Haname Part III

Making Mochi! Here is a well-known tradition here in Japan. One of the things I will miss most when I go back to the States is MOCHI! Mochi is made from rice. Its a very long process to actually make it, but the Japanese know how to have a good time and work hard all at the same time!

Here, the crowd gathered around to watch as we made mochi. I watched the group for a while, before my curiosity took over and I had to participate.

They saw me admiring the process and quickly asked me if I wanted to be NEXT! They chanted what sounded like "GOOD ONE!" But I am quite sure that they were saying something in Japanese instead. This event was sponsored by the BOYSCOUTS! I didn't realize boyscouts were world-wide! I'll bet they even have "scouts honor." The funny hat they made me wear fell off while I was hammering away!


By the end of the night, it was so dark, the sakura danced against the midnight sky in the wind.
Juan and Tiffany were the life of the party.
That girl is CR-A-ZZEEE!!!
Mark and his "other" woman. For those of you who know my roommate and her full name, as well as Mark and his, this will be funny. For those of you to whom I must explain, My roommate KEATLEY SCROGGINS has agreed to nuptials with MARK SCOGGINS, so that she may bare the name KEATLEY SCROGGINS-SCOGGINS, fulfilling one of her lifelong dreams. They took pictures of this fabled ceremony at this Haname party. It happened to fall on April 1st (conveniently).



This guy was a real ham. He stole the show.
Steven Murphy brought this silly little puzzle to the event. He looked real smart when he showed everyone how he figured it out. Between you and me, though, I think he worked on this puzzle for many years while he was in the Marines before finally figuring it out himself. Now he brings it to parties to look smart.


Japanese men love to play with their noses.



Here is the show-stopper. This guy (pictured in the orange jacket above), took his jacket off and started inviting people to a duel. Well, a karate exposition, shall we say. Of course, he singled me out to participate. VERY MUCH AGAINST MY WILL.
Not wanting to seem the bore, I pretended to know what I was doing.
And then started screaching for help....
Still looking for someone to come and save me....

Then Erica comes to save me from a sure fate. Thank you Erica for kicking his *^%$! (just in case my little nephew is reading this...)
I'm number one!