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[BigSlick]

@Jamie & Brit

My wife is my ROCK and I am hers.  She does so well living in the States, and I actually function better in Tokyo, its weird.  My parents love her and hers love me.  For all the negative crap I had to wade through to get to this stage of my life, I wouldn't have taken any other path. We all get along so well, and our kids are 100% bi-cultural so I feel like I have really accomplished something in life.  

There is LOVE in our house.    

[Jamie]

Believe me, Tired Mom, that one day or another we will all show up here looking for a shoulder to cry on or a friend to listen. That's is one reason we are all here and have formed this big family. And sometimes it is easier to unload to friends we can't see, just by typing. But we are with you...

[Irishgirl]

@TiredMom and MizKay, my thoughts are with you.

I think my avatar may have worked! Coffee and pastry coming up!  

[Jamie]

@BigSlick - wow! That is exactly our situation. Bi- or tri-cultural kids/family, a loving couple and a sense of adventure - that's us and we are stronger and happier for it!

[TiredMom]

Am off to put in some order real quick and get a shower.... thanks for letting me have my morning coffee with you guys. and thanks for the support, I knew I could relax here. Jamie, I am getting that box off in the mail this week for sure, or it won't make it across the pond in time for the holidays.  I'll check back here in a little bit before I go.  Thanks again everyone

[BigSlick]

@BigSlick -

my 18-year-old son has just become crazy to visit Tokyo, for some strange reason. My hubby is so pleased that he wants to travel and discover other worlds (besides the US) he has offered him the trip if he can go on the student cheap. Any suggestions?

Tokyo is a great place for young people to get their first solo trip abroad because its so very very safe compared to other big cities.  I mean, you can still get into trouble but you really have to try hard here.  I have helped many families to get into either a homestay or an exchange situation. There are a lot of good resources available.  PM me and we can take this discussion offline tomorrow.  One word of warning - Tokyo ain't cheap....

[Snoskred]

Snoskred, when I go look at 'who's online' - what are 'spiders'???

Spiders are robots from the search engines, they're here taking note of what we're posting so people can find the forums.

I have an announcement, also too!

The Mudflats Movie Club - Session One!

You can vote for the movie you would like us all to watch together - and by together i mean in our homes but then talk about it on the forums so it is like a shared experience no matter where in the world we are.

[BigSlick]

@BigSlick - wow! That is exactly our situation. Bi- or tri-cultural kids/family, a loving couple and a sense of adventure - that's us and we are stronger and happier for it!

My boys are 16 and 11, and we're schooling them in Oregon right now, maintaining two households for one solid family.

I wish I could get the kids to pick up Spanish.....its a long story but I studied Spanish intensely for 8 years in University and activities related to my Spanish studies actually led me to meet my wife and then run off to..... Japan. Go figure.

Goodnight, gotta catch a train!  

[BigSlick]

Me too!  Almost done, still need to replace one missing santa 

I like the forums format, more than I though I would, glad I was forced to learn something new~

Am feeding my Mudflats addiction before I start my day.  Have been in hospital with hubby, not good ... looks like congestive heart failure to start with .... lots of tests today.  I had to come home last night instead of staying with him cause of our business.  Unfortunately we have no "sick days" or anyone to "call in" while we are out. Oldest daughter is off today so she is going to try and man the phones at least.

Before I hop the train, a quick hug for Tired Mom...

[Snoskred]

(((TiredMom)))

Ok, I am to bed all - this is about 20 minutes from me being up a full 24 hours. The other Admins will probably appear soon if you have any troubles, and there should be mods around also.

[Sirenoftitan]

TiredMom & MizKay - my thoughts are with you.   

My 80year old mother is waiting for a heart valve replacement & bypass operation and my 87 year old aunt has just been diagnosed with Alzheimer's.   I'm currently trying to sort out a Lasting Power of Attorney for the latter. 

As one of you mentioned - the sandwich generation.

[Zim from Oz]

Hiya all,

Jamie are you still around ?

