favorite things #3

Sitting on the bus going to the town this past weekend for the wedding my brain suddenly came alive with "favorite things" ideas for a blog, so that's what today's blog is going to be, maybe tomorrow too!  One things I love is not so much about B in general, although I am on buses at the time, is that when I sit down and purposefully try to write a favorite things blog, I can't think of anything I haven't blogged about before.  When I get on a bus and have to get in my backpack for a pen and try and find something to write on, THEN the ideas come!!  It would be so much easier the other way around.  I love that I can look outside the bus, train, car, whatever you happen to be riding in and see a sea of yellow...and it's NOT from dandelions!!  That happens in the states and you make enemies of your neighbors pretty fast, generally speaking of course.   I love that I can walk into a restaurant and order a meal without thinking.  Again that's not so much about B but I remember during PST when Naoma and I went to a restaurant to "practice" because we didn't feel confident we were so afraid!  Maybe not so much afraid as unsure.  That restaurant had a picture menu and I still don't think we got what we wanted!  I love how everytime I am traveling somewhere I have to make sure I have a full stomach because unless you are traveling from big city to big city the roads are windy and I have a tendancy to get carsick!  That's why, no matter if I had lunch a few hours ago or it is 6 in the morning, I eat before I travel!   I love the fact that people see their guest off when they leave.  None of this say goodbye at the door stuff, not here.  Even when I left on Friday to go with a collegue of my neighbors to where I was to catch my bus for the wedding, my neighbor (and my dog family) walked with me to where I was to meet my ride.  When I left to come back here on Sun, Nargis saw me off at the busstop.  That's nice and something very little but very much appreciated!  I think I'll save the rest for tomorrow's blog.  Today is the hotest day of the week.  In the afternoon it's supposed to be 39*C.  You do the math but that's hot!  Funny story real quick.  Since I am now 1 with the dogs whenever I go somewhere, to pay my water bill or to the market on Monday's to when I have class at the kindergarten, I have a parade of dogs with me.  Monday was the pazar, market day where the freshest fruit and vegetables are plentiful, and I was walking from my apartment to go when one of the dogs spotted me going somewhere.  I was NOT going anywhere without an escort!  "Jina" was keeping cool under my neighbor's car and got stuck trying to get out fast!  After maybe 30 seconds to a minute finally Jina made it out from under the car and walked with me to the pazar.  Love and hugs and thoughts and prayers are with a friend of mine in the states and her family.  While I'm adding things, congrats to the Japanese Women's Soccer Team!