Preparing for Leiya and Luka

Only two more days before Leiya and Luka touch down in Japan and we (well, Tetsu) is getting things ready for their arrival.  We've got a car seat lined up for Luka through the Nikko police department.  Tetsu has re-constructed Leiya's old bed which had been stacked up against a wall.  Things have been moved out of the bedroom they will use and have found a new temporary home in my sewing room.  Closets are being emptied and reorganized.

I'm not sure I'm doing much preparation...  I've spoken with our vet about taking John for the month though hopefully we will be able to visit him a few times while he is back in his old home (the vet had "retrained" him for a year before John came to us.  He needs some re-re-training plus he is going to put on a diet while he is back with them.)

Unfortunately Toi has had some medical problems and so I had to take him to the vet last night and he is under observation for a couple of days.  If all goes well and antibiotics kick in, when I drop John off at the vets tomorrow, I will be able to take Toi home with me.  All our animals are 15 or older and so one after the other they are needing extra care...

May 5th is Boy's Day here in Japan and in honor of Luka's visit, Tetsu had bought a small Koi kite at the dollar store to fly behind our house.  It was so tiny though that he thought he might go buy a few more and then I got the idea of making a Koi kite out of fabric...  I cut up some circles of fabric and heat-n-bonded them to part of an old sheet that I'd already used for backing in a previous quilt.  There is no batting in this and so the free-motion quilting on the raw edges slipped around a bit but in a few hours time I had a Boy's Day carp made.  

I sewed in some wire at the mouth edge and with some cord Tetsu got it rigged up on the pole with the dollar store kite.

With all that fabric, my hand-made Koi doesn't fly so well because of its weight but it is trying.

While cleaning out the closets Tetsu found his old college uniform and tried it on.  It still fits!!!

So military...  But I guess 50 years ago that was the way it was.  Standing at attention when a teacher or even an older student walked by.  Anyway, Tetsu was thrilled with his closet find but it has been packed away again...

I may not get around to any more painting while Leiya and Luka are here so I guess my monthly arty post will should be included here.   The school playground.

A neighborhood shrine on a hill...

I have a Japanese water-color book that I'm going through lesson by lesson.  I don't know where these places are but it would be nice to be able to do something like this with my own scenery...

Another lesson from the Japanese book.  

I like this quote and have put it in my bullet journal.  I have always claimed I can't draw or paint but I guess just picking up that pencil or pen or brush has proven me wrong.  

Leiya is getting ready to come to Japan in her own way.  She has packed away fabric and patterns that she has bought for me.  The orders of two new swimsuits for me have been delivered to her house as well as a new bullet journal.  For Tetsu she said she picked up snacks and edibles that he likes.  And she's been doing her final laundry and packing though Luka's help caused a bit of a panic.  It seems Luka added extra detergent to the laundry when Leiya wasn't looking.  Doesn't he look pleased with himself!

My next post will probably mostly feature Luka in Japan!  I can't wait!