die on me.

My object of affection everyday when I back from work… ofcourse beside my kids. But my kids love them too.

Yesterday we went to a charity program to collect fund to help the refugee who forced to leave their home due to the fight between Pakistan army and the Taliban in the Swat valley region.
1.8 million children, women and men are forced to flee. They walked and walked, hundred of kilometers left all of their life back, searching for safety in several refugee champs. It is the biggest movement in Pakistan history after the country was formed in 1947. The number of refugee is so overwhelming that the current aid provided from multiple sources are far from enough. See more here.

Prior to the speeches, we were walking around the room looking at pictures of those innocent children faces affected by the conflict. For sure, I can see Raisa deep stared to the posters resulted in deep compassion.
After the long speeches, it was time to collect the money from some hundred audiences seated in the Foreign Correspondence Club room where the program was held. When the lady behind the microphone ask for anybody who like to contribute, Raisa was the first person walked to front of the room, drained what ever money she had in her Sanrio’s Cinnamon purse. It was 1003 yen, a sum of money she collected in months from multiple token from me or hubby when she did something good.

Dozens of adult audience followed her afterward with bigger yen.
If you want to follow, see the fact about the situation and how you can help in UNHCR pagehere, or google for many other alternative pocket which collect the donation.

They Are Here

Two weeks ago, just before Golden Week, the company I worked for distributed to each and every employee 50 pieces of surgical face mask with BFE (Bacterial Filtration Efficiency) over 99%. We the employee have to have the mask handy and in case the company instruct us to do so, we should wear the mask in anticipation of the swine flu pandemic.
It is now confirmed in Japan that the virus is having their party in Osaka, Hyogo and Kobe area. So far 96 cases confirmed, up to 1000 is predicted. Many schools closed for at least a week, and government advise all school in those prefectures to do the same.
Many company instruct their employee to wear the mask at work, specially the public facing job.

Here we are in some hundreds kilometers away, waiting for our time.

Wash your hand routinely, avoid touching your nose/mouth area, wear mask, avoid public space as much as you can, eat healthy.

April 26, 2009. Raisa played: Menuet BWV.14 by J.S.Bach at Mihama Bunka Concert Hall. She did it perfectly.

For the super amateur me, appreciating the mega-work of well-known photographer is one of my big interest. The collections of National Geographic pictures have been no doubt are among the world’s best. So I’ve been eyeing for: Through The Lens, National Geograpic Greatest Photographs for a while. A collection of 250 very best images in a century span of time, taken by the world master photographers. But looking cost over 4000 yen when hit the bookstore in Japan, has put me on hold. Too expensive. Buying in Amazon or book store abroad is not a good option due the super heavy, 500 pages,  oversized, thick glossy papers, hard cover that weight so much (I think it’s over 3kgs). International shipping cost will boost the total price.
Yesterday, I was almost fainted for the pleasantly surprise, to see the wondrous book in my neighborhood’s small book store (which usually sell only Japanese titles). It was plastic wrapped and brand new, stood on the shelf with 500 yen price tag. 5-0-0 pretty yen! I made sure twice to the shop keeper that they put the correct pricing. They said, yes, they are on special foreign book campaign for three days. Well, that is like 80% discount!

We went to the shop to let Raisa utilize her book coupon. She got a present of 1000 yen value of book coupon which can be used in any book store all over Japan. So the girl chose her book. When she saw me had my choice on my hand with super happy smile on my face and listened to my story on how much I like the book and the deal was too good to be true, she said that the book will be on her. She chose one pocket book for her that cost 650 yen. She paid her and mine using the coupon with additional 150 yen cash taken from her saving money.

I was the happiest creature in the universe.

A conversation between me and hubby on an afternoon drive:

“Imagine, Hon.  I think, one day say 50 years from now, police dept don’t have to put camera to caught the over-speeder. Nowadays, many car using ETC for stop-less toll road payment, that device sends and catches signal from and to the car, right? So with the more and more promotion and discount of the ETC facility nowadays, more and more people install the device in their car. One day it will be an standard feature in every car. And what the police dept need to do is using satellite to track all down the signal movement. They can just type a query to pull the data of movement over 100km/hour for a particular road, and voila! all car move faster than that will be listed. Then, using their computer tech, they will directly apply the fine, and suddenly in the over-speeding car, your ETC machine will said: “You are being charged 70,000 yen for over-speed at X road at Y time.” Paper-less, easier for police, easier for the over-speeder that they don’t have to go to bank to pay the fine.”

