GODZILLA KING OF THE MONSTERS

Anyone who blogged with Janet knew she was a huge livelong fan of Godzilla. I don't know when it 

at first they wanted the monster to be a giant octopus, thank god they did not do that, for more than 

likely I would not be writing this blog. From rubber suit to high tech graphics, Godzilla has 

maintained his down home monster look. Godzilla was an important part of Janet's 3rd grade classes, 

she had a two foot tall plastic Godzilla on her desk and she would keep the bathroom passes in his 

mouth. When the kids were working on the floor and they became noisy, she would tell them in 

English ( she had a bi-lingual class) she was going to run thru them just like Godzilla thru Tokyo, and 

no matter what level of English they had, they completely understood.

Our house is falloff Godzillas, as I type at Janet's computer there is a foot tall plush Godzilla looking 

over my shoulder. I don't know when her Godzilla thing began some time after we met, but it could

not has been before November 3, 1954, for that's when the movie was released in Japan, it wasn't

released here until April, 1956. So 3 NOV is Godzilla birthday so to  speak.

Went thru the house and gathered up some of the Zilla  items I could find, this is just a small sample

of what is around the house, some have special meanings, others do not.

                                                               

Te Zill who guarded the bathroom passes

Baby Zilla

Keyring Zilla

Zilla Fan

This one actually breathes steam!

A special postcard sent by one of Janet's favorite bloggers

My favorite, given to Janet in Japan by our daughter April

Just a bit of Godzillamania, everyone should have at least one Zill!!!!

                         Halloween in Japan Part 11

My daughter dressed up as did most of her Japanese coworkers.

Now a word about her costume. She is dressed up as a NO OBACHANS "NO" is this case is possessive meaning OURS. NO OBACHANS are elderly ladies who like to dress in bright leopard skin prints.

In their 60s and 70s they like to dye their hair purple.

They like to give out candy from brightly decorated purses and of talk.

                                                My view of Halloween in Japan

HALLOWEEN IN JAPAN

                                 

                          HALLOWEEN IN JAPAN

A few words about Halloween in Japan, keeping in mind that this is just a visitors view, I am no anthropologist. I am amazed and a little jealous how the Japanese take a part of somebody else's culture gleam the best parts and adapt it to their life style. Halloween is a good example, last October we were in Japan and the main colors of most decorations were black and orange. Halloween displays were in just about every shop window.

Trick or treating is not practiced, not house to house, like in the states, candies may be given to friends at parties. The main part of Halloween adopted is COSTUMES, mainly for adults, who really enjoy dressing up. For some reason (ME) I can't load anymore pictures, so all publish this and start another one.
                                                              

 Back from a somewhat bitter/sweet trip to London. London was Janet's most favorite city in the world. So I had to go say goodbye for her. I took a friend with me, who had never been overseas. He asked me how many times have I been to London, and after counting, it seems Janet and I had visited London mat least 30 times over the yers. Sometimes just for a day, at the end or beginning of a trip. Janet's favorite animal if the elephant, so I rounded one up, took him to the middle span of Tower Bridge, gave him a hug and a kiss and over he went, to be forever, like Janet's spirit, in the heart of London.

Next was to have a pint and some English chips, she really liked the big tasty chips, we always had to  get on to each other to try to not eat too many of them. Janet was a larger girl, but on a cold day she liked a Guinness.

Last but not least, a night of live theater, my friend really wanted to see the Phantom of The Opera. Janet would have approved. Too much singing to me, but a delight to the eye.

I did a few other things that made me feel good, and then spent the rest of the trip trying to Mudlark. It seems some time in June I fell and cracked a rib, it healed but about a couple weeks before the London trip,I began to have trouble walking. Doctor said it was a pinched nerve and  fractured hip. Now that sounds terrible, but the fracture was barely visible. Now by the time of the London trip things got back to halfway normal, but the London streets took care of that, so I was not at full speed, which is usually WARP speed. I found only one spot I could get to for mud larking, it was pretty much well picked over, not surprising as it was just under Tower Bridge. I found a button that was all.

I am going back next year just to mudlark.

Two weeks before the London trip I sold three oil painting to a business near Piccadilly Circus, their logo was a wolf. I had painted 3 Yellowstone wolves and they bought all three.

I went pass the building hoping to see my paintings but they were redecorating and they said to come back a a month or so, which I will.

              

                                   

                                      Here are two of my paintings of Tower Bridge

I can't let this Halloween go by without a Janet inspired painting of Godzilla trick or treating Tokyo.

I am leaving shortly for a quick trip to London, Janet's favorite city in the whole world. I need to drink a pint for her,  have some chips and throw a keepsake of hers in the Thames and say goodbye for her.

54th

Don't know if this blog still exist or not. But I am going to give a try. Yesterday was to be 54th anniversary I went to the cemetery and gave a porcelain teddy bear and elephant, two of her favorite critters. I would like to post some of her drawings which I keep finding in drawers and closets.

