Setsubun (Bean Throwing Festival)

Setsubun is a bean throwing festival held every February 3^rd. It's the first day of spring according to the lunar calendar. Setsubun is about getting rid of evil and bringing in fortune. People throw beans out windows and doors of their homes and also go to shrines and temples. We went to Seto-Jinja Shrine to participate in the festivities. When we lived here from 2008-2010 I took the girls to Hasedera, a temple in Kamakura. It's not a national holiday, but it's celebrated throughout Japan. Even Google celebrated...see the screen capture from my computer below. 

We hopped on the train as soon as school was out and stopped at a convenience store to pick up oni (ogre or monster) masks and some beans. You’re supposed to eat the number of beans to match your age for good luck and fortune. As much as I love the roasted soy beans, I didn't eat 35…I did have eight though. The girls each ate their age in beans and were sure to count aloud while doing so.

We got to the shrine a few minutes after they had started but were still able to get a good spot to stand in. The girls were so excited to catch beans and after a few minutes remember doing it before. We went to a small shrine, but at the larger ones in Tokyo they'll have sumo wrestlers and celebrities throwing the beans. They're in little packages that fit in my palm. On some packages are stickers...if one you catch has a sticker you win a prize. We didn't win a prize, but, to be honest, it's about the experience and culture submersion for us. I think it's important. 

We didn't catch any beans during the first set. A gentleman in front of us gave the girls one packet each. So sweet and generous of him! There were bows all around and hugs too. While the priests and important members of the shrine were throwing beans the MC was yelling "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" That translates into Out with demons! In with fortune! You'll hear him if you watch the 45 second video below. If you subscribe and get the posts in your email you may need to click the link at the top of the message to view the video on the website. 

Making an offering & prayer

We were there for maybe 90 minutes and had a wonderful time. People were so kind and welcoming to us. A few even translated for us to let us know what would be happening, when and what it's meaning was. The later it got the more kids arrived. At the end the adults moved to the back and all the kids were in front. On the way out we bought the traditional Setsubun food, eho-maki. They're sold at grocery and convenience stores too. When people eat them they face the direction that's good luck for that particular year. This year it was west-southwest.   

Our beans, roll and masks at home

Video Streaming on Base...without a VPN

Streaming options using the Sony blu-ray. 
Billabong is the only option.

We have a Sony blu-ray player that connects to the internet to stream Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, etc. When we lived in Hawaii and Rhode Island we had no problem streaming said services through it. It stopped working as soon as we plugged it in and got it set up in Japan. Those apps wouldn't even show up on the screen as options to connect to. We then went out and bought a ROKU 3 at the NEX. Only a handful of channels (YouTube and some self-help) would show up and could be added. That’s great, but the reason we spent the nearly $100 was to use Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, etc since we couldn't with our Sony blu-ray player.

Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and Pandora all work on our computers, tablets, and phones. Though we are physically in Japan, the streaming services recognize us as having an American IP address since we are connecting to the internet on base. Whether living on the main base of Yokosuka or satellite base of Ikego, they’ll work. Sony and ROKU, however, do not. They see us as being in Japan, so their servers block us from using the services we pay for. It's aggravating because they're blocking the U.S. Military service members and their families. Our cable and ISP, Americable, can't do anything about it since the services work on the computer...that proves the problem isn't with Netflix, etc. 

It’s aggravating that these devices are sold at the NEX, but don’t work as advertised without workarounds. Sony even has a dedicated section at the back of the electronics department to sell their products. There are no signs to tell you about the limitations. None of the workers on the sales floor seemed to know either. You won’t realize they don’t fully work out of the box until you take them home.

We called the Sony and ROKU help lines several times to see if they could do anything. They both ran us through hours of troubleshooting and factory resets. They both claimed the units should work on any American IP address, but had no explanation why ours was an exception. The Sony rep ultimately suggested we send the blu-ray player in to be repaired. It sounded like they were following scripts, so they had no way to address a problem that was outside the normal. We eventually talked to the local Sony rep at the NEX. Sony servers block us. Period. According to the rep there is an agreement to get it working in April.

