apologizes...sorry to be so incommmunicado! Now Mom's gone home and biggest deadlines are done, should be able to live again!

that it's official...she's staying in Japan one more year (which is great, especially considering Fearless Husband's other options...)

that she's having a charity auction on her blog... www.wordmagix.com

www.wordmagix.com/images... tofu skin roll...sounds gross, was absolutely delicious!!

www.wordmagix.com/images... more tofu!

www.wordmagix.com/images... part of her multi-course tofu dinner

rather shocked at how much she is loving fresh tofu -- SO different from the boxes of shelf-stable crap in the grocery store!

that the photos she posted are not showing up! GRRRR!

www.wordmagix.com/images... one more photo of lanterns on the water.

www.wordmagix.com/images... a photo of the floating lanterns lighting the way home for the spirits at the end of Obon.