I'm back in Japan...Thom

I'm here. very nice room, suite actually, living room - kitchen, separate bedroom and bath. The bathtub is awsome, somewhat like a swimming pool. No kitchen utensiles, find out more about that later I guess.

It's six a.m. here, and I've just read your email. It's going to take me some time to get straightened out with the computer issues, but I'll do the best I can. Watched the sun come up this morning while trying to email you. Beautiful.

Jo has landed in the UK

May 31, 2009

I'm determined to make this post. It's my third try which as they say, it's a charm.

Happy Birthday, Andrew. 26 years old today. I hope you're celebrating and having fun and I so wish I could be there with you.

Thom, you're somewhere in Japan now and I'm wanting to know how you land. The one major frustration is not having reliable access to the internet but I am determined that it will change soon. I wanted to bring some of California with me and it appears I brought the sunshine. First day was cold, rainy, & miserable. Now we're having beautiful, exquisite weather. YAAAY!

My predecessor, Janyce, has just left. She was amazingly generous with her time, brilliant at making my transition easier, and she's a beautiful, strong woman. Here we are in Cambridge together. With some unbelievable coincidence, she will be working with you,Thom, in about a month. You're lucky.

So here I am, library is closing and so get myself out into this stellar day. I will take a deep breath, and turn on my GPS and start driving. There's still lots of daylight so here I go. Driving on the left is definitely an exercise in staying focused.

I miss you, Thom. Waiting to hear how you are.

My body says mid-night but the clock says...Thom

My body knows it not 3:00 in the afternon, but that's what the clock says. I am sitting in the Narita airport in Tokyo waiting to board a flight to Hiroshima so I can take a taxi to Iwakuni. I had the most interesting reaction/thought when we broke out of the clouds and I could see the rice fields below, the thought went through my mind, "I'm home now." Isn't that weird and silly. It's meaningless at best and at worst some kind of base sentimentalism.

It was a good flight, passed quickly, and the airports are very efficient at getting you through the immigration and security processes.

I am missing Jo.

I did have a good time...Thom

These are the best ones from the shoot that I did, she was a very sweet girl...it's like playing make believe.

Countdown Day...Thom

Seems like there is always something to do. It's noon now and I am pretty much done with errands, gotta go to the post office and print out my boarding pass. It's off to Japan in 19 hours.I am kinda anxious about it and don't really know why...I know it's going to be a wonderful trip. Several stores have gone out of business in downtown Davis... which makes the persons in the ones still there much nicer to deal with interestingly enough. I'm waiting for your phone call now and really looking forward to it. Sorry about the lack of "sense making" this morning. I couldn't seem to find my voice. But 4 am is a bit early for me. I'm glad you called though.

I'll get it right sometime...Thom

I have everthing you need to be sent, and I am waiting for my model, Sasha, to show up. Late as is usual for a model. I shouldn't be doing this, I'm to harried, but it makes me relax after I get started.

The world is a strange place...Thom

Being able to talk with you was exciting...you are now on your way to get "tea," and I'm sitting here in my underwear trying to wake up. Is it not strange that you would work with Janice for a month then she is going to be in Japan at Iwakuni? I look forward to working with her. My dental appointment is at nine in the morning (Thursday) so I'll have clean teeth in Japan.

Well, you can teach old dogs new tricks...Thom

Thanks Jo, i think I've got it now. This is going to be a fun way to communicate with you and you are right about maintaining some level of security. like no addresses, phone numbers, last names, etc. I was thinking social security numbers and pin numbers might be alright though. lol.

Wells Fargo has now informed me that I have to go to the branch and change my pin from 5ive to four digits for it to work in Japan. Check yours out soon as you to London, I may be wiring you money.

I've caged the tomatoes, picked up the trimmings from the yard, and replaced the battery although the one in the unit was working just fine.

I am making my reservation with the Davis Airporter, ( I just ate one of your carrots and it was absolutely delicious...) I'll finish packing and then I'm going to call my friend to see if he would like to get some coffee (tea) or what not. Love you very much and hope your having a good flight.

Jo's done gone away...

I am at home learning how to blog with Jo sitting in the airport trying to teach me. She is good.

Leaving for the UK

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Well, here I am drinking a Starbucks latte at the Sacramento airport while waiting for the flight. Thom has just dropped me off and we laugh as we discover that he has stopped for his own Starbucks on the way home. I was just here picking him up from his flight and now a bit over 24 hours later, the adventure begins again. There is regret at having such brief moments together, for rushing around completing last minute packing, and getting the house ready for the housesitter. I wish that it could have been more relaxed and carefree. A lesson that I will continue to learn.....how not to overpack and fret about everything I didn't do.

I will miss my garden and am an insane person for rushing around at the last moment planting zinnias, tomatoes, basil, lobelia, and alyssym.
Maybe beautiful flowers will greet me home.


There is also a sense of anticipation and surprise that I am leaving the country for 2 months. What will this be like, away from each other for 60 days. We were just apart for 45 days. Hmmmm. I feel like planning an exotic trip somewhere to be together again.

I miss you, Thom, already. Find out how to post so I can hear from you.

The beginning

This is a blog about a couple who are working and living apart, at least for this year. Welcome to our world. Today is our 11th anniversary. I'm in Davis and Thom is in Washington, D.C. To begin with, this blog is an experiment about how two people who are married stay in communication with each other across the miles. Tomorrow we will have a day and a few hours to spend together before I leave for the UK and Thom leaves for Japan. We are on a new journey of a couple working in different parts of the world.

What I imagine is that we will share with each other and others what our lives are like for these next few months. I think we will take photographs and share impressions. And I'm open to whatever the possibilities are. How about you, Thom?