We eventually found some workaround ideas online for the ROKU but none solved the complete problem. It took a while since there was so much misinformation. This is a technical issue that a lot of people don’t understand, but that doesn’t stop them from providing advice. Apparently, the surefire method is to pay for a VPN account and set it up on your router. This will route all of your internet traffic through a server in the U.S., hiding your actual, problematic IP. The problem is that a VPN account can cost up to $15/ month. We shouldn’t have to pay for this since the streaming services already work here. 

As for the ROKU...the key is doing the initial account set up in the U.S. This was confusing since a lot of people said theirs worked fine. After asking friends/neighbors and posting on numerous message boards, I figured it out. Some suggestions were to have a VPN, plug the ROKU directly into the router, or to return it since it won't work. One person that responded said they had a ROKU 2 before moving here, bought a ROKU 3 at the NEX and haven't had any problems. That's when the light bulb went on in my head. Bottom line - If you set up your ROKU in the U.S. it'll work here. It will also work if you add a new ROKU box to your existing account (that was set up in the U.S). If you buy one and try to set up a new account on a US military base over seas it won't work. 

The solution was to have friends in Boston do the initial account setup on their computer for me. I chose the username, password, etc and they put in all the information for me via the ROKU website. They then added my ROKU box to the account and it activated on my TV screen here. As they added Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and PBS, the channels instantaneously appeared on my TV. Now we can add and remove any channels we want from the TV and the ROKU is none-the-wiser. 

As for Sony...we'll see and I'll keep you posted. 

Buying a Car on Base

Car for sale at the Lemon Lot

Most people on base drive around a 10 year old car. Some people go nuts and buy cars you can't get in the U.S....like a Nissan Skyline GTR. There isn't much point to it since most roads are limited to 60 kph...that's a whopping 37 mph. The Japanese cars tend to have lower mileage compared to the U.S. For example, the 2005 car we bought for me has about 60,000 km on it which is roughly 37,000 miles. The Japanese have to pay for mandatory inspections (called Shaken) and higher fees on these older cars which can make owning them expensive, so a lot of people just end up getting new cars instead. We don't have to pay these fees under the Status of Forces Agreement, so it makes sense to drive the older cars since they've got plenty of life left. 

There are several places where you can get a car. The easiest is from the MWR  "Lemon Lot" on base next to the commissary and Youth Center. People PCSing out as well as spouses who work with used car dealers sell their cars here. There's also a Facebook page called Yokosuka Auto Resale with car ads. You could buy a car out in town if you'd prefer. Another option is to get in touch with one of the dealers and ask them to find you a specific car if you know what you'd like. We've bought our cars at the Lemon Lot both times we've lived here. The turnover is quick so keep that in mind when looking around. 

The purchase process is fairly similar to the U.S. Call the number on the ad, test drive it and negotiate a price. Most of the cars are between $2000 and $4000 USD. The cars we've bought have had to be paid for in U.S. cash, so if you bank with USAA make sure to move money into Navy Federal to withdraw. It helps to look for cars that have already passed base inspection and have about two years of Japanese Compulsory Insurance (JCI). JCI is liability insurance that is attached to the car. If the car doesn't already have it or it's expiring soon, you have to pay for two years of insurance up front. From memory two years of JCI is about $300-$500 depending on the car. A base inspection costs about $40 USD plus cost of needed repairs. 

Yokosuka City Hall

Once you put down a deposit or buy the car outright, the seller should give you all of the paperwork including the bill of sale, title, JCI, inspection and some others we couldn't read! Your first stop is the insurance office to get your own personal insurance (different than JCI...you need both). It's in the same building where you got your license. You could also go out in town to other insurance offices. It used to be cheaper out in town so we did that last time, but the base has a new contractor selling insurance with competitive rates. They speak perfect English and know the base insurance rules which makes things simple.  It was about $300 for a year of insurance.

If you don't already have it, you'll need a parking certificate to prove you've got a spot to park the car. We got ours from Housing when we signed the paperwork accepting our house. If you haven't done that yet the Navy Lodge can provide it as well. The process is different if you'll be living out in town. We haven't had to do that so I don't know specifics. 

