Oh - anami party! The slideshow edition

Once again we were lucky with the weather - glorious sunshine if a tad windy!

Our usual spot was just about "free" when Jim turned up at 11am. A frantic 1 hour set up and the St. George flag raised at noon = BBQ started! Parking hassle is a nuisance, and the wooden tops patrolling as killjoys no help...but everyone found us sooner or later, and a massive turn out.

Thank you everyone for all your delicious contributions to the BBQ - and all the other food & drink you brought. Big thank yous to Sho for looking after all the younger children - BIG job today! - Michael & Susumu for grill detail. Especially lovely to see so many babies this year - some very large ladies last year ;)

We are always so happy to be able to introduce different families from our community at events like this, and this year was a bumper edition. Brilliant to see so many old friends as well - Yuki-chan especially. Please enjoy the slideshow, as we enjoyed today!

Those Ohanami pics - with music!

Luna's 2012 Ohanami BBQ

Luna's 2012 Ohanami BBQ, a set on Flickr.

Well, I had a great time (until the hay fever attacked me). It was so good to see so many students past and present come and join us for a lazy afternnon by the river!

I was delighted Soichi could drop by & say hi - I used to teach him back in 1990! Anna-chan I taught when she was in elementary school, now asking about mummy & kids classes with her little sisters! Do I feel old?!

Yuki-chan couldn't eat anything because everyone wanted to catch up with her - meantime all the children ran themselves into the ground exploring river & rocks...one or two grazed knees!

Yet again we were blessed with lovely weather, a mountain of food and a small lake of ale. I hope everyone had enough?

Thank you all for coming, for sharing a great day out with us and for making it feel like spring has finally arrived :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30ppTu2UEMM&feature=youtube_gdata

Cherry Blossom BBQ - THIS SUNDAY (Apr 17th)

It's nearly here - Cherry Blossom time!

Last year it snowed but we still had a superb time - I know the mood is a bit more subdues this year and I feel a little guilty inviting everyone to come and have a party when others less fortunate in this country can't...However, it would be a shame to let a wonderful day go to waste, so come and get some fresh air, blow away the wintry cobwebs, meet new friends and old....throw a steak on the BBQ, eat too many snacks and get some sun. Who knows, we might even enjoy a couple of drinks :)

It is a BYO event - so please bring your own food and drink - it is a pot luck thing as well, so bring extra and share? We will provide a BBQ & a large awning for shade.

Time: from 12:00 (noon) til dusk
Place: Susuki River, on the Massho HS side, near the footbridge
Who: Everyone - children and friends very welcome
Price: Free, very cheap, and free!!!

White Cherry Blossom?!

My daughter woke me up asking me if we could make a snowman; I thought I must be still dreaming!  It was trying to snow last night, but I didn't expect to see a two inch carpet of the stuff Saturday morning! To Ohanami, or not to ohanami?

With my expert weather eye, I figured the sun would come out & give us a proper afternoon of blue skies if not warmth. No need for a cooler - put the beers in the snow! I later heard this was the latest we've had snow here for 41 years.

Fortunately, with everyone umming and arring about the weather, the charcoal was glowing nicely before called into action. Tana & I had time to enjoy a quiet drink & get organised. The blanket of snow at 11am had disappeared by 12.30, and quickly melted on the hillsides as well.

Eventually friends and students, children and oldies found us (our usual spot was a bit boggy) and in no time at all there were kids large & small running around, climbing walls & sliding down embankments, and throwing snowballs into the river. Badminton rackets found new uses as snow scoops!

It was nice to have a very 'family' kind of party today; not too crowded on the riverbank and not too hot. In fact, just right. Thanks all for a great afternoon - sunburnt & full of great barbecued lamb, chicken, pineapple, garlic, mushrooms etc. And lashings of ale? In good measure, yes, of course :)