Sushi Party!

Last Monday we had a Sushi Party.



I have met this new couple the other day at UTPA's International Committee potluck party at Alicia's and wanted to introduce them to Lily and her friends and family.

Jun brought back some Japanese shiso basils from LA, so we had Chirashi sushi with ume(pickled plums), shiso basils, and sesame seeds. It was delicious!



We also had California rolls, salmon chirashi, fried chicken(Japanese style), broccolini with black sesame seeds, Miso soup with Myoga, and fruit sponge cake by HEB!

Lily is serving ume-shiso sushi rice.

Mat and Shirley. Shirley is visiting from Long Island.

She made steamed sweet rice with Papaya. It was delicious!

Lily, John, and Amanda looking real happy having sushi!

Herb Garden/STISD Dinner

This is how my herb garden looks like. There is a Japanese expression referring to a small space as 'cat's forehead '. This herb garden is so small that it is exactly like cat's forehead!

And my cat,Tamarindo, loves to be out in the garden, because we have a catnip plant!

Oh, he is in Heaven!

On May 22nd. the board members of STISD congratulated

Valedictorian and Salutatorian of the four STISD schools they support.

John is receiving his Salutatory Plaque from Board President, Ernesto Alvarado.

John with School Principal Edward Argueta.

Valley Proud Honors Banquet

John had maintained his GPA good enough to be selected as the Salutatorian of his High School Class of 2007. Because of that John and us, Jun and I as parents, were honored to be invited to Valley Proud Honors Banquet presented by The Rio Grande Valley Partnership Foundation and H-E-B Stores of the Rio Grande Valley last Tuesday.

The top two graduating seniors of every high school, public and private, in the four south-most counties of Texas were invited to this event. There were over a hundred of students from about 60 high schools in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties.

The evening started with my favorite guitarist, Brook Ausborn, playing soothing music such as Amazing Grace. At the round table we sat together with our School Principal, Mr. Edward Argueta, Science Academy's Valedictorian, Steffi, and her father, Mr. Hernandez. Wonderful speeches followed as we enjoyed delicious dinner.

Then it was picture time!

John with Ms. Marcy Martinez, KGBT Action 4 News Anchor, and Mr. Bill Summers, President/CEO of Rio Grande Valley Partnership

John with Mr. Kent Shepard, Chairman of RGVP(left), and our speaker,
the Honorable Armando Martinez, State Representative for District 39.

School Principal, Mr. Edward Argueta, Steffi, and John.

Diana, Valedictorian of Med High and John.

Diana and John were two of the 10 represetatives from Texas

to attend MOAS (Model Organization of American States）

held in Whashington D.C. last November.

Benny is here!

Last Friday I prepared supper for Lily's friend who will soon be moving to LA. Lily came to pick up the sushi and other meal and dessert while she brought Benny, her gold fish, with her.

She and Troy will be visiting their parents in Tennessee and Ohio and are gone for 2 weeks. So Benny came to my house. Yes, I will be fishsitting!





Benny seems a lille lonely with the only one in the tank. When I let Tamarindo see him, Tama actually got a little scared. Tama wants to ignore Benny, so that's good!

There is no Chico around, so he is enjoying his nap in the patio....

to his best extent!

McAllen Artwalk

Last Friday my friends, George and Virginia, invited me to McAllen Artwalk. Many art galleries are open to the public during this event. It is held once a month from March to April during Spring season. The first stop we went was Santa Anita Gallery. George made sure that my Japanese friend, Noriko, and I stop at the restroom, because the restrooms at the gallery are beautifully decorated. I liked the idea of decorating the front of each doors to the restrooms.

Art House on 10th. St. has the most interesting and beautiful arts! I especially liked these wooden panels painted and curbed named 'Azul', which means blue in English.

We were planning to go to a Spanish restaurant called 'Espana' after the Artwalk, but at our last stop I was hit by the heat and humidity and had almost fainted! Right after I finished walking up the stairs to the second floor to see their mobile exhibition, I could not help sitting on a windowsill to get a fresh air. By the way, the window did not have a screen, which made Noriko real nervous! Sorry, Noriko! So, missed going to Espana! Oh, well. Maybe next September when we have another Artwalk series in Fall season, or even in October when the heat and humidity is less intense here in South Texas.

Koto Presentation / Senior Banquet

Yesterday morning my koto partner and I had done a koto presentation in Alamo.
It was for a Women's club in Weslaco. We did Yesterday, a medley of Japanese children's songs, and Sakura. Everyone seemed to enjoy our music, which made us feel very happy. The hostess of the program has given us her homemade White chocolate candies with mint flavor. They were beautifully molded in flower candy mold and were delicious!










John's School had a Senior Banquet last evening. The students served the parents dinner and we all had shared great time. So many of his friends greeted both Jun and I with a kiss and a hug(Mexican way), which made us feel so special and happy. I am going to miss all of his friends.

Jun, John, and Junko with School Principal Edward Argueta.

Tamarindo / Survival Salad

Whenever something smells really good, Tamarindo sits right next to a person who is eating the food.(In this case, John!) Tama is so polite(?) that he does not gaze at you nor he begs. He just sits there and always seems to be content.





"Wake up, Tama! You are not supposed to take a nap on the dining table!"
I would say that if he were wide awake.
He looked so comfortable that I just could not wake him up and say that phrase this time.

A Japanese friend of mine fixed delicious lunch for me today.

She shared the recipe with me. I named it 'Survival Salad', because it calls for dried nuts and fruits and she was using a package called 'Survival Mix' by HEB. You simply mix everything with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, paprika, salt, and seasonings of your choice.

Sunflower seeds and red onions are the musts! I made mine right away this evening with Italian parsley, romaine hearts, red leaf lettuce, sunflower seeds, red onions, Survival Mix, garlic powder, paprika, krazy salt, salt and pepper mixed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Mm.....it was delicious!