If the car has never been registered to a service member before (buying from a dealer in town or on base) you'll have to go to Yokosuka City Hall (10 min walk outside the gate) to get a temp plate. Bob had to go through this process with my car three weeks ago and his car last week. They're used to sailors coming in so they've got signs in English and some employees spoke English as well. It cost ¥750 and is good for five days. 

A convenience store inside Yokosuka City Hall

Next stop is the Vehicle Registration Office (VRO) which is also in the same building as insurance and licensing. They'll review all of the paperwork and make sure everything's in order to go to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Yokohama for registration. LTO is similar to what we know as a DMV. VRO will also give you a temporary base pass and a slip of paper listing all registration fees you'll have to pay. Ours was just under ¥20,000, so about $180 USD. This is on top of the price of the car. If you had to get a temporary plate the car will have to be driven to the LTO to have the permanent plate attached. They are put on with special screws and can't be removed. If you bought your car from another service member it'll already have a military plate (called a "Y plate") on it, so only the paperwork has to go to LTO. 

You can go to LTO on your own if you'd like but it's confusing and intimidating for new arrivals...especially if you've never driven off base before. The majority of us pay about $50 for an "LTO runner" to do it for us. They advertise in the base paper and on the Yokosuka Auto Resale Facebook page. They'll take your paperwork and drive your car if needed. Round trip highway tolls cost ¥2900, so your share will depend on how many sets of paperwork are being taken. Our car was back within a couple of hours which is worth every penny of the $50 we paid. 

Once the LTO runner is back your temp plate will need to go back to City Hall. Our runner returned it for us. Once that's done head back over to VRO with all paperwork and they'll check it over again. If it's good-to-go you'll get base stickers. 

I realize this sounds daunting, but we bought our car on a Wednesday night, went to insurance/City Hall/VRO Thursday and had the LTO run done Friday morning. By lunch we were street legal with our own plates! 

License to Drive

I wanted to cover what it takes to get a drivers license and buy a car. Since it's our second time here it was a little easier, but it was bewildering our first time around. What I write is from our experience. 

Getting a license is fairly easy for military under the Status of Forces Agreement

(SOFA) when compared to getting an actual Japanese license. Google it sometime if you're up for some interesting stories about passing a driving test in a country where you can't understand the language. For us, it's part of the initial check-in during the week long Area Orientation Brief/Intercultural Relations class. Make sure your U.S. driver's license is valid and current because without it you won't be able to drive here or even take the driving portion of the test. Florida has been letting Bob drive on an expired license since he's in the military, but he had to renew it before we moved here. 

docstoc.com

They passed out driving manuals on the first day of AOB so you've got the week to study for the written test. It covers signs, parking regulations and practices that are unique to Japan. If you're motivated you can find it on the CFAY website. The instructors come to the last day of the class to give the written exam. The first three hours of the day are spent teaching the book and going over some safety rules. The test took approx 35 mins and was multiple choice. The briefing covered just about everything on the test so pay close attention. People who scored 100% on the test got first dibs on scheduling their driving test for the following week. Bob did...go figure! Everyone else

made a mad dash to the front of the room to sign up after that. So you may want to sit front and center that day. Hint, hint.

Plan on the driving portion taking an hour for both the test and paperwork and bring your US license, orders and family entry approval with you. We scheduled our test together and had a third person with us along with the instructor. We drove around the base and had to back in to a parking spot. It was fairly easy but prepare yourself to turn on the wipers instead of the blinker since they're on opposite sides than we're used to. If you pass you'll be issued a SOFA license that you'll have to carry along with your stateside license and military ID.

My next post will cover the car buying process. 

We're Back in Japan!

It's been a long time since I've posted...and there are a lot of things I didn't post after we left Japan for Dam Neck, VA. Looking back at the photos made me miss it too much and I couldn't bring myself to do it. I'll get around to it one of these days... After a little bit of time in Dam Neck, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Newport, RI and Monterey, CA we are back in Japan! We've been here a week and are happy to be back. Things are hectic and we're not in a house yet, but once things settle down I'll start posting again.