“Hm, nice idea. I think it won’t take 50 years. Not even 15 years.”

Perhaps it’s a hibernation, perhaps I was bitten bye Tsetse fly, or perhaps, laziness and losing the mood of writing is nowadays symptom of pollen allergy. What ever it is, I was not up into writing for the couple of months. My family and closed friends started to ask me for the tardiness and now I got to stick to my objective of blogging: journaling the life for family and friends distance away, and life documentation for my kids.
Let’s go with general update of us.

Me.
The pollen allergy somewhat has much decreasing. This year hasn’t been that bad. Though I feel quite fit with my body with the comeback of regular gym visit, I feel disturb with the deterioration of my left ear hearing. I got to go to ENT, seriously. Since my last pregnancy, this hasn’t back to where it was before.
At work, with the pressure of the economy, the effect trickle down until almost everybody’s desk, including mine. Fortunately, not financially. In addition to my current responsibility, I got a big assignment of notorious difficult project which run for the next 12 month. It will be hell of year. But like everyone said, in that tough working condition, feel blessed that you still have one.
At social side, lots of new friends in the last couple of months. Home and office. It’s so refreshing but has been made weekend busier than ever.

Him.
The world has been hitting his business down, crawling at the lower side, he try to survive.
But I’m blessed to married a sober man, who handle the down time wisely. His spirit & energy remain high.Keep on fighting. That is the most important.
His energy high enough that lately he started lots of physical activities too. Last weekend, he did sets of billiard and Ping-Pong games with a friend at our basement. The following day he joined a small tennis competition. Day after that, he was up and down tried his best stand move forward on the skate on the ice ring. This morning, soreness all over muscles and joins.

Raisa.
Today is her first day as third grader at Nishinoya Elementary school. I said many times before but let me say it again, time does fly. My baby is now at the last year of her first half of Elementary years.
Unlike before when she spent after school hours at a places called Kodomo Room belong to the school, this year, due to the number of new first grader and capacity, Raisa as the bigger kid can’t get the admission to the room. That means, she got to be on her own after school hours. She is big and ready really, but as a mommy, I still concern.
Two days ago, she was at the top of the world when we bought her, the first cell phone in her life. Though personally I’m not fond of digital for kids, but this is the need of the situation.
For weeks, our home has been filled with J.S.Bach’s Menuet BWV 14. From broken ones, till much smoother version cause Raisa has been practicing and practicing her number for her piano recital end of this month.

Ken.
After a complete 14 months of perfect health, nor disturbance like cold & fever whatsoever, Ken got his cold the last ten days. We’re so lucky though he was down with fever, cough and stuffy nose, his appetite remain, and most of all, his mood at most of the time was good. Though he became a bit clingy, I kinna enjoy it as at his healthy days, the active boys rarely stay still in my hugs for more than three seconds.
Ken has started his first Quran reading lesson, following his sister who does that every Friday evening.
Being the youngest, Ken is source of affection. I, hubby and Raisa, always there to spoiled him, one after another. We know this is not good as it can make him soft, but we can’t help when seeing his cute face.

No. It is not Prada, Fendi or Salvatore Feragamo, that make a hand bag so special.
It is a hand bag, made by mother, with her own hand.
Cut by cut, stroke by stroke, every single stich done with patience, with love.
In series of months.
The silk material, was her mother kimono some decades ago.
She wants to keep the beautiful material, more than that, the memory.
I was the lucky one, to have it for me.

Thank you, Aa-chan for the beautiful bag.
For the love.

How to make it

The tool to make the bag

It is not the first time I have this mixed feeling.
Looking at you, leaving home, walk to the school.
With your heavy randoseru on your back (I still feel uneasy how the bag is designed with that weight for the tiny body! 1+ kg empty, plus a dozen books inside), two extra bag, one on each arm.
Lunch box, sport clothes, pianica, uwabaki and other project material inside.
An umbrella, like this morning when the heavy windy winter rain doesn’t compromise the thousands students who has to walk to the school.