Sorry about the quality of the scanning, It's hard to scan something in a book. Anyway if anybody reads this, Bless Them.   Mac

Here are some more paintings, they are some of my most treasured possessions.

More to come.

I would like to show you some of Janet's artwork. She was not one to bragg, but in ways her work is

better than mine. She could sit down and complete her painting in just one go, I could never do this.

The same with sketches, she would just sit there and draw, while I would try different angles and

things. More often than not her drawing would be accurate, if a house had four windows, that what

she drew, I in turn would get halfway thru a sketch and realize I had no room for a fourth window!

This  is Mac, I'm so sad to say that Janet passed away the 30th of May. Her heart and mind and attitude were strong, but her body could not take any more Chemo. She passed quietly last Wednesday night. I should say more but this is hard to write. Thank You for being her friend.

Random Post

Finished the first round of my second go around with chemo and all is well.  They're monitoring me much closer this time and I'm going in for extra fluids.  I feel good.
I've lost all my hair again, just when it was getting cute and curly.  I need to order new pants as I've lost so much weight.
Mac caught a little mouse in a humane mouse trap after he found Miss Kitty with him in her mouth.  Hope he's learned his lesson.
Started reading Us Against Them the sequel to Bear Town and I like it very much.  That's a relief.
I still have quite a bit of energy, don't know how long that will last, but I'm enjoying it while I can.
Rain forecast for here, hope not too much as we have a drive ahead of us this morning.

Happy Easter

I want to wish a happy Easter to family and friends.  I still have eggs to dye and devil, I boiled them yesterday.  We're having lamb shank, a whole leg would be a waste.
No pictures though Mac brought me a bouquet from the garden.

I Know, I know

It's been forever since I posted.  I was in the hospital, then recovering at home.  I'm at home deciding to start chemo again.
Watched the Masters and lots of Baseball.  Some reading nothing very memorable.
We have an Amaryllis that is blooming for the 3rd year, quite spectacular.

Pictures

Here are the some of the photos I was promising.
The theatre progresses, the popcorn machine came in today.

Next are some garden photos.

And last it a picture Mac has painted for me.  I know it's a Christmas painting, but I love it.

Monday, Again?

They come faster that when I worked.  Have to go on Chemo for a 2nd time.  My lungs are ok, but other spots have shown up very small. First round was today, feel good, hope it stays that way.

 Am going to try and do somethings before I wear out.

Went to the Tournament of Champions Golf Tournament last Thursday, it was great.  Free transport from hole to hole for handicap and free lunch from Chick Filet.

We ordered theater seating for our upstairs movie room will post pictures soon, they're on Mac's camera.' Been using our stair master going up and down to famiarize myself with it all.'Thought we'd have to put another one going to to upstairs, but even though it has more stairs, it's not as steep.  Have no trouble getting up and down them.  We only have 1 Roku so may need another. We've ordered movie posters and a popcorn machine to complete the room.

I've ordered yarn for lap afghans, the cat about ruined the leather on our other chairs; they'll be shades of gold, oatmeal and brown.

Sounds like we've spent a bit but considering the trouble we had with the gall bladder we felt we deserved it.

New Post

Lazy, lazy, lazy, no reason to not post except not much is going on. Mac paints and works in the yard while I read.  The paintings are gorgeous, done for me and I will share when they're done.
Doctor appointment in the morning for the results of my PET. Scan, hopeful.
We looking at theatre seating for the big room upstairs.  It's such a big empty room.  Hope I can get up the stairs.
Reading one of my favorite Georgette Heyer books ----Cotilillion---.  I've read it 3 or 4 times and always enjoy it.
Have  also been reading an ecclesiastical series by Kate Charles that it so good.  Only one more book in the series, darn it.  She's as artist and he's a lawyer.  He's into church architecture and she's into church music.  I've learned a lot.
Got a new couch cover, moss green.  Wanted it lighter, but you take what you can get.  Need to stop being bored and shopping all the time.
Hope all is well at your place.

Time Flies

And it does.  One doctor appointment, but the rest was ours.  I ordered a new coffee table to replace the really cheap one we got a couple of years ago.  The new one is so pretty, cherry wood and beveled edges, weighs a ton.  Poor Mac had to put it together.  I told him that from now on I'll pay to have to put together already.  He pooh-poohed, but I think it's time.  It looks so clean and orderly, let's see how long that lasts.
Then it was time for a new washing machine.  Ours was in terrible shape, getting so clothes came out so wet, no spin drying at all. We're pleased with the new one and Mac is having to train me.  Hope nothing else breaks down, you know it's always 3 things that need replacing.
Next week it's PET Scan time, doctor says that's not as hard on your kidney as a CAT Scan.
We've been quite warm, up in the 80's, cooler today and Mac walked me around the yard,  Lots of holes, looks like an opposum or a armadillo has been digging the place up.
I've finished another J.A. Jance book, out of sequence, but I enjoyed it.  It's Damage Control,  a suicide/murder, or was it.  Really like her writing.  Her setting in the Arizona desert is so interesting. and so different from Georgia.
Mac has been working in the garden, our daffodils and other early bloomers are all coming up, yeah.
Tomorrow I see the Podiatrist to see what's going on with my toes and Mac does the grocery shopping.
Just got a call that they're coming to put our chair lift in on Wednesday, I'm thrilled.
As I said, time does fly.