Happy Halloween from Tokyo

Happy Halloween a little early! Since Bob's still out to sea, the girls and I ventured up to The New Sanno Hotel yesterday in Tokyo for their annual costume contest. We went last year, click here to see pictures, and wanted to go again this year since it was so much fun. Keanna and Sydney both won prizes last year, so I was also anxious to see if we could again; I made their costumes last year and did again this year. Another bonus last year was that Jon Voight was standing in the lobby shaking hands with military members and their families. He picked up Sydney and was swinging her around...she loved him! I was hoping he'd be back since the Tokyo Film Festival was going on through the weekend, but alas, no such luck.

Anyway, getting back to it, I made their costumes again this year; Keanna's wearing a spaghetti and meatballs costume and Sydney's costume is a bubble bath. People asked me where I got the idea for Keanna's costume. It came from the Food Network television show, "Ace of Cakes," but it's known at our house as "The Cake Makin' Show." It airs on AFN (Armed Forces Network) and in one episode they made a cake for a family like likes to travel. I don't remember the exact details since it was from a while ago, but they made a cake of spaghetti & meatballs and placed it on top of the northern hemisphere of the globe. At that moment it clicked and ideas started popping into my head. Big time thanks to Charm City Cakes in Baltimore for the inspiration!

We enjoyed the Sunday brunch and kept our fingers crossed when it came time for the costume contest. When we were getting our ticket and walking in two of the women, at the exact same time said, "It's the popcorn girl!" Keanna proudly said, "I was popcorn last year, this year I'm spaghetti and meatballs with bread and cheese." It was flattering!

Last year they had about 55-60 kids compete and this year over 95 were dressed up! Keanna & Sydney's numbers were 48 and 49, right smack in the middle, so I had a couple of minutes to get them dressed and ready before being called.

Each of the four judge chose two winners. The prizes included a children's digital camera, two tickets to Disneyland Tokyo, an iPod Shuffle and a Nintendo Wii. They didn't have first, second and third place winners, they just announced the judge, where he/she was from, and what prize they were giving for their choice. When the judge from FOX TV Japan was announced she said her prize was a Nintendo Wii. Keanna immediately perked and when she heard her name she jumped with excitement, headed to the stage and collected her prize. To FOX TV, on behalf of Keanna and myself, domo arigato gozaimasu for your generosity.

After the contest ended they had trick-or-treating in some areas of the hotel. We walked around the lobby and to the shops, salon and pool on the second floor. The girls were constantly stopped asking for pictures and they didn't think anything of it! Some people even asked me to take pictures of them with the girls using their cameras. A Japanese woman who's English was nearly perfect asked if she could take pictures of Sydney's costume. She took at least 10 pictures from all sides and angles and asked if I minded her attempting it next year.

Sydney didn't win, and that's okay. On the drive up there we talked about how it wasn't important...which it isn't. Don't get me wrong, I'm competitive and was hopeful, but my parents raised me to believe that it doesn't matter whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game...right Dad?! Keanna, Sydney and I all worked together to make their costumes. They did everything but use the glue gun, and it was a huge help to me. We had fun, talked and sang while we worked on the floor in the living room for the four or five days it took.

Hope you have a Spooktacular Halloween and leave a comment sharing what you, your children or loved one is dressing up as this year!

Super Typhoon Melor Will be Here Tomorrow Morning

School's been canceled and since we could very easily lose power I made a huge pot of chicken soup this afternoon and put it in my slow cooker. I'll keep it on low all night so in case we lose power tomorrow it'll at least stay warm. I bought some paint for the girls that way they'll be occupied and I'll be happy too! All of the candles and flashlights are on the kitchen counter and ready to go and batteries are charged for the radio. I've even got a book and magazines set aside for myself!

