#WeekendCoffeeShare – Back to Life

Published on by Yinglan

Greetings from my garden, at last! Thank you for joining me this Saturday, come on in and either enjoy something hot or something cool.

After approximately 28 long hours, I finally arrived home at near midnight on Wednesday and at last can close out the trip to Japan. That day sure felt like the longest day of my life. After leaving the Airbnb in Osaka at 8:30 AM (on Wednesday), we hailed a cab to take us to Shinsaibashi Station to catch a subway to Umeda Station, where we boarded another train bound for Kyoto. When we were in Kyoto the week before, mom purchased a pair of new glasses and because of her complicated prescription, instead of having it ready in 30 minutes like her friend, her glasses wasn’t ready until the 26th.

From Kyoto, we took the Shinkansen (Bullet train) to Shinagawa Station in Tokyo before transferring onto the airport express train bound for Haneda Airport. We reached the airport a little after 12:30 PM and our flight is scheduled for 6:30 PM. So it’s all a waiting game from there on.

I slept very little on the 9-hour flight across the Pacific. My Fitbit recorded a little over an hour of sleep and I think that’s pretty good for someone sitting in the middle seat. During the whole flight, I was trying hard not to bump elbow with the guy sitting to my left. Do you how hard that is when one is asleep? I frequently move in my sleep and it’s not something I can control.

We landed in LAX a little after noon on Wednesday. A little like time travel, no? So do you now see why I said that was the longest day of my life. After waiting for an eternity going through immigration and being asked what I was doing in Japan, mom collected her luggage and on we went to catch our connecting flight to Salt Lake City, which would be another waiting game since the flight wasn’t until 7:30 PM.

I bought my first cup of coffee of the day – Iced shaken Triple-shot Espresso – knowing I cannot sleep even if I must because if I slept then, I would not be able to sleep when I get home and then I wouldn’t be able to correct the 15-hour time difference.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you as awake as I am here talking to you, I am dead tired. I haven’t been able to sleep well since I returned, most likely due to the time difference. 15 hours time difference is no joke. Unlike mom who was able to take more time off work and sleep through the last two afternoons, I had been needing to work to try to catch up on my work because of month-end close.

The good news is all the bodily pain I was feeling in Japan (except for shoulders and back) have miraculously been cured the moment I got back to Utah. I now think the pain in my legs and knees had something to do with the humidity. I will have to ask my rheumatologist when I see him next because that pain really put a damper the trip among many other things.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you my garden miraculously survived my absence. To be honest, I was very concerned and fully expected to come home to a bunch of dead plants. The temperature dipped into the low 40’s/upper 30’s last weekend and I knew the tomatoes and peppers wouldn’t survive but somehow, they survived but did looked a little frost damaged. I have spent the last 2 nights cleaning up the garden.

A windstorm (or several) came and nearly broke several tomato cages, so a few of my larger tomato plants are currently leaning at a dangerous angle. I’ll be attempting to fix that this weekend.

Finally, can you believe mom is already planning for the next trip? She wants to return to Japan next March or April. “Count me out.” I told her. That’s when I’m the busiest and there’s no way I’ll go on another trip with her. We were fighting for most of this last trip, anyway, and I’m not in the mood to do it over again. I like to see her try to navigate Japan without Google Maps or Wi-Fi or even knowing a few phrases in Japanese.

Did I mention she doesn’t know how to use Google Maps?

#weekendcoffeeshare is hosted by Natalie of Natalie the Explorer. I appreciate you stopping by. Until next we chat. 🙂

15 thoughts on “#WeekendCoffeeShare – Back to Life”

  2. You seem to be a reluctant traveller. I am. I live the idea of doing things but actually doing things is not that much fun. I developed aches and pains when I have to do something my core being doesn’t want to do. Just a thought. I am glad you are feeling better. Have wondered about your garden. Best blessings for health and favour for the coming week.

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    1. I used to be a willing traveler but that was only when I was traveling alone. I think traveling companion matters and it sets the mood of the trip.
      I’m afraid my garden is coming to an end as cold weather starts creeping in and the daylight hours deminish. I’m guessing there are probably 2 weeks left before my tomatoes and peppers will die.

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      3. Yes. We don’t have to contend with the cold and snow you have to deal with. It’s a shame more of us are not gardeners. I watched some programs on water bear yesterday. It’s shocking to find out what state the world of farming is in.

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      5. This is out of place but wanted to tell you about Harmonic health it’s apparently a breakthrough remedy for arthritis. It’s all over Instagram with people raving about it. Might be worth a shot. Just wanted to tell you that. I follow naturalist sites and those I tried worked for me. Lots of love. Can’t bear that you are in pain.

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  4. Good to know you’re safely home and feeling better. Odd how your symptoms acted up while you were out and about. Do you think exercise from walking a lot maybe mixed with the stress of not being able to escape dealing with your mom all day played a part?

    Gardens always surprise me, when I expect A, somehow they deliver B instead. Certainly if I had your knowledge and insight, I’d do better matching expectations with reality.

    On the other hand, I’d never want to live near SLC. Your weather is too dependably harsh for my taste.

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    1. Hi Gary, I think the humidity also had something to do with it. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and my doctor told me once that it can come on at any time. I googled the symptoms and it matched or maybe I just wanted it to match.
      It definitely had something to do with my mom, all right, no doubt about it.
      I actually spoke too soon when I wrote the post because I’ve been feeling like crap these two days and I suspect it has something to do with being put in a cooler drier climate after being in a hot humid one. At least my feet aren’t hurting.
      The garden is surprising, isn’t it? 😄 I was completely expected to find a lot of the plants be killed by the sudden cold weather but they somehow looked greener and bushier than when I left.
      Actually, the weather in SLC has gotten mild over the last few years. I live about 30 miles north and each week, when I head into the city for work, I would watch the temperature in my car jump 5-10 degrees each time I drive across the county line. Weird, isn’t it?
      Anyway, I think it just depends on the parts of Utah one chooses to live in.

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