Completed Hat

Drew's hat is finally finished.  I think there are a few cold nights left for him to get some use out of it this season.  I'm happy to say the final product was much better than my earlier attempts.  Drew even admitted that he had his doubts when he witnessed my practice rounds.

As we are coming close to the end of our time in Japan, I realize that I haven't done a great job documenting all of the little things that make Japan, well... Japan.  So I'm going to try to note these things as I think of them.

Japan Tidbits:

• When people are sick they wear a surgical mask.  This way, when they cough, sneeze, or breath their germs out into the world, it isn't getting on you or their hands where it could spread easily.  I love that it isn't weird at all.  Everyday I'll see at least one person walking around masked.

• You can buy decorative covers to put over your books.  People riding on trains tend to read a lot and they don't want everyone seeing exactly what they are reading.  It is a privacy thing.

• Women here are really into cutesy things.  Stuff that we would find too childish to still own as an adult.  Toys/stuffed animals hanging from their key chains/cellphones, winter hats with animal ears, backpacks with animal ears, etc.  It kind of makes things fun though.