So I’ve been lax on my blog updates lately. Lately I’ve actually been getting some mail, some expected and some not. First off:

If you click on the picture to get a closer look you will see that, yes, its a Totoro backpack!! The current backpack that I have is now about 5 years old, and its showing its age, so I knew that I needed to get a new backpack sometime soon. So, ever since visiting that Totoro store in Nagoya some months ago with Cassidy, and seeing this whole line of Totoro backpacks/purses/bags, I knew that I had to have one. So, since I’m leaving Japan very soon now (18 days!!) I knew that I had to get a move on and I, in fact, ordered the backpack from the store in Nagoya. That was an interesting experience in itself, because their online ordering site was naturally all in Japanese, so as I’m going through it I chose credit card as my method of payment, but before they asked me for my number I got the equivalent to a “Thank You For Your Order!” screen. So, puzzled, I received my confirmation email, which told me I’d be getting another email within 24 hours once it was confirmed by a live person. So I figured, ok, at the second email they will ask for my number. Wrong. So, after much thinking about what I would say, I got up the courage to call the place and talk to someone in Japanese. Luckily, the conversation was uh….kind of simple to follow. The jist of it was that I would have to pay on delivery of the backpack. So, ok, COD! Something I’ve never done in my life in the US, is actually very common in Japan. So, I went to the office and decided I’d just bring cash with me to pay for it instead of handing over my credit card. Several days later, I got a call saying that someone was at the office with my package and that they did, in fact, need my credit card. But, my backpack had arrived! After a little altering (there are straps on this thing everywhere…its certainly made for a serious outdoors person), now I can’t wait to actually go somewhere and use it!
Another thing I received in the mail about 2 weeks ago was a box from Cassidy! (Thanks Cassidy!!!) Inside, there was a ton of york peppermint patties, which I love, and because of the Japanese dislike for mint things, there are none in Japan. I also got some Easter candy, and an egg dyeing kit! I will be dyeing some eggs soon….

Third, I got a letter from my Mom yesterday. Thanks Mom.