I wish I could drop you to the school.
So your shoes and socks won’t wet and the chilly 3C water will not freeze your toes.
So you don’t have to be busy fighting to hold all your belonging steady, when even to hold the umbrella still is difficult in the strong wind.
So you can get to the school dry and warm.
But I can’t. The school rule don’t allow me to do so.
Not in Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall.
I know it is good for you. For all the student in Japan.
To walk in the morning. To put your own steps and effort to reach the place to study.
But I’m just a mother.
Specially in the rainy chilly winter morning.
When I see before my eyes, the horizontal rain wet your body the moment you step out the door.
But you smiled and greet me good bye with the spirit as you step thru the wet road.

I told you before and I tell you more.
I’m proud of you, Raisa.
The result may not in our control. But it is the process and effort we put in it is the most important.

I see your spirit in everything you do.
I see your sense of responsibility through the ups and downs. In your tiring and lazy days, you still put the left-over energy to effort.
I see the tears in between the difficult assignments, they don’t stop you.
I hear the countless repetition of Bach’s Minuet over the piano, you don’t give up (though I still think that song is too difficult for you to be performed in this Spring’s recital, but you insist).

I’m proud of you, girl.

I went to a farewell party for T-san last Friday. I can’t recall how many farewell party I attended for retiring colleagues. Being the youngest and one among very few woman in the team, I’ve been surrounded by senior colleagues, all above 50.
Children wedding plan, university entrance fee, retirement package, rant and rave of current government, younger generation nowadays, concern over high blood pressure and blood sugar has been my daily lunch table topics.
Never I like to say good-bye. But knowingly what people really know what they want to do after retired and looking forward toward it, really make it easier. Never I heard anybody has no activity plan for retirement. Either continue a long pended hobby, build up a new skill from art to sport, study something new from history, cultural to science. There is always something to do. (And no, I never heard “playing with grand children” as part of the main plan). Never to late to start something new. 60 years old is just a beginning.

T-san, has a high interest in restaurant all over Japan. He can recommend almost all type of restaurant in Tokyo and around. Every week he try a new restaurant and make note and review of it. In his retirement days, he will concentrate on this. Other than that, he enrolled himself in two cooking schools. Though till now he never has enough time to cook, but he is an avid collector of spices and rare food ingredient.

I remember Tombo-san, our Japanese father. When he retired, he bought himself a Yamaha organ and enrolled himself to a music school. In his life, he always wanted to play organ, however growing up in war time austerity, that was impossible. But nothing too late. Three years ago, ten years after he retired, he recorded his first organ instrumental album. Eighteen beautiful song, all played by him. It is not a billboard hits, but it is his lifetime hits.

In the party, I met M-san. It’s been a year and a half since I met him on his retirement day. It is really interesting to catch up with him. He spent his retirement days in the thing always been his passion: movie. He said, in 2008 he watched 241 movies, all in cinema. This year, he hope he can see at least the same number. He watched everything from vintage Japanese black and white movies from 1940 which played  daily in specific theater in Tokyo, until the current Benjamin Button. When asked to deliver a speech in the party, his highlight went like this:
“The greatest achievement I did in 2008 was overcame my fear. When I was in kindergarten, I watch the movie: Godzilla (1940s BW version) and I never able to watched until the end. It really scared me. I can’t even go to toilet by myself. Last year, for the very first time, I went back to the cinema and watched the same movie by myself. I sit and watch the movie until the end credit. I did it. I overcame my fear.”
Every body clapped.

1. Having a multicultural live : living in Japan, having a Pakistani husband, cross-cultured kids, Swiss & Japanese bosses (and used to have American, Austrian, Korean, German bosses), Slovakian, Chinese & Japanese staffs, European, American & Asian colleagues, Greek, Japanese and Indonesian best friends, I always think and teach my kids as the citizen of the world. One should be respected as one’s personality, not her origin ethnic culture, country, region or city, nor religion and citizenship. It amazed me in nowadays world some people still has fanaticism as orang Jawa, Padang, Sunda, Batak…and even judge others base on the image of his/her ethnic group.