I have been catching up with my life a bit....a couple of orders.....Gotta pay the bills !

I am typing very gently, hurt my wrist gardening today !

It looks like we may get some rain in the next couple of days which is good, we really need it/

[HickTown]

Good morning everyone.

Notes on the sandwich generation.  Take care of yourselves ... seriously.  I know so many people, including myself, who totally burned out from the stresses.  Being a congenital "fixer" has an enormous downside.  My mother had a stroke and my husband followed a year later with a heart attack.  It took 10 years and finally leaving my husband to get right with myself.  I think I could have handled it better but while it is happening insight gets lost.

[Jamie]

As I said on an earlier post, we all eventually have our cross to bear. My father passed away from Alzheimer's Disease in 1987 when he was just 65. This summer I learned that my older brother, just 51, has ALS and his doctor thinks that he is of the 1% that have dementia with it. And it is advancing quickly. He lives in NY, not married, lots of relatives and friends, but no one that would care for him. We are also trying to make sure that he has disability insurance that will cover everything, a will as well as a living will. This is extremely difficult as he still refuses to discuss it with any of us and we are all far away - I am in France, mom, sister and other brother in Fla. Luckily, his primary care doctor calls my sister every now and then (she's a doctor) to let her know what's up.

And just as I was coming to grips with that, I find that my only close friend here in Nantes has fallen off the wagon like a ton of bricks with a desperate husband and a beautiful 10 month old daughter and her family in the US;

Life is full of this sh*t, but the best we can do is help others and stay sane.

[Jamie]

@Hick Town -

Congenital fixer, you are right. There are just some of us everyone turns to - and we need to stay as serene as possible.

@Zim -

Just thinking of you- I am reading a book (not the best written but still) called "Around the World in 80 Dinners" and the couple are now visiting Australia. Talking about the wineries and restaurants they have visited and the wines. Man, I wish I could do that trip!

[Jamie]

Man, those guys are still right outside of my window here trying to put up the X-mas lights. I opened the shades for a bit of light, but they won't go away.

[HickTown]

Jamie,

When we were kids, my sister and I were totally frustrated by my mother and grandmother because their recipes were visual and taste rather than measurement.  We now find we are no different, particularly with things we make from the garden (also a source of self amusement).  We are always asked for recipes, but are stymied.   Any help with this problem or any books on family recipes like this?

[Zim from Oz]

Wines are very good here in Australia. Actually Melbourne is known as a good 'foody centre'. We are fortunate to have excellent restaurants ....and fairly cheap. I am always astonished at the food prices when I go to Sydney and Brisbane on business.

Apparently food was pretty 'ordinary' until the immigration of the Italians and Greeks to Oz, and now the Asians....just add a little flavour...yay I say.

PS Jamie we have quite a large French community here in Melbourne. One of our best friends in a French muso.   ooo la la !

[Jamie]

@Hick Town -

Very good question - but not for me, and I'll tell you why! I am a baker, my husband is a cook. I follow recipes, even if I create them or adjust them myself. My husband cooks by "feel", though he has taught me how to make things like cous cous, tagine, etc. What I usually do is I make something once or twice, writing down what I have done and ingredient quantities, adjusting as needed. It's the only way.

It reminds me of a funny story, though. When I was in college and spending a vacation at my aunt's, my grandmother came to visit and brought with her a recipe for strudel that a friend of hers had written down for her after gma had tasted and loved it. So she gets to my aunt's and says "my friend gave me her recipe and I am going to make it". She finds the recipe, opens it up, and it is a list "flour, sugar, apples, vanilla," and so on. No quantities, no instructions. We just all stared at it for a while and then had to laugh.

As for books with family recipes, gonna check.

[Jamie]

Zim -

I think Australia and Great Britain now both have reps for being great food places. I wonder if Australian wines became great and the food followed or vice versa? Or maybe it just did follow the immigration - I know that there is also a big Italian community. A friend of mine when I lived in Italy (she is from New Zealand) married an italian whose family had been in Australia for a generation or two.