It's Hot Outside

Temperatures have been high and steady for the past couple of weeks and the humidity is also high. After cookouts and futsol practices outside we have been feeling the heat more lately. We watch the flags posted on base that indicate the severity of the heat. Black is the worst meaning no practice outside. Red is next then orange and yellow. We adapt by taking lots of water breaks during practice. The Japanese are  prepared for the heat. Many use umbrellas here for shade as they walk. We also see some of the hand held fans. Having grown up in humid environments we feel we can tolerate it more than the missionaries from the western parts of the United States. Some missionaries actually like the hotter weather best. They would be from Brazil and the Philippines.

Brian's driving test is in about 10 days and Donna's is a week after that. She insisted that we go walk the driving course to get more comfortable with the route. Trying to fit a time in our busy schedule was tricky. It was in the middle of the day and very hot. We were really sweating after that. 

It was Donna's 50th High School reunion this weekend. She sent a message to a friend saying she hopes to make it to the 55th. We did get a chance this weekend to take a few hours to see a couple of lakes around Mount Fuji. The views were peaceful and beautiful. The areas around the two lakes were different. One seemed more of a local place that visitors could enjoy camping and the other had more cultural attractions around the lake. The breezes around the lakes made it feel comfortable to walk around a bit. Yamanakako Lake had a lot of live swans around. Also, the kind of swan vehicle that you could paddle on the water. The vistas around Fuji are great. There was an Officers Club that we visited for the first time and enjoyed the view as we ate dinner. We spent the night at the Mountain View Inn and happened to see fireworks in the distance as we were walking around. 

There was a special Red Cross BBQ for the Marines at Camp Fuji that was arranged by the Nelson's that we supported as well. At first we thought there were more volunteers than Camp Fuji residents, but they started to trickle in and it ended up being a nice turnout. Brian saw a couple of guys waiting for the laundry facility to open and asked if they knew about the cookout. They said they thought they would go over later. After Brian suggested they go sooner they got there in time to be the last two persons to get food before we wrapped the activity up. This was the second time in a week that Brian was cooking hot dogs on a grill. The Atsugi library held a children's cookout activity and didn't know if they would get 5 or more families to show up and it ended up being about 70 people.

The sewing machine broke down and trying to find a place to repair it is not easy. Brian was telling a friend at NMCRS and she called a couple of places we were thinking of asking about repairs.(It helps that she is Japanese and can communicate well as opposed to our communication attempts) Neither of the stores could help since they only took in repairs for the machines they sold. A friend from church found a couple of businesses that could work on it. They are not close by but at least we have an option. This has put Donna behind a bit on a big project she has been working on.  

It has been a couple of months since we have been able to work in the thrift store. We were finally able to have the district over one time before transfers. The air conditioning was not working in the larger area but everyone worked hard. We will start having a couple of new Sisters over for Storytime at the library again. Since the base is outside of the area for some, they get permission to do this.

We were able to see parts of the clinic we have not been in before. Brian encouraged Donna, who had a puffy red eyelid to get it checked. The process is to first see primary care which was not available so the nurse walked her over to the small ER.  As an optometrist herself, she asked if there was a slit lamp. The ER doctor did not have one available so Donna was sent to the Optometry Clinic. She was given an email to contact them for an appointment. Luckily, Dr. Yaggi (who is our branch president) stepped in the hall and said he could take an unofficial look. She had diagnosed and treated herself correctly but it was nice to get a confirmation.

The theme for the Protestant Vacation Bible School (VBS) is "Magnify God" from Psalm 34:3. Since this week is VBS, the AOB (orientation for newcomers) is in the base theater. When there are larger groups the AOB usually moves to the chapel. We help set up the stage for VBS and anticipate more than 50 attendants. The decorations are impressive with oversized (magnified) insects and flowers. 

There are other things we have been able to do like have a couple over for dinner and teach them how to play Euchre. We had the Elders over for dinner before one was transferred. We called and talked to our oldest daughter, Diane, on her birthday (when we were her age we had two grandchildren, both hers). We had Zoom Branch Council and a MRM Zoom meeting. We baked a lot of cookies for different coffee carts through Red Cross. Brian had to sign up at the Kanagawa Driving Center for a course practice while Donna covered the Catholic VBS. Brian greeted a new person at church. Donna helped with Sister Nelson as fill in chorister in church and then taught Relief Society. This is a portion of what we are doing.

There are always turnovers with change of commands and transfers. A couple of our futsol team members have moved and we said goodbye to four missionaries and gained three new persons in our district. There is another month of heat ahead of us but it will also turn to nicer days. With this heat it helps us remember that sometimes we go through a refiners fire before we see the blessing. 

Yamanakako (ya-Ma-na-ka-ko) Lake 

                                                    

                                                                    

                                                                   Lake Kawaguchiko

Brian grilling hot dogs twice in one week

The left picture is on Atsugi and the right picture is at Camp Fuji

                                   

Random person in neighborhood keeping cool.                      Street cleaning

A nice group of thrift store volunteers

Donna cutting onions with other Red Cross volunteers

An evening stroll with a view of Mt. Fuji

We had a group photo of the BBQ and then had a speech by the Sargent Major of Camp Fuji

A fun evening with a young couple from the Branch

Getting in touch with nature

The theme for VBS is Magnify God and they made insects bigger as if they were magnified.