Basket Weaving 101

This morning I was walking down a Kamakura street that was built in 1163 just as the stalls were putting up their shutters to sell all kinds of Japanese food and laquerware. It was magical. I was on my way to the Hachimangu, a shinto temple, where I prayed and took a basket weaving class. It doesn't get better than this.

It's All Gravy*

Which Sopranos Mobster are you? Tony Soprano "The one who calls the shots"

Click Here to Take This Quiz Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests.

I had to go to the mattresses. I need to re-enter Navy and Japanese life slowly so I have given myself one week to get back to normal routines here. Today is my last day and I decided to do whatever I want. That means 18 hours of "Sopranos" videos. I have only seen one or two episodes in the past. I started behaving like Carmella after watching the third episode of season one. Mike came home for lunch, I heated up some pasta for him and am planning a nice tray of baked ziti for dinner. There is not a better way for a homesick Italian woman from Providence to cope with life amongst millions of Japanese people and a few thousand military. I have to go now, the indictments are coming down.

* Gravy: if you are Italian and from Providence that is what you call tomato sauce. "Brown gravy" goes on meat.

What Day Is It?

This morning as I was ironing and listening to knitting podcasts (don't knock it, it's my life) I thought "I am finally starting to feel like myself", the clock said 3:30AM and I knew it wasn't over yet. This re entry has been particulary difficult and I wonder if the Ambien had anything to do with it (remember when George Bush Sr threw up right here in Japan and blamed it on Ambien)? I had two Ambien, I took one in RI to test my reaction in case I came to in the middle of the night eating a jelly donught and directing traffic in my nightgown. I figured the name McCarten is respected enough in Narragansett so that I could eventually get released on my own recognisance. The Ambien did nothing, I didn't even sleep well. So I took the second on the flight from San Francisco to Japan. It was like those Sci- Fi stories where they put the astronauts to sleep for 30 years and they wake up on Mars.
For those of you who have asked, here is a picture of Charlie Drago taken at the Clambake to celebrate Tim and Lisa's engagememt.
Getting on the scale after two months away was alarming. Clam Cakes are the reason. RI is the only place on Earth with clam cakes. I know, I have looked and tried any facsimile. Key West's Conc Fritters are a distant second. Maine has something called clam cakes that resemble crab cakes. Not good.

R. I. CLAM CAKES
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. fresh chives or parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. milk
1 small can minced clams
1/2 c. clam broth or liquid
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
Drain clams well, reserving 1/2 cup of clam broth liquid. Combine all ingredients. Drop by tablespoonfuls into medium hot oil in a deep fryer or deep, heavy skillet. Don't let them touch the bottom
Oil that is too hot or cakes which are too large will cause burning or uncooked centers. Adjust temperature up or down slightly to compensate. A good starting temperature is 360 degrees.

The clam cakes will float; turn them over gently as they rise to fully cook both sides. Do not overload the cooker, as this will reduce heat too much. Fry only a few at a time. Serve hot. We eat them with clam chowder

Happy Birthday Lucky

Lucky began his life with a family in Connecticut who "lost interest" in him after 22 months and dropped him off at a dog pound on their way out of town for vacation. Poodle Rescue of New England was contacted and I got lucky. In the ensuing six years he has worked in a hair salon, frolicked in the lava fields of Iceland, chased Ptarmigan, and been told daily by hundreds of Japanese school girls that he is "kawai".