Carrying bricks

On 20th and 21st June, Friends helped to carry the bricks of Euan's kiln from Ichikai, Tochigi to Minakami.
They are teachers at an American school in Japan, they borrowed trucks and
came to help us.  It is about 7 tons for just the kiln itself. They
and Euan drove three times between Ichikai and Minakami in two days.

Sean also helped us, even though he had bronchitis....
When they arrived with the last load of bricks at evening, the other
kids, Sora, Canaan and Rohan, helped carry the bricks, too.
Thank you.

Euan is making pots at a friends studio in Nagano recently, so we could not move pottery things from the studio in Ichikai. We still have to bring many things from there, but it is a big step forward.

Is that a soot monster ?!

Thank you very much, Debi and Julie!

Double Fathers Day ♪

It was Fathers Day on Sunday June 19th.

Our kids gave Dad lots of hugs and chocolate.
And our youngest son, Sean, gave him a special dice which he made at the preschool.
There are pictures on each surface, so when Daddy rolls the dice, if it's Daddy's face up, he can get a hug from his son,  if it's a tankard, he pours Daddy a beer.

We also gave a present to my father, too.


We all had Fathers Day Dinner together.
I cooked Tekka-don with guacamole, Mushroom Miso soup, Octopus and cucumber marinade and steamed vegetables. Plus pumpkin croquette which my father bought.
It was all delicious.


To all Dads all over the world,
Happy Fathers Day !!

and thank you for everything.

Making pots in Nagano.....

Euan is away from home to make pots at his friends studio in Nagano on weekdays, and comes home on weekends. After the earthquake our friend, Laura Inoue, kindly offered Euan to lend her studio and kiln. She had built the kiln which Euan designed a couple of years ago.

He is still struggling to build a studio and kiln here in Minakami, so he is borrowing her studio with great appreciation.

Some people said to Euan, he has skills and knowledge so he should to help building kilns in Mashiko.

What is most important, though,  is that he can make a living from his pottery sales, so he is making pots for orders and his exhibition for his family.



We talk by Skype or telephone each night.

We all are looking forward to seeing him

on weekend.

with wine ♪

It was Euan's Birthday on May 22nd.

His request for his birthday present was Shichirin and  Charcoal.

We bought some Australian wine from the local supermarket so we could toast his birthday.

BBQ and wine!

It was mini Aussie style BBQ.

The kids and I made cheesecake for him.

We had it with wine, of course.

There is no progress about his studio yet....

So he feels like his feet are not on the ground.

We will try to build the studio and the kiln, and he can start to make pots again soon.

I hope that it is going to be a wonderful year for him.
Happy Birthday, Euan

Live Radio program ♪

Euan is going to talk on the Radio program, NHK Chikyu radio(World radio),
on May 29th Sunday from 6:30pm  for about 10minutes.

They said that we all can come and see,
so we are all going to NHK Shibuya Studio in Tokyo.
I'm very much looking forward to go and see the studio. 
But the kids must be very very excited......


The program is " Chikyu Radio (World radio)" in Japanese
on NHK AM Radio 1,  5：05pm～6：50pm.

You can listen to the program in or out side of Japan on Iternet, too.
You go to the website, NHK Chikyu Radio （NHK 地球ラジオ）,
and click the button of 「放送中に番組を聞く」, then click 「聞く」button,
you can listen to live program.
If you miss the program, you still be able to listen the program just for 1 week,
there is a "Radio On Demand".
You go to the website,  NHK Chikyu Radio （NHK 地球ラジオ）,
and click the 「前回の番組を聞く」button,
then click May 29th Sunday program, 6pm~ (5月29日（日）放送分の「6時台」). 

If you have time, please try to listen to the program.