My Ombudsman sent an email out a little while ago, and I'll copy and paste some of the highlights below. Hopefully it sounds worse than it is. I think my mind would be more at ease if Bob were here, but I'm not the only one without a husband home to help, so at least I'm not alone! The ships are out there trying to avoid the storm and getting banged up against the pier. I've done what I can in preparation, so now we'll sit back and watch/listen for updates. This website, if you're interested, explains the different TCCOR conditions. Right now (7:15 pm Wednesday) we're at TCCOR 2.

Expected TCCOR announcements:

- TCCOR 1 at 2200 Wednesday night

- TCCOR 1 Caution at 0300 Thursday morning

- TCCOR 1 Emergency at 1000 Thursday morning

- TCCOR Recovery at 1400 Thursday afternoon

- TCCOR All Clear at 1600

These times are approximates. Please keep an eye on Channel 15 and the CFAY website for updated information.

- As of 2200 Wednesday night, only official and emergency personal are allowed on the roads until the All Clear on Thursday.

- Please stay inside from 2200 Wednesday night until the All Clear on Thursday.. Although it looks like the storm has passed, Security has to access all CFAY locations for down power lines and other destruction.

- The largest amounts of rain should occur between 1000 and 1400 Thursday. Overall, rainfall is expected to be between 2-4 inches.

- As noted previously, schools will be closed on Thursday. The Meteorology Command expects the storm to have passed Yokosuka by late Thursday afternoon, so school should resume on Friday.

- All base facilities will be closed on Thursday... CDCs, the Commissary, the NEX (all locations), the Galley, MWR, FFSC, Purdy gym, etc. Business should resume as normal on Friday. The Emergency Room at USNH Yokosuka will be available for emergencies only.

- All bus services will be suspended on Thursday. There will be no Home to Work buses, shuttles to Narita Airport, or base buses.

- If you have any valuables, please move them away from windows. Typhoon rains have been known to blow side-wise and cause rain indoors. Please have towels ready for such an occurrence.

I'll see you online after the storm!

Weathering the Weather - Super Typhoon Melor

Super Typhoon Melor is on its way! If Bob's ship was in port it would going out to sea; all the ships capable of leaving have already left...at least they will have left by the time this entry posts. This is just another example of the Navy coming first, but I understand why. If the ships are moored at the pier they'll bang along side with the wind and rain, so it's safer for them to be out to sea.

We're in Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness (TCCOR) III right now. I'm sure you're wondering what that means: Winds of 50 knots or greater are anticipated within 24 hours. Secure outside items, secure windows and alert your commands’ essential personnel. All hands should identify loose gear that could become missile hazards and make preparations for stowing and securing them. All hands should also ensure they have a three day supply of food and water on hand. Residents are advised to fill vehicles and grill gas tanks. Ensure emergency kits are ready. Move equipment away from windows and ensure sufficient money and important documents are easily accessible.

It's been raining since yesterday afternoon and there's no sign of it stopping any time soon. I put the girls' bikes in the little built attached to our front lanai and covered the water table and took the toys from the water table and threw them in the shed. It's raining now and will be for the rest of the week, so we'll just relax and try to stay dry...aside from walking driving Keanna to/from school, or at least to the closest parking garage and walk the rest of the way. It's only a 15 minute walk, but will be no fun in the rain!

Celebrating America's Birthday in Yokosuka, Japan

Happy Birthday to my sister, Sara, and Happy Birthday to the United States of America!

“Every good citizen makes his country's honor his own, and cherishes it not only as precious but as sacred. He is willing to risk his life in its defense and is conscious that he gains protection while he gives it.” -Andrew Jackson

On July 4, 1776 the American Continental Congress voted to approve the Declaration of Independence, in which the American colonies proclaimed their separation from Britain. And fifty years to the day after the approval of the Declaration of Independence, which they both had a hand in drafting, former presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died in 1826.

Tonight we went to the carnival/fair MWR put on for the families on base. It was open to the public as well, so there were a lot of Japanese families there. Little girls were wearing their yukatas, and I even saw a woman wearing one. The majority of Japanese were dressed in red, white and blue, had patriotic hats on, and most even had the temporary tattoos on. It's a great way to improve the relationship with our host country.

