It's happening!

"I feel absurdly happy." That's one phrase that's been floating around in my head today. But is isn't correct: it isn't absurd that I feel happy today.

The other phrase is related: "It's happening!" Today we've started packing for camping on Monday. It's been a while since we've been and I'm excited to be going again. It's been a crazy week. Hundreds of emails received and over a hundred written. I'll be happy to be a long way from a computer next week for a few days, a break definitely is needed.

I'm also happy because the cause of a great number of those emails is the Summer Issue of Japan Harvest, which is in the final stages of being put into magazine format by our production editor. This morning I saw a partial "proof" (which is like a draft, it looks like the magazine will look, but is on my computer). It is looking great. I'm excited . . . and happy.

But I did remember last week, with a shock, that we are going camping in the "rainy season," not that it seems to rain an awful lot more than most of the rest of the year (it rains 117 days a year in Tokyo). I checked the weather this morning on several websites. They generally conclude that we could see thunderstorms on our first day, and a moderate chance of rain on Tuesday, with less of a chance of rain on Wednesday and Thursday. I did come across a bit of an error. I don't know if it was bad English or just a typo. But one site suggested we'd be in for "tons of rain" on Tuesday. David suggested it probably should read "times of rain"! I hope so.

David bought a new plastic box with a lid yesterday for storing stuff in while we're camping. Here's what it said on the label: "Create for smartly space with freedom." Hmmm.

The weather report also told me that the sun gets up at 4.28 on Tuesday. Good thing I bought some eye masks at the 100 yen store the other day. They also have some great English on them: "The surface is soft and used nappy material." Used material? And here's me thinking that they were new! They include earplugs and have some nice instructions for them:

1. Though you make an ear plug revolve by a fingertip, please make it thin.
2. Please insert an ear plug slowly while putting it in badly and playing attention.
3. An ear plug is full and it will fit in about 20 seconds.

Hmmm. I must tell anyone who intends to use them that they need to make sure they make them thin, don't make them revolve, to be sure to put them in badly and count to 20 slowly!

The 100 yen shop is always good for finding funny bad-English. Here's some more I found on Wednesday:

Love the "A double zipper does not express water". As a bonus
it has "a scale to understand quantity of water"!

This is priceless.

It says: "when the box is used to keep coldness,always put refigerant (other selling) together in. (sic)

You've just got to laugh.

In the meantime, I'm happily anticipating camping, whether it rains or not, next week.