Sunday Musings

It's time to post.
What I've been doing:

Sitting on the corner of the couch reading, still not back up to full strength

What I'm watching:

In the day time The Price is Right, I'd do terrible on this show.
At night lots of Family Feud.

Going:

To the doctor this week on Thursday to have all checked out.
Hoping to see a doctor about my toes, had to cancel last week's appointment.
Thrilled they took my drain out on Monday.

Thinking:

That I'm really tired of doctors.
That Miss Kitty has an admirer who shows up most evenings.
Like Sheldon we think it's a boy and he's a friend, but he's not a boy friend.

I'm Glad:

That Mac does the taxes, not me.  I wouldn't know where to begin.


Reading:

Just finished The Disappeared by C.J. Box, he writes a series about a Game Warden in Wyoming and it's a great series.  Love his family and feel like I've come home when I read one.

Gloomy Sunday, hope yours is better.

UGH

I have been ordering
books hrough eBay lately, fairly reasonable a r I read a lot, 157 books last year.  Well this box came in and when Mac came in the back door I could smell ii-----  cigarettes.  It was so strong we couldn't keep it in the house.  So the box is in the garage.  I use to be a smoker, many years ago (37 years ago) and I knew they smelled, but I had no idea how bad .  I feel bad that I ever smoked  Hope the books lose their sme
.

Yeah!!!!!!!

It's off, it's gone.  After 3 drains, more doctor visits than I can count and nearly 2 months they removed my drain----complications from my gall bladder surgery. To say I've been doing a happy dance is putting it mildly.

A Good investment

Today we finally did something we've been talking about for a couple of years.  We've signed a contract to have a staitlift it in
Our house is built on a flood plain which means you have to go up at least 10 steps to reach a door to our house.  I'm tired of it and Mac is tired of hauling groceries up.
Should be in about 3weeks.

Third Time the Charm

I bought an iPad.  I've had Kindles  for years and my latest version was getting gettingr old and cranky.  So I decided to switch to Apple, so my other devices are Apple.  I've used Apple since the 80's.  So I ordered an iPad.  Hated it. Fought with Aple online, text and phone.  Sent it back.
Ordered a Kindle Oasis  hated it, sent it back.
Ordered a Kindle Fire 8.  Loved it.  I've been setting I up this afternoon.

Third  time was the char!.

Four Things About Me

I borrowed this from John at Rambles From My Chair a couple of weeks ago and I'm finally using it.


Four names I go by:

Janet
Q
JanetG
Mrs.Gutierrez


Four Places I've lived:

Izmir, Turkey
California
Stuttgart, Germany
Georgia

Four Things I love to watch:

Football
Baseball
The Big Bang Theory
Family Feud


Four Places I have visited: 

Egypt
England
Italy
Greece


Four things I love to eat:

Banana pudding
Chocolate ice cream
Fried Rice
Fried Chicken


Four favorite drinks:

Coke
Hot tea, lots of sugar, no milk
Gatorade
Iced tea


Four favorite smells:

Carnations
Roses
Fresh laundry
lavender

Even More Random

To those who suggested Netflix, we had it for years and hardly watched it at all.  We do enjoy Acorn and Britbox.  Love Agatha Raisin.

Dr. appointment today, just routine.

Reading a strange book  by Diane Satterfield, Once Upon A River.  It's very strange and I'm not sure what I think of it.

Sent back my iPad and ordered a new Kindle. Finally got to talk to a human at Apple,  I kept telling him what I wanted and he didn't care.  Very disappointed they were no help at all.

Cold here, but nothing like the mid-west.  Have I mentioned I don't do winter?

Have a good week.

Random Thoughts.

Just some random thoughts as I sit here on my corner of the couch.
Day time tv is beyond awful.  How do people watch it.
Got a new iPad but haven't got it set up yet.  Why won't Apple let you talk to a human instead of texting.
I'm so glad my cleaning ladies are coming this week.  Mac does alot, but he needs time off too.
Read a good book, the Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths.  Not part of her 2 series, but rather a stand-alone.  Gothic ghost story, b u t modern.
Have a great week.

Finally, a New Post

I know, it's been a month, but there have been problems.  Gall bladder surgery fine, afterwards problems too boring to go into.  Meeting with my surgeon tomorrow to see if we can finally get it all straightened out.


I feel good and just want to get on with things.
Though not posting I have been reading your blogs.