6 January 2016. . . Epiphany

This is usually my life in Japan post day.

But here I am talking about, Christmas, Birthdays and Epiphany.

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Growing up Polish Catholic we celebrated The Three Kings.

The day that marks Three Kings visit to the baby Jesus.

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Here is the birthday part. My birthday is on the 4th of January.

After getting ready for Christmas and then the New Year, here comes my day.

Do I clean up on New Year Day,  the day after  or leave my Christmas decorations up ?

For me it all depends to what is going on that week.

But no matter what day I clean up,  I always leave the Creche up until the 6th.

I have several but I seem to alway pick the same two that made it through the 

wildfire that destroyed my home.

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 I think this small Creche is just lovely .

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This typical winter storm moved in, dropping rain and snow

then zoomed out the same day.

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 And here comes the sun shine.

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As always just because I can here is your mid-week pretty.

 da da da dummmm daaaa daaaaaum daa.

Just got so excited about seeing Star Wars. I picked these cuties up.

But now where will I put them ? I try not to buy "stuff" but.......... . .

Saw Star Wars on my Birthday, more to come about this on Mondays post.

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yesh wet stuff go away i thehamish not likin' my feeties wet and cold

i thehamsih needen' chkikin'

nice tall person who feeds us is ayin' i thehamish is a scotty

i thehamish should be likin' this ha ha ha 

so what is this meanin' not understandin'

movie. . . parsnip

music. . . The Love Parade,  The Dream Academy

parley view parsnip. . . 4 January, 2016

Monday in Tucson.

It is my Birthday !

Son and Daughter are taking me to see Star Wars and we will have lunch after.

Let there be cake !

Yea Haw

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 thehamish

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 Watson and thehamish starting last year's party.
Notice the Square Ones toys all over the floor.
That was a terrific time.

 Big wishes from Watson

 and thehamish.

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Here is your pretty to start the first week in January.

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birthday. . . parsnip

music. . . Hotline  Bing . . . Drake

1 January, Square Dog Friday, Year Of The Monkey

Happy New Year.

As you read on my last post this is the 

Year Of The Monkey.

Remember wear a lot of red.

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 I found this postcard on my first trip to Japan many many many years ago at Christmas.

The next Zodiac year was the Monkey.

I found all sorts of postcards to send out New Year greeting,

with every type of artistic to funny monkeys.

Or you can print them up yourself.

Everyone sends New Year postcards wishes out to family and friends.

The post office is overwhelmed but gets out all the New Year Day cards on time.
I usually send out New Year Day postcards but this year I was just to ill and could not
design, print and send them out.

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Unlike the many people who don't send cards any more in America.

I remember getting so many cards but it has dwindled to just a few.

Lots of valid reasons for many people not to send cards.

But just so many who are just too indifferent.

If it doesn't come on a smart phone why bother ?

Getting real mail is just so wonderful plus if there is a real letter in it even better.

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And just because I can here is your pretty for the start of the weekend.

Plus the first post of the New Year.

Happy Happy Happy New Year !

 here is gud dug i thehamish with statue that 

nice tall person who feeds us is finding someplace

mum is sayin' that he is lookin' like i thehamish

 i thehamish is not seein' what mum is talkin' about but i gots' a chkikin'

(best photo ever to get him to look just like the statue)

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 nice tall person who feed us said i thehamish must wear lots of red 

i am not knowin' why 

but if i gets chikin' i am gud

here is i thehamish lookin' confused about what new year is but i got chkikin'

so i thehamish is happy.

now you all be happy today too

yert 

thehamish

woof

happy. . . parsnip

music. . . Happy,  Pharrell Williams

Wednesday in Japan. . . Year of The Monkey

Year of the Monkey

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My first visit to Japan (many many years ago)was at Christmas  right before 

The Year of the Monkey.

Monkeys Monkeys Monkeys everywhere and the color red.

The zodiac animals are very important.

Character traits and luck good and bad, being some of the important points.

I walked into one of the terrific  Japanese Department stores 

I think it was Seibu, in Shinjuku shopping area and I found 

this wonderful surprise, the dancing  monkey and the bobble-head monkey.

I bought several for late Christmas/New Year gifts.

For several years my Son has been sending me the most wonderful

paper mache zodiac animals.

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Monkeys have an interesting role in Japanese  cultural and religion belief .

