A long overdue phone call.

I have been a bad blogger.  I’m not even sure how it got to be this long.  The blog became like a friend that I hadn’t talked to in a month.  I wanted to text and share something funny, but that wouldn’t be right because we hadn’t caught up yet.  This kind of catching up required a 2-hour phone call, not just a short text filled with emoticons.  So this is my two-hour conversation with you. - I’m sorry that it took me so long to call!

So what have I been up to since I last blogged.  Let’s see – Halloween.  My Halloween included singing the ABC song to Japanese children outside a bar, a costumed salsa club, a Russian belly dancer, a terrifying cab ride, and a little karaoke.  I promise there is a great story that goes along with those details, but that is going to require a lot more time and should probably only be told while sharing a drink. 

Next up was Hong Kong.  I was able to meet up with Matt in Hong Kong for a few days.  I’ll be honest, I didn’t have high expectations for Hong Kong, but I loved it.  It was such a fun city with so much to discover and I’m so happy that I could do that with Matt.  More details on our trip later.

Then there was Thanksgiving.  Since Matt was still deployed, I had my Thanksgiving with other spouses in our squadron.  This was my first Thanksgiving without Matt or family, so I was worried that it would be hard, but being around such a great group of people definitely made it easier. This same group has been the group that has helped me with the whole deployment, so I was happy to be able to spend such a special holiday with them.

Next up was my Japanese Thanksgiving.  Oh, you didn’t think they celebrated Thanksgiving here in Japan?!  Well, some people do and I enjoyed turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie with them.  Plus, my students gave an incredible performance for all of their families and friends.

Finally (and the best of all), Matt came home!  Since he has been home, we have been using the time to decorate for the holidays (wait, I did most of that before he came home b/c I just couldn’t wait).  We have also been using the time to start watching Game of Thrones.  Don’t ask me why it took so long to get on that train!  It has been so awesome to have him home and to know that he will be here for a while this time!

So for pictures, I think that I will start with Hong Kong.  Our first full day of Hong Kong was mostly spent walking around Kowloon and Hong Kong Island.  We went to Ladies' Market, walked through the famous Peninsula Hotel, took the Star Ferry from Kowloon to HK Island, ate at a restaurant where I’m still not sure what I ordered or ate, got foot massages, and finished the night with friends over dinner and drinks.

Here are some pictures from our first day in Hong Kong.

Ladies' Market - I bought three pairs of socks here.  I only wanted one, but was talked into three.  I'm sure that I got the better end of that bargain;) 

I know pho isn't Chinese food, but I still liked the picture.

That's right - I do heart Hong Kong!

Aboard the Star Ferry.

I hope that this picture gives you an idea of how incredibly busy Kowloon is - definitely have to be paying attention at all times when crossing the streets!