My first diaper cakes

Today I attended my friend's gathering. My classmate in an airline induction will have a baby this spring. Though this wasn't formal wedding or baby shower,I wanted her party very special. Last night I made my first diaper cakes. I surfed web sites and I found quite a few websites showing how to make diaper cakes. In Japan, not many know about diaper cakes so some even make the profit out of selling them on the websites. But I thought making them by myself isn't difficult. I found it's fun, special and heartwarming, even inexpensive rather than buying one. I spent US$100 including some decorations for making two of those.
I wasn't sure how the people would react when they see my diaper cakes, because I wasn't able to prepare as much as I planned. My daughter E had high fever with vomiting since Friday night. I didn't have much decoration stuff, I made them while E was in bed to rest and I wasn't able to go out for decoration shopping. But I gave it try. Unexpectedly, many of my friends appreciated the diaper cakes(Most of them are moms).They even told me that they want to try making it when I showed these two. So happy to see their positive reactions!! It is always worrisome whenever you try out something new, but it's worth trying today's stuff.
Besides diaper cakes, it was such a joyful gathering which is so rare to attend these days.The majority of today's attendees are ex-airline crew who shared good time and hard time together in Hong Kong in the 90's. We appreciated today's gathering more than anything, after many of us heard the sad news of adorable Japanese colleagues in the late 30's and 40's departed by cancer last 10 year continueously. It is too early to go... And lately we are so busy and we almost contacted each other only notifying the sad news to share and not many chances to enjoy recreation like throwing a party like today.
Lord, thank you for your blessing. Please show me the right way to go.Thank you for letting me feel and appreciate things happening on me. Please guide me where I should go. I know you have planned to use me to change the world, but I still do not know how.

Chill out!

Yesterday I had an exam of Maternity nursing. But the results I know before the paper return, it was not good. Even multiple choice, there are so many misspelling and wrong word usage which the teacher meant to be right. None of our class said it was satisfactory. Anyway, so far I really haven't had any time for myself. This morning my shoulder hurts,my face swollen and didn't have feeling of having good sleep. So I decided to go for Aerobics class. I haven't exercese for last three month, simply no time like other nursing students. What a nice feeling after sweating a lot with music! The music played in the class was my favorite and my time's music. Olivia Newtonjohon etc. I was even singing and dancing. As a Japanese I look like a crazy woman. But I really don't care. I was in the studio for myself to feel good, besides the music was so loud and others could'nt hear me. Well, but my hip joints hurt and I often slow down the movement. I really did not admit my cells are aging. But...face the reality!

My new neighbor

A week ago, new neighbour moved in to the room next to mine. My daughter E was so excited because the neighbor have two young boys. She was dying to play with but so far we did not match the timing. Today we have great present which you now see in the picture. The neighbor's husband is a pastry chef who is teaching bakers. We got three flavors of rusk or sweetend melba toasts(caramel, milk and bitter chocolate) and Chocholate bread(picture) and some pastries. When my neighbor came, it was almost 8 o'clock and E supposed to get ready for bed but instead tasting bits and pieces. It was irresistable even for the adults. I never had such a wonderful bread and pastries. I once in the service industry and tried first class food and hotel meals but I was surprised for the bread I got tonight. In my area, it is pretty famous for tough competition among cake shops and bakeries. I hope the neighbor will success on the business and I think he will!

PRK operation

I had PRK(Photorefractive Keratectomy)opearation two weeks ago. My vision is regaining and every morning I wake up I have wonderful feeling of no glasses. I had been thinking of having the operation for quite sometimes. Since I was in an airline, I suffered from dry eyes, pain, infection, and migrain. So far I have no headache or migrain since the operation. I still have problem seeing near but it has been getting day by day. I have no regret to have the operation. Using contact lense for more than 20 years, I know I am not able to fit for contacts anymore and my dry eyes get worse for sure.　The reason I chose PRK is I do not need to make a flap with cornea and I am able to take cataract lense operation. Besides, I like my doctor best and he answered all my questions I asked and the explanation was reasonable. I love his philosophie towards medicine( he did this PRK operation to 10 familiy members before he started practicing following his doctor-family philosophy.