We had temporary tattoos put on our faces and I even joined the fun and got one. We walked around for a little while, then grabbed a snack [at the all-American fast food joint], McDonalds, and headed over to watch the fireworks. After all, how can a red-blooded American celebrate Independence Day without seeing fireworks?! They started right on time, of course since it was put on by the military, and since we weren't at the field yet, we met up with some friends, sat on the steps of the post office and watched from there....perfect view with minimal crowds!

Bob, wherever you are, I hope you had a good holiday!

Hydrangeas Galore

About five or six minutes from our house, on Route 24, there's a little stretch of hydrangeas on the side of the road. When I saw these blooming last year I was so excited to see how they'd look, what color they were and how big they'd get. I took the girls around this time last year, click here to see those pictures, and went again Wednesday on our way home from the base.

The flowers are already on their way out, I wish the weather was nicer last week...didn't want to go in the rain with them. So even though the flowers aren't as nice as they were last year, I still got some pictures, the girls were able to talk about how much bigger the flowers are compared to their heads, and Keanna decided she wants to plant these flowers in our front yard.

I'll put a few of this year's pictures on the left and last year's on the right.

Bob, To the World You Are a Father, To Us You Are the World

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there! And to those of you with dads or husbands deployed this Father's Day, I'm thinking of you! Bob's out to sea yet again on Father's Day...this is the fourth year in a row. We wanted to try to make it special for him though, so we each colored a sign, and the girls were so excited to be in a picture just for him. You know, anyone an be a father, but it takes a really special guy to be a daddy. Every night Keanna and Sydney ask to kiss Daddy's picture, and over the last few weeks Keanna and Sydney have each started sleeping with a picture of him. It's so sweet to see when I check on them before I go to bed.

A driving force behind the establishment of the integration of Father's Day was Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd, born in Creston, Washington. Her father, the Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, as a single parent reared his six children in Spokane, Washington. She was inspired by Anna Jarvis's efforts to establish Mother's Day. Although she initially suggested June 5, the anniversary of her father's death, she did not provide the organizers with enough time to make arrangements, and the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday of June. The first June Father's Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in Spokane, WA, at the Spokane YMCA.

Unofficial support from such figures as William Jennings Bryan was immediate and widespread. President Woodrow Wilson was personally feted by his family in 1916. President Calvin Coolidge recommended it as a national holiday in 1924. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson made Father's Day a holiday to be celebrated on the third Sunday of June. The holiday was not officially recognized until 1972, during the presidency of Richard Nixon.

Everything Dad By Joanna Fuchs

A little girl needs her daddy / To love her with manly charm, / To soothe her when she’s hurt, / And keep her safe from harm.

A girl needs her dad / To show her a man who’s good, o help her make right choices, / As only a father could.

A woman needs her father / Just to be aware, / He’ll always be there for her / To sustain her and to care.

You’ve been all these things, Dad. / I hope that you can see / How much I treasure you; / You mean everything to me.

To Jack, Bob's father, and the best father-in-law a girl could ask for, hope you have a happy Father's Day tomorrow!

And last, but most certainly not least, I want to wish my father, Ron, a happy Father's Day!!!

Last year the girls and I took the same picture, so here's a side-by-side comparison. I'm kneeling this year, just like last year, and it's amazing to see how much they've grown and changed! Apparently they're not the only ones that have changed. My glasses have along with my hair getting longer; the table behind us is now on the other side of the room, we have window different treatments and I got the tonsu which now holds our collection of kokeshi dolls, some pictures and an obi as a runner.

USS Los Angeles Visits Yokosuka

Bob was the Weapons Officer on the USS Los Angeles (SSN 688) from June 2006 to January 2008. He was out to sea almost 10 months during the 2007 calendar year, and when they got back from WestPac (western Pacific deployment) in November 2007 his detailer called (the guy that assigns jobs) and said, "You're being split toured to Yokosuka and will go to this certain job at this certain command on this certain ship." A month later we packed out our house in Hawaii, Bob had to go to some schools in San Diego and shortly after we arrived here and started to get acquainted with the Surface Navy. Wow, completely different!