2. It trills me to experience the love I have with my husband. Many times we don’t have to say words to let each other know of things. He understands me, in and out. He read me like an open book.

3. Talking about book, I’m an impulsive book shopper. I bought lots of book (specially in airports) judged by its cover and back page abstract but turned to never finish even the first three chapters. I’m picky in reading. I only read good books. Best seller and Friend’s recommendation work good for me.

4. I’m an online person. I google almost everything. I got husband and lots of good friends from it. It is really good to find people base on the same interest and way of thinking/living rather base on the physical presence. I shops online. I communicate online. I make travel arrangement online. I think the founder of www should receive a Nobel award. Hard for me to live without internet connection.

5. However, it is very easy to live without television. I’m not a potato couch. I see TV for news and selected programs only. I can skip them easily.

6. I’m not good at cleaning and tidy-up. Every time I tried to clean-up the house, I ended enjoying the objects I should tidied-up: turning photo albums’ pages, reading magazine, trying make-up, etc.
But how lucky I am to have the exactly opposite style’s husband. He is good in cleaning. He can clean a room in minutes. I think he should be a professional housekeeper.

7. I think I got it from the gene. Photography from my father. Cooking from my mother. Though I just start to really enjoying them the last decade of my life.
But, though mother is a pro caterer and I helped her a lot in food packaging and decorating all my childhood, I didn’t even know how to cook rice in rice cooker. But living in Japan without maid, now I can prepare a party for 60 people, all cook by myself. From lontong opor komplit or nasi kuning, until briyani rice and mutton sag masala. I think this achievement is better than any professional award I ever received.

8. But that doesn’t make me forget the confinience life with helper. Though it is now seems natural to run our house by ourselves, at times I really miss Yu Jinem or Si Isah. Specially when I got cold and nothing better than “kerokan” to relief the pain. My husband thinks kerokan is cruel and he doesn’t want to do that on me, which I think, so cruel.

9. And another proof is, I never iron the clothes. After dried, all just folded/hanged and placed them in appropriate drawer/dresser. My girl was impressed to see her neatly-ironed t-shirt when we went holiday to Indonesia. For silk, cashmere and business attire, send to professional dry cleaner.

10. Still need proof? I eat out almost all the time in weekdays. I don’t like to eat out that much, actually. But I’m just too tired to cook after work, kids is crazily hungry and…. I hate to do the dishes. I have neighborhood restaurants named as Kitchen#1, 2, 3, 4… But recently to implement the frugality in the nowadays world, I cook as much to stock-up the weekdays’ dinner… let’s see how long it stands.

11. Designing is always my passion. I love scrapbook ing & interior. Sometime I think what the hell I’m doing in my current work. I should oneday work for something of my passion.

12. I’ve been writing journal from when I was a child. My father obliged me to write a journal of every family trip we went. I used to hate it but now I enjoy writing.
I journal my life in a blog for my kids. I want them to be able to learn what their mother thought, felt, experienced. I always curious about my mother life years back. When I ask her now about the past, many missing parts and some bias too.

13. I travel for my work. The most difficult thing in it is to leave my family for weeks and the long haul flights. The good thing in it is I went to country I never thought I will visit in my life and the accumulated mileage for a free holiday trip later.

14. I’m crazy about snow. I still jump up and down when it falling. Perhaps because it planted deep as a dream in my childhood mind when I lived in the tropical Indonesia.
For the last 10 years, I never skip snow-resort trips, once or twice each winter. I even pushed myself when have no money.

15. I feel pity so easy. Sometime it looks stupid. I lost lots of money because of it. When I lived in Bandung, my mother and sister always asked me not to answer the door because no salesman, beggar, pengamen, bencong, tukang semprot gadungan (fake pest control), different type of word-seller, etc. left empty handed if I attended the door. Some people tell me their sad life story, their need of money and I just melt, though I know their story seems so lame. I lost big yen recently to help a so-called-friend who said he was in need (then he run away). And this is not my 1st, 2nd, 3rd nor 4th time… But I still think, just in case their story is right, what kind of human being I am not helping the people in need….
Perhaps worry if nobody want to help when I am in need?