I can only do so much!

Today I attended nursery's parent meeting. Since daughter E is going to graduate this spring, parents organize farewell party to show respect and gratitude. I am a party group member and my group communicate well and no one had an hard feeling so far. But the other group to make graduation writing booklets seems to face the communication deadlock. One is so dominant and made a decision based on her feeling and mood, not majority's opinion and logics. There is no sense of cost effectiveness and time frame concious. So that my friend really had a hard time and frustrations. I am not in that group and member but I could not just overlook the problem and one person suffers from the pressure of the task. Actually I found today my friend is the only person to coordinate the writings and negociate with printing company. She wanted to communicate directly to the company but one of the parent wants to be a middle man to talk (but nothing )to the sales rep. She may have some undertable or briberies. And my friend is sick and tired of going through the middle man and sales rep channel to communicate with a printer in charge. What a heck! Everyone has own job to earn money and suppose the parents are volunteer to help each other but not in reality often. Politics move the world around not financial priority or economical reasons. The class has budget and more than half of it goes to the printer just only dominant mom. The printer was not selected democratic way, is this 21century's decision making process? Besides, only 210yen per person, what can we eat for the party? Not even afford for 150yen a bottle of tea or juice and no snack?
Suppose the writings should be the icon of showing our gratitude to the teachers and each family will receive the proper photo album with pictures besides the writings. There are so mamy wonders still exsists in this world.

Santa Came !?

Merry Christmas to you! Today was the last class at school and the last exam in this semester finally over! Yay!
And today we have two guests to cheer our home, young charming little lady of my daughter's classmate and her wise and hardworking mom. We had a tiny little dinner party. I cooked garlic and ginger marinated grilled chicken wings. I simply did't do much work besides house cleaning so I bought assorted Sushi and sponge cake to decolate with fresh cream and fruits. I just wanted to let the kids decolate to have fun! I missed taking photos! because...I was busy chatting with my friend. Sometimes working moms need to chill out and release our stress, yes surely we need. The more I know the person, the more interesting and attractive sides of the person I discover. I certainly had good time.
My dauther E said" I had the best Christmas ever! Because my friend visited me and play together". It's so right to me and this event may brought us the true meaning of Christmas(brought peaceful feeling after emotional turmoil with family loss) rather than much more commercializing and glittering Christmas.
E got a beautiful big popup book from Santa this morning. Santa cares that E might be leftoutin her class if Santa did not come on the night before Christmas(24th)because kids surely breaking the day with talking about present they found this morning.
To my understanding Santa comes on the 25th night, Christmas day, and keep the box under the tree and open it on the 26th. That's why we call 26th as "Boxing day", am I right about it ? But it seems the majority except E planned to have the present on the 24th night. So...our Santa has come one day earlier than I expected. E asked Santa for Nintendo DS(computer game) and She drew picture and words for Santa on a piece of paper. But this morning E found the book besides her pillow and screamed
" Santa knew what I want! I wanted to buy this book in London this spring but the bookshop did not have any copie. I am so Happy!"
Santa is so happy too and relaxed now! But my heart was pounding when E was asking me a question while having breakfast, What about kids in Afganistan and Iraq ? Did they get any present? Did Santa come to them?" I lost words for a while and said " The kids there might not have chance to have meal like us peacefully. They may always feel scared of bombing. Do you understand?" Then, we had silence for a while and E's eyes told that she was thinking something. I hope she did and I hope she will realize and found the happiness in people by doing something for others not buying stuff to get selfsatisfuction.
Merry Christmas to all and peace to be with you. Maggie

Gone...

In-law-mom has just gone without saying anything.
Everyone around her puzzled and felt emptyness needless to say.
Life is hard sometimes.
All the efforts we made seems so useless to me.
But...
I know Life can be easy sometimes someday.
I should keep walking the way ... the way to be a nurse.
The nurse who should learn and the experiences I have and
apply them to clinical practice. That's the way should be...