Around the corner's Halloween

And we see it about on EVERY corner!

Oh, yeah~ in magazines too: 

This is one of the best Health Food Stores in Santa Cruz: Staff of Life

This SO Santa Cruz, a farmer with a surf board behind him!!!

Baseball isn't everyone's cuppa tea, but it is fun to be able to share in on the happy vibes of all the San Francisco Giants fans!!!  (This Bakery in town- where Taka and I got out wedding cake, The Buttery)

Hanging out! 

 Yes, and here's another nice hanging out place, Capitola Village. Where we are driving through town at least once a day. I love all the wall murals in town, here and there.

It's hard to imagine this cookie shop can do enough business in Capitola Village, but it's managed to stay open through the summer. "Granny's by the sea"

 Taka came back from Japan, after meeting soooo many of our family and friends, who helped take care of him (THANK YOU!!!!)

And while Taka was there in Japan, Misa and Haru were here in the States. Sheon and I got to catch up with those great old friends, and new friends Len and Naomi-san! 

Good food there AND here. We feel so fortunate

So Taka came back with lots of luggage- and presents from friends! JAPANESE SNACKS!!! They really look like they'd be what kids get in Japan if they got started Trick or Treating over there.

A couple pics of couples of us!

We got to meet Zen at this cool, "new" find of a restaurant...seafood..."Phil's Fish Eatery" which is in Moss Landing.

http://www.philsfishmarket.com/

Zen drove about 20 minutes north of his home in Montery and we drove about 20 minutes south of our home to meet there for dinner. The "best" clam chowder proclaims Zen- so far anyway!

 Taka left for Japan the next morning. For ten days...I have a few more days before I get him back...

....but it's nice... today in Japan, the 18th is his father's birthday. They're going to spend the day together celebrating! 

Sheon and I are "home alone"~ sometimes making a fire in the fireplace... no hot tubbing at all... cooking just a little...and October is almost half over. Already! 

Autumn 2012

Zen's got school starting, but he also spent so much of this past summer with teammates training, and knowing basketball was "around the corner".  Zen and three teammates got to move into another apartment which was slightly larger, and more civil for four young, big basketball players to have to share. And of course study in a bit more of  a comfortable situation.

It's really because of Zen that Taka and I tried to start making it comfortable as home again in the States. Taka's been happier to live and work in the States. I didn't know if I ever really wanted to. It's been five years now, I went back and forth from Japan to California and back again- how many times? More than once a year~ until this past year.

I haven't gotten to go to Japan since October 2011.

But Sheon came to California in February of this year, '12. She's gotten to meet new friends, and has a job at a Sushi restaurant. 

Four friends from the bay area came to camp out on the property where we're renting!

AND they not only bbq'd but also hot tubbed~ and loved it here too. It seems everyone who gets to come through feels the same.

It's the flower power~ seeing them~ also to be able to eat them! 

It took a while, but a few friends have been part of our world now! 

Cindy I met via Freecycle actually. Talking about our names- how she had wished to change from Cindy~ as I had.

 It was her birthday and I was invited to join in her tea-birthday-party with friends of her I got to meet for the first time.

It was one of the funnest birthday parties!  Cindy~ @ 51

And then another old friend PHEBE! From George School, came through on Sept 11th! To stay for the night. She and hubby Joe and~

 We got to the wharf for a clam chowder and more of a lunch... and also got to go to the UCSC
Arboredum. I loved how much they loved it!

 A dog was there~ he was so cool!!!

"ASK TO PET ME   I'M FRIENDLY" was on the halter she wore!!!
But she didn't come to us for petting : (

Yeah~ I've gotten my camera repaired, and life is feeling more "repaired"... I'm appreciating so much.

Since we were in Montana this past summer...

I had started working with a book called "The Artist's Way" and life is changing.

 I hope I can write more about it soon!!!

(Interesting they chose the cover illustration of Cranes Flying by Mount Fuji by Nagasawa Rosetsu!)

But, anyway, back here we are in Santa Cruz. I had to ask this woman about her car. She'd painted it with stencils, and I loved it. I'd love to have a car like this!!!

About five weeks ago I got to meet the man from Santa Cruz, 

who came in 3rd on the XFactor on TV.

Chris Rene. Sheon took this photo of us~ and please make note

of the Yin Yang both on his hand and on my shirt. 

I was watching Chris Rene on his way to the finals on XFactor along with my sister, who was trying to stay sober- as Chris has been able to do~ but I have idolized him, and have a special place in my heart for him. My sister died but she didn't aim to stay sober as Chris has~ that's what the idolizing is about!