June 7th Futons and Back in the Kitchen

Before we received our bedroom furniture Gary and I had been sleeping on borrowed futons from our friend Atsuko. Now that we have a bed I am having the futons dry cleaned in preparation to return them to her.  The only problem is that the nearest dry cleaning place is a few blocks away and I have to individually carry the futons and the futon pads to this dry cleaner and I can only manage one at a time! Who knows what the dry clean people think because every day I show up with a new futon to be cleaned, (there are two futons and two futon pads in total). I've taken in both pads so far and hope to get the futons themselves there tomorrow and the next day. I know the neighbors must think I'm crazy walking down the street carrying a futon everyday! Here's my slimmer, dark haired stunt double showing what I look like!

 The lady and her son (I think) at the drycleaners seem to be having a good time trying to converse with me anyway. I was trying to let them know that I still have two more futons to bring and all I could manage was "1 futon,2 futon,3 futon,4 futon" I think the son understood me.....maybe. If not I just sounded like Dr. Seuss "1 fish,2 fish..."

So I've been back in the kitchen again trying out new Japanese recipes. I got a couple of good cookbooks from the library so I got inspired! Yesterday, I tried my hand at a pork/veggie stew with a dashi/miso stock. 

 

 

 

It was a delicious recipe that was fairly simple to make, and now that I have the basic dashi/miso stock figured out I can make different meat/veggie variations!

Today, I decided to try Oyakodon ( translated: parent and child ). Here is a link that explains it well and includes the recipe!  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyakodon
While it isn't much to look at the flavor is quite tasty and it's very easy to make! I enjoyed it with a refreshing cup of iced golden oolong tea that Gary had made!



             Yesterday, Gary found a microwave/toaster oven/convection oven combo on sale on Craigslist. The price was right and he delivered so after getting him to agree to put English sticker translations on the buttons for me we agreed to buy it. In the evening Mohinder - a Punjabi name according to my local Indian expert- showed up and we now have ourselves a working microwave with labeled buttons. He labeled one of the buttons for frozen pilaf... I'm guessing he ate that a lot or something! ha!

That's it for now! Tomorrow, I hope to start my Japanese lessons at the local community center!