A  mischievous tricker (much like the coyote in the southwest where I live)

and also sacred mediator.

Monkeys are are "Saru" in Japanese which sounds like "go away".

So you will see slogans like "Yanakoto Saru" unhappy things go away or 

"Mayoi Saru"indecision go away everywhere this year.

  I just love the sweet face on these monkeys.

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 Here is the newest addition to my collection.

When family skyped over Christmas, son told us about this very special monkey.

It is made by a very well known artist and people come from all over to buy his art.

Of course with all the presents opening with a excited 5 year old granddaughter, I missed his 

name and will have call back and find out more about him.

 Wonderful.

 Some of my collection.

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 I need to expand the space.

 This little Tiger is not a monkey but every-time I walk past him and see his big smile/roar

I am happy. I found this small tiger/bell at the Japanese Museum of History in Los Angels.

OK here is my one takeaway for the New Year, wear red.

Lots of red this year !

The color Red is a very lucky and powerful symbol but 

in the year of the monkey this is magnified. More good luck coming your way and 

bad things like illness and indecision to go away.

Over the years in Japan and China many people are wearing red underwear for luck but this year 

more women and men will be wearing the color red. Sometimes this is the easier way.

One of my non Japanese Tucson friend swears by this. 

Besides why not, it can't hurt.

Next post will be on the New Year post card.

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Here is your mid-week pretty.

It is not red but oh so good.

Dinner last night was Sukiyaki wonderful one pot meal for a cold winter night.

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Cooked and served in a iron hot pot.

This was just perfect.

red. . . parsnip

music. . . Cloud Age Symphony,  Okino Shuntaro

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parley view parsnip. . .i thehamish is back

A few photos of the new Christmas toy that a certain gud dug received
from Santa.

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 yesh i the gud dug thehamish gots a gud squeaky

 neffummguft

 gurrup

 muuue

 yeaerruea

 nurff

i thehanish finly gots gud toy squekin'

nice tall person who feeds us told santa what i thehamish was wantin'
'cause i thehamish gud dug

When Watson was writing toy reviews we could read a concise review of
material
chew factor
squeaky
design.
Of course thehamish reviews were very interesting.
Because he doesn't have a Watson review to follow
we will have to help him.

i thehamish toy review
nuwerberr
guuuuud
guder
fabuuuurest
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yert 

 i thehamish is very gud  dug

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Just because I can  here is your pretty to start the week.

The one decoration I bought this year was a 25 Days of Christmas hanging.
If you have little ones and what a fun way to have a 24 Days to Christmas.
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All you crafty people can sew pockets of different sizes

hang it up and add some fun trinkets, stories,  photos or tiny candies. Wrapped of course.

I just used it as a decoration and filled it with some of my small toys.

Have a restful week leading up to New Years. 

I will be sleeping most of it.

toy. . . parsnip

music. . . Holding Back The Years,  Simply Red

Wednesday in Japan and Tucson

Tiny post for busy times.

Lots of photos few words.

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 i thehamish  gots back from my herbal body wrap at nice place that washes i thehamish.

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 i thehamish is lookin' gud and regal.

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 Scotty smile.

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 i thehamish is checking out places to wait for Santa person 

who gives yummy snacks to gud dugs like i thehamish

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 i thehamish is thinkin' this is a gud place to hide and wait for Santa.

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Here is your pretty for mid week !

Best  Christmas Tree ever.

I love the upside down name.

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One of her Dad's photos will be on the "Today Show" on the 10:30 segment,
On December 24.

I have no idea why or how they found it ?

I don't watch the "Today Show"  so I have no idea what this is about.

The photo is of people lined up to get KFC in Japan for Christmas.

Christmas has no real religious meaning in Japan.

But to make a long story short....

Around 1970, a customer remarked that a land free of a turkey for a celebration dinner 

fried chicken was the next best thing.

KFC heard this and ran away with it.

"Kurisumasu ni wa kentakii" or Kentucky for Christmas. 

The popularity of American culture at that time plus a huge KFC

campaign has made this a fun tradition. 

You will see lines outside every KFC  

complete with a statue of Colonel Sanders dresses as Santa.

Colonel Santa !

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merry. . . parsnip

music. . . ll est ne le divin enfant,  Annie Lennox

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Merry Christmas, everyone.

cheers,  gayle and thehamish