16. Well, Worry is my middle name. My husband has been pushing me to read “Stop Worrying and Start Living” by Dale Carnagie’s which has long sitting on my bed-side table. But I’m worry I can’t finish it… : )
But on the other hand, my anxiety develop my prognostication and anticipation behaviour. So it take pivotal position. Which is good for my type of work and life as well. I always have Plan B. Never showed unprepared. The bumpy side is, wherever I travel, I bring too much luggage…just in case…

17. I love gathering. Coming from a big family who loves gathering, I really feel the more, the merrier. Every now and then we make party at our tiny home. My house is open at anytime for friends and guests, unlike typical Japanese house. I love to talk and listening to friends…. and the food too.

18. Big foot, that’s me. My shoes size is 26cm or size 41 in Indonesia or size 10 in US. It is very difficult to buy shoes in Japan. Not only the very limited model, it is also expensive. Most of my shoes bought abroad, mostly in US and Europe where size 26 is common. Because of this, I owned more shoes than I need as every time I travel abroad, I bought some pairs with the thinking of it won’t be available back home. Sometime I feel shame that for a pair of feet I have, some nearly three dozens pair of shoes lining in my drawer. I’m no Imelda Marcos and don’t wanna be one.

19. Still talking physical, I have sensitive nose. Messy is still ok, but smelly is a BIG NO-NO. Body odors kills me. My nose also sneeze and water much. I’m allergic to particular detergent, pollen, dust and some brand of perfumes.

20. I’m not good at learning new language. I think I should speak much better Japanese than I am now. I think I should speak Urdu as I married a Pakistani. I should know what my in laws talk about me : )

21. I love sunk-ship history, air-crashed investigation, crime/murder investigation, disaster study. When I saw “Titanic” I was busy to match the real history detail with how it presented in the movie.

22. I can live without ice cream and chocolate, but I always need magazine for refreshment. I subscribed Marie Claire, Good Housekeeping and Oprah. Occasionally bought Fortune, Economist, Martha Steward Living, Reader Digest.
Sometime they piled up as I have no time to read them. But knowingly they are there in case I have time to read, that already refreshed me.

23. I used to love branded things. But I have changed. I bought a very expensive Gucci bag when Tsunami hit Aceh the next day. I feel guilty imagining that money can do much more for the victim rather than just adding my selfish collection. I very occasionally splurge, but very rare and I am happy with the balance I’ve achieved in this side of life.

24. Still at the splurge side, I love stage performances. I’m addicted to Broadway Musical. Wherever I go in US, I always try to make a transit in NY, only to see the show. There are in Tokyo too, but the trill is different when “Circle of Life” or “Mamma Mia” sang in Japanese. My next target is Cirque De Soleil, it is now in Tokyo.

25. Splurge, splurge… I should tell you that I’m not so good in saving. I’m a spender. I like shopping. I better keep 10,000 yen max in my purse cause how much ever I have in it, it will be evaporated within a day or two.

I don’t know, but my writing appetite is just hiding somewhere the last couple of weeks.
But as the objective of blogging is the journaling of life for my kids to read one day, it should not miss the important happenings.

So here you go, the tardy update:
- January has been the warmest winter I ever experience in my 10 winters in Japan.
- History made: the first colored president sworn in USA.
- The economic storm showed no sign of calming down. As if there is no other topic in every dining table and gathering.
- Ken is crazy about “Chicken Little. The positive is, his English is improving.
- Stella delivered the cute Baby Eunice.
- Recycle for Love, project # 2 is kicking in.
- Since Hokkaido, my diet plan loosen. Got to put it back on track again.
- Influenza is everywhere. Colleagues, friends, neighbors. Immunization make (almost) no difference.
- Olympic, the supermarket near home, closed down. Victim of the economy.
- The Facebook thing is really crazy… friends from the history pop up almost everyday. It is really good to connect again.
- Found the long lost sweet Nihonmatsu-san in Kameido Sizzler. So excited!
- Frugality mode ON as hubby business get affected by the crisis.