Only 9 more days!

Could it possibly get any hotter?! I have spent the day watching Wolf Lake on SciFi. A mistake I made at about 12:30. I got sucked in and then found out it was an all day marathon or something! I have gotten laundry done while watching so I don't feel too guilty.(smile)
Dennis and I took a little bike ride yesterday evening around Kenova and Ceredo, just 7 miles. My legs were already worn out from all the mowing and weed eating so Dennis kept it short. And again, it was too hot to go very far.
I am still trying to decide which suitcase is going with me on vacation. I really need to take the smallest one possible but then I know how I like my clothes! I do have those little bags that you suck the air out of and it reduces the size of the contents. Your shirts also look like they were stored in your glove compartment for about 10 years when you get them out. So, I will have think about that for a few more days........'Til next time......

10 more days!!!!

Decided to get out and mow the grass this morning. If it gets any more humid, you're going to have to wear a snorkel to go outside!! I looked like someone had turned the hose on me by the time I got done. No fun but the yard does look nice ( and the robins can see the worms easier!)
Got my new 6 cell laptop battery for the mini today! I am trying it out right now. The mailman actually carried it to my door - bout died on that one! I guess he saw the warnings about a "possibility of explosion" on the outside of the box and got scared. It adds a little more weight but I will be able to cut the cord on this baby for a lot longer and that will be handy come vacation time! Woo hooo! Gotta' run - more later............

Only 11 more days!!!

The above is my holy grail of sandals....I searched endless rows, miles of sandals today and could not find them!!!! Finally ended up ordering them online and at a discount! Sweet! Born Moreens should make my feet happy trekking miles around Japan and Maui. Thank goodness for the internet!

I was able to call Japan yesterday evening and get our car reserved. Japanese who speak English talk really, really fast! I had to punch in about 15 numbers but it worked! I was just sure someone on Saturn would answer. They didn't even ask for a credit card number to hold it! I reserved a mid-size, not wanting Dennis to have to be seen driving an egg. Which is about what their "compact class" cars look like. So, now we are rethinking the day climb of Fuji. Might opt for a late evening since the old body clocks will be reversed! I remember us sleeping on several afternoons in Australia just trying to get adjusted. We'll just have to see how it all goes when we get there. I would hate to go all the way to Japan only to just sleep through it! How fun would that be?! haha

It just gets more compicated.......

Went to Cheddar's for our anniversary dinner last night and had their Honey BBQ Ribs. These things were TOOOO good. I could have eaten a whole plate of them! Dennis got the grilled salmon and all was extremely affordable to boot!
On the vacation front: discovered that it is a good idea to do the rental car before you get to Fuji. This means I will have to call Japan (who knows what that'll cost!) and make sure I am calling at the correct time. I think if you add one hour to our time and make it the opposite AM or PM, you will get it right for Japan time. So they open at 8:00 am which should be 7:00 p.m. here in good ol Kenova. I will also have to check the train schedules so I will know the time to pick it up and drop it off. Provided we don't miss a connecting train and get lost wandering the streets of some small Japanese community, getting laughed at by small Japanese children.....I am praying some kind English speaking Japanese individual will be working at the Kawaguchiko Toyota rental company tomorrow. (Yes, it's already tomorrow there. I wonder if I would look older to them if they could see me.......hmmm......deep thought......)
Received our Japan Rail Pass requests in the mail yesterday. Not quite sure what all that writing on them says but I hope it gets us from point A to point B without too much confusion. I have a feeling we'll be doing alot of apologetic smiling while there......It should certainly be interesting!

22 years today!!

Who are these people??? haha That was us on our wedding day 22 years ago today. (I was just 12 years old, can you believe that?!) We spent our honeymoon at Virginia Beach, Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, and then did a pass through the Greenbrier Resort afterwards. Our VW Rabbit overheated on I64 near Hurricane in a construction zone on the way back home which was just a small taste of the challenges we would face in the next 22 years! Life is never boring and together, you learn to face and overcome all those little obstacles fate decides to throw your way. And with lots of luck and love, you end up closer and stronger in spite of them! Can't wait to see what the next 22 will bring!

Spent some time today checking on train schedules in Japan. There are dozens of trains and millions of people on those trains! Yikes! I purchased two Japan Rail Passes which will cover the costs of our train trips from Tokyo to Fuji , Fuji to Kyoto, then Kyoto to Osaka. I think Dennis and I will just hand-cuff ourselves together so we don't get lost from each other. Otherwise, we might never see each other again! I ordered a Japanese-English phrase book which made Dennis feel a little better. I suggested we just stand on a corner and yell, "Does anyone speak ENGLISH!!!?" I will yell while he reads...... Saw a YouTube video of two Germans who climbed Fuji last month and there were piles of SNOW on it! I am hoping for a quick Japanese thaw this year....I am also wondering how I will pack 25 pounds of clothes in a 5 pound suitcase......Dennis and I will celebrate our 22nd wedding anniversary tomorrow! We're usually on vacation during our anniversary but because the hiking season on Fuji starts in July, we'll be spending it at home this year!