Anyway, the USS Los Angeles pulled in here last week on a port call, and Bob was disappointed about missing them. He told me a few of the guys would call, and when they did I would need to tell them I've got meat, beer and internet. Sure enough the phone rang, an email showed up and messages on Facebook arrived too. Three of the guys from the wardroom came over and hung out for about five hours. They grilled, I made sides and a salad, they relaxed, slept on the couch, used my computer, watched TV, called home and got a break from the boat for a little while.

When we went on base to pick them up I tried explaining to the girls who they were, how dad worked with them on the submarine and that they have met these guys before. Heck, they remembered the wife of one of them....Sarah, big shout out to you!

Keanna and Sydney loved the extra attention and Bob was able to call and talk to them for a while...he enjoyed it, and I know he really missed being able to see the guys.

I Have a Husband Home and Here's Proof He Really Does Exist

We went to the top floor of Fleet Rec to get a picture of the ship before heading to the pier. Bob said he'd be off at a certain time, but we ended up standing there for almost 45 minutes waiting for him in the gusty winds. As you'll see in the video below, none of that mattered once we were able to hug him. Julie took a picture of us while we were waiting. It's great to know that he'll be home for a little while this time...unlike in September when they were only here for a week!

*

Why oh Why...

...does this stuff happen while husbands are in the middle of the ocean? Monday morning Sydney turned on the TV only to find the image jumping, freezing and white, green and purple lines stretching horizontally and diagonally across the screen. I tried a different mode with the DVD player and then the Wii and the lines remained, so much to my dismay I realized it was the TV and not the cable having the problem.

Thankfully Bob's on a surface ship right now and not in a big metal tube under the water. On surface ships emails are usually sent and received within five minutes and attachments like pictures can be included. Not the case with submarines! Depending on what they're doing and where they are, emails can take weeks to be received, then once replied to it takes another week, or even a month, to get the response back. So basically having a one-way conversation with yourself. And no attachments can be sent with submarine email, no no! Bob would have to rely on my description of the problem, and wouldn't even find out about it until weeks after!

I tried turning it off and turning it back on, letting it sit untouched for 24 hours, checking all the connections, etc. You name it, I tried it. Then this morning I unplugged it for a couple of hours and when I plugged it back in and turned it on this is what I saw. Gee, swell. So no more diagonal or horizontal stripes, now just green vertical ones with some white in there.

After sending another email to Bob with this picture, I loaded the dishwasher and when I came back into the living room the stripes were gone. Keanna and Sydney were jumping and screaming saying "It's fixed, mom you fixed it." Yup, sure, sure I fixed it, whatever you say! Okay, I'll take the credit for it...after all, my husband has been home three weeks since we arrived here and I've dealt with a bunch of crap without his assistance...in a foreign country that doesn't speak English and drives on the other side of the road, so yup, I'm going to take credit for fixing the TV.

I emailed Bob and told him I fixed it by (and I quote): I read a lot last night and suspected failure of the 13v zener D812, this reduces pin 5 of IC801 below threshold voltage. And then this morning when I turned on the tv before stroller workout class and got the vertical lines that confirmed it. So I adjusted the R339 (1.2ohms 1w), C331, C336 (1uF, 50v) and C333 (100uF, 35v). That in turn led me to the 5v supply to the text panel. Gave that a quick turn to the right -remember, righty tighty, lefty loosy- put it back to together and it worked.

I copy and pasted jargon off of some help line website. I knew he wouldn't go for it, but it was good for a laugh...at least on my end. But it's fixed, at least for now, and that's what counts. Julie suggested I tell him I fixed it by creating a splitter with a bubble gum wrapper and hair elastic, you know, MacGyver style. I thought a nice touch would be to add a bobby-pin.

I have no idea what's wrong with it, what was wrong with it or why it did what it was doing. But I don't care and am happy to hear the kids say, "Yeah mom it's all better, go mom, mom you fixed it!" Aaaaah, music to my ears!