I've been very busy these past few days. Saturday I followed Jaclyn and Danielle all the way over to Shiojiri for their weekly 3 hour Japanese lesson JUST so I could go to the Shiojiri Driving School so I could register for lessons and make an apppointment. Unfortunately, I had forgotten that I needed the form from the DMV that said (in bright red) that I had failed (you can't practice until you fail... which is logical, right???). So I had to blow 3 hours riding around pretending I couldn't have been sleeping, instead. Made up for it at Starbucks in Nagano City. Sunday was rainy: I waited until a pause and went out and ran 6 miles. It felt much better than my hot run during the Apple Marathon. I pretty much didn't do anything else all day. Monday was rainy: I went to school and taught very little (finals are coming up). Then Jaclyn and I jumped in the car and drove all the way over to the Shiojiri Driving School so I could register for lessons and make an apppointment. They were closed... grrrrrrrrr. Apparently Monday is their day off (and I am completely jinxed). I managed to get my hair cut, instead. Yesterday (Tuesday) it poured: I watched the rain dump all day. Couldn't run. After school, I jumped on a train and raced all the way over to the Shiojiri Driving School so I could register for lessons and make an apppointment. Made it in less than a half hour, which is faster than we could drive. They were thankfully open. Registered, made my appointment. Missed my return train by TWO minutes... was forced to wait another 50 for the next one. My train from Matsumoto (where I would change) wasn't scheduled to leave for a half hour after I would get there. Total: one hour and 45 minute return. I talked Jaclyn into picking me up in Matsumoto. I almost cried in relief.

Whew! Today, the rain has finally stopped. I am having a good day of school and though I have to stay late to practice interviewing students (they are taking a proficiency exam on Sunday), I'm hoping to squeeze a run in before dinner and Shodo tonight. Tomorrow is likely to be totally normal, then Friday brings the all school Halloween assembly at Jaclyn's elementary school (at which the entire 1000 students and teachers will be line dancing at one time... because that's what we do in America on Halloween in November... ) and then I'm off for Tokyo. Tom & I are celebrating Thanksgiving on Sunday with a real turkey and all the appropriate fixings. We've invited everyone we know... last year it was a wake up call to just how much work goes into T-day dinner. This year we've gotten smarter and we'll be cooking on Saturday AND Sunday... (did I say smarter?). Most of the credit for actuall planning, food procurement and recipe collection (not to mention house cleaning and 90% of the guest list) goes to him... I'm more of just the un-paid labor. ;)
(extra thanks to Mom & Dad for the video taped football, Jaclyn for the Peanuts' Thanksgiving Special video, and Danielle for the video of last year's Macy's T-day parade...we're doing it in style!!)

So-because we'll be in Thailand for Thanksgiving... let me take this space to say-- Happy Turkey Day to You!!