Ah- It's a new week and my boyfriend's back (there's that song in the back of my head again). Yes, Tom's in town again with a nice tan (or just more freckles) and some sand in his hair. I have a Blue Cacao T-shirt to show for it. And I may have backed a couple steps back from isolation induced insanity. :)

I thought it was going to be Spring soon, but then it started snowing yesterday... it isn't supposed to be snowing in Tokyo! Fortunately it didn't stick, but it still scared me- especially since I'd woken up thinking it was going to be warm and sunny. I didn't even have my mittens along!

and my friend Jaclyn (my long lost Nagano neighbor for those of you who've tuned in mid-stream...NOT myself in the third person), is now in Hawaii as a Missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I'm still learning a lot from her (me Jaclyn still being a sociology nut), but in slow motion now as missionaries aren't allowed to use e-mail. Fortunately I can do some self-study as my very own Book of Mormon arrived in the mail today. I had a Japanese version, but I doubt I'd even understand the Bible in Japanese- and I know those stories! So yeah- for those who are wondering, Jaclyn's enjoying herself (her words, I'm not kidding) and now sharing her terf with three peacocks instead of yours truly (again- totally seriously).

Since I'm mostly over my disease, I'm back to shopping and cooking again. For awhile there I was having to force myself just to eat soup, but since my appetite is back I will renew my call for Easy to Prepare Meals. I'm in this somewhat stale rut of making one-pot wonders. They don't always come out of a pot, sometimes from a pan- but they are defined by being a meal in one chunk/pile/bowl of food. No side dishes...ever (unless you count ice cream as a side). For example- I have pasta with veggies, or a sandwich with veggies, or curry with veggies over rice. I suppose there's nothing wrong with that, but I live in the land where your standard meal comes in no less than 10 dishes- and I'm eating mine all mixed together in one bowl. Is this a bad thing? And yes, if I owned a crock pot I would definitely be addicted to it. Actually, I've heard of people sticking veggies in their rice cookers and trying to use it like a crockpot... but since I don't even have a rice cooker... I'm stuck. Any ideas that are NOT pasta or sandwich or something that requires an oven would be honored gifts to this stomach and kitchen. Thanks in advance. (giggle)